#* verse 01 : the beginning is the end .

[masteredinstinct]

cont. from here / @stlispenard

it's a tricky tight rope he has chosen to walk on , but louis cannot help but balance himself on the curb outside monsieur de lioncourt's home on a daily basis . he does not linger by the man's steps on purpose , OF COURSE NOT . it just so happens that his new friend found residence on his path from home to work ㅤ─ ㅤ otherwise louis would not glance at his balcony during his walks , would not choose to smoke by the streetlamp outside his doorstep , would never feel a sting of disappointment when he did not find a full head of golden hair roaming through rue royal ... louis had made a new friend and was excited about spending more time getting to know him . that was all .

never mind the evenings spent writhing against bedsheets in which he had to cover his eyes in shame whenever he found himself remembering lestat's hands or stare or lips . he'd refuse to think of the one time he had whispered for the man's name and imagined him answering with the same fervour from miles away . there was no safety net to catch him . louis feared the fall and yet , he soldiered into the unknown , willing to live with the guilt of these fantasies as long as they remained as such .

lestat and he frequented the same spots . of course they would bump into each other ( of course , of course ! ) . his playfulness , though sometimes improper , always brought a smile to louis' lips . harmless teasing , none of it meant to humiliate or diminish him ㅤ─ ㅤ it was hard , not to yearn for the other man's attention . even during their walks , whenever their gazes met , louis felt as if his heart skipped a few beats . SUCH ODD BRIGHT EYES ; and they watched louis as if he had words printed onto his fucking face . what man stares at another like that ? ㅤ" yeah . "ㅤ he'd answer whenever he was caught slipping . ㅤ" yeah , everything's fine . "ㅤ and lestat would curl his lips and louis would feel himself getting hot under the collar . does he know ? he'd wonder . have i been found out ? no . he'd conclude . that'd be impossible .

the rain threatens to put an end to their encounter but louis had come prepared . to watch lestat falter on his words when he held an umbrella open for him had left louis in an excellent mood ㅤ─ ㅤ those moments of surprise in which he managed to catch the frenchman off-guard , felt like small triumphs . perhaps it was due to their rarity . perhaps because it reminded louis that , despite all of his bravado and savoir-faire , monsieur lioncourt was still human . or perhaps it was because he liked the shape lestat's lips formed whenever he gasped . his brow knitted . do not go there . ㅤ" pessimism ? s'that how you see me ? " ㅤlouis chuckled . ㅤ" and here i thought i was a realist . "

his hand moves to grab the umbrella and louis can feel lestat's skin touching his . he hates that he notices how gentle his hold is . hates how he'll be thinking of that brief moment of contact for the rest of the week ㅤㅤ─ ㅤ and when louis glances at lestat he swears he knows this too . ㅤ" sounds good . "ㅤ he mumbles , turning his head to glance down the street , pretending to be looking for shelter and not away from lestat . ㅤ" what you thinkin' ? the fair play saloon ? "ㅤㅤ he shrugs . sitting close to lestat , spilling his heart out to him , letting their arms touch ... IT FELT SAFER THERE . nobody would judge such closeness between two men if they were assiduous clients at a whore house . hell , maybe this way louis would manage to continue fooling himself too .

[orangetintedglasses]

His initial reaction is an overwhelming desire to pull away. Wolfwood might even be able to feel a twitch-- the start of a jerk back that would have him put distance between them --though he doesn't go through with it.

His secondary reaction is to wind his arms around the undertaker and cling for dear life, but the blond doesn't do that, either. Part of him knows better, even if it's just a hard stop with no description in his wiring, and that wrenches another sob free from his throat-- though muffled in the other's shoulder the way it is, the sound could easily be confused with a gag.

God, get it together.

Ultimately, Vash's arms eventually just fall uselessly to the floor, and tears stain the undertaker's jacket. How... h-how dare he do that... how dare Wolfwood physically comfort him when there's no telling what scale his actions were on because he... knows (he absolutely knows, why wouldn't he?) that things are only being vaguely shaded in. He knows what Wolfwood is trying to do for his sake (why wouldn't he?).

It takes a moment or two more than he'd, but eventually, these emotions are smoothed over. His newest trick, that, leaving only dulled watery blues and heavier breathing as evidence that there was even a problem to begin with as he mutters muffled apologies into the fabric at his mouth.

Sorry you had to see that. Sorry to worry you. Sorry. Sorry. I'm sorry.

Eventually, he turns his head so he can rest it on the other's shoulder, facing it away so he can be heard properly. Muffled apologies are one thing, but he wants to make sure Wolfwood knows he does appreciate him here. Want him here, even if his voice shakes as he murmurs, "... I'm glad you found me. I missed you."

"H-hey, Blondie," Wolfwood swiftly reaches out to Vash's shoulders, clasping them tightly, "It's okay—it's okay! I'm here now, that's what matters—does it really matter why?"

Any normal human would hug someone in this state, right?

When did he start thinking as though he's out of his own body? Where did this dissociation between mind and body come from? Is that really what it took to survive all that he had?

The undertaker bites his lip in contemplation, nervous to do more than this, but—

He caves in. He can't... can't just watch Vash tear himself apart like this. It's a mistake, but he has to reach out and pull and...

"C'mere," Wolfwood coos as he gets on his knees and wraps his arms around the blond into a bear-like hug, "It wasn't you, remember? And, I mean—I thought..."

It's difficult keeping his voice steady, but he manages.

"I thought you were dead—so when I heard rumors about you, of course I had to look for you. I care about you, you idiot. I worried when we were in JuLai, I worried after, and I'm worrying now."

Instinctively, he falls back into the role of caretaker and puts a palm to the nape of Vash's neck to pet the back of his head. The embrace pulls the gunslinger to Wolfwood's chest—he can only pray that Vash doesn't notice how he wears his shirt buttoned higher than he used to.

...He can't answer why he searched. Even he's not sure why. What else is he supposed to do? How is he supposed to handle freedom when he doesn't deserve it in the first place? He doesn't know.

"Even if you were the same as when I left you, I would've handled it—but I knew from the moment you set me down outside city limits that you had control again. I only wished I could've stayed with you."

Instead, he'd sat down on his vantage point with bottle of whiskey and a hole in his chest where his heart should've been. Then he watched the fireworks. If he cried that night, he didn't feel it.

[yooglefics]

The casual type: 01 . The blind date

Pairing: Min Yoongi x fem!reader  Wordcount: 2,888 words Genre ( for the whole series ): AU. College!verse. Strangers to friends with benefits to ?????. Eventual smut. Hurt / comfort at times. And fuff for cute friends. Summary: Hobi and his girlfriend set you up with a friend of hers to help with whatever happened months back. However no one really expected things to end the way they did.

Warnings ( for this chapter ): Setting things up for plot purposes. Gridding? Mentions of a boner. Making out.  Author's note: So, I wanted to write some friends with benefits thing, plus a bunch of art kids… and this came out ┐( • ֊ • )┌ . I should note here I took the creative liberty to play around with their ages so everyone is in college at the same time, and if you haven't, you can check the presentation post and learn a little bit more about them. Now let's start, hope you like it! If you do you can reblog, like, comment, send an ask, follow and what not. Thank you for reading <3

The place is quieter than the last time you were here, you realize, is earlier in the day and the semester just started after all, meaning students are still moving in from their home cities. And although you want to be mad at him, you can't really blame Hoseok's choice of place for a date, instead, you're already thinking of ways to be able to escape the awkwardness of it all.

Of course, he and Mai don't have to worry about that. Is not their first date and considering they're both dance students it actually makes sense for them to be in a club on a friday night. Is their element, unlike yours, who hasn't left their room for the last couple of weeks if it's not to go art-supply shopping and will spend even weekends far away from a place like this.

But you couldn't say no. Not to Hobi. Not after he held you tight that night and didn't pray for an explanation.

