#I can't remember much about which songs have like swears and stuff and which don't so. y'know. viewer discretion I guess

[deitripper]

I was one of the Chilean winners to meet Paul McCartney and go to his soundcheck. My experience.

Well fellas, it's been a long time since i posted here and what can i say, i just wanted to give u the good news! As u read it, i had the chance (next to other people, 9 great fellow fans) to hug paul and share few minutes with him (As i write this all what i experienced feels unreal) I'm the one wearing the sgt pepper's suit btw!

I don't remember too much about the whole day, but the soundcheck was AMAZING, he played temporary secretary, mrs Vanderbilt, Let em in and Coming up!!it was CRAZY. Bf the soundcheck was over we were taken to another place in the stadium where we waited few minutes, and we talked with Stuart Bell (((((i joked a bit with him about he having the dream job and the possibility of k1ll1ng someone to be part of Paul's team and he told me 'HOW!? IT WAS A SECRET I TOLD U! ))))😂 Stuart is Paul's tour manager and we met his photographer and cameraman.

To be brief, let's jump right into meeting Paul, where do i start??? HE'S THE MOST ADORABLE MAN EVER, as soon as i saw him my eyes turned into waterfalls, my heart skipped a beat and all the memories of me binge watching videos and interviews of The Beatles crashed in my head. He greeted all the other winners and i didn't notice i was almost the last one, i was so shocked, too paralyzed to even say something, other winners told me Paul said something like 'Oh darling come on' and i just went slowly as i could to be near him and get a hug. I swear won't forget that moment. I HUGGED A BEATLE LIKE WHAAAAAATTT THE ACTUALLL HECKKK!!!! He share few words with everyone while the cameraman recorded everything. I feel that we were with him like 5 minutes but they -believe when i tell you- FELT LIKE 2 SECONDS. Then we took an official photo with Paul (which i'm kinda sad to receive bc i know my sgt peppers suit was totally hide behind two other girls who won, but hey, i'm in the same pic with Paul and that's enough!!) and lastly i had the chance to show him a bit of my work, i ordered some badges and stickers with my Beatle illustrations that i put on my suit and explained him stuff that i can't remember right now :'( But this is what finally made me lost my mind (internally bc for everyone is was just crying) LISTEN LISTEN, HE SAID MY WORK WAS """IMPRESSIVE""" AND HE TOUCHED THE STICKER WITH THE JOHN LENNON PORTRAIT I HAD ON THE SUIT, HE- TOUCHED- ONE- OF- MY- PORTRAITS AND HE RECOGNIZED THAT IT WAS JOHN READING SPANIARD IN THE WORKS. FFS, as i write this i start to sob. Then in a rush we sang the spanish version of 'Besame Mucho" a.k.a Cha Cha Boom song 😂 and then we all said goodbye as we could, waving, screaming, and in my case, crying hard af.

I really really hope to have a chance too see him in concert again, i know that the chance to be THAT near to him again, a literally walking legend, is almost impossible (as impossible as it feel the first time) i know i'm a lucky girl, and my life changed just having the chance to be in the same room with him. I won't be over this, there's now way this feels less exciting over the years. I was one of the few people that had the opportunity to be to his side -even if it was for a minute- and nothing is going to change that.

I have big dreams ahead, and i hope i'm able to accomplish every one of them. After hugging Paul everything feels possible.

If you like my art, know that i feel more inspired than ever before and i hope u can follow me on this journey🩷

Love, Dei.🩷

Ps, all the winners and i are expecting the video of everything, so as soon i as get it i'll try to share all the bits where i'm interacting with Paul (i hope with my soul that our hug is recorded and that his team doesn't cut that while editing the clips)

[mysticstarlightduck]

OC Explain!

Hopping on this open tag by @oh-no-another-idea (here)!

Imma go with Liam Steele and Dylan Millihan from What Lurks In The Hollow because that WIP is my new obsession/hyperfixation lmao

Okay, here we go!

LIAM STEELE

✨ Image ✨

✨ Song ✨

Break Stuff - Limp Bizkit

It's just one of those days when you don't wanna wake up Everything is fucked, everybody sucks You don't really know why, but you wanna justify Rippin' someone's head off No human contact, and if you interact Your life is on contract Your best bet is to stay away, motherfucker! It's just one of those days It's all about the he says/she says bullshit I think you better quit lettin' shit slip Or you'll be leavin' with a fat lip It's all about the he says/she says bullshit I think you better quit talkin' that shit

overwhelmed - Royal & The Serpent

What am I feeling? Can't look at the ceiling The light is so bright It's like I'm overheating This mind isn't mine Who am I to judge? Oh I should be fine But it's all too much I get overwhelmed so easily My anxiety creeps inside of me Makes it hard to breathe What's come over me Feels like I'm somebody else I get overwhelmed so easily My anxiety keeps me silent When I try to speak What's come over me Feels like I'm somebody else I get overwhelmed All of these faces Who don't know what space is And crowds are shut down

✨ Quote ✨

Liam fidgeted with his charm bracelet for a moment, in a compulsive, anxious rhythm, before taking a deep breath and closing his hands into fists, glaring at the bullies cluttering the street. "I don't think any of you motherfuckers heard me right, so Imma repeat myself - if you don't let go of that damn kid and get the fuck out of my way, I swear to fucking God I will bash your heads on the curb" He gave them a sharp, almost condescending smile, "And that's mostly because you're making me late for the arcade and I don't like that. Does that sound all good or do you need any more goddamn details?"

DYLAN MILLIHAN

✨ Image ✨

✨ Song ✨

Breakaway - Kelly Clarkson

Grew up in a small town And when the rain would fall down I'd just stare out my window Dreaming of what could be And if I'd end up happy I would pray Trying hard to reach out But when I tried to speak out Felt like no one could hear me Wanted to belong here But something felt so wrong here So I prayed I could breakaway I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly I'll do what it takes till I touch the sky And I'll make a wish, take a chance, make a change And breakaway

Fast Car - Tracy Chapman/Luke Combs

You got a fast car I want a ticket to anywhere Maybe we make a deal Maybe together we can get somewhere Any place is better Starting from zero got nothing to lose Maybe we'll make something Me, myself, I got nothing to prove You got a fast car I got a plan to get us outta here I been working at the convenience store Managed to save just a little bit of money Won't have to drive too far Just 'cross the border and into the city You and I can both get jobs And finally see what it means to be living ... So I remember when we were driving, driving in your car Speed so fast it felt like I was drunk City lights lay out before us And your arm felt nice wrapped 'round my shoulder And I-I had a feeling that I belonged I-I had a feeling I could be someone, be someone, be someone

✨ Quote ✨

"Look, none of us asked for this. But whether we like it or not, we're siblings and we're stuck together. More than ever, unfortunately, as much as I loathe to admit it. So we need to make this" He gestures around them, gaze lingering at the, well, still quite decrepit living room of the house, before settling back on Amy, "work out for us, somehow. And we need to stop being at each other's throats all the time - which, by the way, um, I'm..." It seemed physically difficult for him to say the words that were stuck in his throat, but eventually, he sighed and droned out the phrase, earnestly "...sorry for all the stuff I said. I was just really tired and angry, but I shouldn't have said all of that. None of this mess is your fault, and I don't think you're a bad sister, like at all. You're a great kiddo."

Dylan paused unsure of what to say next, but when he noticed that Amy wasn't frowning or sulking anymore but actually smiling softly in agreement, his uneasiness seemed to fade into what could almost be a smile too. "Anyways, let's cut the emotional crap before I feel sick to my stomach more than I already feel. Do you want some more cereal?"

Tagging (gently): @sleepy-night-child, @kaylinalexanderbooks, @smol-feralgremlin, @wyked-ao3, @topazadine @littleladymab,

@winterandwords, @eccaiia, @sarahlizziewrites, @illarian-rambling

@agirlandherquill, @anoelleart, @ray-writes-n-shit

@writernopal, @anyablackwood, @unstablewifiaccess, @forthesanityofstorytellers

@i-can-even-burn-salad, @cakeinthevoid @thecomfywriter

@thepeculiarbird, @clairelsonao3, @memento-morri-writes, @starlit-hopes-and-dreams @amaiguri

@cherrychiplip @thecomfywriter @thelovelymachinery @bookwormclover

@differentnighttale, @leahnardo-da-veggie

[jfkonfucius]

GIVE ALL YOUR THOUGHTS ON SEASON 3 HAND EM OVER

THIS IS NOT ALL MY THOUGHTS CUZ ALL MY THOUGHTS ARE HOURS WORTH OF THOUGHTS. PROBABLY. here's some scattered initial thoughts . out of order

- vlad vlad vlad i adore vlad i wish he talked more. he doesn't even name drop the first time we meet the bleacher creatures! I think. I don't even remember when he name drops

- I don't think I'm overestimating it when I say I am the confucius guy. and the confucius guy has been fed very well this season. im SO grateful. I'm obsessed with him. He's cute. He's sometimes a little unexpected. He has about 5/6 minutes worth of angst. He's relatable. He is everything to me

- The Mary twist was hilarious, at first I had mixed feelings about the character being shoved in, but it built up to awesomeness

- It's been rough for Harriet... It's been real rough for her character. Which SUCKS cuz I wanna like her! I don't dislike her but Girl Why

- The writing has def improved since the last season! Hooray! Gives me 1% hope

- The JFK&Abe&Confucius trio is adorable and one of my fav things about this season. "We tried! Yeah yeah We tried!" "C'mon... C'mon...? C'mon... C'mon!"

- Joanfucius cute !! 7.5/10. Better than their s2 relationships (Joanfk/tubfucius)

- Jfabers are winning. And losing also

- Shower scene didn't happen

- I loved JFK's personality arc, his devils & angels, and him being more bisexual than ever. The explanation for the writers to "fix his personality" was genius

- I felt the increased amount of swearing made it so jokes or emotional moments involving swearing didn't hit as hard as they could have. And some sex scenes were dragged on for too long which wasn't useful narrative/comedy wise .. just uncomfortable

- I accept buff confucius into my life

- The new characters from ep 9... erm. I didn't like them much. I don't like the "here's character's love interest that is basically this character but opposite gender!" trope. The part with Mrs. C's cockney accent made me like her more though

- JFK'S DAD CAMEO !! HOORAY !! i wonder where the other dad is though ...

- I appreciated the references to previous seasons !!

- The ending left me in shambles & some actual grief. I loved the last episode, the way it parallels the first season finale, and the emotional drama, but I feel like they can't afford a cliffhanger. I would have liked some closure, as I have barely any faith in the animation+streaming industry and am 99% sure we're heading for cancellation. Boo-womp

- On the topic of ending, I headcanon that if the series does get cancelled, the clones actually get hit by the missile and DIE. I AM MAKING IT WORSE FOR MYSELF

- I LOVE EATING MAGNETS

- I really liked the Christian rock song and the inclusion of Unrehearsed by Abandoned Pools! I wish there were more new songs X( but it ok

- Scud and Mr. B were awesome as usual

- Abe cute

- I'm glad we got more Kahlopatra (Or... "cleda" as the show calls it. I GUESS. I GUESS)

- Frida's dad... emm.. ermm.. ermmm.. 😳😳😳 he so

- The professor from Ep 1 is freaking awesome & has the same voice as mr. peanut butter i think which makes him awesomer

- Hmmm... Magnets

- I was very pleased to see more Front facing scared confucius

- I was also pleased to see him about to jump off a building. you know how it is with the fav characters ^_^

- Not a whole lot of JFKonfucius moments but some screenshot worthy stuff . I went insane when JFK grabbed Confucius by the collar though 😭 why does he do that. why are they like that. i love my boys

- the last shot grabs my heart with a fist and squeezes it It hurts It Hurts it Hurts

ok well if i keep on listing stuff i'll just be talking about everything confucius did so thats enough for now LOL !!! THANKS FOR ASKING . HEART 💚🧬

[fischlslays]

Letters [kny]

Pairing: Hashira x GN!Reader

Warnings: slightly swearing

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Summary: how pillars write letters when they are away.

