#MUSIC AWESOME TOO I DIDN’T EXPECT THAT EITHER

[coconut530]

SPIDER AND STAG

[wheneverfeasible]

Wiggly Wednesday?

The brain worms are here again.

I honestly hate Christmas and avoid doing too much for it. However, an idea came to me suddenly and I can’t stop thinking about…

Secret Santa Steddie AU.

In one of Steve’s high school classes senior year, they’re assigned a Secret Santa project. They all put their names in a Santa hat and have to draw one out (returning it for another if it’s their own) and that’s the person they have to secretly give a gift to, either homemade or purchased, but there’s a cap of like…whatever the equivalent of $20 today is back then. Idk.

This is supposed to be a team building type of exercise, something to foster camaraderie, after say maybe a huge argument/fight broke out between Tommy and his group and the Freak, Eddie Munson, as well as some other nerds. Steve is exhausted and doesn’t care for Tommy’s bullshittery anymore, so he didn’t really get involved, though Eddie did throw a few digs his way. Which was hurtful but probably deserved.

Anyways, Steve draws out Eddie’s name.

For the next week or so the last fifteen minutes of class are devoted to questionnaires and such where the students answer questions about themselves directly or they fill in answers to widely asked questions, all used to let the Secret Santas learn about their recipients. Some people take it more seriously than others.

Steve gets to know more about Eddie, who is more blasé about it all, obviously not expecting anyone to give him something good (if they give him anything at all) since he has no friends in the class and most people don’t like him. So Steve, who has never paid Eddie any amount of attention before in the past but has been now and finds himself intrigued, starts observing Eddie outside of class.

Steve knows he could buy Eddie something music related. An easy cop-out gift. But the more he observes Eddie, the more he gets to see the tiny cracks in the Freak persona whenever he spies on him, sees the nerdy but also kind person beneath the leather jacket. And…okay…maybe he starts to develop a sort of crush without realizing that’s what happens.

Maybe he bribes other nerds about Hellfire Club and Eddie and makes certain they don’t squeal about him asking (he doesn’t realize he comes off as threatening, he just thinks he’s being urging), maybe he hears Eddie mention things and then he goes and asks Dustin what they mean, learning it’s from a book series about midgets and some jewelry or whatever, and so an idea forms.

While shuttling the kids about after school, Steve asks Will if he’d be willing to draw something for him, which Steve would pay him for. Will, obviously excited because it’s his first commission job and Steve pays him fairly, agrees.

(Steve may also purchase a patch at the record store they stop at—Will’s request as he wants to buy something for Jonathan—because it reminds him of Eddie, but that doesn’t matter.)

Yadda yadda ya, it’s time to exchange gifts. The teacher has allowed them to drop them off leading up to the Friday before winter vacation to keep the mystery alive.

When Eddie gets his, he’s expecting something more like a prank gift. Instead, he’s gifted a colored drawing (sadly not enough time for a painting) of Eddie dressed as someone named something like Spider or Arrow Gone or whatever, Steve doesn’t really know, but it’s him fighting off a horde of monster things with a flaming eyeball in the background and further back is an erupting volcano.

Steve doesn’t know what the hell is going on, not really able to absorb the massive info dump Dustin gave him, but Will assured Steve that the dude was cool and the battle depicted was awesome and important when he dropped off his old yearbook for model reference. Will’s opinion was enough for Steve of course. He just hoped Eddie liked it, and the patch that he rolled up with the picture.

Eddie is, of course, gobsmacked and trying his hardest not to show it. He scans the classroom to try to figure out who could have given him such an amazing gift, but no one even looks at him. There’s no way he would ever suspect the truth.

Steve ended up getting a can of Farrah Fawcett spray, which everyone laughed at and assumed was a joke gift for a jock, but Steve noticed a small twitch of a smile on Tommy’s face, the only one besides Dustin now who knows his secret.

Later, Eddie’s battle vest is adorned with the patch he received in his gift, a red and black Leviathan cross, but Steve doesn’t know what happened to the drawing. He hopes it didn’t get trashed.

It’s not until later, after everything with Vecna and recovering what was salvageable from the trailer, that he found the picture safely secured behind a glass frame hidden in Eddie’s room. It’s only then that Steve realizes that he might have been a little bit in love with Eddie “the Freak” Munson all this time.

~

Aaaaaaaah sorry this is a little bit of a nebulous ending here. Does this story follow canon and Eddie is dead, never knowing who his Secret Santa is? Or is Eddie recovering from his injuries, fated to recognize Will’s art style and thus learning the truth behind one of his most prized possessions? Who’s to say 🤷

I’m just gonna tag my perma list because I’m lazy. Anyone can be happy to consider this a tag for their own future brain worms tho!

Hostage Hotties:

@derythcorvinus @katyawriteswhump @honeii-puff @scoops-aboy86 @dotdot-wierdlife

@everywherenothere @bumblebeecuttlefishes

[redpill-tfs]

Red Wave

January 1st, 2025

Yo, so I started this Red Wave trial thing today. The docs said it’s supposed to, like, make your brain work better or something. Was told to track my thoughts in this journal thing. Honestly, I’m just here for the cash. I’m not buying into any of their science-y shit. Took the first pill this morning. Feel normal so far. Guess we’ll see if this stuff actually does anything.

