#I cannot sing quickly to save my life

[lillyorlyracat]

Anybody else do audio things on FlipaClip more often than actual animations

I'm making a cover of Brony Polka

[ryoko1232]

Background, english is not my native language, i never promised something good, all I said is I wanted to write

(Also got no beta readers, this is RAW)

This is like chap 1/2

Unoriginal Idea : what if Polites and Odysseus ate the lotus fruit?

Slight NSFW (dw the smut is in chap 2 if i ever write it)

@jugganautism you wanted to see it here it is

1051 words (was losing motivation sorry)

“Here you go!” The lotus eater pushed fruit to their feet and Polites’s eyes lit up. “See? This life is amazing when we greet it with open arms!” Both Polites and Odysseus bit into the fruit as the Lotus eating creatures sang with Polites. “Whatever we face, we'll be fine if were leading from the heart!” Polites hugged Odysseus as he continued singing. “No matter the place, we can light up the world here's how to start!” Polites smiled as he looked Odysseus in the eyes. “Greet the world with open arms, greet the world with open arms!” Both men sang in unison.

They took a bunch of Lotus fruit, thanking the Lotus eaters as they left. Though after a few minutes, they fell, their heads were dizzy as they went unconscious. Waking up an hour later their minds were relaxed and… empty. “Ody!” Polites hugged Odysseus, kissing him on the neck and nuzzling him. Odysseus couldn't think any thoughts, it was so hard to think, but… why think when there was a pretty boy right infront of him.

Odysseus grabbed Polites’s face and started kissing it, guiding his tongue deep in his mouth. Polites almost started choking if they hadn't pulled apart, though, he was quick getting on top of Odysseus. They were very sticky since they fell on top of the Lotus fruit, that caused Polites's top to fall leaving his chest bare.

Odysseus quickly started to lick the fruit’s jam(?) off of Polites's peck. Feeling Ody’s tongue playing with his nipples made him whimper, he gasped when he started sucking. Moans could be heard as Polites slowly hump Ody, he started to warrant blood in his mouth due to the Lotus, but he felt too good to care. When Ody bit down, it caused Polites to jump away. Ody immediately went back onto Polites, kissing him once more. As they passionately made out, the crew wondered where they were.

“It's only hours away from sunrise, I should go look for them” Eurylochus announced, “disobeying captain? Really?” Perimedes replied. “Captain said to wait for him, it might be dangerous” Elpenor said behind Perimedes, causes him to respond with, “Obviously, its dangerous!”. “Ody is like a brother I cannot live without, knowing I could've save him from death is a worse pain then never going home” Eurylochus reasoned, Perimedes only tsked, “this is why you shouldn't have connections, you're getting yourself killed!”. “For the lives of my friends!” Eurylochus said, “As second to command you have no right to talk back, if I am not back when the sun directly above you, you have my permission to burn the island” he commanded the crew.

“If you don't return who will be the next captain?” Perimedes lit up, “I would suggest votings, though if Choosing one was obligated, my vote goes out to Menelaus” Eurylochus’s words caused an argument among the crew while he left, he heard Agamemnon shout “I SHOULD BE CAPTAIN, OBVIOUSLY!”.

Ody and Polites were cuddling up, Polites was nuzzling, kissing and lightly sucking Ody’s neck as he held him tight. They were surrounded by crushed Lotus fruit, a bit of blood stains from Ody’s bite and from a few scraps they got from rustling around in the grass. When Eurylochus found them he was horrified, “ODY! POLI! ARE YOU TWO OKAY??” He immediately went to their side.

“Eury!” Polites smiled and pulled him into the hug, Eurylochus sat up, and made sure the two followed. “What happened?” He asked, “Oh! Uhhhh… I don't know” Odysseus shrugged, Eury was scared that a witch had erased his memories. “Eury you should have some food!” Polites offered some Lotus fruit to Eury and he knew what happened. “Ody, Poli, please tell me you did not eat that” “why?” “Ody, look at the way the fruit is glowing and filled with glowing seeds” the gestured to the fruit in his hands “ it's a Lotus, it controls your minds and… never… lets you… leave…” Eurylochus realized what he was saying. Odysseus and Polites couldn't leave the spell of the fruit, they’re trapped.

No no no no no, he couldn't lose his friends… there- there has to be something they can do. “Ody, Poli, follow me” Eurylochus said though the two men showed no rush in getting up. “Why? Come on it's so relaxing here!” Polites smiled, leaning into Odysseus. Eurylochus needed to get going before their men lit the island up, so in desperation he picked both of them up and carried them to the ship. The crew was very surprised to see them. “Woah, what happened?” Menelaus asked, tears already prickling his eyes Eurylochus said “Th-they ate Lotus fruit! They're minds are trapped!”. “Lotus fruit…” the crew echoed, “told you they were gonna-” Elpenor shoved Peremides to stop him from continuing.

“Oh gods what am I gonna do-- how does one even undo a lotuses magic?? do we wait for it to wash off?? oh dear-” Eurylochus was panicking, while he was panicking Ody and Poli was back to making out. “WOULD YOU TWO STOP MAKING OUT SO LOUD I'M TRYING TO THINK HERE!” Eurylochus snapped at them. “Captain.. what's the funny man saying there?” Poli asked resting his head on Ody’s shoulder. “I’unno but I don't like his tone” Ody replied looking at Eurylochus.

Eurylochus couldn't care less, he was so worried that his friends were trapped like that, the he would have to explain to his sister in law, mother in law, and wife that Ody was like… THAT. Not to mention how devastated Polites’s family would be. The haven't left the island as they tried to hatch a plan, before someone pipes up “why don't we just lock them in the captain cabin”. “And what good would that do exactly?” Another asked, “Buddy, look at them” the first replied gesturing at the two men who were making out. Ody hd his hands on Polites's hips, guiding him back and forth as he deepens their kiss.

“Yup throw them in the cabin” Perimedes says already grabbing Polites off Odysseus, Elpenor followed with Odysseus.

[miintsprigz]

Trying something new…

TF2 mercs with a reader experiencing a panic attack. Gender neutral.

This has Engie, Medic, and Scout, cuz I love those three especially. Not sure if I can do requests, but I could try.

Notes: I’ve never had the pleasure of actually playing the game because my technology is very limited (one day…), but I love the characters. If my writing for the mechanics is wack, that’s why.

I also know it would be hard to have a panic disorder and be a mercenary, but I feel like it could still happen sometimes. They’re still human.

Warnings: descriptions of panic attacks and other mental health ailments that may be associated with them, including dissociation, hyperventilation, insomnia, and hallucinations.

Engineer:

-You had been forced into a corner. Inching closer and closer to respawn by the second.

-How many more hits could you take? You weren’t sure. But you didn’t want to go through that again…it had happened so many times…maybe you truly were losing your touch.

-The breath hitched in your throat, and tears threatened to spill down your face. Please…please just leave me alone…!

-A voice crooned from just behind him. The sadistic grin was wiped off your attacker’s face as he received a bright bolt of light to the back of his head, slumping over with a thud.

- “That’s just about enough a’ that, son.” Engineer, with the Short Circuit still smoking, looked down at you. “Ah…” Even with his eyes covered by his goggles, you could see the pleased smirk drop immediately as he retracted the weapon.

-Maybe it was the visible concern, maybe it was the fact that you didn’t have to be in fight or flight anymore, but the dam broke. You couldn’t breathe, every attempt at getting air came out in sharp gasps, audibly sobbing.

-“C’mere, darlin’…how bad did he getcha… Whoa—”

-You clamped your arms around him when he went to help you up, holding for dear life as your face quickly became slick with tears. “T-too close…I, I almost…oh my gosh…”

-Engie went rigid for a moment, clearly not expecting the sudden grasp, not knowing what to do.

-Machines, those he knew how to fix. But to find one of his closest teammates broken down crying in his arms, shaking like a leaf… how could he fix that? Could he…? Surely, surely he could. He would. That was his job!

-Slowly, warmly, two strong arms wrapped around you, stroking your shoulder with his thumb.

-“Now, now, honey…don’t you cry, I got ‘em for ya. And if anyone lays another finger on ya, they’re gettin’ a wrench to the dome, hear me?” You nodded quick, curling your head into his shoulder.

-“Let’s get you outta here, we’ll find the doc together, patch you up. Up ya go…”

-Assuming you didn’t start walking by yourself, he did his best to smoothly transfer you out of the embrace and into a close carry.

-You still struggled to catch your breath, and as he picked his pace up, you rested your head against his chest.

-Feeling his voice reverberate, you heard him humming the song he’d been softly singing the other night. The same one you had fallen asleep to. Trying to soothe you, in his own sort of way.