He had come up with his own conclusions, though, and that's how you ended here. On a double date with Mai and her friend who you don't even know, so... Yay! Blind date added to the mix of reasons why you already want the night to end.

"You made it!" Mai greats when the both of you get closer to the bar, standing up to hug you first and then her boyfriend. "We ordered something while waiting."

Your friend nods at the explanation, "What do you want?" He asks in your direction and you settle for a fruity cocktail to not look too out of place with everyone else drinking. Mai insists on going with Hobi and he insists you stay, so, a bit awkwardly, you take the stool besides your date.

"Yoongi, by the way." The guy simply introduces himself before taking a sip of his drink.

"Y/n" short, overthinking if bowing is too formal until you decide is too long of a pause and it would only make it more awkward. In the end, a soft smile is your decision.

"They look cute together," you say looking at your friends, trying to break the silence that has fallen between.

"Listen," Yoongi begins, and your head turns to him, "I'm only here because she asked, so if you're expecting something like that, let's just leave."

"Like that?" Brows slightly closer, "a cute relationship?"

"A relationship in general. I don't do those."

"Oh..."

And before you can say anything else, Hobi is placing a glass in front of you, smiling reassuringly. "You'd be okay if I go dance now?"

A pause and then a nod is the answer. Not having any intentions of spoiling their night.

"Don't worry. Yoongi," Mai turns to him, a serious expression on her soft features, "you better take care of her, alright?"

He salutes, earning a smile from the couple and they walk to the dance floor hand in hand. You watch them make some silly moves at first and giggle, but it doesn't take long before they start to follow the beat and match it with their movements.

"I don't want a relationship either," you clarify, tone assertive, still looking at the couple with a smile.

He laughs, "I'm sorry, but that's hard to believe."

"Why?"

"Look at me and tell me you didn't just imagine yourself with someone on that dance floor."

You turn to him, brown eyes inspecting yours, "Well, yes. But that doesn't mean I want it to happen with someone I'm in a relationship with."

Again, he laughs. Clearly not believing you.

"What? People do casual things all the time," you defend, straightening your back and looking away.

"You do 'casual things'?" His eyebrows raise, "all the time?"

"Shut up, you don't know me."

"That's a no," no need to look at him to know there's a smirk playing on his lips.

"Who are you? Some kind of hook up police or something?" You want to take it back as soon as it leaves your mouth, cringing.

"Are you gonna show me your license?" but he is faster.

"Okay, that was more lame than what I said," you laugh. Maybe he is not as grumpy as he seems. And maybe, just maybe, you would be able to enjoy the night after all. 

If he doesn't want a relationship either, then you don't have to deal with rejecting him or being forced to accept a second date just because you're too kind to say no. That's good.

"Yoongi, hey!" A guy calls out and for a split second your date's expression changes to a surprise one before a polite smile takes place on his face. "Oh, hi. Sorry for interrupting, haven't seen him in months."

"Is alright," you play along even when not understanding.

"I guess he has been busy with yo—"

"Jay," Yoongi's tone is serious, like the one he used to say he doesn't do relationships. However, before he can continue or you are able to clarify that you two just meet, Jay is calling someone over.

"Look who I found, love. Yoongi!"

A redhead girl repeats Yoongi's early expression and you wonder two things about Jay. One: if he always has that effect on people. And two: if he is even more clueless than you in this whole situation, since his smile never falls.

"Hi," the redhead says and Yoongi greets back just as plain.

Are you really imagining the awkwardness? Perhaps you were wrong and in the end you should put one of your plans to avoid it into place?

A few seconds of thinking go by, no one says anything and you could swear the tension is filling the air around your new  group.

"Oh, that's the song!" Fake excitement in your voice tricks everyone into looking at you. "I promise, remember? If it comes on, we'll dance."

Yoongi looks confused for a second, but it doesn't take him long to finally understand, "right, the song. Sorry guys, been waiting all night."

Jay dismisses him smiling with a pat on the back, saying something about not breaking promises and Yoongi takes your hand.

Looking around, you try to find your friends, hoping to copy Mai's moves and keep up with the plan even when you're a self proclaimed not dancer. But they aren't in sight and even if you can't really prove it since your back is facing them, you feel like Jay's and the girl's eyes are on you.

Ugh. Why did you use this plan?

Why was this something you even thought about?

When Yoongi stops and positions himself in front of you, you get closer, sliding an arm on top of his shoulders pretending you're positioning yourself to dance, copying the random couple beside you.

"I don't know what I'm doing," you confess in a whisper.

"What do you mean?” He looks for your eyes, hair strain coming out of place when his head lowers a little, "you want to go back and sit down?"

"No, then they would know I lied," you're still trying to figure out why in the first place and don't need the embarrassment too, "but I don't know how to dance."

He chuckles, "here, I'll help." And holds your hips softly, moving them to the beat of the song, matching your movements with his own. "Relax. Don't think too much about it."

"If I don't, how do I know how to move?" It doesn't make sense and is a bit frustrating, honestly.

"Is not a dance competition, or the grant ball, princess. Just do what feels right."

He catches you looking at your feet and brings you closer, eliminating the gap between your bodies completely. "Don't do that," one of his hands travels to the small of your back, keeping you in place.

"Sorry," you say against his neck. Not intentionally, but because of your height difference, there's no other option. In an effort to not be so dependent on him, both your arms move around his neck and you try to move your hips in a way that in the end doesn't match his movements completely, causing you to bum into his front. He makes a sound that you assume is a complaint at your skills and another apology rolls through your lips.

"Turn around," Yoongi commands, applying pressure to one side of your hip.

You comply, confused even when you feel his hands on your waist. "Well, I'm going to assume you been fucked before, miss casual all the time," with his chest against your back, you can feel his laugh. "Open your legs a little," one of his feets kicks gently between yours, fixing your stand. "You want to lead or should I?"

"...You." Is the safest, you decide. Your turn to assume he surpasses your experience at that too.

“Some describe dancing like a good fuck," he explains, hands softly making their way a bit lower to your hips, "because you have to learn your partner. Find a rhythm together." His movements start slow, moving your body with his from side to side, with small circles of the hips.

Your hands fall on top of his, not knowing what else to do with them. They're soft, which for some reason is unexpected.

"I have dancer friends and they never described it like that..."

"Not to you, probably," he laughs and when you stop the movements to throw an angry look his way — because you're pretty sure that's some kind of insult,— he chuckles, before continuing the swaying of your hips. "Calm down, princess. I meant, they probably just weren't teaching you this kind of dance."

And that makes sense. You can't imagine dancing with your friends like this. You can barely believe you're doing it with a stranger.

Your shyness must have shown, because his next question is why did you even choose this song.

"I was trying to help and get you away from whatever that was," you lift your head, eyes away from your feet and the color lights projecting on the floor, and sure enough, behind red bangs, the girl is looking in your direction.

Your hips halt.

Yoongi catches up a bit too late, bumping his pelvis into you.

"What ar—"

"She is looking." Cutting him off, you want to hide as if you were the one caught doing something she wasn't supposed to. So, you try to turn around on his arms but his hold is firm.

A new song starts, the rhythm not much different.

"Help me with another song?"

You try again, this time using your hands on top of his to soften the grip. He gives in. And after a look at his face, you nod.

You can decide if it's sadness or anger that you see, not knowing him well enough to tell — or at all, to be honest — but either way, there's a part of you that can relate. One for each emotion.

Throwing your hair back, letting all black strands fall over your back, your arms go back over his shoulders, this time your chest flush against him a little more than last.

Yoongi says thanks and you kiss his cheek as his hands hold you again. His movements are more determined and even his fingers form dents over the fabric of your dress.

Assuming his demeanor changed only for the specific viewer doesn't sound too crazy, and you want to confirm the theory by looking at his face, see if he is looking behind you at her. Your eyes travel against the direction the few sweat drops over his skin go, and when they reach Yoongi's, he is looking back at you.

Your body stops.

"Fuck" he whispers when the front of his pelvis bumps yours. "You really need to stop doing that."