Listen to these songs:

Or:

(Idk I just feel like it)

Or..:

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Friendly note: This is my idea :) So yeah, if you like those stuff tell to do more of! Reposts are appreciated! Now bestie enjoy! <3

Another friendly Reminder:

You slay.

Hot girls don't gate keep.

Stay hydrated bestie <3

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Tomioka Giyu:

He is the classic writer

His writing would be full of love mixed with how he miss you

He will write when he has a long mission

Just to reassure you <3

Here is it:

Dear Y/N,

I hope you are having a great time. I really miss you so much. I wish I could return faster that my water forms ever killed an enemy. You know how to cook, which makes any other cook suck at cooking. I got awfully used to your presence, it just annoys me when you are not around.

I miss coming back home, you hug me warmly, I can just forget what I was doing right before drowning in your embrace. You have positive vibes. I miss them.

I am making sure to finish my job fast so I can see you again.

-Giyu

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Shinazugawa Sanemi:

He is mean to every one

But he will be sure to write something that is actually good to read this mf can't write but why not?

Will try to not show emotions, he is not emo, he just don't want to show them on paper

You would probably tease him

Here:

Hey Y/N,

So how r u? I hope you are fine. My mission is nowhere near to an end. It feels like eternity. I miss the ohagi you used to cook. Remember to feed my beetle. I don't want you to worry. I'd try to come back as soon as possible. If you didn't do as I say, I will shove my foot up your ass.

Just drink enough water. Check on Genya, he is a reckless teen. Take care.

(I better find ohagi when coming back)

-The one and only

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Kocho Shinobu:

She would check up on you

And will probably tease you

She would tell you all the tea and drama that she found on her way

Like if two couples had a fight infront of her she will be like:

OH MAH GAWD

Here:

Hey Bestie,

How are you doing? Don't forget about me, I will just be 2 weeks gone by the way. So I just found out a girl was faking her pregnancy to get back with her ex boyfriend! And so much drama happened. HE TOLD HER: SHUT YOUR BITCH ASS UP! I NEVER TOUCHED YOU!"😭😭 MAH GIRL WAS EXPOSED. OMG.

How is everyone? Seriously, thet demons I find are always ridiculously weak. J can beat them with my eyes closed for real.

If you need something, Please let me know when I come back! <3

-Nobu

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Tokito Muichiro:

He would never forget to write for you when he is on a mission

Will probably be so short

Would talk about the clouds he saw

Here:

Y/N,

I hope your are doing alright. My mission is easy, so you don't have to worry about.

I saw a cloud that looks like you, it just looks so pretty. I love you.

-Muichiro

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Kanroji Mitsuri:

As the live pillar, she knows what to say

Her writing is soo sweat

She would show you that she missed you

Here:

Darling,

I hope you are at your best! I JUST LOVE YOU SOOO MUCHH. My mission is easy, I know it. Since you hugged me before I left. <3

I wonder if we could go to the wisteria tree after I am back? It feels good to be around you! <3

I MISS YOU!!

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH

LOVE YOU!

<3

-♡Mitsuri<3♡

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Iguro Obanai:

He wasn't really into writing

So it will be awkward

But he tries to make it good

But his letters always sends you to the moon

Here:

Hi,

How are you? I'm fine. How was your day? I hope it's good. My mission is easy, so no need to worry. I will make sure to be back soon.

Love you.

-Obanai

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Rengoku Kyojuro:

It's simply the most good ass letter you'd ever read in your whole crusty dusty freakin musty ass life.

He'd be sure for it to be perfect OCD?

He'd try to be funny by adding * to show you his expression. Some had to tell him it's not funny.

Here:

My Y/N,

How are you doing? Its not easy being away from you *sad face*. You look as beautiful as the moon, no prettier! *warm smile* I really love you! *blows a kiss* Take care!

-Kyojuro *winks*

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Tengen Uzui:

The most flamboyant letter ever

It will make you feel sexy and hot

You will turn into a blushing mess

British wannabe

HERE!:

My hot Y/N,

How are you with those feeling of yours that I'm not around? The amount of disrespect demons layed apon me for existing is unbelievable. I miss being around you, because you are hot. And flamboyant.

Life must be too shady with out your light (me), so I answered my call for you princess :)

Daily Reminder:

You are sexy

You are hot

Most importantly flamboyant.

-Flamboyant Master

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Himejima Gyomei:

WHY ARE YOU HERE? THIS BITCH CANT EVEN SEE YOU.

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Hey every one! <3¹⁹

How was your day? <3 Anyway, sorry for not unloading. I had exams and college applications to write. I gift you this work! I hope yall like it♡.

-Harper <3

[currentlyfckingurmom]

Her Song part 19

"So how's the shop doing?" Dad asks as we eat lunch.

"Uh, it's pretty good. Yeah, we get a lot of regulars. It's kind of become a little family."

"Sometimes we have music nights and Momma has lots of fun. But then she makes me leave once people get too excited," Syd cuts in.

"Music nights, huh? Is that really an appropriate environment for a five year old?" my dad asks, side eyeing me.

"It's perfectly appropriate for her. And you have no right to question my parenting so stay out of it," I reply coldly.

He clears his throat and forces a quiet apology.

My phone dings and I check it under the table as Syd and my father start up a small conversation.

Flo: I just landed. Ugh, why is it so hot?? How's it going with your dad?

Me: Oh shut up and enjoy the weather. It's tense but at least he and Syd are getting along.

Flo: Remember that you don't have to keep him around just because of Syd. Your feelings matter just as much.

I bite the inside of my cheek as I read her message again. What if she's right? What if it would be better to just cut him out of my life? But what if that hurts Syd and-

"Momma, are you okay? Did you get a text from Florence?"

"I'm fine, baby. Yeah, her flight just landed."

"Who's Florence?" my father asks curiously.

"Just a friend of ours," I say vaguely.

"Right."

The remainder of lunch is spent drowning in thick silence.

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"Ash, he's here. My dad is here. I can't fucking stand this," I whisper in the phone, hiding out in my bedroom.

"What? Why is that douchebag here? I'll kill him. I swear to god, I'll come over and kick his ass right now."

"No, Ash, you can't kill him. He's still Syd's grandfather, which is the only reason I told him he could come visit."

She's silent for a moment. "Are you okay? I know it can be a lot," she says gently.

"I'm fine, I guess. I just want to get this over with already. He's not leaving until Saturday."

"He'll be gone before you know it, okay? And I swear to god, Y/N, if he says anything to you about Mark, you better tell me so I can kill him," Ash says in a dangerously low voice.

"You'll be my first call," I promise.

- A sharp knock echoes through the apartment, awaking me from my sleep. It's the middle of the night? Who the hell is at my apartment?

I tiptoe through the living room and pull open the front door. "Flo? What are you doing here? I thought you were in LA."

"I came back. I needed to talk to you. Y/N, I know we've been dancing around this but I can't stop thinking about you." Her eyes are glimmering with hope and her face is lit up with passion as she speaks. "I know it's late but I couldn't wait until morning. I can't stop thinking about what it would be like to hold you and love you and kiss you. So will you please let me kiss you?"

"I..." I don't know what to say, so I just nod dumbly. She takes two confident steps forward and grabs the collar of my shirt, pulling my lips into hers. Her lips are cold but soon warm up against my own. She grabs my waist and spins me around, pinning me up against the wall. Her tongue slips into my mouth and I moan quietly.

"Fuck, Y/N. You have no idea how long I've wanted this," she mumbles against my lips.

"Stop talking and kiss me," I demand. She grabs the underside of my thighs and hoists me up, holding my legs around her waist.

"God, I can't wait to make you-"

She's cut off by faint yelling and my eyes flutter open. "Momma, get up! I want pancakes!"

"What?" I mumble in confusion, sitting up and looking around my bedroom. It was a dream. It was a fucking dream.

"Can we have pancakes please?" Syd asks again.

"Uh, yeah, sure. Just let me take a quick shower first."

"Okay fine. I'll get the stuff out." She skips into the kitchen and I sigh into the empty bedroom. I stumble into the bathroom and flick on the light. Noticing the bright red flush coating my cheeks, I flip off my reflection and mumble "Get it together."

When I come out of the bathroom, Syd and my father are talking in the kitchen.

"Grandpa, tell me more about my dad please."

"Well, his name is Mark, and he used to play football. He was the best quarterback in the state." Anger quickly boils up in my chest at their conversation. Why the fuck is he talking about him? "And I'm not sure how your mother knew him, but I'm glad she did because-"

"Dad," I cut him off. "What are you doing?"

"I was just telling Syd about her dad. What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? You know exactly what's wrong. Syd, can you go play in your room for a minute, please?"

"But I don't wanna," she grumbles.

"Syd, go." She sighs, but trudges to her room.

"You have no right. You have no right to talk to her about her father or anything, for that matter. It is up to me, her mother, what I tell her and I've chosen to not tell her about that poor excuse for a human. So either learn to shut up, or leave. Okay?"

"Okay. I'm sorry. I just don't get why you don't want to tell her about him. He's a good guy, Y/N. I thought we were over all this nonsense."

My heart nearly stops in my chest. I scoff, letting out a breathy laugh of anger. Seeing his face, looking the same as it did when he threw me out, I give up. I give up on him. "Get out," I tell him.

"What?"

"Get the fuck out. I don't want you around my kid."

[sweetlywingedcreation]

📻 what are some things tye and gabe feel for each other 👀

oh, you have no idea what you've unleashed!!!!

I know the ask is supposed to be one random song but you're getting 3 from each playlist because these boys make have made me insane for YEARS now amd i'll explode if i don't gush about them.

Gonna put them under a read more cause there is so much lol

thank you for asking and enjoy <3

my number 3 songs for Tye about Gabe:

Strawberry Mentos - Leanna Firestone

During their travels to get Tye's halo back and get intel on the Angel Trappers that had captured Tye the boys travel from town to town. It's slow going since Tye is still recovering from losing his wing. He goes through a pretty bad bout of depression and Gabe notices.

One day Gabe comes back with a lil bag full of Tye's favourite candies to cheer him up, something Tye only off-handedly mentioned once a few days back. That incredibly small but overwhelmingly thoughtful gesture, the fact he even remembered, is the very first spark for Tye that makes him realise he might feel something more for Gabe.

Favourite Lines:

You're deliberately kind, you make efforts to share your time You're not afraid of your feelings, and you're not afraid of mine I never knew love could be soft, I never knew love could be light And now I'm so helplessly sugar high on you

Ready Now - Dodie

Back to Tye's depression for a sec. During their whole adventure, Gabriel is only ever short with Tye once. The rest of the time he's patient, lets Tye open up slowly which he eventually does. Gabe gives him the room to recover from losing his wing both physically and mentally and he's forever grateful for it.

Favourite lines:

Something new, something strange Ten feet taller, I had changed I believe you, I'm not wrong Oh, it suits me to feel strong You said "I will listen, tell me it all You don't like the ending? Then we'll find one that's yours" Oh, how did you know? That's all we need? A promise of hope Is enough to feel free

Things That Make it Warm - Cavetown

this is mostly just vibes since the rest of the song doesn't super fit but like...

Tye loses his wing and then his depression and other injuries make it hard to groom the other one so Gabriel does it for him. Wing grooming is a bonding ritual between Angels and those they trust (friends, family, etc) so he's initially nervous about letting a guy he's known for like a week do it but it easily becomes the best part of each night. Gabriel is gentle with him. cautious of his injuries and it just makes him feel warm inside. Reminds him of the home he probably won't ever see again.