Medic

-Burning. Burning all over. That’s all you remember. You’d dropped your guard…there was just a Pyro and a Scout left, and you’d ended up completely burned.

-As you were brought back, you found that you couldn’t stand.

-Medic hurried up to you as you dropped to your knees, MediGun in hand. “Ah, wunderbar (wonderful)! I have saved a charge just for you, let’s go finish—oh. (Y/N), was ist los (what’s the matter)???”

-You grasped at your arms, your legs, you swore you could still feel the flames licking at you. Your breathing sped up, feeling your heart pounding in your ears.

-Medic may have had his license revoked, but he still knew exactly what this was.

-As you tried to get up and listen to what he had been telling you to do, he immediately stood in front of you. “Nein, I cannot in good conscience let you go back out right now. Bitte (please), (Y/N), sit down.”

-Plunking yourself right back down on the floor, you fought hard against the tightness that was forming in your throat. “That…that freaking sucked…”

-“I know that it did.” Out of the corner of your eye, you saw him moving to put an arm around your shoulder, giving you a moment to back away if you needed to.

-He seemed surprised when you instead leaned against him, trying your best to keep yourself together.

-“Oh! …ah, Liebe, that is not one you recover from quickly. Sit still…it’s okay.”

-The doctor reached over and softly ruffled your hair, his touch surprisingly gentle. A few tears escaped your eyes, but you were beginning to catch your breath again.

-“I know I was a bit strict, but…sending you out like this could easily get you killed again��and we do not want that.”

-Medic stared daggers towards the direction of the scent of smoke. How dare they set you ablaze. He’d make sure to take them out in pieces…

-The thought of bloodshed nearly drove him to his feet, almost hungry for it, but as he looked at you, he dropped his shoulders. We can get revenge later. They need me right now.

-“Liebe, listen. Don’t work so hard, alright? It’s no good for your heart… There will be hell to pay for that…for now though...stay here. And I’ll stay too, if it helps. I just healed everyone, I think they’ll be good.”

-You glanced up at him. “Are you comfortable like this?” He rolled his eyes wearily, but chuckled.

-“Me? I’m just fine.”

Scout

-The enemy Spy had been absolutely unrelenting for the last few days. Nowhere was safe. Nowhere at all.

-You were so anxious about going back to that the next day that it was even beginning to mess with your sleep. You swear you saw shadows moving, eyes in the dark…the lack of sleep only made it worse.

-Every encounter with that menace ran through your mind, playing on repeat as you stared at the ceiling. Finally, you decided to give up on sleep and go back downstairs.

-Upon seeing a shadow standing in the darkness, you couldn’t help but stumble backwards with a gasp, fumbling for a weapon that wasn’t anywhere near you.

-“Whoa! Hey pal, whatcha doin’ up right now?”

-The voice was clearly that of the Scout…or maybe that was what he wanted you to think.

-Unable to catch your breath, you ended up with your back to a wall, hands up in front of you in a panic. You saw Scout through your fingers—and quickly-accumulating tears at the corners of your vision. He looked…worried. Extremely so.

-Scout was confused, not atypical for him. But why were they so afraid? He hadn’t been too loud, had he? “…(Y/N)…it’s me, Scout. Jeremy. Ya…ya don’t gotta be scared. I’m sorry…didn’t mean ta scare ya.”

-Your hands visibly shook as you looked at him, desperately searching for some sign that could tell you if this was real or fake. “…you’re the real one…?”

-Oh. They were scared about the Spy…that scared? He’d noticed they’d been acting way different.

-“It’s the real me, (Y/N). Ain’t no freakin’ Spy gettin’ in here with me around. I’d never lie to ya, so please…”

-Somehow this did the trick. You fell apart, crying into your hands, which were cold and clammy at this point, ashamed of your own fear. “I’m sorry! …I’m sorry…”

-“Hey…it’s okay, I gotcha…” Scout knelt down in front of them, holding his empty hands out. Maybe if they see I’m not armed, it’ll help?

-You felt a gentle tap on your knee. Pulling one hand back, you found Scout holding his own out to you. “C’mere a sec.”

-Taking his hand, his fingers carefully intertwined with yours. You could feel the roughness around his palm from the constant grip on his bat.

-His eyes were bright, even in the dark. “That Spy? He’s a wuss, ya hear me? All talk. And next time we go up against him, we’re gonna send him back to his base pissin’ himself and cryin’ for his ma, cuz nobody messes with us, right?”

-You couldn’t help but crack a smile as he tried to rally you, in the carefree cocky way he always did. “Y-yeah…that’s right.”

-“You know it! We’ll win, we always do! And if he gets anywhere near you, I’ll whack his friggin’ lights out, so don’t you worry, doll! Not out there…and not here.”

-With this, he pulled you in by the hand and wrapped his arms around you, giving you a firm pat on the back. “You know I’d never let anybody hurt ya, right?”

-“Y-yeah…thank you. Sorry I got so scared.”

“Don’t gotta apologize for nothin’. He’s a creep, I don’t blame ya. But that’s all he is.”

-Your eyelids were now growing heavy, and a quiet yawn interrupted the conversation.

-“Sleep, (Y/N). I’m right here. Ain’t nothin’ gonna touch ya with me here.”

[dadsbongos]

astro boy - y.itadori

part of the jjk movie marathon event / movie selection … warnings - my shonen trope writing is showing, idk stink monster? word count - 1.2 K / rating - PG

“This is disgusting!” Nobara huffs, stomping down on the cracked pavement below, “And they couldn’t have given us temporary uniforms or something?!”

Megumi shrugs, but the crinkle in his brows and the downturn of his lips cannot hide his revulsion, “Not like we can just back out now.”

Yuuji and yourself, meanwhile, are crouched over the manhole cover that Ijichi said you’d need to go down. You look at the boy, head tilted, “Are you sure?”

“Yeah!” he jumps up, clapping his hands, “I can get it no problem.”

“If you’re sure…” you slink back, nudging toward Nobara and Megumi as Yuuji kneels back down and slithers his fingers into the cover's holes.

He’s so sure. It might even impress you, how he’s able to so casually throw aside an entire manhole cover. You were the first person to welcome him to Tokyo. It helps that he finds you even prettier than Jennifer Lawrence, and even though he’s never gotten the honor to meet her: he’s certain you’re nicer, too. You just have to be.

“Is your back okay? You lifted with your legs, right?!” you rush over as soon as Yuuji’s tossed the metal disc.

You’re like an angel, after all.

“Yeah, ‘m all good!”

Megumi comes up between the both of you, nodding towards the sewer’s gaping maw. If this were a children’s cartoon, then you imagine toxic chartreuse fumes would be ribboning out in thick streams. You’re worried the stench may cling to your clothes.

“I’ll go down first, then you and Kugisaki, and Itadori - you’ll be last.”

Nobara lays her cheek against your shoulder from behind, “Huh? Trying to be a gentleman, Fushiguro?”

“I just don’t want you idiots making us fill out injury reports,” he grumbles, already waist-deep into the darkness and continuing down.

“Hey!” Nobara snaps, shuffling by you and Yuuji to go down the metal rungs, “Don’t you dare look up!”

Just before he sinks completely into the murky black, you catch Megumi’s aggravated grunt of, “As if I would ever…”

“Well, guess it’s my turn,” you hold Yuuji’s arm for balance as you slot your foot securely over one of the lower rungs, beaming up at him with a quickly chirped, “thanks!” before releasing him.

Yuuji can barely feel the lower half of his face with how hard he’s cheesing, but he certainly feels the thunder in his chest. His eyes follow you down, a breathy, wide-eyed, “yeah, no problem…” to pair with your gratitude.

“God, I can’t see anything…” he hears Nobara as his eyes take their time adjusting to the dark.

“Here, there’s…” the electric buzz and hum of a flickering flashlight, Megumi hits the shuddering bulb before it sparks to life and stays on, “this.”

Yuuji looks out at his group, the faint glow of Megumi’s flashlight glistens along their faces. Then it illuminates the dark, puddled pavement below their feet. Then the murky stew of browns and greens flowing to their collective right. Then straight ahead.

“Ah, shit.”

What Yuuji hears next is a sharp, piercing shrill from Nobara as she and Megumi are snatched by the ankles, and sucked into the gelatinous, translucent, vaguely putrid body of a curse. A gasp follows it, you shuffle back with a hurried look over your shoulder, reaching out for him. Like a nightmare, then, you’re pulled into the revolting, jiggly mass.

“Itadori!” is the last he hears you shriek.