"Sorry. Told you I can't dance."

He chuckles.

Your bottom lip forms a small pout. "Don't be mean. I'm trying to help you, remember?" And you initiate the movements again, starting to get the hang of it. Kind of.

"You're not much help right now if you keep making me dry hump into you," this time he is the one stopping, making it so you bump into his front and you can feel the outline of his growing erection.

"Yoo—"

"Exactly," he says so matter of fact, "you're the mean one."

Lowering your head, you try to not think too much about it. It doesn't make you want to run away or kick him, but you also don't want to make him feel like kicking you away. You keep repeating to yourself that is normal with this type of dance, that there's probably more than one hard on at the club right now and how you're probably not the only one who is getting we—

Damn it. Just stop thinking about it.

Yoongi stops your body from moving, and when you realize he has been calling your name, you're even more embarrassed by your thoughts.

"I'm sorry. That was too much, I shouldn't have. We can go sit now." His eyes are looking straight at you, letting you know he's being sincere.

"I need some air."

Without even bothering to wait for a confirmation that he is following or not, you make your way to the side door of the club. The autumn breeze hits your skin as soon as you step into the alley, instantly calming your hormones down.

Hands cover your face in shame after reclining on the wall. Can you stop acting like it was the first time you felt a penies? Because even if it hasn't happened in a while, it doesn't mean the score goes back to zero.

"Should I bring Hoseok?" Yoongi asks a few steps in front of you and you jump a little, shaking your head after.

"I'm good. You can go back in."

"I'm not leaving you alone here. Do you want him or Mai to kill me?"

A small chuckle leaves your throat and one from him follows it.

"And you think he wouldn't kill you for—" stop. You can't think about it.

"For dancing like that with you? Probably. But he also set this date up, so..." Out of the corner of your eye you can see him shrug, "can't complain unless you hate me now."

"I don't hate you."

"Is okay if you do."

"It… it just surprised me."

"In a bad or good way?"

"A good one." You answer directly in a strain of honesty.

"So you're not really the casual type, uh?" He teases after a couple seconds of silence.

"Maybe I just don't like doing casual in the middle of the club," you defend.

"I don't know, you were the one that kept humping into me."

Your mouth opens and closes, finally looking at him and his stupid lips pull up in a smirk. You want to erase it so bad.

"Shut up."

"Make me."

And you do.

Skipping forward, right hand flying to the back of his neck to pull him in and you're able to touch his lips with yours.

He is quick to react. Kissing you back, his hands on either side of your waist pulling your body into his. But you're trying to prove a point, to defend yourself. So, you pull away slightly, making sure your lips are just about to touch.

He pulls in.

Allowing just a peck, you move.

You kind of regret not using your cherry lip gloss, because you know for sure that knowing you're so close for him to smell it but not taste it, would be the biggest tease.

You let him lean in again, not moving this time and he sighs. You smile against his lips just before his tongue asks for permission to enter your mouth. Again, you regret your simple choice of a simple red lip tint, but remind yourself that this date wasn't supposed to go like this. That Yoongi doesn't seem like the guy he was supposed to be, not what he was advertised by your friends.

Fighting back control, your left arm joins the other around his neck, moving your lips expertly and feeling his chest rise and fall quickly against yours. Is pretty much the position you were in on the dance floor minus the grinding.

Casual in the middle of the club is not your thing. Casual in general is actually not something you have experience with. But kissing? You've mastered it thanks to your past relationships and the avoidance of jumping into someone's bed right from the start.

A moan vibrates through your lips against Yoongi's, and even if it's part of the routine, you must admit is pretty real. A soft groan is his answer and the cue for your heels to touch the floor again. His hold tightens in reaction, making your dress rise up and covering a couple inches less of your thighs. Suddenly you're aware of the wind again as a breeze runs up your legs, towards the center of your panties.

Your breath caughts on your throat and Yoongi swallows any sounds before pulling away.

"Fuck," he breaths heavily, "we've to stop."

"Why? Are you not really the casual type?" You tease, stealing his line.

The left corner of his mouth lifts, before falling again in a millisecond. "Not with you."

Should I’ve added “cliffhanger” to the warnings? haha i swear is gonna be okayyyy ♡ Tag list: @n33mesis , @mggv97 , @wobblewobble822 , @bbou-doir , @m00njinnie , @nariee02 , @sexytholland . hope you guys like this one <3

➪ The squad. | ➪ 02 | ➪ Updates for this verse ➪ Ko-fi | ➪ ♡ Tag list info ➪ Main masterlist. | ➪ Updates in general | ➪ Request & chats

[lixxen]

Details I have catched after watching Across the Spider-Verse four times:

(spoilers UTC)

Miguel telling Gwen and Peter B he's only going to keep Miles in his little bubble for two or three days so the event can pass

Hobie calling Peter B "the Ultimate Spider-Man", referencing that he's 616

Miguel having heart pupils while watching his monitors, specifically watching Gabriella

Popsicle Spider-Man is in the movie

Miguel doesn't bare his fangs at Miles until the final part. Only claws

Rio has green eyes in 42

Miles STILL doesn't know what Comic Con is

Therapist Spider-Man does have a diploma with his name on it (I don't remember it)

The frownie face on the dead 42 spider label

Spot clearing the room of the 50101 collider so no one else gets hurt (I noticed this the first time but no one mentioned it yet)

Miguel has freckles on his back when we see it for .01 seconds

The Spot is actually looking at the chess game and probably about to make a move before Miles drags him away at the beginning fight

In Gwen's backstory, as we watch Cptn. Stacy walk towards the scene, a man walks into the road but gets pushed behind the barriers by an officer

"I'm not your guy in a chair" is probably a direct reference to the fans calling Ganke that and forcing him into Ned's role from the MCU [EDIT: I KNOW he was originally that in the comics. It's a meta joke. They know he used to be before Ned, but people were being obnoxious]

Ned is Peter's bully I'm Gwen's universe

There's a Spider-Man holding the cat variant on the train at the end

We actually get to see the deleted Spot intro scene on Miguel's monitor, but not the cut end credit (since it hasn't happened)

Miguel actually isn't a bloodthirsty dick until Miles runs. He's being rather nice to Miles considering everything until the end (my friend brought this up)

The "I actually heard he's Dominican" (in response to Rio saying Spider-Man is Puerto Rican) is a meta joke

I hate the AM I hate the PM is a reference to the prime minister and mornings. Not everyone caught that apparently

[m0tiv8me]

DAY 01 ➡️ DAY 31

May Challenge Personal Wrap Up:

While there is not as much of a visible difference as I had hoped the numbers speak much better to my improvement over the month.

✅Goal: Do Push-ups and Crunches for 15 minutes everyday in May

Lowest beginning total push-ups: 100

Highest ending total push-ups: 201

Lowest beginning total crunches: 100

Highest ending total crunches: 225

May 1, best consecutive push-up set: 30

May 30, best consecutive push-up set: 63

Total Push-ups done in May = 4,454

Total Crunches done in May = 4,235

As a side note I accomplished all of this taking only 15 minutes of time each day in May. I hope this helps illustrate how small amounts of time taken consistently can add up to sizable improvements.

Proud to say that I reported in everyday, did the work everyday and I’m just going to go ahead and call May officially crushed. How appropriate that it ends on a Friday. Because I’m flexing hard on this past month and showed it what’s up!

Now it’s time to keep the momentum going and roll into June. I won’t be running an official challenge or tagging people daily like I did in May but I still welcome any and all updates and check-ins. I’m going to change up my routine some and keep working away one step at a time.

Hope to see everyone out there in the Tumblr-verse keeping that positive energy flowing!