Favourite lines:

My feathers seem to have taken the brunt of the storm They are feeling pretty worn We finally found shelter tucked away inside a wall Though for now it's pretty small

my number 3 songs for Gabe about Tye:

Aphrodite - The Ridleys

First off i know about the bad luck surrounding comparing others to Aphrodite ESPECIALLY because she was my matron deity for a while but like cmon man...

It's Gabriel pining over Tye secretly (this is a VERY common theme in his playlist lmao)

He thinks he's the most beautiful thing to ever grace all three planes even when his feathers are all messy or he's all snotty from crying.

Tye is sweet torture when they're not together and when they finally do get together he can't believe how fucking lucky he is to be cosmically paired with this breathtakingly beautiful man.

Favourite lines:

I see the galaxies when I look in your eyes And I, can't speak, no, I, can't speak at all I swear to Zeus, you're Aphrodite in disguise Don't think that you could hide it from me Oh, no, I never thought I'd get this close to someone so divine Oh, I, can't breathe, no, I, can't breathe at all Aphrodite, could you, could you please be mine? Oh Could you please be mine? Oh, mine

"Do You Wanna Be Friends?" - Leanna Firestone

Gabriel pining part 2 but this time sadder.

It's about the Soulmate stuff.

One night in their travels they talk about stuff and the question of their soulmates comes up.

Neither have found theirs yet and without Tye's Halo he won't ever have confirmation if he does find a demon with his mark.

They talk about what they'd do if they never found their other half. Tye says he'd wait forever if he had to, that he wouldn't want to hurt either his Soulmate OR his potential future partner.

When Gabriel realizes his feelings he's stuck. Even though he didn't care about finding his Soulmate or whatever but Tye did.

He doesn't ever want to put Tye in the position of having to choose but he's also too afraid to show Tye his mark incase they didn't match because he can't imagine a world where they're apart anymore.

So he pines quietly, puts all of his affection in friendly gestures. Buying Tye his favourite candies, grooming his wing, helping make his cane etc

Favourite lines:

And so we'll be friends And I'll be okay The world won't end If you don't love me Even if it feels that way

Suneater - Leanna Firestone

This one is also for vibes???

I just think the lyrics accurately describe Tye in my brain and therefore in Gabe's too.

Favourite lines:

And I see the whole galaxy in your eyes And I long to tell you But I think it'll only make you shy You got the heart of a Leo But you're sweet like a Pisces And the only thing I know is I think I might be falling for The boy who swallowed the sun

And last but not least one from BOTH their playlists that kinda started their playlists to begin with and it would be a crime not to mention (EDIT: i checked the playlists and there's one song that predates LE by like a month but i assume its because i wasn't fully committed to making the playlist yet)

Life Eternal - Ghost

Its self-explanatory really... It's more vibes and soulmate bullshit :}

Favourite lines:

Can you hear me say your name forever? Can you see me longing for you forever, forever? Would you let me touch your soul forever? Can you feel me longing for you forever, forever?

It was the main catalyst for a whole series of drawings I did for them that really shaped my art for the better

Like this speedpaint and the drawing after are only a year apart and I might just do a third. Make this piece a yearly or semiannually thing

Anyways

if you made it all the way down here you are a fucking real one. Thank you for reading my 3-5 am rambles about 2 motherfuckers who I made all the way back in HIGHSCHOOL, forgot about until 2021 or 2022 and then proceeded to irreparably change my brain chemistry.

One day i'll actually work on their book/webcomic but until then

<3

[aether-friskets]

wip questionnaire tag game yay

thanks @ap0stle for tagging me in this!! :D

The WIP im gonna talk about is uh. well it doesnt really have a name i just call it "that game i want to finish eventually" or "the survival horror game idea" lol, I'm bad with names so itll prob remain that way for a while

What's the First Part of Your WIP that You Created?

I can't recall exactly when this was, but I remember I was specifically listening to this video which, judging by its age, would've been around 2 years ago now. Something about the black and red blair witch game art used as the cover (which, i... totally legally... played that game out of curiosity later on, wasnt big on it as a blair witch fan or a horror fan in general, but you will see one little element from it as one of a few inspiration points for whats kind of becoming a major mechanic in my game at this point lol) mixed with the music itself gave me this mental image of someone driving on a road through the woods with that very black and red lighting, and i had this feeling that they were looking for someone. That's technically the very vague basis that sprouted into my game idea, which has changed a lot since then, and now I don't think a scene like that will even happen. Aside from that, my first concept that's actually stuck around, is the protag looking for their sibling (usually my brain leans sister so i may go that route, but i tend to imagine characters w/out gender in mind til later lol) and sorta ending up in the wrong place at the wrong time as a result. I have some more stuff in mind of course, but a lot of stuff is still pretty vague lol

If Your Story Was a TV Show, What Would the Theme Song/Intro Be?

Oh man this is such a fun thing to think about conceptually, I feel like the WIP is almost too much of a WIP to be sure... But it'd probably have to feel very 2000s, maybe have some kind of industrial edge? Something to capture the idea of an ordinary person descending into something they couldn't possibly be prepared for i guess loll Those things aren't necessary, but the setting is mainly going to be in this as yet unnamed city during the mid-late 2000s? I haven't settled on the exact year yet so that may not be fully accurate lol. The game probably will get some kind of intro style thing, because I absolutely LOVE that in the silent hill games (and also twilight princess had something like that!! which is very nostaglic for me lol) so I think it would be awesome to do in mine lol I feel like the closest I've heard to the vibe I imagine are like. 1. Into to The Mine from Lost in Vivo 2. Broken ALSO from Lost in Vivo (i swear something abt the music in this game just has the vibes) 3. Theme Of... by Drackfreeee I guess it makes sense because it's a silent hill inspired song that you can even hear bits from the game's intros in there but. man. it's got a dreamlike quality that fits the more surreal elements i have in mind well, plus i can totally imagine it playing in an intro thing showing a bunch of scenes from the game and setting that scene of descent When i get to that point in making the game, ill probably look back at songs like these for ideas on what'll work

What Are Your Favourite Characters You Made, and Why?

Since this thing is still so much a WIP, I don't have a tonnn figured out about the characters, so it's kinda hard to pick. But I can talk a little about what I DO have figured out! As I said previously, the protag is gonna be looking for their sibling. The basic idea being that they're visiting their sibling in this new city they've never been to before, and things go all wacky sideways real fast. I feel like I'm either gonna love 'em or hate 'em because due to the unintentionally personal nature of this story that I've been embracing more as time went on, they're probably gonna be the most like me out of the cast. I'm hoping to make them an enjoyable protagonist to play as tho, not annoying but not TOO bland or anything. The sibling is probably gonna end up reflecting a lot of my sister, cause, as i said, accidentally personal story that I'm kinda just embracing at this point lol. I wanna not make any of the characters 100% like a single person I know, so I'll probably mix in traits from other people I like lmaooo. but we'll see what they're like by the end. One thing i already DO know is I really wanna circumvent the idea of the person you're trying to find/save being this "damsel in distress" type, so I think it'd be great if when you finally reunite, they're dealing with the whole situation way better than you LMAO. or at least on par. The hardest part about that tho... Is I'll probably have to make a half-decently competent partner NPC for that part of the game... I've also had this idea for a guy based on a dream I had. I think they will be playing a part but I'm not sure yet, as stuff is still very vague at this point. The idea is of someone who is "helping" you for part of the game, only to fuck you over later on because, what can I say, I love the heartbreak of getting totally screwed over by a character you trusted sometimes :3 The idea being you'd make remote contact early on and they'd promise to help lead you to your sibling but in reality either A) they've just been trying to lead you to your death subtly lmaooo or B) more likely option, theyre tricking you into helping them instead, and then will leave you for dead once you actually help them. I feel like it'd be fun to write a guy who is a total opportunist and probably a smug asshole, idk lol There will probably be other characters? but these are the only ones I have in mind so far, and as you can tell, they arent very fleshed out at all yet

What Other Pieces of Media do You Think Your Fanbase Would Share?

Jeez, the idea of garnering any kind of fanbase in and of itself is kind of cool but scary lol I figure they'd probably like a lot of the stuff that's inspiring me in the first place, like Silent Hill (duh), Cry of Fear, Jacob's Ladder, a bit o' Twin Peaks... Basically if you like some guy going through some weird fuckin' psychological shit lmaoo More specifically, i want the vibes of stuff like. standing in a subway station at a weird hour, feeling like the only person left on the planet. Opening a door into a room that shouldn't logically connect. Cryptic phone calls and texts that don't seem like a person would make them. Desperately trying to reach someone, to find the answers, but it seems like the place itself is fighting against you. Stuff like that, I guess

What Has Been Your Biggest Struggle With Your WIP?

Man, what hasn't? I don't have much experience making games so I'm learning a lot mechanically as I go, but I also have never properly finished an entire original story before. I think the main thing, is like... I'm scared whatever I create will feel too derivative of the works that inspired me, that the thing I create will ultimately fade into the shadow of other things that did it better. So every time I have a new idea, I worry about if it'll come off too much like [x thing] and that's been making the process even slower loll Aside from that, I know the character's primary goal, and I have certain locations I think would be cool to include, but I don't know SHIT about any of the details of getting from the start to the end and what will fall in-between, which does make it tricky lol. I need to really consider what kind of path I want them to follow, and what will happen after they reach their goal, stuff like that. It's all just very vague right now and trying to work out the details is almost intimidating even tho thats the main part of making a story.

Are There any Animals in Your Story? Talk About Them!

At the moment? Not that I'm aware of. There may likely be enemies with animal-like appearances, though. I could see that being a thing I do. But I haven't really gotten into monster design just yet.

How do Your Characters Travel/Get Around?

At the moment I'm suspecting primarily on foot, however my concept for the intro of the game involves the protag taking the subway. So there may be some subway shenanigans too, idk.

What Part of Your WIP Are You Working on Right Now?

I'd say the main reason the story is still so vague, is I've been trying to get the main technical/mechanical elements set up before I get too much into the details. Or maybe I'm just stalling. So, I'd say I'm mainly working on stuff surrounding the non-story parts of the game. But in terms of the story, I want to flesh out the protag and the sibling more into proper characters first and foremost, I'd say.

What Aspects (Tropes, Maybe?) do You Think Will Draw Your Audience in?

I'll be real I got no idea but... I guess if I think about it from the perspective of what I think would draw me in from an outside view...

Use of classic survival horror stuff like fixed camera angles (plus I'm going to have both tank and analog controls so more people can enjoy it :])

Putting a guy in A Situation

The general atmosphere and setting (as I sorta said, mid-late 2000s urban enviro with weird illogical stuff happening and potentially kind of dream-like elements, i hesitate to say liminal but maybe a bit liminal? I also want to go for a ps2-ish graphics quality cause i feel like its criminally underrated lol and some people may feel like me on that part and like that)

Vaguely queer protag? like i said i dont have much fleshed out but if they're gonna be based on me at all u KNOW that bitch aint gonna feel cis or straight i'm sorry it's simply fact (also admittedly I've been wanting to make them like some kinda genderqueer or somethin because its my video game and i can do what i want, and seeing human protags that are nonbinary in some way gives me life)

Weird-ass shit??? like if you vibe with weird silent hill dialogue or the weird stuff that just. happens in twin peaks, im hoping to bring a similar energy in my own way

Possibly more stuff as I flesh things out more lol

What Are Your Hopes For Your WIP?

Honestly I just hope I make something that I feel proud of. I wanna make something that makes someone feel the same way that stuff like Silent Hill, Cry of Fear, Lost in Vivo, Twilight Princess, hell, UNDERTALE did, where that shit changes you. Where you can feel the love for the genre or medium it's based upon. But at the very least, I just hope at least one person likes it, I guess That'd be enough for me

Uhhh erm I have no idea who to tag I am so bad at this part.... If you want to do this consider yourself tagged :]

[gachag0d]

Sour Taste ANGST | Obey Me x Olivia Rodrigo's Sour

Synopsis: Sorting the Obey Me characters into which Olivia Rodrigo's Sour songs I picture them crying to whist being insecure about themselves or thinking of a toxic MC.

