#(oh that's a catchy tag i may need to use again!)

[nostalgia-tblr]

i read fic recently that kept going on about how tiny smol ikkle wee Sylvie is, and every time I said "no she fucking isn't" out loud until I'd had enough of that and moved on to something else.

[islandofsages]

perhaps you should’ve asked...

summary: in which you give in and buy a rex lapis plush.

characters: keqing and zhongli (separate)

tags: gn!reader, no specific relationship between characters and reader but you two live together, reader knows zhongli is rex lapis, fluff + crack, hc + scenario format

warnings: you get so much embarrassment you die none

author's notes: i just wanted to write something fun LOL also i have the rex lapis plush myself so i just thought “haha what if they see me with this thing” so yeah

keqing

when you found out keqing is secretly into rex lapis paraphernalia, you fought the urge to laugh. but that was then. now…you find yourself with a limited edition rex lapis plush. you couldn’t help it - it’s just so adorable you’d spend all your savings on it! fortunately though, you didn’t have to do that

though you then realize that you do not know how keqing would react to you having such a thing. would she be jealous? would she want it for herself? either way, you obviously need to find out her opinion on the plush for…reasons. you totally don’t just want to see her reaction towards you having limited edition geo archon merchandise

so you waltz to your shared home casually with the plush in your arms, you hugging it so tightly that you might squeeze out its stuffing. with a big smile on your face and a catchy hum on your lips, you enter your humble abode

keqing is, unsurprisingly, working in the living room (although you have a study room - you guess that she was simply waiting for you to come home) and she looks up once she hears your footsteps nearing her. she greets you happily but the moment she lays her eyes on the plush, her eyes widen

“i-is that what i think it is?”

you smirk as you nod vigorously in response. she folds her arms and shuts her eyes, assuming a pondering pose. you await her remark excitedly and for your chance to flex your little limited edition plush-

“i…already have that, (y/n).”

you feel your heart sink. then again, you should’ve expected this considering she is the biggest rex lapis fan you know but you suppose you clung onto that small sliver of hope a little too much. you try to reason that you bought it for yourself instead of it being a gift for her and she only snickers in agreement

she pats your back supportively as you sulk on the couch beside her and insists that hey, two is better than one after all; now you have your own and you two don’t have to share! though this does not help with relieving any of your shame but it’s the thought that counts

the next day, you see her hugging both of your plushies. she tells you not to say a word - not to her and not to anybody else. knowing her, you do exactly as she says.

zhongli

oh, now you’ve done it. this is the peak of embarrassment for you; here you are, living with the ex-geo archon himself, and yet…a rex lapis plush with the softest fur you could ever imagine is sitting in your hands. it stares at you cutely with his shut eyes, fast asleep in his own dreamland. how could you ever resist such an adorable little thing?

even then, you decide that you are not going to let him see you with the dragon-and-mini-him. you worry that he may be roaming the very streets you are walking through right now so you rush home, determined to keep this your “dirty'' little secret

the moment you step into your house, you relax and start making your way to your room to stash your little dragon away somewhere safe. where would work, you begin to wonder. would under the bed work? or should you hide him in your personal dresser? or even-

“(y/n)? is that…me?”

you freeze. you turn towards the direction of his voice hesitatingly, your cheeks slowly but surely growing red. there is no way to hide the plush in your arms. but at least there is a way to deny his statement…if you are to use the word “deny” loosely anyway

“y-yes? i mean, no! i mean, technically it’s rex lapis and you know, you’re not the geo archon anymore, you’re just zhongli now, hahahaha…”

you nervously laugh and scratch the back of your head sheepishly with your right hand, your left hand still clutching onto the plush firmly. following suit, zhongli offers a chuckle of his own. your cheeks are flaming red now

“what fine craftsmanship. it is no question that you procured such an item. and you are correct - i am zhongli.”

thankfully enough, he seems to not question it much. you don’t know why you were so worried; zhongli is quite literally one of the most open-minded people you’ve met. and that’s saying something for someone who has lived for centuries. so you breathe out a sigh of relief. until zhongli continues-

“although, if you simply wanted to hug rex lapis, you could’ve merely asked me. i would’ve been happy to oblige. i still am, if i were to be completely honest.”

you’ve had enough. you sink onto the ground out of embarrassment, your knees growing weak under his unintentional tease. he grows concerned and kneels down in front of you to check if you’re okay. and quite frankly, you are not

the plush now sits in your room (“your” as in either your individual room or shared room with him) and when he is ever in the mood to tease you, he will bring up the incident. he knows it always brings a blush to your cheeks.

[okskz]

Chan’s Room. (pt.2)

Mia + Chan

chan invites mia back on his weekly vlives.

here’s for the anon who requested mia on chan’s room! hope you guys enjoy and please feel free to leave some feedback because it is always appreciated!

italics = english

[9th Member of Stray Kids]

“Today we have a special guest with us today. You guys have been mentioning this person for quite awhile now. And well I listened!” Chan chuckled to himself at the last part.

He looked over at Mia, smiling wide as he motioned for her to come over. She jumped into view right behind Chan and yelled out, “surprise!” wrapping her arms around Chan from behind after. “I’m back.” She laughed to herself before taking a seat right next to him.

“Yes, our lovely, Mia is back everyone.” Chan wrapped his arms around Mia’s head, bringing her in close as he began to ruffle her hair too. “Everyone has been wanting you to be in Chan’s room again.”

“How nice.” Mia giggled. “I think the last time I was here was your first year doing this?”

“Oh, so its been quite a while since you’ve been on here.”

“Yeah! Only because you failed to invite me back!” Mia turned to face the camera. “Everyone, Channie doesn’t want me on here.”

Chan let out a laugh. “Hey, untrue!” He smiled. “You just happen to always be busy, or sleeping.”

“I like to sleep.” She nodded.

Mia went closer towards the device to read some of the comments with Chan. It was a mixture of a lot of things, majority were just happy to see Mia back on Chan’s room. “Hi, everyone.” She giggled. “Mia we missed you. Oh! I missed you guys as well. Time to make this Mia’s Room.”

“Definitely not happening.”

“Shoutout to Texas, hi, Mia.” The girl gasped when reading the comment. “Texas! I miss Texas, hello to you guys!”

After a couple of more minutes of reading comments and talking to Chan, it was now time to start playing some music. And of course, Chan let Mia choose the first song to play. “You have a song in mind?” He questioned her. Mia quickly nodded her head, typing away on the keyboard to search for the song, picking Telepatía by Kali Uchis to play.

“This song has been one of my top songs I have been playing.” Mia smiled. “It has a good vibe to it. Especially when I’m listening to it while laying in bed.”

“This is a really good song, a recommendation for our Stays.”

Mia nodded her head as she smiled, Chan lowering the volume on the music.

***

“Who has been caring or looking over for you these days?” Chan questioned. They were now in the middle of conversation, taking a small break from the music.

Mia thought for a moment. “Well, all of you guys seem to always look after me in different situations, but Jisungie has been the main one.” She nodded. “Yeah, these days its been Jisung.”

“Every time he wants to go out to like the stores or to go eat, he always asks me first.”

“I’ve noticed that too.” Chan softly chuckled. “You two are always hanging out together.”

“Yes!” Mia smiled. “We always like to be with Flash. And for those who don’t know, Jisung and I have a pet guinea pig named Flash.”

“Such a cute little fella.”

“Very. I can’t believe we’ve had him for so long now. Who knew a little fur ball could bring me such joy.” She grinned.

“What made you get a guinea pig instead of a dog or something?”

Mia shrugged her shoulders. “I thought a dog in the dorms wouldn’t work out maybe, and it would be a huge responsibility. I mean a guinea pig is too but it seems a lot easier. Plus when I saw him I fell in love and needed to take him home with us.”

“He’s so tiny and cute.” Mia giggled.

Chan laughed a little as he stared at the comments. One in particular catching his eye. “Mia share a TMI.” He looked back at her, Mia raising a brow.

“TMI?” She questioned. She began to think of some things she could possibly share about herself.

“Although our Stay knows you, there’s still some things they may not know about you. You’re never one to share anything personal. Even I still learn new things about you.” Chan laughed at himself on the last sentence.

“Well I can share that I have known Minho way before debut.”

Chan snapped his finger. “Oh yeah, I remember you mentioning that. How was that? Where did you guys meet?”

Mia cleared her throat. “Storytime.” She wheezed. “Um, it was back when I had entered World of Dance Korea. Dancing has been something I’ve always been passionate about so when I saw they were wanting new dancers I decided to join. Minho had already been there before me. So I was a newbie basically.”

Chan nodded his head as he listened to Mia’s story. “Did you know the language at the time? Or were you learning Korean?”

“It was between I was learning and knowing? I guess you can say. But anyways, I remember Minho being in dance crew and I was just a soloist dancer so when it came time to perform I did a solo performance. And right when I walked off the stage, Minho approached me first and was like “wow! you really did amazing up there, are you new?””

Mia stopped letting out a small chuckle. “But then he realized I was a foreigner so began stuttering and was like “you” and then pointed at me saying “good.” With a thumbs up.” She laughed. “But he was relieved when I began speaking to him in Korean. So it all worked out in the end.”

“Did you guys see each other again after that?l

“Si, (yes).” Mia nodded. “We ended up going to the same dance studio so we saw each a lot often. He was kinda happy to see me again. And after that we became really good friends and well now we’re here. Crazy to think about really.”

“Yeah, who would of thought you guys would end up in the same group together.”

“Exactly.”

***

“We have a lot of fun stories of our predebut.”

Mia nodded her head at Chan. “Yeah, we did.”

Chan began laughing. “You and Changbin really disliked each other at the time. But not just you two, I feel like almost all of us got into arguments and such.”

Mia laughed hysterically at the thought. “Oh yeah, let me tell you about the time it was me, Changbin, Felix and Jisung.” Mia thought some more. “And Seungmin! We all went to an arcade and there was a laser tag section and the boys thought it was a good idea to put Changbin and I in one team and the rest were in their team.”

“I like where this is going.”

“Long story short I had tripped on something so obviously I fell and Changbin was right behind me-“

“Did he fall on top of you?”

“No. Even worse, Jisung was coming up to me and since I’m on the ground he thought it was a perfect opportunity to shoot at me but, Changbin literally grabbed my leg and dragged me away from Jisung. We were losing so Changbin didn’t want Jisung to get me.”

Chan let out a loud laugh, beginning to laugh hysterically. “Wait, wait. So he literally dragged you on the floor?”

“Yes!” Mia exclaimed, she started laughing when seeing Chan bounce in his seat and clapping. “He literally dragged me across that floor until we were in a hiding spot.”

“Did anyone see you two?”

“Oh my god yes. These group of people saw us and kept laughing.” Mia giggled. “And after, Jisung was telling the others and it was just a whole mess.” She shook her head. “We lost either way.”

Chan began laughing harder than usual at Mia’s predebut story, holding onto his stomach as he did so. “Remember that one time you fell off the bunk bed?”

Mia looked at Chan confused but burst into laughter once she remembered what he was talking about. “Oh yeah!” She exclaimed. “It was in the middle of the night and I had to use the bathroom but I was half asleep. So then I thought I was already at the bottom when in reality I was only halfway there so I jumped off and well... it wasn’t a pretty ending.”

The two began laughing out loud hysterically at the story. There was just too many stories to tell from their predebut. It was definitely all fun for the most part.

***

It was getting towards the end of Chan’s room when Chan was in the middle of playing one more song of Mia’s choice. The girl had chosen LMLY by Jackson Wang. “When I first heard this song, I instantly fell in love. It’s so catchy and good. Jackson really did a great job with it. I always love his music.”

“Very enjoyable to listen to, this song is great.” Chan nodded while lowering the volume on the music. He smiled as he looked at the comments, knowing what they wanted since he was going to end the live soon.

“Have you seen my rooms lately?” He questioned Mia

“Some, I saw last week’s with Jisungie and Changbin.”

“So you know what I do in the end?” He smiled while Mia nodded. “We have to give our Stays a hug.”

Mia began grinning as Chan talked. “Today you guys will be getting a hug not only from me but also from Mia.” He looked back at the girl. “First time hug from Mia!” Chan exclaimed. “You wanna do the honors and hug first?”

“Sure!” Mia stood up quickly going in to give a hug like Chan always does. She began giggling when she sat back down. “That was nice, hope you guys liked my hug.”

“A big hug from Mia and now a big hug from me.” Chan said, going in for a hug as well. He sat back down, “hope you guys enjoyed today’s live and getting to see Mia again, she will be back again, hopefully?”

“You know it!”

The two said their goodbyes before Chan ended the live completely. “Thank you for coming.” He looked back at Mia, seeing she was a bit spaced out. “Mia?”

“I just thought of something.”

“What is it?”

Mia couldn’t help but let out a small snort. “I basically put my whole boobs in front of everyone’s faces with that hug.”

[jaskierswolf]

Hmmm Geraskier Legally Blonde AU. Music major Jaskier follows his long-time muse Chiridean to law school (what, like it’s hard?) but finds him smitten with all-star student Yennefer. Cue Jaskier needing the broody TA, Geralt’s help in not flunking out. Jaskier ends up rocking the high-profile case of Callonetta, even after evil law professor Stregobor attempts to toss him out. (I also needed an excuse to put Jaskier in a playboy bunny outfit. For reasons.)

I am so so sorry this took so long. I almost made it into a longer piece and honestly I may still use the scenes in this to expand into a longer fic on AO3 if I have time but for now...  voila! _____________

Jaskier was tearing his hair out. There was no way he would be able to get the grades he needed to get into law school. He was a musician for fuck’s sake. There were so many words and they were all so boring. The paragraphs blended together and blurred making it nearly impossible to focus. He groaned and thumped his head on the table. He could do this. He wanted to do this. He had just hit a wall. He’d been concentrating so hard for weeks, which was, quite frankly, impressive for him. That sort of focus was usually reserved for his composing.

“Come on, Jask. You can do this!”

He couldn’t do this.

“How’s it going, buttercup?” Triss asked as she popped her head around the door.

Jaskier pouted and gazed wistfully out the window at the parties in the street below. “I should be out there, Triss. I could have been up on the stage or snogging some gorgeous person behind the curtain!”

Triss smirked and put her hands on her hips. “Snogging?”

Jaskier winked. “Or fucking,” he added with a shrug. “Anything is better than this shit!” He said gesturing widely to the the stack of books on his desk.

“You could just give up?”

Jaskier gaped at her and huffed. “My muse!” He whined.

“Suit yourself,” Triss shrugged. “Ready to go again?”

Jaskier groaned but nodded as Triss passed him another test whilst setting an alarm on her phone.

“Go!”

He sighed but began to scribble furiously. He could do this!

__________

He’d fucking done it. Jaskier Pankratz was at Law School. His parents had never been so proud. They’d restored his inheritance to their estate and he finally had access to his bank accounts again. No more living on tips and barista wages for him. He grinned. He’d always known that Chireadan would be the best muse! He strutted down the halls dressed in his favourite black skinny jeans and a shocking pink crop top, his guitar slung over his shoulder and an ice coffee in hand.

It was time for the next part of his plan. It was time to get his muse back!

He smiled and waved cheerfully at his fellow law students as he danced through the corridors, sipping his ice salted caramel latte through a straw. Most of them looked at him as if he was from another planet. Their clothes were black, black and black. Did no one in law school know what colour was? Yes he was wearing black jeans, but his top was brightly coloured and more than a little bit sexy. He’d paired the outfit with some designer sunglasses, a gift to himself to celebrate his reunion with his credit card, and a pair high heeled ankle boots that laced up at the front. His fashion sense was just wasted on these clever folk.