🫡m0tiv8me

one last group tag to finish off May! Thanks for the added accountability and inspo friends! 🤜🤛

@thoughts-sex-desires @definitely-grown @perspective24 @joshuamusclefan @52fit @runningfromthecuccos @marine-corps-strong @healthymist @integrationslady @lucky-jewels @tenacioustam @the-curvy-crossfitter @poh-fitblr @thepersonalhermit @wildgypsywind2 @echolaunch @robertbecomes @kittyfromthenorth123 @50snfit @connectmindwithmuscle @rosieredlipz

[masteredinstinct]

to hear his lover's gasps and to have him press his heart willingly against louis' mouth only caused the grip on lestat's hair to tighten and his free hand to press against his lower back , making sure their bodies remained tightly pressed against one another . the other vampire struggles to speak ㅤ ─ ㅤ and the clumsy pressing of lips across louis' skin encourages him to drag his teeth across his throat . he feels the adam's apple struggling to help words leave lestat's lips . feels the rising heat under his paramour's clothes . louis feel light-headed from it all .

eventually , in between the heavy breathing , lestat makes his case . and louis shifts under him , not completely satisfied with the man's accusations . " shut up . " he mumbles half-heartedly , far more concerned about meeting lestat's sweet lips again in a deep and slow kiss than he is defending his own innocence .

" there's no delight in watchin' you suffer , lestat . " he managed to explain against his lover's jawline , his voice raspy and low . " unless it's like this ㅤ ─ ㅤ " a hand moved to hold the blond's face up . and what a vision he was : lips swollen and heavily breathing while his cheeks and neck radiated the type of feverish warmth so typical of passion .

" you feeling miserable right now ? "

Breath trembles in his throat, a gasp, a moan. To feel those lips against his skin, against the vulnerability of his neck, to know that his lover could sink his teeth in and drain him as easily as he breathed and he does not...

Composure shatters, heat creeping into the strain of his neck as his brows furrow and arch in delight half pressing the leap of his heartbeat between those teeth. Begging for it, a subconscious desire to atone if this is how he does it.

"And you..." The words struggle to form in the haze, mouth wandering aimlessly now placing haf formed kisses wherever it lands.

"You had your fun. Taunting me. Torturing me. You delighted in it. I know it, I saw it. Edging is only fun if both parties are in agreement, mon cher." Great ragged breaths leave him in sporadic bursts, teeth finding the lobe of his ear to bite gentle, tug and suckle in apology, release to return to those lips he treats in kind.

"You, wicked thing, delight in my misery. And I am your willing dog to be kicked. To return for more. Oh you've certainly enchanted me, my beautiful one. So convinced of his own innocence."

[airxn]

𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐗𝐍 . an independent dual oc rp blog featuring the twins airin and xavier. two retired mercenaries who've settled in nyc to work for the infamous supernatural bar– the gear shift. featuring aus: borderlands, legend of zelda, dc, fallout, dnd, and more!

edited in after effects by luri | blonde dynamite by caravan palace transcription under the cut

00:00 – Video begins. Blonde Dynamite by Caravan Palace begins to play. The background that is throughout the video is a city with white lights and a dark gray background. It fades into view.

00:02 – Text that reads "AIRXN - independent oc rp blog" pops onto the screen.

00:05 – Transition to text that reads "Featuring: Airin – shape-shifter, founder, lil' shit". Images of Airin as a felicid (golden canid creature with a mane) and as a human (a golden blond bitch) transition through the screen to the beat.

00:11 – Transition to text that reads "And his brother: Xavier – soul eater, anti-social bastard". Images of Xavier (very handsome man with long, black hair) transition across the screen.

00:15 – In the center of the screen an image of human Airin and Xavier together pops in. The text "wicked" and "wired" appear on the screen to the beat.

00:17 – Image of human Airin pops up on the left. The text "semi-selective" slides in from screen from the right.

00:19 – Image of a snarling felicid Airin pops into the center of the screen. On the left the text "canon friendly" pops in with the beat. The text "in love with ocs" pops on the right with the beat.

00:22 – Image of snarling felicid Airin pops forward to reveal his dullas (purple, frill-like appendages that shake rapidly). The image slides downward.

00:23 – Image of Xavier lounging slides down from the top of the screen. The text "multi-para" transitions onto the screen.

00:24 – The prior image flips to a monster-appearing Xavier. The text becomes "multi-para and whimsical".

00:26 – Image of luri (small, ginger gremlin with a red hoodie, black tights, and two leaves floating above her head) transitions into the center of the screen. In a circle around her, the text reads "loved by luri". The image and text fades out with by flickering out of view.

00: 28 – Text transitions in stating "Featuring alternate universes: legend of zelda, outlast trials, fallout, dnd/baldur's gate, borderlands, dc, owl house." Text transitions in below the prior text "ft. highly adaptable crossover verse".

00:36 – The text "you're going to find me probably weird" appears behind the prior text. The text transitions out with a pop.

00:40 – Animation of human Airin, Xavier, and Luri bop to the beat on the bottom of the screen. The text "Other info: drawn and irl icons, 18+, sporadic activity, favors light plotting, multi-ship, 10+ years of rp experience" transitions into the center of the screen. The scene transitions out with glitch effect.

00:50 – The text "airxn.tumblr.com" transitions into the center of the screen and fades away.

01:00 – Video ends.

this transcription isn't perfect so please let me know what corrections can be made, thank you!

[raehs]

ALL VERSES. will be updating as needed.

i really just wanted to post this so there's less guessing with my verse details lol. will probably add more tonight. there's also like zero formatting here so i apologize for that.

era : SEQUELS.

arc : jakku.

pre - the force awakens. will only be taking place on jakku. age range : 14 - 19.

arc : the force awakens.

canon compliant. age : 20.

arc : the last jedi.

semi divergent but mostly canon compliant. rey is with luke for a lot longer than 3 days, possibly more like a few weeks to a few months, maybe a year at the MOST. ( which does alter the movie a bit but i see it as the fighting doesn't happen at the same time as rey's training + tfa doesn't directly lead to tlj, there's time between and tfo doesn't attack right away. rey shows up at the end with the falcon. ). kylo + rey also bond over the months. (: age : 21.

arc : between the last jedi + the rise of skywalker. [ resistance reborn ]

the few years between tlj + tros. there's 2-3, possibly more years between where rey studied under leia and also helped recruit people to the resistance. compliant with resistance reborn + spark of the resistance. age: 21-23/24. GO TO SEQUELS VERSE.

arc : the rise of skywalker.

divergent. anti romantic re/ylo. anti rey palpatine. anti rey burying lightsabers in sand, anti spice runner poe ... etc. major points happen. (personally would love to replace palpatine w/ snoke or smthin ...) there's also 2-3 years in between tlj and tros. heavy influence from dotf. age: 23-24.

arc : post - tros.

age : mid 20s. anything directly after the war ends. lots of rey traveling, learning, searching, adventuring. GO TO SEQUELS VERSE NO. 2.

arc : rebuilding.

quite a bit after the war. rey is also in the process of or already has started to rebuild the jedi, though she teaches in a new, different way. in their own way. age : late 20s - mid 30s.

verse : [ duel of the fates ]

based on the duel of the fates script. the main thing i get rid of is rey mind tricking poe + some other minor stuff. i'm damerey neutral (really depends on the writing partner). 10 years after tlj, early 30s. honestly i like this more than tr.os but i wanna remain sequels - characters friendly + people who haven't read the script. will only put things in here if i know you know the details!

verse : [ smuggler ]

rey takes the job offered to them by han solo and never crosses paths with kylo ren.

verse : [ sith ]

rey is in fact found by snoke / palpatine and raised in the dark. wasn't actually raised by that weirdo but people working for him, maybe raised by snoke lol. some mara jade vibes maybe (idk legends dont @ me ). her anger is twisted and turned into something that is used against her, as is her loneliness and need for a family.

era : PREQUELS / THE REPUBLIC / MOVING TIMELINE.

found on jakku in the care of unkar plutt as a child (though born on hyberkarn -- her parents were being hunted by mercenaries and left rey in the car of plutt, but they died and never came back for her), rey is found by the jedi and brought to the temple. she's named kira by the jedi who found her, as plutt only referred to her as 'child' and 'girl'. she chooses rey as her names. she struggles with a fair amount of jedi things, as they're naturally a more aggressive and angry person, and struggle with being consumed by her attachments.