Since I was told to describe myself a bit, I guess I might as well if I want that cash they promised. Name's Blake. I'm 26 and work at a local manufacturing company in the finance department. It's a pretty chill gig. Don't gotta wear a suit either which is good. Didn't even wear one to my graduation and I don't plan on starting now.

Anyway bro, I'm also a proud atheist. Never got into politics, but I guess I'm more liberal. I mean, just let people do what they want, right?

February 10th, 2025

Alright, not gonna lie, I’ve been feeling kinda sharp lately. Like, my head’s clearer, and I’m getting more stuff done at work. My boss Emily even said my presentation didn’t totally suck, which is rare. Oh, and I actually ironed my shirt today before work. Don’t know why—just felt like I should look decent. Weird, right? Maybe these pills aren’t total BS. I don't know why, but I've been thinking of wearing a tie to work...

March 12th, 2025

So get this, man: I bought a suit over the weekend. A whole grownup suit and a tie to go with it. I dunno know why, but I just felt like stepping up my game for my presentation at work today. And man did I look good. I got so many compliments on my fit. It honestly felt really good. My bros thought it was weird and so do I, but now that I have it I guess I'll use it at another presentation in the future.

April 15th, 2025

Something weird is going on. I heard some chick at work talking about her church today. Instead of scoffing and rolling my eyes, it made me, like, think a little. Like I got curious about it. I don't know what's going on, but I might have to check it out sometime.

Speaking of work, I've been wearing a tie more and more. It feels... right. People seem to notice too. I get so many compliments about them. I went back to the store and pick out a whole bunch of different colors. I may be the only guy in the department wearing one, but standing out isn't a bad thing I guess.

May 18th, 2025

Alright, so… I went to church today. Yeah, me. Blake, the proud atheist. Walked past St. Mark’s on the way to grab Starbuck's, and something just made me stop and go in. The music was kind of awesome, and the pastor’s talk about purpose hit me harder than I expected. I don’t even know what’s happening to me, but I’m starting to think there’s more to life than what I’ve been living. I might go back next week to see what I've been missing, but I'm not sure yet.

June 30th, 2025

This morning, I prayed. Like, actually prayed to God. I’m still trying to wrap my head around it, but it felt… good. I’ve also started reading bits of the Bible over the past week. There’s some deep stuff in there. Work’s going great, too. I’ve been mentoring one of the new guys, and Emily says she’s impressed with my leadership. Suits are now my everyday thing. Who knew dressing sharp could feel so right?

July 23rd, 2025

I’ve been pulling away from my old friends. Their whole sarcastic, edgy vibe just doesn’t sit right with me anymore. Instead, I’ve been hanging out with people from church who share my interest in self-improvement and faith. I’m even thinking about joining a volunteer group at the church. Life feels more meaningful now. My mind still feels so clear too. I don't know what this pill is doing to me, but it's working.

August 11th, 2025

I’ve been reflecting on some big ideas lately: responsibility, tradition, family values. They make so much sense now. I’ve also started watching a few commentators online who align with these views. Their logic is compelling. Honestly, I don’t know how I didn’t see it before. It’s like a veil has been lifted. Why should abortion be legal? Why should we violate the second amendment with gun control laws? Why do gays think thy can decide how the rest of us live our lives? So many questions I'm learning the answers to. I never paid much attention to politics, but maybe I should.

September 7th, 2025

Sunday service has become the cornerstone of my week. I’ve officially joined St. Mark’s and volunteered for their community outreach. Pastor Williams’s guidance has been invaluable. I’m entirely committed to this new path. My wardrobe, my habits, even my worldview have all transformed. I’m proud of the man I’ve become. I've said this a million times already, but it just feels right.

October 20th, 2025

Today is my birthday, and reflecting on this past year astounds me. My former self seems like a stranger. I’ve embraced faith, order, and purpose, and it just feels right. I got my hair cut to be a lot shorter than I once had it as a special birthday gift to myself. It feels more appropriate for my new image.

I had some friends from bible study over for a small party. I wore my best suit for the occasion. We played games, ate good food, and prayed of course. There was a riveting debate on the role of faith in politics. All in all, it was a good time. I can't believe how much my life has changed just in 10 months.

November 30th, 2025

Today was the final day of the trial. The scientist leading the study asked me all sorts of questions, from my conservative views to my faith in God and my new sense of style. I'm not sure what it all has to do with a mental focus pill, but I didn't feel like asking questions. I'm sure they know what they're doing. Anyways, I better get going. St. Mark's is having an event today to celebrate God and all of His glory. I wouldn't miss it for the world.