He sighed dramatically and glanced up at the doors. He was absolutely not lost. It was just… nothing was very clearly marked. Perhaps that’s why you needed all the extra tests to get into law school, even getting to class was a fucking exam.

“Are you alright?” A deep gruff voice asked. “You look lost.”

Jaskier spun around and peered over the top of his sunglasses. His jaw dropped. The man in front of him was fucking gorgeous. He had the most beautiful silver hair that was pulled into a bun, revealing a sneaky undercut on either side of his head. He was wearing a black turtle neck that was a tad too tight and stretched over hidden muscles, and on his face were a pair of thick black rimmed glasses. It shouldn’t have been so sexy but holy mother of fuck. Even the ratty old tweed jacket looked good on him.

“Lost in your eyes maybe,” Jaskier winked and bit his lips.

“Hmm.”

And then he turned and walked away. Jaskier pouted. The man must be straight. There wasn’t even a blush on his face, either that or Jaskier was losing him game.

Nah. It wasn’t that. He looked fucking hot and he knew it.

Jaskier hurried after him and placed a hand on his arm. “Wait! No. I’m sorry. I am lost, like actually lost and not just in your eyes, although can I just say,” he gestured to the man’s body. “Wow. What colour are your eyes? Yellow, no golden… doesn’t matter. They are gorgeous.”

The man raised an eyebrow at him.

“I’m Jaskier by the way. Jaskier Pankratz.” He held his hand out to shake but the man ignored it so he ran his fingers through his hair instead.

“What class?”

“Oh umm, excellent question,” Jaskier stuck out his tongue and he dug through his pockets for his schedule. It was already coffee stained and torn in the corner but who gives a shit. “Professor Stregobor?”

The man let out a weary sigh and pressed his fingers to his forehead. “Fuck.”

Jaskier tilted his head and put his free hand on his hip as he sipped his coffee. “Why ‘fuck’?”

“You’re not going to last two minutes. Follow me.”

Jaskier’s eyes widened. What was that supposed to mean? “Oh hang on!”

“Follow me.”

Jaskier’s jaw snapped shut. He hadn’t even made it to class yet and he was starting to regret everything.

_______________

“Come on…” Jaskier drawled as he rest his chin on his hands. The table was sticky and covered in beer but he ignored it. He had a job to do. He jutted out his bottom lip and widened his eyes at Chireadan.

Chireadan like everyone else in this damned party was dressed casually in a rather lovely blue jumper and chinos. Jaskier, who had been invited to the party by one Yennefer Vengerberg, was wearing a black corset, fishnet tights and a ridiculous pair of bunny ears. He should have known better than to trust Yennefer. She was fucking gorgeous and a phenomenal lawyer but she had taken a dislike to him. It was shame. He was pretty certain that under different circumstances they could have been friends. She was just ambitious and did not hesitate to trample on others to get what she wanted. He respected that.

It just had a few unpleasant side effects. Like turning up to a non-costume party dressed as a playboy bunny. At least he looked cute.

“No, no. Out of the question!” Chireadan said in his adorable little accent. It was what had drawn Jaskier to him in the first place. “I’m just not interested anymore.”

Jaskier let out a soft whine and batted his eyelids. “But I need you, you’re my muse!”

“Well you’ll have to find a new one. I’m done being fodder for your terrible songs.”

And like that the spell was broken. Jaskier gasped and sat back in his chair. “I. You. What?!” He shrieked.

“It was just one love song after another, and none of them even made sense? Do you even know how to rhyme? And we’re not even in love.” Chireadan huffed. “I want a girlfriend and I can’t do that with you trailing after me acting like a lovesick puppy. No. Julian. We are done.”

“Oh no. We are not done because you say so. We are done because you are a terrible muse with fucking awful taste in music. I cannot believe I wasted years on you!” Jaskier snapped. “I was just trying to repay you for saving my life but you. you.. ungrateful swine!”

“You’re acting like a child.”

“I’m a musician! I’m allowed to be dramatic!” He yelled and stood up, kicking the chair out from underneath him. “Yennefer Vengerberg will never love you. You’re wasting your time.”

“I know,” Chireadan sighed wistfully. “but I love her.”

Jaskier scoffed and fled the house. His pride was wounded. Not only had Stregobor called him a talentless fool who would never succeed in court, his muse, his precious muse had insulted his songs. He was fucking done with it all. He should never have come here.

His eyes stung and his throat ached as he bit back a sob. “Fuck!”

He shivered just as a heavy coat dropped around his shoulders. He touched the fabric in the dark; tweed. He smiled into his lap; Geralt. He felt Geralt sit next to him silently and he rest his head on Geralt’s shoulder.

“I spoke to Yen,” Geralt said in a low whisper. “I’d like to say she’s sorry for the costume joke.”

Jaskier chuckled. “Of course she’s not.”

“No.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it,” Geralt grunted.

Jaskier sighed dramatically as he looked up at the stars. “What am I doing here, Geralt? I’m a musician, not a lawyer, and apparently I can’t even do that right.”

“What? Who said that?”

“Chireadan,” he whined.

“He knows fuck all,” Geralt growled.

Jaskier sat up and stared at Geralt in disbelief. “Does this mean you like my music, Geralt?” Geralt scowled and refused to meet his gaze. “Oh come on, I’m having a shit night. Humour me?”

“I like your music.”

“What do you like about it, three words or less?”

“Jaskier,” Geralt groaned.

“Please!”

“It’s catchy.” A pause. “And I like your voice.”

Jaskier swallowed as he tried to remind himself how to breathe. He was certain it was the booze and Geralt actually being nice to him for a change but he suddenly had an overwhelming urge to kiss him. He cupped Geralt’s face, turning it gently so he was looking at Jaskier. “Thank you, my dear.”

“Hmm.”

Geralt’s eyes flickered down to Jaskier’s lips. There was no mistaking that and even in the dark Jaskier was pretty sure he could see a blush on Geralt’s cheeks. He was fairly certain that if Geralt didn’t kiss him now, he might die. He licked his lips and tilted his head at his friend. “Geralt?” He asked quietly.

Geralt hummed, the ever present scowl on his forehead deepening. “Yeah?”

“Kiss me?”

And he did. Then he did it again, and again, until Jaskier had forgotten all the sadness in his heart because all that mattered were Geralt’s lips against his. __________ Tag list: @alwenarin @slythnerd @davidtennan-t @flippinfricks @innocentcinnamonpun @marvagon @elliestormfound @geraskier-trashh @panerato @moonysourenza @artistsfuneral @victorieschild @hailhailsatan @wherethewordsare @havenoffandoms @bitchy-witchy-post-mortem @electricrituals @geralt-of-riviass @00qtee @kittynannygaming @stinastar @scribblesonmapleleaves @thecomfortofoldstorries @fontegagrilledcheese @anythinggoesfandoms @veritasrose @trickstermoose67

[berrymeter]

ok perth u probably didn't see the oneus cb yet but i gotta give u my thoughts please take my thoughts.

black mirror: it feels a little atrocious and cheesy and i actually love it like it's just a catchy song!! they could have gone harder but i'm okay with it. the mv is VERY valkyrie which is cute but also boring. none of the shots really wowed me also rbw tanked their budget for this cb.. and some of their fits suck. for me this is a step up from banbakbulga though

connect with us: letdown letdownnnn i would honestly rather listen to the outro version of this song. there is no movement there is no buildup. but xion has a verse so 🥰🥰 i guess

polarity: THIS IS THE ONE.. catchy as hell mwah

happy birthday: save me. save them. the chorus is nice honestly and i like this producer but the aggressively heterosexual corny english interjections really took me out of the vibe.. it's not my birthday i'm not your girlfriend shut up shut uppppp

valkyrock: mixed feelings bc it really just feels like valkyrie with poorly arranged hard guitar in the bg there were some weird instrumental choices too. it serves its purpose which is to be a cool concert remix. there are some cool moments tho especially with the main guitar which i can only assume is kanghyun just shredding it good for him. could have gone harder with the rock concept

so overall this cb... just okay. i'm okay with it! it's def not a come back home or a tbontb (i actually LOVED tbontb era sfsgdfdgdg even the acoustic guitar in the chorus) but frankly it wasn't trying to be that. still feels pretty oneus. anywayyy this is long! i just wanted to like. open a discussion lol don't feel pressured to respond!! -tt

i can finally start answering this ohohoho

hi tt anon my beloved!!! i am ready to answer to these thoughts (aka compare them to mine hSDGHSDKJGH. also i’ll be writing like, each ThoughtTM after i’ve listened to each song, so while i’m typing that i’ve only heard black mirror)

ok so i’m done typing my thoughts and. it got VERY long. don’t apologise for length i’m also wordy <3

now connect with us. so far i didn’t like the voice editing on keonhee’s voice but the song sounds... alright... not groundbreaking but it’s alright. seoho my beloved <3 WAIT THERES NO DROP IN THE CHORUS???? WHAT THE FUCK? i don’t really like the typical kpop drops always used now but come on?? oh wait there’s a? ugh. that was nothing. well i guess it’s a song and dongju got a verse for sure. i don’t have a lot to say on it i don’t know if i’ll add it to any playlists IS THAT HWANWOONG’S FIRST LINE?????? what the hell is any of this DSKJFHKJHD i may not have noticed him before but huh what. eh. it’s a song. again maybe it’ll grow on me! but right now yeah it’s a letdown i agree.

so for black mirror i agree the mv was... cheaper than what we got with gaja, twilight & etc. like they used all the budget on their first mvs DNSKJFHKJ (and to be or not to be... i guess? i don’t remember much except Guns And Blood Bath). i don’t really mind it in itself bc i don’t watch mvs much anymore and i’ve accepted that sometimes companies will just throw whatever at the audience for the sake of money (see also: ugly dance by onf letting me down in great part bc it acts as a followup to beautiful beautiful but is literally just a performance mv with no storytelling elements whatsoever but eh what can you do right) but for someone who likes cinematography it’s definitely gonna be disappointing if they were expecting something like gaja or come back home. as for the fits i didn’t really look at them, mostly their faces? and ough they are pretty <3 but yeah i wanted to get the more negative criticism out of the way so i can talk about The Song because unexpectedly i actually really like it!! and we can thank the bassline for that LMAOOO honestly this is gonna sound mean for no reason but this is what w*nho (censoring in case it gets in tags... i do NOT need mbbs after me on this fine day) thought he was doing with his debut song (not losing you that one made me cry. the one that i forgot the name of). i really enjoy the vibe of the song even if imo it doesn’t really fit the visual concept very much? but it has strings and i’m not gonna say no to strings. strings and a sexy bassline. and yonghoon’s whistling. SHFSDHKH

no but it’s a really good song imo! it’s not... as good as say, twilight (maybe it’ll grow on me idk we’ll see but twilight really was one of their best so), but it’s still a pretty solid song and while i do like banbakbulga a lot now it feels a lot less oneus than black mirror. oh wait i have something else to say, they really should leave the rapping to ravn bc like we know kpop rappers are not really rappers but i. really don’t wanna hear leedo rap anymore. he has great vocals there’s no reason for that... ravn is genuinely enjoyable to listen to so i don’t mind him but pls rbw give leedo more vocal lessons so he can sing more (and also give dongju vocal lessons at all?? why does he get two lines per song??? they’re a 2 yr old group now there’s no excuse. is he that bad? i don’t buy it he sounded good in the rtk gaja)

black mirror also very vaguely reminded me of run away by got7 during the chorus for some reason feel free to ignore that HFKJSHKFJ

onto polarity! shit i really need wrist braces. well this is like an improved connect with us? it’s definitely catchier sdnfsjkdfh and definitely a oneus song tho that means i don’t really like what their style is headed toward... one of the percussions they keep using, i really don’t like it!! i hear it everywhere and i don’t like it! not bc i hear it everywhere but bc it’s used for anything and everything like u should be more careful with what sounds u use for what songs. but i’m also very picky in the little details when i’m focused on something i guess sndfjskh. keonhee sounds really good in this song thank u mr lisp for my life i love u :) OH WAIT LEEDO IN THE CHORUS??? VERY GOOD LET’S GET MARRIED jk not to a leo man.

then we got happy birthday....... um... i was gonna say this is fine then he said you’re my goddess and. let me out <3 NOOO KEONHEE SOUNDS SO GOOD THIS IS EVIL... WHY DOES HE SOUND SO GOOD ON THIS SONG NANODNONDD LOVE LOSES </////3 i wouldn’t say it’s unlistenable for me like english girl but i’m gonna have to turn off my english speaking brain to listen to it yeah. it’s a good song otherwise what a shame... stop pushing ur heterosexual words onto me i’m just trying to listen to a song!!! do songs have to be gendered!!!!!!!!!

valkyrock here we go. last one. last one boys & not boys. so far it’s nice tbh. HUH? they lost the vibe with ravn’s verse. okay i guess the prechorus is alright i can hear the faintest hint of strings. the chorus... the percussions should not be like that... like idk how to explain it but the rhythm is too regular and not spaced out enough, if they were gonna do it like that it should hit a lot harder. don’t give me just the big boy (idk the english name but u know the one on the drums) and the small cymbal sound... that’s not loud enough bring out the damn gong (ok i may exaggerate but like it sounds more dancey than rock either way). uhhhhh overall though i really like the mix of the heavy guitar & strings i think that’s great and they should do that more. i can only assume onewe took care of the instruments LMAO harin u should’ve gone harder than that king i know u can...

so uhmmm for me this cb is... better than the previous one. which is sad bc it was a full album. i also liked it better than tbontb bc i felt that one didn’t go hard enough and black mirror wasn’t trying to go hard in that way so it doesn’t bother me 😭 yeah it’s not light us raise us fly with us level but it’s really good still. i can’t wait for oneus to finally release something that makes me insane but tbh? tbh? the bassline might get me there anyway. sexy bass makes me deranged and i think that’s at least a little bit relatable. still... when oneus get back to their roots in ways other than valkyrock maybe we’ll ascend to a better plane. much love 💕

[themoonstarwarrior]

PLAYLIST SHUFFLE TAG!

Okay, so @viterbofangirl tagged me in this and I need to start learning to post my own shit, so what the hell, why not?

Rules: you can usually tell a lot about a person by the type of music they listen to! put your favorite playlist on shuffle and list the first 10 15 songs, then tag 10 people. no skipping!

(I couldn’t stop at 10 so I added 5 more, sue me)

I have very random music taste and I listen to my music on shuffle alot, so I made a playlist of the ones I like the most (that way I don’t hafta skip 150 songs to get to the one I feel like) so I’m gonna use that one.

1) History of Violence - Theory of a Deadman

Hoo boy starting off light huh?.... Yeah so, I was in the drive thru at Sonic when I first heard this on the radio and was immediately like “holy shit”. Instead of like metaphors and poetic subtlety, it’s just straight up like “here’s a poor abused woman who resorted to murdering her shitty boyfriend/husband cuz she couldn’t take it dum dum dum”. Even though the actual situation is not the same, this song is perfect for getting across the internal issues and turmoil of my character Mikey. Its so perfect I’m even planning to animate something for it...... if I ever get around to learning animation that is.....     