01 : rey is taken on as a padawan during the very beginning of the clone wars / prior to the clone wars / prequels era. she's at the front lines with her jedi master, who's very jaded at this point in his career but he pushes her hard to make sure she can survive the war and what happens after it. they took some time to warm up to each other but end up having a very close bond. (': [ also have an option for her to be obi-wan's padawan, or someone elses with plotting <3 i think she'd also be good as plo koon's padawan. ] she's also given the title of commander, which she hated, feeling that she didn't do as much as the clones who deserve it more than her. age range : 14 - 21.

02 : a slightly older rey goes through the clone wars as a jedi knight. she's a general with her own battalion and puts her everything in keeping her men alive. (': early - mid 20s. GO-TO PREQUELS VERSE.

era : EMPIRE / POST ORDER 66.

verse : [ order 66 survivor ]

01 : rey survives the purge as a padawan and only escapes because of her master. she escapes to an outer-rim planet and keeps her head down. she cuts off her padawan braid and puts her lightsaber away ... until the inquisitors (+ kylo) find her and she has to go on the run and constantly move. she's 14-16ish during order 66 but the verse spans 10+ years, or until she joins the rebellion. GO-TO POST ORDER 66 VERSE.

02 : rey survives as a jedi knight. dependent on the timeframe but is around mid 20s when order 66 happens. mid 20s - mid 30s.

verse : [ inquisitor ]

rey is turned to the darkside by the inquisitors and from feeling everyone she loved die. she's a ghost of a person, barely there, fueled entirely by anger and hate. but she starts to come back to herself. also her hair is white. 20s.

verse : [ rebel pilot ]

01 : very similar to the force awakens! from jakku, rey gets mixed up with a " rebel fighter " and they have to get off jakku due to being chased by imperials. bb-8 also needs to get to the rebellion because she has a list of rebel cells + people who are secretly working for the rebellion. no specific time frame, can be in the beginning of the rebellion or more aligned with a new hope / rebels. 19+.

02 : former padawan rey joins the rebellion as a pilot. around the age of hera + kanan. late 20s - early 30s. GO-TO EMPIRE VERSE.

verse : [ force shenanigans ]

basically the star wars holiday special but less ... chaotic? rey ends up traveling to any era of star wars due to a crystal that can travel through time. can take place after tr.os or any other point of time. mid 20s.

ERA : ANY.

verse : [ scavenger ]

basically just. rey is a scavenger on jakku and completely content in never leaving. -- this is not the same as the jakku verse, as that one is specifically pre - tfa. this one is for any era of star wars and / or rey never makes it off of jakku with finn and bb-8. 19+.

CROSSOVERS.

verse : [ avatar: the last airbender ]

takes place at any point of time in the atla universe (pref. during the original show or legend of korra), but rey is descended from air nomads. her father was earth + air but was a non-bender, while her mother was strictly from air nomads, but was also a non-bender. they found out rey was a bender when she was young and did their best to hide her.

WIP VERSES : supernatural ( werewolf / witch ), grishaverse, modern ( college ), modern ( archaeologist ), modern ( pilot ), superhero fandoms ( mutant ), multiverse ( any fandom ), bg3, general scifi ( star trek / dw / etc etc ), pjo ( child of zeus or apollo or hermes maybe ), mythology ( bia reborn ), misc fantasy, asoiaf, tinkerbell, winx club, royalty, green lantern, fallout, the 100, high republic (sw), mermaid au.

REQUEST ONLY.

verse : clan of three.

affiliated with @devoutgun.

found on jakku as a child, rey is adopted by din djarin when she's young. this verse can deal with rebuilding mandalore, rey being a member of clan mudhorn, rey finding out she's force sensitive at a much younger age, it's also likely that rey is taught by luke skywalker in the ways of the force alongside ben. -- events of the sequels can still take place but things are a bit different.

verse : rey skywalker. [ REQUEST PLS ]

rey (beru) is the lost child of luke skywalker who was kidnapped as a child in hopes of bringing her to palpatine. that never happened, and any leads their parents had to find them go cold. she picks a name for herself and believes one day her parents are coming back for her -- she doesn't grow up completely alone. force ghosts regularly visits her, teaches her things, reminds her that she isn't alone. tbh, this is very similar to regular verses so this is kinda specific to skywalkers but i’m open to writing in it with anyone. esp in combination with time travel.

verse : legacy of infinite sadness.

rey is the grandchild of obi-wan kenobi. specifics can be changed as i have multiple ideas. rey's story remains basically the same except that her grandfather is obi-wan ( doesn't have to be biological! can be force ghost adoption! ).

[kpodcast]

Dear H. - Xdinary Heroes

Here's a deep dive on the last track from XDH's album Deadlock, "Dear H." Included are my thoughts on the following: Lyrics/Meaning, Instrumentation, Chord Progression & Key Changes.

Lyrics/Meaning

The very first line is about a light that he used to be able to touch, but now cannot. There’s a sadness to knowing what was there, but not being able to reach it anymore. The whole song is a near cry for help; not yet a cry for help, but a struggle within—"I’m alone, I can barely take another step, my broken heart is cutting me from the inside out. Please talk to me, wake me up. Would it be better if I talked about it?"

Instrumentation

The verses have such simple instrumentation (just keyboard). It’s contemplative, it’s lonely. The chorus comes bursting out with the whole band joining in, and it’s an internal battle ("should I ask for help, what if I fly too high and burn?"). The guitar solo is a turning point, it’s an arrival (the key change at that moment also suggests this), the outro returns to the soft keys-only sound, and is sad and questioning.

Chord Progression & Key Changes

**There are a FEW musical things to note before we start talking about this section. Each tone in a key/scale is given a number 1-7. After 7, it repeats starting at 1 again. Roman numerals are used to represent each of those as chords: uppercase for Major chords, and lowercase for minor chords. I = major one, ii = minor two, and so on.**

The Chord Progression:

There is one main progression that happens in three different keys in this song: I - ii - vi - V.

The progression from the I chord to ii feels like a step forward, and, when paired with the melody, it feels so heavy!! This is a contemplative song with a lot of weight. The fall from the vi chord to the V chord reminds me of sinking back, almost settling. Two steps forward, one step back. There’s a hesitance to it, that supports the lyrics “what if I fly too high, too closely? and everything burns and falls?” “what if I fall on my knees? would it be more comfortable?” “would it be better if I talked about it?” and the uncertainty there.

The Key Changes:

The song begins in the key of F Major. HOWEVER! Half way through the first chorus (0:57), the song modulates (changes key) up a half-step (one physical key on the keyboard) to F# Major, with high energy from the vocal slide up to the A#. This is pretty early in a song! Usually key changes are in the last third of a song, and stay in the new key.

Immediately after the chorus (1:08) it returns to F Major for the second verse like nothing even happened, with only a nearly inaudible bass note after some silence.

The second verse and second chorus happen exactly as the first (key change 2:01), HOWEVER (part two!!) following that, the song modulates AGAIN (2:09) up another half-step to G Major. There's no transition here either (like the chorus-verse2), but there's no wait, either. It dives right into G Major, and feels SO triumphant. The guitar solo is a huge arrival point! The song stays in G Major for the guitar solo and outro (with a little extra spice) and the final two chords are G Major and a minor.

More on the chord progression:

The outro is initially the same chord progression we’ve been hearing the whole time, but the song feels so different. The melody for "더 깊이 깊이 난 가라앉아" is reaching, longing, scared, and the chords underneath just walk up the scale with the melody: I-ii-III7-IV. This is not a typical progression, and it's the first time we get a 7th chord, which is filled with so much tension! The song ends with I-ii. The ii chord is not a “home” chord, but it’s also not an “away” chord. The song ends with the same uncertainty flowing through the whole thing.