December 1st, 2025

The Red Wave trial has concluded with a 100% conversion rate among participants. Subjects exhibited profound and permanent shifts in personality, behavior, and worldview. Pre-trial skepticism and liberal inclinations were entirely replaced with conservative, faith-based identities. This case highlights the pill's efficacy in aligning individuals with structured, traditional conservative values. Further research will examine long-term societal impacts of widespread application. More subjects needed.

[hotchocolatefanfics]

Kingdom of The Planet of The Apes Movie Thoughts:

⚠️ Warning! Spoilers ahead! ⚠️

I loved this movie!! ❤️

Ok, so one of the reasons why I love it is because it actually took the time to explore this new ape world which we didn’t really get in Dawn or War.

It also explored different ape colonies and cultures too! Given the locations in contrast to the end of War, I don’t think Noa or Proximus’ colonies are related to Caesar’s original colony but that just expands the world beyond those apes (much like Bad Ape did but even more so!).

I especially loved the eagle raising culture in Noa’s colony! That was just so much fun to watch-and Soona and Dar actually had SPEAKING roles!!! 🤩❤️

Proximus is an awesome villain too! Like I think he’s now one of my favorites-next to Koba and Red! 🦍 But what makes Proxy different is he’s halfway between a king (by that I mean it’s possible he is of royal blood but not necessarily related to Caesar-maybe there’s other legendary ape hero’s in this ape world??) and a cult leader (I mean, good gawd! He literally twisted Caesar’s laws in a way that Caesar would absolutely hate!). But Proxy is also aware of and embraces his limitations-meaning, he may not care for any any humans or other apes but he knows he can use them to get what he wants and he’s willing to let them live as long as he has control over them.

This might be an unpopular opinion too but I was glad that Mae (and the old guy who read to Proxy, forgot his name) were the only humans to directly interact with the apes. I don’t hate human characters but just having these two gave the ape characters a chance to truly shine and for us to see the humans from the apes perspective (and yeah the fact that they can talk despite most being able to-plus that ending-makes me think this will be relevant to any possible sequels).

Also!! I was NOT expecting that beginning!! I was hit with all the sadness of losing Caesar but also in awe of how Maurice, Rocket and the others mourned for him! It really connected War to Kingdom and set the tone for the whole movie.

Ok! Now for the best part in my opinion-the references to the original first Planet of The Ape movie!! Here’s the ones that I noticed!

- The tall grass chase scene

- Humans talking even though they couldn’t anymore

- The baby doll that said ‘mama’

- The beach setting

- Humans drinking water before being chased by the apes

- The soundtrack! Seriously, either they remastered the original one to make a whole new version or it’s different music meant to sound a lot like the original

- And I don’t know if I’d call it a reference but the human base in the ending with the hazmat suit human reminded me of the mutants from Beneath the Planet of The Apes.

- Also the telescope looking up at the stars reminded me of Taylor and his crew being astronauts in the original movie.

- And Caesar being referred to as the first ‘lawgiver’ by Raka

- Humans being called Nova (which is also a callback to Nova from War-which I absolutely love!)

TLDR, I am in love with Kingdom of the Planet of The Apes!! ❤️🦍🦧

[hookedsworks]

Edge(ING) Fitness - Chapter XL

Ivy's POV.

word count: 2331

ao3

masterpost

Ivy had found himself at the gym really early, working off a lot of tension, every day since III had said he loved him. Or, that’s what Ivy thought III had said. He had replayed it so many times, he had convinced himself that he’d made the whole thing up at this point. Today, as he had all week, he was at the gym by six. He still hadn’t heard from III since Saturday. It was once again Saturday, the day of III’s marathon. He needed to work out, badly, so that he was calm when seeing III. He was going to see III. He could hear II and the last time they had talked. 

“You promised me you wouldn’t give up on him,” II’s voice was sharp. As always. Ivy was always pissing II off. This time, he fought back. 

“I don’t know what you expect me to do here, bro. He has ignored all of my calls for the last three days. He even ignored my TEXT! You know how much I hate texting,” II blinked at him. 

“You even…text him?” 

“Yes, ugh, that’s what I’m trying to tell you. He’s done with me,” II swallowed. Ivy tossed a boxing glove at the wall. 

“Well… he didn’t say ‘don’t bother’ when you said you’d see him on Saturday, right? So… maybe take that as a win, and just…see him on Saturday?” 

“Oh, fuckin’! Easy for you to say!” Ivy was angry now. “Your life is perfect now! Your boyfriend is fucking famous, your gym just hit a record membership! You got railed sixteen ways to Sunday by your perfect super star fucking opera singer boyfriend! Mine won’t even pick up the damn phone…I don’t even know if he’s still mine,” 

Ivy shook off the conversation. This was all… this could all be sorted this afternoon. At the marathon. At III’s marathon. He was going to see III. And he was going to fucking…steel his spine and ask if they were still boyfriends. He was NOT going to address the fact that he thought III may have said he loved him. NOPE. 

“Hey man,” a gruff voice caught Ivy’s attention. He turned and saw Vessel. 