Characters: The Brothers and The Dateable (-Luke)

CW: Olivia Rodrigo's music contains Swearing, Some Suggestive Content, Infidelity and Depictions of Toxic Relationships. Lyrics imply MC is toxic/unfaithful.

A/N: Love this album! I can't wait until the new one. "Vampire" has me hyped! Also, listen, I'm gonna be honest. I'm an Asmo stan, and this album is basically his angst playlist, right? You'll see his name pop up a bunch. Shh, don't worry about it... I just love angsty Asmo... (Mammon is here a bunch as well lol)

"All I did was try my best This the kind of thanks I get? Unrelentlessly upset (ah, ah, ah) They say these are the golden years But I wish I could disappear Ego crush is so severe God, it's brutal out here (Yeah!) I feel like no one wants me And I hate the way I'm perceived I only have two real friends And lately, I'm a nervous wreck 'Cause I love people I don't like And I hate every song I write And I'm not cool and I'm not smart And I can't even parallel park"

MAMMON, Leviathan, Asmodeus, Diavolo, Lucifer

"Ain't it funny All the twisted games All the questions you used to avoid? Ain't it funny? Remember I brought her up And you told me I was paranoid You betrayed me And I know that you'll never feel sorry For the way I hurt, yeah You'd talk to her When we were together Loved you at your worst But that didn't matter It took you two weeks To go off and date her Guess you didn't cheat But you're still a traitor God, I wish that you had thought this through Before I went and fell in love with you"

SOLOMON, Simeon, Diavolo, Lucifer, Satan

"And all my friends are tired Of hearing how much I miss you, But I kinda feel sorry for them 'Cause they'll never know you the way that I do, yeah Today I drove through the suburbs And pictured I was driving home to you And I know we weren't perfect But I've never felt this way for no one, oh And I just can't imagine how you could be so okay, Now that I'm gone I guess you didn't mean what you wrote in that song about me 'Cause you said forever, now I drive alone past your street"

SIMEON, Mammon, Beelzebub, Diavolo

"I called you on the phone today Just to ask you how you were All I did was speak normally Somehow I still struck a nerve You got me fucked up in the head, boy Never doubted myself so much Like, am I pretty? Am I fun, boy? I hate that I give you power over that kinda stuff 'Cause it's always one step forward and three steps back I'm the love of your life until I make you mad It's always one step forward and three steps back Do you love me, want me, hate me? Boy, I don't understand No, I don't understand"

ASMODEUS, Mammon, Simeon, Leviathan

"So when you gonna tell her That we did that, too? She thinks it's special But it's all reused That was the show we talked about Played you the song she's singing now when she's with you Do you get déjà vu when she's with you? Do you get déjà vu? Oh Do you get déjà vu? Strawberry ice cream in Malibu Don't act like we didn't do that shit, too You're trading jackets like we used to do (Yeah, everything is all reused) Play her piano, but she doesn't know (oh, oh) That I was the one who taught you Billy Joel (oh) A different girl now, but there's nothing new (I know you get déjà vu)"

MAMMON, Lucifer, Solomon, Asmodeus, Satan, Belphegor, Barbados

"Well good for you, I guess you're getting everything you want You bought a new car and your career's really taking off It's like we never even happened, baby What the fuck is up with that? And good for you, it's like you never even met me Remember when you swore to God I was the only Person who ever got you Well, screw that and screw you You will never have to hurt the way you know that I do Well good for you You look happy and healthy, not me If you ever cared to ask Good for you You're doing great out there without me, baby God, I wish that I could do that I've lost my mind I've spent the night Crying on the floor of my bathroom But you're so unaffected, I really don't get it But I guess good for you"

SATAN, Belphegor, Mammon, Asmodeus, Leviathan

"Before you found someone more exciting The next second, you were gone And you left me there cryin', wonderin' what I did wrong And you always say I'm never satisfied But I don't think that's true 'Cause all I ever wanted was to be enough Don't you think I loved you too much to be used and discarded? Don't you think I loved you too much to think I deserve nothing? But don't tell me you're sorry, boy Feel sorry for yourself 'Cause someday I'll be everything to somebody else And they'll think that I am so exciting And you'll be the one who's crying Yeah, you always say I'm never satisfied But I don't think that's true You say I'm never satisfied But that's not me, it's you 'Cause all I ever wanted was to be enough But I don't think anything could ever be enough For you, enough for you, oh-oh No, nothing's enough for you"

ASMODEUS, Beelzebub, Mammon, Leviathan, Simeon

"We broke up a month ago Your friends are mine, you know, I know You've moved on, found someone new One more girl who brings out the better in you And I thought my heart was detached From all the sunlight of our past But she's so sweet, she's so pretty Does she mean you forgot about me? Oh, I hope you're happy But not like how you were with me I'm selfish, I know, I can't let you go So find someone great, but don't find no one better I hope you're happy, but don't be happier"

SIMEON, Diavolo, Barbados, Lucifer, Solomon

"All your friends are so cool, you go out every night In your daddy's nice car, yeah, you're living the life Got a pretty face, a pretty boyfriend too I wanna be you so bad, and I don't even know you All I see is what I should be Happier, prettier, jealousy, jealousy All I see is what I should be I'm losing it, all I get's, jealousy, jealousy Co-comparison is killing me slowly I think, I think too much 'Bout kids who don't know me And I'm so sick of myself I'd rather be, rather be (oh, oh) Anyone, anyone else (anybody else) Jealousy, jealousy"

LEVIATHAN, Asmodeus, Diavolo, Mammon

"It's bittersweet to think about the damage that we do 'Cause I was going down, but I was doing it with you Yeah, everything we broke, and all the trouble that we made But I say that I hate you with a smile on my face Oh, look what we became All the things I did Just so I could call you mine All the things you did Well, I hope I was your favorite crime Your favorite crime Your favorite crime 'Cause baby, you were mine"

MAMMON, SIMEON, Solomon, Belphegor, Barbados

"Address the letters, to the holes in my butterfly wings Nothing's forever, nothing's as good as it seems And when the clouds won't iron out And the monsters creep into your house And every door is hard to close Well, I hope you know how proud I am you were created With the courage to unlearn all of their hatred God, I hope that you're happier today 'Cause I love you, and I hope that you're okay"

LUCIFER, Simeon, Diavolo, Beelzebub

Honestly, I can see all the Brothers just bawling at this one...

[goblinconceivable]

it is vitally important that Sloan and Don exist

And I know that is true for me because I had an overwhelming urge to log in and leave myself a record of my sudden re-obsession. Because it's been 3 days and I already can't remember what reminded me of them in the first place.

Cassaravi's Counting Paths is a fantastic fanvid btw. I'd never heard the song but am growing more and more attached, I can see why it's used in vids a lot. Very much Dead Can Dance around the edges, I'll probably analyze it in a different post. I want to do something with it. And I really just want to write something that I can find the click and follow the beats. Everything I try has been uneven at best for quite a while.

So Sloan and Don. I do't know what the original intentions were for Sloan. I know Don evolved quite quickly from the initial plans. But some of the absolute best of Sorkin comes out of stuff surprising him and him being very wise and running with it. Donna/Josh ftw? I think because once the characters, actors, interactions take on a life of their own, he just writes them and great stuff happens. Otherwise his attempts at (non established relationships) are forced and the characters are defined by that, which is so anti-Sorkin that I'm too disappointed to have bought the thing so I could rewatch at leisure.

That's actually why I meh'd on The Newsroom quite a bit. It followed logically from everything he'd done (I adore Sports Night and The West Wing and have seen both many times), with swearing, and a hard left into a pond with the absurd characters. I actually like Mac, though it's sometimes hard to buy her as a real person. I hate Maggie and Jim because why are they there? Maggie especially, because, hilariously, she seems to serve as Don's girlfriend, when he was supposed to be her boyfriend. She's not great at her job when the hallmark of Sorkin is that everyone IS FANTASTIC AT THEIR JOB, that is the point. If they aren't, there's a reason, and the reason generally is because in his world, if you're inept it's because you are being willfully ignorant.

They're like Sorkin decided to write a different genre and should have tried writing a few shorts.

In this context, Sloan and Don are nicely fleshed out characters who I buy as real people with flaws, who are not written as star crossed lovers because there's no need, they actually fit together. Sorkin writes them as friends and the falling in love happens because sometimes that happens, and leads to the bestest relationships.

Don does a lot of the heavy lifting. I like the lowkey gender reversal, where, despite his fear of commitment, Don is actually a pretty emotional guy who is so straightforwards that intimacy just happens when he really cares about someone, and whose eyes show everything he's feeling. Who learns to trust his gut and shake off his jade armour. Sloan is a nerd lacking human skills, who starts tripping over the curb where intellect abuts emotions, and is comfortable with Don being there to catch her, help her up, or be the thing she lands on.

And the writing uses their relationship to highlight their growth individually and with the rest of the crew, a little sparkle around the edges gives it that littl..e something extra.

When Sloan is having a nutty, it is founded in logic (a logic) and the way she approaches the world. Which is why she doesn't feel ridiculous. And Don is a great foil because his sarcasm and emotionality means that he can bounce back whatever she needs, and what will connect with her.

It's super cute that Sloan asks a stranger (I think) if it would be too forwards to ask a man to coffee. I don't think she's ever asked a man out in her life, which leads to a lot of superficiality, and she likes it that way. But not really because when naked pictures are posted, she hunkers down in Don's office, where she's guaranteed to not be alone - even if she's "used to [it]" Also useful is her statement that you can't tell that bad guys are bad guys - in contrast with her being dead certain that Don isn't a bad guy. Maybe it's like how if you're worried you're crazy, you're probably not. If you think you're a bad guy, you're not. Not really.

Only one set of clips I've found had the scene where post "not a bad guy" speech, Sloan lays down a conversation and eye contact embargo. With, of course, a logical response to Don's fair point that the plan isn't realistic. Sloan demonstrates both self-awareness and also the sense of comfort she has with Don. She lays out her embarrassment, she doesn't immediately avoid him forever. Meanwhile I can very much picture her getting into a mortifying situation (especially if emotions are involved) and spending the rest of her life ducking around corners to avoid them. Yeah, working in the same offices poses a problem, but I don't believe that is what motivated her laying it out for him.

My first impression is that was her tacitly admitting she revealed too much, accepts the rejection, and would like to live pretending that never happened. This despite the fact that her belief they'd never see each other if she quit knocked up against his conviction that they would.

Bedtime but head canon that Don knew it wasn't her who signed the book, because he knows what her handwriting and signature looks like. Which is exactly the sort of irony Sorkin likes. I hope we saw the counterfeit book in his office somewhere - once Sloan found out about the forgery, her obsession with righting the wrong would make it valuable to him beyond making her feel good and not embarrased.

[thesinglesjukebox]

KIM PETRAS - "BRRR"

With Leah's help, we turn our attention to Kim Petras.

