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beckydoesthings · 4 years

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various fics of hxl that i adore reading! this list is quite lengthy, but feel free to message me if you have any questions!

*will continue to be updated. also, if i mistagged you, i apologize, i do not know how to tumblr*

Love Is a Rebellious Bird

E | 134k | @100percentsassy and gloria_andrews

AU in which the boys still make music. Louis is the concertmaster of the London Symphony Orchestra, Harry is the New! and Exciting! interim conductor/ex-cello prodigy who "has made Mozart cool again" according to Esquire Magazine (Louis hates him immediately, which is definitely why he internet stalked him in his dark bedroom late at night that one time), and Niall is the best. Zayn and Liam are around too.

Don't hum Bolero.

i think this tickled every bone of my musical self and also made me cry (are you seeing a theme here??) one of the first fics i fell in love with and one i keep coming back to.

Collision

E | 226k | @tequiladimples

Mythology/Fairytale!AU in which Louis is a dainty fairy with a temper who wants to be intimidating and Harry hurts people. Naturally, they hate each other.

(Featuring Liam, the big and not-so-bad wolf who’s got a thing for humans, Zayn, a human with supernaturally good looks, and Niall, the cupid who just wants his job to be easier.)

the world building in this one is insanity - so much good mythology mixed in and it made me screech with joy. i think i can firmly say that i did not expect where the plot went, but that made the story so much better.

Flour and Chocolate

M | 145k | @danosphere91

It was nice, for a bakery he supposed.

Then he approached the display cabinet.

And the foreboding slammed into him. Because every product had letters next to it. Letters. GF, DF, V, O, VGN.

What. The. Fuck?

Lifting his eyes to the chalkboard menu spread across the back wall Louis felt physically ill. ‘Gluten-free’, ‘organic’, ‘vegan’, ‘paleo’, ‘dair-…’ Wait, what the fuck was a paleo? He had entered some hipster-trash establishment and it was more than time to get out.

Louis is a single dad and Harry works at the newly opened bakery down the street.

the miscommunication in this fic is SO REAL and makes for a good read. the rest of the flour and chocolate series is also fantastic. i thoroughly enjoyed both the ziam and ed/niall arcs that bring the whole story together.

run away home

E | 106k | @hattalove

Louis stands, in the middle of a clearing with his hands in his pockets, and stares. This boy—God, this gorgeous, gorgeous boy. He seems so clumsy, confused at the best of times, but there’s a wisdom about him as he speaks, a maturity that belies his age.

Louis is hopelessly, wildly attracted to him.

or, louis is a successful jockey down on his luck, struggling to get his life back on track after an injury. harry has a horse, a house fit for a prince, and a broken heart.

it takes them a while to figure out that they need each other.

this makes my inner horse girl extraordinarily happy - even if i don’t know anything about horse racing. louis’ story in this is beautiful and makes the whole piece worth a read.

waiting for the tides to meet

E | 60k | @nauticalleeds

Louis lets out a deep breath, thinking about Harry’s soulmate. Thinking about how Harry’s soulmate is probably as beautiful as Harry, some person that Louis cannot compare to, and how the universe has chosen them to be Harry’s. Fuck the universe. “Fuck you,” he calls out to the universe. He’s aware of how crazy he sounds.

Maybe he is crazy, with how he’s falling for Harry. And fuck that, too.

Soulmate AU. Everyone is born with heterochromia — one eye is their own eye colour, while the other is the colour of their soulmate's. It's only when they meet their soulmate for the first time that their own eyes match properly. After a hazy night at a frat party, Louis wakes up to blue eyes and the shocking realization that he had met his soulmate, without any sober recollection. Seven years pass where Louis comes to terms with the fact that he'll never know who his soulmate is. Then one fated summer, a beautiful green-eyed photographer arrives at Louis' workplace, with promises of endless laughter and a familiar feeling in Louis' heart.

Featuring a lovely cup of OT5, a road trip down the coast, and a scene where Harry eats a whole head of lettuce. Don't ask why.

gorgeous soulmate AU that gives me summer cruising vibes. worth the read for the lettuce scene alone (i kid, i kid)

Do Not Go Gentle

E | 70k | @afirethatcannotdie

“This is all a game to you, isn’t it? Well, it’s not for me. This is a real life or death situation,” Louis says, spitting the words at him. “And I just don’t think you’re cut out for it.”

For a moment, they stare at each other in complete silence. Harry can feel his blood thrumming between his ears, can see Louis glaring at him, feels red-hot anger. And then all he feels, oppressively and desperately, is lust.

Suddenly Louis is surging up to him to press his lips against Harry’s. Harry walks the two of them backwards, pressing Louis back against the door. Louis oomphs in surprise and brings his hands under Harry’s scrub top, scratching at his lower back.

“Lock — oh — lock the… fucking door,” Louis mutters.

When Harry Styles starts his first day as a surgical intern, he expects a lot of things: to treat patients, to observe a surgery, to feel a bit overwhelmed. What he definitely doesn't expect, however, is that the handsome guy he kicked out of his bed this morning is also an intern.

A Grey’s Anatomy AU where tensions are high, Harry and Louis are hooking up in secret, and no one has time for love. Or do they?

okay i’ve watched maybe 3 episodes of Gray’s Anatomy, but i feel like this encompasses the vibe of the show: medical stuff with a hefty dose of angst and sexual tension

Falling For Me Won’t Be A Mistake

M | 58k | @all-these-larrythings

Harry is married to his job and so overworked that he doesn't know how to stop. All it takes is a forced Hawaiian get-a-away, the warm tropical breeze of the island, and the most beautiful, elusive man he's ever seen to make him remember what living is like outside of work. Well, that, and the little souvenir he accidentally takes home with him.

one of my favorite mpreg fics so if that’s not your cup of tea, then don’t read it. i love surgeon harry with a vengeance, but honestly Gems and Niall are iconic in this one.

Watching the World Fall

E | 11k | @crazyupsetter why won’t it let me tag :(

This segment has been going on long enough that Louis knows what’s coming before James starts in on it, trying to sell him on something he knows that Louis wouldn’t normally be buying. But there’s four cameras surrounding him, and an audience watching him expectantly, so if Louis wants to continue convincing people that he’s doing just fine, he’s going to have to go along with it.

“We have a whole host of single men backstage waiting to meet you, Louis,” James tells him. “We want to help you find love tonight, on Late Late Live Tinder. Is this okay? Do you want to play?”

It actually kind of makes sense that his first date after the break-up is going to be just as public as said break-up. Something like coming full circle.

“Alright, James,” Louis agrees, hopping down off his stool.

“Okay, come down to the stage,” James says. Louis can’t even tell whether the excitement in his voice is genuine or not. “Right now, come on down!”

i have a soft spot the size of Antarctica for Late Late AU fics (we stan James Corden) and for exes to lovers so this checks all the boxes.

autumn leaves

E | 27k | @suspendrs

“Brave?” Harry frowns, caught off guard. “No, not particularly.”

“You seem brave,” Louis decides, pushing off the wall and stepping on the butt of his cigarette. “You are strong, and you are not mean. That’s good,” he assures, touching Harry’s arm gently.

“Thank you, but that’s not true,” Harry smiles ruefully. “I’m really not anything special.”

Or, Harry is an American soldier in France during World War II, and Louis is a French waiter that doesn't mean to fall in love with him.

love love french AUs and while this one isn’t sunshine and rainbows, it’s a beautiful yet heart wrenching piece. warning for period typical homophobia

caught up in your love affair

NR | 8k | @disgruntledkittenface

“And the corgis took to you straightaway,” Harry remarks.

“That’s true,” Louis chuckles.

“I’ve spent the last 29 years being barked at,” Harry deadpans, jerking his hand toward Louis, “this one walks in, absolutely nothing.”

Louis outright giggles at that, saying, “They were just lying on my feet during tea.”

“Wagging tails,” Harry says, shaking his head.

“It’s because they don’t understand flirting,” Louis tells him, “you can’t charm them the way you do everyone else.”

Royal AU. Prince Harry announces his engagement to Louis Tomlinson in an interview with longtime friend and BBC host Nick Grimshaw. Inspired by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

just. 8k of royal fluff. that’s literally it and i adore it so much.

Apples Always Fall (As I Do For You)

M | 54k | @rainbowsandgucci

”Due to unforeseen circumstances, help is needed here at the orchard for the impending apple season. Looking for someone able to start within the next week or two at the most, is willing to do whatever miscellaneous tasks are needed, such as picking & packing apples, running the cash register, and other handywork that may need to be done. Must be good with customers, and able to lift up to 50lbs. Help will be needed until at the least the end of October. Please contact the number found on this page, or come out to the orchard and ask for Harry. All the love xx” --- Louis is staying at his Aunt's farm in a small town in Minnesota for four months. To deal with the boredom that sets in a week into his stay, he starts working at the local apple orchard, owned by twenty six year old Harry Styles. Louis quickly finds himself falling in love with the orchard, and he finds a family in Harry's friends Niall, Liam, and Zayn. He also starts to fall in love with Harry. Falling in love with him turns out to be the easy part.

i never thought i would enjoy an apple orchard fic?? but it’s so good?? farmer harry makes me laugh to think about, but the heartbreak in this fic is so. real.

Mine Would Be You

E | 114k | @crinkle-eyed-boo

Louis blinks his eyes open, his eyelids fluttering as the room swims around him. He takes several gulps of beer once he confirms that he’s definitely not hallucinating, that the very first portrait Harry Styles ever painted of him is hanging on that wall.

Louis stares at the wall, his heart jackrabbiting in his chest as he realizes that there’s not just one painting of him, there’s five, the portraits lined up like they’re some sort of storyboard depicting the rise and fall of his deepest love. His greatest heartache. A pain that cut him so deep that he left the fucking country, severing all ties with his life in New York, now suddenly surrounding him as if he’d never left.

Fucking shit motherfucker fuck.

Louis returns to New York City five years after he left it – and the love of his life – behind. He didn't intend to see Harry again, but fate has a funny way of pulling them together, whether they like it or not. After making a begrudging truce, they both start to wonder: Would it be so bad if history repeated itself?

exes to lovers drama but make it extra sad. the fact that we see so many facets to this story just makes it all the more painful, yet beautiful. this fic also reminds me of how much i love one mister niall horan.

One for Luck

E | 96k | @leavingonatrain

The very first time Louis remembers hearing Harry Styles' deep, deep voice, he's just won gold at the World Equestrian Games and he's officially back on Great Britain's Olympic team. He's also three sheets to the wind, drunk on victory and champagne, and there's a gorgeous boy whispering in his ear. Life's grand.

(AU: Louis and Harry are professional riders on the British Olympic team.)

again, i know nothing about horses, but i like to pretend i do for the sake of this fic. it’s beautiful, it’s smutty what else could you ask for?

Nothing But You On My Mind

E | 83k | @absoloutenonsense

Louis Tomlinson is a PR manager hired to improve the image of royal bad-boy Prince Harry Styles. Unfortunately for him, that means being faced with the Prince's constant innuendos, incessant dirty jokes, and relentless flirting. Louis just wants to make it to Princess Gemma's coronation; once she's crowned Queen, his contract is up and he never has to see the Prince again.

i absolutely. definitely. sobbed tears at this fic. it’s just so beautifully painful to read. don’t want to spoil anything, but this is a must.

Adore You

M | 67k | @isthatyoularry

“We invited our new acquaintances from uptown. You’ve simply got to meet their oldest son!” said his mother with a flourish, and suddenly it became abundantly clear as to why his parents had so adamantly demanded he join them in Deansville for the entirety of the summer.

Against his wishes, Harry spends the holidays at his family’s summer estate, and is reluctantly pulled into a courtship he didn’t ask for. Harry doesn’t want to get married, but Louis does. They don’t fit, but then again they really, really do.

Vaguely set in the 1920’s. Headpieces, jazz, fashionable canes, and flapper dresses, and that.

i strongly relate to harry in this one! one of my favorite historical AUs and honestly i love the thought of louis in well fitting suits.

leave it to the breeze

E | 81k | @hattalove

Louis couldn’t be prouder of his bake, but there’s something—there’s something. Something about Harry Styles and the earnest way he measures, pours, mixes, scrapes. Something about the tip of his tongue poking out of his mouth as he knocks the air out of his batter.

or a great british bake off au in which louis cares about winning and winning only, harry is made of sunshine and rainbow sprinkles, and niall sticks his nose into other people's business. also featuring liam as louis's best friend-slash-concerned mother, and zayn as a macaron connoisseur.

i. love. the. great british baking show. baking + h&l is amazing. and another reminder as to why niall is the absolute best.

Paint The Sky With Stars

M | 62k | @icanhazzalou grrr let me tag

On 10 April 1912, Harry Styles boards the finest ship the world has ever seen. Still grieving the death of their mother, he and his sister are being sent to America to live with a callous uncle who cares more about his business connections than family. Harry prepares himself for a long, disappointing voyage alone in his stateroom.

Louis Tomlinson has borrowed and saved, and finally has enough to purchase a Third Class ticket to America. With all of his belongings in a single ruck sack, he boards the Titanic filled with hope for a brighter future. Never one to sit still, he can’t resist exploring the massive ship, and soon goes sneaking into First Class in a stolen steward’s uniform.

By a twist of fate, Louis finds himself in Harry’s stateroom, entranced by the most attractive man he’s ever laid eyes on. He keeps returning day after day, even if he doesn’t understand what it is about Harry that continues pulling him in. That’s all right; Louis has a week to figure it out, and Harry is plenty willing to help.

Except they don’t have a week. They have four days. Because on 15 April, their entire world will be turned upside down.

Or, the historically accurate Titanic AU with a happy ending.

gorgeous historical fic that’s so accurate and painstakingly written. i keep coming back to it!

When It’s Late At Night

M | 25k | @all-these-larrythings

Louis has zero interest in an ex-boybander turned solo artist when his appearance on the show gets announced, but that's exactly who he gets stuck with when Harry Styles shows up at the Late Late show to promote the release of his debut album. For an entire fucking week.

The Late Late prompt that we all need to get through this excruciatingly hard time.

remember when i said i love Late Late AUs? yeah. i love that louis gives absolutely zero shits in this fic until he gives all the shits.

Chasing Empty Spaces

E | 79k | @domestic-harry

The year is 1934 and Harry Styles was to inherent the largest tobacco firm in the south. His parents have picked out the “perfect” girl for him to marry and he has the privilege of receiving the highest education possible. The problem was, Harry hadn’t realized he didn’t actually want any part of that future until he met a mechanic named, Louis Tomlinson.

gorgeous historical AU that goes through Harry’s struggle with his sexuality wonderfully. this one also made me cry.

Resist Everything Except Temptation

E | 100k | @domestic-harry

The lethargic sound of heels clicking against wood resonated across the sea. Footsteps descended the staircase, every assured step creating a menacing aura as it grew closer. Perspiration gathered along Louis’ palms as the rhythmic sound halted in front of him.

“Captain,” Malik greeted.

Louis watched out of his peripheral as Malik’s boots shuffled back a few steps. Sweat matted the hair along the nape of Louis’ neck as he waited for something to happen. He felt as if a sharp blade was twisting his gut as the silence became tangible. There was a metallic slide of a sword being pulled out of its sheath, the sound startling Louis out of his cocoon of sterile shock. His shoulders jumped as the tip of a blade flattened underneath his jaw. Louis’ distorted reflection stared back at him in the polished metal. Engraved rose petals twisted his appearance as they crawled up the length of the sword. The sword lifted and took Louis’ chin with it.

Standing in front of Louis was Captain Styles.

The one where Louis is the commodore's son who is forced to become a part of Harry's crew when he is captured.

love this pirate AU that’s got one badass gemma styles. also, harry as a super cool pirate in gorgeous clothes makes me super happy!

i’ll make this feel like home

E | 49k

Harry to groans himself and then takes a deep breath. “Okay, well. Here’s the thing. I peed on a stick.”

Louis isn’t able to get more than a shocked “What!” out before Harry’s steamrolling on.

“I peed on a stick and it says it’s positive, but you always prattle on about how it’s best to go to the doctor’s before you get excited, you know to confirm it because sometimes hormones are off or you have like a tumor or some shit and get false positives and what if I’m dying and-”

“You’re pregnant?!” Louis shouts out, stomach dropping as the words leave his mouth.

“Um, yeah… maybe.”

[the one where Louis' hopelessly in love with his best mate... who just happens to be pregnant with another man's baby.]

baby momma harry with hot mess!Louis is a recipe for disaster, but this one has plenty of fluff to make up for it.

Hands Clasped Tight

E | 44k | @afirethatcannotdie

“What am I looking at here?” Harry asks.

“This, my friends, is a ‘proof’ Instagram account, run by your students,” Liam announces.

“It’s got all this stuff about how the two of you are together,” Niall adds.

“I heard about that,” says one of the math teachers. “Confiscated a kid’s phone today when they were looking at it. I have to say, the evidence that you’re dating is pretty damning.”

“Really,” Louis says dryly. “Do you think being married for three years might have something to do with it?”

Or the one where Harry and Louis are high school teachers and their students have been playing matchmaker for over a year. Little do they know, Harry and Louis are already married.

love love teacher harry and louis that’s mostly funny fluff with a little angst. just a teeny amount. reminds me of my own experiences with meddling students haha.

*updated 2/16/21*

#fic recs #hl #hlcreators #ao3 #in no particular order #message me for other fics!#yourlarrysource

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senchoubutter · 4 years

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Twisted Wonderland Guys As Kpop Songs I Listen To Too Much + Why

i’ma just say it now, i primarily listen to girl groups since I cover songs and they are in my range and i find them fun to cover most so expect a lot of those.

All songs are linked!!

Scarabia

Jamil

- Lucifer by SHINee || First and foremost I can see him performing this, easily. Aside from that, the song is tasty and classic. Jamil is a smart attractive man that is incredibly talented despite flying under the radar. People know of him but don’t take note until they know him, similarly to this song. It goes hard and you’ve probs heard it mentioned but you haven’t experienced until you played it at 3 am, screaming your heart out. Get to know Jamil and he ain’t just “some guy”

Kalim

- Um Oh Ah Yeh by MAMAMOO || This song reminds me of the 90s/2000s and there’s something about Kalim that also does that for me. Maybe it’s the not a care in the world disposition. I can see and feel in the second verse’s rap, Kalim’s warm smile. I can imagine him grabbing my hand, telling me to chin up. The choruses make me think of simpler times. Finally, Kalim seems like he’s always having a good time just like this song

Ignihyde

Ortho

- Candy Pop by TWICE (yes i know its jp) || This song always puts me in a good mood. It makes me feel warm inside and like everything will work out. When I see Ortho, I feel the need to protect him but also can’t help but feel like everything will be okay. Something about him brings a happy, warm peace to my heart that reminds me to just take a moment and find the good in life. The peppy beat of it just makes me think about how he almost always is smiling!

Idia

- Fairy of Shampoo by TOMORROW X TOGETHER || the song starts an I feel as if I’ve awoken floating in the deep sea, but i’m not scared. I feel at peace and as if I’ve been here before. The song tastes like iced tea and feels like nostalgia. When I look at Idia I see my past self and even present self. I’m afraid, I want to hide. The feelings the verses gives me reminds me of laying in bed, curled up in a jacket that hides my whole body, similarly to Idia’s. The song and Idia’s character call out to a nostalgic but soft side to a distant past I can’t recall. I want to stay with them until I can remember

Savanaclaw

Leona

- gogobebe by MAMAMOO || It’s got a lazy but sexy sound that Leona emboides. When the song picks up in the choruses it’s like it takes over your body, drowning the listener in an ocean of sensuality and playful teasing. It’s got a lil edge though too that caters to the gruff “fuck off” expression he has. I see the noise Hwasa makes at the end as the wanton but confused noise fans make as the man leaves, tail swinging after teasing them

Ruggie

- BAAM by Momoland || BAAM has such a sassy hyped up beat that screams a bitch that gets shit done, owns who they are, and lives life having fun. And it embodies everything I feel upon seeing Ruggie's smug smile. Even the rap bit during the second chorus has the sass and done-ness of “Leona-san! Get up!!”

Jack

- Bomb by AleXa || This song kicks your ass and so does Jack. Don’t for four seconds think he won’t beat the shit outta ya for underestimating him, similarly to AleXa and her music. The energy and the “I’ll show you” vibes remind me of this big dweeb. I would fear this man but turn to love him much like how I felt about this song as it was this artist’s first song. How do I say they just embody each other in my opinion lol

Pomefiore

Vil

- DUN DUN by Everglow || The sass. This song screams THAT BITCH, just like Vil’s everything. The way he carries himself is personified in this song. The power the song holds reminds me of his unique magic and how intense it is. Finally, the slower bridge is mythical and light as if giving the listener a feeling like they are walking on air and plays to the softer and more feminine side of Vil

Rook

- FINGERTIP by GFriend || Everything about this song is exciting. It’s suspenseful and alluring. If this song was a person, I could clear as day see it winking, whispering “chase me.” And that is exactly Rook’s brand of teasing and games. He’s a hunter but he’s got a charming aura to him still. This song wraps both of those things into it. The dance break is Rook’s darker senses personified. Umji’s lil “OW!” is he’s cute lil remarks in french, throwing you off now and then. But by the end of the song, you’re used to them and adore them

Epel

- Crossroads by GFriend || This song feels like a long lost friend that visits you in dreams. You can practically reach out to them but just as you do, you wake up. But you’re determined. That alone reminds me of Epel’s character as a whole. He doesn’t let his cute appearance push aside his wants and needs to be this tough guy. He, like Yuju’s strong vocals at the last chorus, presses on, determined each time he gets knocked down

Diasomnia

Lilia

- Deja Vu by Dreamcatcher || Maybe I’m biased cause I’ve covered this but this song is breathtaking. The melody speaks of a long road and the fight to keep on which I feel rings true for Lilia. We don’t know his true age but it’s clear he’s been around for quite a wild and the pain he’s probably gone through is unspeakable. He has stories galore and so much experience in life. I feel this song encapsulates a lot of what can only be speculated about him

Silver

- Crème Brûlée by GFriend || the soft, sweet song is addictive and cutesy. I feel Silver gets written off or ignored often, similarly to this song on the album. Sure he may not be god or a bad bad bitch, but he has his own warmth to him. Like this song, Silver makes me wanna curl up under a tree on an August evening and just take in life, making sure to breathe for once, releasing unnecessary tension and stress.

Sebek

- Black Dress by CLC || Sebek is very interesting to me and when he blushes, my whole heart stops for a second. It’s similar to how when they build up to the chorus‘s first Black Dress and the music stops for like a split second. Sebek isn’t my favorite but isn’t my least favorite. I like him more than some though, I’d say. I’d say the same goes for this song. I love CLC, this isn’t my top song of theirs but I still like it a lot. There’s something uniform about the beat that resounds with Sebek as getting shit done in mind also. Sometimes a song just makes you think of a character and you can’t perfectly explain it

Malleus

- Pretty Savage by BLACKPINK || Yes i know t’s only recently come out as i post this, but this bad boy on replay. The beat isn’t crazy upbeat but it’s interesting. Malleus intidimates me in general cause of his aura, and while I love this song a lot rn, it was very intimidating at first. It still has some “don’t come near me” energy. The slower bridge bit calls to his stoic expression, melodic and pretty

Heartslabyul

Cater

- ICY by ITZY || I’ll be honest both Cater as well as this song were things I thought at first were just meh, okay. But as time went on both grew on me. Now that’s not the only reason though I associate this with him. The, no pun intended, ice shattering sound of the song gives me friendly popular girl that seems to be buds with 80% of the school. This is the very vibe Cater always gives me. He wants to just have a good, happy life. Also the song is a “so what? I’m hot. Get over it.” vibe like Cater

Ace

- Drama by TOMORROW X TOGETHER || Ace reminds me the guy you fall in love with in high school and you no it’s not going to last but you let yourself get taken away with. Drama feels like a soundtrack of every fun adventure Ace goes on, no matter the trouble that he may get on. It’s fun beat just brings me back to skipping school, running to my car and trying to sneak away without getting caught. The thought of Ace at my side, would shoot my adrenaline through the roof just like the high note of the song

Deuce

- God’s Menu by Stray Kids || Deuce is just ready to go swinging and that’s exactly what this song is. Elbows up and out, head down, swinging without a clue. The intensity and fire of it speaks to that fire in him. Meanwhile the prechoruses are soft and pleasant almost like it’s not the same song, alluding to that cute lil smile he has got

Trey

- REALLY REALLY by WINNER || Similarly to Ace, this song reminds me of a guy you fall for, but in college rather than high school. Everything about the song and Trey just feels right. The choruses hold your hand and fits perfectly in yours. They know what to say to make everything okay. It may not last, but you sure hope it does and will love them like it will. And while Trey isn’t my number one boy, those are the exact feelings I have about him too. Finally, the rap part reminds me of Trey’s more sadistic side, it bites and you may not think it fits entirely but the more familiar you get with them, the more both fit and you don’t mind it entirely

Riddle

- Wonderland by ATEEZ || The demanding nature of the song makes me think of Riddle immediately. It’s intense and doesn’t mess around; it wants what it wants. Riddle is a rule based person and this song is rather militaristic aesthetically. The bridge though, is so regal and breathtaking. It could stop time. Riddle, despite the kind of guy he is, is the same way. The power he holds is impressive and admirable. This description may seem kinda like I’m shitting on him and see him solely as a rule boy, but like this song, I have made respect for him and wouldn’t want to cross him

Octavinelle

Azul

- Love Battery by Hong Jin Young but performed by LOONA on Immortal Songs || This arrangement of the song has a certain magic to it that I melt in. At the very beginning as the build up singing ‘dangsineun’ i feel like I’m being submerged in a wave, reaching to shake Azul’s hand, signing a contract. The choruses remind me of his smile, how distant but inviting it is. Daring me to fall for him. The dance break bridge reminds me of the intense eyes behind those glasses

Jade

- Love Shot by EXO || This song and Jade are both things I am fearful of but greatly intrigued by. They share a scary beat and energy that says I fear you more when you’re smiling. Please stop slowly walking towards me, you’re scaring me. But at the very same time, the choruses keep me around like how pretty I find this twin. The combo of put together, intellectual friend but could kill easily and without remorse sends shivers down my spine if I think about it for too long. The chorus of this song make me shake my shoulders that suppress a shiver each time

Floyd

- WEE WOO by Pristin || I love both Floyd and WEE WOO. The song is the feeling you get going 85 down the highway. Both song and Floyd, get me excited. They feel like the weekend. That feeling of coming home Friday during high school, tossing your bookbag down, and getting ready to hang out with your best friend. It’s a relieving and exciting feeling. It’s a peppy beat that bites during the harmonies a bit. Just like Floyd. Peppy, fun, but ain’t afraid to take a lil nibble

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dimitrescus-bitch · 4 years

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Mixtape of Our Love - Chapter 3: Sleep Now in the Fire

"Come on, everybody else's girlfriend goes to watch the practices," Will pleaded with JJ. The two of them had been standing in the parking lot for the past five minutes since school had let out. JJ knew that Will wasn't really asking much, he never really asked too much of her. He had been fine with her distancing herself since she'd been taken off of her medication. He had been fine with JJ spending her nights with her friends instead of going on dates with him. Will had been good about all that stuff because he felt like JJ had been good to him before. Now though, there were times when he wondered if she was really invested in their relationship anymore.