“Ves,” 

“Getting a workout in before standing around all day?” Ivy grunted in affirmation. “Me too,” Vessel fidgeted while he set stuff up before turning to Ivy again. “You uh…you heard from III at all this week? He’s been ignoring me,” 

“No, I haven't, not since my rugby game ended,”

“Oh..yeah. That was Saturday, right?” Ivy nodded. “Did you guys win?” 

“Yeah, it was a really good game. Close. But we pulled it out,” 

“That's awesome, man,” 

“You haven't heard from III either?” It finally clicked in Ivy's head, what Vessel had said. “Aren't you guys best friends?” 

“Since third grade, yeah,” Vessel turned toward him. “What…what did you do to him?” he looked up at Vessel’s face. He furrowed his brow and began to defend himself. 

“Genuinely…nothing,” he trailed off quickly, thinking about everything. “Uh…when our phone call ended, on Saturday night. I think… I think he said that he loved me? But there’s no way, you know? Since that, I haven’t heard from him at all,” 

“Have you tried to talk to him again? Or did you fuck off the second he got vulnerable? II told me you would do something stupid,” 

“Woah, hey, what the fuck! No. I have called him a hundred times, I even texted him!” Ivy needed to defend himself against Vessel..and II. He was starting to get really fucking annoyed with II and all of his “I know more than you about everything” attitude. He ripped his phone out, opening his call log and handing it to Vessel. 

“Why are you yelling?” think of the damn devil.

“What the hell are you doing telling Vessel I’m going to ‘do something stupid’?” II blinked at him, blue eyes vacant. 

“Oh, you mean about III?” 

“Fuck you, man,” he snatched his phone out of Vessel’s hand and put his headphones on. He watched II for a second, thought he caught “grow up”, and turned away. Music took over his thoughts and he worked out as hard as he could. He worked everything to failure, didn’t bother splitting into his normal sections or anything. He was mad at II. Insufferable, know it all, hot, perfect partner II. Fuck him. Fuck them both, actually. Except…shit. He didn't know where he was going. He looked around the gym, looking for Vessel. He was officially avoiding II. He'd decided as much. Today was going to be weird. Vessel was up on the stairmaster, running. Up the fucking stairs. Freak of goddamn nature. Wonder what that does for his stamina. Vessel slowed as Ivy approached. He was pouring sweat, topless now. 

“Ivy, hey,” he seemed to be on a runner’s high, flashing a devastating grin. 

“Hey, um… I don't know where Mustache is having his marathon,” 

“Oh, well, we can ride together,” Vessel had a solution immediately. Ivy could see exactly why II was attracted to him. Dammit. II. 

“Will II be with you?” Vessel squinted at him, eyes slightly narrowed. 

“Are you fighting with him?” Man, III was right. He really did see too much. 

“N-no. Of course not. I just…wondered,” 

“He’s going to show up a bit later on. I'm headed over early,” 

“Okay, well, we can ride together. Should I give you my address, or meet you somewhere?” 

“Yeah, send me your address,” Vessel nodded, rattling his number off once Ivy got his phone out. 

***

A sleek black sedan, the very same one Ivy had seen when he'd first seen III, pulled into Ivy’s driveway. He slid his hood up and went out the door. The window rolled down, revealing Vessel. 

“Hey, ready?” Ivy opened the door and dropped into Vessel’s passenger seat. 

“I’m worried about III,” Vessel inhaled through his teeth before replying. 

“I think maybe he just got caught up in his final preparation for the marathon. He hasn’t dated anyone in a while, and he might have just…forgotten he has a phone,” 

“I don’t think it’s that,” 

“Well, if it’s not, then maybe there’s something else going on. He might have accidentally called his mom-”

“Isn’t she…you know?” 

“Yeah, but he calls her. The voicemail. He still pays for the phone. So he can hear her voice,” Vessel told Ivy this as he set off toward wherever III was going to be running. 

“I…wow. He’s really sweet,” 

“Losing her was the hardest thing he’s ever had to go through,” Vessel replied. Ivy’s lip pouted out involuntarily - he hated that anytime he heard something sad he made a pouty sad face. 

“I just wanna hug him, man. It’s so weird not hearing from him. We talk almost daily,” 

“I know. He gushes about you endlessly,” Vessel paused, glancing at Ivy when he pulled up to a traffic light. “He probably did say he loves you. Do you think you’ll say it back if you get the chance?” his eyes narrowed then, eyebrows pitching down into something almost angry. Who was Vessel, and why did he think he could interrogate him like that? He doesn’t know anything about him. He noticed that Vessel had said “if” also, which concerned him. 

“I don’t think that’s any of your business, actually,” he snapped. Vessel held one hand up, off the steering wheel, in surrender. 

“Okay, you’re right, sorry,” 

The ride continued, plunged into an intense silence, until they saw a gathering of people and an arch. 

“The finish line,” Vessel informed him. I gotta say something. 

“Look. I appreciate that you’re looking out for III, but we’ve only been a couple for a few weeks. I think it’s way too early to say anything like that, and I don’t think he meant it at all. I think it was just a slip of the tongue, or a force of habit. His silence is proof he’s embarrassed by it. I just want to see him, tell him to forget it ever happened and go back to dating him like normal,” Vessel’s face was flat, impassive. He did not respond. It made Ivy nervous, brought him back to… he tried to push it out of his mind. 