That singe of fear down his spine is still apparent, even though this is far from being his first mission, but the sight of his friends floating, trapped in that goo is more compelling. He switches the weight on his feet, hands balling so tightly his nails snag into the meat of his palms.

“I’ll save you!” he’s referring to the group, but for some odd reason he only looks up at you, “I swear it!”

The blob wiggles with its giggling, a singular eye tearing over Yuuji’s smaller frame. A waft of frozen air curls through the sewer sending shivers racking through the boy’s body.

Above him, the curse’s voice echoes between sewage drips, layered like a scratchy, out-of-pitch choir, “Bring… a… jacket…!”

Another shiver, unrelated to the temperature, racks through him. Yuuji isn’t sure he’ll ever be accustomed to those chittering tones.

Instead, he swallows his fear and dips low, ready to launch himself forward with cursed energy coursing through his fists.

The curse lashes droopy, bubbling tentacles at Yuuji, but they are no match for the sputtering, repeated blows of the boy’s attacks. He strikes decisively and quickly, ferociously battering against the flabby curse until it rolls back: squelching and crying.

Foam leaks from the flattened bottom, bubbles rise to the surface, and the whole curse wriggles once. Then twice.

Its eye widens.

“So… cold…!”

And it pops.

Putrid, green slime bursts over Yuuji. Weighing his clothes down and slicking back sections of his hair. After clearing the fluids from both eyes, Yuuji rushes towards you.

“Are you okay?”

Yuuji uses the dry pads of his thumbs to swipe the slime off of your face, then carefully lifts your crumpled form by your forearms. He lets his hands linger, masquerading the need for your skin on his as concern.

“Hm,” you can still smell the morbid rot of the curse’s body around yours, “Yeah, I think I’m okay…”

His honeyed eyes are glassy, they scrounge over your body to double-check. As if you would miss some gaping flesh wound that he wouldn’t. Finally, he meets your gaze, and the pinched nature of his expression drops, a contented smile taking its place.

“Good,” he speaks softly, so unlike his natural boisterous greed for attention.

“You know,” Megumi calls, “We were in there, too.”

Nobara kicks the back of Yuuji’s knee, sending him into the frosty concrete below, “At least try to hide your favoritism, huh?!”

“It’s like you were only trying to save one of us,” Megumi smacks Yuuji up his head.

“Well then,” you lean down, arms circling Yuuji’s neck as he kneels before you. You press your slimy face against his, “I guess he’s only my hero!”

“Barf!” Nobara gags, already waving both of you off as she plucks her uniform from sticking against her skin, “This better come out, Fushiguro!”

“Why is it my fault?!”

“You were supposed to be our leader!”

The two continue to bicker as you pull Yuuji up from the ground, “Good job being the only one not caught, Itadori.”

He beams at the praise, warmth fluttering through his chest and tickling all down the ladder of his ribs, “It was nothing!” his fingers itch to card through yours, “I just wanted to make sure you three were safe.”

“Of course, we were,” you take the initiative and squeeze his hand in yours, “You were here to save us…” you laugh to yourself, refraining from a brutal cringe at the lingering scent of death from the curse’s remains, “Even though you’re the newest one to this.”

Yuuji wants to say something suave. Something to knock you off your feet and into his arms, but he is interrupted.

“Come on!” Megumi twists a hand into the cherry fabric of Yuuji’s hoodie, yanking the boy along, “We need to make sure the place is empty now.”

“Go easy on him!” you shout, and Yuuji grins at your defense.

Nobara loops an arm through yours, pulling you flush against her side, “I’m so not looking forward to washing this out…”

Eyes still on Yuuji trying (and failing) to scramble onto both feet while Megumi pulls him, you nod slowly with a faint smile gracing your lips, “Yeah, totally…”

“Hey! Pay attention when I speak!”

“Yeah, totally…”

[hikarry]

What do you mean Spencer missed Hallowen? Sacrilege!

Lil guy over here was actually wearing his best Crowley skin at a party until 3am with his dear brother - whom dressed as a demon himself, which I did not miss the joke on, mind you - some old and new friends and an angel of my own

Oh yeah, I managed to do it. Not exactly the angel I had planned to go with, but an angel nonetheless and, I'm happy to announce, we were not the only angelic&demonic lil pair at the party, or the only bloody Crowley and Aziraphale!

Now, I won't share any pictures my Aziraphale and I took together because the only 2 I have have a bit of a problem: the first one was taken by the worst photographer on the planet (my Aziraphale. She might be a dear, but Jesus Christ-), the second one is not for public eye, but we do have planned on meeting again and probably doing a little Christmas inspired photoshoot, so hopefully the actual photographic proof there works out better

Mind you, I'm a stubborn idiot. We walked to the club and yours truly might or might not almost have broken his nose, being literally saved at least twice by the angel that partnered up with me for the night, pulling me away from stray street lamps, because I refused to take off my shades for "My eyes are not cannot compliant because my contact lenses were delayed in transit and didnt arrive yet" reasons, so i could barely see a meter in front of my own nose.

Long Halloween party story short:

- My Aziraphale got hit on by one of my friends because apparently I inspire no fear on these God forsaken people

- I quickly figured out Crowley does not wear that ridiculous lil tie for style, but for "Being Dragged Around By The Angel Like a Bloody Dog" reasons

- I did end up finding 4 other Crowleys (a gorgeous one escaping the cliché the 4 other copies fell into and actually choosing Eden Crowley and, my man, all the kudos to her. Not only were her wings absolutely gorgeous, but they MOVED) and we absolutely ganged up together for most of the night

- I learned that one should never try and recreate the Apology Dance while wearing slippery shoes on a floor sticky with alcohol, at risk of breaking a bloody leg (not me. Did give me a good laugh, tho)

- A really cool guy with a Tenth Doctor costume joined the Crowley gang at some point and kept paying for free beers for the rest of us which <3 I will never forget you, random fellow David Tennant fan whose name I don't recall

- Most songs were, as predicted, spooky themed, Brazilian funk or portuguese romantic/folk, which can be fun, don't mind me, but they did play Under Pressure almost at the end of the night and the 3 remaining Crowleys - yours truly included - may or may not have completely butchered the song, trying to "sing" (I would call it yell, if we are being realistic) as loudly as we could and jumping through the whole "Can we give ourselves one more chance?" segment of the song as my Aziraphale and the girlfriend of one of the other Crowleys (wearing that really gorgeous Wednesday Addams black dress she wears for a party in the TVshow, ya know the one) very heavily pretended they didn't know us, but hey: brotherhood amongst demons and what not. If Queen starts playing and one Crowley starts yelling and jumping, the other Crowleys shall yell and jump. It's the law

- Dunnot! I repeat: DUNNOT! Try to pin a taller Aziraphale against a wall when you are a Tiny Crowley because you will end up embarrassing yourself

All this to say: Good Omens fans are terrifying. We are literally everywhere, and we are all equally bloody sick. Yet, my fellow crazies keep being some of the coolest people I've ever met in my life. I swear, this fandom is the gift that keeps on giving, and I lowkey own my wildest night in 23 years to this silly fandom

Alas, pics? I got some silly selfies i took while getting ready and sent to some of my fellow degenerates

And, as proof of the lighting at the party being absolutely shit:

You cannot imagine how much I enhance the brightness on that damn photo and it was the only one I bothered taking for obvious reasons (yes, at that point my blazer and tie were being carried around by my Aziraphale because they were annoying the fuck out of me and I'm an arsehole that doesn't like to carry shit on his hands and my angel was a sweetheart)

Alas, I said I would do it and I did it

Happy belated Halloween, sweethearts

[onehopefuldreamer]

Why I can't help but always romance Persephone in Stray Gods

1 - Prickly on the outside, soft on the inside personality trope

This is probably the biggest reason because it's also probably my most favourite personality type of all when it comes to fictional characters. I am so very weak for ladies who kick ass and look scary but are secretly huge sweethearts. And Persephone is this trope to a T. Sure, she's big and scary, no one can deny that. But she can also be so sweet. She helped Calliope when she left Olympus, she saved Chastity from her abusive husband, she takes to mentoring/helping Grace so quickly, she is happy to help Medusa if Grace offers her help and even goes as far as admitting that this help was long overdue (something Apollo never does by the way). These are just some instances we become privy to during the game.