"Okay, I'll be up there in a couple minutes," JJ said and Will leaned in to kiss her. JJ moved her head to the side a bit so that Will's kiss landed on her cheek instead of her mouth. Will frowned when JJ turned around and got into her car.

"I'll see you up there," Will said and JJ nodded. He ran over to a teammate's truck and got in the bed, joining a few of his other teammates.

"Sorry guys," JJ said as she turned to Garcia and Reid. "I'll drop you guys off real quick."

"We could have walked home. It's not too long," Reid and JJ shook her head. "You don't have to drive us everywhere."

"Reid, it's safer if I drive you," JJ pointed out. Garcia glanced at JJ, knowing the blonde felt bad about the couple of instances last year whenever she'd gotten sick and Reid had walked to and from school. It didn't help that Reid refused to accept the new copy of the book that had been ruined when some assholes threw Reid's backpack into a storm drain. Neither Garcia nor Reid decided to argue with JJ on that, especially since it was true. People may have been nice to JJ, but that curtesy was not normally extended to Penelope and Reid.

JJ dropped off her friends and then promptly turned her car around back towards the school. At a stoplight, she connected her phone to her car's radio and pressed play on her favorite playlist. Immediately, she was filled with a familiar feeling as the opening riff of one of JJ's favorite songs started. It wasn't often that JJ could just sit in her car, listen to music, and think about nothing. Instead of getting that chance at relaxation, she was going to watch her boyfriend's football practice. JJ loved sports, she always had, but nobody really cared to watch the practices, they wanted the games. JJ would never have asked Will to go to a soccer practice, especially since she knew he barely paid attention to her games when he went.

"You don't have to wait here. I'd be happy to drop you off at your place," Haley told Emily. "Aaron told me that you're not really interested in football. This gets boring for people who are interested."

"If I get too bored, I'll call for a car I guess," Emily half-joked. Haley wasn't quite sure whether or not she was supposed to laugh at that. Emily's had good humor, but occasionally she'd joke about things that most people didn't really understand.

"Most people say they'll get an Uber or Lyft," JJ said, spooking Emily a bit. Emily and Haley both turned to where JJ was leaning against the side of her car. Emily noted that JJ wasn't wearing the same outfit that she had been during lunch. JJ's skinny jeans were traded in for a pair of basketball shorts and her floral top had been traded in for a Patriots shirt with the sleeves and part of the bottom cut off. Emily would have been lying if she said that she didn't find JJ to be very attractive in that outfit. Well, she'd have been lying if she had said she didn't find JJ generally attractive. JJ was the kind of girl that Emily knew her mother would have liked her to be on some level: preppy, popular, and athletic.

"I wasn't talking about those things. I shouldn't let strangers know where an ambassador's house is," Emily pointed out. JJ pushed off of the side of the car and walked over towards Emily and Haley. Haley joined the other cheerleaders and Emily followed JJ over to the bleachers. It took a whole 10 minutes for JJ to decide that she wanted to be absolutely anywhere else.

"Wanna go get a pizza?" JJ asked Emily randomly. "There's this place that has like experimental-type shit. It's pretty cool."

"Won't William get mad that you just left?" Emily asked and JJ shook her head. "Oh, that's very cool of him."

"I just need to tell him that I got hungry," JJ said as she sent a text to Will. JJ stood up and offered a hand to Emily, who accepted it. The two of them walked back to JJ's car and on instinct, JJ got the door for Emily.

"Oh, thank you." Emily sat down in the passenger's seat and JJ shut the door. She jogged over to the driver's side and opened the door. She slid into her own seat, buckled up, and then shut the door. JJ put her keys in the ignition and turned the engine on. For a moment, the car made a sputtering noise, but started right up. "I don't think your car is supposed to sound like that."

"It's kind of old, but nothing I can't fix," JJ said with a wink. Emily turned her head away from JJ slightly and bit the corner of her lip. JJ switched on the radio, hoping that Emily liked whatever Garcia had put it to that morning. "I don't know what kind of music you like, so I hope this is okay."

"It's definitely interesting," Emily said. She smiled as the song that Garcia had been humming during their homeroom came on. "I take it this is Garcia's station pick. Reid strikes me more as a classical kind of guy."

"He definitely is and yeah, Garcia picked this station this morning," JJ answered. "I let them have full control over the radio when I drive. It doesn't really matter what's playing most of the time though, we tend to be a talkative little group."

"It's nice to have people that you feel comfortable talking around." JJ glanced over at Emily, noting the slightly sad tone in her voice. Emily brushed it off quickly though, tapping her fingers to the beat of the song on her lap.

"Garcia definitely likes you, and I think Reid does too. Sometimes it's hard to tell. If any of us overstep, just tell us," JJ said and Emily nodded. The two of them spent the rest of the ride in silence, but unlike the silences that Emily was used to, this one wasn't awkward or uncomfortable. Emily could tell that JJ was still trying to get a feel for her still. In a lot of ways, Emily was trying to get a feel for JJ too. The general consensus on JJ was that she was a nice and welcoming person, which Emily honestly had to agree with. "We're here!"

"What is that smell?" Emily asked as she got out of JJ's car. It was definitely coming from the pizza place. JJ's face contorted a bit when it hit her, but she gave Emily a small smile and then walked into the pizza place. Once they were inside, an array of different scents hit them. It smelled like pizza, but also like some very distinct toppings. JJ grabbed Emily's wrist and gently pulled her over to a table. A waiter handed them menus and two cups so that they could get their drinks when they were ready.

"What sounds good to you?" JJ asked Emily as they both flipped through the menu. "They don't really a whole lot of the same things from the last time I was here."

"Well, what did you get?" Emily asked and JJ thought back on when Garcia had brought her there to pick up pizza for game night.

"It was sort of like a regular pizza, but there were mozzarella stick bits on top," JJ told her. "I'm thinking of getting a slice of the Cheetos pizza and then we can share a dessert one if you'd like. The slices are pretty big here."

"I guess that sounds good," Emily said as she flipped through the menu. Most of what she saw seemed too weird to actually be good. This was obviously a gimmick restaurant, something that was created to make Buzzfeed headlines and attract hipsters. Growing slightly frustrated with the lack of appealing choices, Emily huffed and just set the menu down. The same waiter from before walked over to them to take their orders. JJ gave hers first and then Emily just asked for a slice of cheese pizza and he walked off. There was a number card left at their table so that nobody took it while they were getting their drinks.

"Sometimes Reid, Garcia, and I come here just to see if they got any new sodas in," JJ said as she looked at the selection.

"Anything new?" Emily asked and JJ shook her head. JJ kept looking for something specific, exclaiming a little in excitement when she found it. Emily kept on looking at the selection until she stumbled upon something she'd tried in Prague, but never found anywhere else.

"Is that any good?" JJ asked as she watched Emily get her drink. The color was off-putting to say the very least. Emily's mother had let her go to one of the factories where it was made and if not for the extra dye, it would have been a very nice and warm brown color, like a cider. Instead, there was a greenish tint to the brown that made it look a little sickening.

"Once you get past the color, it's great," Emily told her. JJ nodded and led Emily back to their table. Minutes later, their pizza came and neither of them had to figure out a good conversation topic just yet. "There's a blueberry flavor that looks a lot nicer. It doesn't as strong of a flavor though."

"Sometimes subtle flavors are nice," JJ said thoughtlessly. Emily could see a bit of distance behind her eyes as she stared off towards the window. Thinking that maybe someone was there, Emily turned around, but didn't see anybody from school. JJ's phone started to buzz, distracting both of them for a moment.

"Sorry, I have to take this. It's Will," JJ said and Emily nodded. JJ slid away from their table and stepped outside. Emily watched as she paced around on the sidewalk. Emily felt a little guilty watching JJ, so she turned away and focused back on her pizza. It wasn't a simple cheese pizza. Yes, there was mozzarella, but there were also cheeses that Emily had definitely only eaten in France.

She remembered that night well because it'd been the last one she spent there before her mother was moved to a new embassy. It was one of the few times that Emily and Elizabeth had genuinely enjoyed spending time with each other. Emily knew that her mother loved her, but it was difficult for the two of them to relate. Yes, Emily did what she could to be a daughter that her parents could be proud of, but there were definitely things that Emily knew she did that Elizabeth wished she wouldn't. But for that night, there was no tension between the Prentiss women at all and Emily had come out of that dinner with a greater understanding of the difficulties of trying to parent with her mother's job.

"Hey, you okay?" JJ asked. Emily hadn't noticed that JJ had come back inside of the pizza place. For a moment, Emily wondered how long JJ had been there before saying something. She had to been there long enough to notice that something was weighing on Emily's mind. Taking a deep breath, Emily turned to where JJ was sitting back down in her chair.

"I'm fine. The cheese got me thinking about a dinner I had with my mom in France before we left." Emily hadn't expected herself to have answered so honestly. She had known JJ for maybe a week and a half now, but the blonde had a trustworthy vibe and Emily had a knack for figuring out the vibes of other people. She had met a lot of genuinely scummy people and JJ wasn't one of them, nor was on the path to becoming one. "Nostalgia I guess."

"Man, I almost forgot that you got to travel the world before getting stuck here," JJ said with a chuckle. "Is Europe nice?"

"Very, the parts of it I stayed at. If you get the chance to see it, you should," Emily advised her.

"And if I don't?" JJ asked. It was almost flirty, the tone of her voice and the way that she leaned in towards Emily a bit.

"My mom's got a private plane that I'm sure I could get for a week or so." JJ leaned back a bit, unsure of whether or not Emily was being serious. Emily kept in her amusement at the sort of shocked look on JJ's face and just focused on finishing her pizza and soda.

"I might just have to take you up on that."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The call from her mother on her drive home that there was a gift waiting for her in the garage had excited JJ. Her parents, at least her father, knew that JJ's car had been making suspicious noises for the past month or so. JJ also knew that her parents had been helping her grandpa pick out a new truck to possibly get. JJ had gotten to be included on the conversation a few times, and she'd helped them decide on one at a smaller lot that wouldn't be as expensive as one from the city. So, yes, JJ had sped home to see if the old truck was in the garage waiting for her.

"Hell yeah," JJ muttered as she saw the truck sitting there. She'd be getting a paint job, maybe a nice sky blue or possibly a glossy black. The old and faded red may have been aesthetically pleasing on the farm, but JJ was not planning on keeping it there. Even if the gas mileage sucked on the truck, she could use it until her dad told her what she needed to fix her own car. JJ turned the truck on and almost immediately noticed that it'd need new headlights. When she went to take it for a little spin, she noticed that the tires also were starting to need to be replaced.

The garage had headlights somewhere. JJ remembered her dad talking about bringing in the truck to try and keep it in good shape. It was older, but it was also a genuinely nice vehicle. The new headlights were sitting in the box, unopened. JJ contemplated waiting a while and just buying some LEDs whenever she had the time, but if she needed to go out at night, she wanted a more trustworthy vehicle than her car. JJ popped the hood of the truck and felt around the front until she hit the headlight holder. She leaned down a bit to make sure she properly disconnected the wires before taking out the old bulb. She put the new ones in and reconnected all the wires that had to be reconnected. Once she finished the first side, she walked over and changed out the other side's headlights.

"Can we talk about earlier?" Will asked, spooking JJ a bit. She didn't jump, but if she had, she definitely would have hit her head on the hood of her new truck.

"We can if you help me move some tires," JJ said and Will nodded. JJ led Will towards the back of the garage. Really, it was more like a warehouse or a really big shed that her dad used to fix their cars and the farm equipment when it needed to be fixed. "What's up?"

"You blew off my practice to get pizza with that new girl," Will said and JJ sighed. "You promised me you'd come."

"I did, I was there for a bit. I got hungry Will and Emily doesn't have a lot of friends here. I was hoping that maybe I could be one more of them. I am sorry if me leaving early upset you," JJ apologized. Will grit his teeth a little bit, but he just nodded in acceptance. He knew that JJ was legitimately sorry for blowing him off, but he also knew that it'd most likely happen again. Will tried to make JJ a priority, but lately, it didn't feel like JJ wanted Will to be one of her top priorities.

"It's fine. You don't have to tell me that it won't happen again because it will, but that's fine. This is a rough time for you," Will said and JJ cleared her throat awkwardly.

"Let's just, move these tires okay?" JJ suggested and Will nodded. JJ pointed Will in the direction of the tires that she was sure were meant for the truck and the two of them moved them together. JJ probably could have gotten them all herself, but since Will was there and willing to help her, she'd take him up on that.

"I'm gonna head out if you don't need any more help," Will said and JJ nodded. She waved at him and then got the jack ready. Will sighed and walked away from her. Once Will was gone, JJ put some music on from her phone and then got to work. It was simple, she just did what her father had taught her to do before she'd even started driving. They had been driving back from an Eagles game and despite their animosity after the Patriots had won that game, Richard had requested that JJ be there for the teachable moment.

It was easier to do now than it had been then. JJ could move the tires easier and she'd gotten more experience with the jack and wrenches. She had built up strength and experience in the four years since that night. JJ had also taken more of an interest in building and fixing things. Whenever her dad would work late, she was the one who helped her mother. JJ had even taken shop class her junior year and impressed the teacher with her ability to use the correct tools.

Even after JJ had finished fixing the tires on the truck, she stayed in the garage. It was obvious whose section was whose. Most of it was her father's or grandfather's, but there was a little area that was just hers. She kept her tools there, both the ones she bought to actually use and the ones that she had bought because she thought they looked cool. Of course if she needed them, she would use them, but those ones weren't as commonly used as the others. JJ sat back in the wooden chair that she'd build with her dad and Roslyn. It had been a rough process, but JJ was proud of what they'd built together. Especially since it was one of the last memories she had of getting to do something with her sister.

"Hey kiddo," Richard greeted as he walked into the garage. "Those new tires?"

"They are," JJ said as Richard kicked one of them to check it. "Can you not kick my handiwork please?"

"Can't have my little girl driving around on loose tires," Richard said and JJ scoffed.

"If they're loose it's because you didn't teach me how to tighten correctly," JJ pointed out. Richard ruffled JJ's hair and looked at the letters carved into the back of the chair JJ was sitting in.

"You two were so proud when the chair was done." Richard smiled fondly at the memory.

"You yelled at us more that day than you had our entire lives," JJ chuckled. "And then you lost it when we signed the chair."

"An artist always leaves their signature." Richard's smile fell a little as he repeated what Roslyn had told him. "She told me it was her idea at first so I wouldn't get mad at you."

"And I said it was a team effort. I think you were angrier about us using that burning tool to do it," JJ speculated. Richard nodded as he leaned against the truck.

"I'd hug you to close out this nice moment, but you're sweaty and you smell like rubber," Richard said and JJ rolled her eyes at him. "Quick beer before we head in for dinner?"

"That'd be nice," JJ said and Richard walked over to grab a couple bottles from the mini-fridge in the corner. Richard handed one to JJ and they stood there and drank together, both of them thinking silently about that day to themselves.

#mixtape of our love #jemily #criminal minds fanfiction #jennifer jareau #jennifer jareau x emily prentiss #emily prentiss

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rpgmgames · 5 years

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November’s Featured Game: Grimm's Hollow

DEVELOPER(S): ghosthunter ENGINE: RPG Maker 2003 GENRE: Indie RPG, Adventure WARNINGS: Discussions of death, losing a loved one, grief SUMMARY: Grimm’s Hollow is a spooky, freeware RPG where you search the afterlife for your brother. Reap ghosts with your scythe, explore haunted caves, and eat ghostly treats on your journey through death.

Download the game here! Our Interview With The Dev Team Below The Cut!

Introduce yourself! *BB: My name's Bruno and I did some of the music along with Nat! I’m super happy to have participated in this game! *NW: I’m Nat Wesley, a.k.a. Natbird! I’m a composer available for hire with a few projects in the works. I’m honored to have had the chance to work on the soundtrack to Grimm’s Hollow! *GH: Hello! I go by ghosthunter online; I started developing RPGs with a friend in school when we found out that we both enjoyed RPG Horror. I enjoy art, webcomics, cartoons and narrative-driven indie games a lot. I bought RM2K3 on sale and started pouring pixel art into it, before learning how to do things like chase scenes, cutscenes, etc. I used to fantasize about making my own game, drawing dungeons and ghosts in the back of my sketchbooks, before I finally started Grimm’s Hollow. Now I’m near the end of high-school, and I’m hoping the best for uni!

What is your project about? What inspired you to create this game initially? *GH: Grimm’s Hollow, originally, wasn’t as ambitious or personal. It was simply just going to be “my first game”, something that I could finally put my doodles and RM2K3 skills to. I wanted a game that a younger me would have enjoyed, back when I first discovered the classic RPGMaker games and replayed them constantly for those endings. That was my initial inspiration. It eventually evolved into an action turn-based RPG that relies on timing, yet it’s mostly narrative-driven. You traverse death in search of your sibling, and try to make an escape. There are unexpected pieces of me that ended up in this game, some of which I’m still noticing even now.

How long have you been working on your project? *GH: Since the summer of June 2018.

Did any other games or media influence aspects of your project? *GH: Standstill Girl, OFF by Mortis Ghost, Undertale, Over The Garden Wall, and the animation medium in general.

Have you come across any challenges during development? How have you overcome or worked around them? *GH: Many! Making your first game is such a giant learning curve, that the list of challenges goes on. I would say that the most difficult issue I encountered (and that, in some ways, I am still facing after release) is working around the limitations of the game engine I am using. I wanted to see whether creating an engaging but simple 1-party RPG in RM2K3 (without going completely custom) was feasible, and I experimented with quick time events as part of that. I worked around the engine’s built-in formulae so players could see progress when they upgraded their stats - although the game might display as defence as “10”, in reality the game stores it as 40 since the engine splits defence by 4. Since I did not want to create an RPG which was too complex for my first game, I also scrapped traditional staples such as armour or weapons. There were also issues such as having an appropriate “game over” handling event which wouldn’t shoot you back to the title screen after you lost a battle; getting RM2K3 to play a small cutscene where you faint and respawn somewhere else was tricky. I felt that if the player had to reload after a loss, it would disrupt the game flow.

Have any aspects of your project changed over time? How does your current project differ from your initial concept? *GH: Like I mentioned before, the game started off impersonal. I just had a soft spot for a spooky cute aesthetic, and I wanted to indulge in that. It was (and in its essence, still is) meant to be a short story, to keep the player invested for the short game length - nothing grandiose. The original draft did not have Baker play a role in the narrative - he was just an ordinary shopkeeper NPC. For a long time during development, Lavender did not even have a name. In the very first draft, she was a silent protagonist the player could name and customize. But she played a very active role in the final outline, so it was hard not to give her own unique voice when one emerged from the narrative naturally. I am glad I did; she grew on me quite quickly! Grimm was virtually unchanged from beginning to end. The only difference was that a close friend suggested that he seemed like he would be into drinking Oolong tea - so that’s what he offers you when you meet him. Timmy also did not go under massive overhauls like Lavender and Baker did, but his relationship with Lavender became much more fleshed out as I wrote the narrative. In other facets of the game’s design, there were not many changes to the original prototype.

What was your team like at the beginning? How did people join the team? If you don’t have a team, do you wish you had one or do you prefer working alone? *GH: It was just myself, doing the art, writing, programming, etc. But halfway through creating the second cave, I realised I would need a very specific sound for Grimm’s Hollow. So, I contacted Nat for music, but I also created a post on tumblr calling for a composer since there were many tracks to make. I met Bruno as a result! I am very happy with their work and I am so grateful I’ve got to work with them! (Some players are asking for an OST release, which is in the works).

What is the best part of developing a game? *GH: I really enjoyed the early stages of development: creating new tilesets, sprites and maps and piecing them together in the editor, then taking a small screenshot and sharing it with my friend over summer vacation … It was nice to see the game’s world slowly come together. I think that’s what I enjoyed the most from beginning to end: that sense of world-building, that sense of relaxation from making a small cosy game. The latter started to disappear as work and other responsibilities started to intrude, and pressure began to seep into development time - but I never stopped loving making the world and characters. I also want to say that, by lucky chance, I have met a lot of kind people from making my first game. I’m very grateful for that, so thank you to everyone.

Do you find yourself playing other RPG Maker games to see what you can do with the engine, or do you prefer to do your own thing? *GH: All the time! Other RPG Maker 2003 projects are great inspirations for pixel art tilesets, as well as how to code harder features such as custom menus. They’re also just fun to play.

Which character in your game do you relate to the most and why? (Alternatively: Who is your favorite character and why?) *GH: Lavender and Timmy are relatable to me in multiple ways. I can’t elaborate on Timmy since that would go into spoiler territory, but I somewhat relate to Lavender’s insistence on managing her life on her own - sometimes to her own detriment. I’d say the most fun character to write for was Grimm. He can be unintentionally silly while speaking in the most formal way, but also very caring too. Everything he does and says was easy to write, whereas I had to think harder for the interactions between everyone else - especially for very crucial scenes regarding their development. That being said, my favourite is still the game’s central two siblings. I can not pick between them for the life of me.

Looking back now, is there anything that regret/wish you had done differently? *GH: I wish I started testing even earlier! Not only does it give you a good sense of what’s missing, but seeing people enjoy what you’ve made yet get hindered by bugs is a very strong incentive to fix your game immediately. When I was lacking motivation or was stuck, I found that good feedback and support made me motivated again. I also wish that I could have pushed the deadline a little further, or perhaps released the game on Early Access since it will take me a while to refine post-release bugs - but as it is, the 31st of October really was the deadline for my game due to external circumstances (no, that deadline wasn’t just because it was Halloween!). Other than that, I wonder if using an updated version of RPG Maker would have produced the same game …? It’s hard to tell, but I hope people enjoy it for what it is - I will be working on that post-release patch soon!

Do you plan to explore the game’s universe and characters further in subsequent projects, or leave it as-is? *GH: There are no current plans, but I would be happy to have the opportunity to improve and expand on the game. As it is, the game’s released for free and done as a hobby, so I would struggle to do that by myself.

What do you most look forward to now that you have finished the game? *GH: Earlier on, I was really looking forward to players’ reactions. Games are made to be fun, and I would have felt distraught if my game didn’t achieve what it was set out to do. Yet it was not just about the gameplay; it was about the narrative. I hoped that what I found funny, the player would too; what was heartfelt to me, was heartfelt to the player as well. Like sharing a laugh, or just a good experience together. I hoped they would enjoy the feeling that went into it, despite the struggle of making it against circumstance and limitations. Now, I look forward to resting and sleeping once this over. I want to explore my other interests, improve, and explore new media. I want to relax, and refocus again like I was before the heat of development.

Is there something you’re afraid of concerning the development or the release of your game? *GH: Bugs! Some are easy to fix, but others are harder due to the limitations of the engine (e.g an error in one ending is caused by an overflow error).

Do you have any advice for upcoming devs? *GH: Show your game as early as possible, to as many people as possible. As soon as you have something playable, it’s ready for feedback. You’ll see if that game mechanic you spent hours refining works, or if it doesn’t work and why. You’ll understand what players enjoy and what they want more of, but also what they don’t like or don’t enjoy. And you will definitely encounter bugs. You’ll be able to pinpoint and fix minor problems early on that can easily become a larger issue later. You’ll be able to fine-tune your game so its best bits shine, and the difficulty is just right.

Question from last month's featured dev @dead-dreams-dev: Is there anything you’ve added to your game for no other reason than because you’re hoping fans will get a kick out of it? Fanservice, fourth wall breakage, references to other games, jokes, abilities that are just ridiculously overpowered and badass, etc? *GH: It’s hard to say; game design is trying to find the intersection between what’s good for the player, what the developer enjoys, and what’s feasible to implement. Every decision made should be conscious of that … I think a lot of the game’s early light-hearted jokes was not only made because I enjoyed it, but I hoped the player would “get a kick out of it” too. But more so, I think it’s because I would struggle to write a story which is serious and bleak from beginning to end. The game is a little self-indulgent in the narrative that way.

We mods would like to thank ghosthunter & team for agreeing to our interview! We believe that featuring the developer and their creative process is just as important as featuring the final product. Hopefully this Q&A segment has been an entertaining and insightful experience for everyone involved!

Remember to check out Grimm's Hollow if you haven’t already! See you next month!