“I never wanted you, not really. And when I met your friend…I realized just how much better he is for me,” her face was cold, hard. Her eyes a flat, lifeless slate gray. 

“You mean II?” defeat swamped him. Just…defeat. She’d been with him for the better part of the last two years and she was just… throwing it away. Like nothing had mattered. Like he didn’t matter. 

“Yes, of course. He’s everything you’re not. You’re just a personal trainer. You need to grow up. He did. A physical therapist, investments, even sold his stupid bike. I think it was all to please me. He wants me. I know he does. You can’t keep me, I don’t want you. You don’t have any real drive, don’t have a direction. You’re like…his silly little shadow. A lovesick dog, following his every move. The off-brand version of him. Everyone who ever wants you will end up wanting him, in the end. You know that, too, don’t you? I can see it in your face, in the slump of your shoulders. I’m going to get him, and you’re going to watch,” ice slid down his spine. Cold, uncaring. 

“He’ll never want you,” was all IV could think to say in return. He knew II better than that. II wanted people who were kind. Not someone who would say this. 

“Doesn’t matter. I get what I want, and that’s not you, IV,” her features did not move, even though she was ripping his heart out with her teeth. “He ended our relationship by being better than you. I am going to thank him,” it was unfair. It was cruel. She arched one perfect eyebrow. “Nothing to say?” 

“What would be the point?” 

A clap in his face brought him back to reality. 

“Where did you go?” Vessel. 

“Shit, sorry. I zoned out,” 

“Are you okay? You look like you might be sick,” 

“Bad memory,” he shook it off and jumped out of the car. He walked around, followed Vessel. Silent, lost in thought. Memories of Roxy were drifting through his mind, followed by the contrast that was III. III was such a contrast. He didn’t want III to ignore him anymore. He did not want this to end, he was realizing. He was starting to hope that III had said “I love you”, or at least would someday. He checked his phone again. Silence. 

“Hes running by now. Won't be able to send you anything,” Vessel spoke. Ivy had damn near forgotten Vessel was standing next to him. He tried to start a conversation. 

“So, you're…an opera singer? How'd you get into that?” Vessel smiled. 

“Well, when I was really young, I started playing my dad's old piano. And it just…blossomed? I guess, from there. I wanted to be a pianist, and I am, but I found that singing in operas is a bit more steady. And when you've got the pipes for it, why not, right?” Ivy nodded. 

“That's really cool. Are you any good?” he joked. Vessel laughed, and they talked a bit more about his career, his favorite pieces to play, his favorite opera to perform, how he couldn't stand the Phantom opera.  

Later, when they were standing by the finish line, after the conversation had faded peacefully, Vessel bumped into his shoulder. Or…no. II had come. 

“Stop thinking about her. She means nothing,” He mumbled at Ivy, low enough that Vessel wouldn’t hear. 

“How’d you know?” but he heard it in his own voice. He only sounded like that, looked the way he must look, when he was despondent. He had thought the conversation with Vessel had taken that away, but apparently not. II just gave him a look and squeezed his hand. 

*** 

III ran back, after crossing the finish line. He was the sixth person to finish the race. Ivy was cheering and he ran to meet III. III grabbed him. He was being spun around and hugged. 

“You’re here!” he was elated to have III around him. He inhaled the deep, rich, heady scent of III’s sweat, of rain. It took him back to that last morning run they'd had together. 

“You’re sweaty,” III cocked his head, looking down that incredible nose that Ivy loved so much. He smiled, but it had a sad edge to it. 

“I’m sorry I haven’t talked to you,” 

“Don’t. Don’t even worry about it. It’s forgotten. Just talk to me again,” III nodded, grinning more. Ivy noticed then…”You got a haircut! Oh my god!” He ran his fingers against the soft buzzed parts of III's head. III had cut a ton of his hair off on the bottom. The top was long still, tied up. “You look so good,” 

“Someone told me I'd look “hot” with an undercut, so i decided to go for it,” 

“Well, I need to send them a thank you note, because they were right. Who was it?” 

 III looked up and around, started to say something that might have been “Vessel” but the color drained out of his face when he saw something. “You oka-?”

“Excellent work, III,” II interrupted. 

“Oh, you guys came too?” his voice sounded weird, stilted and kind of high. He was turning a bright red color. Must be from running. 

“Yeah, and what the fuck is up with this ignoring me for a damn week thing?” 

“I just ran a marathon, why are you interrogating me?” III’s hand squeezed around his, hard. There was something on III’s face, but Ivy couldn't figure it out. 

“Yeah, leave him alone, Vessel,” III grinned at him and his heart skipped a beat. Genuinely skipped a beat, like they say it does in the books. 

Maybe he could say it back. 