I'm absolutely sure there are more times when she was secretly kind, especially to people who needed help but had no one in their corner. Because while her personal philosophy is that no one else can help you keep your head afloat (born out of her own experiences no doubt) she's shown to actively be giving advice to and helping Grace as well as genuinely worrying about her safety and doing what she can to keep her safe. She's also obviously remorseful for not having been able to exact the change Calliope wanted so badly after becoming part of the Chorus and sympathetic about Freddie's fate. She cares and she cares deeply. She simply does her best not to show it because experience has taught her that others don't tolerate her being weak or deign to offer her sympathy no matter how dire the situation she is in. This naturally leads to:

2 - A character who is all alone and without a supportive system but refuses to give up

This is sort of a subsection of the prickly on the outside, soft on the inside trope, I know, but I cannot help but love characters who have had a traumatizing past and been forced to deal with it on their own. I always, ALWAYS want to be in their corner and if they happen to be ladies I never fail to fall in love with them. I find it absolutely amazing that anyone can preserve their integrity and remain kind after being hurt so badly both in fiction and in real life if I'm honest. To me these are the real heroes - people who have been hurt but refuse to let that hurt turn them into monsters. If there is a character like that in any media I partake in, no other characters stand a chance. Not really.

3 - Mary Elizabeth McGlynn's voice

In reality this is actually pretty much tied with numbers 1 and 2 but I had to keep some semblance of order so here we go.

I am very much someone who has always and forever been weak for beautiful voices. And out of the whole VA cast giving life to the LIs it's Mary Elizabeth McGlynn's voice that never fails to make me swoon or give me chills. She's so very good at what she does this woman. Her delivery is flawless both when it comes to her spoken and sung lines. I can physically feel Persephone's pain when she asks Grace "Please, don't do this." as well as her anger and bitterness when she sings "I gutted a god." or says "The only god I killed deserved it." for example. This adds so much to the character for me, you have no idea. I cannot honestly say if I'd have loved Persephone so much if she had been voiced by a different actress. But the combination between tropes I love and her sublime voice created a perfect storm so now no one can even compete with Persephone. Not even Freddie. And I love Freddie. She's just not Persephone. I'm sorry.

4 - Persephone's design

I love Persephone's design so damn much! I can't decide what I love most - her badass haircut, her cool tattoos, her slightly weird but somehow totally working for her outfit, her make-up that suits her perfectly, the colour of her hair and eyes or her androgynous look. Everything comes together flawlessly and creates one total and extremely gorgeous package. I don't know who worked on her design, but bless them, they really knew what they were doing.

The amount of screenshots of Persephone I have is obscene and I keep taking more because I simply cannot get enough of how stunning she is. Even when I was replaying to romance Freddie, Apollo and Pan I still kept taking screenshots of Persephone and being distracted whenever she was in the frame because her look is just so... I am running out of adjectives meaning "beautiful" here... Let's go with alluring.

The way she looks just does things to me I can't even begin to describe. I might be ace but even I can tell when someone is objectively hot and Persephone is scorching. Aesthetic attraction is huge for me and I guess her looks hit all the right buttons because I can't help staring at her and going "Wow!" pretty much all the time. Basically this screenshot of Grace is me every time I look at Persephone:

And speaking of that, one thing I have found I am particularly weak for when it comes to her design is the way she looks when she's drawn in profile. I don't know what exactly it is about her profile but I just melt every time I see it. It really did not help that this was part of her introduction to us in game:

How was I expected to pay attention to anyone else after that?!

I have a whole collection of screenshots of Persephone in profile that I should post alongside this to reinforce my point but again - the way she looks does something to me and I apologize to everyone else but I cannot possibly pay any attention to them when I have this in front of me. I'm only human...

[boba-at-323]

Punisher

Note: So uh... kyuzu x therapy when? I literally wrote this after crying for nearly 2 hours|| No this is not smut || Yes I cannot come up with titles <3 || Please ignore any mistakes!

The autumn leaves turned brown and wilted to nothingness because summer had already bid its farewell. The sky painted itself grey when September wrapped up its role in the year. The air blew silent as well, as if too afraid to speak.

The small stone bridge you leaned against displayed in front of itself a small clear lake, covered by the fog which came with the seasons changing. The ducks and their ducklings, which usually inhabited the lake, had probably migrated to somewhere warm too. It seemed like the universe was mimicking the emotions you felt and hoped to escape.

You could hear Phoebe Bridgers singing Punisher through your earphones but her voice had faded into the background because you weren’t really listening to the song. The earphones were just an escape from reality, an attempt to loosen the knot you felt in your chest.

The tears brimming in your eyes went unnoticed by you and were soon rolling down your face ever-so-gently. A defeated sigh escaped your lips when you figured that your “try” to sort out your thoughts all by yourself had ended up being an even more tangled mess than before.

Why couldn’t everything just be fine for once?

In the middle of your numb thoughts, you felt someone’s sudden presence beside you. A hand shot up to quickly wipe away the stains the tears had left when they made their way down your face without your consent. You felt embarrassed as you thought of the awkwardness you might have planted between you and whoever the person was beside you. However, once you lifted your head to catch a glimpse of what the poor person looked like, a rush of heavy guilt ran down your whole body.  

“Hi”, the boy's voice came out silent.

“H-hi…” your voice followed even quieter. Once you paused the song which was playing, you felt that the silence which followed was loud enough to deafen anyone and the atmosphere heavy enough to crush a rock.

Renjun decided it wasn’t the best time to speak, you on the other hand felt too guilty to speak. He didn’t want to trigger you any further, and you felt stupid for letting him see you this way.

“I didn’t want to worry you…” you broke the silence with a quiet mutter, head hung and eyes never leaving the lake under the bridge, too afraid to meet his gaze.

He wasn’t looking at you though, he instead chose to look directly ahead at the same oblivion you were staring into before. Another period of silence took over.

“Are you mad at me?” you questioned unknowingly, chewing your lip as you awaited any reaction from him hoping your speculation was everything but right.  

“You know I can never be mad at you, right?” He said nonchalantly as if he hadn’t just walked on you amidst a mental breakdown.

“I’m sorry…” the whisper broke off before you could say anything further.

“You don’t have to be sorry for anything, my love.” Renjun’s hand reached out for yours which rested on the cold metal of the bridge’s railing, “If you want to talk, I’m listening…and if you don’t want to talk, we won’t. I’m right here with you.”

Something about how calm and reassuring his words sounded in the moment made you want to burst into tears right at the spot. Your feelings were rootless, and you hated how these random, unpleasant emotions took over the best of you even on the days when everything seemed to be going fine. The victims of your annoyed state were usually your family, who would in return snap at you, leaving you even more miserable. It seemed like this cycle of never-ending negative emotions was never going to meet its end, pushing you further into self-hatred.

But the only ray of light in all this darkness had been Renjun; an angel sent from heaven to save you from the misery you were in, or at least make it more bearable. Since the day he entered your life, he showed you the colours of the world and ever since you started dating, he proved to be the most wonderful boyfriend anyone could have ever dreamed of. His presence played a great role in your life, helping you stay sane and making you look forward to all the days you got to spend with him.

Without a thought, you threw your arms around him, burying yourself in his comforting embrace. Renjun’s hug felt like a warm beverage on a night when the grounds were covered with heavy snow. He smelt like lavenders which had just showered in the rain and now danced in the warm sunlight. He always calmed your senses, giving you hope that everything would be all right as long as he was there for you, by your side, holding you just like this.

He held you tight, secretly wishing he was helping you feel better even by the slightest of his actions. Seeing you in pain was the worst of feelings he had ever felt, oh how he would do anything just to see that beautiful smile on your face again and know that he was the reason behind it. But for now, a hug would do.

“Feel any better?” his calm voice blessed your ears again, and you nodded against his chest in reply.

“Good.” His hand tangled itself into your hair, gently combing through it.

It was a nice feeling. Your eyes fluttered close as your mind tried to focus on everything he was doing at the moment. From his touch to his voice, you wanted to capture everything just as it was, so that on days when he wasn’t there with you, these memories would help you find peace.

“Thank you…” you whispered against his chest, still not moving a single muscle.

“No need, I’m glad I could help.” Renjun smiled to himself.

September might have been a cruel month, but having Renjun by your side made even the unkindest of times the best ones.

Title : Punisher || Word count: 1k || Genre: Angst, Comfort, somewhat fluff || Pairing: bf! Renjun x implied Fem!Reader

Tagging : @armysantiny @mosviqu @jaehunnyy @riikiblr

[zot3-flopped]

When I first heard Harry (Adore You release, roughly) I was interested to find out about the others, and one of the things I learned quickly was that we were supposed to take all of them as being equals. My first impressions however were:

Zayn: good voice but it's thin. Not music I liked. Never setting the world on fire. Probably not the nicest guy.

Liam: bit weird. Good voice but hams it up and comes across a bit strangely. Don't really want to see him in his underpants.

Niall: ok. No opinion really. Not great dress sense.