- Mods Gold & Platinum

#rpgmaker #rpg maker games #indie games #pixel games #rpg #adventure #cute #grimms hollow #grimm's hollow #gotm #game of the month #gotm 2019 #2019 #game of the month 2019 #november #november 2019

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scottymcgeesterwrites · 4 years

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Final Fantasy XV Review

Year: 2016

Original Platform: PlayStation 4

Also available on: PC (Steam), XBox One

Version I Played: PlayStation 4

Here we go. The final Final Fantasy review of the main single-player games. I just want to say, first off, we’ve been waiting for this game since 2006. It took them ten damn years to finally release this game. I clearly remember the teaser trailer they released when it was called Final Fantasy XIII Versus, and my next-door neighbor and I were so hyped for this game when we were freaking teenagers. After years of delays, Square Enix revamped it into Final Fantasy XV.

Did it live up to the wait? Well, read and find out.

Synopsis:

Noctis Lucis Caelum is the heir to the throne of the kingdom of Lucis. On his birthday, he sets off with his three best friends and bodyguards (Ignis, Prompto, Gladio) to marry his betrothed, Lunafreya. The marriage is supposed to be a political one, though Noct and Lunafreya had grown up together and become fond of each other. But peace turns to war as the empire of Niflheim betrays Insomnia and invades. Noct, now on the run, has to reclaim his right to the throne by collecting the necessary family heirlooms which will banish the darkness.

Gameplay:

Open-world Final Fantasy.

That is the big selling point for this game.

A MASSIVE step up from Final Fantasy XIII’s gameplay, Final Fantasy XV has you roaming around and attacking enemies on the field in real time. The battle system returns to something slightly more conventional by having you cast spells and use items. It seems like this is what Square really intended to do after Final Fantasy XII. Looking back, Final Fantasy XIII feels like some prototype before Final Fantasy XII, so it really becomes apparent that Final Fantasy XIII’s gameplay comes off as a huge mistake.

This game’s major’s strength comes from the player engaging with a massive world. You camp. You take on hunts. You take on a bajillion sidequests. You run across the world. You drive across the world. You can ride a chocobo across the world.

However, the dip in the gameplay comes from how easily accessible these sidequests are. The map tells you exactly where you go 24/7. I started to have an existential crisis around my 50th sidequest in a row. Why am I doing this? What’s the point? I go here to kill a thing, or go there to help someone by giving a potion or taking a picture. You start to realize that a good bulk of sidequests are either hunting daemons or fetching an item. You start to deconstruct the meaning of playing a video game as you think to yourself, “Why do I play video games?” while also thinking “But wait, one more and then I swear I’m done.”.

I get it, not everyone has the time nowadays to figure out a huge game like this. I get it, video games are now marketed to everyone for ease. At the same time, I personally love a good challenge. I mean, I’m the guy who has Dark Souls as one of his favorite video games of all time, so my opinion on the matter might definitely be skewered compared to most. I generally want to feel like I actually figured something out by myself rather than following a tracker on the screen and walking from task to task and then saying, “Okay done. Next.”.

Too much of that and playing a video game starts to feel like a 9 to 5 job to me. This game is great to play during quarantine, but at one point I saw playing this game as feeling like an actual job. Wake up, eat breakfast, time to hunt some daemons.

This is the growing conflict some people have with story-driven games versus open-world games. I see the argument focused too much on words like “linear”, but in reality we should be talking about “automation”. If a video game is too automated, then did you really play a video game? Or did you watch a movie that allows you to control the camera angle? At first, the idea of driving around an open-world Final Fantasy game sounds amazing. Isn’t that what fans always dreamed of? In reality, you don’t really drive around at your leisure. Even when you have the car set to “manual”, you can’t speed up, drive off-road, or pull off a sick drift like in The Fast and the Furious. Your car still automatically stays on the road wherever you’re going. It’s not so much “manual” as it is “I can control where and when to stop and which road to take”. Riding chocobos at your leisure is much more fun, but becomes increasingly impractical as you can just fast-travel to necessary locations in your car.

The sights and sounds of the fictional world of Eos are enough to gloss over these shortcomings though. It IS still fun to roam around and fight monsters and save the day. My bottom line is, “You don’t think about just how mindless the tasks are unless you keep playing for many days straight.”. And I poured hours into this game day after day because of the 2020 pandemic quarantine.

Graphics:

Obviously the best thus far. However, in-game facial expressions on the NPCs are still quite stilted and awkward. This game made me realize that we’ve yet to jump a hurdle when it comes to in-game graphics. The game is so polished but there are still limitations when it comes to giving the characters natural movements, both in body and lips. So an NPC could be shouting “WOW THAT’S AMAZING!” but have a straight face jumping up and down, despite the fact that the character model is the most realistic we’ve created so far in a video game. I was looking back at in-game cutscenes of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, and found it ironic that they can portray body movements so much better, but that’s the trade-off. Less graphics power to portray realistic bodies, but the graphics power can then be allocated to focus on natural movements. Nowadays, all the graphics power is focused on making things look good, but that hardly leaves room for making things move naturally.

Story:

After the overly-complicated plotline of Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy XV feels like a breath of fresh air. On the surface, it’s a straightforward tale of a boy seeking to become a king after his father is brutally murdered by enemy forces. The bromance between the young king and his bodyguards is endearing. Each character feels distinct and genuinely makes you laugh. The setup sounds like prime real estate for an emotionally charged storyline.

Unfortunately, it falls apart somewhere around the last quarter. What should have been a strong and straightforward story turned into a rushed, hasty mess by the final act.

The story started SO strong, they practically had it in the bag, but then it became apparent that many important elements were glossed over - especially when it came to the main villain. I realized that some things required me to read between the lines, or even were only explained in character dossiers in the archive section of the menu. Supposedly, the movie Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV explains more, but do you really expect me to have to watch a separate movie to understand the actual game? The final quarter of the story feels like someone was trying to finish NaNoWriMo, realized they were running out of time, and quickly jumped from scene to scene to reach that 50k word goal. The ten-year time-skip is a joke. The final chapter is sorely disappointing.

The ending was appropriate though, and even beautiful. However, the overall story didn’t have the necessary emotional weight to really make me feel anything. I thought to myself, “I feel like I should be tearing up but instead I feel nothing.”. Even Final Fantasy XII, which lacked a romance, had me swelling up at the end. Final Fantasy XV didn’t make me swell up until literally the last few seconds of the post-credits scene.

People complained about the advertising (Coleman, Cup Noodles) but that didn’t bother me.

What does bother me is the lack of variety in the main cast, and in numerous ways. There were so many interesting side characters that didn’t receive much screen time, or use at all in the story. The strong focus on only the four male leads made it a sausagefest. I was craving more out of Aranea Highwind and Iris Amicitia. They are important but don’t get any screen time at all in the final chapter, nor do we ever hear from them ever again after the time-skip. Aranea Highwind was such a cool character, but once again ends up being wasted potential.

The main cast lacked distinctive styles. When I first saw the main cast, I had a hard time telling them apart. They looked like a k-pop band. Compare the main cast of Final Fantasy XV to literally any other Final Fantasy main cast and you can immediately spot the difference.

The four main leads do have distinct personalities, and I quite loved hearing their comments and banter. It felt realistic, but at times it became ridiculous. I rolled my eyes when Prompto would say things like, “Hashtag sorry not sorry.” That was a bit too on the nose, and came off as Square trying to pander to the current generation.

But what really rubbed me the wrong way is the incredible lack of non-white characters in the entire game. Lestallum feels so wrong to me as a Hispanic. Lestallum is supposed to be modeled after Havana, Cuba.

Its music, its buildings, its activities. It has a tropical climate, and yet every single denizen is pale white. Every. Single. One. I am not exaggerating. It feels so absolutely wrong walking around that city and not seeing anyone with the slightest shade of brown. This isn’t some uncalled-for SJW rant, it’s a simple fact. Tropical climates breed tanner skins. My brain naturally did a double-take when seeing the all-white population, saying, “Hmmm, something’s wrong here.”. For God’s sake, Final Fantasy XII, made over a decade earlier, did a better job at displaying the various nuances in skin tones, and that was on the PlayStation 2! Final Fantasy X, even older, seemed to properly portray tropical beach populations, inspired by the Philippines, with the character Wakka.

I noticed that they really took the time to incorporate elements from virtually every single Final Fantasy game. Aside from the crystals, the modern settings, and other obvious elements, four male leads are reminiscent of Final Fantasy III, the sinister chancellor hearkens back to Kefka from Final Fantasy VI, the enemy Yojimbo resembles Final Fantasy X’s version of Yojimbo, a certain boss battle reminded me of Cid Raines from Final Fantasy XIII.

Also, there’s Dino. Quite possibly the most annoying Final Fantasy NPC ever.

The overly obnoxious Italian stereotype made me want to punch his face, and also took me out of the experience of the fictional world. Every time you spoke with him he's all like "HEY HOW YOU DOIN WELCOME TO OLIVE GARDEN YOU TALKIN TO ME BADA BING BADA BOOM SPICY PIECE OF MEATBALL CAPISCE? AMIRITE??"

Square seemed to treat this game as a milestone in the series, alluding to everything the series ever did. It’s a shame that the story itself wasn’t quite up to snuff to be held in such regard.

Music:

The game’s major lyrical song is copyrighted, which is a first for a Final Fantasy game. It makes sense why they chose the song “Stand by Me”, both in literal and figurative terms of the story.

The score to this game is quite fantastic. The series has its first female composer, Yoko Shimomura. I have absolutely no complaints about the music. Nobuo Uematsu didn’t even pop into my head during the entire game. It’s the first time since Uematsu’s departure that I felt immersed in the score. The motifs are distinct and strong. The battle music is vibrant and an orchestral orgasm to listen to.

Notable Theme:

“Somnus”

youtube

The main theme of the game. It plays right away in the main menu. I love how it is incorporated into the rest of the score, and my brain kept wanting to hear it to its completion.

Direct Sequel?

Nope. However, there is downloadable content that fills in the gap of events within the game. Supposedly, Final Fantasy XV is loosely connected to Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy Type-O, all sharing common themes and possibly set in the same universe. You can also watch the prequel movie, Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV.

Did it Live up to the Hype?

Eh.

Yes, and no.

It was cool to play around, but the rest is a flaccid attempt at being a notable entry in the series “for fans and first-timers”, as the words proudly display every time you load the game. It’s not the worst in the series, but certainly not the best. It’s somewhere in the mid-to-low tier.

#final fantasy #final fantasy xv #square enix #ps4 #fantasy #fantasy rpg #rpg video game #rpg #video games #onvideogames #noctis #ignis scientia #prompto argentum #gladiolus amicitia #aranea highwind

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sortavibing · 4 years

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hiii (◕ᴗ◕✿) can i request for a match-up for the haikyuu boys? i'm a 4"10 girl with wavy black-brown hair that reaches my waist! my eyes are black brown too, & my skin tone ranges from tan to fair! i am also asian! ｡◕‿◕｡ i am quite thicc (yes thicc) but i am toned! i'm an enfp but despite my extraversion, i can be quite shy around new people and i can be a bit distant, too! i have a sharp sense of wit & humor, i can be talkative but i'm not boisterous i guess (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧ i do have a talent for reading people & the situation tho! when i do feel comfortable, that's when i can get talkative! i can snap back sarcastically if the situation calls for it or if i feel like it but other times, i'm pretty chill. i do not have a concrete aesthetic (◕દ◕) i'm fine with sporty, athletic aesthetics & street fashion, i'm cool with cottagecore & looking dainty, sometimes i dress in a 90s style, whatever goes according to my mood! i'm not very athletic bc i never took up sports although i've been told to do so before. i've been told i'm very smart & talented, gifted even, but ig i'm burnt out HAHAHA point is, i'm not a very bookish person but i'm definitely not dumb either 😌 my hobbies include watching anime, listening to music, playing games, and napping! in a relationship, i can get confident but tbh i am screaming internally HAHHA usually, in my relationships, i'm the louder one! i am very tolerant and am usually the one to adjust to my S/O! i am very sensitive but i usually won't say anything to my S/O if they did something wrong. i'm a huge sucker for soft, pure relationships but also SPICY ones (人 •͈ᴗ•͈) if it helps, my type of guy is usually the strong silent one, the socially selective one, or the really cocky, sarcastic one! i'm also lowkey a sucker for height differences teehee

(ps i kin oikawa! yes we both have issues about inferiority & superiority & we can become narcissistic to hide our insecurities,, bonus: i'm a burnt out A+ student)

pt.2 of request: hii (◕ᴗ◕✿) same girl here! the 4"10 asian enfp! i'd like to add i have strong facial features too! i have long eyelashes but they're not noticeable so i look like i don't have them ಠ︵ಠ i have thick eyebrows, thick lips, & deep set hazel eyes! i wear glasses! when i wear them, i look very scholarly & soft but i've been told that without them, i look kinda bitchy & intimidating HAHAHA

hello! thank you for requesting! please the gifted kid burnout is real for me😐ahaha i should be studying for a social studies test and writing a la essay but whatever i’d rather do this. anyways, here’s your matchup!

i match you up with atsumu!

this man is the cocky sarcastic person you are looking for :) he will never give up an opportunity to make a shady comment that is really obviously shady, and he KNOWS he’s really good at volleyball, and he will not hesitate to offhandedly mention it in a conversation. just the vibes atsumu gives off radiate that “i know i’m better than you” energy, but it doesn’t mean he’s disrespectful or anything, he just knows he’s hot shit and he isn’t afraid to say it.

he loves to show you off to his friends, because he wants the whole world to know that he was able to get such a beautiful girlfriend, and he also wants osamu to never forget that he got a s/o before him. atsumu will always compliment you whenever you guys are out in public, because he just wants you to know how amazing you are.

atsumu is really clingy, and he is a big fan of pda, so if you are comfortable, he will always be around you, with his arm wrapped around you shoulder, waist, or holding your hand, because he loves being around you, and if he’s able to do it whenever he wants, that’s an added plus. he will always ask before he does anything more touchy, like kissing, because we stan a man who asks for consent😌

every couple of weeks you guys binge an anime together, and the entire time atsumu will make comments about what he would’ve done, or how much he hates a character. you guys have gotten into many playful arguments over anime plots and fight scenes, and they almost always end in you hitting him with a pillow, and then atsumu playfully tackling you until you have to surrender.

you guys also really like to play video games with each other, and atsumu’s favorite game to play with is super smash bros, because you guys get really competitive, and sometimes even bet things on who you guys think will win. atsumu may or may not lose on purpose just to see you smile when you beat him :)

when you and atsumu nap together, atsumu likes to be the big spoon, and he always likes to play soft music while you guys just talk about whatever until you guys fall asleep. atsumu also likes when he is laying on his back, and you lay on your stomach on top of him, and he runs his fingers through your hair while humming along to the music.

he will make dirty jokes in public to see how you will react, and if you do react, he will keep on doing it until you get mad at him. if you fire back with a dirty joke, he will just stop midsentence in surprise, and then quickly rethink his life and stop talking. for the rest of the convo, he will be in a slight state of shock, because he thought he was the dirtier of you guys, but then you proved him wrong.

before he met you, atsumu had bad music taste- like he only listened to trap remixes and the wii menu theme, but once you introduced him to your favorite songs, he quickly became hooked and started sharing the same taste as you. he still likes the wii music though, so if you guys are listening to his playlist, it will randomly pop up, and he will quckly skip it, and pretend that he doesn’t like the song. (ok but it’s a bop tho🤠)

he really likes when you come to his volleyball games, so for a few days leading up to a game, he will offhandedly mention it, until you offer to come, and then he’ll pretend that it was your idea, while poorly masking his excitement. once he sees you at the game, he will immediately point you out to his teammates, and whenever he performs a good serve or set, he will look at you and wink.

overall, you guys are a couple that can really act like themselves around each other, and you guys aren’t afraid of what the other will think of them. people envy you guys for your chaotic energy and care for each other, and atsumu thinks you are so pretty and smart, so he is sure to remind you about this every chance he gets.

i hope you enjoyed!

#haikyuu #haikyuu matchups #haikyu #atsumu #atsumu miya #atsumu headcanons #atsumu imagines #atsumu x you #haikyuu!!#haikyuu headcanons #haikyuu imagines #haikyu headcanons #haikyu imagines

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thejollyroger-writer · 5 years

Text

Heart and Soul - Part 2

SUMMARY: Private music teacher Killian Jones wakes one morning to the sound of his ten year old neighbor playing the bane of his existence: the recorder. In order to keep his sanity, he offers to teach Henry to play any other instrument – though partially because it means he gets to spend more time with Henry’s mother, Emma Swan.

READ PART ONE: ao3 // tumblr // // PART TWO ON AO3

TW: mentions of alcoholism, abusive parents, backstory that goes a little deeper than necessary -- you know, the things I do best, apparently.

a/n: This fic was inspired by waking up one morning over the summer to hear my neighbor playing the trumpet – though, thankfully, Sam is a much better musician than a beginner recorder-player. I complained about it on discord, and bam! this story appeared, a joint effort between myself and Meredith (@captainsjedi) . Even though she was unable to help me finish it because of her busy work schedule, her ideas are riddled through the story, not to mention the incredible art she made for it.

Thanks to @csconcertseries and @clockadile, who gave me a reason to finish this story! It feels really good to actually finish something that I’ve been working on in the midst of the chaos of the world right now, so even though the event was a month ago, I’m still super thankful for the opportunity.

-- -- --

Waking up to a message from Tink Greene on an October Thursday morning is one of the last things he expected, not having spoken to her besides the friendly neighborhood hellos since he broke off their dalliance the previous spring.

The contents of the message are even more of a surprise:

I've been hearing Henry Swan play in one of the practice rooms, and I think he would make a great addition to our student showcase for the Winter concert. He told me you've been teaching him, which explains a lot. Do you think you and he could work together on something by the beginning of December for him to play?

Of course, the first thing he wants to do is share the news with Emma. He should probably shower first. And maybe actually answer Tink.

I think that’s a grand idea. Henry has shown more growth than some of my adult students. Could you get me a song in the next week or so?

Her response comes rather quickly, given the original message was from two hours before, but he imagines there’s not much for the elementary music teacher to do all day. I’m thinking either First Noel or Hark the Herald Angels. It depends on which the recorder students are better at. He also may play it with a beginner violin student, Violet, who’s doing exceptionally well. I think he knows her.

He wonders if this is the same Violet from his soccer team, the one the boy has brought up a few times in conversation — but Tink doesn’t need to know that. Hell, he probably shouldn’t even know that, though he’s thankful that Henry trusts him enough to update him on his life during their lessons or some of the nights Killian finds himself staying for dinner.

But he still needs a response. Thanks again for those recorder students, by the way. I turned down a whole dozen of them within the first two weeks of school, the infernal instrument.

When Tink only responds with a few emojis — he tosses his phone back on the bed and pulls himself up, wondering if he is too late to meet Emma for her morning run.

So he texts her. Because that’s something they’re doing now, after her inviting him to some of Henry’s games and his joining them for dinner most nights after Henry’s lessons. It wouldn’t even be the first time she has allowed him to join her on her morning run, invited him into her place of safety and security.

(He would like to think of himself as a relatively fit human, but even he will admit that three miles, Emma’s regular distance, is a little much for him to start with, though he has been working on it more and more.)

Is it too late for me to join in on the day’s physical activities?

Even he is surprised by the pounding of his heart in his chest as he rummages through his drawers to try to find his athletic shorts, waiting for her answer, hoping for a positive.

The soft ding of her response almost causes him to jump out of his skin. Just getting ready to go, actually. I’ll meet you outside?

Perfect, is all he needs to say, splashing some cold water in his face as he stares at himself in the mirror. He doesn’t even realize the strong grip he has on the edge of the sink until he lets go to reach for his toothbrush.

“Christ, Killian,” he mumbles to himself, shaking his head as he runs his toothbrush under the water. It’s only a run.

But his nerves don’t disappear. If anything, they only grow exponentially, and by the time he meets her on the sidewalk outside her house, he is almost shaking from the adrenaline.

Good thing they’re going for a run, exerting this pent-up energy. He may even be able to keep up with her the whole time.

He spends the first block trying to figure out how to bring up his exciting news. And the second. But when she starts to slow down, asks him how his week has gone, he can’t keep it in any longer.

“Henry’s music teacher asked me this morning if I thought he should perform in the winter showcase.”

He can sense her excitement almost immediately, even before she slows to a stop, wiping the smooth sheen of sweat off her forehead with the bottom of her t-shirt before turning to him, the smile on her face making the physical exertion worth it. “And?”

“Of course I agreed. I know I’ve told you before, love, but your son is a very talented musician.”

She is still for a moment, looking somewhere over his shoulder, before she nods, gesturing for them to continue. “So, what, would it be a solo? Or would he be playing something with you?”

“Actually, Tink mentioned asking one of the girls in his class to play with him. A violinist, I think.”

“I wonder if it’s the same girl from his soccer team. He told me they met in orchestra, and I think that’s what she plays.”

“Violet, right? That’s what Tink said”

“Yeah, I think so. He’s got a bit of a crush, if you ask me, but don’t say anything to him about it.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it, love.”

“That’s so exciting, though. The kid deserves some excitement, with all the shit his dad is putting him through.”

At first, Killian isn’t sure that Emma even meant to say it, if they’re at that point in their friendship where she shares things like this with him.

“You know he’s trying to move away? Something about his dad giving him a job in the city, a corner highrise apartment, a position as a big shot in his company, when Neal can’t even manage to get his child support in on time every month.”

Now he really doesn’t know what to say — but she continues anyway.

“I try not to say anything bad about him around Henry, but my god, he just makes it so fucking difficult.”

Killian can’t help the chuckle that pushes through his lips. “I would assume my mum would have said the same about my father, if she ever had the chance.”

A moment too late, he realizes that it’s only the second time he’s mentioned his father, the only other being the first time they really talked when they shared lunch in her kitchen.

She doesn’t answer. He counts the time ticking away by their footsteps on the pavement, by the pounding of his heart in his chest.

She says nothing. They go almost a full block, slowing only to make sure they’re safe to cross the street.

He doesn’t know what he did. He doesn’t know what to do. So he just focuses on the pounding of his shoes against the pavement. Left, right, left, right.

“Sorry, I…” she says finally, the words going nowhere, but he feels the warmth of her fingers around his wrist, pulling him to a stop. “Can we go get lunch? Maybe that little place on Main Street? I know that’s not our regular route, it’s a little far out of the way, but—”

“Sure, love,” he says, not even needing to hear the rest of what she’s trying to say. Whatever it is, he will give her the time she needs to tell him — but there are more appropriate places for these sorts of conversations than on the sidewalk.

She asks the waitress for a table in the back, further away from the door and the line of regulars sitting at the bar, spending what feels like hours looking over the menu before the waitress returns with their drinks and to take their order. All she orders is a bowl of soup, Killian strangely in the mood for one of their salads, but the silence between them only returns when the waitress leaves their table.

Killian doesn’t mind, really. She decided that she wanted to tell him something, unlock some of the secrets of her past, which is more than he could have asked for.

“I was, uh, found outside an orphanage when I was just a few days old.”

Okay, it’s certainly not what he expected. It’s far more personal than he expected — but she’s telling him, and that’s the important part.

“I have no idea who my parents are, anything about my family, only that they wanted to name me Emma.”

Pausing, she takes a deep breath. A sip of her water. Her eyes don’t leave the spot on the table that they’re glued to.

He doesn’t mind.

“I was in and out of fosters for most of my childhood, and that’s how I met David. His mother was my last-ditch effort when I was seventeen, and if she didn’t work, I was going to be on my own. But, thankfully, she was an angel on this earth, and I spent a good few years with her, even after I aged out and as I went to college. I still think that’s why I kept coming back to Storybrooke, because it was the only place that felt like home, especially after everything that happened with Neal, except now he wants to leave Henry even more, move hours away to the city and see his own son even less than he does now.”

Still, Killian stays silent. If he’s honest with himself, he really doesn’t know what to say in the first place, and he gets the feeling that there aren’t very many people who just let Emma talk.

He will gladly be the one as often as she gives him the opportunity.

“Does Henry know that he’s trying to leave yet?”

She scoffs, looking up at him for a moment. Just a moment.

“I told him he had to be the one to tell Henry, to answer all of his questions. That he wasn’t allowed to just up and leave. But that doesn’t mean he’s not going to do it anyway.”

“I know it might not be want you want to hear, love, but sometimes it’s better for the parent to just up and leave if that’s what they need to do. He’ll still have to get you child support, no matter where he is.”

“Are you speaking from experience?”

He doesn’t even know how to read her voice. She doesn’t sound upset, per say, but there’s definitely something much deeper than just curiosity.

“It’s just what my mother used to say, that we’d probably be better off without him than with him. But I can only hope that Neal is nowhere near the terror that Brennan Jones was.”

She nods, the very corner of her lips ticking up for just a moment. Says nothing.

And then it hits him: “Though, I suppose having a terrible dad around is something compared to having no one, no matter how much you may wish he wasn’t there.”

“Jackpot,” she mumbles. “But as hard as it is to admit, Neal really isn’t a terrible person. He can even be a good dad, when he tries to be, and Henry really looks up to him, which I don’t think he realizes. I just don’t understand how he can choose a job over his own son.”

“Granted, I don’t have the pleasure of offspring yet, but I would like to believe that I would feel the same as you do.”

Finally, she smiles. Actually makes eye contact with him. Warms his heart a few degrees. Just as the waitress brings their food.

Henry practically perfects the song — The First Noel — before Thanksgiving break, a whole three weeks before the concert. Killian even reaches out to Violet’s parents to offer to have them practice together in his studio instead of after hours at the school — or at either of their houses, which is a move that both Emma and Violet’s parents appreciate.

(Plus, with Henry taking the lead on their rehearsals, it gives him more time to sit in the corner of the studio, talking with Emma.)

They’ve built up a fine friendship since the first day of school, adding more weekly dinners as a trio, with Killian even joining Emma’s gym to work out with her with the weather getting colder.