[4.94]

Wayne Weizhen Zhang: When she's not being a trailblazer for the world's worst song (can you imagine the hypothetical TSJ blurbs for "Unholy"?), or receiving ire for Feed the Beast (which I secretly adore for how plodding and simple its pop vision is), it turns out Kim Petras remembers how to write a fun hook. "Brrrr" is camp embodied, far from transgressive, but delightful in its queer, whirring onomatopoeia. [7]

Jacob Sujin Kuppermann: I lived in queer co-ops from 2018 to 2020 so I've spent a non-negligible amount of time trying to appreciate Kim Petras. In that time -- and in the years following -- I've gotten precisely nothing out of this endeavor. The arc of Kim Petras's career is unintelligible to me, a grand chronicle in a language I can't read. If anything, her journey from "fake pop star my friends swear by" to "maybe real pop star that my friends don't talk about" is one of attenuation -- whatever star-like qualities could be discerned in her strongest early appearances ("I Don't Want It At All", the SOPHIE one, the Charli XCX one) is absent entirely on "Brrr" -- even the campy thrill of "Coconuts" and her vampy turn on "Unholy" is hard to discern here. The Kim Petras of "Brrr" is a rictus grin of forced slay, a joyless demonstration of force of will wrapping in third-generation Yeezus pop-industrial beats. [2]

Hannah Jocelyn: Alright, who gave Rami Yacoub the SOPHIE sample pack from Splice? Forget hyperpop; this is hypopop, devoid of any sort of invention or interesting production that once defined the genre. This is what CRASH sounds like to people that hate CRASH; this is what 10,000 Gecs sounds like to people who hate that record. Petras has no distinctive identity here; I don't even hear a woo-ahh; she even says "you don't know me all too well" and I agree. [3]

Oliver Maier: Don't have any idea what "if you think you're so cold, brr" is supposed to mean and producers ILYA and Rami evidently got overexcited with the SOPHIE sample pack. Improbably, it mostly gels. Kim Petras is probably evil but her performance here is seismic. [7]

Will Adams: I'll give her this: I can't remember the last time a pop song's central hook landed with such a tremendous thud as "IF YOU THINK YOU'RE SO COLD. BURRRRRR." [3]

Brad Shoup: That hook -- ouch. It would kill in the writers' room of an industry drama. The pre-chorus -- where she retreats for a second just to explode -- breaks up the squelch just fine. This looms more than it bangs, which feels right for a song I thought said if you like it baby, haunt a lobby. [4]

Nortey Dowuona: The bass drum in this is novel in that nothing is actually done upon closer inspection. There's a lot done with the synths, especially with the quick zaps of melodies that bubble up during the second pre-chorus, the quick bubbly riff at the tail end of the chorus, and the light motif at the beginning that is so thin it disappears upon quicker inspection. These all sound delightful, but listen to the bass drums, stripped of their ability to carry the baseline or shift the rhythm of the song. They could've been replaced with literally any kind of drum sound and it would function the same. It's just thrown in there since capital-p Pop music has absorbed rap production techniques wholesale without paying attention to how it's used. This could be coming from say, house or bass music, but nobody who made bass music would program bass drums this way, right? [4]

Micha Cavaseno: Extremely funny to hear the punchline flow still utilized as a hook in pop in 2023, because all the parts that feel very much like the past aren't the obviously retro-touches. The robotic elements of the production going for tech-electro knuckle-drag are nice and sleek, a classic vehicle if ever there was one even 40 years after this stuff was a trope. But the brrr, the filter on the backing vocals, the devil-may-care attitude gone world weary all meanwhile feels like the clichés of a decade ago that don't quite feel ready for nostalgia. I guess there's something to be said about a record that feels beholden to its dated elements being so "cold", but not everything cold is super inviting. [3]

Will Rivitz: As cold as a fridge set a degree or two above the FDA standard, and as enthralling as a piece of iceberg lettuce dessicated after a week left inside. [4]

Aaron Bergstrom: *Kenneth Parcell voice* "What's cocaine like?" [2]

Alfred Soto: What sucks is that this song doesn't suck. My students could've commissioned the vocal from several AI resources, the electronics don't grate. What sucks is that the hook sucks. "Did she really sing, 'If you think you're so cold, brr'?!" On first listen it sounded like "If you think you're so-ber." Guess which I prefer. [5]

Taylor Alatorre: Kim Petras released two albums in 2023 and I honestly didn't remember that this was on one of them. It provides a glimpse into one potential Bad Ending to her still-promising career: getting so hyped off the Sam Smith streaming numbers that she loses the ability to discriminate between "bad bitch energy" and movie trailer music. [4]

Harlan Talib Ockey: After the mediocre "Unholy" and laughable "If Jesus Was a Rockstar", "Brrr" actually sounded... good? Petras' delivery in the chorus is like getting smashed with a warhammer. The production is utterly headache-inducing (compliment). However, the verses feel less and less substantial on repeat listens, and it never builds to a peak higher than its first chorus. This is a solid album track, not a course-correcting lead single. [5]

Katherine St Asaph: Feed the Beast was named for its raison d'etre: source enough pop songs to hit your label KPIs, then spray and pray and slay. What's less remarked upon is how many of these songs come from writers and producers who really haven't released much lately: Sarah Hudson, Ali Tamposi, Ester Dean (!!), and "Brr" producer Ilya. (Unfortunately, Dr. Luke has released plenty lately.) Also involved in "Brr": a session guitarist for The Weeknd and a guy who goes by the Instagram handle @industryplant; this ain't the A-list. One wonders how long this material was sitting in the pantry before it fed the beast. Specifically, "Brr" sounds like a demo written for Thank U, Next (in which Ilya was heavily involved), then rejected for sounding less sexy than sad. Whatever the song's provenance, Petras has it now, and she executes the motions of flirtation with bleak competence. And I don't hate it! The record's already cynical as fuck; why not put that subtextual cynicism into the music? [7]

Ian Mathers: The sound of not just calling someone's bluff, but relishing in it. There's no winning; either way, you're going to prove her point. Rarely does a discussion of temperature sound so purely withering. [9]

Leah Isobel: SOPHIE's absence hovers over me a lot, which is dumb, because we never met. I am just a fan; I saw SOPHIE live exactly once, about six months after I started hormones. I can picture myself that night vividly -- in a thrifted jersey dress, cut low, that I had to duct tape to my tits so I wouldn't break the law; in impractical high heels that another girl, who I don't talk to anymore and who probably didn't really like me, gave to me; my eyeliner as sharp as I could draw it; my hair tangled and messy but long, the way I liked, the way I'd dreamed about for years. I remember that night and I remember the relief, the stupid fucking unbelievable unbearable incomprehensible relief of that whole year, how I had denied and ignored myself for so long that just being who I wanted 2 be was incredible enough to set my head spinning.

That year, the girl who doesn't talk to me anymore got into Kim Petras. I treated her work like a guilty pleasure; "Hills" was spacey and fun and exuberant, "Hillside Boys" was tender and sweet and exuberant, "All The Time" was bouncy and bright and exuberant. But all that joy was tempered by the knowledge of Dr. Luke's fucking greasy hands gripping her recording contract. His presence indicated something that I didn't understand yet, and maybe still don't, though it makes sense intellectually: that if you want to be a part of society, the recognition you feel within yourself doesn't actually matter that much if everyone around you hates you for it; that people are ultimately social, and being forced to choose between external ostracization (with the threat of physical death by violence) and internal spiritual death (with the threat of physical death by isolation) is one of the cruelest things to do to a person, and yet this is the choice I was given, that #girlslikeus are all given. No matter what I choose, there will be genuinely evil soulless fuckers who look at me and say that it was really my fault to begin with because my presence -- just my existence in the world -- is proof of moral, social, civilization-wide decay. Cisgender women get to talk about their innocence as if it's a birthright. Transgender women are not given any innocence to begin with. Kim was put in front of the media at sixteen years old to explain her decision to get bottom surgery; it makes me feel crazy to watch those interviews, to know that what everyone is actually talking about is her body. No matter how ostensibly supportive those interview segments were, no matter what the intent, the knock-on effect was to make her teenage body a matter of public record, to take away her privacy and dignity because it's just so interesting that trans girls exist and, please, tell us more about your genitals! I see the neon-bright straight line from the invasive, violating, violent "curious" "empathetic" gaze in these interviews to the music Kim would go on to make, in which the fact of her body hovers on the edges of her songs, freighting them with meaning, making their frivolity feel manic and fearful and rebellious and unbelievably significant.

Jules Giles-Peterson describes the opening line of "Hillside Boys" -- "My silhouette is in the frame of your shades again" -- as evidence of her desire just to be seen, linking the heterosexual gaze of the individual man and the patriarchal gaze of the pop industry together. Her whole perspective on herself is compromised by the knowledge that she has to constantly prove her worth to other people and to society at large; there is never, ever a moment of rest. But that song held up the capacity for feeling as proof that things could change someday. "It's over in your Range Rover... You look so pretty when you're breaking me, yeah" mourned the loss but rejoiced in the ability to feel it. But when "Brrr" revisits that Range Rover, it's to remove all sense of warmth, desire, or real emotion from the image: "Turn the heat up in your Rover Why don't you take it out on me?/ If you think you're so cold, brrr." "Brrr" leaves absolutely no space in its tense, cold atmosphere for Kim to express a desire that feels authentic and real; it is about embodying what other people want from you so thoroughly that you have gone numb to what it is that you want. In Kim's work, being a woman and being a pop star are the same thing; the gaze is constant and inescapable. There is no interiority anymore. The demands of disclosure and confession and surveillance are too great. In the background, faux-SOPHIE wubs and schwacks and clangs rattle like ghosts, banging on the wall between death and life, between what should be -- what was promised -- and what actually is. More than anything, in "Brrr" I hear a grief so wide it could -- and should -- swallow her whole. SOPHIE is gone. Kim remains. But in our broken promise of a world, where her body -- my body -- is public property that politicians and lovers and friends and music producers can dispose of at will, what is there left to take joy in? This is the truth: being trans is wonderful, and everyone around me sees it as terrible. Transitioning saved my life, and everyone around me thinks that I died. I have never been this happy; I have never been this desolate. I have never loved so deeply. I have never felt loss this acutely. "Brrr" is purely evil in its emotional perspective, in what it says about the world we live in. And it is also the most honest song ever made. [10]

[Read, comment and vote on The Singles Jukebox ]

[highwaytothedangerzone502]

Ghost Story - Chapter 19

Pairing: Rooster x Female OC

Word Count: 2807

Warnings: Swearing

Summary: No one will miss a ghost. It'd been a running joke for as long as anyone could remember, something Ghost herself started, and she always said it with a smile on her face or with mirth in her voice. The untouchable stealth pilot in every sense of the word, no one could've predicted the depth of her turmoil over recent events, nor the extremes she would go to in order to protect the man she loved, not even those closest to her. Now, all that was left of the young aviator for Maverick, Hangman, and Rooster were the memories of the past, which would slowly fade with time. She'd come into their lives and made an unforgettable impression, and then, like a ghost, she was gone... Then again, ghosts can't die a second time.

Notes: The chapters/large parts in italics are flashbacks.

Chapter Songs: In Between Fight Song

****

Maverick

He hated seeing Ghost upset. Whether she caused the problem or not, he could see the inner turmoil and hatred for herself in the eyes that reminded him so much of her mother. Maverick recognized the path Ghost had gone down mentally, for he'd been there more times than he cared to admit, especially when he'd damaged his relationship with Rooster. He would try his damndest to ensure she didn't go as far down that path as he had.

The pair strolled through the aisles at Home Depot, searching for a fleeting piece of hardware that continued to elude them. They also enjoyed looking- and mostly judging- all the paint colors and fixtures. Maverick pointed to a chandelier and asked, "What about that one?"

Ghost shook her head with a smile. "Unless Penny is going for a western saloon vibe, I'm going to say no."

"Hey, it's still better than the design option I offered for the office."

Ghost snorted. "If we talk to Penny later, I'm telling her we got the stuff to make it," she said, her gaze grazing over the other options. She shifted her attention to Maverick and added, "Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Don't take this the wrong way because I don't want to sound ungrateful. You have no idea how appreciative I am of everything you've been doing for me, but why invite me today and not Rooster? It's just... judging from what Rooster's told me all these years, you were desperate to make amends with him. Now that you two have reconciled, I'd think you would want to spend as much time with him as you can."

Maverick stopped the cart and faced Ghost. "A few reasons. First and foremost, I enjoy spending time with you. Rooster told me a lot about you, and I like getting to know the girl who was there for him when I couldn't be. Second, you're the only person Penny trusts to accompany me on these outings because I make bad decorating decisions when left unsupervised," he said, grabbing a box of outdoor lamps and placing them in the cart. Ghost picked them up and put them back on the shelf, taking the box next to it of the lights Penny had actually requested. "See? Case in point. And third, I did invite Rooster today, but when I told him I was inviting you, he declined, and I can assure you it's not for the reason you're thinking."