Louis: immediately identified him as the nasty one who caused trouble. He has that demeanour. Cannot sing to save his life and all 1D songs would be better without him.

Now I just think, (leaving Niall out of it because he seems to be just a bit of a prick at times, not actually evil) I seriously dislike the other three, everything about them, their music and their personalities. Their careers are ageing like milk and absolutely deserve to. But most irritating are their fans, who ignore some shocking behaviour and insist Harry got a leg up because of management favouritism. Get a life!

Zayn's solo rollout was actually more flashy than Harry's was, but ot5s will never admit this. Zayn was on the cover of every style magazine out there and his label even arranged a Taylor Swift collab for him, but his own poor work ethic stopped him from progressing.

UMG also laid out the red carpet for Liam in 2017. Liam brought out songs with some of the biggest names in his chosen genres - Quavo, J Balvin, Zedd. Despite this, only Strip that Down was a hit.

[thecarnivorousmuffinmeta]

Consider a hypothetical Twilight: The Musical. What slice of plot would you adapt as the best fit? Who sings the villain song? Who sings the "I want" song? What's the award-bait song about?

(Bonus points for referencing other musicals to explain this one. Minus points for giving that Denali jerk Sleezy-ar a singing role.)

Caveat

Is it good or is it a cash grab?

The thing about adapting to a musical is it's hard and I have yet to see it done well for something that is a series and not a single film or novel (note I haven't seen any of the Japanese anime musicals but I'm very dubious on how something that when adapted for screen takes 40 hours or what have you can suddenly become a two and a half hour show).

The thing is, even for novels and films, there's usually significant cutting involved to adapt the source material for the musical stage. There's just not enough time to show everything and you have to get creative.

What I'm getting at is what you say, you cannot fit the whole series into one show. There's too much character development that you can't really cut down without it not making sense anymore. If you do only a slice, you then miss out either on resolution of the story or else things needed to make this make sense.

If it's a cash grab, also, they have to hit as many points in the book as possible so the fans will be happy and come in. This means what the musical essentially becomes is just a montage of Edward/Bella moments and skipping through the rest of the plot so that we somehow do manage to get all four books into one show.

Alright, We're Being Serious

In my opinion? The best thing to do would be to do Twilight but make some serious modifications so we can make it seem like the characters go somewhere.

Personally, I'd do an introspective tragic show about Bella's choice on whether to become a vampire or not, what that will mean, and what she'd be giving up.

The plot remains essentially the same, due to strange internal family reasons of her mother remarrying and Bella feeling like a third wheel, she moves to Forks this town she hates. She quickly notices that something's not right with Edward Cullen and when he saves her from a van realizes he's superhuman. Things begin escalating when Bella learns that he's a vampire and he saves her again, giving her a chance to confront her. Edward is in love with her but warns her that being a vampire is a miserable existence and not one he'll ever bestow on her. She meets the Cullens, the James thing happens, and the difference is that I'd end us in the hospital and change the scene a little bit.

Edward has prevented Bella from becoming a vampire, Bella again tells him this means she's mortal and will leave him, he agrees to that and asks her again to consider what she's asking for. Bella then has a moment of introspection where she asks if this is really what she wants, if Edward wants her at all if he keeps wanting her to die, if she can live without her family and her ordinary human life, and whether she's willing to lose everything on the chance that she'll be happy upon being a Cullen.

The show ends with Bella telling her mother that she'll be staying in Forks, cementing her decision to pursue Edward no matter the consequences.

The Structure

Since you said bonus points for other musicals, I imagine the thing to be a lot like Yentl. Bella's the only one who gets to sing and it's her internal thoughts and explanations.

She explains why she's moving to Forks and her home life in the opening number, on her lack of optimism about it, but sense of filial duty in doing so. She sings about noticing Edward's supernaturalness and why the fuck doesn't anyone notice and is she a freak?

The "I Want" number is her singing about how she wants Edward and is in love with him (but really what she wants is to be special herself, someone loved by him, someone like the Cullens).

There's no villain song because while Edward isn't exactly a 'good' character in this (being enigmatic, inhuman, and generally terrifying), he's a temptation and not a villain, and James is not really enough of a character but more a "this is what you might become on taking this path".

And again, the show is about Bella and Bella's choices, the others don't get to have musical numbers as it would distract from the isolation of Bella's thoughts.

The award-bait song is a very Rose's Turn from Gypsy style number where the climactic song is at the end of the show, in which Bella's had this whole time to learn something, and now must make realizations about herself/make a decision of whether she stays in Forks or returns to her mother and goes to Florida.

[malhare-archive]

On this day 33 years ago the world lost a black metal legend and creative visionary when Per Yngve Ohlin took his own life at age 22. However, the spark that Pelle ignited in the souls of the morbid, the misfits, and the freaks will never be extinguished. His impact and legacy on the genre of black metal cannot be overstated. Throughout the (now ten!) years that I've been involved in the black metal scene I've met people from all over the world and all walks of life but one of the universal uniting factors between us all is that Pelle touched our lives in one way or another. Whether it be through simple morbid fascination, creative inspiration, or a deeper spiritual connection, Pelle's lingering presence in the scene is inarguable. His spirit will always live on in the hearts of the true 🕯️🥀🖤

Personally? I can say that Pelle saved my life. Following my first suicide attempt at age 16 I was left with this persistent disconnect from reality, a feeling that everything was "wrong" and that I had truly died. I expressed these feelings to Alex, my then friend and now partner, and one day he told me,"You remind me of a girl version of Dead." (Ironic in hindsight.) He explained who Dead - Pelle Ohlin - was to me, and his story instantly resonated with me in a serious way. I felt like I finally had someone who I could relate to, someone who would have understood what I was going through. I started listening to Mayhem and Morbid obsessively and quickly branched out into other black metal bands.

As someone who was taught to repress everything; To keep every sad, unpleasant, and dark trait pushed deep deep inside so as not to cause a scene or embarrass my mother or be a bother, it was incredibly cathartic to see a music scene where extremity and mental illness are put on full display without shame. To see black metal musicians singing about their depression, the hopelessness and hatred they felt, the evils of the church, and to see them slicing themselves open on stage - it felt like a cathartic exorcism and expression of all of the things I felt. I finally had an outlet for all of the horrible things that had been silently festering inside of me. Having a (mostly) constructive outlet like that made the pain I was experiencing so much more bearable.

That aside, black metal is how I bonded with my partner. It's also how I reconnected with my father, and to this day we see lots of metal concerts and even make black metal music together! For being such a negative genre in appearance to outsiders, black metal breathed life into my lungs and I can honestly say that I likely wouldn't be here today if I had never found it thanks to Pelle.

[romanceandshenanigans]

Writer Q&A Game

Thanks to @clairelsonao3 for tagging me!

1. What motivates you to write?

I'm not exactly sure tbh. It almost feels like a compulsion. There are days where I simply do not feel good in my body if I haven't written anything. Then there are others where I can't bring myself to write because I'm too tired or too distracted from life. Honestly the second I get a clear head and enough time to myself, I'll start writing.

2. A line/short snippet of your writing that you are most proud/happy of. If not maybe share a line of someone else's work you love (just please credit them)

This isn't from my WIP, but from a fanfic I wrote a while ago. I want to try to find a way to incorporate it into something. Not sure where though.

“I know this seems like it’s coming out of nowhere,” he said, “but promise it’s not. I’ve had a long time to think about it.  A few years, actually. I guess, I just didn’t realize how deep I was in it until about five minutes ago.”

She kept silent, but the simple fact she hadn’t told him to get out gave him the confidence to keep going. . 

“I meant it when I said I’m crazy about you. I like that you take your sugar with a drop of coffee.  I like how you sing to yourself when you’re happy.  I like that you never seem to get cold.  I like that you never lose your head under fire, but still need me to get rid of spiders. I like that you can laugh at yourself.  I like that you can laugh at me. Hell, I like that you’re perfectly willing to slap my face if the situation calls for it.

I like so many things about you Liz, and that’s just the stuff I found out on accident.  I can only imagine the stuff I’d learn if I started loving you on purpose."

3. Which OC makes you smile every time you think/talk about them and what are they like?

I really do enjoy writing Finn. The boy just makes my smile.

Close second is another OC which I wrote for fanfic who I want to save and put someplace else, Lucy. She's my softest girl who has a lot of love to give. Might figure out a way to put her in this regency setting somewhere, but who knows.

4. What process of writing do you enjoy the most?

The first draft spree. The moment when you get an idea and you have write it down as quickly as possible. It's rough and definitely will need some editing, but that rush cannot be topped. It just feels satisfying to exorcise even the smallest of scenes out of my body.