[whydontyousaeso]

Tattooed into your brain (pt 1)

Damian preist x Reader

When you first moved to LA you didn’t really expect to wind up with a bunch of friends at a tattoo shop, you also didn’t expect to be wrapped up with a certain man at the tattoo shop either.

Type- fluff!

Warnings- none at the moment!

A/n- hiiiii so I’m actually so excited to be posting this rn. This is honestly more of an introduction than anything, but I promise part 2 will have more Damian/reader interactions! Love you guys and be on the lookout for more content soon!

As you walked the streets of LA, you took in the different senses that overwhelmed your brain. It was so loud and crowded, you weren’t used to it.

You scanned the stores around you, a particular tattoo shop catching your eyes. ‘JD Tattoos’ was the name of it, and it was a dark building with a black and purple color scheme. You had actually been looking to get a new tattoo recently, you just didn’t have the time to look around considering you just moved.

You made your way over to the building quickly, trying to get away as fast as you could from the crowd. When you stepped in you were greeted by the soft sound of rock music and leather everything.

At least they were consistent with the theme.

You looked around for a second, slowly making your way up to the desk. You heard some chattering in the back, but couldn’t tell if there were any workers actually working.

At least you weren’t able to until a young man rolled out into the lounge area, looking you up and down.

“Hey Rhea! There’s a client for you out here.”

“Yeah I’ll be there in a minute.”

You smiled awkwardly at the young man, nodding slightly to show thanks to him. It didn’t take but another thirty seconds for a tall dark haired female to come out.

Not only were they consistent with the theme, they looked the part too.

“Hi, uh, I’m new here and I’ve been looking for some tattoo artists and stuff.”

“Yeah? Have you ever got a tattoo before?”

“I actually have a couple-“

You pulled up your shirt to reveal the big rose on your side.

“I have this one, and I also have another one on my leg too. I really want a back one but I’m not really sure what to do yet.”

“Ohh yeah, well considering you’ve done this a couple times I don’t see where there would be any problems.”

She reached down and pulled out a huge binder, placing it on the counter for you to look through.

“Here are some of my works, look through them and see if any of them stand out to you. If not I’m sure we can get creative or pull something out of our ass.”

You smiled a bit, feeling more comfortable with her.

“What’s your name?”

“Y/n, and your Rhea?”

“Yeah, where did you move here from?”

“Oh, I’m from Washington. I just finished my masters and decided I needed a new place to live.”

“Pretty big jump huh?”

“Yeah, to be honest the only reason I’m here is because my friend has an extra room and is letting me stay.”

You stopped on a particular tattoo, it was a black and white skull with chains going through and around it.

“How much would this one be?”

“Depends on the size”

“How about 5 inches?”

“$200”

You took a second to think. Considering your last tattoo artist charged you more this isn’t a bad deal at all.

“When can you put me down?”

She smiled and pulled out another book. She was flipping through the pages when you heard the door open again. This time a tall man walked in, carrying a duffle bag and some food.

“Hey Damian, Finn wanted to talk to you in the back about something.”

You heard him sigh and set his stuff down at the front desk. Before you knew it he was gone.

“I can fit you in tomorrow at 10, think you could make it?”

“Yeah definitely, do you need a deposit?”

“Nah you can pay tomorrow, I don’t worry about it too much.”

You handed her the binder and smiled.

“Awesome. Thank you so much.”

“Of course, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

The next day when you walked in the tattoo shop the same man that walked in while you were talking to Rhea was at the desk.

“Hey, I’m here for my 10 o’clock with Rhea?”

That got his attention

He looked up from his phone and smiled. “Yeah, Rhea is running a little late so she asked if I could prep you, you good with that?”

You nodded and gave a small verbal confirmation. You’ve had men work on you before so this wasn’t uncomfortable for you.

You followed him back to her room, watching his broad figure from behind.

“What’s your name again?”

You asked, breaking the silence.

“Damian, and you?”

“Y/N.”

You sat in the chair, awaiting instructions from Damian. Luckily you were wearing a crop top with a jacket over it, so all you needed to do was take off the jacket.

“This is going on your back right?”

“Yeah”

“Alright, where do you want it?”

You slipped off your jacket and turned away from him.

“Lower center please, I want to be able to work around it in the future”

You heard him hum in approval before sticking the stencil on your back. It almost caught you by surprise, the way his rough hands rubbed over the area. You would be lying if you said that you didn’t start heating up with the way he was touching your back.

You didn’t even know this man, why was he getting you so flustered?

“Do you want numbing cream?”

“Oh, no thank you, I’m good without it.”

You turned around and smiled at him, hoping that your face wasn’t too red from the sudden contact.

“Rhea said she will be here in about five minutes, you need anything else?”

You shook your head.

“Alright then, see you later”

You weren’t able to respond in time before he left. As you sat there feeling the stencil dry you questioned yourself.

Why the fuck was he so stuck in your head?

[cjsarchive]

nothing specific, just would love some fluff from the boys :)

I ended up getting super indulgent when writing this:3. Hope you enjoy!