2) The Vengeful One - Disturbed

Two songs in and I look kinda emo.... But hey this song is soooooo cathartic! I love me a good heavy rock song, and the drums and electric guitar are perfect for my ears to absorb. This song gives off a feeling of overwhelming power mixed with a coldness and disdain for the bad in the world. Obviously, thats not my usual temperment, but its an interesting one to explore! Especially when I’m trying to get into the head of characters that exude that like my OCs Spark or Ryu. Plus its fun to sing in the car X)

3) Enter Sandman - Metallica

Okay this one is just a classic! Same thing with the drums and guitar they both slap SOOOOO GOOD. I don’t really associate this song with any of my characters or fandom favorites, but it DOES give me a super strong urge to learn the drums. EXXXXXXXXIT LIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT! OFF TO NEVER NEVERLAND!!

4) We Are Giants - Lindsey Stirling ft. Dia Frampton

I don’t really to listen to music by band or artist, but I LOVE Lindsey Stirling!!! She’s probably my favorite musician! This is such a good song, especially for someone like me. Its a positive song that talks about feeling alone in a crowd and unimportant to the world, but how you really do matter and shouldn’t be afraid to dream big and shoot for the stars. It really speaks to me and the vocalization is so good (especially for singing), not to mention the official music video is animated and AMAZING!

5) Cetus - Lensko NCS

I dunno if anyone knows this song, but damn its good. Its one of those Royalty-Free songs that people look up for their channels, which is how I found it in the first place, but I loved it immediately. Its a peppy 8-bit electronic bop that turns a little Irish jig at the end and honestly I think if I ever start an animation channel I’m totally gonna use it! (Also go support Lensko he make good beats!)

6) Sanctuary - Utada Hikaru

I did not grow up with Kingdom Hearts, and only played KH2 within the past year n’ a half. But good God, the moment that Cinematic Opening came on and this song started playing I swear I astral projected into a daze of feelings without names. I know that “Simple and Clean” is the quintessential Kingdom Heart song that gives everyone feelings, but IMHO Sanctuary blows it out of the water. As beautiful as the animation was, or how curious the occasional backwards lyrics are, or how weird it is having high-res Goofy and Donald in what is essentially an anime opening, I really can’t be distracted from this song when I play.

7) Chemical Plant Zone (Rock Remix) - Zerobadniks

Chemical Plant Song is like, one of the TOP Sonic songs by popular vote (and we know how awesome the Sonic series is musically so thats saying something!), but I could never quite vibe with the normal 8-bit version. I think I first heard this as someone’s ringtone and was immediately like “THATS PERFECT THATS EXACTLY HOW I NEED IT!”. The rock makes the song soooo much better and honestly gives the song the perfect vibe. Unfortunately, it took FOREVER to find cuz none of the Rock Covers of this song were the right one. In fact, tbh, I’m not even sure whether Zerobadniks is the correct artist..... that’s just who everybody was crediting when I found it. 

(imma include the link i found since its a little hard to find: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqJiZEM6aPI )

8) The Wolf - SIAMES

YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT ANIMATED MUSIC VIDEOS???? THIS IS A GOD-TIER ANIMATED MUSIC VIDEO. I found the video first, and seriously, if you haven’t seen it YOU NEED TO!!! The beat works perfectly with the images on screen and the story being portrayed is really intriguing, with the lyrics adding to atmosphere without necessarily describing the visuals shown. Even without the animation, the song itself is a banger. It bring to mind the feeling of intense motion forward, but unable to decide whether its movement TOWARD something or AWAY from something. I love listening to this on a nighttime drive.

9) Burn the House Down - AJR

If you ask me, the best way to make a pop song better is to add either violins or trumpets. For this song, it was definitely the trumpets that first caught my attention, and the rest of the song kept me listening. I don’t really know how to describe the vibe of this song, and I don’t have a specific character or story in mind when I listen to it, so its a little hard for me to talk about it. I think the best way I can describe this song and what draws me to it is a feeling of nonchalant go-with-the-flow attitude to shenaniganry. Almost an undertone of “We’re hooligans in a situation that we probably should get out of, but hey we’ve got life and each other so why worry?” At least that’s the closest I can get to a verbal description heh...

10) Slim Pickens Does the Right Thing and Rides the Bomb to Hell - The Offspring 

DANCE, FUCKER, DANCE, LET THE MOTHERFUCKER BURN!!!

So this also has a KICKASS animated music video, but its technically combined with the song “Dividing by Zero”. Now the video works SO well with both, and the shifting artstyles reflect the differing tones of the songs PERFECTLY. However, I have a preference for both the animation and the song on the Slim Pickens half. Its fun to listen to and sing at the top of your lungs and its SO CATHARTIC. Again I cant really describe what my head does when I hear it, but I think you can probably feel a similar vibe if you watch the music video. 

11) No Heaven - DJ Champion

The first time I finished the original Borderlands, I had been playing for days on end, had just finished a long battle with the Destroyer, and sitting back relieved to have beaten it and reflecting on how much I had enjoyed the adventure. Then this song started playing. For what I believe was forty minutes this song looped on my TV while the credits rolled. By the time the credits finished I was pulling up the song to listen to again! What an absolutely PERFECT cherry to add to this experience. This song perfectly encapsulated the chaotic, trigger-happy, morally ambiguous craziness that I had enjoyed and absorbed in this game. Every time I hear it now, I imagine myself in the wastelands of Pandora, driving haphazardly across the sandy dunes as my companions and I shoot and blow up everything in sight. You know, living the dream.......     

12) Hit & Run (Wolfgang Lohr Remix) -  The Electric Swing Circus

I fucking LOVE electro-swing! The electronic beats and rhythm blend so well with the wild and energetic freedom of swing. A lot of electro-swing gives me a vibe of wild movement, reckless abandon, and freedom from constraint. I think this song melds all of these feelings the best! As the last song might have indicated, despite my general nice and sweet temperament, there is a part of me deep down that is an absolute gremlin secretly enamored with chaos, insanity, and a general disdain for law and authority X). But whereas anything Borderlands related has a more “morality is an illusion blowing shit up is real” air about it, this song is far more peppy. More of a “good-hearted but insane” type of chaos, like an 100mph car chase where you end up sailing over the train tracks JUST as the train passes.

.... I may have gotten a bit off track lol 

13) Kickstart my Heart - Motley Crue

I love this song, but I have to be VERY careful when and where I listen to this. I love songs that make me feel like I’m going a million miles per hour, like I’m gotdam Sonic the Hedgehog. Unfortunately, I may or may not have had multiple instances of listening to this song in the car and abruptly realizing that I’m going like 15mph above the speed limit...... So yeah, regardless of absolutely perfect it feels to play this song while speeding down a nearly empty highway, please be careful and drive responsibly!!!

14) I’m Born to Run - American Authors

Imma just up and say it. This song is a Sonic song; like not like actually from the series but a song for the character. This song encapsulates Sonic as a character better than some of his ACTUAL THEMES (and remember Sonic music are bangers!). Its a song about freedom, living life as it comes, and not letting anything slow you down. Frankly I’m surprised they didn’t make this song FOR the Sonic series, or even the movie! Speaking of which, ironically I heard this song right after watching the Sonic movie in theaters, so yeah there’s no way I can associate it with anything else. 

15) Opa Opa - Antique

Oh, what a PERFECT way to end this list! This may be one of my absolute favorite songs of all time! I don’t remember exactly how I found this song... I think I had just relistened to Dalar Mehndi’s “Tunak Tunak Tun” and was looking for other catchy non-english songs and BOY HOWDY I found one! I know nothing about the band or what the song’s about (its in greek and i dont speak it), but this song is just a masterpiece of retro, pop, and dance sounds. This song feels like the musical and lyrical manifestation of dance and movement. I really REALLY wish I could dance JUST so I can express how happy and free this song makes me feel! This is the BEST song for me to end this list with!

***********************************************************************************

JESUS, this got long..... Sorry about that XD. It was fun though, and hopefully somebody was vaguely interested in my ramblings.

Guess I need to tag people now? How about @tharkflark1, @rockmilkshake, @neonbuck, @drawingsdrawingseverywhere, @birthgiverofbirds, @puccafangirl, @kalcat, @biblestudybussybopsbabey, @monstrous-milktea, and @memecage! I think there are a couple of people here I haven’t talked to though soooooo..... hi, I hope you don’t mind the tag X)

 Anyway hope you enjoyed and/or want to do this too! This took for-fucking-EVER to type, so imma go fuck off and watch youtube or something now...

[celosiaa]

Hi! I am back once again, and I was wondering if you had any advice for new writers? You and Taylortut are my icons for sickfics and writing!! I’ve posted a few fics, and was wondering if you had any advice on how to get people to notice them and such?

Oh hi!!! This is the sweetest thing ever!! I am extremely flattered to be asked about writing tips,,, that is so surreal to me since I have only just returned to fic writing for the first time since middle school :,)  thank you so much! I also didn’t know you were writing fics--that’s really exciting, and I’d love to read them!  Here’s a couple things I have figured out along the way—I hope it’ll be at least a little bit helpful. And @taylortut please feel free to add on as well!

Think about what you are trying to say, and write it down.  This might be a little specific to the way I write, but I always want to keep a focus on what my larger ideas are in the fic—whether it’s just sort of a fluffy sickfic, in which case the sticking point is the comfort, or if it’s a more angsty, in-depth character study.  In the case that it’s a longer fic, I try to think more in the abstract.  I’ll usually write down something along the lines of “Focus: learning to care for someone how they need to be cared for after a traumatic experience” or “Focus: accepting the love and care of other people when you feel like you don’t deserve it.”  I think if you start with your goal in mind, it will carry your writing forward in such a way that the reader can feel you building up to it.

Outline.  Again, this is just something I find helpful.  In addition to the above tip, I like to start with laying out the order of scenes I want to have in the fic/chapter.  After that, I fill in, adding bits of dialogue or description I really want to put in, or any specific details that I want to add.  I usually spend an hour or two on this, coming back to it several times to give my brain awhile to mull things over.

Think about the personalities, motivations, and backgrounds of your main characters.  For example, I always write Martin as trans, and I usually have some bit of this filtering into the language or description I use in the fic.  I think this adds a nice amount of detail to help your readers connect with your characters.  It doesn’t have to be anything big!  For example, when I write Martin as trans, I will usually let it filter through in either a mention of binding, some discussion of dysphoria, or a mention of taking T.  If you are writing a character with identities that you do not hold yourself, it’s important to do some research! @writingwithcolor is an extremely helpful resource, and I HIGHLY recommend checking them out.

Think about tone.  This can depend heavily on your subject matter.  I like to set tones through writing the from one POV and explicitly writing that person’s inner thoughts as part of the fic.  The content of their thoughts can often determine whether it’s a sadder fic, an angst fic, or a fluffy fic.  And you don’t have to use this style in order to do that!  You can indicate the motivations of the characters by describing their physical actions or expressions as well. It’s all up to you and your style preferences!

Specific to sickfics, do some research on the illness you are trying to represent.  Some things you may know better than others, such as cold symptoms, but it honestly never hurts to look it up again!  You might find yourself intrigued by a symptom that you hadn’t thought about, or a complication that might make for a great second chapter.  If you’re not as familiar with what you’re writing about, I would recommend reaching out to others about their experiences.  I did this before writing fics about migraines, because I have no personal experience with them, and so many wonderful folks were more than willing to share what migraines are like for them.  This REALLY influenced and strengthened my writing!  Also think about how each symptom you want to portray will impact the character, as well as their own responses to being symptomatic.  Are they embarrassed?  Whiny?  Weepy?  It’s all up to you!

Take your time.  This might be because I’m a bit of a perfectionist, but I will spend time rereading and editing everything I write to make sure the dialogue sounds natural, I don’t use the same descriptor words within too close a proximity to each other, I didn’t accidentally change POV, etc.  For dialogue editing, I really try to hear the voices of the characters in my head as saying the words I wrote, and if it doesn’t sound right, I take it out or change it!  Also, I would try to change up the order and length of your sentences--it will make it sound more flowy and less choppy. :)

As far as getting others to read your works, I would spend a while making sure you write a catchy summary!  That has been helpful to me for sure.  I would also reply to the comments you receive, as this will tend to keep people coming back since they know you appreciate their readership.  I would link things that you write on ao3 back to your Tumblr, so people can come talk to you more informally, get to know you, and send you prompts. 

From a logistics standpoint, I usually reblog my own works at least once at a different time of the day, so I’ll catch more readership.  Additionally, be careful of the tagging system here--the first five tags that you used is what is indexed on Tumblr as a whole.  The first 50 tags will be indexed on your blog.  So put your most important tags first, because then your post will show up to people who search for those tags!  Also, external links on tumblr are ~wack~.  Tumblr eats things with external links to ao3.  That’s why I will post the entire text on Tumblr separately from my work on ao3.

Lastly, I would look for ways to connect with other writers.  Like you’ve just done here!  Pick up a prompt from them, write a collaborative fic with them, or send them a prompt to write!  It’s a great way to make friends, get inspired by other works, and share the fic-writing love <3

Wow this was so long!! I got a little carried away lol.  I hope you find this a little bit helpful, and good luck with your writing!!!

[freddie-mercurial]

Thank you so, so much to everyone who took part in Maycury Week, whether you were a creator or a consumer or just reblogged the post to help get the word around!  I’m honestly blown away by the number of new fics that were posted for these two and I can’t thank everyone enough for working so hard to post content!  There are 58 fics in the Maycury Week tag on AO3!  As well as some posts on tumblr!

So, as promised, here is the round-up post of Maycury Week!  Please mind the tags and warnings on each of these fics as I’m only copying the summaries!

Fraternity by LydianNode

After a tough day watching the others record "Back Chat," Brian goes to a bar and nurses a beer or six.

Having a normal job might not be so terrible, Brian thought as he signaled for the waiter to bring him another beer. People in normal jobs led safe, ordinary lives. They didn't get close enough to their co-workers to consider them brothers, didn't long for their approval, weren't willing to fight and die for them.

People in normal jobs didn't get stabbed in the back by harsh words gleefully sung to a catchy disco tune.

she's a killer queen by tartymoriarty

Brian finds himself somewhat distracted during the filming of I Want To Break Free. Freddie can't blame him.

(Don't Send Me To) The Path Of Nevermore by annieapple24

Using the prompt "it’s roger’s wedding and freddie’s had a little too much to drink. he gets very emotional during his speech and brian takes him outside to help him calm down a little" for Maycury week!

Here He Comes Now [Maycury Week] by LunaSoul

My contributions for Maycury Week.

he's my champion by Jenfly

A few pieces for the Maycury/Frian week.

Breakthru by jessahmewren

Wearing lingerie has always helped boost Brian's mood, but it's a secret he's kept hidden from Freddie, until now.

One Day by NightOfTheLand

A sleepy morning in bed and confessions are made.

A Truth by LydianNode

Freddie watches Roger's and Brian's segment of "Good Rockin' Tonight" and learns a truth.

"I know WHY we're doing it!" The irritable tone in Brian's voice gave way on a crack as he continued. "I just...I can't do what you do, sit there and blithely lie about the band, about Freddie being so sick."

"I'm not BLITHE. It's fucking hard work."

"And I'm saying I don't think I can do it. You covered up, but what if I make a mistake, say the wrong thing?" A brittle laugh filled the microphone. "We're in a world where the wrong thing to say is the truth and the right one's a lie."

"So don't tell a lie," Roger advised. "And don't tell the truth. Just tell *A* truth. Not about what's happening, but how you feel."

Brian snorted. "*A* truth."