5. What part of writing do you think you are the best at? (Yes stroke your own ego it's okay)

Dialogue, hands down. It's at least the part I've gotten the most compliments on.

6. What is something in the writeblr community is most enjoyable?

I've only just started to dip my toe in, but I really do love answering asks. I like seeing other writer's process and knowing I'm not alone. It's just fun!

7. A writing tool/device you use that helps you with writing? (It could be speech to text, a writing program etc)

I've been using Scrivener and it's really helped me keep everything organized. I have a very conspiracy board way of drafting, so having all my random snippets in one place really helps.

8. A piece of worldbuilding that you like in your own story? (It could be the magic system, a particular place in the story, a law etc)

Not sure world building is my strong suit for this current WIP. I suppose I'm enjoying expanding the world of the theatre, but I admittedly need to do more research.

9. What piece of advice would you say to encourage others to write if they are having a rough patch?

Write anyway. It doesn't have to be the scene that's giving you trouble. It doesn't even have to be for the piece you're trying to focus on, just don't get out of the habit of writing. Once you lose that momentum, it takes a long time to get it back.

10. Tag some people whose works you love/have been your biggest supporters

Gotta give a shout out to @clairelsonao3 for being so welcoming in my introduction to the writeblr community. And @janec23, for being one of the few specifically romance writers to reach out.

But I really can't begin to thank all the people who have followed me from my fanfic blog over to this one. It really means so much to know people are interested in reading anything I put out there.

@flapjacques, @jo-harrington, @can-of-pringles, @handahbear, @auroramagpie, @justanothersadperson93, @sad-cat-hours, @ghostface001, @theowlwhocameback, @mattmurdocksscars, @roruna, @everything-intertwined, @sweetjedi, @arcanerazil, @vibratingbonesbis, @delirious0pandemonium, @llovelykenobi, @geek-girl7, @mixedupanddown

Know that I love and appreciate you all.

I'm also going to leave this an OPEN tag to anyone who wants to do this, and especially invite everyone who I have tagged above. (and

[shirohige-pirates]

Birds of a Feather

CisFem Reader x Marco

CW: Violence, blood, language, adult themes and scenes. 18+ only

Summary: Life has not been kind to you. After a string of bad relationships, you're a little jaded and a little depressed in all honestly. The worst day of your life seems to be the turning point, but the roller coaster ride that follows could either throw you soaring free, or have you caged forever?

Tag List: @clumsyraccoon

Chapter 17: Pirated

Wednesday and Thursday passed with all the speed you expected, which is to say they did not go by quickly at all. You were able to find time to meet with Marco for lunch, but it almost seemed cruel to only see him for a few minutes as you both quickly took lunch and hastily made your ways back into work.

A swift kiss against your cheek before the veterinarian was jogging back to the hospital, was better than nothing, but for the first time in a very long time, you lamented your general busyness.

The drive into work and back home were also a point of frustration. You didn’t realize how nice it was to have someone to talk to in the morning, or after work. It wasn’t even like either of you spoke of anything overly important. Marco would talk about work, and so would you. There were no statements of how you missed one another, though there was a kind of unspoken sense of it.

Especially now.

You had most assuredly fallen fast and hard, and the only saving grace was that you had enough experience and sheer tenacity that at least it wasn’t impacting your work. If anything, you were more focused while you were at work, because letting your mind wander made you miss him all that much more. It was just easier to keep your mind on work.

“I think you have a date tonight.” Bon-chan hums, bringing you a coffee after lunch.

You smile. “What gave it away?”

“Well, your smile was brighter and wider Monday and Tuesday, and you said that the vet was giving you a ride to and from work.” He begins. “But yesterday and the day before you didn’t seem quite as cheerful. Not sad though, but certainly focused on your work. Poor Buggy was struggling to keep up with you.” He laments and you snort.

“Today your tempo is steady, and your smile is improved.” He finishes, taking a drink of his coffee before smiling widely. “So you’re going to see your hot doctor tonight.” Bon’s voice has a teasing tone in it as he nearly sings the words.

“I am. The plan is to go to the carnival at the docks.” You explain. “So I was maybe working a little faster than usual this week because I didn’t want to sleep in the office, or work over today.”

“Oh? Are you actually trying to balance some life into your work?” He muses, leaning against the cubicle and leaning in like he does for good gossip.

“My life and work were balanced.” You huff.

“Your life was a feather on the scale compared to your work,” he scoffs. “The only balance that existed was due to the fact that your work was the scale itself.”

“Alright, alright, point made. I was - am - perhaps a bit of a workaholic.” You grumble. “But we do good work, and I like the work I do.” You add, turning away from him and getting back to your work.

“That we do, but I’m happy for you.” He adds.

“… Thanks Bon-chan, I appreciate that.” You say, glancing over your shoulder and giving him a gentle smile as he starts to walk away with a wink.

“Ah, I do have one more small parcel of wisdom for you, before I leave you in peace, little love bird.” He says, twirling on his toes and coming back to you.

“And what would that be, Bon-bon?” You hum, turning toward him entirely.

“Just because your car’s fixed, it doesn’t mean you cannot carpool into work, non?” With a single raised eyebrow he walks away and leaves you to your thoughts.

Thoughts that don’t leave you alone for the rest of your shift.

You’d never moved too quickly in a relationship before. If you were being honest, you really never moved at all in a relationship before. It was half the reason things didn’t work out between you and Kid, or at the very least it was half the reason that most of your arguments started. You liked your space, your quiet, and your privacy.

Moving in with someone, or having them move in with you - an option that wasn’t even an option with Kid because his place was perfect by his standards - just seemed to risk everything. Time apart was important, having things you could do, and wanted to do on your own, was healthy.

Admittedly, you generally liked doing things on your own so much that you didn’t really do anything with someone else. You and Kid hooked up. Sure you saw a couple movies together, but his hands spent more time between your thighs than his eyes spent on the screen. Your other dalliances weren’t people who had plans on staying on the island in the first place, never mind staying within the same city.

Everyone at arm’s length.

It was less about trust, and more about safety. Kid had a devil fruit, but he didn’t care to - or didn’t need to - hide it. Marco had one, and while he admitted to having one, he hadn’t said what it was, or what it could do, so it was possible that it was safer for him to avoid drawing attention to himself.

Between the tattoo and the brothers and the shipping experience, and his ties with Ivankov, no matter the steps between him and Ivan, it wasn’t a stretch to assume he was on the government’s radar to some degree. You were pretty sure you knew the insignia, pretty sure you knew who Pops was.

If an Emperor and his sons were willing to settle down on a small island in the North Blue and stop causing trouble after Roger, then well, it was probably better for the World Government to leave them be. Assisting with Heun was probably as close to helping Ivan’s “company” as they could risk.

It was an uneasy sort of balance. The Government couldn’t shake the remains of the Emperors and pirates too hard, or they’d band together and lash out. The pirates couldn’t shake the Government too hard on their own, or they’d get flooded by Admirals, or worse, get the island they were on flattened.

Pirates protecting islands by behaving.

The amusing, if not twisted, idea brought a smile to your lips before you shoved your quickly spiraling thoughts aside and focused on your work. Once you were done for the day, it was a short drive home, a quick shower and a change of clothes.

Nothing too fancy, warmth was the focus of the outfit over much else. Once the sun went down it was going to get cold quickly, and you didn’t want to wear, or deal with, a heavy coat. A thin faux turtle neck with a knit sweater over top should be good enough. A pair of gloves in case your hands got too cold, thick socks and some nice hiking boots. A thick pair of leggings and a wool skirt gave the whole ensemble a cute vibe to go with the warmth, and the boots meant you wouldn’t get blisters walking all over the place.

A little snack, a little makeup, a little bit of nervousness and a cup of tea to help with that.

Headlights in the driveway let you know Marco had arrived, and when you opened the door to greet him, you nearly shut it in his face. You do close it a bit, looking away for a second before you open it back up. Marco’s just standing on your porch with a knowing smile.

He’s in a cream colored turtleneck with a dark wool blazer over it. A beige and gold scarf loose around his neck finishes off the look, and that’s before you even notice the dark pants and loafers.

“I did well.” He says evenly, leaning down and giving you a light kiss on the cheek. “So did you.”

Pressing your lips together you give him a smile. “Thank… thank you.” You clear your throat. “Did you… I mean, are we heading there right away?”

“That’s the plan.” He muses, glancing into your house for a second before you step outside and close the door. “If I go in there now, we might not make it to the carnival at all tonight.”