Killian would even go so far as to say Emma and her lad have become a regular part of her life, though he still didn’t expect the day when she asked him out, sitting across the table from her brother and next to her at the Thanksgiving dinner table.

(What was different about this time? He had been to dinners with them, had spent time alone with Emma, but there was something about this that was different. He would be willing to bet it was the setting, the pressure of the situation.)

“So, Henry, your mom told me about your solo in the winter concert!” Mary Margaret says excitedly, trying to find a subject that Henry can take part in, since most of Emma and David’s conversation has centered around work.

Killian turns to the boy, seated at the far end of the table, just in time to watch his face light up in a smile. “Technically, it’s a duet, me and this one girl in my class, Violet —”

“The one from your soccer team? With the purple streaks in her hair?” David asks, the rest of the table watching Henry’s face turn bright red.

"Oh!" Mary Margaret practically squeals, which makes every eye at the table turn towards her, which Killian is sure Henry is thankful for — until she continues. “Do you have a crush on her?”

Henry sighs, his eyes falling back to his plate as his cheeks continue to turn as red as his shirt. Instead of answering Mary Margaret’s question, he says, “You know, I never understood why that’s what they call it.” His voice is small, incredibly embarrassed, as he swirls his fork around his pile of mashed potatoes. “Why is it a crush?”

Emma laughs, gently setting her hand on her son’s shoulder. “Aw, come on, you don’t have to embarrass him,” she jokes.

“Well, then,” David says, setting his fork down on his plate so he can cross his arms across his chest. “Should we talk about your little crush instead?”

“David!” both Mary Margaret and Emma say at the same time, and Killian can’t keep the heat from rushing to his face.

Why are you embarrassed, you idiot? he asks himself, trying his best to keep his thoughts off his face. They’re not even talking about you.

Unless… they are.

He almost doesn’t allow himself to even think it. Because it’s insane to even assume it.

And then Emma rolls her eyes.

Looks at him.

Pulls her bottom lip up between her teeth.

Blushes deeper.

Shit. Shit, shit, shit.

He tries to act like he missed her look, turns his attention down to his plate of food, but he’s sure it doesn’t work.

“Why can we bring up Henry’s and embarrass the poor boy, but I can’t do the same to my sister?” David asks, a wide grin spread across his face. Without even meaning to, Killian’s gaze rises, meeting David’s from across the table.

David winks.

Shit.

“You’re at least going to his concert together, right?” David asks, the same smirk still covering his features.

“I mean, we hadn’t really discussed it, but—” Emma starts, but Henry cuts her off:

“You mean, like a date?”

“No,” both Killian and Emma try at the same time, but it doesn’t work.

Mary Margaret’s poker face falters, turning into a grin that seems to brighten her already-shining aura. David somehow looks even more smug, though Killian wouldn’t have thought it possible.

And Emma, whose gaze Killian is very purposefully avoiding, is turning redder by the moment.

He’s sure he is, too.

(Because he desperately wants it to be a date.)

The next three weeks pass in a bit of a blur, between the holiday drunks that Emma has to deal with at the station and the last-minute lessons before recitals and concerts. It feels like the blink of an eye between their conversation at Mary Margaret and David’s thanksgiving dinner and Killian knocking on the door of the Swan’s house, making sure his light blue shirt is tucked into his dark jeans as he waits for someone to let him in. The waistcoat may have been a little more than necessary for an elementary school concert, sure, but there was talk before of Neal taking Henry and some of his friends for ice cream, giving Emma and Killian a chance to go out for dinner together.

Maybe even like a date, he allows himself to think.

It’s Emma that opens the door, and when he sees the same red dress that he remembers from last year’s concert, he’s glad he decided to go with the waistcoat — he would have been undoubtedly under-dressed without it.

Because, damn is she perfect, her golden hair falling softly over her shoulders and her lips a shade of red almost as vibrant as her dress. He tries his best to hide it, but his breath gets trapped in his chest.

She smiles. “Hey.”

Fuck, fuck, fuck, Killian, speak. He clears his throat. “Uh, hi. Is the lad almost ready?”

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” Henry yells from just out of Killian’s sight, most likely from around the corner in the living room.

“How are you feeling, Henry?” Killian asks just as he comes around the corner, the bowtie of his suit unbuttoned but otherwise looking incredibly dapper from his gelled-back hair to the tips of his polished dress shoes.

He shrugs. “A little nervous, I guess, but that’s normal, right?”

Killian smiles. “Aye. Completely normal. But I know you’re going to be exceptional.”

At this, Henry smiles, slipping past Killian and out the front door. “Thanks. Now let’s go!”

Emma fiddles with her nails when she’s nervous. This is something Killian learns very quickly, sitting beside her in one of the front rows of the auditorium, especially after having noticed it in the car on the way here. It doesn’t distract him, per se; instead, it gives him something to focus on instead of his own nerves, the shaking of his leg, chewing on his bottom lip.

“He’s going to do great,” Mary Margaret says from the other side of Emma, probably sensing her nervousness the same way.

“Oh, I’m sure he is,” Emma says, never taking her eyes off of the index finger she is focused on. “I just—” she lets out her breath through pursed lips, turning to look over her shoulder to where Neal is sitting at the end of the row behind them. Killian follows her gaze there, only to watch his attention turn from the cell phone in his hand to the watch on his wrist. “He wants to tell Henry tonight, that he’s accepted his father’s job offer. He leaves at the end of the month, but I told him he wasn’t allowed to ruin Henry’s concert by telling him before it. I can’t really even argue with it, he at least listened to what I told him.”

“Oh, Emma,” Mary Margaret mutters, setting one of her hands on top of Emma’s, which halts her ability to pick at the skin around her index finger.

“I’ve always been surprised he stuck around this long in the first place,” David— helpfully— adds, arms crossed over his chest.

Killian can feel the daggers that Mary Margaret shoots at her husband when she turns to him.

Emma manages to let out a single, breathy laugh, shaking her head. “You’re right, though, David. I never expected him to stay around after we broke up, so the fact that he’s waited this long is a bit of a miracle.”

“That’s not going to make it any easier for Henry, though,” Mary Margaret comments.

Emma just shrugs, but when she goes to respond, the house lights quickly dim to black, the spotlight shining on Belle French, the school librarian and interim principal, standing at the podium. In moments, the entire room is hushed.

“Thank you all for coming out tonight,” she says, the gooseneck mic only catching the last few words, the auditorium humming with low feedback. “As you all know, we here in Storybrooke love to do all we can to ensure students have the opportunities to practice the arts they choose, and music is at the core of this. Every year, we are proud to hold this showcase for our elementary students, giving them the opportunity to show off their talents to the community, as well as our elementary band and orchestra groups, who have all been practicing regularly since at least the beginning of the year. To open our concert for tonight, we have the elementary orchestra group, led by our music teacher, Miss Tink Greene.”

The auditorium fills with applause as the spotlight fades away and the curtains open to reveal a stage full of musicians, smiling out at their families and friends in the audience. When Emma turns her attention to Killian out of the corner of her eye, the smile spread across his face conjures one of her own. He looks so proud, with many of the students on the stage students of his own.

Halfway through the second song, Mary Margaret leans towards Emma, setting her hand on her arm. “I always forget just how awful elementary orchestra concerts are,” she whispers.

Emma lets out a light laugh, nodding. “Like, I’m glad Henry found something he enjoys doing, don’t get me wrong, but listening to him play a botched song on a piano and listening to a bunch of them play half-tuned violins are two different worlds.”

“Swan,” Killian whispers, his eyes never leaving the stage, even as he reaches over to set his hand on her arm. “Shush.”

Even as she rolls her eyes, Emma can’t help but smile at him. But she also can’t help herself from leaning closer to Mary Margaret and whispering, “Killian wants us to stop talking.”

He doesn’t even try to hide his sigh, but he doesn’t move to respond to her.

He leaves his hand on her arm, though.

Neither of them seem to care. Neither of them make a move.

The second song comes to an end, and they quickly begin the third — the final song, Emma is relieved to hear.

They’re followed by a blonde girl in a bright red shirt and black slacks, who plays “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” on her cello; a small group of students introduced as the “elementary jazz band” who play a somewhat-recognizable jazzy rendition of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”; and a trio that plays “I Saw Three Ships” in a round on their flute, clarinet, and violin.

Killian, of course, knows many of them, whispering things like, “Her mother tried to ask me out during one of our lessons,” and “They have the cutest little dog that really likes to lick my legs when they bring it with to pick him up,” when they are introduced.

(Emma wonders what Killian would say about her if he were whispering to someone else.)

And then next up is Henry. When the curtain opens, she doesn’t realize that she has changed her grip to holding Killian’s hand in her own — or, at least, one of them moved to hold the hand of the other — until she feels the way he straightens his shoulders, sucks in a breath between his teeth. But when she turns to him, taking her eyes away from her son, getting ready to perform, for just a moment, he meets her eyes.

Smiles.

Winks.

(The bastard.)

And turns back to the stage.

She’s glad they’re in a darkened auditorium, because she feels the way her face warms at the realization, hopes that Mary Margaret can’t hear the pounding in her chest that is only silenced when Henry starts to play, Violet playing along with him.

It’s much better than the sound of the full orchestra, Emma notices almost immediately, or any of the other groups that have played. It at least doesn’t sound like a bunch of screaming, dying animals.

Just sitting there watching him, she is overwhelmed by a sense of pride, something that washes over her like a wave as his fingers move perfectly across the piano keys. (Sure, it might not be completely perfect, maybe a handful of notes a little off between the two of them, but Emma doesn’t care.)

Killian turns to her, just slightly, if only because he knows just how bright the smile spread across her face has to be.

(He’s right.)

It warms him. It makes his heart pound in his chest, just how happy her happiness makes him. Of course, that’s not the point of taking on dedicated students like Henry, but if one of the perks of being able to share the joy of music with the lad is spending time with (falling absolutely head over heels for) his mother, he will certainly be the last to complain.

But, in looking over at her, he also happens to glance over her shoulder, where Neal is still sitting at the end of the aisle behind them.

Not even looking at the stage, his cell phone still in his hand.

Over the shoulders of Emma and Mary Margaret, David makes eye contact with him, raising one of his eyebrows in question, which Killian only responds to by nodding in Neal’s direction. David turns around, and Killian can tell by the rise and fall of his shoulders that he sighs. When he turns towards Killian again, he rolls his eyes.

The last group to play is the elementary band, who proves to be much easier on the ears than the orchestra. It’s not very large, just a dozen or so students spread across the three rows of chairs, with three percussionists standing in front of various instruments at the back of the stage.

And then, after the first song, out come the recorders.

It appears Emma spoke (thought?) too soon, trying her best not to wince through their rendition of “Jolly Old Saint Nicholas,” thankfully aided by some of the other band members to make it somewhat less terrible — but by a very small margin.

(Killian, however, does not have the same self-control, and every scrunch of his face is paired with the tightening of his hand, which still happens to be wrapped around Emma’s — though neither of them are complaining.)

The first words out of Neal’s mouth, while everyone else praises his performance, are, “You ready to get out of here, kid?”

The question is met with a glare from the rest of the group, all except Henry who just looks confused.

“Aren’t we taking some of my friends? We have to wait for them.”

Neal sighs, looking at his watch. “Well, can you rally them together? I have to be up early tomorrow so I don’t want to be out too late.”

“If you want us to, David and I would be willing to take Henry instead,” Mary Margaret says, her grip on David’s hand tightening to stop him from reacting.

Henry doesn’t answer, just turns his attention up at Neal, as if waiting to see how he responds.

He grinds his teeth together. “No, of course I’ll take him, I just — it’s been a long week and I’m a little exhausted.”

“I’m gonna go find Avery and Violet,” Henry says, obviously a little let down by Neal’s response, before walking away from the group — and, now that he’s gone, Emma allows herself to finally respond to him.

“I can’t believe you!”

Neal just rolls his eyes. Killian feels his jaw tighten, and David crosses his arms across his chest.

“God, Emma, just stop overreacting. You all knew this was going to happen someday, even Henry.”

“That doesn’t mean you have to tell him today. He just had his first performance, his first solo, and all he wants from you is for you to be proud of him, not to hear that you’re moving away.”

“Listen, you told me I had to wait until after the concert. The concert is over.”

“You know damn well this isn’t what I meant!” Emma moves to lunge towards him, but Killian catches her arm, holding her back.

“Not here, love,” he whispers. For a moment, Emma’s eyes are wide with anger, but when they meet his, they soften, and she nods.

Neal scoffs. “You want to call me out for being inappropriate, yet here you are, dating Henry’s music teacher.”

Mary Margaret rolls her eyes.

We’re not dating. Killian feels the words on the tip of his tongue, but he bites them back — this is neither the time nor the place, and besides—

“That’s none of your damn business, first of all,” Emma bites. "I will kiss and date and sleep with whoever the hell I want to, you have no say in it anymore."

"You slept with him?!"

"Again, it's none of your business whether I did or not, Neal. That's the point. God, I don’t have the patience to deal with you right now. Just make sure Henry gets to soccer practice on time tomorrow, please.”

“Now you’re going to tell me how to be his dad? Like I haven’t been doing it for ten years?”

Killian has a feeling that if his hand weren’t still wrapped around Emma’s wrist, she would have lunged again.

“Come on, Emma, let’s go,” David says, stepping between them. “He’s not worth it,” he whispers.

Still, Emma doesn’t move.

Killian tugs on her hand. “Come on, love.”

She takes a breath, apparent by the rise and fall of her shoulders, before she nods, finally turning back to face him.

“Yeah. Okay.”

They find Henry in the music room behind the auditorium, gathering his belongings. “Hey, kid,” Emma calls, walking towards him. “We’re gonna head out, okay?”

He whips around, stopping in the middle of his conversation with Avery. “Okay!” He rushes across the music room to wrap his arms around Emma’s middle. “Thanks again for coming!”

“Of course we came, lad,” Killian says, mussing his hair with a smile.

“We wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Mary Margaret chirps from behind them.

“But you have fun with your dad, alright?” Emma says. “Want me to take your dress shoes home?”

“I don’t want to stay at dad’s tonight, I want to come home with you.”

“Henry, come on, we talked about this already. Your dad asked for you to stay there tonight even though it’s not his night, and you have practice in the morning anyway. Please?”

Suddenly, his eyes light up. “Why? Are you two going on a date?”

David scoffs. Mary Margaret laughs, quickly covering her mouth with her hand. Killian is useless against the drop of his jaw. But it’s Emma’s answer that Henry laughs at: “What? No, come on, we’re—we’re—” she stutters.

Henry puts his hands on his hips, his eyebrows high on his forehead. Killian recognizes the look immediately; he’s gotten the exact look from Emma before, on quite a few occasions.

“I can assure you, lad, I’m just taking your mother home.”

This time, it’s David who laughs, just a single bark — but it’s all Killian needs to really hear what he has just said, and he quickly feels as heat rises to the tips of his ears.

But Henry doesn’t hear it that way, thankfully, and instead flashes a large smile at them. “Then you can just take me home, too.”

“Henry, please,” Emma says, crossing her arms over her chest. Henry’s smile disappears, and he nods even as his gaze falls to the ground.

“Okay, mom.”

He goes to turn away from them, but Emma reaches out to put her arm on his shoulder. “Hey,” she whispers, waiting for him to look back up at her before she smiles. ‘C’mere,” she whispers, leaning down as she holds her arms out to him.

Henry complies, even managing to crack a smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow after practice, alright?”

“You’ll pick me up?”

“Sure. I’ll be there.”

“Thanks, mom.”

After quickly hugging Mary Margaret and high-fiving David and Killian, the four of them make their way out of the building to their cars.

“So, are you guys going on a date?” The question practically explodes out of Mary Margaret, and David is useless against the smile that spreads across his face.

“No,” Emma says, but Killian takes a chance and shrugs.

“What do you say, Swan? Want to get something to eat?”

No one looks more surprised by this turn of events than Emma herself. Killian’s glad they’re out from under the harsh phosphorescence of the school lights so the redness of his face is (hopefully) less obvious.

David’s eyebrows fly up his forehead. “Do I have to give you guys the talk?”

Killian doesn’t know how to respond, truthfully; instead, Emma hits his arm with the back of her hand. “Oh my god, David.”

Mary Margaret giggles — honest-to-God giggles.

“We’re leaving now,” Emma says, and Killian certainly doesn’t argue.

“So, do you want to eat, or not?” Killian asks, finally breaking the silence in the car as they pull out of the parking lot.

“Uh, yeah, sure,” Emma mumbles, failing to hide the way she fiddles with her nails. “Wherever you want to go.”

He smiles. “I know just the place.”

Much to Emma’s surprise, he takes them home. To his house, more specifically, though for a moment she fears that he will drop her off at her front door and disappear forever. Instead, he holds open his front door for her, as nervous as she is.

“Can I get you something to drink?” he asks, helping her shrug out of her coat, which he then drapes over the back of a dining room chair. “Water? Wine? I probably have some whiskey somewhere around here, if you’re looking for something harder.”

Emma smiles, finding his obvious nerves charming. “Wine would be great.”

He hums, pulling a bottle of white out of the fridge. Of course, with the way his nerves have been acting up, he’s surprised he hasn’t already started rambling, so he’s not surprised when he opens his mouth and is unable to stop words from falling from his lips. “Liam always told me that the best way to impress a lady is to cook for her, but I was probably not supposed to divulge that information on a first date.” He hands her the glass of wine, then pours one for himself. “I was half-hoping this is where we ended up, you know. That’s why I prepared a little bit, why I thawed this piece of salmon and made sure I had what I needed for my mother’s favorite pasta recipe.” Quickly, he turns to face her, unable to stop his hand from scratching the spot behind his ear. “I hope that’s okay, now that I’m thinking about it, I never even asked—”

Emma holds her hand out, resting it against his hand on the counter. “Killian,” she says softly, and between that and her smile, he snaps his mouth shut. “Whatever you have planned, I’m sure it will be perfect.”

He wants to dive across the kitchen counter and kiss her right there, the salmon be damned. But that’s not what he does, holding himself back. Instead, he just smiles at her.

“You have too much faith in me, love,” he says, forcing himself to move to begin readying dinner.

“Maybe I’ve just gotten to know you enough to be sure that I can trust you.”

God, I love this woman, he thinks to himself, only allowing himself to pause for a moment as the realization hits him, knowing that more will draw her attention for sure. And if he called her out, asked what he was thinking about, he’s not sure he would be able to stop himself from telling her.

Because it’s true, he realizes — there’s no use hiding from it anymore. It’s true that he has fallen absolutely in love with Emma Swan, and there’s no going back now.

But the silence of the kitchen — of the whole house — gets to him before the oven is even preheated, and he has to find something to talk about before he absolutely loses his mind.

“Your lad did a great job tonight, you know,” he says, daring to glance at her over his shoulder, if only to catch the smile that he knows is on her face.

“Well, he had an incredible teacher,” she says.

“That may be true, love, but he had real talent when he started.”

“Which really is a surprise.” Emma tells him, not for the first time. “I know neither Neal or I have any musical ability, or Neal’s dad. Mary Margaret used to play the flute, but she’s not actually family, and probably hasn’t picked one up since college.”

“I know you never knew them, but maybe it’s from one of your parents.” This time, when he glances over his shoulder, she has her thumbnail between her front teeth, so he adds, “Or maybe it’s just him. It’s not unheard of.”

She attempts to smile, but it doesn’t stick. He doesn’t know what else to say, so he turns back to the counter, adding the last few sprigs of rosemary to the pan with the salmon before sticking it in the oven.

“That’ll take a little while longer than the pasta, so I’m going to wait a bit before I start that,” he starts, but when he turns back to her, she’s gone.

Shit.

“Okay,” she calls from the living room, which slows the terrified pounding of his heart almost immediately. Even after months of friendship with Emma Swan, he still somehow thought she would have walked out on him.

“So we, uh, have a little bit of time,” he says, finding his own glass of wine before following her voice into the living room. Much to his surprise, she’s sitting on the piano bench, her long, thin fingers moving gently across the keys, but not making a sound.

“You know,” she says, turning towards him as he fills the space between them. “I do know how to play one thing on the piano.” With a shy smile, she moves over on the bench to give him room to sit with her, patting it gently when he doesn’t move to join her.

But he’s useless against her, and can fight it no longer, so he does, trying to focus on something other than the warmth of her leg pressed against his. “Oh yeah? What is that?”

He's afraid to hear the answer, knows what she's about to play down deep in his soul, but he still cringes when he hears the first few notes: “Heart and Soul.”

"Anything but that, love. Literally anything."

“I don’t know about you, Killian Jones,” Emma says, letting him slip her jacket back over her arms before he leads her to the door. “But I don’t think I’ve ever had a better first date.” Even in the low light of the entryway, Killian knows that Emma can see the blush rising to his cheeks. “And I know I said it before, but that pasta was incredible. Really, one of the best things I’ve ever tasted.”

“Well, thank you, Swan,” he says, ducking his head to avoid her bright eyes. “I’m glad you think so. Both about the pasta and the date.”

“I may even let you walk me home.”

He’s at a loss for words — and even questions his own ability to speak when she follows up by running her tongue across her bottom lip.

“It would be my pleasure.”

“You’re a true gentleman, Killian Jones.”

“Always.” He even feels brave enough to wink at her, holding open the front door to let her through.

Their walk across the street is silent, save the light chuckle Killian allows when Emma threads her arm through his.

“This is my stop,” she says, turning to face him on her front porch. But instead of moving to open the door, she reaches out to take one of his hands in hers. Then the other.

“Yeah, I should, uh, let you get home,” he says, realizing that it is, in fact, the very last thing he wants to do.

She looks up at him, her green eyes bright in the front lights. “Yeah,” she whispers, barely audible. Swipes her tongue across her bottom lip again. And then leans forward, letting go of one of his hands only to wrap hers around his neck, and presses her lips against his. It’s soft, it’s gentle, it’s —

Perfect. Everything he imagined kissing Emma Swan would be.

And that’s why he loses himself in it, in her, for just a moment, living for the swipe of her tongue against his, before backing away. She takes a deep breath before opening her eyes, a soft smile spread across her lips.

“I don’t usually do this on a first date, love,” he whispers, leaning closer to her so he can rest his forehead against hers.

“Me neither,” she says back, her smile growing. “So take me out again tomorrow night and we can do it again.”

“Deal.”

She kisses him again, a single peck on the lips, and turns away.

tags: @let-it-raines @shireness-says @wellhellotragic @ultraluckycatnd @stahlop @kmomof4 @teamhook @profdanglaisstuff @thisonesatellite @superchocovian @carpedzem @darkcolinodonorgasm @resident-of-storybrooke @lfh1226-linda @singersdd @tiganasummertree @alexannam16 @therealstartraveller776 @spartanguard @jennjenn615 @pepperspotts

#my writing #megan writes things #megan finishes things #wordsbymeganmichael #cs fics #cs ff #captain swan #I don't even know how to tag things anymore

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lesbianlovelanguage · 4 years

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Lost Boys of Starwood ch. 2

Fandom: Stranger Things Paring: Harringrove Chapter 2/10 Rating: T Co-written by myself and the amazing @catharrington Read it down below, or on ao3! ❤️❤️❤️ You can also find chapter 1 here, if you haven’t read it yet :)

Summary: West Hollywood California was a lighthouse on the beach for Steve Harrington moving down from nowhere Indiana. But for billy Hargrove it was a cage with golden bars kept locked by his father good and tight. They both found safety inside the darkness and splendor of Starwood, but will they be able to see the only way they can be truly found is through each other?

Since that first night, Billy had become a regular at Starwood. Steve would never admit that he looks forward to the nights where he spotted the curly blond hair amongst the crowd of sweaty bodies, but he couldn’t deny that his heart beat a little faster, and he couldn’t stop the tiny smile that appeared on his face. Not many people would notice the slight changes, but Robin, Starwood’s other bartender, immediately put it together, and started teasing Steve mercilessly.

Billy would start each night greeting Steve and flirting openly like “You on the menu tonight, Bambi?” Or “What’s ladies night special, cocktail?” Or “Let me kiss you, pretty boy?”

That was the fourth day he had come in, the fourth time Robin and Steve even knew of Billy's existence, and the first time Robin saw Steve’s eyes go that wide. He really did resemble Bambi, she admired.

That night Billy was leaning over on the bar, light denim jacket open to a clean white shirt, and bent over just so that his ass was in full display. Thankfully, Steve thought, he couldn’t see that ass from where he was standing behind the counter rubbing down a glass and trying not to blush.

“Come on, babe, I see the way you look when I’m out there having some fun,” Billy’s eyes were blue and narrowed as he licked that wicked tongue across his lips. “All pretty and jealous at that bachelorette party last night. They got really handsy when they got wasted.” And as if to jog Steve’s memory Billy let his jacket down one shoulder, revealing his cut off sleeve and the swell of his golden bicep.

Steve swallowed. He definitely remembered the bachelorette party. He had been swamped and stuck at the bar, but even the throng of people couldn’t mask the golden curls or deliciously tan skin Steve had caught glimpses of. Billy had removed his trademark jacket, leaving him in a tight a-line tank top. His skin shined with sweat, toned muscles on display for well manicured womanly hands to get their feel. It had been utterly unfair, and Steve had messed up at least one drink that night.

“Want me to act like a handsy middle aged woman?” Steve set the glass back into the tray across the bar before he flicked his eyes to Billy. He let his tongue dart out as he considered how fun that sounded. Getting his hands around those golden muscles, squeezing, the itch made Steve trail his fingers down the bar closer towards Billy’s own.

Billy kept rock solid, his grin dangerously wide. “Nah, not your style, Bambi. I think you seem the type to scratch in the sack.”

And god, that sent shivers up Steve’s spine. He stopped his fingers an inch from Billy’s forearm as it leaned against the wood of his bar. His bar, Steve tried to remind himself, as he pulled his hand back. Tried not to think about the way his nails scratched the old wood as they went.