Harmony in my Head (love in my heart) by sammyspreadyourwings

Every soulmate group has a shared language in their head. Brian's happens to be music, it should be easy enough to find them. He just hopes his first meeting goes smoothly.

something borrowed, something blue by rory_the_dragon

Written for the prompt: it’s roger’s wedding and freddie’s had a little too much to drink. he gets very emotional during his speech and brian takes him outside to help him calm down a little.

(Day one of Maycury Week)

lucky, lucky me by keepurselfalive

Brian held out his hands, opening them so Freddie could see the tiny clover – fours leaves and everything – that he was hoarding.

sometimes things fall apart by TimeTurnedFragile

It wasn't anger in Freddie's voice, wasn't anything that easy. Anger Brian's used to; he knows when to push past it and when to leave it alone, mostly. This isn't anger, this is something scarier, something like not being in love.

in all but name by salazarsslytherin

"I’m going to marry you one day.”

Freddie laughs into his mouth. “That’s not even legal.”

“Just wait,” Brian promises.

fingers by e_is_better_than_a

Freddie's fingers ache and Roger wants him to meet his friend.

flowers on his arm by disco__deaky

brian may has been waiting to meet his flower drawing soulmate his whole life.

(maycury week 2019; soulmate au!!)

from all this gloom life can start anew by epherians

Freddie and Brian find comfort through the song “Dear Friends.” Based on a future scene for No Weaknesses.

Written for Day 1 of Maycury Week 2019.

you have (stolen) my heart by patchworkangel

I'd marry you, he'd think, and make you this happy forever.

A silly daydream, really.

we may whisper once more (it's you I adore) by tartymoriarty

There was an awful time in the middle of it all when Brian thought they might not recover from the tension and the arguments and the ugly words thrown out in anger, but they did. Against the odds, the band scraped out alive, and his and Freddie’s relationship with it.

After everything, Brian wants to do something nice for Freddie.

Falling Into You by jessahmewren

Brian's first day of Uni starts with a few hitches, until he meets an enigmatic young man with a slight overbite.

Slow the Tempo (back to basics) by sammyspreadyourwings

1986 brings a lot of challenges to Queen, both professionally and personally. Freddie and Brian's relationship is one of them.

the wonder that's keeping the stars apart by rory_the_dragon

Brian might be starting to get into some trouble here.

(Part III in the College AU Series)

Posted for Day Two of Maycury Week

oh honey, i'll do anything for you by obscuriaal

Freddie's been trying to get Brian's attention for months; he tries something new.

love like fools by salazarsslytherin

“He was wearing his sex shirt,” he says numbly.

“...His what?”

“You know!” Freddie says. He waves his hand out toward the door Brian’s just disappeared through. “His fucking sex shirt! He always wears that shirt when it’s the night. He’s going to have sex with her, Roger!”

Roger snorts. “Brian does not have a sex shirt,” he says.

Freddie is jealous. Brian, it turns out, is also jealous.

wanna know that body like it's mine by keepurselfalive

"I don't want to rush you or anything, darling,” he said breathlessly, shifting his hips in a slow roll against Brian's dick, "but I have been waiting a really long time for you to fuck me."

soul brother by e_is_better_than_a

freddie has a surprise for a really sad brian.

down on my knees (i want to take you there) by TimeTurnedFragile

The problem--Freddie has determined--with being in love with The Most Beautiful Boy on the Planet, is that it's hard to just buy him a beer or something pedestrian like that, but Freddie can't really afford much else.

floating around in ecstasy by disco__deaky

Brian and Freddie experience a bunch of firsts.

I've Got a Surprise For You by BohemianBeth

A Four Magical Misfits one-shot for Maycury week. 5 times Brian comforted Freddie and one time Freddie comforted Brian.

give me your mind baby give me your body by tartymoriarty

“I tell you what,” Brian says, phrasing it like a spontaneous suggestion even though Freddie knows he has absolutely been planning this for the last three days. “You do something for me, and once you’ve done that, I’ll take the plug out and I’ll fuck you. How does that sound?”

if we loved again (i swear i'd love you right) by salazarsslytherin

“Roger,” Brian snaps. “Tell me what’s wrong. Is Freddie okay?”

“He’s lost a lot of memories,” Roger says bluntly. “About five years or so, we think. Maybe six? He doesn’t know Queen split up. He doesn’t know about Deaky. He thinks…”

Brian doesn’t need him to finish. Five years ago, he’d been more happy than he could fathom. They’d been on top of the world, dominating in the charts, jetting off around the world to play to thousands of adoring fans and falling into bed together each night, so giddy and in love Brian had never dreamed anything might ruin it.

love you a little, love you a latte by rory_the_dragon

Brian is running late when he sees the sign that’s going to ruin the rest of his already shitty day.

(Written for Day Three of Maycury Week: Coffee Shop AU)

stop making me laugh! by disco__deaky

maycury week day 3;

freddie and brian have some fun .

My Soul's Lover by yasmamamercury (TwistOfLily)

The boys are just finishing up the Hot Space album and things have been tense. Brian's convinced that his boys have fallen out of love with him, until Freddie sets the record straight with a well-planned surprise.

The Song They Created by LydianNode

Freddie and Brian have a moment backstage before their Live Aid duet. (Prompt for Day 3 of Maycury Week.)

"It's nice, this. Just a few minutes for the two of us." Freddie turned his warm eyes up to catch Brian's gaze. "We don't do it enough."

Not since Munich, Brian didn't say, but he must have stiffened a little because Freddie reached up to tangle his fingers in Brian's hair.

Ode to Joy (a Queen Cover) by sammyspreadyourwings

Brian and Freddie have a silly moment during sex

a fat bottomed surprise by e_is_better_than_a

Freddie arranges a little surprise for their tour.

i ride off alone (help me hold on to you) by keepurselfalive

He wondered when they had started fighting like adults instead of bickering like kids.

I love You 'cause you're sweet (and I love You 'cause you're naughty) by BambiRex

This is my contribution to the Maycury week. I went with the costumes/roleplay prompt.

you got a face that begs for love by tartymoriarty

Brian glances at Freddie again. Freddie’s mouth is still downturned, his eyes are still sad, and that simply will not do.

Photograph by jessahmewren

Brian is a soon-to-be single parent who meets a charming photographer who helps him discover his true worth.

For the Man that Has Everything by lover_of_blue_roses

What to buy the man that has everything? Why, the wrong thing of course.

where you are wanted by keepurselfalive

Freddie shows up at Brian's new house the day after he moves in.

so take a chance with me by rory_the_dragon

Brian and Freddie share a moment during Freddie's 39th Birthday Party.

(Written for Maycury Week: Day Four)

gift giving by e_is_better_than_a

Brian doesn't know what to get a man that has everything.

Eternity (I give to you) by sammyspreadyourwings

Brian May struggles to figure out what he can give Freddie for his birthday.

You Make It Easier by WritingSiren

Brian's been in the hospital for three weeks now, and he's convinced himself that he just may go crazy if he stays here any longer. But there's one thing he always looks forward to ever since he's been here. -- Written for Maycury Week: day 5

Prompt: "brian's in hospital slowly recovering from hepatitis; freddie visiting him every day is the only thing keeping him sane."

there's no place for us by tartymoriarty

There’s something delicate about this one. He’s short, a lot smaller than Brian, and slender with it too, all slim wrists and sharp cheekbones. When he tips his head back and smiles up at Brian, a dimple winking in his cheek, he keeps his mouth closed.

Brian would quite like to see that mouth open around Brian’s name, but that isn’t what he came to the club for. He came to feed and the club is as good a hunting ground as any.

Round the new moon's shine by Tikini

The neck shrugged again. “I have no interest in women. And I have no interest in seeing anyone drown. The men however…” He eyed Brian intensely and licked his lips. “I just can’t have enough of the men.”

“But your song doesn’t work on men.” Brian pointed out.

“No I know.” The neck sighed sadly. “It’s a real dilemma.”

tell my love to wreck it all by salazarsslytherin

“I want to talk to you, anyway,” Brian says quietly. “When you’re done. I’ve been thinking about what you said before I left.”

Brian finally returns home from his trip to Tenerife and goes to Liverpool to bring Freddie home.

slow hands by rory_the_dragon

Brian has privately made his own plans not to leave his bed for love nor money.

And why would he, when he’s got a deliciously warm Freddie Mercury curled up in front of him, asleep, softly snoring, just begging for a day in bed.

(Written for Day Four of Maycury Week)

Midnight in the Meadow by jessahmewren

A young scientist has an unexpected meeting with an unusual vampire and becomes immediately intrigued.

sleepy stars by e_is_better_than_a

Brian has to drag Freddie away from his cauldron after hours of trying to make his potion right.

the light of the night burned bright by tartymoriarty

“They, ah.” Brian pauses and clears his throat, stepping aside to let Freddie in properly. “They mixed up the room details, I think.”

Freddie looks past him. The lamps aren’t on so all he’s got to see by is the light from the corridor beyond; it takes him a moment to register what Brian means. Their bags have been brought ahead, left at the foot of the bed. The bed, singular.

Ah.

An (Almost) Missed Connection by WritingSiren

Freddie Bulsara has been closely following a band called Smile ever since they started. He's developed a crush on the guitarist, Brian, and he's pretty sure he likes him too. If only he could work up the courage to talk to him... -- Written for Maycury Week: day 7

Prompt: "brian's in a band called smile trying to make things work between music and his degree when his bandmate tim introduces them to his friend, freddie. the rest is history."

don't you hear me calling you? by tartymoriarty

In all the worlds in all the universes that ever existed or will exist, there is a Brian, and there is a Freddie.

rest and relaxation by e_is_better_than_a

After recording their first album, Brian and Freddie are ready to enjoy time alone.

we inhale, exhale, and reset by starrydrowse

He’s in his own bed— finally— after endless months of cramped tour bus bunks and fancy hotel rooms that, while nice (and unquestionably better than the shoddy Holiday Inns they’d stayed in during their early years) always leave a bit of a sour taste in Brian’s mouth.

He’s finally home and he has nowhere at all to be— no plans, no commitments— nothing even remotely important to think about except for Freddie, warm and wrapped in his arms, clinging to him, breathing softly as he sleeps.

*

Or, Brian and Freddie spend a morning taking things slow.

(in)finite by fortyfive_rpm (2davidbeckham3)

Poem set during Brian and Freddie's Live Aid performance of "Is This the World We Created?"

Feel Your Heartbeat by CommonSenseisPaineful

'-it shouldn’t be frightening, he tried to rationalise. He was just shopping. For lingerie. For lingerie that would fit him- oh god this was a bit too much to handle.' ~ For Frian/Maycury week; Brian is curious, Freddie is flirty, and dressing rooms are much more private to everyone's delight.

A Misunderstandment by Blackbean

"I'm sorry, I can't do this anymore." Freddie felt his heart break.

The More I'm Trying by CommonSenseisPaineful

'And if I say I love you in the candle light there's no-one but myself to blame' ~ 'First time' for maycury week. Freddie's realising a lot of firsts.

Soft Kisses by NightOfTheLand

Freddie might have gone a little overboard with setting the scene. He ran his sweaty palms down the front of his shirt as he looked around the room. Would Brian even like the candles? The soft sound of Hendrix from the record player in the corner?

~~ Or Freddie and Brian enjoy an evening together

The Wicked Never Sleep by wordwhisper

'God, your voice.’, Brian breathes and Freddie immediately recoils so sharply that he almost hits the opposite wall.

‘My what?’

or the Early- Queen Era 70s (sort of) AU in which Freddie’s a modern-day Siren, Trident is run by Apollo and nothing is as it seems. (inspired by lots of conversations and this post)

Album 12 Track 6 by CommonSenseisPaineful

"I want to stay like this forever"- maycury/frian week. ~ Brian and Freddie write a tune, at the dawn of night.

Levitate by disco__deaky

Brian and Freddie share some love for eachother and their boys.

Maycury week day 5.

Coffee, Cigarettes, and Morning Sex by Anonymous 

"Come on, don't tell me you want coffee more than a blowjob right now?"

aka Brian really wants morning sex, but Freddie's got a few addictions that are getting in the way of that happening.

TUMBLR POSTS (that aren’t already on AO3):

gifset by hammer-to-fall

post from incorrectborhapquotes

fic by stayinqpower - it’s freddie’s birthday and brian doesn’t know what to get for the man who has everything

Tell Him - fic by thosequeenboys

fic by dusty-drabbles - stop making me laugh

I think that’s everything but if I’ve missed anything, please please let me know!  I promise I have not left anything out deliberately so if you posted something and it’s not in here, it’s just my mistake and I’ve missed it!  Let me know and I’ll add it in :) 

Again a massive, massive thank you to everyone who got involved, I cannot thank you enough! 

[toomanyfeelings5]

the definitive ranking of pulp! the classics covers and summaries, from worst to best

(Note: Pride and Prejudice was not included in this list, as there were only poster and greeting card options for the work, and not an actual book or summary. Had a book and summary been provided, it would have ranked lowest for unoriginality. It’s literally just 1995 Colin Firth staring moodily at you. The caption is “Lock Up Your Daughters...Darcy’s in Town!” which is just unfortunate, frankly, and honestly laughable.) 

16. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte 

You take a novel that’s positively overflowing with drama and give it THIS cover? THIS summary? Absolutely uninspired. 

Here’s looking at you Cathy...

Childhood sweethearts turned star-crossed lovers, fuelled by bitter jealousy and dark revenge. She’s pretty and posh, he’s a moody brooding bastard. Heartbreak, alcoholism and plenty of illegitimate kids – it’s a perfect Northern drama.

Where is the feeling? The screaming violins playing as we read? The moors? The time skips? A hint of the positively bonkers plot that only a Bronte could compose?

15. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde 

 Oh, the heterosexuality of it all. On an Oscar Wilde novel, no less. 

Hey girl...I’d sell my soul for you!” 

Dorian Gray might be as pretty as a picture, but he's paid a devilishly high price for it. He'll stay drop-dead gorgeous, but there's something nasty festering in the attic...

Pretty as a picture and still lusting after ladies? Please. Pulp! Classics, you can do better. 

14. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 

Again, we must speak the ancient chant: Oh, the heterosexuality of it all. 

When it came to loving...He knew which Daisy to pick! 

Sorry old sport, but Gatsby has a bigger house than you, prettier friends than you and a Rolls Royce to cart them all round in. To a backdrop of popping champagne corks and orchestral jazz, our hero bids to buyout his old adversary, perennial jock, Tom Buchanan and reclaim Daisy, his favourite bit of High Society totty.

Nick Carraway gets not one mention, which is odd given that he’s the narrator, the protagonist, and Gatsby’s most ardent love interest. Also strange is the cover’s insistence that Jordan Baker, known lesbian, would swoon over Gatsby. Doubly strange is how tiny the women are in comparison to Gatsby’s massive frame. What is, again, bamboozling, is how the slogan on the cover seems to imply that Gatsby knows how to pick a woman. He doesn’t know how to choose anyone, let alone love them. All Gatsby truly knows is the desperate pursuit of a fruitless dream. 

13. Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare 

Romeo looks like he could be Juliet’s father. Juliet looks like an Upper East Side Widow, not at all like the tween girl she really is.

Too wild to live...too young to die!

Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou…. Oh wait, he’s hanging around in the garden again. Will young Romeo and his Juliet ever be able to express their raging hormones? Or will their feuding families make this romance blossom into a poisoned flower? Either way, both their houses are totally plagued!