You have to admit that’s not the worst thing you’ve ever heard, but you remember his words from last weekend. How much he enjoyed getting out and about with you, and decided not to say anything - teasingly or otherwise.

Marco opens the car door for you, an easy grin playing on his lips.

“I’m getting the full date experience, hm?” You muse, sitting in the passenger seat and making sure you were all settled in.

“As often as you can stand to let me provide it.” He replies, closing the door for you before walking over to the driver’s side and getting in.

“You are just determined to spoil me rotten.” You playfully complain.

“Considering that box of condoms I saw on your counter,” he begins, and you turn and look out your window to avoid whatever look he might be giving you. “I’d say you’re trying to spoil me, yoi.”

[tricks-n-illusions]

The Aftermath - "Thank You" from the Distortions

[This post is the results from "The Aftermath" Poll]

"This is a surprise, You want her to live? I see... You've grown fond of her. Over the many years, I have as well." "I must thank you… for choosing to save my friend. I really do love her alot, maybe as much as I love the real one... Perhaps even more sometimes…"

"…She reminds me so much of her too. I guess [ . . . ] wasn't happy about that, her being alive... that is why she must have granted that I assume. They usually only last a few years. Compared to the others she's been alive far too long, she's starting to think independently. They don't normally do that." "I believe it scared her, having a piece of her do that. To just deviate and become a being of its own, wouldn't you be scared too? I may need to have a discussion with [ . . . ], being isolated in the distortions for so long can make you scared of the new, but that is for another day." "Here... I will fix the connection. But I cannot do this every time."

She spoke softly as she approached the spirit. "54."

The wisps from the parting kiss quickly dissipated till nothing but a mere memory was left. The distortion stared kindly down at the spirit, "54, It's me. I hope that gave you some life to use, I know it wasn't much, but you're fading." "Won't you wake up, please?" Calamity began to stir, the energy the distortion gave wasn't much but it allowed her to just barely open her eyes. Though it was mumbled and broken she seemed to attempt to speak its name.

Particles began to appear as they touched. The distortion sighed sadly, her paw never leaving the spirit. "I know, Mortal pain is truly a burden. But you must feel it to know you're really alive... to know you exist. This is a feeling you will gain as you begin to diverge and become your own. It is something you must grow to accept." The distortion began to softly hum, she seemed to notice 54's pain. "Love, you'll be okay. I promise, just listen to my voice, alright? Do you remember how I'd always sing to you? I remember how much you loved this song." She smiled, "It always made you happy." Though her voice was haunting it only brought the feeling of warmth and comfort as she began to sing.

Her song faded just as the sigil glowed brightly, it almost instantly began to dissolve, crumbling into nothing. Only darkness was left in its place... and the distortions existence from this plane departed just as it entered.

"There... it is done. She should make a recovery now. I apologise, I can only do so much from the distortions... you'll have to take over from here. Your energy should heal her but it may take a while... But, until then."

"Please take care of her... And maybe keep that fox away from her, he irritates me. Even if he's something she cares about, that creature is unpredictable at best. There's no fixing that thing… even [ CALAMITY ] knows that, and she's his god."

[Calamity has been reconnected and is now recovering, she will be injured until further notice.]

→ Calamity's profile and name has been updated. Calamity's and Spirit Calamity's profiles will now be separate. → The Distortion has been added to characters. Though her profile will likely stay baren for a long time.

[unboundtravels]

𝗙𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱.

( five times the receiver watched the sender while they were working or doing something ) [jinju & goth] @rimefiles

𝟏) 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝.

A whooshing and groaning cannot be heard over the blaring of the music echoing across a concert hall. A packed venue for an Idol group known as Rogue suppresses the sound of the Police Box materializing within the rafters of the concert hall. The door swings open, and what can only be described as a vagrant exits the box. Wearing a black cotton coat that cuts at the knees, over a darker red jacket and a black sweatshirt— as well as black jeans and lace-up boots, The Doctor steps out. Holding his Sonic Screwdriver in his hand, the red light on the end makes a steady and rhythmic beeping. He seems disgruntled by whatever it is he's tracking as he shuts the police box doors behind them, the click echoing out to confirm to him the doors are locked. 

"This is the last time I chase Mogwai... who even keeps Mogwai in their shop?" He mumbles, tracking life signatures as he crosses the rafters above the stage. Wreathed in shadow, save for the beeping of his screwdriver, The Doctor continues mumbling— "Oh yeah, let me sell you a pet troll, but remember— don't water it! And no snacks after midnight—" A rattling above him causes him to shut his mouth immediately as he takes his hand off the activation button, his screwdriver turning off. "Sounds like that might be my guy—" He starts trying to get his eyes onto anything he can see before his eyes look down at the stage. His head tilts softly when he sees the performers down on the stage.

His eyes gravitated toward the one in pink, naturally. Ruby eyes blink softly at her, momentarily captured by the singing and the choreography of the performers before suddenly a snapping causes his head to snap up. There, in the rafters, is a Gremlin— who's just snapped a stage light. The Doctor watches it fall and crash onto the stage. The music stops, and there's screaming. He can hear security rushing their way up to the rafters. He exhales, watching the Mogwai scuttle up into a nearby vent,

Great. Just great​​​​​​.

2) 𝐹𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑦 𝑚𝑒𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑦𝑜𝑢 ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒.

Well, that was an embarrassing Tuesday— but! He had managed to capture all the Mogwai, returning them to their rightful habitat somewhere deep and far away in space. Now, he was back in the 18th century. A meteor had fallen through time and crashed somewhere in... 

He stopped, standing outside of the box. A village somewhere in the middle of a bamboo forest? That could be anywhere! He hummed, shutting the Police Box behind him. Bouncing from a 21st-century Idol concert to an 18th-century fishing village was probably a culture shock to some, but he seemed unphased by the rapidly shifting environments. Questions about the environment had led him up into the mountains, where sources say the meteor had crashed. It was a long walk! He liked the fresh air, though. He hummed, rather quietly as he finally reached the peak of the mountain. 

There was a well at the peak of the mountain, and The Doctor had found himself distracted by a woman— sitting by the well. He blinked, tilting his head. Wasn't that the... woman from the Idol band? She looked up toward him, which prompted him to quickly hide behind something. He didn't think she'd seen him, but even then— something loud in the forest seemed to scare her off. 

Something to do with his meteor, perhaps?

3) 𝑽𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒆��𝒅.

Not a meteor. Sontarans. Once again, trying to interfere with the course of human history. It was annoying to deal with those potato heads. The Police Box had parked on the corner of a street, back on Earth. After encountering a strange woman twice, in two different periods, he'd felt something drawing him toward a music shop. What was the year? 2030? 2035? He hadn't kept much track. The phones were slimmer, from what he could tell. That seemed annoying. Also, they do a lot of holograms, now. There seemed to be one outside the music shop he was walking to. His eyes found a sign.

Record signing? Real Rogue holograms? Rogue? Like from that comic book—

He looked past the crowd, seeing the hologram members. His eyebrows squeezed tightly in confusion. Rogue? Wait a second! That's the IDOL group with that pink-haired lady in it! Really?! That's three times! In the same week! That's gotta be a record. He's finding himself getting more and more frustrated. The store's gonna be CROWDED! How's he supposed to do his research now? It's okay— It's okay.

He'll just come back last week.

4) 𝒀𝒐𝒖'𝒓𝒆 𝒌𝒊𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈.

So he had wanted to come back to the music store on Wednesday like he'd said— try and grab it in that same-day window (really, time travel is super convenient) but he'd picked up a distress signal from the moons of Alpha Meeson, and well— he'd gotten distracted helping out an old friend. Turns out Slitheen was trying to scam the inhabitants of the Meeson Moon out of their land. It was a whole ordeal, one he didn't want to think about. So! Thursday. A week before Rogue's record signing event. 

The Police Box clicks open, and The Doctor heads toward the shop after locking her up. This time, he can tell! No crowds! Just a woman wearing casual clothing, accompanied by some business-looking people— she's wearing a ball cap, but pink strands peak out— Hey wait a second!!! 

"Are you kidding me?" He cursed quietly, from afar. "She's the one that booked the venue? Don't they have an agent? Good lord. Talk about being a go-getter." He mumbled under his breath. That's it! He's gotta talk to this woman! But not now, she's busy. You never interrupt a woman while she's working. That much he knows. He's just gonna try to take the most inconspicuous scan of her temporal signature from afar— and hope nobody saw that little red light from under his sleeve. "Creepiest thing I've ever done, for sure." The Doctor mumbled on his way back to the TARDIS, as he checked the readings on his screwdriver. 