[masteredinstinct]

it leaves him shaken , the unexpected softness in his friend's voice . louis' finds it hard to maintain eye contact and chooses instead to busy himself with his cravat , loosening it , smoothing any wrinkles the fabric may have ... it felt sacrilegious to speak of what had happened between them out in the open . "no." louis says . he clears his throat . "it is shared --- this , uh , thing between us." he glances over one of his shoulders . his own voice sounds too loud , his body too wide , taking too much space on that narrow sidewalk .

dark eyes finally meet paler ones and louis immediately regrets it . under the dim lamp light they shine like crystalline waters . louis thinks he might drown in them . "i shouldn't have let things escalate." he tries to offer lestat the same gentleness he had been given but finds it hard. expressing such sentiments to another man ( feeling them so freely ) had never crossed his mind . he moistened his lower lip . "don't." no other word came to mind . "you know?" louis nodded his head , hoping lestat would do the same . "just don't." it sounded like a plea ; make it easy , make it sweet --- do not come looking for me .

@masteredinstinct said: ❛ i don’t know how you’ve bewitched me, but it needs to stop. ❜

lestat tilts his head, a quiet sadness flickering in his chest. of course the night they shared wouldn't be enough to erase human decades of suffering– of being poisoned against his own mind, his own heart. "bewitching implies something unnatural," he says softly. "would it be so terrible if that feeling came from yourself?" for what is between them is something beautiful. he hopes he can help louis to see that�� his own wonderful part in it.

[raayllum]

decided i’d toss my own “tdp soundtrack title predictions” hat into the ring, given that i haven’t gotten to one of these since S3 aired, and damn the nostalgia

full track list here with S4 seemingly being from 1-28, and S5 from 29-62. also not going to be talking about every track as some (“rescue at the great bookery” and “threate in the forest” for ex) seem pretty self explanatory, and with that all out of the way, let’s get into it

31. I Haven’t Forgotten (3:41) — Could easily see this being an early Viren and/or Aaravos focused scene, as Aaravos holding a grudge kinda necessitates having a good ass memory - maybe even something that relates to Zubeia as well, since she’s ancient in her own way and is clearly gonna have her own role to play this season.

32. Seeking Answers (3:05) — Likely in 5x01 with the group returning to Katolis, perhaps centred on Callum and Rayla individually well, seeking answers. For Rayla, this could mean looking into the dungeons about her family and finding Runaan’s bow. We also get Rayla’s voice over (and clip) that appears to be her in Ezran’s old room in the S5 trailer asking “How do we kill a Startouch elf?” so that and/or answers about Aaravos’ prison may be what they go to Lux Aurea to, well, seek. 

34. My Most Eager Student (4:58) — First Viren and Kpp’Ar conversation (which the implication he had more than one student if that’s the case?? Fascinating) perhaps, or Aaravos reflecting on Claudia, as it seems she will fully be stepping into her own as Aaravos’ protege this season

35. Keep Moving (3:01) — Terry and Claudia, since Viren won’t wake up, realizing that they can’t wait any longer and have to start moving. Maybe end of 5x01 or 5x02?

39. In Your Dreams (1:55) — Callum and/or Viren and/or Zubeia having dreams/nightmares regarding their respective fears?

40. A Familiar Warning (2:04) — Karim and Sol Regem, maybe, beginning to barter, or a warning from Kpp’Ar that Viren disregarded, cutting to the present day with Terry giving the same one to Claudia that she likewise ignores?

42. Stay Safe (2:17) — Some sort of temporary farewell between Amaya and Janai (splitting up library things?) or Claudia and Terry (leading to her getting attacked by the water dragon?) or Ezran (+ Zym) briefly splitting up from his crownguard 

43. Father and Daughter (1:37) — Claudia and Viren most likely, maybe one of the flashbacks to when Soren was sick and how Claudia was introduced to dark magic as a Fix it solution. “I love you Daddy” out of context spoiler?

44. Like Aunt, Like Nephew (2:46) — A conversation between Amaya and Callum or Janai and Rayla about Amaya and Callum, probably. Could be either their good, protective natures, their hair, or their tendency to make some dark humoured off colour jokes

45. We Can Help Them (2:26) — Rayla telling Callum about the coins, and him offering to help and/or Karim being determined that he can still reverse the corrupted core and save the zombiefied elves. If we do get a flashback to Aaravos’ younger years, I could also see him having this viewpoint about humanity (however ‘true’ it is).

50. Times Are Changing (2:21) — Relations between humans and elves in New Aurea / human-dragon Zubeia and Ezran related stuff? This could also be closer to when the Dragang reunite and put the pieces together. Callum and Rayla with whatever they learned about (murdering?) Startouch elves and Ezran with what was gleaned from Evenere (probably the location of Aaravos’ prison, if Callum & co. can decipher the riddle/poem verses)

51. Blood Moon Rises (1:30) — Karim bartering with Kim’Dael, or her showing up of her own accord. Currently leaning toward Rayla and Kim’Dael perhaps not running into each other this season, but if Amaya and Janai bear witness/survive her villainy, Rayla would surely remember and be able to piece it together based on description, leading to a confrontation later

52. If You Kill Me Now (1:59) — Aaravos versus Archdragon confrontations / Viren demanding answers from Aaravos / Kim’Dael and Karim? Janai? / Callum and Rayla possession conversation callback. Either way, delicious, and speaks to the prevalence of murder in this damn children’s show

53. The Wounded Return (2:13) — A failed attempt to take back the corrupted core in Lux Aurea? Or speaks to the idea of “a festering wound” (out of context spoiler). If the kids have had their pirate escapade, this could also be related to the injuries we see Callum sustain in the trailer, which would make sense if anyone else had been hurt as well (hence, plural wounded) 

54. To Kill an Archdragon (3:03) — Lore on Luna Tenebris’ death (or something we don’t know about Avizandum’s) or a threat on Zubeia’s life. If Sol Regem has been corrupted by the corrupted core or is just threatening Janai’s reign, figuring out how to stop him will also be crucial 

55. Not Yours to Give (4:50) — Been wondering if Karim would even be able to free Kim’Dael, since he’s not the proper heir, and Aditi herself said that the magic was a kind “that takes”. This could also be an Aaravos related flashback since he ‘gave’ humanity something they ‘shouldn’t have’ — whether it was related to primal magic alongside the unicorns, or was the discovery / inclination towards dark magic, we’ll have to see. Could be Viren curing Soren and/or Callum ‘giving’ the Moon fam freedom (but again, have to see). Looking at the “gift giving” motif real meaningfully

56. Deadwood Deserves Dignity (3:03) — If a pirate dies or an according ship is ruined? ‘Deadwood’ isn’t a place in Xadia and sounds like a very pirate-y, seafaring moniker to me

62. Tomorrow the Sun Will Rise (3:07) — So I’ve said before that nothing good ever really happens at dawn/sunrise in this show (Sarai and the queens of Duren dying, Callum’s possession, etc) and I don’t think this is an exception. Karim cites that “This empire is ending, that the rising sun is now a falling star!” so if he’s taken over the kingdom by this point, his tendency to metaphoric language would make sense. A rising sun is also mentioned in Aaravos’ short story, Ripples, following a world changing transformation: “The humans huddled together, scarcely daring to breathe, awaiting the rise of the sun. And when the long, dark night had finally passed—for the sun must always rise, mustn’t it?—they gazed out upon an unfamiliar landscape.” Which also bodes well for predictions that Aaravos will be fully released by the end of S5 as well. 