“Wherefore” means “why,” not “where,” though I do have to award points to the summary for placing the blame squarely on the feud and not on these doomed young lovers. Though again, young isn’t the operative word I’d use to describe this version of Romeo and Juliet. 

12. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe 

This is what one would expect upon seeing a pulp cover of a classic novel. Not much originality or flair is present, but at least some sense of the story is conveyed. 

Solitude was driving him nuts!

Cannibals! Captives! Coconuts!

One man’s love of the sea leaves him stranded on a desert island with nothing but a few goats, a bible and a parrot for company.

Will he ever escape? Will his new pal Friday learn to efficiently press a goatskin jerkin? Or will solitude send him totally barmy?

WILL Friday learn to efficiently press a goatskin jerkin? One must read to find out, I suppose...

11. Tess of the D'urbervilles 

Marilyn Monroe?????

She’s...no angel.

The original Wessex girl!

Tess is just a humble milkmaid when the local landowner has his wicked way. Her new beau, the smarmy Angel Clare, is none too pleased when he finds out she’s already been deflowered. What is a girl to do? Bloody revenge of course, and an ending to touch the hardest of hearts.

At least the summary blames the terrible men in Tess’s life rather than Tess herself, unlike the tagline on the cover. And while Marilyn Monroe seductively lounging about with a drink doesn’t recall the faintest essence of Hardy’s novel, one would like to imagine Tess relaxing in whatever clothes she pleased, a straw dangling out of her drink, a smile on her face as she answers to no one and spends her quiet evening in solitude. 

10. Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome

An innocuous cover; the men’s faces hint at the comedic nature of this novel, and yet...something nags the brain upon looking at this.

To say nothing of the dog...

Incompetence, embarrassment and general disaster - no it’s not PMQs, it’s a trip down the Thames! Three hapless fellows and a world weary dog decide they need a holiday from their exhausting hypochondria. Hilarious mayhem ensues.

To say nothing of the dog indeed: Why does the dog on the cover have a human face?

9. The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka 

All one can say upon viewing this cover is: Jeff Goldblum, is that you?

Change really BUGGED him! 

Poor old Gregor. One day he's depressed about his dreary travelling salesman gig, the next, he's roaching around the apartment and disgusting his family. All that's left is creeping the walls and eating garbage. How's his sis ever going to find a sugar daddy with her grotty bro in tow?

Gregor isn’t grotty, he’s our six-legged hero in this tragic tale. 

And yet in the end, the question that haunts us all echoes in our minds in an unceasing echo: is that Jeff Goldblum? 

8.  Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland 

Alice as a hippie is eye-catching, but not particularly creative. 

This cupcake was off her head!

What HAS happened to little Alice? Taking 'shrooms, hanging out with hookah smoking ne'er-do-wells and being dragged to court. That's gonna be one hell of a hangover!

As much as I’m intrigued by Alice wearing heart-shaped sunglasses and a peace sign necklace, the summary and the cover consist of one joke and one joke only. 

7. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde 

I just like how Dr. Jekyll in this cover looks equally as fucked up as Mr. Hyde. 

No more Mr. Nice Guy... There’s a sinister man about London town with something of the night about him. Mr Hyde is mad, bad and has a penchant for bumping off MPs and other kindly innocents. Will his friend Dr Jekyll be able to stop him? Or is there something more to their relationship than meets the eye…? Only the intrepid Utterson can get to the bottom of this mystery, but what will he find in Dr Jekyll’s lab?

Points to this summary for including Mr. Utterson, and for insinuating that Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde may be clandestine lovers. 

6. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens 

Ladies, gentlemen, and otherwise, don’t we love it when a greedy rich man gets bludgeoned by a mace into being more generous and kindly towards others?

This cat was a drag....’til a midnight wake-up call...

Christmas?! What a load of Humbug. Mistletoe and Wine just don't do it for Scrooge; he's a workaholic miser with an attitude problem. If he doesn't change his ways, he'll end up with no friends and Tiny Tim won't last the year. Let's hope some spooky night-time visitors can put the jingle back in his bells!

Ring-a-ling-a-ling, Mr. Scrooge. The mace is raised and the bells are ringing.

5.  Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad 

The tag-line made me, as the youths say, laugh out loud. 

Whoops! Apocalypse....

The horror! The horror!

Kurtz might be the apple of every brutish imperialist’s eye, but his God complex is getting wildly out of hand in the depths of the jungle. What on earth will Marlow find when he finally gets downriver? Devil worship? Savages? Heads on sticks? Or just another nutty white man with his knickers in a twist?

Surprisingly anti-racist summary made this jump to the higher echelons of this esteemed list, though of course that doesn’t excuse this novel’s abhorrent and embarrassing fake-deep racism. It also must be noted that the tag-line should have been “Whoops! White supremacy!” and the text of the novel should have entirely consisted of Chinua Achebe’s essay on the work. 

4. The Hounds of Baskerville by Arthur Conan Doyle

The cover alone is a winner. A rabid chihuahua out for blood? Inspired. 

Murder...Mystery...Walkies!

A desolate moor, a diabolical dog in need of a muzzle and some inbred locals; Sherlock Holmes is really up against it. With the help of his trusty sidekick Dr. Watson, Holmes pieces together a mystery that has captured the imagination of readers across the decades. All whilst practising a serious coffee and cocaine habit.

The tag-line is fun and catchy, but sadly this summary must be admonished for insisting that Dr. Watson is merely a “trusty sidekick” to Sherlock Holmes. Heterosexuality strikes again, reducing the impact of the striking cover design. 

3. Dubliners by James Joyce 

Finally! Some style, some panache, some flair to accompany these short stories about being sad and horny in Ireland. 

Stuck in the Liffey with you...

Booze, Sex and Hot Floury Potatoes… Those Dubliners are at it again!

Liars, thieves, whores and priests… James Joyce sure knew how to throw a party! This relentlessly downbeat collection explores the very worst aspects of human nature, and doesn’t leave out the juicy bits. It might not be in the best possible taste, but who doesn’t want to get down and dirty in Dublin?

The summary and cover work in tandem to wholeheartedly convince me that Dubliners is an action-packed, slick collection of stories detailing the wild escapades of a motley cast of ragamuffins, and I gotta hand it to the folks over at Pulp! Classics for injecting some bonafide vintage cool into Joyce’s work.

2. Othello by William Shakespeare 

I have so many thoughts on this. Mr. T. as Othello is fascinating, as is the tagline, “Some kind of Bard...aaaaasss.” Is this a commentary on blaxploitation media? One can’t help but recall Mr. T.’s reasoning behind his mohawk, his gold chains, to honor his ancestors and assert his living, unshakable humanity in a racist society. Is this is a genuine effort on the part of Pulp! Classics to imply that a blaxploitation-influenced adaptation of Othello could reveal deeper truths to the play that we have had yet to glimpse? 

Some kind of Bard... aaaasss

He’s a bardass brother with the love of a fine woman. That is until some cloven hoofed honky starts talking crazy about variously hued sheep tupping the hell outta each other! You gotta pity the fool who gets shafted by the green eyed monster. Let’s hope Othello can work out who to trust before it’s too late…

The fast-paced alliterative language of the summary harkens to Shakespeare’s own wit-fueled dialogue and penchant for creative language. The summary also calls Iago a devil, which is apt, and implicitly criticizes his racism, hinting at the play’s greater tragedies to come. The cover and summary also work in tandem to emphasize Othello’s jealousy and destruction: the “green-eyed monster” is mentioned, and the cover itself is a putrid green. An excellent example of what a vintage cover and summary can achieve. 

1. Frankenstein by Mary Shelly 

You all knew this was coming. 

This kid was born on the wrong side of the lab...

Frankenstein’s monster is on the rampage; terrorising the locals, unleashing murderous hell… and reading novels in his spare time. Can his petrified creator stop this reign of horror before his girlfriend gets the chop?

A James Dean-inspired creature, thereby making them a queer icon? Masterful. The creature being “born on the wrong side of the lab?” A stroke of genius; that they’re called a kid puts the poignancy of the monster’s plight into even greater relief, while simultaneously emphasizing their tragic charm. The clear distinction between Frankenstein and the creature? Reader, I exhaled in a cathartic release of tension. The loving detail that the creature reads novels in their spare time, like any other leather-jacket wearing, motorcycle-riding ruffian with a heart of gold? Beautiful. 

Truly, the obvious queer energy of this cover and summary highlights an overlooked dimension of Shelly’s great work while also paying homage to what draws us to this Modern Prometheus time after time. Do we care about the petrified creator in this summary? Not at all. He’s not on the cover, appearing both rebellious and gentle. We are here for the creature, in their leather jacket, on their motorcycle, novel sticking out of a back pocket on their jeans, ready to whisk us away to a place where even monsters like us can find solace, and be at peace, and commune with each other. We need only take their outstretched hand, and be willing to leave the mundane world for something better, for the chance to no longer be alone. 

[bigfan-fanfic]

Banter with Tash - Sera and Dorian

Hey all! For those Dragon Age fans out there, I had some brainwaves about my OC, Tash Adaar, the Child of Andraste. In addition to my requested fics, I’ll also be posting some little mini fics I wrote of Tash, kind of like little codex entries. Feel free to request more of Tash if you’re of a DA mindset, as well as any other characters. By the way, everything relating to Tash can now be found under the “tash adaar” tag, included down at the bottom. Anyway, for the first brainwave, more banter between Tash and some of the companions!

Very long post!

Sera

TASH: Hey, Sera?

SERA (irritably): What?

TASH: I get the feeling you don't like me very much. And I don't know why.

SERA: It's because... you're weird. And weird things usually get arrows.

TASH: Huh. I'll keep that in mind. Does it have something to do with me having horns? Because that's disappointing.

SERA: Wha? No! It's because you've got stupid magic!

TASH (offended; starting to cry): What? That's awful!

SERA: (confused noises)

TASH: I can't help that any more than I can having horns. You're AWFUL!

---------------------

TASH: Hey, Sera?

SERA: What?

TASH: I think I figured out why you don't like mages.

SERA: You know what people who try to figure me out get?

TASH: Let me guess. Ar-

SERA: Arrows!

TASH: (heavy sigh) I'm glad you mentioned the arrows. It's part of my point. I think you don't like mages because you're afraid that they'll turn into demons or something. Well, what if I told you I was scared of archers?

SERA: You what?

TASH: When my brother and I were with the Valo-Kas, a lot of archers would see us and assume we were Qunari. Well, the Qun-following kind. And they wouldn't talk to us - they'd just shoot. I used to get so scared every time I saw a stranger with a bow.

SERA: That's... that's shite.

TASH: Uh-huh. But my brother told me that while it was okay for me to be scared, I shouldn't give up hope that the next archer was a good person who wouldn't do that. And you know what? I met you!

SERA: Huh.

TASH: And even though you're an archer, and you play mean jokes, and you don't like me much, I think of you as a friend. So maybe you might make some new friends too!

SERA: You're mad. You know that, right?

TASH: (sighs) Sure. Probably.

---------------------------

SERA: Tashy.

TASH: Huh? Me? What?

SERA: You've got that thinkin' face on.

TASH: I have a "thinkin'" face?

SERA: Uh-huh. And you know what people who make that face at me get?

TASH (bored): Arrows.

SERA: So out with it.

TASH: Can I be a Red Jenny?

SERA: (bursts into maniacal laughter)

TASH (offended): Fine. Don't listen to my amazing idea.

SERA: (laughs even harder)

TASH: Fine. You don't get to hear it! Congratulations on ruining the lives of all the people everywhere.

SERA: (stops laughing abruptly, then loses it again)

----------------------------

SERA: Tashy?

TASH: You think I'm talking to you after what you did?

SERA: (giggles, murmurs "lizards") Come on! I want to hear your idea.

TASH: No.

SERA: Fine. You can be a Jenny.

TASH (suddenly bright): Yay! Okay. So, imagine this... we teach all the Jennies to read.

SERA: What? That's it?

TASH: Uh-huh.

SERA: Alright. Not a Jenny.

TASH: Wait-wait-wait-wait-wait! Wait. If the Jennies can read, not only can they steal the dirty secrets all the nobles write down, they can train the commoners. Mother Giselle told me that the Chantry sisters only teach the kids who are going to be clergy or Templars. But now, Jennies can teach everyone!

SERA: And how does that help?

TASH: Becau-u-u-se... if the commoners can read, they can learn and share ideas. Maybe a blacksmith like Harritt comes up with a new way of making a sword. He can write down his method, and soon a bunch of commoners can learn how to do it. They can make a guild, and then the nobles will have to pay them instead of forcing them to work! And then, with reading, there's no more commoners getting duped into serving nobles for their whole lives! We can make the commoners so powerful that the nobles will be real scared.

SERA: Hmmm.

TASH: So can I be a Jenny? Can I?

SERA: You're still mad. But I'll think about it.

TASH: Yay!

----------------------------------

TASH (singing softly): “Sera was never an agreeable girl...”

SERA: Hey! I told you, no more of that or it’s the lizards in your bedroll again!

TASH: But... it’s just so catchy!

SERA: Creepy song is creepy. Get it!

TASH (to the tune of “Sera Was Never”): I understand what you are saying to me/ but I can’t seem to help but sing this song/ Trust me-e-e I am trying to stop/ but the song just keeps going on and on.

====================

(When dying) TASH: Oh no, they got Sera! or TASH (insincerely): Oh, no... what a tragedy.

SERA: Other Weirdy's down! or SERA (irritated): Come on, Tashy!

===================

(At the Winter Palace) TASH: Hey, Sera?

SERA: What?

TASH: Why weren't you dancing with anyone? It's fun!

SERA: (scoffs) You like dancing with those gobshites? All Madam Fancyfoots and Lord Lacey-pants?

TASH: Why do I even ask?

-----------------------

TASH: I wish we could get back to the ball. I want to dance some more!

SERA: (giggles)

TASH: Okay... that was either a "no breeches" giggle or a "jar of bees" giggle. Either way, what did you do?!

Dorian DORIAN: Ataashi, may I ask you a question?

TASH (high-pitched): Ahhh!

DORIAN: ...Have I done something to offend?

TASH: ...Um. No? I'm so sorry! It's just... I don't meet many people from Tevinter. And I know you shouldn't believe everything you hear, but I've heard some very bad things.

DORIAN: I apologize, then. I shall refrain from disturbing you in the future.

TASH: No, Ser Pavus, I'm sorry. Please don't stop talking with me.

DORIAN: Perhaps later.

TASH: Aww....

-------------------------------------

DORIAN: You are Vashoth, yes, Ataashi?

TASH: Yes, I am. I'm surprised. Everybody always thinks I'm a Qunari.

VARRIC (if present): You... kind of are a Qunari, Dimples.

TASH: I'm not Qunari. Thank you.

DORIAN: Not a problem.

TASH: Was there anything else?

DORIAN: I was wondering that if you disapprove so much of Tevinter, what must you think of Par Vollen?

TASH: I don't exactly disapprove... I mean, I kind of do... But... Look, I'm not okay with slavery. And Tevinter has slaves. But so does Par Vollen. The whole Qun is a slavery thing.

DORIAN: Interesting. I know less than when I asked.

TASH: (sighs)

-------------------------------------

(After Last Resort of Good Men) TASH: Ser Pavus?

DORIAN: Yes?

TASH: May I ask you a very personal question?

DORIAN: ...You may ask, but I wouldn't get my hopes up for an answer.