In the TARDIS, he clicked various switches and thanks to the reading of that pink-haired lady's temporal signature— he can see here that on Friday night, she'll go to a private lounge. Great! Perfect time. Just... stroll up to her at the bar... how hard can it be?

5) 𝑯𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒈𝒐𝒆𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈.

Psychic paper helps him get into a whole lot of places. Health and safety is a good excuse, he finds, to help him get into places. However, he's gotta keep his mind sharp. He enters the lounge. It's like one of those 1920 speakeasies. Or... maybe it is a 1920s speakeasy. The TARDIS isn't a reliable machine, as much as she is his home and his life— maybe he scanned a Friday night from some weird era. Whatever it was, he was inside now— and right there... at the bar. 

He gets suspicious about fate. Whenever it brings him to someone, he feels like the universe is about to put him through hell. However, his curiosity's just too damn loud to not approach her. He exhales. All he's gotta do is say something... smooth... right? Socializing. Humans do it all the time. He just approaches the bar, sits next to the pink woman he's accidentally been following through time, and—

"You're immortal, aren't you?"

Nailed it.

[roman-catholic-mass-readings]

26th March >> Mass Readings (USA)

Tuesday of Holy Week 

(Liturgical Colour: Violet: B (2))

First Reading Isaiah 49:1-6 I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth. (Second oracle of the Servant of the Lord)

Hear me, O islands, listen, O distant peoples. The LORD called me from birth, from my mother’s womb he gave me my name. He made of me a sharp-edged sword and concealed me in the shadow of his arm. He made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me. You are my servant, he said to me, Israel, through whom I show my glory.

Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength, Yet my reward is with the LORD, my recompense is with my God. For now the LORD has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, That Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; And I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my strength! It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 71:1-2, 3-4a, 5ab-6ab, 15 and 17

R/ I will sing of your salvation.

In you, O LORD, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame. In your justice rescue me, and deliver me; incline your ear to me, and save me.

R/ I will sing of your salvation.

Be my rock of refuge, a stronghold to give me safety, for you are my rock and my fortress. O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked.

R/ I will sing of your salvation.

For you are my hope, O Lord; my trust, O God, from my youth. On you I depend from birth; from my mother’s womb you are my strength.

R/ I will sing of your salvation.

My mouth shall declare your justice, day by day your salvation. O God, you have taught me from my youth, and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds.

R/ I will sing of your salvation.

Gospel Acclamation

Hail to you, our King, obedient to the Father; you were led to your crucifixion like a gentle lamb to the slaughter.

Gospel John 13:21-33, 36-38 One of you will betray me; the cock will not crow before you deny me three times.

Reclining at table with his disciples, Jesus was deeply troubled and testified, “Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” The disciples looked at one another, at a loss as to whom he meant. One of his disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, was reclining at Jesus’ side. So Simon Peter nodded to him to find out whom he meant. He leaned back against Jesus’ chest and said to him, “Master, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I hand the morsel after I have dipped it.” So he dipped the morsel and took it and handed it to Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot. After Judas took the morsel, Satan entered him. So Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” Now none of those reclining at table realized why he said this to him. Some thought that since Judas kept the money bag, Jesus had told him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or to give something to the poor. So Judas took the morsel and left at once. And it was night.

When he had left, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him at once. My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. You will look for me, and as I told the Jews, ‘Where I go you cannot come,’ so now I say it to you.” Simon Peter said to him, “Master, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, though you will follow later.” Peter said to him, “Master, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow before you deny me three times.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[mermaidsirennikita]

You have any recommendations where the hero hates everyone except her? 💕 Historical’s included if any.

Hmm...

Managed by Kristen Callihan. An all-time favorite contemporary romance. Hero is the uptight, strict manager of a rock band. He does love the guys as they're his longtime friends, but he's very snappy and standoffishness by nature. He hires the heroine as the band's photographer/social media manager, but he has insomnia and can only sleep when she's in the bed with him. So they become platonic nap partners. Naturally. Has a particularly incredible scene when he jacks off while smelling her dirty underwear and dodging her question from the other side of the door, before handwashing said underwear and hiding them underneath his mattress.

Hotel of Secrets by Diana Biller. Historical. The hero is less about hating people and more about being an extreme loner who doesn't want to get close to people. He's an American spy on a case, the heroine is this social butterfly who's trying to save this Viennese hotel her family has owned for generations. He saves her life, like, thrice. Also, he's a big ol' virgin and she is... not. SO good.

The Truth About Cads and Dukes by Elisa Braden. Historical. Again, he's more standoffish and he does love his siblings, just is exceptionally bad at expressing his feelings. The hero marries the heroine after his brother ruins her (in a non-sexual manner) and it's really largely your standard marriage of convenience book, but done very well with an excellent love confession. Heroine is plus size, which is nice. Maybe my favorite Rescued from Ruin book? I really like all the times his lust cannot be contained and he just tackles her.

How to Marry a Marquess by Stacy Reid. Historical. BIG this vibe. The hero is kind of ostracized by society because he claimed his illegitimate daughter and is raising her without shame. He's very FUCK ALL Y'ALL about it, but the heroine, who is this very proper miss type, is his longtime friend and he adores her. She's been in love with him for forever, but he doesn't think she can deal with being an outcast so he won't make a move. Which is why she asks him for lessons in seducing some TOTALLY RANDOM GUY she's FOR SURE IN LOVE WITH. Very hot, and leads to some fabulous angst towards the end.

What I Did for a Duke by Julie Anne Long. Historical. Super this. Hero is a jaded snappish duke pushing 40 who finds a local rake in bed with his fiance. He decides to exact revenge by seducing said rake's innocent, virginal sister (who's like, half his age). She's super smart, so she catches on immediately, but she wants her friend who she's into to make a move, so she kind of allows him to court her... But then he becomes genuinely fond of her and it gets real.

After Dark with the Duke by Julie Anne Long. Begins as light ETL, becomes more like this. 40-something war hero duke is staying at the same boarding house as 20-something scandalous opera singer while he's writing his memoirs. She bugs him, he offends her, in penance he offers to teach her Italian to help with her singing, and they develop a very sweet friendship that quickly shifts into major sexual tension.

Marrying Winterborne by Lisa Kleypas. Historical. Rhys Winterborne definitely has like, FRIENDS, but he's also kind of super grumpy and sort of socially awkward, lol. He adores Helen and would move heaven and earth for her, even if he's bad at giving flowers. Benefits from reading Cold-Hearted Rake first, as they begin as a secondary romance in that one. People will tell you Chasing Cassandra is this even more, and I guess it is, but... Idk, maybe I should reread that one because it didn't super do it for me, and I think Tom Severin would've been better off with a different heroine.

Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas. Historical. I think this absolutely counts, lol. Like, does Derek have one friend who isn't under his employ? Yes. But they're not as tight by the time the book begins because reasons, and he meets Sara Fielding when she shoots some guy to save him, and while he tries to be grumpy to her, he's quickly like "I've known Sara Fielding for five minutes and if anything happens to her I'll kill everyone in this room including myself".

My Darling Duke by Stacy Reid. Historical. Heroine pretends she's being courted by a recluse duke in order to help her sisters find husbands, but then recluse duke shows up in society for the first time in years to be like "and exactly what is happening rn". He's a recluse because he was super injured years back and is now a wheelchair user; he's very bitter about his disability. He makes the heroine continue the charade for a minute for his own reasons, but falls for her. I really liked how this book explored sexual dysfunction and like, having sex in a way that isn't the standard romance novel HE TOOK HER CONQUERINGLY manner.

Sworn to the Shadow God by Ruby Dixon. Fantasy. Gamer girl gets teleported to this fantasy world and becomes the sorta servant to the literal God of Death. Everyone hates him so he hates everyone. It's honestly very funny and sweet. He has this thing going on with him wherein he can't like... tell the truth... so everything he says is the opposite of what he means. This girl gives him head fairly on in the book and he's like "YOU'RE TERRIBLE AT THAT" (translation: you're great at that) during, and I think she bites his dick? He has a lot to work through after that. She thinks he hates her, but he actually adores her.

The Taming of a Highlander by Elisa Braden. Historical. Another, "he technically loves his family" guy. The hero was considered the golden boy of the family, but he was tortured and lost an eye after being wrongfully imprisoned for months, so he's not doing great. The heroine catches him attacking one of the people responsible for what happened to him, so she offers to marry him to keep from having to testify against him.

Shadowheart by Laura Kinsale. Historical. Hero is a total villain and persona non grata throughout Italy; heroine does initially dislike him, but quickly falls in love and she's like his treasured possession. Soft noncon in the beginning. The sex scenes are otherwise are super great, very femdom.