“Want me to make you the best Sex on a Beach you’ve ever had?” He asked.

Billy was disappointed, but not enough to let up. “I don’t know, I’ve had a lot of sex on the beach. You really want to compete?”

Steve’s smile was bright and his voice was loud to match the music playing. “It’s not even a competition, stud.” Then he turned to mix up the drink and kept the second long flash of Billy delight at his comment filed away for later.

There was a little wolf whistle from next to Billy, an older man who winked knowingly, but most of the patrons were regulars who knew the cat and mouse game.

Billy tried to keep his smile and his heart under control as he watched Steve’s practiced ease of drink mixing. Just as he finished and turned around to slip the fruity monstrosity onto a napkin for Billy, there was a slight change in atmosphere at the bar. Another man slid up beside Billy, his shoulders hunched and pale face turned downwards. Billy felt his body prepare for a fight as a defensive measure to the strangeness, but there was something morose about him and not so much threatening, so Billy kept himself in check.

“Hey,” Steve greeted the man, leaning closer with two hands on the bar counter, looking attentive, “Barry, right? Haven’t seen you in a second. Wanna order?”

The man, Barry was his name Billy supposed, smiled something that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “No, I’m not here to drink. I just want to talk.” Billy had his lips around his straw and was listening intently. “It’s about me… uh, I’m having some,” Barry tried to continue but the words were slow. He sounded like he was pushing them out. “Some tests done. Just wanted to let you know in case anyone was… scared.”

Steve seemed to instantly get what Barry was trying to say. He reached out a hand and cupped his fingers over Barry’s pale wrist. “Thank you for letting us know.” He squeezed. Barry just looked down at that hand like it was the only thing holding him to the earth.

Robin was hovering around Steve’s shoulder, her eyes wide and concerned, but her jaw set hard. She was mulling over what to say to Barry when she was interrupted by a short intake of breath.

“That takes some guts man, you must be really brave.” Billy’s voice for once wasn’t laced in humor. It was serious as he ducked his head into Barry’s space to talk above the music. “Remember to stay strong, listen to those damn doctors, and know you’ve got people here thinking about you. This shit isn’t easy.” Then his hand curled in a comforting way around Barry’s thin shoulder, giving it a tight squeeze, before dropping back down to his drink.

Steve couldn’t stop the way his heart swelled in his chest this time.

“Thanks a lot,” Barry choked out, “really you guys this means a lot. I’m… well, I’ve got someone waiting for me at home. I just wanted to let you know. Thanks again.” Then he turned and left as quietly as he came in.

Robin was dumbstruck looking over Steve’s shoulder. Billy just continued sipping his drink and eyefucking her friend. She looked to Steve to see what his reaction to the whole scene had been, but he was just about as dumbstruck as she had been. He just… stared at Billy.

She sighed and decided to cut him some slack this time. She looked around and then patted Steve on the shoulder.

“Hey Stevie,” she hollered over the music, “There's a group over there that would probably love a cocktail from The Strip’s Best Bartender. Go on.” She pushed him down the bar to the other end, where a group of skater chics were lounging on the bar. He stumbled, but managed to right himself and take the girls’ orders and quickly began whipping up some intense looking drinks.

Once he was settled, Robin turned back to where Billy sat. The eyefucking was gone, replaced again by a more somber expression. “What’s up Blondie? You gonna tell me to beat it?” He muttered around his straw.

“What the fuck? No, dingus. I was gonna say I really appreciated what you said back there. Barry’s always been a big part of the bar, but since he’s gotten sick, it’s been really hard on the guy. You’re pretty chill, Bill.”

His expression melted into his standard joking face, and just like that, Robin and Billy became partners in crime, mercilessly teasing Steve everytime Billy came to visit or gossiping about people together.

It was one of those times that the truth came out. Billy and Robin had been gabbing about girls, when Billy let slip, “yeah, the high school girls are all cows, I swear.”

Robin's eyes widened and her mouth formed a little o shape. “High school girls?” She repeated the words back to him with fluttering eyelashes.

The smile melted off Billy’s face just a little. He hadn’t meant to let that slip, but he wasn’t about to try and hide anything from such a welcoming group of people.

“Uh, yeah Blondie. High school girls. That’s what I said.”

“As in, girls you are in high school with?”

“Unfortunately.”

Robin blinked owlishly a few more times, then shrugged. “Okay, well. I’m not your mom, so I can’t really tell you what to do. I am going to say that you have to tell him .” She said, pointing over at Bambi. Billy swallowed heavily, his mouth suddenly feeling too dry.

“Now?” He didn’t want to hide his age, but damn if he wasn’t scared of Bambi’s reaction.

“Yeah dingus. Now.”

Grabbing his drink in his fist, Billy gulped the rest of it down hard. This would be a great time for some liquid courage to kick in. He chanced a look down the bar to see Steve’s eyes flick downwards and a blush coloring his pretty cheeks. The alcohol was warm on it’s way down, and Billy used his empty glass as an excuse as he stood up and swaggered his way towards Bambi.

He set down his glass loud against the old wood bar, and smiled at him, hoping it came across as charming rather than scared shitless, which he was currently feeling.

“You like my drinks that much Billy?” Steve chuckled.

“Hell yeah, Pretty Boy. You know you’re the best bartender on the strip.”

Steve just rolled his eyes, he hears that a lot goes without saying, but there is still a slight turn up of his pretty lips. This time Steve puts aside Billy’s empty glass and trades it for a long beer pint. “Let’s take it a little easier, you’ve already had a couple. Don’t want you doing anything stupid tonight.” Steve’s fingers linger across the now cold glass as he places the beer on the wood.

The bartender's eyebrow quirked as he thought of something, then turned to a small cutting board just a reach away. With a soft cut and a softer push on the rim of the glass, Steve presented a little orange slice for Billy’s edge. His eyes were sparkling with so much pride and humor, it made the lights from the stage look cheap.

Billy really couldn’t get enough of looking into those eyes.

“I’m 17,” he blurted out. If he wasn’t going to say it now then it would never come out, Billy knew that. He wasn’t good with words, or knowing what the right thing to do was. But he was good with flirting, so he curled his mouth into a particularly wolfish grin.

Steve’s eyes were cartoon wide. “Come again?” His lips pursed.

“Don’t wanna keep anything from you, Bambi, now that we are getting all nuzzled up.” Billy dips his head to take a small drink of his beer. Never takes his eyes off Steve’s shocked face.

“Woah, okay, woah!” The cloth he was using to wipe down glasses snapped as Steve whipped it across his shoulder. He pointed an angry look at Billy, who was still sheepishly trying to hide behind the rim of his beer.

“17?”

“Yeah, babe.”

“You can’t be here!” That made Billy’s heart drop. After coming and worshiping at this bar so religiously, basically kneeling at Bambi’s pretty feet, that’s the sentence he gets.

Trying to push down the stabbing betrayal in his gut, Billy opens his mouth to reply, but he finds he can’t, as a hard hand clasped over his shoulder.

Looking up he sees the bouncer from the first day he stumbled into Starwood, a burly tattooed man named Tony, who Billy had grown to know just like Robin. The anger on his brow was all part of the job. In reality, Tony was a big soft man who would rather hug someone than punch them, and Billy had found himself at the receiving end of more than one of those hugs. It earned him the play from his nickname: Tony the Tiger, to something more Billy-flavored: Tony the Kitten, just a big ball of tattooed fluff.

“What’s going on here you two? Lover’s spat?” Tony teased. Billy and Steve both turned bright red at the insinuation, but while Billy remained silent and glared at his beer, Steve began to sputter cute noises until finally reaching, “He’s fucking 17, Tony! How was he let in here in the first place?”

Tony narrowed his eyes and stared at Steve, eyebrows furrowed in deep thought.

“Why do you care so much, Harrington? It’s not a big deal.” He asked, voice slow and deep.

“Yes! It is Tony! He shouldn’t be in a place like this.” Steve waved his hand around guestiring towards the stage and light covered bodies hot from dancing. “He should be doing homework… or studying like a good student!”

That caught Billy’s attention finally. “Excuse me, Bambi? I am a straight ‘A’ student for your information.”

Steve’s face was pulled tight, like he was sucking on sour candy. His look wasn't attractive, but it was cute, in a spoiled cat sort of way. “It doesn’t matter, Billy. You’re still too young to be in a bar like this!”

Robin sauntered over as Steve’s voice rose in octave. “Dingus!” She clapped Steve over the back of his head, sending fluffy brown hair bouncing into the air. “What’s the big deal? So he’s 17. Being here isn’t affecting his grades or anything. Let the kid stay.”

Tony nodded along, crossing his inked arms across his broad chest. “I agree. If you really want to kick the kid out, you’re gonna have to do it yourself. I ain’t doing it.”

Steve looked between Robin and Tony a couple times, cheeks a heavy dusting of rose red as he flustered about, before finally settling on Billy. He grabbed the towel off his shoulder and pointed with it balled tight in his hand.

“Fine. Stay. I’m not serving you alcohol anymore though.”

“But Cocktail! Who else will make such great Blowjobs?” Billy grinned, finally gaining some of his confidence back since Steve wasn’t fighting on him staying anymore.

Steve blushed an even brighter red, and shook his head. He stormed away from Billy and the rest of the bar staff to the other side of the bar, then started wiping down the counter furiously.

“Don’t worry Billy-Boy. I’ll still serve you, no matter what tight ass says.” Robin said with a wink.

Billy wasn’t worried, per say. He was relieved he wasn’t thrown out on his ass, of course, but he wished he hadn’t said his age at all. If lying meant that his Bambi wouldn’t turn and run away from him, maybe Billy should have kept lying.

----

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#harringrove #harringrove fic #billy hargrove #steve harrington #punk!billy #bartender!steve #punk!au #lost boys of starwood #tay writes #moodboard

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fnlrndcllctv · 4 years

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Tekken

In our Soundtrack Sunday series, we take a look at the music of fighting games, track by track!

For the fifth instalment, Shaun Eddleston takes a look at the music of 1994’s Tekken…

(For the purpose of this article, only the Arcade version of the game’s soundtrack is being covered).

In 1994, 3D fighting games were still in their infancy. SEGA’s first fighting game experiment in the form of Dark Edge and the boundary-pushing Virtua Fighter had barely been out for a year, and games such as Battle Arena Toshinden were still just around the corner for the next generation of home consoles such as the Sony PlayStation and SEGA Saturn.

Namco wanted in on the action, so enlisted the talents of Virtua Racing & Virtua Fighter game designer Seiichi Ishii to help develop 3D fighting game of their own, based on a hardware demo that was initially developed to show off some fancy new graphics off to investors. What started off as a game called “RAVE WAR” would eventually go on to become not only one of the most successful and longest-running fighting game franchises, but one of the biggest selling video game series of all time; Tekken.

As the technology was still somewhat limited at the time, Tekken’s stages were a simple affair. A seemingly infinite scrolling plane placed in front of some parallax backgrounds to give the impression of depth, each of these fighting arenas required a little bit more oomph to push forward and create a suitable, varied atmosphere in which players could beat each other up.

That’s where the music comes in. As Tekken was such an early entry in the realm of 3D fighters, the soundtrack played a considerably larger role in establishing how the game felt than in later entries.

So, how does the original soundtrack holdup today?

Let’s find out…

The game’s introduction is fairly non-eventful in its 20-second runtime, but it does make good use of the game’s stereo mix by panning left and right to create a more immersive effect, and reminds me a little bit of elements found in the PlayStation startup jingle.

Tekken’s character select music is a loop of what initially appears to be a fuzzy, overdriven funk bassline over a simple drumbeat, but to me personally, there was always something about this version that didn’t sit right with me. Upon listening closer, I think I’ve figured out what it is.

Behind the upbeat bass that is designed to get players pumped up before a fight, there’s two droning chords being played in the background that elicit a very serious, uneasy tone. Its a strange sensation that’s also present in the PlayStation version of the soundtrack (although it’s not as strong, thanks to better quality remixing!)

“Marine Stadium, Japan” is where the soundtrack has the most fun with the stereo mix, creating a dizzying effect by throwing samples at the listener from all directions in the left and right speaker. Once the track gets moving, there’s a call & response going on between many of the tracks separate elements, running a fine line between being a disjointed mess and a brilliantly cohesive piece.

Luckily the rhythm section and background pads do a great job of keeping things in check.

Definitely one of my favourites in the game.

“Chicago, USA” is probably the grittiest track of the OST, and is probably closer to what a lot of the game’s music sounds like in the modern era than the rest of the tracklist.

The fuzzy bass tone of the character select screen makes yet another appearance here, and immediately starts to make each of the “verse” sections feel incredibly busy and muddies the entire mix straight away.

The chorus, although very brief, saves the song in a big way. The soaring keys, accompanied by some fun percussive claps, make this one of the most enjoyable songs that still holds up really well today.

On a related note, the arrange version found in the PlayStation port is flawless.

The most immediate thing I noticed about this track is just how loud and distracting the bass is. It rumbles throughout the majority of the runtime, and almost ruins the whole experience for me, that is until the bass drops out and allows listeners to focus in a bit more on the tracks other elements.

Once you get past the overpowering synth bass, this is actually a really fun track. Utilising samples of traditional Chinese stringed instruments and gong hits, it’s a high energy track that perks up the players fighting in the mountainous stage.

Imagine a hard-hitting techno remix of Chun-Li from Street Fighter II’s music and you’ve got the right idea.

“Angkor Watt, Cambodia” is probably the closest that the game comes to an industrial sound, and I mean that in a literal sense. The drums and bass is accentuated with what sounds like stylised machinery interspersed with synth leads for the whole track. This robotic selection is an odd choice to use for a stage that’s based on the real life Angkor Watt (i.e. a complex of ancient temples in Cambodia, NOT a factory filled with heavy machinery).

The track also ends before it has the chance to build up into anything really interesting, and remains as a bit of a teaser for me.

“Fiji” is unlike anything else in the Tekken soundtrack, and is arguably one of the series’ most iconic pieces of music (it gets revisited a handful of times throughout the franchise’s long history). The track dials things up into party mode, with steel drums and a catchy salsa beat that really makes you feel like you are on holiday on a tropical island, with a bassline that you’d expect to hear in a bustling nightclub.

A true highlight of the soundtrack, and most definitely the biggest earworm of the whole tracklist.

With “Acropolis, Greece”, we steer into something with a much more dramatic mood.

While the drums and bass for most of the song leave a lot to be desired in terms of differentiating themselves from damn near every other song in the soundtrack, its the the chorus that saves the whole composition. Backed up by some choir keys that remind me of Angel Dust-era Faith No More (the best era, by the way!) and some military-style drumming that’s sprinkled throughout, it builds up to something pleasant, even though it doesn’t quite reach the majesty of the location’s namesake.

“Kyoto, Japan” follows in the footsteps of “Sichuan, China”, in that it utilises samples of traditional instruments from the location’s culture.

This is another track that makes great use of the stereo mix, with the instruments constantly in flux from the left to right speaker (and vice versa). The song does feel a little choppier than the rest of the soundtrack in places though, and the constant “un-tiss-un-tiss-un-tiss” drumbeat mixed together with the percussion samples of blocks being hit makes the song sound like something from the Samurai Shodown games if they were all on ecstasy.

“King George Island, Antarctica” is one of the more interesting items on this fighting game menu, as the song is driven forward by something outside of the simple drumbeat and funk bassline. Instead, it’s powered by an ongoing drone sound hidden in the background. While not quite in Sunn O))) territory, it’s something that makes the track feel unique to its peers, even though it largely contains a lot of the same elements as them.

This one took me by surprise.

Most of the runtime of “Venezia, Italy” sees the music simmering away comfortably, then once the chorus hits, it erupts into a slightly operatic, adventurous display of strings and choirs. Not only that, but for the latter half of the brief chorus, the drum beat instantly shifts into a jazzy offbeat section that definitely threw me off in terms of where I was expecting the music to go.

It’s a gamble that ultimately pays off, and it’s one that results in one of the more underrated tracks in the collection.

“Windermere, U.K.” is where the quality of the game’s music takes a hard hit.

Everything in the song sounds like you’re listening to it through a wall, with the individual instruments being drowned out by the overblown bass and frankly dull drum loops, and even then, the synthetic saxophone sections of the song don’t sound very interesting either. It’s a couple of minutes that holds the entire OST back.

At least the Arrange version in the following year’s PlayStation port was an improvement.

From the game’s weakest track, we head straight into one of the best moments in the entire OST.

“Monument Valley, USA” is one of the most ominous, evil-sounding stage themes that you’re likely to encounter in any fighting game. Just over a minute of harsh windy soundscapes, thunderous gongs, grandiose strings and monk chants that feel more like a summoning of an ancient demon than an actual song. It’s such a deviation from the rest of the music in Tekken, almost to the point where it could be from a totally different game altogether.

The PlayStation version of this song is rightfully in my top 10 favourite fighting game tracks of all time.

Tekken’s final credits music is an absolute pleasure to listen to. In just a couple of minutes, it effectively melds together all of the different vibes of each stage in the game without resorting to just clipping them together as a cheap montage.

Besides, it’s just a relief to have something relatively soothing after dealing with the horrid AI of Heihachi as a final boss.

Overall, the soundtrack to the very first Tekken game is pretty far away from people may be used to from the high intensity of the modern entries in the franchise.

Instead of punishing dubstep and songs you’d expect to hear from a harder-edged Dance Dance Revolution game soundtracks (is that even a thing?), the music selection here is much simpler and way more subdued.

Tasked with trying to represent the various locations from around the world, Namco Sounds did an admirable job getting the vibe right for each stage. From the absolute party of “Fiji” and the sports broadcast jingle of “Marine Stadium, Japan” to the gritty club beats of “Chicago, USA” and the windy soundscapes of “Monument Valley, USA”, the Tekken soundtrack is a varied, interesting mix that not only gives each landmark and setting more personality, but also attempts to set the bar for a series that has since become known for its great music.

Now, time to try and get “Fiji” out of my head until Tekken 2’s edition of Soundtrack Sunday…

The soundtrack is available on vinyl here.

Are you a fan of the original Tekken’s music? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

#Tekken #Namco #Soundtrack #1994

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haveyouseenthis · 4 years

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GO生, Stray Kids | Review PART II

youtube

Pt. II

“...’God’s Menu’ was born”

Every second of the song captivated me. Every scene in the M/V was intriguing and sucked me in. I never rewatch M/Vs - ever. I’ve never been one to stream it a million times for the view count to go up. No way. My attention span is waay too short for that

“God’s Menu”, though.

Wow.

I’ve had to have watched it 40 times since it came out, at least. And the thing is, it’s not my STAY self trying to accumulate views for the boys (although they do deserve it). It’s myself watching it just to watch it. It’s so good. I know exactly what scene is coming, the exact part. I know how the music is about to change and who is going to be center in the next shot, but despite this, it still gives me chills every time.

I think there are a couple reasons for that. One obviously being the song itself, but the other being the phenomenal camerawork. The cameramen and editors have always been the unsung heroes of k-pop and M/Vs in general, but they really outdid themselves this go-around. All the transitions were heavenly. You can tell they didn’t just throw them in there for shock value, but truly thought about where they would have the most impact.

The sets are also amazing. Somehow a transition from kitchen to construction site not only works, but is seamless. All the racetrack scenes also fit in perfectly.

I started to ask myself why these sets worked so well together. What did a master chef’s kitchen, a construction site, and a racetrack have in common? Anything?

Well, maybe more than you think.

All around the world master chefs retreat into their kitchen to experiment with new recipes and cook up ones never seen before. At construction sites blueprints drawn up by architects are used to build amazing towers are intricate buildings. At the racetracks, old stars and rookies are holding onto their fame or making a name for themselves, fighting for the lead on every lap.

Stray Kids are cooking up their hits in the kitchen, laying the foundation for their success with their hardhats on, and then accelerating past all the competition.

As previously stated, “God’s Menu” is their best song, hands down. But every song on the album brings something to the table. Because of this, GO生 might just be their best release yet…

My Top Five:

神메뉴 (God’s Menu)

Easy

비행기 (Airplane)

청사진 (Blueprint)

일상 (Another Day/Daily Life)

“God’s Menu” was hard-hitting hip hop in a way I haven’t heard or seen before from SKZ. As I’ve already said, it’s easily the best song they’ve released, including B-sides. Every verse is well crafted, the pre-chorus is catchy and serves as the nice mellow tone the song needed for the vocalists to really shine, and the chorus is a masterpiece of simple onamonapia and tangy flavor (see what I did there~) with strong choreography. The song is shockingly short, especially considering it’s a title track. However, it still feels solid. It’s a full course meal in less than three minutes. That’s so impressive, to me at least. I can’t be the only one who feels like the song is much longer than it is because it’s so immersive.

My favorite parts include Changbin’s “Yes, sir and ma’am / welcome” intro, the first verse, and the second verse. Changbin’s intro sets the tone immediately. The “sir and ma’am” is almost sassy in context. It’s like he’s truly welcoming us into a restaurant, but there is that eerie undertone of “you don’t know what you’re in for”. I love that Han gets to rap the entire first verse. Not only does it make sense because he is a main rapper, but it sounds better than if it has been split between several people as verse 2 had. There is a clear split about halfway through the first verse where they could have switched to another member, but they stayed with Han, and I think that makes the song so much more powerful, especially since it comes at the beginning. Unlike verse one, verse two splits its lines between five different members. And it works perfectly. I wouldn’t have changed anything at all. Felix’s low voice oozes charisma and is the perfect way to pull listeners deeper into the song after the chorus, and Seungmin and I.N.’s cocky, drawing sound pairs perfectly with that. Chan’s voice and attitude fits wonderfully for his “자물쇠 따 싹 다 unlock / Idea bank 머릿속을 털어 털어” (“All the locks unlock / Idea bank, empty your head, empty it”) part. It’s also a fitting part for him as the main producer of the group. Hyunjin is the perfect person to wrap up the verse. His demanding attitude paired with his visuals as he says “비밀재료가 궁금하다면 / 사실 우린 그딴 거 안 써” (“Wonder what’s our secret ingredient / We don’t use such a thing”) deliver the line in a way no one else in the group could.

And, can we talk about that line for a minute, T? What a statement. It’s on the same flex level as “Daechwita”. “Oh, how are we so good? What’s our secret? How are we cutting corners to get here? We aren’t.”

I also really like that “Go Live,” “God’s Menu,” and “Easy,” feel like a trilogy. It’s a nice way to start the album because it gets the listener immersed immediately.

To have“Easy” follow “God’s Menu” is maybe the best decision made on this tracklist. Still just as proud and cocky as its predecessor, “Easy” talks about how Stray Kid’s don’t just turn the tables or meet expectations, they flip the table over and exceed the expectations - all with ease.

My favorite part in “Easy” is the bridge, and I’ve found a few different translations of it:

Zaty Farhani’s “Easy” lyric video translates the bridge as “Showing off is all for show, what are you doing getting all scared? / The brave ugly-duckling turns the table / Let’s raise the stakes as you’ve wished / or do it my way”

Color Coded Lyrics’s (CCL) blog translates it as: “What’s the point of being braggy / When you’re just eating up your fear / A loser with courage will turn the tables around / Let’s make it to the next round, as you want / Or I’ll mess around with my own way”

Genius Lyrics translates the part as: “Your words are just bragging / What are you doing while being all coward? / A brave loser has overtook everything / Let's make this game even more big as you wanted / Or just screw it and do it my way”

All of them amount to about the same thing: “You have to show off and brag to prove your worth and rise to the top but we don’t. We know where we came from, and we know what we are, but we will go farther because of this. We’ll take over the world our way,”.

“비행기 (Airplane)” ends the “Go-God’s-Easy” trilogy with it’s lighter hip-hop sound. It’s a love song. The narrator speaks of taking an airplane to a vacation spot with his girlfriend as a metaphor for the two of them traveling to their own world where they can be happy together. What really draws me to this song is its style and sound. The track reminds me a little of “Mixtape : Gone Days”, with it’s lighter feel. It’s a nice example of a lighthearted love song. I don’t have as much to say about this one, I just really like it. There isn’t any deep meaning in the lyrics for me to dive into (unless you’re into speculating the composer's relationship status. Bang Chan and Changbin wrote “Airplane” in collaboration with others so it’s possible the lyrics came from them or one of the other three composers. Maybe all of them are just good enough at imagining situations to write things like this. We’ll never know.)

“청사진 (Blueprint)” comes in 4th for me, but really 3rd-5th place may as well be equal. The three songs have the same energy to me, especially “Blueprint” and “Airplane”. I like “Blueprint” for its folk-inspired pop sound. It reminds me of AKMU, which I’m sure T digs. It’s not SKZ’s usual sound, but they sing it well and have made it their own. I smile every time it comes on. The lyrics have a wonderful message about overcoming and accomplishing your dreams despite the odds and the people out to get you. Very sweet, and the message reminds me of that of many of their old songs.

“일상 (Another Day/Daily Life)” is the closest thing to a ballad we’ve gotten from the boys.

The beginning count reminds me of NCT 127’s “Boom” and the overall sound reminds me of NCT Dream’s “Puzzle Piece”.

While the first time I listened to it I could easily tell it was a sad and mournful song about something, I wasn’t expecting to tear up while reading the lyrics on my 3rd listen.

It hurts so much. It’s so beautiful. The song tells the story of the narrator (Han wrote it, it’s absolutely about him and his anxiety) as he reflects on himself and his situation, wondering if he’s the only one feeling the way he is, wondering if he is the only one putting on an act every day, and wondering if it’s evening convincing.

But I guess that painfully beautiful tune fits with the message. The notes are so sweet they make you want to cry. And that’s how it feels to go through what the narrator is dealing with. Everything you’re doing looks beautiful. You seem perfect, but if anyone really takes time to listen, they will hear your hurt.

He was a young teenager and was forced to deal with so many pressures (“I’m still so young, but I have so many worries”/”So much worries for such a young child”) during training, and then debut.