TASH: Umm, why is it that in Tevinter, you aren't allowed to be with who you love?

DORIAN (surprised): Where did you hear a thing like that?

TASH: I... uh, I had heard some story about you... and your father..."

DORIAN (gruffly): Ah, I see. Well, I suppose that among the commoners, it matters less. But Tevinter nobles are expected to pass down their magic to children. I myself am the product of decades of careful breeding.

TASH: (to himself): Like Qunari...

TASH: Well, I hope you find it better here in the south. I think that my fathers would have liked you very much.

DORIAN: Your... fathers?

TASH: Mmm-hmmm.

-------------------------------------------------

(After the above) DORIAN: Ataashi, when you said 'fathers...'

TASH: What about it?

DORIAN: Er. You had...

TASH: Oh! Yes, I was raised by my father, a Tal-Vashoth, and his husband, a baker from Markham. My birth mother... she's dead, and I don't like to think about her. Sorry.

DORIAN: Oh. I apologize. You must miss her terribly.

TASH: Not particularly. She tried to take me back to the Qun when she saw I had magic.

DORIAN (shocked): Even knowing what they'd do to you?!

TASH (quietly): You see why I don't like to think about her? My papa, the baker, he told me that I shouldn't blame her too much. She was afraid, and I don't know how her life was. And he was a good man. Both my fathers were. They made me feel special, like I could be more than the monster my mother thought I was.

DORIAN: You aren't a monster, Tash. Your parents sound like very wise men.

TASH (chuckling): You never saw them trying to repair the roof.

DORIAN: Well, if it's any consolation, my mother is very much alive, and I don't like to think about her much, either.

TASH: It isn't, much. But thank you.

----------------------------------------

TASH: Dorian?

DORIAN: Hmmm?

TASH: You aren't mad at me for not learning necromancy, are you?

DORIAN: Perish the thought? Why should I be?

TASH: I don't know, maybe because Varric told me you were drinking last night? And I saw the look on your face when you saw me training with Commander Helaine?

VARRIC (if present): Thanks for ratting me out, Dimples.

DORIAN: I'm sure I don't know what you mean.

TASH (bursting): I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make you sad! Please don't stop teaching me!

DORIAN: Tash, please! Stop crying. You are perfectly at liberty to pursue whatever course of study you wish. And besides, there is nothing stopping us from having reasonable discussions about magic despite our differing specializations.

VIVIENNE (if present): My dear Lord Pavus, too many alchemists spoil the potion.

DORIAN: Regardless of your own preferences, I am always available should you wish to ask me a question.

TASH: Thank you, Dorian. That means a lot to me.

======================

(In battle:)

TASH: Dorian! He's been hurt! or TASH: Dorian, hold on!

DORIAN: Tash, no! or DORIAN: Ataashi needs some help over there!

==================== (At the Winter Palace)

DORIAN: Were you just dancing with one of the Council of Heralds?

TASH: Is that who that was? He was very nice.

DORIAN (incredulous): I meant the lady.

TASH: She was nice, too. Everybody's been so wonderful tonight!

DORIAN: Orlais. Cutthroat nobles vying for the throne. Any of this sound familiar?

------------------

TASH: Dorian, if there's time... will you dance with me?

DORIAN: (splutters) Excuse me?

TASH: I've been trying to dance with all my friends! But Cullen was too busy with his own friends, and Josie and her sister were too busy arguing. Leliana danced with me, but then she let Lady de Launcet cut in.

VARRIC (If present): Uh... those weren't friends Cullen was with, kid.

DORIAN: Well... I'd hate for you to waste a spot on your dance card with me.

TASH (disappointed): It's fine if you don't want to dance. I just thought... maybe you'd enjoy it...

DORIAN: (sighs) Very well. One dance, and you don't pester me about seeking out the nearest glass of wine.

TASH: Hmmm.... okay! Yay! (singsongy whisper) I get to dance with Dorian, I get to dance with Dorian...

DORIAN: (sighs heavily)

[leelee10898]

For you: Chapter 3 - Ice Ice Baby

Summery: Leo and Aria arrive at the palace, will things with Constantine and Regina go smooth, or will it go up in flames?

Rating: Fluff, slightly mature for language. 

Chapter Inspiration: Vanilla Ice - Ice Ice Baby

tag list: @bobasheebaby @@scarlettedragon @annekebbphotography @speedyoperarascalparty @greyeyedsmile14 @stopforamoment @mind-reader1 @xxrainbowprincessxx @hopefulmoonobject @alicars  @katurrade  @indiacater @bella-ca @blznbaby @blackwidow2721 @liamxs-world  @simsvetements @furiousherringoperatortoad @choicesfannatalie @crookedslimecreatorpasta @coldcollectornight08 @llholloway @museofbooks @syltti78 @ao719 @3pawandme @blubutterflyy @itsstillnotwhatyouthink

Aria and Leo pull up to the palace around 5:30, they were to met Liam, Constantine and Regina for dinner. Aria stares out the passenger side window, anxiety starting to make her panic a little. Leo took her hand “are you alright love?” He questioned, sensing her fear. “No, but I need to do this. As long as I have you I will be fine.” She sighed squeezing his hand. “You always have me love, I am right here.” 

Bastian met them at the door, the palace staff took their luggage. “Duchess Arias belongings are to be taken to my quaters and not her usual suite, she will be staying with me.” Leo ordered them, after everything that had happened he did not want her alone, he also hated sleeping with out her anymore. “You’re looking well. How are you Bastian?” Leo clasped him on the shoulder. “Just fine, Duchess Aria how are you feeling?” Bastian turned his attention to Aria. For safety purposes Leo, Aria and Liam thought it best he be in the loop about the pregnancy. Should any safety concerns arise he would know how to proceed. “Better now that I am not puking my brains out anymore.” She tries to make light of the thick tension hanging over her,Bastian chuckled. “Dinner is at 6pm, his magesty trust you will be on time?” Bastian said arching his brow. “Yes of course Bastian.” Aria spoke up. “My apologies, it was Leos tardiness I was referring to.” Aria giggled “ Don’t worry Bas, I will make sure he doesn’t get into to much trouble while we are here.” “Has anyone else arrived?” She questioned walking behind Bastian. “Not yet your grace, I will inform you when they do.” He answered.

*****

Leo and Aria enter the dinning room. Liam was there waiting for them. His eyes lit up when he seen her, she looked radiant. A tinge of jealousy coursed through his body when he caught sight of her holding Leos hand. She is happy, thats all that matters. He told himself. “Aria you look as beautiful as ever.” Liam wrapped her into a hug. “Leo isn’t giving you to much trouble is he? You know I can have him locked away in the dungeon if he gets out of hand. ” he chuckled. “Haha brother.” Leo pulled him in for a quick hug, patting him on the back. Before they could sit Constantine and Regina joined them. Aria felt nauseous, she had not faced the former king and queen since Madeline shot her. She knew Regina hated her for the fact her niece was dead.

 They sat down as the staff served them. Everyone else was given salmon except Aria. Liam made sure the kitchen prepared her something entirely different as he was told seafood was not ideal for pregnant women, not that they could not eat it, but Leo being ever so protective insisted she have a different option. Aria did not mind, she was not a fan of seafood in the first place. “Why does Aria have chicken? Salmon is on the menu” Regina scoffed. “I had the kitchen staff prepare her a different meal, due to her dietary needs.” Liam spoke up. “What does it matter Regina.” Leo questioned. “You two are always giving into her, she has you both wrapped around your fingers.” Regina’s words hitting Aria like daggers. “Dear perhaps this isn’t the time ” Constantine whispered, trying to calm Regina. “No, this is the perfect time. She is a duchess now, although I am not sure why, a lady should always eat what is served and not expect changes be made.” 

“ENOUGH.” Leo hollered. “I will not allow you to speak to her that way Regina. She is the mother of my children and you will show her some respect.” Leo slammed his hands on the table. “Children? Leo are you saying?” Constantine stammered. “Yes Father Aria and I are expecting twins in the fall.” Leo softened his voice holding Arias hand. “Oh Jesus, you aren’t even married.” Regina scoffed. “I am going to be a Grandfather, that is wonderful news, congratulations.” Constantine smiled. “You.. you’re happy about this?” Aria spoke up. “Yes my dear, Oh I can not wait to have children running around again, when are you due dear? Constantine gushed. "November 4th.” Aria whispered completely stunned at Constantine’s Joy. “Wow, I did not know it was twins.” Liam stammered.

They finished their meal in silence. Regina abruptly leaving afterwards. Leo and Liam enjoyed a drink, Constantine pulled Aria to the side. “My dear I want to apolgise for what happened earlier. My wife, she has her ways about her, and sometimes our spouses make us do things that we do not want to do.” He paused a moment, she could tell he had more on his mind.  “I know what I did to you, well you may never be able to forgive me. But I am truly sorry I had those letters sent.” Constantine hung his head. Aria sucked a breath in “I blame Madeline, and Regina for this Constantine. You played a role, yes. But my anger is with Madeline and Regina, not you.” She let her breath out. “Is everything ok over here.” Leo wrapped his arm around Aria. “Yes son, I was just apologizing to Aria. I owe you an apology too, I was wrong to tear you away from such a wonderful woman all those years ago. I am happy you have found your way back to each other. As a father you want whats best for your children, do not make my mistakes, listen to them, let them tell you what they want.” Constantine’s eye met Leos, it seemed there was something left un said. Leo reached out and embraced his father.

 “Aria, the others have arrived.” Bastian interrupted. “Well, this old man needs to retire for the evening. I am glad we were able to talk.” Constantine kissed Aria’s cheek and he walked off.

“Could you have everyone meet us in here once they get settled please. ” Liam ordered. “I planned on having cake with everyone for Drakes birthday, but he would kill me if I announced it.” Liam chuckled. “So no cake?” Aria pouts. “We are having cake just not singing happy birthday.” Liam chuckled. “You shouldn’t have told me it was Drakes birthday Liam.” Aria chuckles. Liam smiled, he knew she would want to make the best of it, Drake could tell Liam no, but not Aria.

A few minutes later their friends entered the dining room. “So what’s for desert Liam, I am starving ” Maxwell plopped himself into chair grabbing a fork and knife. “Oh we are having, cake…. birthday cake!” Aria giggled looking over at Drake. The staff sat plates of chocolate cake down. Aria couldn’t help herself as she dug into the delicious milk chocolate slice of heaven.

“Liam! You have a big mouth.” Drake grunted. “Its Drakes birthday??Oh noo we have to celebrate. This place has a stacked bar right?” Ellie jumped up “of course it does, I say we take this party to the ball room.” Leo chuckled. “ yes, lets do this. Drake you deserve to have a little fun. Can we Liam?” Aria batted her lashes as she finished off the last of her cake. “Ok, fine just as long as we don’t completely wreck the decorations for the Gala.” Liam buckled, he could never tell Aria no. Aria and Ellie giggled running off to the ball room, they were joined by Leo, Liam, drake, and Maxwell. “Ellie grabbed a bottle of whiskey pouring five glasses.” Here you go guys, we need to toast.“ Ellie announced as she passed out the glasses.

 "You forgot one little petunia, little blossom doesn’t have one. ” Maxwell noticed “yeah Hale, if I gotta endure this shit, you bet your ass your drinking too.” Drake insisted. “Just water tonight guys.” Aria declined. “No water, whiskey! Maxwell go pour Hale a shot.” Drake ordered as Maxwell dashed behind the bar. “Aria cant drink.” Leo blurted out, he gave Aria a apologetic look. “Why the hell not Rhys?” Drake cocked his brow at Leo. “ Go ahead Leo, they were bound to figure it out sooner or later. ” Aria grabbed Leos hand. “Well, the reason Aria cant drink is because she is pregnant.” Leo announced. Their friends were in shock, all but Ellie and Liam, as they already knew. “Yes, everyone we are having twins. ” Aria chuckled. “Twins!” The group yelled in unison. “Ok, ok, ok lets get serious yall, were toasting to Drakes birthday, and the Twins!” Ellie gathered everyone one in a circle as they raised the glasses and toasted. 

Maxwell put some music on, as the group drank and laughed. Have another Rhys, Drake elbowed Leo wanting him to have another Whiskey. “No Drake I better not, I don’t want to get to drunk. ” Leo shook his head. “Hey you, have fun, let lose. We are celebrating Drakes birthday, and If I cant join in, somebody’s got to drink a few for me.” Aria placed a hand on her stomach. She leaned, her lips brushed against his. “I love you, do I tell you this enough?” Leo chuckled returning her kiss. “I could stand to hear it more.” She teased.

Some time later after the group drank a couple bottles of whiskey Ellie had enough of Maxwell’s music selection. She walked over to where his phone was plugged in, and plugged hers in. She randomized her spotify music. “Ahhh shit Aria its out jam.” Aria laughs as the two of them break into the first verse of the catchy 90s tune.

All right stop

Collaborate and listen

Ice is back with my brand new invention

Something grabs a hold of me tightly

Then I flow that a harpoon daily and nightly

Will it ever stop?

Yo, I don’t know

Turn off the lights and I’ll glow

To the extreme, I rock a mic like a vandal

Light up a stage and wax a chump like a candle

Dance

Bum rush the speaker that booms

I’m killin’ your brain like a poisonous mushroom

Deadly, when I play a dope melody

Anything less that the best is a felony

Love it or leave it

You better gain way

You better hit bull’s eye

The kid don’t play

If there was a problem

Yo, I’ll solve it

Check out the hook while my DJ revolves it

Aria and Ellie dance around the room as Maxwell joins in singing along with them. “What the fuck is this?” Drake slurrs out. “I have no idea.” Liam chuckles and hiccups as he watches the three dance around the room. “Its Vanilla Ice. ice ice baby.” Leo snorts and rolls his eyes. Sometimes he forgets just how much younger his brother and friends are then him. Yet Aria was the same age as them and here she was singing along to every 90′s song that was played. He watched her dance around with Maxwell and Ellie, she was singing along and laughing. He felt his heart skip a beat at the sight of her. She wasn’t drunk yet she was carefree and fun. Dexs words replaying in his mind I don’t see a ring on her finger. Fucking Dex, he wanted nothing more then to put a ring on her finger, he wanted her to be his wife. He had planned on asking her, but he after everything they had been through she deserved something special. The three men continued Drinking as Ellie,Aria and Maxwell sang along to every song that played. 

Sometime later Ellie and Maxwell decided to call it a night. Leaving a very drunk Drake, Liam and Leo behind with Aria. Aria said her goodbyes and walked over to where the guys were sitting. “There’s my baby, and my babies.” Leo placed his hands on her stomach he leaned in placing a sweet kiss to her small bump. “Daddy loves you two sooo much.” He pats his lap for Aria to sit on it. He wraps his arms around her “I’m going to be a dad guys. Can you believe it?” Leo slurred “hell no I cant, never in a million years Rhys.” Drake bellowed. “Ooookay Daddy lets get you to bed.” Aria stood up reaching for his hands. “Take me to bed future Mrs Rhys.” Aria chuckled “future Mrs Rhys huh?”  Leo flashed her a wide smile.“Look at Leo, already whipped.” Drake teased. “Hey! the the wifey says jump, you say how high Walker. You’ll learn one day.” He chuckled stumbling backwards. “Goodnight gentlemen.” Aria waved as she ushered Leo out of the ball room. 