Maverick had seen the subtle crestfallen expression flicker on Ghost's face. He added, "Rooster figured you wouldn't come if you knew he was, and as much as he wants to see you, he recognizes you don't want to see him."

Ghost hung her head, blonde hair falling down and shielding her eyes from view. Still, she spoke. "It's not that I don't want to see him. I miss him terribly. I'm just afraid if we talk, it'll turn into another argument, and I can't deal with another argument with him while I have this mission to focus on."

"I understand pushing him away, I do, but why everyone else?"

"Because it's easier, and I don't risk messing up any other friendships or getting myself even more hurt in the process. And like I said, I have a mission to focus on, and I can't distract myself from it."

"Why haven't you tried pushing me away?"

"Because you won't let me," Ghost said, offering a small yet appreciative smile. It was true. When he showed up on her doorstep earlier in the morning, it'd been unannounced. Ghost had answered the door in her pajamas, clearly startled by his presence but eager to join him once he stated why he was there. "I'm not complaining by any means, though. How is Rooster doing?"

"As best he can. Between your argument and Bryn breaking up with him, he's hanging in there and trying to fix it. How that's going is debatable."

"Has he been able to get a hold of her at all?"

"Not that I know of."

Ghost grimaced. "It's not his fault, though. I'm the one she should blame, not him. He didn't lie to her."

"I think she sees him not telling her as lying by omission," Maverick remarked, grabbing some nails and screws and tossing them into the cart. Noticing Ghost's change in demeanor, he chose to shift topics, not wanting her to think about her problems any more than she already did. "So, what are your plans to beat the rest of the pilots at the tournament?"

"Truthfully, I've been winging it most of the time. Boomer's relented a little since I told him about Twister and Robin, but he's bound to come after me again sooner or later. Hollywood has my back for now, but I'm nervous about facing him if it comes down to the two of us. He's the best of the best for stealth pilots and got considered for this mission for a reason. He's my biggest competitor. Besides being my only friend in that group, I've also had him as my wingman, so I can learn his tactics and use them against him. He's probably doing the same to me, but as Rooster once put it, I'm predictable in my unpredictability, so Hollywood will know I'll pull some crazy shit to try and win, but he most likely won't know what. To be honest, I'm as surprised as everyone else by what I do half the time. I simply follow my instinct and hope it works out. It's never let me down before."

"Predictable in your unpredictability. I like that."

"Yeah, I did, too, although I think he originally meant it as an insult."

"Why did you two not get along in the beginning again?"

"I was 'dangerous and reckless' according to him, and I thought he was 'safe and conservative.' Turns out we were both semi-wrong and semi-right. He's safe but not conservative. Not anymore, at least. I'm dangerous, but only to my enemies. And I'm not reckless. He once told me I reminded him of you."

Maverick chuckled. "Another reason he didn't like you, I bet."

"Maybe..." Ghost's contemplative features softened. "Hey, you know Rooster never hated you, right? He hated what you did, but not you. He sees you as his dad, loves you like a dad. No matter what happened between you two, he never lost those feelings."

"How do you know that?" Maverick inquired skeptically. He'd been on the receiving end of Rooster's anger, and the words that spewed from the young aviator's mouth the day they had their face-off in the common room shattered his heart. Maverick found it hard to believe Rooster never hated him as a person.

"Because I remember dozens upon dozens of nights throughout the years where I sat next to him while his finger hovered over the call button on your name."

"Why'd he never do it?"

"Unfortunately, that's my fault... he'd always been drinking when he considered calling you, and as nostalgic as Rooster was about missing you, I warned him not to call you unless he was ready to face what you did again. I've seen his anger, and I didn't want him to say something to you that might make things worse between you two. I wasn't sure that was possible, but I also didn't want to find out. Of course, all that bottled-up anger had to explode sometime, so in hindsight, I'm wondering if I gave him the best advice..."

"Oh, it exploded, but I believe it would've happened regardless of your advice. We're good now, though, and that's all that matters."

Ghost nodded, but she didn't seem wholly convinced by his words. "I still can't believe you two stole an F-14 right under the enemy's nose. How did you two just walk onto the base?!"

"A hole in the fence, some damaged roadways and runways blocking them from getting to us once they did realize we were in the plane, and sheer dumb luck," Maverick admitted, thinking back to that chaotic day, the rollercoaster of emotions he experienced - from the fatherly instinct to protect his son and take the missile for him, the terror seeing his son get shot down trying to protect him in return, the relief seeing his son alive, the anger at his son for disobeying orders and not returning to the carrier, the nerve-wracking exhilaration of stealing the plane and fighting the two fifth-generation enemy pilots, to the panic at nearly getting shot down, to the second wave of relief when Hangman saved them. Yeah, it'd been a day, and Maverick couldn't fathom how his hair hadn't turned gray from it all.

"Genuinely incredible. I can't even wrap my head around it. I swear if I tried something like that, the enemy would shoot me before I even stepped foot on base."

"Hey, Rooster says you remind him of me, so maybe you have my sheer dumb luck too!"

"Part of me wants to find out; the other part of me doesn't."

"Maybe you can find out in a way that doesn't involve being trapped in enemy territory."

Ghost let out a good-natured laugh, the first he'd heard all day. Suddenly seeming lighter and happier, she added, "Not sure how I'll find this out, but I do agree with you. All right, do we have everything?"

"I think so. Let's go check out. Want to grab lunch at the Hard Deck afterward?"

"I would love to, but I promised I'd FaceTime my mom at one. I don't want to explain to her who I'm having dinner with. Still haven't told her I know you because I don't want to open that can of worms."

"She's got to find out sometime, Ghost."

"I'll tell her after the mission, whether I win the tournament or not, because my participation in it will absolutely cause an argument, but I'll tell her you helped me get as far as I did."

"Hey, you're the one leading our charges, not me. You got there on your own," Maverick praised, patting her shoulder proudly. "Come on, let's check out and get you home."

The pair went to the register and purchased the items that nearly filled their cart to the brim. Ghost called Penny to tell them they were finished and on their way back, and that she was surprised Penny gave Maverick permission to build the 'whale' in the ceiling like he wanted. When the admiral's daughter protested vehemently, Ghost burst out laughing, immediately giving away the prank.

Maverick, pleased with how the day had ended for the outing and relieved to see Ghost in better spirits than when he picked her up, felt better about dropping her off. If she hadn't, he would've insisted they meet for dinner with Hollywood and Penny, anything to get out of her apartment and to temporarily stop thinking of the problems causing her to go on a mental downward spiral.

Ghost's cheerfulness evaporated in the blink of an eye when Maverick pulled up to her apartment. At first, he thought it was because the day was over, but then he followed Ghost's line of sight and noticed a strikingly familiar woman, but from where, he couldn't place.

"Who is that?" he asked, putting his Jeep in park.

Ghost sank into her seat. "My mom..."

"If you want to leave-"

"It's too late. She's already seen me. Don't worry, you can leave. You don't have to stay for this. I'll handle it."

Maverick should've left because the last time he and Charlie had seen each other, it'd been a blowout, knockout fight, but those hard feelings passed long ago for him. Maybe they had for her too. Plus, he hated to leave Ghost alone right now, especially when aware of the strained relationship between her and Charlie and that this meeting would most likely result in an argument for the two of them, the last thing Ghost needed.

"No, I'll join you. I've got your six." 

Maverick winked at her, and Ghost smiled gratefully at him in return. They hopped out of his Jeep and strode up to Ghost's mom, meeting her on the sidewalk. Recognition flickered in her eyes. Upon their approach, she practically squeaked, "Maverick?" 

"Charlie," he replied, nodding his head in polite greeting. He studied her features; it'd been almost thirty-one years since they last saw each other, and while her hair may have grayed and her face sported laugh lines and wrinkles, he still saw the fearlessness in her blue eyes that matched her daughter's. Whatever Admiral Winchester looked like, Ghost undoubtedly took after Charlie, only her face shape and mouth differing.

"I'd introduce you, but you two are already acquainted," Ghost said, clasping her hands. "What are you doing here, mom?"

"Two reasons: to check on you because you sounded so upset over the phone yesterday and-"

"I'm fine. Just friendship drama."

"It sounds like more than just drama."

"Seriously, it's fine. Besides, I have Maverick. He's been there for me through it all and is watching out for me."

Charlie's face softened ever so slightly. "That's nice of him."

"Yeah, he and Penny have made me feel really at home here these past few months."

The softness vanished. "You've known him for months?"

"Yeah. I didn't say anything because I know how you feel about him and his flying, and I figured you wouldn't like me being around him," Ghost said calmly yet matter-of-factly. 

"Annalise, he's right th-"

"I know you don't like me, Charlie. Most people in the Navy don't," he joked in an attempt to lighten the mood. "I don't take it personally."

"What was the second reason you came here?" Ghost asked, recapturing her mom's attention.

"I came to talk to you about that blasted mission you're competing for. How did you even get picked for that?!" Charlie demanded, placing her hands on her hips.

"Because I'm a damn good stealth pilot, and the Navy recognizes that!"

"You're the least experienced one there! I don't understand why you were chosen for a mission of this caliber and intensity when you're still so young in your career. You're not ready for it!"

Ghost reddened underneath her makeup, and Maverick chose to give up the secret he'd been holding onto, not wanting to divulge it until absolutely necessary. "Because of me. Cyclone asked me to pick the twelve pilots from a large group to compete for the mission, and I chose Ghost as one of them."

"You did what?" Charlie asked, deceptively calm. 

"She's in the tournament because of me. I've heard stories about her from Rooster and Hangman, and I've seen her file, the non-redacted version. She might not have years of experience like the others, but I've read about the missions she's been on and what she's accomplished, and I've seen what she's capable of first-hand. Ghost gives me a run for my money up there, Charlie, and that's saying something."

"That's what scares me, Maverick. She flies just like you and takes the same risks. One of these days, it will catch up to her, and I'm sorry for not wanting to lose my daughter and the only remaining family member I have left!"

Ghost crossed her arms. "Mom, I signed up for the Navy knowing any day might be my last. You can't hold me back in my career because of fear. This is my life. You have got to stop trying to interfere with it."

"As much as you have modeled your career and flying style after Maverick, you are not him, and believing in such a thing will get you killed."

Ghost responded with stony silence, shifting her attention to the ground, but Maverick glimpsed her pursed lips, clenched fists, and white knuckles, signs of composure hanging on by a single thread. Charlie, either not noticing or not caring, said, "Come on, Annalise. We need to-"

"No, we don't need to do anything. All you've done in the last five minutes is insult me and my career. Whatever we need to do can wait until tomorrow." Ghost, stoic and with a shockingly steady voice, turned to Maverick and asked, "Is that offer for lunch still available?"

"Of course," he responded, his gaze briefly flicking over to Charlie, who rapidly reddened with rage at her daughter's disobedience.

"Annalise, please, we need to talk," Charlie said pleadingly. "It's important."

"It can wait until tomorrow." 

Without another word, Ghost turned on her heel and stormed toward Maverick's Jeep. He faced Charlie to say goodbye and offer some courtesy, but before he could open his mouth, she pointed an accusatory finger at him. With tears in her voice, she told him shakily, "If Annalise dies on this mission, her blood is on your hands."