(Platonic)

Another Day-Incubi x Reader

After eating breakfast with the incubi, I began simply walking around the house, trying to pass time as they all separated to their own endeavors. I stopped walking when I heard some music playing as I walked past one of the rooms. I peered inside to see Erik in his room that he shared with James. He was playing a portable piano. He had a furrowed brow as he continually hit one note over and over. I gently knocked on the door.

He looked up at me and smiled, “Oh! Hello, princess. Come in.”

“Hey, Erik,” I said as I walked towards him, “What are you working on?”

“Ah, I'm just working on a song I recently came up with. I am however having a bit of trouble unfortunately.”

“Oh? How so?”

“I’m struggling to continue the song.” He sighed looking back down at the keys.

I thought for a moment, “Well, I don’t know much about the piano, but maybe I could try to help a bit? If that’s okay with you.”

Erik let out a gentle smile, “As generous as always, Princess.” He scooted over to make some space for me on the chair he was sitting on and I sat down beside him.

“Can I hear what you have so far?”

Erik nodded and began to play his piece. It was very calming. My eyes slowly fell closed and I focused on the music. That was until he suddenly hit a sour note and the song ended. He groaned.

“I don’t know how to continue from that part. I can’t get inspiration for it.”

“Well what gave you inspiration for the rest of the song?”

Erik chuckled, “When we all watched the sunset together the other day. That truly was beautiful.” Erik thought for a moment, “Can you tell me about a time in your life you thought was beautiful?”

“Yeah, sure.” I proceeded to tell him about one of the most beautiful moments of my life. I tried to go into as much detail as possible, hoping that will truly help him get the feel of it. Erik took some time to really visualize my words before he tried playing again. The note that was once sour flowed seamlessly. Erik was able to come up with a few more notes for his song as I watched. It was amazing to see him in his element like this.

Once Erik was finished, he smiled brightly, “Thank you, Princess. What would I do without you?” He brought my hand up to his lips and kissed my knuckles, “You truly are inspiring.”

I smiled, “You’re the artist, Erik. You’re the one that’s inspiring.”

I left Erik alone to finish his song in private. As I left his room, Matthew was walking past carrying a load of snacks.

“Oh, hey!” He smiled at me.

“Hey, Matthew. What are you about to do?”

“I was gonna go find something new to watch on tv. You wanna watch tv with me?”

“Sure!”

“Awesome!” He smiled his goofy grin at me, “Come on.” I followed Matthew to his and Damien’s room. We settled down onto Matthew’s bed and he laid out the snacks before looking to me, “You can have whatever you want! I don’t mind.”

I giggled slightly, “Thank you,” I said before taking some snacks for myself. “So, what were you thinking about watching?”

“Hmm, I don’t know. Nothing too serious. Are there any shows you recommend?” Matthew handed me the tv remote.

“Hm, I don’t really know either.” We both chuckled before I turned on the tv and started scrolling through channels. I stopped scrolling when I came across a channel playing Family Feud, “Have you seen this show?”

“Nope. What is it?”

“It’s a game show. The host is super funny. Definitely makes the show a whole lot better.”

“Let’s watch it then!” He smiled. I smiled in return and clicked play on the tv. We didn’t expect to get so into the show so quickly. We watched for at least a couple hours laughing at the host, the contestants, and ourselves as we tried to guess some of the answers as well. We both weren’t particularly good at guessing, which made everything even funnier. We were eventually interrupted by a knock on the door. Matthew told them to come in and in came James,

“Hello,” He greeted, “Lunch is ready whenever you’re ready to eat.”

“Alright, thanks, James!” I said as he gave us a warm smile and left the room. I turned back to Matthew, “Should we continue this another time?”

“For sure! This was so fun! It’s always awesome hanging out with you!” He beamed a bright smile at me.

I couldn’t help the slight blush that appeared on my face, “Thank you! That makes me so happy to hear.” I smiled back at him.

“It’s the truth!” I giggled and thanked him again before we both went down to eat lunch.

After lunch, I entered the living room to see Sam playing a shooter game on the big screen. He seemed focused on his game, so I simply sat down beside him on the couch and watched.

“Whaddup, doofus,” He said simply, not taking his eyes off the screen.

“Hey,” I said in return. We went back to sitting in silence as he finished this round.

“Damnit!” He cursed as he lost.

“What’s the objective of this game?”

“Get chests and take out other players.”

“That’s it?”

“Yeah, pretty simple. You wanna join in?”

“Really?”

“Yeah. There’s a multiplayer mode.”

“Alright, I’ll play!” Sam passed me the second controller. I found the multiplayer mode and chose my weapon. Sam quickly gave me the rundown of the game and controls before we started our first match. I quickly realized it was not ‘pretty simple.’ I definitely was nowhere near as good as Sam was, it was almost embarrassing.

“Sam, where did you go?!” I exclaimed.

“I ran off already! Why didn’t you follow me?!”

“I got distracted, sorry!” He laughed at me as I quickly tried to catch up to him.

“Where are you?! I don’t know where I'm going! Ugh!” I shouted again as Sam guffawed at my frustration. I jokingly hit him on the shoulder.