Once they reached their room Aria helped Leo out of his shoes and clothes. “If I didn’t know any better I would think you were trying to seduce me love.” Leo hiccuped. “As much as I  would love to, I think you have had a bit much to drink for that.” She chuckled helping him onto the bed. He grabbed her wrist “While I may have had ALOT to drink I am serious about one thing.” Aria raised her brow “I want you to be my wife love, I want you to have my last name and be bound together for the rest of our lives.” He looked at her through bloodshot droopy eyes. The man was three sheets to the wind, but even then she could see the sincerity in his eyes. She kissed his forehead “and I would like nothing more then that. But for tonight, lets focus on getting some sleep. We have a busy day ahead of us.” Aria changed into one of Leos t-shirts and climbed in bed next to him.

Leo wrapped his arms around her, one arm around her chest, and the other on her belly. Aria smiled, Mrs Rhys, she thought to herself, she yawned I like the sound of that. She closed her eyes as the exhaustion of the day washed over her, putting her to sleep.

[realtrafficsource]

The Best SEO Tips For Quick And Fast Results

If you’re looking for the best SEO tips to get you started down the path towards quick results and efficient website strategy then here’s what you need! I’ve put together the best information, gathered from years of hands-on experience, testing different tactics and trying various strategies. These are the best practices that will enable you and your website to reach a new level, or to get off the ground running right away.

Our best SEO tips

1. Keyword Basics: The most important thing with keywords for your website is that you have to begin the process with proper research. Take advantage of free tools and services at your disposal such as the Google Adwords tool, and consider paying for more advanced and detailed programs.

Remember that keyword density is a thing of the past, there is no density you should be opting for. Instead, focus on natural inclusion of your targeted keywords, working them in where possible without doing it excessively.

Note: The fastest results are seen in targeting a larger number of lower level competitive terms.

2. Create Great URLS: There are many steps that go into creating great URLs. Starting from the beginning, you should pick a domain name that is short, memorable and includes your most important keyword phrase. While hyphens are acceptable, more than two begins to get excessive and spam-like.

For your individual page names, also include a relevant keyword, so that each URL looks something like www.your-main-keyword.com/targeted-page-keyword.html. When possible, avoid using session IDs and other dynamic page variables that add a lot of unnecessary junk to your page URLs.

Note: If you already have a site that you cannot adjust the page structure to accommodate keywords in your URLs, then consider buying additional domains (building mini sites) to support various segments within your niche. These additional mini sites will drive traffic to your main domain.

3. Find Long Tail Keywords: Long tail keywords often are the secret to great search engine rankings. Long tail keywords include at least three words, and when you find ones related to your niche you will be facing much less competition. Additionally, the traffic you see as a result will be much more effectively targeted, ensuring you see better results.

Note: Add longer tail keywords into your URL will help as well (see #2). Do a quick search and you will see most “experts” agree that the buyers are found with the Long Tail Terms. Boost your earnings through driving more of the right type of traffic….buyers!

4. Use Latent Semantic Indexing: Latent semantic indexing, or LSI, is the process of including related keywords and phrases to your main phrases in order to boost your site’s value in the search engines. So if your site was about coffeemakers, you can include other related words, ranging from coffee makers to iced coffee and organic coffee and on down the list to help boost your rankings. This will also keep your site from appearing as spam, as you won’t just be reusing the same keywords over and over again.

Secrte best SEO tips: The more content you have on your site about the general topic, the better your site will do for the specifics within that niche. That’s how a site becomes an authority on a topic.

5. Get Smart with Internal Links: Many websites don’t properly use their internal links to their own advantage. However, it’s an easy way to help each of your pages gain a higher and more targeted ranking in the search engines. Be sure to include each page’s main targeted keyword or phrase in internal links pointing to it, and always be sure to reference your other pages with links within your site’s content when appropriate.

Example: You sell a type of Coffee maker. Make sure that anyplace that keyword is found on your site that it is linked to the specific product profile page. This helps the individual profile page rank higher in the search engines.

6. Dive into PPC: Whereas other SEO strategies take time to work, pay-per-click advertising is a great way to see instantaneous results. Start running a campaign for your website, backed up with all of the keyword research you have already done. Begin small, as costs can quickly get out of hand if you don’t know what you’re doing. Experiment with different ads, different bidding strategies and different targeted keywords until you start to see consistent results, then pick up the pace and run larger campaigns.

Note: One sure way to confirm that the keywords you’re targeting with your SEO efforts will drive the right type of traffic is to pay to get them their 1st. If they don’t buy then target a different keyword phrase.

7. Optimize your Images: Always include an ALT tag for your images that describes what the image is – with targeted keywords and phrases. This ensures that people who can’t see images see something in their spots, but this also helps you get found in image based searches. Additionally, try naming your images with a keyword in the filename, as in, targetedkeyphrase1.jpg.

Note: Don’t overdo it. Some people will read that and then force a bunch of keywords in every image on their site. The idea is to do what you would typically do but this time do it “right”. If the image is relevant – name it something relevant. Oh, and also, if it is a button or something else that isn’t relevant to your niche, name it something with numbers, as in, 1010101.jpg.

8. Optimize your Title Tag: Many people think that anything they put in their title tag will be sufficient but this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Your page title provides an excellent opportunity to boost your rankings, as well as draw people into your site to see more visitors.

To begin with, your title should be kept short, no more than 60 or 70 characters in length. Also, ensure that every page has its own unique title, instead of merely listing your site’s name on all of them. Work your targeted keywords into the title and be sure to be more descriptive and exciting than just labeling a page as “Home” or “About Us”.

Secret best SEO tips: When giving each page its own title, try and include product model or product names to help drive targeted traffic..

9. META Tag Notes: The META Keywords tag is no longer used by Google for ranking, although other search engines may still make use of it. More important are the META Title and META description tags. Keep your title to 70 characters or less, and keep your META description to 160 characters or less, anything more will just get cut off by the search engines. Of course, remember to include your targeted keywords in these META tags.

Secret best SEO tips: The META description is what the searcher will read in the organic listing so try and make it sound compelling and give the searcher a reason to click on your site.

10. Link Building, What Not to Do: Many people go in the entirely wrong direction when it comes to link building. For example, buying links or participating in a link farm is a strategy that’s doomed from the get-go. You should also avoid low quality, spammy directories and you must understand that tactics like link exchanges, blog commenting and forum posting have all been devalued as compared to how they used to be viewed. Also remember that when you build thousands of links in a few days, you will stand out as unnatural.

Note: It’s best to build links over time from high value sites. Think of sites that are in your niche that you consider the highest value and work directly with them to get a link to your site (can link out to them – see below).

11. Link Building, What you Should Do: Submitting to high quality, respected directories such as DMOZ (it’s very hard to get accepted), Best of the Web and others can pay huge dividends. You should link out to your niche authorities to help boost your own reputation, and you should focus on providing catchy, unique and engaging content that serves as “link bait” for your site. Social networks can be beneficial when used in the right fashion.

Secret best SEO tips: Link Bait is content that is so good that people want to talk about it. One way to do this is provide content that is controversial.

12. Don’t Forget Canonicalization: If you want to maximize your search engine results while also improving your ability to track your site’s traffic, then you need to ensure that your pages aren’t being counted more than once. Your home page may be coming up in different ways as http://yourdomain.com, http://www.yourname.com and http://www.yourdomain.com/index.html. This can confuse the search engines and impact your tracking stats. Use 301 redirects to move your pages to one home page, and fix any issues with other pages on your site as well.

Secret best SEO tips: Talk to your techie about implementing this strategy. WordPress has a great plug-in for this that makes it really easy….yet another reason why I LOVE WordPress.

13. Stick with HTML: The benefits of JavaScript and other program languages are lost when they aren’t searchable in the search engines. Everything you do you want to be helping your cause of ranking highly, which means sticking to easily accessed HTML for your website. Avoid overcomplicating your site with excess forms, frames of any kind, or any code that isn’t searchable.

Note: As I stated in #12, I love WordPress. Why, well one of the main engineers at Google said it best, “WordPress does 80-90% Google loves without changing a setting”. If you haven’t already I would look for ways to use WordPress in your business.

Like I said at the start of this list. Go through each item and check it off. If you are doing each of these then you’re doing most of what’s required to get good SEO scores. Stay tuned for our next email with more tips and strategies on what you can do to boost your SEO rankings!

View best SEO tips article here:

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[lovelysheree]

Top 10 songs

@dancingskygreen tagged me!  ;D And I loooooove listening to music, so...

Top ten bops:

I don’t know if these are in perfect order, but they’re in an order none-the-less.

1.) Mr. Brightside by The Killers- How can I not put this one on here?  This song needs no explanation, just a fun song that (most) everyone knows.

2.) L-O-V-E by Nat King Cole - Another classic (albeit a very different kind of classic) and this needs no explanation either.  It’s just so adorable and makes me smile every times I listen to it.  I love this genre so much.

3.) Pineapple by The Careful Ones - This is such an interesting song to listen to--super catchy and really pretty.  The entire album, actually, is really great.  The way this artist creates melodies and flow is just so intriguing to me.  It draws you in and makes you want to listen to every note.  It’s pretty modern sounding and fairly different if you are someone who’s unfamiliar with this genre.

4.) Shake My Head by Ivory Layne - Because we all need that one girl song that talks about forgetting about a guy.  It’s a good one and even though there isn’t a guy I need to forget about, it’s still great.  

5.) Colors by Honest Men - The beginning is really fun!  The drums come in and play on the exact beat the guitar strums in the next measure.  A very fun song and a great one to put in the car when you’re driving around town.  It’s poppy and catchy and makes me smile.

6.) Hallucinogenics by Matt Maeson - What a banger.  It kicks in after the first verse, pre-chorus and chorus and Mmmmm!  I just appreciate the lyrical formation in this one.  The rhyme falls on a very satisfying beat when he sings “pushing past the limit, trippin’ on hallucinogenics” and it gets me every time.

7.) Know Me by The Band CAMINO - I looooove how this song builds!  And the lyrics and everything.  It’s super catchy and gets stuck in my head, but 100% worth it because I love it.  I listen to it whenever I’m driving right now and I just... I really like it.  And the build matches the lyrics so well, it’s so satisfying.

8.) When Love Loves Alone by Madison Cunningham - Holy, guys.  You all need to listen to her.  She's a fairly new up-and-coming artist who’s lyrics are so amazing and so incredibly classic.  I seriously thought she was covering a classic that I hadn’t heard before when I first heard this song.  This song in particular is just amazing.  The way she completely paints a picture of what she’s singing and how she uses the instruments to make you feel is so cool.

9.) I Miss Those Days by Bleachers - This song makes me so sentimental.  It’s a song you can close your eyes to and imagine or reflect.  I really like the Bleachers too, so I may be a bit impartial.  This song totally reminds me of the summer of my senior year, though, so it’s very sentimental.  

10.) Southern Comforting by Hotel Mira - This. Song. Is. Awesome.  Like, the lyrics are cool, I guess... but it’s just everything else about it that hits me hard for some reason.  It’s pretty edgy and heavy but not in a depressing way.  My friend and I would listen to it all the time and I still love it.  I would qualify this as indie-rock or alternative rock with some great attitude.  Man, I’m re-listening to it right now and I can’t stop smiling.  I just love this song.

Some honorable mentions:

Lonesome Wolf by Dawson Hollow

Attention by Charlie Puth

Because of You by Lael

JT by Jon Bellion

You by Valley

Stranger by Miki Fiki

I probably spent too much time on this, but oh well.  These aren’t necessarily my favorite songs by any means, but they are the songs I appreciated the most.  Some would make it on my favorites list as well, but not all.  Hope you guys enjoyed reading all this... and please listen to them they are all awesome.

Also, thanks for the tag @dancingskygreen, I enjoyed doing this so much!!  Even though I probably used way too many words.  But again, oh well.

[askblueberrymuffin]

REALLY LONG CHARACTER SURVEY.

RULES. repost ,   don’t  reblog  !  good  luck  !

TAGGED. @vertebralheights sorta? TAGGING. I dunno, do what u want

BASICS.

FULL NAME: Sans Gaster

NICKNAME:  Blueberry, Muffin, Blue

AGE: 23

BIRTHDAY: July 1st, 20XX

ETHNIC GROUP: Skeleton/Shadow Monster

NATIONALITY: Underground??

LANGUAGE(S): English, Wingdings(?)

SEXUAL ORIENTATION: Asexual

ROMANTIC ORIENTATION: Panromantic

RELATIONSHIP STATUS:  Forever alone Single

CLASS: Middle class? Maybe upper middle when their mom was around?

HOMETOWN / AREA: Snowdin

CURRENT HOME: Still Snowdin, same house and everything

PROFESSION: Sentry, but he’ll likely pursue higher education soon

PHYSICAL.

HAIR: Skeleton?

EYES: Usually cerulean blue.

NOSE:  Nope

FACE:  Boney (har har)

LIPS:  Still skeleton

COMPLEXION: Guess what? Skeleton

WEIGHT:  Like, 9 lbs.

BUILD: Bony boi

FEATURES:  Solid shadow? In skull and ribcage? Also tiny nubby tail

ALLERGIES: Straight up a magic skeleton

USUAL HAIRSTYLE: No?

USUAL FACE LOOK: A bright smile

USUAL CLOTHING: So many sweaters. Too many sweaters. And baggy pants. And cerulean boots. Of course all topped off with his scarf, tied as a bandana.

PSYCHOLOGY.

FEAR(S): His brothers dying, Cake killing himself(again), Cake self harming(more), being abandoned, hurting others, using others, being alone, fire, being burned, the kitchen, ice picks, chisels, sledge hammers, lighters, people getting hurt because of him, people dying because of him-- *SLAPS ROOF OF SANS* THIS BAD BOI CAN FIT SO MANY FEARS and he hides them all so they never get any better, someone help him oh my god--

ASPIRATION(S) : He wants to help others however he can. He also would really like to be come a scientist, but he puts that aside for the former

POSITIVE TRAITS: Excitable, loving, affectionate, intelligent, optimistic, resourceful, adaptable, perseverance, determination, overwhelming kindness and forgiveness

NEGATIVE TRAITS: Depressed, fakes many emotions, fakes many situations, fakes his persona, shoves his own feelings aside constantly, takes all the blame, always takes the fall, forgives instantly, never blames anyone, too trusting, can be absent minded, easily distracted, never honest about his own feelings to other or to himself, won’t tell people when they’re hurting him, will do almost anything you tell him, he’s entirely too codependent, his entire life revolves around his brothers, if you take that away he doesn’t know who he is anymore, he’s content now but if he were to ever not be, that is a very, very steep slope with no coming back. Get this baby a therapist, someone.

ZODIAC: A hecking crab Cancer

TEMPERAMENT: He only gets upset when bad stuff happens to others or they talk bad about themselves. Otherwise you could literally stab him and-- WAIT people literally did torture him and he was not at all upset! Ahhh--

SOUL TYPE(S):  Monster Soul?

ANIMALS:  Probably some kind of dog. He’d be the goodest good boy.

VICE  HABIT(S): He stress bakes and stress cleans. Don’t take that for innocence as he’s tried other things. A lot of other things. But he has 1 HP, hates the choking feel of smoke and can’t get drunk if his life depended on it. ...Perhaps it isn’t so innocent though, looking at all he does.

FAITH: Who needs gods when you’re a massive science nerd

GHOSTS?: Yes?

AFTERLIFE?: He believes there is none. A part of him hopes he is wrong.

REINCARNATION?: He’s a science nerd, he hasn’t put much thought into this stuff.