After that line, we get to the hard truth of the industry. Of course companies care about their idols, but only to a point. After that, it’s “Just do what you're supposed to be doing well” and “Just do your job properly”. In other words, “Okay, great, you’re going through something. Get over it.”.

CCL translation: “When I pushed my way into this dark room / Did anybody bother to look back at me? / I barely managed to make it through this hard day / How many times did I smile, and were they genuine smiles? // I find the way I’m trapped in my thoughts funny / I’m still so young, but I have so many worries / Just do what you’re supposed to be doing well / Nobody knows anything about how empty my heart feels / And I hate how / All they know how to do is laugh it off”

Genius translation: “The day I forced my way into the dark room / Would at least one person have turned to look at me / Me, who barely lived through another day / How many times have I laughed, but were those sincere? // Myself deep in thought looks funny / So much worries for such a young child / Just do your job properly / Without knowing about my empty heart / Just laughing over it, I don't like that”

I think it’s fitting that the only parts Han gets opens and close the song. It just draws more attention to the fact that it’s his story. He’s opening the door for him and others to talk about their feelings, and once they’ve covered it all, he closes it back up.

I don’t have too many complaints about this album. A couple, maybe.

One would be that “TOP”, “SLUMP”, “Mixtape : Gone Days”, and “Mixtape : On Track/바보라도 알아” were released separate from this album, so they stick out from the other 10 tracks. I’m glad they were all grouped together at the end and not sporadically placed between songs like “Easy” and “Pacemaker”.

“Gone Days” sticks out the most because of its playful hip-hoppy sound that is reminiscent of previous tracks such as “Awkward Silence” and “Get Cool”. I’m not particularly fond of the fact that it is the only one that sounds as it does, but I suppose it is just the same thing they did with “Get Cool” and “Awkward Silence”’s respective mini albums. Both songs were the only ones of their kind on their albums and feel a little out of place. I think I was able to get accustomed to it quicker as being on mini albums there was a smaller tracklist, therefore drastic tone changes between songs weren’t as novel.

Go Live’s sound alternates (mainly) between two different styles. There are louder, harder hip-hop songs like “God’s Menu” “TA” and “Pacemaker”, and then we have what I’ve dubbed “The Quiet Trilogy” with “Airplane”, “Another Day”, and “Blueprint”. Songs like “Phobia” and “Haven” seen to sit solidly in between the two styles.

But “Gone Days” and “On Track” don’t sound like anything else on this tracklist. “Gone Days” has an over-saturated upbeat take on hip-hop, and “On Track” has a ballad inspired sound (honestly it vaguely reminds me of OSTs for dramas…) to it. This makes the transition from beginning of album to end shocking, and I’m not overly fond of that.

My other issue is that the rest of the track-list simply pales in comparison to its title track. “God’s Menu” was so powerful, so overwhelming for me that it made the rest of the album underwhelming.

Maybe that’s a compliment, actually? At least as far as “God’s” is concerned. I don’t know…

I think I’ll get used to it after a few more listens. (Future Kasin: I did and I love it <3)

One thing is for sure: if they master making every song deliver the same punch as “God’s Menu”, I’ll be done for.

I can’t wait to see what they do next.

Go Live on Spotify

Links PT II:

神메뉴 (God’s Menu) Lyrics (Han/Rom/Eng)

“Easy” lyric video

Color Coded Lyrics Stray Kids Discography

Color Coded Lyrics Stray Kids “Easy”

Genius Lyrics Stray Kids “Easy” English translation

Color Coded Lyrics Stray Kids “비행기 (Airplane)”

Genius Lyrics Stray Kids “비행기 (Airplane)”

Color Coded Lyrics “청사진 (Blueprint)”

Genius Lyrics “청사진 (Blueprint)”

NCT 127 Boom

NCT Dream Puzzle Piece

Color Coded Lyrics “일상 (Another Day/Daily Life)”

Part I

#stray kids #go生 #神메뉴 #god's menu #jyp entertainment #kpop #music #kasin #review

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avoutput · 4 years

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Final Fantasy VII Legacy || Remake Review

This is the 2nd out of 3 articles. Find the first here.

Enough with the flowery language. No more ancient memories of times passed. No more wasted passages on the origin of Final Fantasy VII. I am not some little kid sitting crossed-legged in front of a 13-inch tube TV, but a man sitting in a lightly used office chair he found by the apartment dumpster several years ago. I have grown. The gaming world has grown. And Final Fantasy has grown. But is it the kind of growth you imagined? Does this game shed the dead weight of its numbered younger siblings? Does it recreate an experience from your childhood? Is it an innovative gaming experience that redefines the RPG like its genesis? Is breathing life into one of the most provocative modern gaming death’s worth the exhumation? These are the questions swimming in my head while I waited for the release of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, a deeply marked touchstone in my life. And after having completed my run through the game, I had some thoughts I needed to organize and share. I need to decide: Is this a proper run, a proper update, a proper remake? Or is it just a repurposed chair found by the dumpster?

Let me clarify a few things. First, this is going to be a straight review of the game with little-to-no spoilers. Second, this is the 2nd in a series of 3 articles I decided to write, with the final article being a no-holds-barred, spoiler frenzy discussing the outcomes of this game and many other Final Fantasy’s. In this article, we are going to be looking at what the game did well, what it was mediocre at, and lastly, what was downright disappointing. Each section will bleed into each other a bit because the games components bleed into each other a bit, which feels a little odd for a JRPG, but this isn’t ye-old JRPG. Let’s get right to it.

RE-KWARK!-ABLE! I MEAN REMARKABLE.

Before we tear this game down, let’s spend some time building it up. The standout component of this game was very clearly the battle system. The transition is seamless and the frenzy begins almost immediately. What surprised me right off the bat is how easy it was to not only switch between characters, but how simply it was to tell them what to do. I thought slowing down the battle to issue commands was going to be a nuisance, but it really helped balance out the pace of the battle. You can assign 4 hotkeys that let you keep the battle going without slowing down to strike at an enemies weakness. I did find that it felt a little useless to assign anything other than your weapon skills, because spells take a little time to cast and most of the time you are going to want to pick a specific spell based on the enemies weakness, but that is totally up to your playstyle.

In the vein of the battle system, boss fights were engrossing and detailed. It felt like they spent a lot of time thinking about which moments in the Midgar timeline would make the best boss battles and how exactly they would design the bosses moveset and structure based not only on what the boss was, but where the boss was. In one chapter, you fight a boss that is nearby some train tracks. At a certain point in the battle, it will electrify the track, and if you are standing on it, you get major damage. Enemy types also had a pretty consistent set of weaknesses, so you didn’t have to go into the bestiary menu to determine what spell would most likely take it down. But on the other hand, the Assess ability is crucial in understanding some of the more minute methods to hitting the enemy weakness. It was actually a delight to try and fight both with and without it. Like everything else in the battle, the menu comes up with a single button press and no load time. It gives you time to read and strategize your attacks.

In some other reviews I had been reading, people had complained about a feature I loved. Using spells and abilities requires you to have your ATB gauge filled, which will fill with time, but fills much faster if you are attacking. The complaint was that the AI isn’t particularly good at attacking when you aren’t using them, and not only that, they don’t receive the ATB fill bonus from attacking, it simply takes them time. However, because transition between characters is instantaneous, I believe that the designers did this as an incentive to use each character as often as possible. This isn’t the only incentive for this either. Every weapon for each character has a single skill that can be learned from it. To learn it, you have to use a skill. Again, to use the skill the ATB gauge has to be filled. Most battles in the game go by quickly, especially once you know the enemies weakness, so you need to build ATB fast and activate the skill. Without telling you, the game basically created an environment where it's not only necessary to switch between characters and learn their playstyles, but almost necessary. What’s more, every character is somewhat unique, especially Barret and Aerith, and certain types of enemies (flying or distance based, ect) are much easier to handle with the right character. All around, the battle system is an absolute standout and easily the best part of the game.

Without giving anything away, another strong part of the game is the scenario design. I was driven to hear more, see more, and do more in this game. The characters a crisp and vibrant, even when they lack depth. They are undeniably “cool” or “cute” or whatever their main adjective should be for the given scenario. The voice acting in both the Japanese and English versions are great, though the Japanese version from time to time has a different take on some of the characters than the English, it's still a blast. Every moment that leads into a battle with a signature villain is thoroughly enjoyable. I don’t think you absolutely need to have played the original to enjoy these moments, but more on that later. What it really comes down to is this game has some pretty great pacing because even when it fumbles, it doesn’t stop you from wanting to play more. The battle system element just propels you forward and hearing what crazy thing is going to happen next is more than enough to make up for follies.

This is sad to say, but there really is only one more exceptional item to mention. The return of Nobuo Uematsu. The soundtrack of this game was already pretty well designed in the original. Coming back to it was more than just a nostalgic walk down memory lane. It was like coming home and realizing your parent’s upgraded your house to a mansion with room service, a full staff, and a kitchen that's open 24 hours a day stocked with everything you desire. And it isn’t just that the music was remastered, it flows in and out of the game with masterful timing. Multiple versions of each song were recorded so that movements in the song crescendo at the exact moment your Cloud lands a hit or Reno and Rude jump from a helicopter. It made every moment of the game feel like so much more than just an average confrontation. There are a few moments that even made me laugh. There is a hip-hop inspired Chocobo theme that made me smile both for how odd it was and how awful it should have been received, but somehow it just slaps. If you pay attention you might notice some of the music is more reminiscent of other entries in the series with two standouts in particular, one sounding like Final Fantasy XII and another like Final Fantasy XIII, two very different scores. But it felt right at home in this modernized version of Final Fantasy VII. There is also a music collection sidequest that is mostly made up of jazzy remakes of classic Final Fantasy VII songs. These are less remarkable, but still good for the most part. Part of the issue with these songs is it is played through some kind of fuzzy record player speaker overlay, which I found annoying and distorting.

MISSED THE KWARK! I MEAN MARK.

I would say that almost everything else in this game missed the mark in some way or another. Some are just shy of a home run, others are baseline grounders, and some are just straight fouls. Either way, they could have used more attention or a different direction in my opinion. And I want to start with something I almost never complain about in video games: the graphics. Talking about graphics is usually pointless. People who are after ridiculous levels of fidelity always seem to believe this either makes or breaks the game. In Remake, that might actually be true for once. I am not a graphics designer, but one thing I noticed and couldn’t stop noticing is that there were so many different levels of graphical fidelity all smashed into one place. In some scenes, there were gorgeous details, like the entirety of Aerith’s house area, but then you get to the flowers, it's like 1997 again. In other moments, like when looking down at the Midgar Slums from the upper plate, it is clearly a very flat and stretched image meant to look three-dimensional like the other things around you, but the image was just off. Doors on buildings would look like garbage compared to the floor or walls in the room. It was just very clear that a once over on all the different assets would have helped out quite a bit. The problem wasn’t that the graphics were good or bad, but that they were inconsistent. It was like looking at photo-realistic drawing with some Picasso in the middle. The character models were so well done, when the interacted with this space, it was just jarring. Again, not awful, just missed the mark.

With such a well maintained battle system, you would think the menu system would be equally flawless, but it wasn’t. The main UI where you would outfit your party was a bit of a mess. For one, there was no way to go from upgrading your weapon to equipping it or vice-versa. They had completely separate menus for both that didn’t lead to each other. Then there is the upgrade menu itself, wherein you select upgrades in a similar way to FFXIII crystal upgrade menu. When you choose the weapon, it takes you to a completely different screen and makes this loud noise and transition effect. It's annoying to read and to navigate. You can bypass this by having the computer choose your upgrades for you, but that really felt like I was missing out. It would have been a huge improvement just to list the abilities and have me choose from the same menu I chose everything else. It was unnecessarily fancy and kind of an eyesore. Equipping materia got a small upgrade from the original game, wherein you can press a button to see and switch out materia with everyone, but this should have just been THE menu, not an extra button press. They also should have categorized the materia, letting you choose which type you wanted to look at instead of having to scroll through line after line. The menu also doesn’t give you simple information in places where you could use it, like what chapter you are in. To know, you have to go to the save menu. It could have simply been listed next to the playtime in the bottom corner.

There are even certain materia that are hard to understand, specifically the Enemy Skill materia. In the old game it would list which skills you had obtained. This one didn’t give you any idea what you had obtained and what exactly was obtainable. After a while I figured out that in the bestiary, although it would tell you which monster had a skill you could get, it wouldn’t exactly say if you had it. Turns out that if the skill was highlighted green on the enemy skills screen (another button press away), you didn’t have it, if it was blue, you did. Then, to see which skills you had in total, you had to go to the party screen and it would be listed under your abilities if they were wearing the materia. Not only that, the skill would have a different name than the skill the enemy used, the naming convention wasn’t 1-to-1. Add to this, materia sometimes have very obscure instructions or descriptions. The battles can go by so fast, it's hard to even notice the effect of them if something isn’t exploding or outwardly obvious. In fact, many of the instructions are weird in the game. If you die in a series of fights where they are linked, it will ask if you want to go back to the first fight or the last fight. Choosing the first actually sends you back to before you started the series and you can adjust your equipment, which is fine, but in a normal fight, if you die, you can only go back to the fight and it doesn’t let you modify your equipment. It's a simple inconsistency but the text and cursor placement also make it hard to understand exactly what is going to happen.

Finally, all the smaller issues. There are too many places where the game has you “walk” for no particular reason. You just slow down. I thought it might be due to loading, but it happens in places where no story or anything appears to be happening next. Summon materia is already maxed and it doesn’t feel like it helps all that much, even when the enemy is weak to them. The game design is set up so that whichever character you are currently playing as the only thing enemies are interested in attacking, especially if someone isn’t using provoke. So, your summon simply attacks, and to do it's better attacks, you have to sacrifice ATB. Mostly this is fine, it creates balance, but i’d prefer they came and left like in the original. In fact, I have hated all summon mechanics since FFX. They need to come, do damage, and be gone. But I have to admit, this is the best marriage of the two versions. Next, the choices you make that alter certain outcomes in the game are so far away from the thing you are altering, and at times not clear. This could have been more fun had they given you a bit more of control or some kind of gauge to show you what was going on, but in a way, it was true to its roots, which isn’t necessarily a good thing. Lastly, having to aim the camera to interact with items that are just outside of its view is just annoying. That coupled with the random moments you have to hold “triangle” for a series of switches always rubbed me the wrong way.

DOWNRIGHT DISAPPOINTING�� uh.. kwark.

Final Fantasy VII Remake obviously has a great foundation and pretty great framework. The music is great, it's a blast to play, and the characters really resonate. But there are still some aspects of this game that make it feel a little less than game of the year. These complaints might be less of an issue than I am making it. The game is what it is, and I am easily going to clock in at about 90 hours for both regular and hard modes. Still. STILL. There are just a few things that were completely disappointing, and not just from an old fan, but as a current gen gamer.

My biggest complaint is married together and baked into the design of the game, namely Midgar and Chapters. Final Fantasy has always felt like it was about exploring not just a story, but the world it exists in. In the first 9 entries to the series, this was done by giving the player a chance to get lost on its world map, looking for towns, roaming through forests. You had to use your imagination to fill the gaps, but that wasn’t a bad thing. As the entries iterated, the worlds got bigger, and so did their stories. They had lore and depth. With the release of 10, this all changed. In the 10th game, the story was suddenly on rails, the only direction you could move in was forward. It took all of the exploration away in favor of level design and pacing. I remember thinking that this was the beginning of the end for a series I loved. With the release of 12, it felt a little better, but mostly it was just an offline version of the massively popular MMORPG formula. It felt more rote and less like exploration. With the 13th entry, it was back to the rails. It began to feel like the creators sought only to make an experience where the characters and story where the vehicle, and the world was just the background. In 15, this would change somewhat, but it was also an experiment for them that ended in failure. They tried to give us an open world governed by a chapter system. But, despite their best efforts, they couldn’t breathe life into the world of 15. They tried to spread the world and its characters across too many dimensions. There was an anime series, a full length movie prequel, missing chapters introduced as DLC, and even a mobile game. A broken chimera. I think the success of 10 and their failure to create a modern, open world game is what ended up making 7 Remake what it is. A game on rails.

Before the games release, the game designers touted that Midgar was now a place that could be fully experienced. For me, this couldn’t have been further from the truth. It was just a series of narrow hallways masquerading as a city. The people in the background make noise and act like they live there, but they don’t move, goto work on a schedule, ride the trains, or even run stores. You can’t interact with them. They are just mouthpieces. Because the game runs by chapters, you have almost no ability to explore anything that doesn’t have to do with the immediate story. The characters will chide you for going the “wrong direction” and the game will outright stop you from wandering too far. “No no, you fool, the GAME is over HERE”. In the original game, Midgar is partially just an introduction to the world, characters, and battle system. But really, it was the beating heart of the entire game world and story just as much as the characters that live in it and run Shinra. The remake seems to have forsaken that in favor of story beats. Outside of a few distinct places, most of Midgar just feels like window dressing. Wall Market is obviously a delight, but the entirety of Midgar should have been like Wall Market. You should be able to get lost in the back streets or take the wrong train. Shinra headquarters gives you little glimpse into the way people on the upper plates live and work, but yet again they are just mannequins.

Games today give you vibrant open worlds to explore. You can jump on rooftops and glide over large swaths of land. The way in which Midgar was designed leaves little to the imaginationa as compared to the original. The graphics are crisp and every pipe and air conditioner feels like they might actually do something, but you can’t follow that pipe anywhere or walk down alleyways and talk to vagrants. Old games got a pass on size and depth because their limitations were obvious, often baked into whatever the genre was. If it was a brawler, you walk down streets beating people up. In racer, you play the track. But RPG’s were one of the few where you would be expected to explore the edges of its world. With new generation games, the choice to stop exploration in a RPG feel less like a limitation of raw power and more like a design decision. I would have preferred a game in which Midgar was a place to see and explore and interact with. Where I could haggle with one vendor over something found in another. Where I could watch the day cycle send people back and forth work. But Midgar wasn’t their focus. Telling you a story was. And as fun as that was, it was so disappointing to find that the original game gave you more by letting your mind wander past its graphical limitations than the remake did do by making the decision to limit your ability to physically explore visible areas. Instead of letting a visible wall stop you from going somewhere, an invisible force just puts a stop to your antics and tells you to get back to work. Maybe it's just psychological, but it is maddening. The physical world of 7 was just as important as its story and characters, but the story got to lead the show, and to me this feels off balance and off brand.

THE TAKEAWAY

This is a good game. A well made game for the most part. It's rough in places, but not so rough that it really hurts the end result. Final Fantasy 7 Remake is actually a showcase of talent that comes out of Square-Enix and despite the fact that I feel like they either bite off more than they can chew or completely misunderstand their core fanbase, they are still great artists. I often question whether game designers at big companies are customer service machines that should give us the product we demand or artists that deserve to create in a space that we support. Remake reminds me why I am both supportive but vocal. They may never hear me, but I want to know I said something. Still, it ends up being more than the sum of its parts. The game hums along like a well made machine. It takes time to remind fans of key moments, interjects tons of surprises that don’t entirely offend its base, and ultimately is never boring. What more could you ask from a game? Well, as it turns out, a lot. And I have so much more to say about the actual story content of this game and of Final Fantasy as a whole. If I didn’t mention some aspect here, it's probably because I want to discuss it in a way that may ruin the story, so look for the 3rd and final entry next week.

#Articles #Final Fantasy 7 #Final Fantasy VII #Final Fantasy 7 Remake #Final Fantasy #Nobuo Uematsu #FF7 #Review #JRPG #Voice Acting #Tifa #Cloud #Aerith #Barret #Jessie

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9uk · 6 years

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From The Bottom of My Heart

⌲ summary : maybe you and Jungkook, through heaven or hell, have always meant to stay close to each other.

⌲ pairing : bully!jungkook x reader

⌲ word count : 3.6k

⌲ genre : angst, fluff idk

⌲ warnings : mentions of past abuse, xoxo

⌲ a/n : this is what y’all hoes wanted hehe, so here it is. Happy New Year’s in advanced! also, happy birthday taetae <3

**Spin-off from my series Let Me Stay Close To You. If you haven’t read it, I’d suggest you read it first to have a better understanding of the context of this story. Read it here.

It's that time of the year again—where gifts are exchanged and gingerbread houses are made, where evergreen conifers are decorated with ornaments hung by the overly-excited children and the smell of Ceylon tea, baked potatoes and ham fills the kitchen. Everyone gathers around the fireplace and share their strange or ridiculous encounters over the year, laughters bursting and smiles everlasting while the star ornament sits on top of the Christmas tree gently, shining.

At least that's what you think Christmas is like, and should be.

In the sad world of reality, you have always spent the festive occasion coped up in your mother's café, selling log cakes and butterscotch cookies, telling kids to be careful with the hot chocolate you have just created and handed over to them.

It's the season when the shop is exceptionally busy, with overflowing customers who have foam gathered on their upper lips as they chat with joy over a cup of peppermint mocha latte.

It's supposed to be a wonderful period—well at least for you this year.

You are thousands of miles away from that crusty coffee place your mother runs, and you have completely forgotten about everything you've painstakingly memorised on the Christmas menu.

When you first received a hug from Sooyoung in what seemed like decades, the gesture ignited a small thought at the back of your head, that Christmas this year was going to be a little less lonely and spiced with fun instead. Who would have thought that friendships can appear as strong steel bridges of bonds, but yet so easily snap like a wooden plank.

With the money you received from your parents and the pay you get at that greasy restaurant, you were able to rent a not too shabby apartment a few streets from the university. But the fact that you are now living alone, that's the part that creeps into your late night thoughts at times.

You clearly remember Jungkook bugging you with an undefeated persistence to get your ass to the Christmas party Taehyung holds every year.

"C'mon, it will be fun. I promise, you have me!"

He knows what you have in mind, that all your friends have left your side and you would feel like a total loser and loner at the party.

Ex-friends, you mean.

If it weren't for them, you wouldn't have attended a single party at all.

He continues nudging your arm and whining for what seems like the nth time. "Please-"

"Okay, okay."

He looks at you with those big round glossy eyes you can't say no to. "I'll go."

And that is why you are currently freaking out over what to wear to the party. If only Sooyoung was—nevermind, screw that.

You fish out a random black dress from your closet and headed out before you changed your mind.

Being alone is no obstacle to you. It was being alone at a party that frightened you, it was a place where you are supposed to enter with friends—to be able to slowly fit into the crowd and be comfortable with the atmosphere in the house.

However, you were feeling jittery—much more than when you are called out to present your answer in front of the whole class. You didn't realise how accustomed you were to Sooyoung's constant bubbly presence beside you, not until this day. The party had just begun a while ago, and you hoped your entrance would hold the least significance to anyone in there, and you brushed off the thought of everyone's eyes on your weird form. That brat Jungkook had told you that he'd be waiting for you inside, and made you come to the party all by yourself.

What were you so afraid of anyway?

Maybe a couple of rumours had been spread between the ladies, and they would send you judgemental looks—but you were very used to it since the start, so why are you being so self-conscious right now?

Nonetheless, you picked up the phone and decided to dial someone—correction. The only one who you acquainted with in this college and is still on good (but strange) terms with you.

It was clear as day and green as grass that Namjoon has begun to harbour an interest much more than just physical attraction for you. During occasional study dates and the tutoring he offers you, you never once failed to catch him staring at you at least twice. You were pretty sure that there weren't any vegetable stuck between your teeth or crumbs on the corner of your lip though.

"What?" You look up to meet his eyes.

"What?" The both of you chuckle at the same time when he immediately shoots the question back at you.

"Why're you looking at me like that?" Namjoon is rendered speechless, it was almost as if all the excuses for him gawking at you in this manner had transformed into useless brain juice.

You were so far the first and only person who didn't judge or criticise him based on his looks. You even thought he was handsome and told him that straight in his face, and it made him wonder if you had standards lower than hell. "Nothing much, I-I think you look gorgeous today." He quickly averts his gaze to the homework before him, pretending to scribble somehing just to avoid your eyes and hide his blush. You shift your chair closer to him and lean in towards his face. "So...you mean only today?" You purposely pout.

His head shoots up, flabbergasted and he instantly corrects his words. "No! I mean—"

A cheeky smile grows on your face to replace the initial pout and you reassure him, "I'm just kidding, relax."

Namjoon's lips part slightly before he shakes his head and grins at your antics.

Namjoon informs you of his boredom and agrees to go with you to the party.

As expected, the house is filled with people for the alcohol here is free. In the stressful life of books and papers, who wouldn't mind a shot of tequila or two?

Namjoon is the gentleman that he is, offering you a ride to the venue but you politely decline. Instead, you choose to make your way over alone and meet him at the party itself. Having him accompany you was more than enough.

Your hand is on the handle of the front door to Taehyung's house and you cannot help but shift your weight nervously between your two feet. For some reason, the loud noises travelling from the inside are making your breath quicken and the overthinking to get to the better of you. You really hoped that not a single person would be attracted to your tiny appearance at this major party. It was then you realised how much Sooyoung and friends made you feel comfortable attending a huge party like this, they held your hand and gave you the much assurance you needed—that you were not alone.

And now you're back to square one.

What if everyone was playing games and having fun but suddenly upon your arrival the music dies down and all heads would be turned towards the main door with faces glaring at you?

Even though that is something that least likely would happen, you still prepare yourself for an unfortunate event like the aforementioned, or the worst that could happen. Right, just retreat and go home to the comfort of your laptop and bag of chips. And probably never face anyone in school ever again. Jesus Christ, the more of you think about it, your grip on the door handle is beginning to loosen and you would really be in bed in no less than a second. And your hesitance would result in a disappointed Jeon Jungkook.

Wait no, your meekly absence would never disappoint anyone.

You're not that important in such annual affairs.

You're not Regina George or something.