[masteredinstinct]

62﹕ sender  storms  away  from  receiver  during  an  argument / lestat

his blood threatened to boil right through his veins as he slammed the door shut , nearly hitting antoniette on the way out . an acidic feeling ran down his throat , a mix of bile and anger and a jealousy louis did not recall having felt before . yet another thing lestat had introduced him to . when he turns his head to face the blonde , his emerald eyes are burning with fury ㅤ ─ ㅤ it wasn't only the fact that he had to watch his lover fondling a woman right under their roof which caused his jaw to tighten , it was the farce he had been forced into . that evening's performance was the same as always ; the one that HE DID NOT CARE ABOUT LESTAT'S ROMANTIC AFFAIRS , nor should he ! for what were they but business partners to the rest of the world ? what was louis but someone below lestat's beauty and status and worth ? what justifications or demands could he possibly deserve ?

he felt himself snarling .

" singin' in my club and fuckin' in my house ! should i be payin' her double now , lestat ? " his paramour does not like that . louis watches him swirl around and walk down the corridor of their home , unwilling to just stand there and take it . but louis isn't done ; the only person in the whole world he is allowed to share all of his real unadulterated thoughts with had wounded him ㅤ ─ ㅤ HE'D HAVE TO SUFFER THROUGH HIS WRATH , whether he liked it or not . " gettin' your dick wet is one thing , but doin' that shit here , in our living room , on our couch ? is a whole other level of fucked up . " he's following him through rooms , shouting at the back of his head , getting nothing in return but the occasional flip of gorgeous yellow locks .

it makes something within him churn uncomfortably , watching lestat walking away from him . every day their relationship shifted into stranger uglier shapes which louis could not keep up with . just like he cannot keep up with lestat's stride ; the moment the other storms up the stairs , louis ceases his chase , surrendering to pointing an accusatory finger at the vampire's back . " --- just 'cause you feel like actin' like a bitch in heat that don't mean i gotta endure it ! "

[daryldicksuckon69]

Masterlist

My AO3

Requests are Open!

RULES FOR REQUESTS

I only write Female x Reader content, as that is what I am and what I feel I am able to write.

I'll only be writing fics for Norman Reedus characters (not including the actor, the fictional characters exclusively), I might expand in the future but my preference is Reedus characters.

You must be 18+ years of age to request NSFW content. Please do not read the content of this blog unless you are of age, thank you.

I don't write with themes/subjects of; Incest (of any kind), Rape/Non-Con, Abusive Relationships, Age Gaps/Age Play and Omega Verse.

Now, onto the Masterlist!

Tag Key

Smut (18+) = 👄

Fluff = 💛

Daryl Dixon x Reader (The Walking Dead 2010)

Series

Trials and Tribulations (Lawyer Reader x Pre-Apocalypse Daryl) 👄

OneShots

Good Morning To You Too 👄(18+)         (31/01)

Summary: You and Daryl had always been good friends, but when you overhear the Newberry women talk about him at their welcome barbeque, you begin to wonder whether you may like him more than you’ve let on. 

Unspoken Truths💛(16+)

Summary: Daryl and Reader and reminded that they need to step into reality and admit the growing attraction between the two of them that literally everyone else sees except them.

Ride His Motorcycle 👄 (18+)

Summary: You and Daryl find yourselves in tight quarters for hours on end and nothing came of it, until Daryl grows the balls to address the situation.

Sex on Fire 👄 (18+)

Y'are Beautiful, Really💛(Pre-Apocalypse, Highschool Daryl)

Van x Reader (Floating 1997)

Mini-Series

Have a Nice Summer (ongoing - coming soon) 💛👄

You go on holidays with your family at your new lakehouse. You meet Van, the mysterious boy whom you discover was the original owner of this house, and the original owner of your new room. 

Murphy McManus x Reader (Boondock Saints 1999)

OneShots

Scud x Reader (Blade II, 2002)

Oneshots

Exclusively Tech Bros 👄 (18+)

[mementoboni]

PHALARIS booklet track by track commentary

Notes before reading:

Source: Booklet of DIR EN GREY's album "PHALARIS"(2022), comments from members on each song.

I translated the content into Chinese in July 2022, and the English version was translated in May 2023. (*) are my own thoughts or additions.

Kyo added "ね (ne)" at the end of almost every line, which indicates a tone of voice that's difficult to understand and translate through words.

Toshiya commented on each song almost exclusively in terms of its lyrics. So it may be a bit confusing to read.

Repost and share are welcome.🙌 Please feel free to correct me if you spot any mistake or any confusing parts.☺️

--------

Disc1

01. Schadenfreude

Kyo: It's long. Kaoru: It was September 2020 when I created the demos for a slow-tempo song and a fast-paced song at the same time. I think we decided to pre-produce the fast-paced song and rejected the slow-tempo song. After that, I tried to keep the galloping feeling of the song, but I couldn't get a good feeling for it and time passed. In 2021, we started talking about having a long song, so I struggled to make the song longer, but it didn't take shape well. In the spring of 2021, when I was struggling with the idea, I remembered the existence of a slow-tempo song I had created around the same time, so I decided to put in the taste of that song and started a major remodeling. Since the song had been rejected, I kept the rhythm, changed the riffs and worked on it as hard as I could. When the band members heard the demo, they decided to go with this style, but again, it didn't turn out well. The longer the song gets, the more I want to add waves of development, but it just didn't feel exciting enough. At that time, one of the members suggested to me that I should try to make the whole piece more intense. And so the great adventure began again. It was really hard to finish at this point in time, but it turned out well. Please enjoy the wave of fury that is revealed from the first song. Die: As the first song in the album, it is a symbol of "PHALARIS". Toshiya: The door to "PHALARIS" opens from this song. The entrance to the dazzling labyrinth, fumbling the way to hell. Shinya: This song is packed with super difficult drum phrases from the first track on the album. I personally like the phrases in 4:30 because they seem mature.

02. 朧 (Oboro)

Kyo: It's dark. Kaoru: I created this song with the expectation that it would be in a good position on the album, but since it was to be a single, I kept it rather simple. I thought about changing it a lot for the album, but decided to leave it as is. Die: The moment "Schadenfreude" passes and the sound of this intro rings, my spine is chilling. Toshiya: Here, beg and pray for forgiveness. Shinya: At first I couldn't remember the complicated drum beat of A-Melo (Verse) at all, but I've played it at Live many times, so I'm pretty used to it. It's medium speed, but the drum is very delicate.

03. The Perfume of Sins

Kyo: It's fast. Kaoru: When I first started working on the demo, I wanted to make a dark and impactful song like before. I thought about trying the fast rhythm of "tsuta tsuta" that haven't seen for a long time, and it turned out to be such a clang song. Die: From the ground-crawling guitar riffs to the super-fast beat, it's thrilling. Toshiya: Let's drown in the scintillation. Shinya: The fastest phrase in the album comes out. Even if it's 0.01 seconds, it's so fast that you can't see it anymore, and it takes a lot of concentration, so it's going to be hard even at live.

04. 13

Kyo: It's the 4th song. Kaoru: This song was created around the same time as "Oboro," and I thought the development after the chorus connecting to Die's solo turned out to be a nice touch. Die: DIR EN GREY-style emotional. Toshiya: At the end of the stairs. Shinya: The song is melodious and easy to listen to, but the drums are strangely complicated. It ends without a normal beat from beginning to end.

05. 現、忘我を喰らう (Utsutsu, Bouga wo Kurau)

Kyo: I'm trying to sing in an interesting way. Kaoru: The song came out quite a while ago, but we started working on it towards the end. It is a song with strong character, and I think everyone will like it. Die: Irregular rhythms and monophonic guitar riffs. Unique ambiance. Toshiya: Dancing the rondo of life. Shinya: It is a song with a special rhythm pattern full of rest marks. This song ends without a normal beat. It seems that it is very difficult to get used to the body.

06. 落ちた事のある空 (Ochita Koto no Aru Sora)

Kyo: Hope it doesn't fall off again. Kaoru: Actually, we produced this song for a commission case. So, we have put our own style in full throttle. By the way, that case seems to have been lost. (*I wonder what kind of commission case it is. 🤔) Die: Melodies intertwined with dizzying guitar riffs. Dense. Toshiya: Eagerly waiting for the tomorrow that will never come. Shinya: The drums were rather complicated, but the songs so far are so intense that it sounds simple now. I've played this song many times in live performances, and the groove is perfect.