ALIENS?: He believes with the vastness of the universe, likely? He wants to meet one.

POLITICAL ALIGNMENT: Heavy shrugging? He only wishes the Queen were more open.

ECONOMIC  PREFERENCE: None in particular

SOCIOPOLITICAL POSITION: He’s content where things are.

EDUCATION LEVEL: High school. He hopes to change this now that they actually have money--

FAMILY.

FATHER: Wingdings Gaster

MOTHER: D̵̀́͟͜r̶̶̶̛̕.̴̀ ̷̡̨̢P̶̧e̢̡̕n̷̷̨̧u̴̶m̡̛͘͠͠b̧͞͠r̴̷̨͞ą̧̛͘ ̸̨G̴̡͜͜͠a̵͜s̢̀͜t̢e͠҉̕͟r̷͏̢̢̀

SIBLINGS: Papyrus ‘Cake’ Gaster (younger), Papyrus ‘Rex’ (older)

EXTENDED FAMILY: Sakura Shalie (niece), Martin Magnus (nephew)

NAME MEANING(S): I dunno, ask their mom OH WAIT-- (imsorry)

HISTORICAL CONNECTION?: His mom was the royal scientist, while his dad killed the human who possessed the soul of integrity. Perhaps in certain timelines caused by a certain human, he may have been more historically important (winkwinknudgenudge)

FAVORITES.

BOOK: Pffff-- Textbooks, old scientific studies, non-fiction, history texts, books on space, really just picture anything nerdy. He loves it. Oh yeah, and sci-fi.

MOVIE: The first Star Wars film, he will fight

5 SONGS: Dollhouse, Sleeping Powder, More Than Words, Squid Melody [Blue Version], Cut My Hair

DEITY: Can I just put Phil Swift here? I’m doing it.

HOLIDAY: Christmas

MONTH:  July. Birthday time!

SEASON: Indifferent. They all seem the same to him.

PLACE: Quiet places no one else can reach

WEATHER: Storms. Rain storms on the surface.

SOUND: Laughter

SCENT(S):  Laundry, baking, cooking

TASTE(S): He loves tomatoes? In juice, sandwiches, food in general? Yeah.

FEEL(S):  Warm, soft, physical contact with other living beings.

ANIMAL(S): He loves dogs? All dogs. So many dogs. He wants to pet them all. All dogs.

NUMBER: 9 now. XD

COLORS: He likes orange and blue. He says his favourite colours are his dad’s eyes. Which sounds adorable tbh--

EXTRA.

TALENTS: He’s a little smarty pants with a good memory. Helpful for science, helpful for reloads. He’s decent at cooking and is much, much to physically strong for his 1 HP?? He also has quite the great handle on his magic. Fighting him isn’t fun, at all. He’s only been fairly beaten once. He’s empathetic, great at reading people and a masterful deceiver. He could be a super villain with his manipulation abilities tbh, but he just hates the idea of using people.

BAD AT:  He acts before he thinks. He switches from topic to topic and overpowers conversation. He’s quick to defend others and gets himself hurt like this more often than not, and mentally he’s an absolute wreck. He can be overbearing and clingy though, especially to those close to him. The more paranoid he becomes, the more annoying he seems in these ways.

HOBBIES: Reading, cooking, cleaning. He’s starting to get back into actual hobbies like reading with Rex around. He used to just not have them.

TROPES:  He is about the best supporting ally and mom friend one can be. His best quality is being able to lift people up high. He however, cannot do this to himself.

AESTHETIC TAGS:  #space , #baking

GPOY  QUOTES: ((I don’t know what this is--))

FC INFO.

MAIN  FC(S): No

ALT FC(S): Nope

OLDER FC(S): Nuh-uh

YOUNGER  FC(S): Nadda

VOICE CLAIM(S): ((I have no idea?? The closest would be Cryaotic but I honestly have no idea the specifics))

GENDERBENT FC(S): Nah

MUN QUESTIONS.

Q1: if you could write your character your way in their own movie, what would it be called, what style would it be filmed in, and what would it be about?:  If I were to write it??? It would turn into something psychological or horror related. Blue would fit wonderfully in a deconstruction of the human(or i guess skeleton??) mind. Hopefully it’d be about him seeming alright but being an absolute mess and managing to realize there is indeed a problem and work through his issues with friends, family and some professional help. That’d be lovely.

Q2: what would their soundtrack / score sound like?:  He listens to anything catchy, though likes chiptune and electronica. He’d probably make his own soundtrack out of other video game soundtracks though, he’s a doofus.

Q3: why did you start writing this character?: I... Don’t know?? Huh. Guess I did a little bit about... Three years back? I didn’t do a whole lot with him, but that’s around when he met his niece and nephew. Hm.

Q4: what first attracted you to this character?:  Papyrus is my favourite undertale character. Sans is my second favourite. Mash them together and what do you get? A cool science boy! A sad cool science boy that covers his pain with laughter and smiles. Someone help him.

Q5: describe the biggest thing you dislike about your muse: He won’t let anyone in, in any way that matters. He’s affectionate to everyone and it would be so easy to use and abuse him. He so strong in some areas and so weak in others. His whole life is his brothers and I’m often lost as to what I should make him do as he doesn’t keep hobbies really due to being busy. He never sleeps, works himself to exhaustion and picks everyone up despite being hurt himself. He thinks he knows what he is but he’s wrong. He thinks he’s fine but he’s not. He denies these problems in himself so hard that even he’s deceived by his act. It’s frustrating in a way even if it is interesting? As a writer I want to break him apart and crush him but as a person I want someone, anyone to finally see through this and HELP him. But no matter the hints I give or things I mention, no one has tried. I suppose he just hides it too well. Ahh...

Q6: what do you have in common with your muse?: Super depressed! Uh-- Ha, put up a mask. Hide pain with jokes. Try to see the silver lining in situations. Loooove space. And science. Psychology’s a huge yes.

Q8: what characters does your muse have interesting interactions with?: Citrus is always neat. Rex and him also have an extremely interesting dynamic. Fluff and him are adorable and fun, and I want so much more of them. Sakura’s is hilarious because she’s literally a god in her multiverse and she’s just accepted him as being able to break all laws of space and time

Q9: what gives you inspiration to write your muse?:  The interactions and dynamics he creates with other characters as well as the unique story and plot aspects that can be created!

Q10: how long did this take you to complete?:  At least two hours. Maybe longer. Oh jeez--

[savannah-the-caracal]

Nobody Asked for it You Got it 2

(thanks to @raintagwasalreadytaken for the name idea)

This here is Play Me a Song, you pick a fandom, and for various characters/ships, link to the song you feel is the most fitting.

The fandom I chose? Minecraft: Story Mode. Feel free to do the same, or pick a different fandom. (i will be using canon with a few of my reversal au thrown in because I already had the songs and had to get them out there xD)

Ready? Here we go::

CANON

Jesse - Fight Song (rachel platten) and Friends are Family (oh hush)

The New Order VS The Blaze Rods - It’s Going Down (descendants 2)

Ivor flirting with Harper - Poco Loco (coco) and When Can I See You Again (owl city)

Harper flirting with Ivor - You’re in my Head like a Catchy Song (mlp: fim)

Lukas x Jesse - Pretend (scott porter)

Jesse and Romeo (not shippy, just like...them overall, especially s2 ep5) - This Day Aria (mlp: fim)

Aiden - What’s my Name? (descendants 2)

The Old Order - We will be Heroes (pokemon)

The New Order to Ivor - Kiss da Girl (china anne mclain cover)

The New Order - Hope Shines Eternal  (mlp: eg: legend  of everfree) and May There Be Peace (lion guard)

Romeo - I’m the Friend You Need (mlp: fim the movie) 

REVERSE AU

Jesse - Open up Your Eyes - (mlp: fim the movie)

Lukas - Find the Pieces (captain sparklez and try hard ninja)

Ivor - Found my Place (oh hush)

So yeah there we go :D If I can think of some good ones, I might do a Ninjago Play Me a Song, but anyways, reblog with your own songs for whatever fandom. You can tag people if you want, but you don’t have to, just do it if ya feel like ^^

(also im the friend you need is romeos song. this is my headcanon which you must pry out of my cold dead hands.)

[jollyinha]

Soooo... I saw an One Piece tag in Reddit, and for some reason I really like doing tags, even though no one gives a fuck about it. Since I have nothing better to do, LET’S ANSWER IT!

1 - Who is your favorite character and why? (Additionally, who is you fav Straw Hat?)

Most people would guess that it’s Sanji, since I’m crazy for this boy literally since I put my eyes on him... But my favorite character is Luffy, because without him, I wouldn’t stay interested in One Piece for much time. I kept watching the anime because I thought he was a funny and interesting protagonist, and it changed my life.

Besides, he is everything I love in a character (Especially in a protagonist): Dreamer, determinated, funny loyal and dumb. He inspired/inspires me in many, many ways, and I just love this strawhat boy.

2 - Who is your favorite villain and why?

That’s a tough one... Arlong impacted me the most (I hate, haaaaate his guts!) and Lucci akuma-no-mi is pretty cool. But I’m saying Crocodile. I mean, c’mon, the guy tricked an entire kingdom, defeated Luffy TWICE (I think it was twice, correct me if I’m saying shit), had an entire organization... And had banana crocodiles and a cool casino. And his akuma-no-mi is badass too. I kind of hope that he appears again in these recents arcs, even if it’s very unlikely!

3 - What is your favorite quote or statement? 

Oh man, there’s so many of them... Screw that, I’m making a small list.

-  "When does a man die? Does he die when he's been shot? No. Does he die when he's ravaged with disease? No. Does he die when he's been poisoned? NO! A man dies when, and only when, he is FORGOTTEN! “

-  "A man's dream will never die!"

- “The government says your existence is a crime, but no matter what kind of weapons you may hold, just being alive isn't a sin! THERE'S NO CRIME IN LIVING!!!''

-  “Don't start a fight you can't finish.”

4 - Who is your favorite female character?

Urgh, I love all my girls! I love Robin, Vivi and Nami nearly equally, but I’m saying Nami. Her backstory was the first one that actually made me cry. It’s amazing to think that he was stealing from pirates that could kill her, even though that she was just a child! That moment when she asked for help... Damn, it brings me chills. 

And I also love how even though she was already extremely important for the crew while being only the navigator, she still wanted to become stronger, and asked for Usopp to create the Clima Tact. She uses her intelligence to fight, fights for her friends when it’s necessary and still saves everyone’s butts by being the amazing navigator we know!

5 - What is your favorite fight? 

I gotta say the fight against Lucci. Not only was a very intense battle and it was the first time Luffy used a Gear, but I love its meaning. If he needs to kick the World Government’s ass to save a crewmate, he will absolutely do it. Nothing shall stand in his and his nakama’s way!

6 - What is your favorite episode? 

Well, I don’t ACTUALLY watch the anime since Alabasta. After that, I’ve only watched a few loose episodes, so I don’t know a lot about the anime. But I’m saying the episode that Brook joined the crew. The expressions and the voice acting are just on point!

7 - What is your favorite One Piece opening?

We Are!, of freaking course. It’s the only opening that I never skipped while I watched the anime. Although We Go! comes in a close second. Believe in Wonderland is good too.

8 - What is your favorite movie, special or "episode of"?

I did enjoyed Strong World and 3D2Y a lot, but Gold was amazeballs, starting with that freaking catchy song in the beginning. The animation is GORGEOUS, Tesoro is very interesting in my opinion, the outfits are amazing, and the final battles were pretty cool too. I didn’t liked Carina very much, tho

9 - What is your favorite arc in One Piece?

Alabasta, without any doubt. Baroque Works was freaking charismatic, the scenarios were interesting as hell, Vivi was an amazing character in general, the battles were intense and fun, and it’s such a funny arc! I really like the filler were Ace spends a while with the Strawhats too. Water 7 comes in a close second place.

10 - What is your favorite One Piece videogame? 

One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3. It’s so much fun to play with characters like Hancock, Ace, Law and Tashigi! The story log is very nostalgic and the dream log is addicting as hell.

11 - If you were in the One Piece universe, who's crew would you join and why?

What kind of question is that? Strawhat Crew, of course! They all have this sense of one for all and all for one, and they really look like a family, and this is very heart-warming to me.

12 - What is the saddest One Piece moment?

Weeeeeeell... I’ve been stuck in Dressrosa for a while, and the saddest moment in my opinion is at Whole Cake. I took EVERY SINGLE POSSIBLE SPOILER of this arc, though. Without hesitation, it’s Sanji’s backstory. I feel like crying when I only see PICTURES of his backstory... I don’t even want to think what I’m going to feel when I actually get in Whole Cake. Sanji occupies a very special place in my heart, so it hurts a lot to see that this was his past. Congratulations, Oda, you completely broke my heart once again. Also, Pudding can stick her finger in her third eye and go to hell

13 - What is the most shocking moment? 

The third scene that made me cry in One Piece: Usopp VS Luffy in Water 7. These two are such good friends! That’s why I remember that I was freaking out when they began to fight. 

14 - What is the funniest One Piece moment and who is the funniest character?

There are plenty of funny moments in this beautiful story, so I’m going to say more than one. Zoro getting lost, Luffy’s impressions, Robin’s imagination and all the “Can you poop?” moments. And of course that Luffy is the funniest character.

15 - What is the most memorable moment? 

That moment when Luffy gets Zoro’s swords, and he defends his captain for the first time. C’mon, it’s the beginning of the crew!

“Nice, Zoro!”

“It was no trouble, Captain.” 

16 - What is your favorite ability in One Piece?

Hana-Hana No Mi. It’s elegant, has many uses and it can be powerful as heck. I totally want it! Emperor’s Haki is a close second, tho... 

17 - Do you own any One Piece merchandise? (Official or not)

Many of them! All the mangas that were/are being released on Brazil, the special editions (Red, Blue, Yellow, Green and Wanted!) an giant wallpaper, plenty of posters, many figure actions, an Sanji cosplay, a flag, a strawhat, a keychain and a notepad (The last two actually came from Japan!), a necklace and a shirt.

18 - Do you prefer watching One Piece in sub or dub?

As I said up there, I’m brazilian... So I never actually had acess to the english dub, and the portuguese dub (It’s a very good dub, btw) came out before I knew One Piece. So, it’s sub.

19 - What is the #1 thing you love the most about One Piece?

I’m a sucker for this kind of thing: The whole dreams, freedom, friendship and bravery message that it passes. I keep the lessons that One Piece gave me deep in my heart. They give me hope and happiness in hard moments.

20 - What is the #1 thing you hate the most about One Piece? 

There’s two of them: The brazilian fandom and what they did to Sanji after the timeskip. Brazil’s fandom is full of toxicity, arguing, homophobia and sexism. And Sanji was so smooth and serious before the timeskip, but I feel like he became a gag after the timeskip. Where’s the suave Sanji, goddamnit?!

21 - Does One Piece take your number 1 spot in your top 10 animes? (If not, where?)

Absolutely yes. One Piece saved me from dispair countless times. Its jokes, its lessons, its characters... And if it weren’t for One Piece, I wouldn’t have known half of my friends, and honestly, I don’t know where I was going to be nowdays if I didn’t had them. In many aspects, One Piece saved my life. I’m eternally grateful to Oda. One Piece is a huge inspiration to me in both emotional aspects and in a writer’s point of view. Watching One Piece was the best choice I ever made, because that silly strawhat boy changed my life and took me out of the darkness many times. I love this masterpiece with all my soul.