****

Tags: @supernaturaldawning @shanimallina @polikszena @lgg5989 @callsign-milano @bradshawsandbridgetons​ @harper1666​ @shadeops21​ @double-j​ @copaceticwriter​ @rotating-obsessions​ @sharkprestige​ @thedarkinmansfield​ @lapilark​ @mickeyluvs​ @starshipfantasy​ @bennypears00​ @mandowife221b​ @the-navistar-carol​ @getmyprettynameoutofyourmouth​ @carmellasworld​ @0hb0llocks​ @nicangelinee​ @summ3rlotus​ @3picklesinajar​ @magentamistress @the-other-hawkeye @elisha-chloe @emilymarie105 @persephone11110 @luckyladycreator2 @boogdleyboo @k0k3 @bibissparkles @lilmonstrjedi @stinkyrat09 @cocoag18 @suburbzchick @pansexualwitchwhoneedstherapy @goodstuff28 @georgiasimpson95 @horselovers2016 @tanithpriad125 @davidshawnsown @sowolfstudentme @agagagfafa @callmemana

Chapters: Chp 1 Chp 2 Chp 3 Chp 4 Chp 5 Chp 6 Chp 7 Chp 8 Chp 9 Chp 10 Chp 11 Chp 12 Chp 13 Chp 14 Chp 15 Chp 16 Chp 17 Chp 18 Chp 19

[apollorobin]

hello friend :)) how about kaede for the ask game if you’d like to do her!!!

hello!! :))) kaede my beloved, of course i would love to talk about her!!! lots of things to say lots of things to say! i think she might be my favourite v3 girl

least favourite thing about them: literally such a dumb thing but: her bangs. idk why but i ALWAYS draw them the wrong way around, then have to correct my sketch by checking reference pictures lol?? which is so weird bc i love kaede but it just won't stay in my brain. kaede please swap your hair direction for me and me only, thank you

favourite thing about them: i love how positive and encouraging she is! i love how she took up the leader position and tried to keep everyone positive and find a way out in ch1 :) and in terms of gameplay, i just absolutely love ch1's angle with the protagonist being the killer (i know she isn't really, but that's how the chapter functions lol) it was such a unique twist. if i didn't spoil the game for myself (on purpose, like, i just straight up went and read the entire plot on wikipedia right after character interactions and stuff for every game😭😭) i definitely wouldn't have seen it coming. but then going back through it and seeing all the small hints aa i love it

favourite line: i can't remember the exact words but doesn't she say at some point that she wants everyone to be friends when they escape? :) not a voiced line i don't think but she's such a sweetheart

brotp: i am such a sucker for kaito and kaede being friends, my silly lil guys, so silly such bffs. i just love them both and they are both so encouraging and sweet and lovely!! they would high five each other lots

otp: my two favourites are gonna have to beeee tenkaede and kaemaki :) tenkaede for obvious reasons, my silly little lesbians i ADORE them, so perfectly matched for each other!! i love how she calls tenko cute multiple times lol :) it sucks that they're somewhat a rarepair, i wish there was more art and fics of them out there :( i will have to just make them myself lol. then for kaemaki, i knowww it's so silly because saimatsu and kaimaki are so common and im literally just flipping them but....idk, i just much prefer it this way around! :) i like imagining that kaede is the only one who can break maki's shell and get to the vulnerable side of her. and i love their interactions in utdp especially the one including chihiro

notp: as with the kaito ask thing, it isn't a ship i hate at all, just one i dislike more than the average danganronpa fan i think, so no hate if you like it whatsoever!!... saimatsu :') i headcanon kaede as a lesbian so not a massive fan of shipping her with boys anyway personally (okay I've just realised other than rantaro, in literally every character ask post I've answered i headcanon them as gay lol😭 i swear it isn't everyone! justttt quite a lot) and specifically about saimatsu, it's sweet but it just feels so forced, like they didn't wanna give anyone a chance to ship either of them before she died yknow? i love them as friends though :)) <3

random headcanon: she has a little heart shaped pillow on her bed that she cuddles while she sleeps

unpopular opinion: i'm not sure if i really have any for her, hmmm sorry!

a song i associate with them: it has to be clair de lune, right?! :)

favourite picture of them: she is such a sweetheart! comfortin silly little shu!! i love pretty much any picture of her though

thank you for asking about kaede!!!! :D this was lots of fun!! and for anyone else still curious im happy to answer about more characters :)

[cryptidsurveys]

Saturday, October 5th, 2024.

So, how's adulting treating you in the 2020s? Are you smashing those expectations, or do you just wanna Netflix and chill all day? First of all, it was never really Netflix & Chill; for me, it was more like YouTube & Rot. Anyway, I'm certainly not smashing any societal expectations, but I am doing better than what I once believed was possible. It gives me hope that I can continue to make progress.

Remember all the fads and trends from the 2010s? Which one makes you cringe the most when looking back now? Vaguely…? I've never been a particularly trendy person. Most of that stuff just goes over my head. As for things that make me cringe…hmm. Maybe early memes. We've come a long way since the days of Courage Wolf and Socially Awkward Penguin.

In the 2020s, are you living the glamorous life you thought all adults had in the 2010s, or is it more like trying to keep houseplants alive and failing miserably? I never thought every adult had a glamorous life, but I was (and am) guilty of idealizing adulthood, especially when confronted with curated and idyllic social media posts. And heck, not even that - something as basic as a "grocery haul mom vlog" would make me yearn for that middle class suburban dream. ;D The second half is more like my actual experience. I don't have any house plants, but as I ease further into adult responsibilities, it continues to feel like a case of having so much to do and not nearly enough time in which to do it. There's always something I neglect for the sake of something else. It makes leisure activities feel like luxuries I can't afford, but…I mean, look at what I'm doing right now. And look at what I'm NOT doing (aka vacuuming the living room/family room). On one hand, I know I need better time management, but on the other, I can't just go, go, go without feeling like I'm slowly losing my sanity. It's a balance I have yet to strike.

Tell us about a moment in the 2010s when you thought you were the coolest kid on the block, but looking back, you were just as awkward as the rest of us. You know…I think I'll keep those embarrassing memories to myself.

So, do you adult better with a fancy planner and color-coded schedules, or are you just winging it with Post-it notes and sheer luck? My life is so routine and repetitive that I don't really need a planner/calendar. I also don't have much of an issue remembering important dates, but I will write them down if I feel like there's a chance I might forget them. I guess I'm closer to Post-It notes and sheer luck, but it works because I don't have all that much going on. Just the animal shelter (typically Friday through Tuesday), therapy (every other Wednesday), trips to the Mountain Park (whenever I can fit them in), grocery shopping (usually Wednesday mornings), and outings with my mom (also whenever I can fit them in).

In the 2020s, have you finally mastered the art of adulting, or do you still have an impressive collection of takeout menus and not a clue about cooking? I don't get takeout or go out to eat all that often, but I'm also not much of a cook. Most of my meals involve the microwave in some capacity. I can cook - it's not hard to follow a recipe and wind up with something tasty - but for whatever reason, I just…don't. Part of it is probably eating disorder related, but I don't think that's all of it. I wish I did more cooking - the idea appeals to me, as does the chance to eat even healthier - but instead I just eat the same few meals and snacks over and over again.

Looking back on the 2010s, what was the cringiest song you couldn't stop listening to on your iPod, and did you ever dare to sing it in public? CAUSE EVERY TIME WE TOUCH I GET THIS FEELING AND EVERY TIME WE KISS I SWEAR I COULD FLY CAN'T YOU FEEL MY HEART BEAT FAST I WANT THIS TO LAST NEED YOU BY MY SIDE It was apparently released in 2006, but it didn't cross my radar until the 2010s, so. And yeah, it was playing in Walmart a few months ago, and it was all I could do to contain myself.

Are you living the dream of having a fabulous wardrobe that puts fashion bloggers to shame, or is your closet a chaotic mix of hand-me-downs and sale-rack finds? It's a mix of Walmart, thrift store finds, and animal shelter shirts/sweaters. I'm not putting any fashion bloggers to shame, but you can definitely tell where my priorities lie.

Do you miss the simpler times of the 2010s when social media was all about posting selfies, or are you loving the meme culture that dominates the 2020s? I do miss the social media culture of Tumblr and Instagram especially. It felt so much more personal and tight-knit, a true slice of life, and I formed some great online friendships around that time. These days, everything feels so impersonal. Everyone's an influencer, their lives are a walking advertisement, and none of it feels real. I wouldn't even know where to start finding online friends anymore. Sure, some of the content is interesting/inspiring, but the people behind it feel so distant.

Tell us your most epic "adulting fail" moment that made you wish you could just teleport back to your carefree teenage years. Probably my failed attempt to work at the animal shelter back in 2021. I quickly crashed and burned. It didn't make me wish for my teenage days, but it was extremely disheartening, shame inducing, etc. I've been back volunteering there for about a year and a half now, close to full time since mid-July (I think…? I'll come back and edit this if I can find the exact date), and things are mostly stable aside from a few hiccups, but…I don't know. The failure of 2021 still haunts me. I want the animal shelter to be part of my life forever, but the fear of losing it all over again keeps me from taking that final plunge. Hopefully one day…

How do you balance being a responsible adult in the 2020s and still secretly longing for the reckless fun you had in the 2010s? I wasn't having much reckless fun. It was more like reckless self-destruction (that might have seemed like fun at times but...yeah). I'm also not a completely responsible/independent adult. There is a part of me that longs for more down time, and I have a complicated sense of nostalgia for my bed rotting days, but I know going back to that wouldn't make me happy. I'd be bored and restless and miserable just like I was before.

Confess your most significant guilty pleasure from the 2010s that you can't believe you indulged in. No judgment here! Probably conspiracies and all the rabbit holes that came with them. That obsession persisted into the early 2020s as well. I felt so hopeless in my own life that an apocalypse actually sounded like an appealing alternative.

Do you have a "best worst" purchase from the 2010s that you still can't believe you spent money on? No.

In the 2020s, have you upgraded your hangover-curing skills from greasy fast food to some sophisticated avocado toast? No. I just drastically reduced my alcohol intake. These days, I might drink once or twice a year, if even that, and not nearly as much in quantity.

What's your go-to dance move when you hit the dance floor in the 2020s, and did it come from an embarrassing attempt in the 2010s? I've never gone out dancing.

How do you cope with adulting burnout in the 2020s, and does it involve a secret stash of chocolate or a Netflix binge? Even though the animal shelter is my passion and I can't imagine my life without it, I still need time away to recharge. I try to make the most of my days off and do things that genuinely refill my cup or reset my social meter. Make art, visit the Mountain Park, purposeful bed rotting with some trash YouTube, maybe put off some house cleaning if necessary (or tackle it if it will make me feel better - it just depends), etc. I'm also fortunate enough to be in a place where I can take extra days off if I need them, but I try not to resort to that too often. The whole point is to get as accustomed to the grind as I can.

Share the most hilariously awkward Zoom moment you had during the great pandemic of the 2020s. I've never used Zoom.

Looking back on the 2010s, what was the weirdest internet challenge you participated in, and did you regret it immediately? I don't think I've ever participated in an internet challenge… Except for things like NaNoWriMo and Inktober, but those are…idk…more wholesome? Not stupid?

Have you finally embraced the fact that you're an adult, or do you still find yourself wishing you had Hermione Granger's time-turner to go back to simpler times? I have accepted…or have resigned myself to the fact…that I can't go back. Not if I want the possibility of a good life in the future. It's daunting as all hell - sometimes the responsibility is overwhelming, and there's only more to come - but I have to keep pushing forward.

So, did you ever jump on the "juice cleanse" bandwagon in the 2010s, and did you last more than a day before devouring a pizza? No.

How do you handle those moments in the 2020s when you feel like you're just a kid pretending to be an adult? Like the first time I went grocery shopping by myself? That was surreal. As a teen, I used to go to the mall by myself like it was nothing (well, "by myself" with friends lmao), but for some reason, grocery shopping was a whole different (and even somewhat trippy) experience. Even though I'm getting more comfortable going places on my own (mainly therapy and the animal shelter), I still have a strong sense of imposter syndrome.