07. 盲愛に処す (Mouai ni Shosu)

Kyo: Mouai-san. Kaoru: It's all about imagining what it feels like to move the atmosphere. I think this is the last song in the album that we started working on. It might have been finished early. Die: The hooky rhythm is pleasant. Toshiya: This place is everything. Shinya: The drums are busy with many phrases involving toms. I have to create a syncopated groove, so I divide my head into two parts and play while thinking about each part separately.

08. 響 (Hibiki)

Kyo: It's emo. Kaoru: This song was created from a demo we had in the past, just as the album songs were almost ready to be released. Die-kun made an unique arrangement of the song. Die: The feeling of being saved by the light at the end. Toshiya: Stand in silence in front of the empty shells. Shinya: The drums are played in a strange way from the beginning to the end. If you listen only to the drums, it will probably make no sense.

09. Eddie

Kyo: It's fast. Kaoru: It started out as a light-hearted song, but we thought it could be taken to a more violent level. The tempo was sped up and the riffs were roughed up to make it a raging song. I am looking forward to the live performance. Die: I didn't expect to end up with such a hard core from that prototype. Toshiya: Covered in shit. Shinya: It's just fast. It starts with momentum, moves forward with momentum, and when I notice it, it's already over. The drums are just like before, full of guts.

10. 御伽 (Otogi)

Kyo: It's otogi ↑, not otogi ↓, right? Kaoru: It reminds me a little of the old days, but I think it's a type of song that never existed before. There may be a lot of such songs in this album. This is a song that feels good to play. Die: The guitar riffs and melodies with open strings are beautiful. Toshiya: Show love with the tip of my numb fingers. Shinya: It's a song filled with my own drum phrases. I personally like the part of 1:47, where I use the high-hat and the ride cymbal to create a semiquaver rhythm.

11. カムイ (Kamuy)

Kyo: The sound is beautiful. Kaoru: This song was even more difficult than "Schadenfreude”. I created this song with the idea that it would be the one to take over after the departure of "Oboro" as a single. It’s a song with new parts and a strong DIR EN GREY feel. Die: The moment when the heavy guitar riff instantly erases the sad sound of the acoustic guitar. Toshiya: The door to "PHALARIS" closes with this song. Today I step on worthless bugs again, I am the same human being. Shinya: This song is also full of my own drum phrases. My personal favorites are the toms at 2:47 and the snare drum phrases at 5:43.

. . .

Disc2

01. mazohyst of decadence

Kyo: It's dark. Burning with jealousy. Kaoru: I think we rearranged it when we used to play it at a live show, and newly arranged it to the latest version. I played the sitar again since the recording of this song at that time, but it was only used in a very small part of the song. Die: Heavier and deeper. Toshiya: When the Ubume cries. (*Ubume (產女，うぶめ) is a Japanese Youkai, which is transformed from the obsession of a woman who died in childbirth.) Shinya: The structure of the song has changed rather a lot from the original, so I thought of the drums again with a new feeling based on the previous phrases.

02. ain't afraid to die

Kyo: If I sing it in 2022, it will be like this. Kaoru: I wondered what it would be like if we did it now without messing with it too much, so I just went along with it. The solo part was a little bit calculated because I couldn't show the roughness at that time. I played the solo many times, but that's a secret between us. Die: I still remember when we finished part of the song and slept together during the pre-production. Toshiya: For the last time this year. Shinya: I completely recreated the phrases from those days. Even listening to it now, I quite like the drum phrases.

(END)

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中文翻譯 → here (My Blogger)

[isagrimorie]

for the reverse unpopular opinion – 12 Monkeys and Star Trek Enterprise? (thought i'd give you one easy one and one hard one)

for this ask game: Reverse Unpopular Opinion meme

Let's start with something hard:

Star Trek Enterprise:

This is... going to be interesting. I'm not a fan of this show and it has alienated me from the first time I've watched it.

But I will give this the good old College Try.

Things I like about Enterprise: I appreciate that as a show, it was trying a new thing and that it was experimental. They tried to distance itself from the Star Trek franchise by not using 'Star Trek' at first, but they returned to it.

I appreciate NX-01's sparse interiors that gave it a more submarine look showing it's one of the first ships out in space. It reminded me a bit of SeaQuest but for space.

I appreciate seeing an Asian woman in space! I wish there was more of Hoshi just like I wish there was more of Toshi Sato on Torchwood. But also there are more Japanese surnames than Sato.

T'Pol was really interesting and I appreciate T'Pol and Trip's love story and how hard it is for them as the first Vulcan/Human pairing. Jolene Blalock is also a good actress.

Braga and Berman handed-off the show to Manny Coto who did a really good job for season 4. Only good things can come from that except for the finale.

Phlox is a fun character.

Now for the easy one!

12 Monkeys

"Death Can be Undone. But Love cannot."

I wish 12 Monkeys was more popular than it is.

It's so damned good. 12 Monkeys has a really great cast of characters, I love the awesome women.

I love how everyone is so complicated and messy. The first season, admittedly, is slow because it was building blocks for what will happen but also if you watched the last season and the first season -- it legit blew my mind because it contextualized a lot of moments in season 1.

Season 2 is when 12 Monkeys becomes the show it wanted to be from the start. (SyFy forced Terry Matalas and Travis Fickett to rebrand their show idea from something original to 12 Monkeys).

IMO, 12 Monkeys is the best Time Travel show I've ever watched. It also had such a great soundtrack!

It is also such a romantic show, in every sense of the word. The whole beating heart of why the characters do what they do. Right or wrong and right and wrong. Because of love.

Cassandra Railly

Goes through a journey from the beginning to the end -- she starts thrown into the middle of a time travel story. She cares so much for people but ends up hardened and cynical.

She always, always is about owning her own agency. (Season 3 starting episodes are rough because of that). Right or wrong, she owns her decisions and she doesn't want anyone to take that from her.

Jennifer Goines

The Artist Currently Known As Primary! Jennifer started out very lost in season 1 and first half of season 2, she's had a tragic childhood but when she finally knows who she is in this 'verse and what she can do, she slowly gains power.

And, essentially, Jennifer is the most Important Person on this 'verse

Dr. Katarina Jones

She's the leader of the Splinter program. Katarina Jones is like Kathryn Janeway except a lot more morally gray and more willing to be ruthless. She will do whatever it takes to fulfill her goal.

And she starts off unlikable (but I actually liked her from the jump). She is complicated and thorny. And she has hubris for days.

And, of course just like Janeway -- she has a moment when Jones meets her past self and it's just as fun when Past and Present/Future Janeway meet!

In the beginning, Team Splinter didn't even like each other much but by the end of the series they are a family.

It's a serious show but 12 Monkeys also has time for levity and fun, a fun time travel heist in the 80s is one that comes to mind. Or when some team member gets stuck in the past and has to find a way to earn some money.

Or when the team realized they had to steal from their past selves.

Anyway, I highly recommend this show:

"Iniate:"

"Splinter Sequence."

[yooglefics]

The casual type: august calendar.

⋆ 12th – Classes start ・ Meet the squad

⋆ 16th – blind date :) ・ Ep. 01

⋆ 23th – soccer party ・ Ep. 02

⋆ 26th – time to talk >-< ・ Ep. 03

➪ Pinterest board ➪ Tag for updates and thoughts for this verse ➪Main masterlist. | ➪General updates ➪Request & chats | ➪ Ko-fi | ♡ Tag list info

Thank you to the people interested in seeing the calendar edit for this series!! I'm still deciding if I should do it at the beginning or at the end of each month ( their month, not ours lol ), I was thinking at the end to avoid spoilers but let me know what you think, please.

Also let me know if you want to be tagged in future calendar posts. For now, this was august in The Casual Type universe <3