Now you feel stupid in this over-planned outfit and your makeup feels too extra.

You're just a loser with like barely any friends. Get it together. Why did you even agree to come? Just because Jeon Jungkook begged at the minimum? And he's nowhere to be seen. Just text Namjoon you're not feeling well, perfect excuse. You should have just remained at home where-

"Y/N!" The dark oak door suddenly flies open causing you to jump a little. His eyes are wide and shining with excitement, the dimples and wide grin supporting the assumption.

"How long have you been standing there? Come on in!" Namjoon is acting more like the host of the party than Taehyung is with the lovely invitation.

After he takes a proper look at you, his tongue darts out to wet his lips and he reaches out to intertwine his hand with yours to pull you into the house.

To say that you were merely overthinking would be an understatement.

Everybody was minding their own business, whether you stepped foot inside or not.

No one even acknowledged or is aware about your presence.

Except for a certain someone.

Namjoon is still holding your hand in a gentle yet possessive way, and he is different today for an unknown cause.

His confidence is exceptionally striking today and is clearly radiating off him. He is finally able to raise his head to meet the eyes of people with ease.

The way he waves and firmly greets an acquaintance walking past him and makes his way through the group of people in this place— makes you smile involuntarily, for you recall he first time you met him, when he didn't even have the courage to lift his head to face you.

He leads you to an empty spot and cages your head between his both palms fixated onto the wall. Namjoon looks just about ready to devour you whole there and then.

"Someone's...confident tonight." You quirk a brow up and place your hands on his hips to pull him a little closer.

Nothing but an innocent gesture.

Teasing him was fun and you both enjoyed it. Your touch sends him groaning softly to himself and he tries to resist from kissing you there and then.

"Look princess," He calls lowly, "Let's take things slow tonight."

It was the first time he has ever called you by that pet name and you must admit you're rather turned on—no, taken aback, you mean. Right, just surprised.

The feeling of someone intensely staring is doing nothing but growing stronger with every inch Namjoon is gradually closing between your faces. It felt like sharp daggers shooting right at the both of you at that moment and it made whatever you were doing become uncomfortable.

For you were under the predatory gaze of someone.

Suddenly, when Namjoon's lips finally bump into yours, you felt like he was too close for your liking.

You had no idea why you were feeling and acting this way, but you pushed his body away from yours. He panics and questions if he has crossed the line worryingly. "No, no, sorry I need to excuse myself to the washroom. " You desperately wave both hands to assure that it had nothing got to do with him—but you.

It didn't feel right at all.

And with that, you hastily left his side, dashing upstairs to god knows where.

You're in search of a balcony or some sort, a quiet area that gets your fresh air and being alone.

Maybe it was too much to take, with how Namjoon was acting so boldly, and how things would escalate to another level once you give him consent. You also did not wish for the friendship to be left in shattered pieces after the both of you do something friends should not do.

Maybe he was stepping on the line, and you were decisive enough to push him further from it—but not enough to tell him. It would bring his well built self-esteem down. If you were going to reject him, you would have to do it properly and respectfully.

[20:44] Me: hey joon, i'm sorry. i needed to leave because something cropped up at home. the next ben & jerry's will be my treat. see you ard

You switch off your phone and tuck it away into your small bag.

You had just so happen to find a balcony when you randomly entered one of the rooms upstairs. Lucky for you, there weren’t any people banging the life out of each other in the bedroom you selected. You quietly shut the door close behind you as your eyes roam around the four walls.

On the dresser, there is a picture frame of Taehyung with his family at highschool graduation. You waltz your way over to the family portrait and pick it up carefully.

You swipethe layer of dust coating the glass with your finger and Taehyung and his family smiling brightly can be seen clearly.

He hasn’t changed much, boxy grin and cresent eyes still intact.

There is a sense of longing and envy blooming in your heart, and it clenches tightly, sourly.

You never had the blessing to be able to spend your graduation day with your family, the entire school is clueless that you even have a father. You lived your teen years in shame and hiding. It’s a pity because you did not have the opportunity to take pictures like Taehyung did in the open field, throwing his hat up to the sky and receiving flowers from his parents. Placing the frame down gently, you went to the balcony and closed the curtains for privacy in case anyone happened to come in to disrupt your moment of peace.

“What the hell are you doing?” Taehyung snatches his wrist away from Jungkook’s hard grip. He slams the door shut and confronts Taehyung. “Were you the one who invited that Namjoon guy?”

He furrows his brows at his friend, beyond agitated.

“Who?!” Taehyung questions back. “I don’t even know who-”

“Then do you know where Y/N is?” Jungkook prompts again, desperate.

“And how would I know that? You were the one secretly staring at her ever since she came in.” Taehyung had a point. But right when he saw Namjoon approach you, and you willingly went along to wherever he brought you—he couldn’t bear to just watch and not be able to do anything. Just then, a random girl went up to him and tried her luck—but obviously to no avail. After he shrugged her pestering, you were nowhere to be seen. Namjoon too, had disappeared somewhere else and he started growing worried. Had Namjoon managed to get you to his place?

“Ah…” He plops down onto his friend’s bed and tugs at his hair in frustration. The thought of Namjoon having his way with you and all to himself makes him boil in anger. He thinks you don’t deserve Namjoon, who has tried his shot with almost every girl—yet at the same time he thinks he is unworthy of you as well.

There is an inner conflict going on between his heart and mind. Was it really right to have someone he did not deserve at all? Will he even manage to get closer to you, open up your world and heal the both of your broken hearts together? Jungkook is capable at countless things—except you.

You were the enigma in his life, so forbidden and mysterious that he really wants to connect and share a special bond with you. He doesn’t say it aloud, but you meant a lot to him in a way or another.

“Something bothering you?” Taehyung probes, folding his arms trying to figure out his bestfriend.

“How…How do you confess to someone?”

The question comes out as a shocker to Taehyung, but he is willing to help his friend out in a time of crisis for such a matter.

“Ha! You’ve came to the right person.” Taehyungs face beams with delight. “First,” He reaches out to grab Jungkook’s hand and interlace his fingers together with his. “Hold her hand. Properly, tightly. To show that you’re genuine in your confession. Also, to show how serious and certain you are about her.” Jungkook’s face contorts in disgust at the sight of Taehyung being a cheesy romantic. “Then,” He pulls Jungkook up from his bed and leans into his ear. “Look her in the face and tell her every word from the bottom of your heart. The words you’ve been wanting to tell her but never got the chance to..” Jungkook is frozen stiff with his bestfriend demonstrating on him. But Taehyung doesn’t stop.

He leans in close and pulls Jungkook into a tight hug. “Hug her! It must be tight as well, so that she can feel the affection you are trying to show.” Taehyung squeezes Jungkook and squeals happily for him. “Get off me! You’re squashing me dude!” Jungkook almost couldn’t breathe and Taehyung pats his back before stepping away. “That’s about it, there can be bonus if you want.”

“Nope, I’m good.” Jungkook smiles and pushes Taehyung to at least an arm’s length away.

“Back to real talk though, it’s Y/N isn’t it?”

“Did someone call me?” You emerge from the curtains through the balcony sliding doors, pretending to be oblivious. Jungkook presses his lips into a line and looks down at the floor, embarrassed to the sky. Taehyung notices and quickly announces that he has to host the party.

You carried on with your act, seeing as to how flustered Jungkook was becoming.

“I thought Taehyung called me.”

“No.” Jungkook hides his hands into the pockets of his jeans to appear collected, but truth is he was hiding how shaky and nervous he was around you—and the possibility that you had just heard their entire conversation.

“Is that so?” You doubt. Jungkook doesn’t reply, only giving you a nod of affirmation. “Well if that is so, I’ll make my leave.”

You smile at him and head for the door. Jungkook’s mouth open slightly.

“Wait, Y/N!”

The feeling of his fingers softly wrapped around your wrist is unexplainable—unlike the past, this time he holds you with care and a mindfulness to not hurt you in any way.

You spin around to face him.

“Uh, yes?”

Jungkook had always known you were decent looking, but this time you looked extraordinarily beautiful. The way you looked at him through your long lashes, the faded cherry lip tint you had on, your rich long locks falling over your shoulder and the mini black dress that hugged your figure so perfectly your cures were on display—you were the epitome of perfect, looking so endearing in a simple outfit as such and he swore to the heavens he would take immense care of you if you were ever in his arms. The scar doesn’t go unnoticed by him, and his stomach twists in an unpleasant manner at the sight of it. He is still unable to accept how he treated you in the past, and he hates himself more than anything for it—he wishes that you would at least grant him a chance to make up for his wrongdoings.

There is a need surging throughout his body, into his legs; stepping closer to you, into his hands; coming up to run his fingers through your hair and hold your face in place, and his face; diving in recklessly to smash his lips onto yours.

Maybe you thought that he would go according to Taehyung’s plan—confess then give you a a warm hug. But this wasn’t what you were expecting at all.

Jungkook kisses you like it was the last time when it’s only the first, he tilts his head and meld his lips feverishly with yours. It feels like forever with the way he is kissing you, so slow and intimate yet so hasty and desperate. You are able to feel the feelings he is trying to convey through this intimacy—filled with regret, want and a sense of belonging. You belonged to him. Back then, now and in the future. Always.

You wrap your arms around his waist and pull him in closer, mouth opening to grant his tongue access. He smiles into the kiss for a split moment before his tongue is darting out to swirl messily with yours, causing you to moan softly in his mouth. His grasp on your jaw doesn’t loosen and he bites down onto your lower lip before reluctantly pulling away.

A glow of red starts creeping onto his cheeks when the both of you look at each other, faces shy yet hearts pulsating with happiness.

You are the first to break the silence, smiling up at him, “That was…” You couldn’t bring yourself to say it. Everything between you and Jungkook had gone through mountains and seas, but this time—it escalated quickly to a whole new level. It was too much to accept at the moment, but it felt great with him for some reason. The both of you, so unfamiliar with each other’s worlds, yet understanding them to a depth no one outside can reach. There was still much to learn about each other, but you already felt this inseparable connection with the man standing before you.

You allow yourself to bury yourself into his chest and muffle your giggles, and he encases you in his muscular arms in a way never before. Hugging him made you feel complete, like two hearts that were finally pieced together as one. It provided you with a warmth so peculiar and never felt before. It felt surreal, almost akin to a dream.

He strokes your hair lovingly and places a firm yet chaste kiss on the top of your head. “Let me stay close to you Y/N,” He nuzzles his face into the crook of your neck. “For a long, long time…I will love and take care of you all my life.”

You smile and flutter your eyes close, waddling aimlessly around the room with arms around each other basking in the shining moonlight—never wanting to let go of each other.

413 notes · View notes

amehanaaa · 5 years

Text

How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days

I definitely did not expect all the encouraging feedback from the first chapter! Thank you all for your reviews; it made me feel very loved.

If everything goes to plan, this story will have nine chapters. I hope you all will join me on this journey! It’s going to be great!

Well, let's get this show on the road! See you soon! (Also can be read here.)

Chapter 2 -- read chapter one here! Words: 5740 Summary: Lucy and Natsu are determined to take the necessary steps to fulfill their lifetime dreams. Little do they know, they have both given themselves 10 days to achieve it.

——————–

Lucy's leg rhythmically bounces as she peers out the taxi window, Magnolia's city nightlife breezing past her. She would have preferred attending this gathering with Erza; she figured that wasn't an option when all she received was a text of the address and a suggestive picture of the dress Erza was wearing.

Wearing a dress she hasn't worn since her college days, Lucy is surprised it still clings onto her body like it used to. But this isn't the time to be self-conscious. Tonight is a night to be just the opposite—confident, likeable, and attractive.

Lucy has already developed a plan for her potential guy, but it feels like a distant dream. Right now, she has to be in total captivation mode. She has never acted this way in her life, but after channeling her inner-Erza persona, she is more confident than ever before.

"We're here," the taxi driver says. His words cause Lucy's heart to leap into her throat. She swallows it back as she steps out of the car.

Simultaneously, she nearly chokes on her breath at the extravagant hotel Erza invited her to. Inside, twinkling chandeliers hang from every part of the ceiling. Everyone is decorated with jewelry that probably costs more than a year's worth of her apartment rent.

Lucy follows the crowd of people until she reaches a ballroom where she recognizes the name of the host from Erza's text—Juvia.

"Would you like anything to drink?" a server offers as soon as Lucy takes her first step inside.

She takes the first glass of champagne on the tray. With a thankful nod, she searches through the crowd for Erza. Even though Erza is not the first person she would like to be with, Lucy feels so out of her comfort zone that any familiarity would be enough.

After squeezing through about twenty people, Lucy catches a glimpse of scarlet hair. She immediately calls out her name.

"Erza!"

Erza turns around at the voice, making eye contact with her. "Oh, you made it. Good luck tonight."

Lucy's jaw drops as Erza turns away with a smug look. "So, it's like that," she mumbles. "That's okay. I can do this by myself." With a deep breath, she mentally slides on her mask.

Any moment that Lucy makes eye contact with a man, she goes for it. She sends them a sly smile and approaches them, placing a hand on their shoulder. "How are you tonight?"

Much to her dismay, every man she speaks to is either married, currently with someone, or swinging the other way. An hour passes and she hasn't spoken to anyone worth her time. But now isn't the time to be picky; she has to find someone tonight.

Being on the lookout is becoming exhausting, so she decides to check out what the food is about. The sight of chocolate covered strawberries instantly attracts her and there is only one left. She reaches for it, but a hand plucks it away.

"Oh," Lucy says, also hearing the person say the same. She turns to the person, taken aback by the vibrant color of his hair.

"Do you want it?" he offers.

"You can take it," she assures. "I'll just go for something else."

"No, you take it. They're really sweet. I've had five."

"What if I just take you instead?" Lucy smiles at the same time his brows raise.

He instinctively leans forward. "What's your name?"

"Lucy. Yours?"

"Natsu."

"Cute."

"I can say the same to you."

"I meant your name." Lucy stifles out a laugh. Now, they're rolling. Before she continues, she glances at his hand—no ring. So far, so good.

"Are you with anyone tonight?" Natsu asks.

"Only a potential strawberry," she replies. "And you?"

"Same," he answers.

Lucy lets out a sigh of relief mixed with anticipation. This is it. This is her guy. "What are you doing here tonight?"

"I honestly can't remember now that I met you," Natsu responds. "Now that I think about it, I could go for some actual food."

"Tempting," she hums.

"Interested?" he suggests.

"Absolutely," she answers.

"I'll meet you at the front, then," he tells her before walking away.

Disappearing into the crowd, Natsu swipes his hands across his pants as a smile peeks through his lips. He can't remember the last time he felt like this—probably in college. But most importantly, he still has game!

"I knew bringing the bike was a good idea." Natsu grins triumphantly once he catches his friend, who is already half-tipsy.

"You found a girl already?" Gray asks incredulously.

"You're going to wish you never bet on this," Natsu continues grinning. "See you later. Use protection tonight, alright?"

Not bothering to hear Gray's slurred retorts, Natsu meets Lucy at the entrance of the ballroom. "You ready?"

"Readier than I'll ever be." She doesn't think twice about linking her arm through his. "Where are we headed?"

"One of my favorite restaurants," he reveals. They're outside now and Lucy starts stepping towards the nearest car, but he stops her. "No, this one."

"Oh," she realizes, her eyes connecting with the bike that looks strikingly similar to the one that almost flattened her today.

"Don't worry, I have a helmet for you," Natsu offers. "It's a little goofy, but safety is important."

Lucy mentally shakes off the trembles in her body by grasping the helmet firmly. She places it on her head, allowing him to adjust the chin straps.

"Goofy?" she asks, making close eye contact with him.

"Cute," he smirks. His smirk only widens when she mounts the bike and wraps her arms around his waist. "Don't squeeze too tight," he teases.

Lucy places her chin on his shoulder with a soft laugh. If there is anything she knows about men, it's their desire for constant physical touch.

Natsu allows his body to relax in her hold. If there is anything he knows about women, it's crucial to respond back to their body language.

Lucy has to hold back her yelps as they ride through the night. She tries to hide them, but she finds herself exposed when Natsu chuckles occasionally. It's then when she starts to notice that this guy is a lot more perceptive than she thought.

"Here we are," he announces once they roll up to a shining restaurant.

"A diner?" she questions aloud. "This is your favorite?"

"I'm old-fashioned."

The bright lights of the diner are a blessing and a curse. Now, Lucy can take in Natsu's features. At the same time, he absorbs her features, too. But in the persona she is in right now, there's no room for her to feel self-conscious.

Sitting across from one another, they share a menu. It doesn't matter that the words are upside down for Natsu; he already knows exactly what he wants.

"The sandwiches here are the best," he mentions.

"That's exactly what I was looking at," she replies.

After ordering a chicken sandwich, Lucy directs her attention to Natsu. Their eye contact almost feels electric, enough for a shiver to scatter across her spine.

"Can I ask you some questions?" she asks, placing her chin on her hands. "So we're not strangers anymore."

"Shoot." Natsu tugs his sleeves to his elbows as though to prepare.

"What do you do for a living?"

"I'm a firefighter," he answers with a proud glint in his eye. "There isn't much to save here in Magnolia, but the pay is good."

"Would you prefer to live somewhere else?"

"Maybe," he shrugs. "What about you?"

"I'm a journalist," she states.

Natsu raises an intrigued brow. "Have I read some of your work?"

"Only if you're interested in makeup and fashion." She sends him a suggestive look.

"Oh, you're that type of journalist," he remarks, nodding his head in understanding. "Saving one teenage girl at a time."

Now it's Lucy's turn to raise a brow. "I'll have you know, I work hard for my job," she defends herself. "This is just temporary. Soon enough, I'm going to be writing articles that are worth writing about."

"What's stopping you from doing that now?"

Lucy opens her mouth to respond, but she's saved by the waitress and their food. She's thankful; she needs to remember that this man is only going to be in her life for ten days. There's no reason for him to know everything about her.

Throughout their meal, Natsu does all he can to be the captivating guy that keeps Lucy wanting more and more. Meanwhile, Lucy does all she can to suggest that she doesn't want their night at the diner to end here.

As though served to her on a silver platter, Lucy finds herself being invited to Natsu's apartment. They are moving a lot faster than she anticipated, but she keeps herself together with a confident smile.

"Nice place," she compliments. She has only seen an alcove studio apartment in movies but experiencing it in real life makes it appear much larger than it is.

"Thanks," he responds. "Being a firefighter isn't too bad when you get to live in a place like this. Want a drink?"

"Sure. But first, where's your bathroom?"

Once she's in, she immediately takes out her phone. Lucy can try to be a strong, confident woman, only if she's given some space to return to her normal self.

"You're at his place?!" Levy texts Lucy back almost the second she received the text.

"I'm not going to do whatever you think we'll be doing," Lucy replies. "I'm just going to… Tease him a bit."

She checks through Natsu's cabinets to see if there is anything out of the ordinary. Besides an extremely tattered toothbrush, everything looks normal.

"Don't forget to take your notes," Levy reminds her. "Be safe and text me if you need anything."

With that, Lucy leaves the bathroom to see Natsu lighting several candles. Soft music plays in the background—it's a song she recognizes from one of her study playlists she had once. Playing with the tension in the air, she doesn't think twice to near his bed and sit at the edge.

Natsu hands her a glass of wine, but instead of sitting on the bed with her, he sits back on the dresser against the wall. Lucy pats the spot beside her lightly to beckon him to her. In response, Natsu pats the area beside him.

"Oookay," she finally accepts, standing up from the bed and sitting beside him. Warmth spreads across her skin as their shoulders bump against each other.

Natsu is about to mention that she smells sweet, but as soon as he turns to her, he finds her lips pressing against his. They kiss for a moment, but he lifts his head.

"Hey, let's not go too fast, alright?" he whispers, his lips accidentally brushing across her nose. He knows this will make her want him even more.

"Yeah, you're right," Lucy says while pulling away. She peers at him, but his eyes are focused on her lips. "Let's—"

Her words are interrupted as Natsu brings her in, kissing her as they stand and embrace one another. She can feel his pulse coming off his fingertips as they snake down her back.

"Ah, you're right. Too fast." Lucy unwraps her arms from around his neck. She knows this will make him want her even more.

"Yeah," Natsu mutters as he presses his forehead against hers.

Maybe it's because of the drink, or the party, or her assignment, or everything in between that makes Lucy do what she does next. Gently running her fingers into his hair, she leans in just for another kiss. That's all it takes.

One second they're standing, the next second Natsu is above Lucy on his bed. The beat of the music surrounding them matches their kisses. Lucy finds herself lost in his lips, her body heat meshing with his.

Natsu can smell her sweetness as he presses just enough weight above her to make her secure in his grip. He enjoys the softness of her lips, even being able to feel the ghost of her smile.

"Too fast." They both pull away with heavy breaths. As their hazy eyes connect, the tension between them is insurmountable.

"I want you to respect me," Lucy speaks softly.

"I do," Natsu responds. "And I want your respect."

Lucy sends him a subtle smile. "I respect you for respecting me."

Natsu pauses, but the edges of his lips rise. "I respect that."

He pushes himself off the bed and helps her up. As they both fix their ruffled hair, they share a look, almost laughing. Both of them can agree that everything happened too fast. Not that they regret it, but there's still too much unfamiliar distance between them.

"I should probably head out," Lucy admits.

"I'll walk you out," he offers.

Lucy is feeling electricity all across her body—so much that she doesn't acknowledge her surroundings. She gasps when she accidentally knocks over her wine glass.

"I'm so sorry," she apologizes quickly while bending down to pick it up.

"Hey, don't do that. It's okay." Natsu grasps her hand before it comes in contact with the glass. "I'll clean it up once you leave."

Lucy peeks shyly at him, picking herself up and looking around to see if she needs anything else. "Thanks for tonight. I'll see you soon."

"Soon," Natsu repeats.

Lucy slides out of his apartment, already making mental notes of every detail of what happened tonight. She exits the apartment complex, in search for a taxi when she hears a voice above her.

"Goodnight, Lucy," Natsu calls out from his balcony.

She raises her gaze to him and waves. "Goodnight!"

Natsu leans his elbow against the railing of the balcony, laughing into his hand as she waves.

"You're so going to want to be with me for these next ten days," he says under his breath.

Lucy speaks through her smile. "I'm going to have these next ten days make you wish you were dead."

Finding a taxi, she enters the car and takes a final look at Natsu's apartment complex. He is already inside, which allows her to release a laugh that has been pent up inside of her. She isn't sure if it's a nervous one or an anticipated one.

Reflecting on tonight, she feels like she has awakened a new version of herself. There is no telling how these next ten days are going to turn out.

——————–

Natsu waits for Gray in front of the fire station the next day. Once he arrives and delivers Natsu's lunch—courtesy of Juvia's party—they sit at an outdoor table. Natsu hasn't even taken his first bite when Gray begins his interrogation.

"What happened last night?"

"For me or for you?" Natsu speaks through muffled bites. "Do you remember anything?"

"Only bits and pieces, but that's not what I care about," Gray dismisses him. "I mean, for you. You met a girl?"

"Yeah, she was great. Hanging out with her these next ten days isn't going to be difficult," Natsu responds.

"Well, do you have plans on seeing her today?" Gray inquires.

"She left her purse at my place," Natsu cracks a grin. "I'm going to call—"

He doesn't get to finish his sentence, hearing the station phone ringing inside. Several moments later, one of his colleagues comes outside.

"Hey, Natsu. You have a call."

"Spoke too soon," Gray comments as Natsu jumps out of his seat and hurries inside.

"Hey," Natsu speaks into the phone, trying to hide his uneven breaths.

"Hey," Lucy replies on the other line. "Sorry if it's weird calling you at work."

"No, it's okay. We're slow. As always," he assures. "You searched up the station's phone number?"

"Is that weird?" Lucy asks bashfully. "Sorry."

"No, it's not," Natsu lets out a chuckle. If anything, he appreciates her effort to get in contact with him.

"Well, I just wanted to call you about my purse. I accidentally left it last night."

Natsu takes note at the word accidentally. "Yeah, I saw. How about we meet today so I can give it back to you?"

"You read my mind," she replies. "Here, this is my number. You can call me back on your personal phone."

"Got it. See you soon, then," Natsu responds. Once he hangs up, he makes eye contact with his colleague. "What, Elfman?"

"Never seen you blush before," Elfman comments. "Not very manly."

"I'm not blushing!" Natsu proclaims immediately, already going back outside. "Get off of me."

Finding that Gray left to go back to work, Natsu continues eating his lunch by himself. Even then, he becomes lost in his thoughts at what it will be like to see Lucy again.

"You are so sly," Cana purrs once Lucy gets off the phone.

"Just strategy," Lucy explains with a half-hearted shrug. "I'm still in phase one right now."

"Which means?" Cana questions.

"Captivation," Lucy reveals. "That definitely succeeded last night, but today I'm going to show him a different, sweeter side to me."

"You got guts," Cana commends. "How will phase two be like?"

"Clingy, needy," Lucy lists them off her fingers. "You know, that kind of stuff. But when he least expects it, I'm going to switch it up again."

Cana releases a laugh, shaking her head in disbelief. "You really thought this one out!"

Lucy can't help but beam. She has pretty much gotten over the nervous jitters; she's ready to continue her experiment. Though her plan is written out, she knows she needs to be spontaneous, too. Such as intentionally leaving her purse at Natsu's place last night. She needs a reason to see him again, after all.

It isn't until the workday is almost over when her phone buzzes, lighting up with a message from an unknown number with a street address.

"Hey, it's me. Let's meet here tonight."

Lucy taps on the highlighted address, her phone directing her to a map view of the place. It's a fifteen minute walk away, but in the opposite direction of where she would like to be. The address is on the side of the town that no one wants to find themselves at after sunset.

She hums and messages Natsu back. "Fairy Tail? I've never heard of it. Is it safe?"

"You'll be safe with me," Natsu responds instantly. "It's sort of a club, but tonight is a special night for cards and games. Drinks on the side, maybe."