In the 2010s, what was your worst fashion faux pas that you wish had never seen the light of day? Hmmm. Let's just say I definitely had some…outfits…

Are you now the queen or king of adulting, doling out life advice like Oprah, or are you still secretly calling your mom for help with laundry? I'm still fumbling around and trying to figure it out, and probably fooling absolutely no one.

Looking ahead to the rest of the 2020s, what are your hopes and dreams for your adulting journey, and how will you embrace the chaos with a sense of humor? There's just so much I want to learn/do - from the big stuff all the way down to the minor details. I think the main thing is that I want to be employed at the animal shelter before the 2020s pass. As for embracing chaos with a sense of humor…well, it often feels like hilarity is one thin line away from hysterics, so…while I'm not terrible at it, I surely could be better.

[inannasdream]

just finished watching the off broadway musical adaptation of anastasia and im so sorry to any fans of it but i could not take this musical seriously omg

things i liked: the costuming was really cool, and the dresses were awesome to see. i watched it with a bootleg in 360p but they looked very high quality and well done from what i could tell. the sets were immersive! the cast and their singing were obvs good too. of the songs, once upon a december was the biggest standout.

lastly, i liked the change of main antagonist from evil sorcerer rasputin (???????) to the soviet officer gleb (in theory). honestly i haven't watched the 1997 movie since i was like, baby, so i have no attachment to that movie's main villain, and a plot that's more sensical for the specific locations and characters it's supposed to be based around are welcome imo.

things i disliked/didn't care for: everything else lmao. every five minutes i swear i was rolling my eyes (mostly for its royalty/bourgeois ass-kissing but lots of other smaller things too).

right off the bat smth i thought was rly funny was how in one (only one but still) of the songs they consistently pronounce paris the native way, but with anastasia they just use the english pronunciation the whole time. anastasia, dammit, not ann uh stay ja >:/

more seriously, i could not stand the pretentious sucking up to aristocracy and monarchy throughout literally every line in this musical omfg. no lily i can not give less of a fuck abt you missing being part of the monarchy in russia when you are lamenting this in your expensive ass dress surrounded by french aristocrats. the way they vaguely mention russian people disliking the tsarist rule and completely brush that off, with every other portrayal of the common people being abt how much they obsess over the romanovs and how poor they are (bc they were.... less poor during the monarchy????? ??? ????) was funny in a "wow these writers are NOT self aware" way. maria in particular is so much less sympathetic to me when she also has to spend her on-stage time waxing poetry about how lame the ussr is lol. fitting i guess tho considering broadway's monetary gatekeeping

other big thing is the amnesia just being a very obvious plot device, with her remembering events from her past seemingly at random. i guess i don't have a big criticism for this but it was another thing i really couldn't take as seriously as the musical probably wanted me to.

the ending is probably the only part where i have actually constructive criticism -- it felt like they were going back and forth on whether anya cared about being royalty or not. the ending speech about anastasia being a fairy tale would suggest that she's been able to move on from her whole quest and that anastasia (the royal princess who was purported to have died with her family) could rest for good while anya could marry dmitri... but that monologue is narrated over her marrying him in her aristocratic red dress, like a few minutes after she asserted herself as grand duchess anastasia romanov to him, sooo?????

i think they were going for a "anastasia is reclaiming the childhood she was robbed of her memories of by cOmMuNiSm and now she can live out her prestige in paris" theme but then why include that ending monologue other than to be an obvious "this story is fictional" disclaimer that no one needed in the first place? idk, i would've preferred if she just let that title and name rest with the music box left to maria, and married him as is or smth. probably would've gone better with her amnesia that's basically almost totally forgotten about after act 1, having a new identity as anya that she can actually realistically live out now that the tsar has been abolished in the ussr. but then i guess she'd have to go back to the ussr to complete that theme, which we can't have bc cOmMuNiSm or smth, so she just has to stay in paris.

i'd be more fine w the above stuff if the music was like, showstopping, but idk it was fine i guess. besides once upon a december, they all felt like very standard songs to have in a musical to move the plot forward. i know there are some songs they added in the broadway version, but mehhhh i don't rly care enough to check them out. im sure they're ok. anddd afternoon spent ✅

[webbedphantom]

Get to Know me Better

ALIAS / NAME: Volt, because I tend to use the 2099 swear "shock" instead of actually cursing. I'm not as strict on that rule as I used to be, but just know that if I'm cursing out of character, my mental health is in the trash.

BIRTHDAY: October 1st. Don't really do much for my birthdays, but this year it's right after my sister's wedding, so we'll not only be actually celebrating for once, but she's buying my a new computer, and I am very excited for that

ZODIAC SIGN: Libra. I have to look this up everytime one of these asks about it, since I don't put much stock into the idea. I don't really understand it, and I don't think I ever will.

HEIGHT: 5'11 Fun Fact, I made that Aaron's canon height just so that I would remember my own. My brain is weird.

HOBBIES: Gaming and writing, obviously, but there's also streaming, drawing occasionally, and making edits in Photoshop. And as soon as I get my new computer, I also plan to start learning how to make my own games.

FAVORITE COLOR: I've got a few actually. Cherry Red, like P5, Neon Green, and that shade of blue that's so dark it almost looks black. I don't know what it's actually called, I just call it Symbiote Blue, because that's what I usually see it on.

FAVORITE BOOK: If graphic novels count, then I'd say Spider-Man: Life Story. It's not the best story in the world, but it has inspired so much of what I'm working on rn. If we're talking actual books, it's been a while since I read any, but if I had to pick one... The Spider-Man 3 Novelization by Peter David. He's one of my all time favorite writers, and as bad as the movie was at points, the novel really shows how much potential it had. There's so many things that were cut from the final release that David put in here, and it just works so much better. Highly recommend checking it out if you're a fan of the Rami films.

LAST SONG: "Break Through it All" from Sonic Frontiers. I have a massive Sonic playlist that I was listening to while working on the Multi-muse. Though I also found this AMAZING Metroid playlist on Spotify that I've been listening to a ton. So many great remixes and covers that I can't get enough of.

LAST MOVIE / SHOW: Uhhh... Panty & Stocking, I think. I will not be answering any questions, thank you.

RECENT READ: Aside from the incredible Ultimate Spider-Man run going on rn, I've been catching up on some DC books. And by catching up, I mean reading through the Rebirth runs of Justice League and Titans (since Rebirth was when I actually started getting into DC, but I wasn't able to actually keep up with them when they were new), with plans to check out Green Lanterns and Superman next. I've always really enjoyed the Titans, moreso the adult ones after watching Young Justice, but this Justice League run (which I only started reading because I know they crossover with the Titans at some point) really surprised me with how... Amazing it is. Like I've always liked the team, more because Batman and Flash were there, but this has me really liking the entire team for the first time since the animated series, and that has really got me hooked.

INSPIRATION: I'm not sure if this means for the character, or me personally, so I'll just say... Spider-Man and Sonic? Since those two kinda work for both.

STORY BEHIND YOUR URL: He's a Phantom Thief that shoots webs... Look, it was the best I could come up with at the time, and I didn't want to just repeat my Twitter @ of... well this-

I have a friend who lives in Japan, and is much more knowledgeable about their culture and stuff. So when my old @ became irrelevant (story for another time), she came up with this as a replacement. And like, I like it. It's memorable, and it kinda makes sense if you know Japanese, but it's also VERY hard to remember how to spell, which isn't exactly ideal-

So, I just went with webbedphantom because I suck at naming things-

FUN FACT: I've kinda been sprinkling these throughout this whole thing, which is why it's so shocking long, but to end it off with one more... I have posters from a shumako Fanzine hanging up in my room. I also have some stickers and keychains from it, but I don't remember where they are-

I'm very normal about them, I swear-

Stolen from: @fatexbound

Tagging: Whoever hasn't done this yet idk.

[shadowonwater]

The songs mentioned:

a. Reganomics (I assume. Because this description of the song isn't accurate, so maybe there's more than one Ronald Reagan song)

b. Cabinet Man (again description not very accurate, the man turned himself into the machine on purpose, he is the machine and thus is not trapped in it)

c. Modify

d. Touch Tone Telephone

e. Amnesia Was Her Name (A guy with memory loss is in love with his doctor)

f. When He Died

g. Soft Fuzzy Man

h. Sweet Bod ("Let's eat this corpse mummified with honey, this is for health! I swear this isn't sexual in any way!")

i. Eight Wonder (inspired by the legend of Gef the Mongoose)

j. Two Trucks (having sex)

A bunch more weird songs with my own descriptions below the cut:

Ode to Crayola (a song about a guy who REALLY loves crayons. Maybe a little too much...)

Knife Fight (a pair of children challenge each other to a knife fight)

Spring Heeled Jack (a song about the urban legend of spring heeled jack, it includes many details)

The Machine (a guy builds a giant machine that does nothing, people don't understand it)

Bill Watterson (a song about stalking the creator of Calvin & Hobbes)

Ben Bernake (a weirdly homoerotic song in which a wizard is in love with a guy but also hates him. Also he needs the guys teeth to save the federal reserve)

The Satirist's Love Song ("Our relationship was meant to make fun of relationships, I don't actually love you")

Mask of My Own Face ("what if I did crimes while disguised as myself? Then nobody would think it was REALLY me!")

Aurora Borealis (Christmas love song, but also the Eldritch apocalypse)

Crypto Santa (The Santa Clause but if it was an Eldritch horror movie)

Dinosaurchestra parts 1-3 (a 3 part story about a kid using a magic eight ball to time travel and create a band with dinosaurs)

Action Movie Hero Boy (Kid wants to recreate the scene of a hero walking away from an explosion, it doesn't end well)

Lawnmower (a song about mowing lawn)

Archaeopteryx (a guy is so salty that humans can't fly that he goes back in time to kill the Archaeopteryx)

Really Cool Wig (a guy tells you about a dream where he was wearing a cool wig, but he can't for the life of him remember what the wig looked like now that he's awake and he's really upset about it)

Jaws (badly explains the plot of Jaws to you)

Goosebumps (love song that incorporates the titles of a bunch of Goosebumps books, to get the full experience watch the music video (trust me). Anyway a ghost is in love in the song)

My Trains (a guy loves model trains. He gets kicked out of the model train club. He wishes he could shrink down to ride his trains. Also he wants to get revenge on the guy who got him kicked out of the club)

Dead Sea Monkeys (a kids pet sea monkeys die and he's real upset about it)

Pumpkin Pie (Merchant makes damn good pumpkin pie. The king wants the recipe, merchant says no. Merchant gets tortured. The end)

When Robots Attack (a song about robots attacking)

Gonna Dig Up Alec Guinness (gonna use the dead body of an actor and create a tacky road-side attraction for money)

Rainwater ("Is it safe to drink the rainwater?")

Word Disassociation (word salad song, none of these words have anything to with each other and that's the point)

Smell Like a Cookie All Day (life sucks but smelling like a cookie would make it better. Something something small joys help make life good. Humans still suck, and why can't we all just get along)

Anyway this is a solid chunk of his discography but he's got plenty of other stuff. Like there are some songs that would be really hard to explain the plot of and that run more on vibes than anything else.

Anyway I focused on the albums Damn Skippy, I am become Christmas, View-Monster, Dinosaurchestra, and Nature Tapes. But there are other albums I didn't touch on.

A lot of OPs songs are from Spirit Phone so I wanted to focus on some of Neil's other work.

“ohhh i’m so tired of love songs i wish people would write more original stuff” literally listen to lemon demon. some of his song topics include

Ronald Reagan fights his evil shadow self

Guy is trapped inside an evil arcade machine that kills people

You can do what you want to your body! dye your hair! get that tattoo! pull your teeth out! stick screws in your eyes! rip your arms off!

disgraced scientist is disgraced

I forgor 💀

Guy died and a bunch of cool haunted shit happened and it was really spooky

Please date me i’m a really nice ghost i mean normal man

I’m eating a corpse and it’s soo tasty and homoerotic come join me

ohohoho i am a Creature

well you probably know what two trucks is about