Again, Lucy hums and reminds herself how necessary spontaneity is right now. If that means meeting Natsu in a suspicious part of town, then so be it.

"Okay. I'll be there in an hour."

With that, Lucy reaches for her extra set of clothes. On her way to change, she calls Levy to update her on the new turn of events.

"You better keep me updated every minute!" Levy lectures her, her voice echoing through the bathroom. "You know how dangerous that side of the city is. Are you sure you want to do this, Lu?"

"Commitment is commitment," Lucy protests. "Natsu said I'll be safe with him."

"Men are unreliable!" Levy proclaims. "Seriously, keep your location on your phone or I'm going there myself."

Lucy lets out a laugh, secretly grateful for her friend's concern. "You got it, Levy. I'll probably be back late tonight, so don't worry about staying up for me."

Before Levy finds a new way to warn Lucy to not go, Lucy ends the call.

"Okay," she begins, fixing her hair and faking a smile at the mirror. "Let's do this."

Phone in hand, Lucy makes her way to Fairy Tail. Sunset rays drip onto her face every so often, which eases her more than it should. She can already tell she's entering Magnolia's rough part when she notices the chipped sidewalk and stray dogs.

It is almost as if she's in another world the further she goes. Her phone tells her she's about three minutes away from the place, but she has no idea how it'll look. She expects it to look similar to the abandoned houses, but it isn't until she walks around the corner when she's met with solid, metal gate.

The gate is at least a head taller than her, but she rises on the tips of her toes to see if she can look over. Behind her, she can hear men whistling at her. Before she feels too exposed, she calls Natsu.

"Hey, I think I'm here," Lucy says.

"I'll tell them to open the gate for you."

On cue, the gate starts to slide open. When it has opened enough for her to fit, she doesn't hesitate to enter. Lucy has to suppress her eyes from bulging out when she realizes that she is now in a gorgeous courtyard, decorated with ponds and fountains and perfectly-cut shrubs. In front of her is an extravagant three-story building. It's hard to believe that a wasteland is directly behind her.

"Hey, Lucy! You found me!" Natsu shouts, waving at her from the second floor balcony. She tilts her head back and sees him beckoning her to enter. "I'll meet you at the staircase!"

She steps forward, mentally preparing herself to get into character. Once again, it's showtime.

"Hey, there." Natsu wraps an arm around her shoulders and brings her into a hug.

"It's nice to see you again," Lucy says, leaning into the hug. "Did you have a good day?"

"It's better now that you're here." He sends her a wide grin. Already, electricity seems to tremor between them. "Oh, yeah, here's your purse."

"Thank you." She accepts the purse from him, their fingers accidentally grazing over each other. He latches onto her fingers.

Natsu tilts his head to the side. "Here, let's walk around."

Jazz music plays around the dimly lit room, lights hanging to illuminate specific areas. The lights hover above poker, card-games, and pool tables. Players surround them, taking their shots or concentrated at their cards.

"How do you know about this place?" Lucy asks, guided by their intertwined hands.

"A friend of mine knows the owner," Natsu answers. "All these guys here are loaded with money. I just like to come here and have fun."

"You don't play?" Lucy raises a brow, somewhat surprised.

"Only if I know I'm going to win. Which is often," he says confidently.

Immediately intrigued by his confident manner, Lucy decides to challenge him to play a game. They're now on the second floor, which is for board games. She searches the area to see which would be the most challenging—her lips tug upwards once she finds it.

"What about chess? Do you think you could beat that guy?" She points her finger at a lonesome man by one of the chess boards.

"Could I?" Natsu scoffs. "I'm professionally trained at chess. And by professional, I mean, I've watched plenty of people play it."

"Show me what you got, then," she retorts. They walk to the board, the man looking above his glasses at the two.

Natsu wordlessly sits across from him, setting up the pieces on his side of the board. "Let's do this, old man."

The man grunts, setting up his pieces and turning to squint at Lucy. "Sit away from us. I don't want you disturbing our game."

She opens her mouth to defend herself. "I won't—"

"Don't worry, it won't last too long," Natsu assures her. "You can sit on those couches nearby."

Lucy has no choice but to comply, trying not to show her frustration. She crosses her arms and sits on the couch. If there is anything that bothers her most, it's being excluded. She also feels like the suspicious stains on the velvet couch has provided more service than just sitting.

From her spot, she watches Natsu's face becoming stone-like once he concentrates on the game. She begins to find it oddly attractive, but she also can tell that this game isn't going to be as short as he predicted.

"I'm going to get a drink," Lucy states after thirty minutes have passed and nearly no significant moves have been made.

"Don't disturb us," the man responds harshly.

"Sorry, Lucy. Do you mind getting me one, too?" Natsu asks with a quick glance in her direction.

"Yeah, yeah," she waves them off.

Aimlessly walking through the club, she isn't sure where she should grab her first drink. Several bars are on each floor and she can't tell which one to choose. She decides to pick the most vacant one on the third floor, noticing only one other person besides the bartender. She sits one stool away from him.

"I'll just have a water," she tells the bartender.

She sneaks a glimpse at the man beside her, noticing that he is more elderly than she realized. He swirls the ice in his cup. He sends her a side-eye as he takes a sip, which makes Lucy jump at the sudden eye-contact.

"Nice to meet you." The man smiles at her. "What's your name?"

"I'm Lucy." She extends her hand out to shake his hand. "What about you?"

"Makarov," he answers. "I've never seen you here before."

"Yeah, I'm a guest," she explains. "Do you know Natsu? I'm here with him."

Makarov doesn't hold back his surprised expression. "You're here with Natsu? That's new."

Lucy tilts her head in confusion. "What do you mean by that?"

"I don't remember the last time Natsu brought a woman here," Makarov states. He rubs the back of his head in thought. "It has been at least five years."

Lucy grinds her teeth in order for her jaw not to drop. "Why do you think that is?"

"Can't be too sure," he shrugs half-heartedly. "The last thing he told me was that the next relationship he's looking for is a long-term one."

Lucy's teeth grind harder. Her thoughts begin to spiral, unsure of which one to settle on. Is Natsu more committed than she thought? Does Natsu see a future with her? How is she supposed to be okay with that knowing that she's cutting all of this off in ten days?

Lucy gulps, trying to keep her voice level. "How do you know all of this? What's your relationship with Natsu?"

"Well, I own this place," Makarov says nonchalantly. "I know everyone in this club."

But this interests her more than anything. This is what she has been looking for.

"You own this place," Lucy echoes. She slides into the stool separating them. "What's the story behind Fairy Tail? Why did you pick this part of Magnolia?"

"It's a long story," Makarov answers, almost as though he isn't interested in sharing it.

"I have time," Lucy assures him. "I'm also a journalist who lives for stories like these. Really, I would love to know your story."

Makarov notices the curious glint in her eyes, knowing that it's genuine. He clears his throat.

"Well, I had the vision of Fairy Tail when I was about your age. This part of town used to be ten times worse back in the day. Burglaries left and right. My home got broken into five times, even while I was building this place.

"I wanted it to be a safe place for those that live here and have nowhere to go. You know, people outside of these neighborhoods think that everyone here is too far gone to be successful.

"But I think the real issue is that no one has any hope for them. No one has hope for the drug addicts, the kids, the families. There isn't any hope that these neighborhoods can be restored."

"Do you think Fairy Tail has made a difference in the community?" Lucy asks.

"You tell me," Makarov responds, turning his chair around and lifting his finger in the air. "Those closed doors over there are classrooms. During the day, this place is a school."

"And at night it's a club?"

"We make sure the kids aren't allowed in at night," he responds. "We also don't sell alcohol. Water, juice, and soda are all anyone is drinking around here."

"Incredible," Lucy breathes out in awe. "I didn't think a place like this existed in Magnolia."

"It's a stigma that we're trying to destroy," he replies. A smile tugs at the edge of his lips. "Money is starting to flow in, too. Somehow, word got around to a bunch of corporate workers and they come here after their shifts."

"That's amazing." She begins to smile with him.

Makarov turns to her. "Did you say you were a journalist? Do you think you could mention Fairy Tail in the paper?"

Lucy pauses, slowly shaking her head. "I'm sorry. I'm not that kind of journalist."

"Oh, I see," Makarov nods in understanding. "Well, that's fine. With the way it looks like, we'll be growing in no time."

Disappointment floods into Lucy's chest. Not only because of her meaningless job position, but because of herself, too. Before she feeds too much into her emotions, she asks her final question.

"If you had any advice for someone who wanted to open up a place like this, what would you say?"

"Follow the path you believe in," Makarov answers simply. "The further you go, the more you'll see how much you believe in it."

Lucy clenches her fists below the bar. All she wants to do right now is jump up from her seat, thank Makarov for his time, and quit her job. But before her feet touch the ground, she feels an arm snake around her waist.

"You didn't get to see me win," Natsu whispers into her ear, his lips dragging across her skin. He sets his chin on her shoulder and shifts his gaze. "Oh, hey, Makarov. You met Lucy?"

"I sure have," he replies with a suggestive tone. "Seems like you struck some passionate gold with this one."

"Passionate?" Lucy and Natsu repeat at the same time. They look at one another with confused eyes.

"Well, I look forward to seeing you again, Lucy," Makarov says while hopping off his stool. "Until we meet again, you two. Don't enjoy yourselves too much."

Without giving the time to respond, Makarov walks away. Natsu and Lucy to blink at one another for several seconds. They speak simultaneously.

"You won the game?"

"What did he say to you?"

Natsu nods, allowing Lucy to speak first.

"He shared his story with me," she explains, not being able to hold back her smile. "He told me how he started Fairy Tail."

"He loves telling that story," Natsu sighs as he sits next to her. "It's hard to believe that this place is filled with kids during the day, right?"

"I bet it's a beautiful school," she says. She casts a look across her shoulder to admire the place. Now that she knows how special this place is, she wants to recognize its worth.

Natsu leans forward, almost mesmerized by her softened eyes. "Do you have a passion for schools?"

Lucy catches his lingering gaze. She turns back to the bar and looks down at her cup. "I just have a passion for stories, that's all," she explains. "Anyway, how did the game go?"

"I won," Natsu responds with a grin. He reaches over to play with her fingers. "And it only took an hour and a half."

Lucy feels a tingling sensation ripple through her body, reminding her of Makarov's words. There's no way that she can let Natsu believe that this relationship is for the long run. She doesn't have the heart for that. She needs to act fast.

"Well, I'm tired," she states, changing her tone. She pulls her hands away from him. "And I came here pretty hungry."

Natsu tilts his head, noticing the shift in her voice. "Let's go get something to eat then. There's a place not too far from here."

Lucy is about to respond, but her phone interrupts her. She finds that it's Levy calling her, which is a perfect opportunity.

"Hello? Oh, come on, Levy. I'm in the middle of a date. I can't leave—wait. Right now? Oh my, I'm on my way!"

"Who was that? What's going on?" Natsu asks, following Lucy as she abruptly jumps out of her seat and makes her way to the staircase.

"That was my roommate. She needs me to go home now." She hastily answers, quickly stepping down the stairs.

"For what? You can't just stay—"

Once they reach the entrance, Lucy stops in her tracks. Without warning, she turns around to lean forward and kiss him. It takes Natsu by surprise. Before he can react, she's already pulling away.

"Let's see each other tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay," he nods, still bewildered by the whole situation. "I'll call you."

"I'll be waiting." She sends him a smile before shutting the door.

The clicks of Lucy's shoes match her heartbeats as she hurries through the courtyard. Luckily, the reason why Levy called her was to say that she was outside.

"Hey," Lucy sighs out as she slides into Levy's car.

"You're lucky that I was in the area to pick up some paperwork at the bakery," Levy replies. She shifts the car into drive. "So, how did tonight go?"

Lucy looks over at her friend with a grin. "Levy, you won't believe the story of this place. It's incredible. I'm going to have to tell you about it soon."

"And how about the date with Natsu?" she asks.

Lucy runs a trembling hand through her hair. "Oh, yeah. That was good, too. Other than the fact that he may be more invested into the relationship than I am."

"That's a good thing, right?" Levy remarks.

"Good for the experiment, not good for me," Lucy answers. "Do you know hard it's going to be to let him go after these ten days?"

"Well, that's what you signed up for," Levy states simply. "You can deal with the heartbreak another time. This is going to make your article so much richer, too."

Levy's tough love is exactly what Lucy needs. If not, she would be coming clean to Natsu by the end of the night. But after remembering that this article may lead her to more recognition, Lucy swallows her pride.

And with that, day one of the experiment is complete. Tomorrow, phase two will begin.

#fairy tail #fairy tail fanfiction #nalu fanfiction #nalu #my writing #thank you for reading!#my heart swells #stay tuned friends

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kismetcanwriteme · 5 years

Text

Of Comets and Comfortable Silence

In which Clarke is stubborn and Lexa isn't always patient with her.

or au in which a comet causes the soulmate tattoo trope. Ever seen Night of the Comet? It’s like that but not as scary.

Also on ao3 https://archiveofourown.org/works/20253967/chapters/48004738

Chapter 1/5

When the comet passed, it was all over the news. They said it was going to be the closest comet to pass the earth in over a century and the media promised a light show of epic proportions. Immediately, social media started blowing up. “Influencers” started live-streaming about it. #Arkadiascomet was trending. There was a star Snapchat filter. Pinterest exploded with space themed party ideas, and, of course, scientists were thrilled with the possibilities this flying hunk of burning rock had in store.

Raven, in particular wouldn't shut up about it, “Just think! Imagine what we could do with material from an unidentified star cluster. Clarke! If I can get my hands on a piece, imagine the reactions I could get” reactions. Sure. Reactions. read BOOM.

From the other end, Octavia was never one to miss a party opportunity and had suckered Clarke into buying the necessary glow sticks and the unsurprisingly uncharged star decorations.

And of course, Octavia had to invite Lexa. Goody. To say Clarke and Lexa weren’t friends was putting it mildly. The teacher frankly made Clarke want to tear her hair out (or tear Lexa to shreds, either way.) And it wasn’t like Clarke could escape her either, not since college when they all met and formed their little motley crew. Lexa was Lincoln's sister. Lincoln was Octavia’s boyfriend. Octavia seemed incapable of doing anything without her boyfriend. Lincoln loved his sister. Clarke was in hell. End of story.

Everything was an issue with them. Lexa always had criticism ready for anything Clarke said or did, and Clarke always had a barb aimed at Lexa’s entire existence

From where to eat. “Clarke there isn’t anything on this menu that won’t destroy your heart. We are not eating here.” “Well it's a good thing you don't have a heart to destroy then isn’t it, Lexa.”

The touchy subject of punctuality. “Have you ever been on time for anything in your life?” “Have you ever started a conversation like a normal human? Maybe a hi or even a good morning?” “It would still be morning if you had been on time.”

The touchier subject of Clarke's choice in partners. “He cheated on you! Why is he still coming to the star barbecue?” “Because he’s still Raven's best friend?” “...he hurt you.” “What, do you suddenly care Woods?”

Even board games weren’t safe “Clarke, you can’t steal from the bank” “Not with that attitude” “That’s it, I'm putting you in jail” “That’s not in the rules!” “Neither is a fucking bank heist?!”

Of course, that didn’t account for the weird silent protective streak they had going one. Lexa was always the first to defend Clarke from many unwanted advances from strange men with her sharp words and impressive vocabulary. All in the name of feminism. And as much as Clarke would never admit it, she had put other people in their place more than a few times for speaking too harshly about Lexa's whole ice queen thing. No one was allowed to make fun of her for that. Except Clarke.

They drove their friends up the wall from day one and it was still going strong. Usually Lincoln or Octavia would mediate, and the entire group had learned to separate them by at least two people at the table. Gradually, the other members of their group learned to work around the hurricane that was Clarke and Lexa’s weird harsh protective not-quite friendship.

So it was strange to say the least when Clarke ended up sitting next to her on Octavia’s couch, drinking beer, wearing a galaxy skater dress circa 2010, and watching Night of the Comet (Clarke thought it was appropriate, and Lexa loved the dark humor in it.) As they took in the horror film about people turning to dust when a mysterious comet passed overhead, everyone else was outside where the music and space themed decor was. Clarke just couldn't bring herself to get hyped about it. What was so special about a hunk of rock? Lexa would probably know. Lexa knew everything. But Lexa would also roll her eyes and mumble something about Clarke being an "artist living in her own little world", so Clarke refrained from asking

“Hey! You guys kill each other yet?” Bellamy asked, bouncing in and flopping down by Lexa taking in her dark grey jeans and black sweater. “Lex! You were supposed to dress like something space themed” He pointed to his Space jam tank top and grinned.

Lexa smirked back, took a sip of her beer, and said “The night sky is black, isn't it?”

He laughed good naturedly and said “At least Clarke’s got the idea. Although, I haven't seen that dress since your date with...” he trailed off suggestively and laughed harder when Clarke poked him in the ribs.

“Oh calm down, Clarke. Everyone knows about your disastrous first and last date with Murphy in high school.” Lexa said.

“Doesn't mean I want the whole world to know.” she hissed back "it’s embarrassing.”

“I'll say.” Lexa snickered.

“At least I never tried to convince myself I was straight by taking Bell to winter formal.”

Bellamy gasped as if affronted “Lexa, you used me!? I thought what we had was special!” he wiped away mock tears.

Lexa nodded solemnly and placed a hand on his arm “I’m sorry Bell, the results came back from the lab. Its true... I'm Lebanese”

“NO! Not my good American Lexa! A Lebanese” he picked her up from the couch and spun her around while she shrieked. Even Clarke had to smile at that.”Now come on. let's see if this comet burns us to dust, turns us into zombies, or gives Rae something new to blow up.”

Unsurprisingly, the comet passed and did none of those things The night wore on, everyone drank too much, and then regretted it the next morning. And that was the end of that.

________________________________________________________________

Except it wasn't.

It didn't start gaining media attention until about a week after the fact, but the rumors had started buzzing the next morning. One of those unexplained epidemics that was far scarier than a zombie apocalypse. It started with couples, old ones who had been together since forever, going into the police, claiming they woke with tattoos that they didn't remember getting. The authorities put it down to dementia. So did doctors. It wasn't until one doctor and his husband of twenty years woke up with matching vine tattoos on their torso and arm respectively, that any research was started. The first thing they realized was that the tattoos weren't ink. Somehow, the skin cells changed color The second thing they realized was that they were not dangerous, at least, not obviously. None of the cells were deteriorating, they were just different. The third thing they realized was that it had started after the comet passed, leaving everyone to wonder what the hell the comet was made of that could cause something like this.

By the end of the week, everyone knew someone who had one, and everyone wanted one. Octavia and Lincoln were the first Clarke had seen. They woke up the next day with white flowers blooming all over their chests.

At first, Clarke assumed it had to do with who you were near when the comet passed over, and at first the scientific community agreed with her, but then she (and they, eventually) realized that couldn't be it, because she and Raven had fallen asleep slumped on the table against each other and nothing happened to them.

It continued like that, and it wasn't stopping. Soon, people who brushed hands on the street, who kissed their significant other would pull away with hands or arms or legs covered in color. Even a certified asshole like Murphy came to Clarke’s apartment two days later freaking out because some girl named Emori left blue geometric shapes all over his shoulder when she handed him his coffee. It wasn't until doctors could pull enough testing groups together that they figured out the correlation (although social media put it together much more quickly): Soul mates or, less romantically, Individuals with optimum attraction levels and high compatibility scores. Not only that, but the affected’ body chemistry changed. Things science couldn't explain, like hormone levels bouncing off the charts, blood types full on changing, genetics mutating. What scientists couldn't tell was whether or not new humans, those who were not alive at the time of the comet, would experience these same reactions. Whether this new mutation could be passed down. No matter what the outcome was, it was happening and happening fast.

________________________________________________________________

And the internet exploded.

Sometimes, Clarke wished the comet had been good for making things go boom, because if Clarke had to see another vlog about someone finding their soulmate, or another stupid meme about which unattractive character people jokingly thought there soulmate might look like or another crying youtuber apology video about trying to fake one for attention, she was going to lose it.

Unfortunately, the hype didn't seem like it was going to die down anytime soon. Everyone wanted to capitalize on the new phenomenon. Restaurants had "soul specials" and tattoo artists offered fake soulmate marks (Clarke could respect the great marketing strategy, but really it was just artists charging double for matching tats). Books were being written, movies were in the works, the number of wedding skyrocketed. Clarke had never gotten so many photography appointments in her entire career, and the small commission site she ran for her paintings was flooded with requests for paintings of tattoos. She ignored those.

One thing no one anticipated was that the new tattoos legitimized homosexuality in the eyes of many previously prejudiced churches. After all, they couldn't say the tattoos were a gift from God and not acknowledge gay people had them too. So at least some good came out of it.

Of course, there was still that small faction of people who thought they were a curse but there will always be crazy people in the world.

Clarke belonged to larger (but still small) faction of people who doubted the tattoos meant anything more than what people wanted them to mean, thought it was absurd that such a big decision was based on a(n admittedly nuts) genetic mutation caused by a burning rock, and told Lexa as much about a month later sitting across from her at brunch with their friends at their usual table outside.

“I'm just saying, I think it's ridiculous that people are putting so much stock in something so arbitrary.”

“Clarke, tattoos appearing on people from skin to skin contact is not arbitrary. Its something that's never been seen before in the history of the human race. Why are you so bound and determined not to admit its importance?” Lexa said. Oooh her eye was doing that twitch that told Clarke she was at her limit… One more jab.

“Placebo effect” she said simply taking a sip of her mimosa

“Excuse me” narrowed eyes, even better

Clarke shrugged “People believe the tattoos mean something, and so they convince themselves they feel that way. No offense guys.” she said jerking her head at Octavia and Lincoln.

“None take” he said “we were together before all this” Octavia nodding along with too much bread in her mouth.

Lexa looked like she was about to scream “So you mean to tell me that you don't think there’s any significance in people's blood type changing, their genetics mutating? You think that's all what? Coincidental?! Unimportant?”

“Of course not”

“Thank God”

“It probably mean tons of new research material for genetic disorder specialists.”

Lexa’s face got so red and Clarke lived for moments like these “You- genetic- I- fucking-” Lexa spluttered before throwing her hands up “I don't even know why I try.”

“But God knows it’s so entertaining when you do. Look, just because couples feel closer doesn't mean they actually are.” she said adding insult to injury by toasting Lexa.

“Don't worry, Lex. Clarke’s just scared that she’ll get one and become her mom’s new lab rat” Raven said adjusting her large sunglasses and smirking.

“Her what?” Bellamy asked from where he was trying to beat his sister in amount of rolls consumed in an hour.

Clarke groaned “Ugh, don't remind me, shes obsessed.”

Raven said “Doctor Griffin has volunteered to head Arkadia Hospital's new soulmate tattoo research team”

“Which reminds me, she actually asked if you two could stop by the hospital so she can see the marks for herself and probably ask to run tests.” Clarke said reluctantly, turning to Lincoln and Octavia.

“Sure, why not? I’m free. How bout you babe?” Octavia asked him

“Yeah, might as well figure out whose blood type reigns supreme in this relationship.” He replied nudging her shoulder playfully.

She rolled her eyes “We’ll stop by this afternoon around two.”

Clarke nodded “I’ll text her.”

The group eventually finished up their brunch and left the restaurant, Octavia and Lincoln to the hospital, Raven to go make something explode, and Bellamy to watch her, leaving Clarke alone with her least favorite person.

For lack of anything else to do, they started the short walk back to the apartment complex they both lived in. ( to say they had been displeased to find out they were neighbors was an understatement,)

It was quiet which was fantastic. Only the sound of their swishing sundresses kept them company. It was funny, because when they weren’t arguing, Clarke actually found Lexa’s stoic presence rather grounding, safe. Maybe it was an association thing. During Octavia's parties, Clarke and Lexa usually found themselves drunk on the bathroom floor at 4 am (the registered safe time for spilling your guts both literally and figuratively) having one of their rare “deep chats” it was the only time their friends didn't have to pull them off each others throats, and Clarke would only admit this with a gun to her head, but that was always her favorite part of the party. Everyone had a drunk buddy. Lexa was hers. Clarke thought she had held Lexa’s hair back while she puked enough times to earn the title.

Lexa interrupted Clarke's thoughts and by saying quietly “I think they would have been soulmates.”

Clarke played dumb “who?”

“Your parents.” she answered “that's why you're so against the whole tattoo thing. You’re angry they’ll never know, but I believe they would have been.” Clarke's dad had died three years ago in an automobile accident. The other driver was drunk but he survived. Jake Griffin didn’t.

Clarke felt her throat tighten “You don't know what I feel”

Lexa raised a hand to Clarke's denim covered shoulder which was immediately shrugged off “Its ok to be angry about the missed moments, Clarke. Your feelings don’t make you weak”

“Yeah?” she spat “what do you know, Lexa? You push your feelings down so far no one knows you have them. It’s a good thing Costia left before this whole thing. You would have been the first soulmate ever to feel nothing for your partner.” it was a low blow but Clarke was touchy about her dad. She saw Lexa draw into herself and regretted every word. When Costia left it was messy, she had been an integral part of their group and Lexa’s girlfriend all through high school. A year into college she transferred to Azgeda U. She and Lexa tried to do long distance but it was hard and eventually Costia broke it off and never came back to Arkadia. When she had broken it off she had told Lexa that it was because she didn't feel like Lexa felt anything for her anymore. Lexa was crushed.

Green eyes hardened “Fine. Message received.” she said, storming past Clarke into the building.

“Lexa…” she tried but it fell flat as the door slammed leaving her on the sidewalk alone

Chapter 2 is up on AO3

#clexa #clexa au #clexa fanfiction #clexa fanfic #clexa fanfic au #clexa ao3 #clexa soulmate au #clexa soulmate identifying marks au #clexa soulmate tattoos

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