“Alright, alright. Do you see that building in front of you?” He pointed at the screen, “I’m in there. Go there.”

“Okay, I’m going.” As I was headed towards the building, I was suddenly shot at and my character fell down and died. Sam didn’t even try to hold down his laughter.

“You got some terrible fucking spatial awareness, doofus!”

“Shut up,” I started to laugh as well. We continued playing for a while. Well, it was more of me dying repeatedly while Sam practically howled in laughter at me. I managed to kill myself with my own grenade at one point.

“Sam! Help! People are shooting at me!”

“Just shoot back, doofus!” But it was too late because I was already dead again. The round ended and I fell back on the couch in defeat.

“That was humiliating,” I joked. Sam fell back with me and reached over to ruffle my hair.

“Don’t worry about it. Hell, you’re way better at other things.” I smiled at his statement.

“Thanks.”

“Heh, no problem.” We simply just laid there for a while, enjoying being in each other’s presence.

“I did have fun, believe it or not,” I sighed contently.

“I did too,” Sam reached and playfully nipped at my cheek, “You’re really cool, doofus.”

“Heh, you’re cool too, Sam.”

Some time after playing video games with Sam, I went to get myself a snack from the kitchen. I found Damien in there, also fixing him something to eat.

“Hello,” He smiled as he greeted me.

“Hey, Damien. What are you making?”

“Just a sandwich,” He had the cheese, meat, and condiments out, “I just need the bread.” He went to the pantry and took a look around before slightly raising a brow, “I think we might be out of bread.”

“Already?” I had just bought some bread last week. Then I remembered that lately Matthew’s been obsessed with bread and butter. That would explain it. Damien chuckled.

“It’s fine. I’ll just make something else,” He said as he began putting the ingredients away..

“I can run and get some bread from the store real quick. You wanna come with?”

“Are you sure? Heh, I don’t need bread right this moment.”

“I know. I kinda wanna get out the house right now though. Besides, Matthew will probably be happy to have more bread as well.”

Damien giggled, “Very true. Alright, I’ll come with you.” We both quickly slipped on some sweaters and shoes and went out to my car. I drove us to the nearby corner store and we picked up some bread, along with some other stuff we needed while we were there. On our way back home, the sun was beginning to set, turning the sky beautiful shades of pink, orange and yellow. “Woah,” Damien looked out the window, “So beautiful. I’ll never get tired of sunsets.” I smiled at him. Seeing his amazement for something so seemingly minimal and common put a warm feeling in my heart. Damien blushed slightly and smiled back at me. I pulled into a park and parked the car.

“Come on, let’s get out and watch the sunset.”

Damien nodded to me before we both got out of the car and into the park. He found a bench facing the sunset and sat down, I guess I tend to forget how magical sunsets can be. They’re so common, It had gotten to the point I stopped really thinking about them. The boys definitely helped bring that magic back.

“Hey, can I see your phone for a moment?” Damien asked.

“Yeah sure,” I handed over my phone, not thinking about it too much, kinda lost in my thoughts at the sunset. I suddenly heard the sound of a picture being taken. I looked over at Damien to see he just took a photo of me.

“Sorry,” He gave a sheepish smile, “You just look so pretty in the glow of the sunset. See?” He showed me the photo he took. I was sure I was blushing right now. I chuckled, “Thanks for the compliment. And that’s a good picture of me, hehe.” I got the urge to take a photo of him as well. He smiled and handed me my phone back. I ended up taking quite a few photos.

“You’re so handsome,” I grinned.

He blushed, “Hehe, thank you!” We took some more photos, some together, as we continued to watch the sun set further into the sky. “Thanks for bringing me out with you. You are so amazing. We should do this more often!”

“Yeah, for sure!”

He chuckled, “We should probably head back. Dinner should be done soon.” Damien stood up off the bench and offered a hand to me to help me stand as well.

After dinner, I saw James going out to the garden. I followed him out, wondering what he could be doing out there at this time, “James?”

He turned to look at me, “Oh, hello, Miss.”

“Hey, whatcha doing?”

“Ah, I was about to start reading a novel I recently found.”

“Oh? What’s it about?”

James perked up a bit, noticeably excited to share his book with me, “It’s a mystery thriller. Someone was killed in a friend group of young adults, so they are trying to find the imposter in their group.”

“Ooh, that sounds interesting! Why read outside though?”

“I love the atmosphere of being in the garden. It’s very calming and, in my opinion, makes the perfect environment to read in.”

“That actually sounds really nice.”

“Indeed,” He chucked. James thought for a moment. “Miss, would you perhaps want to read this with me? I believe I saw another copy of this book in the library.”

“Yeah, why not?”

He smiled, “Wonderful.”

With our own copy of the book each, we sat down next to each other and began to read. Because of his ability, he was a fast reader. Especially fast in comparison to my slower pace. I noticed him catch himself and slow down, trying to accommodate me. I tried to quicken my pace.

“You don’t have to rush to catch up to me, Miss. I don’t mind rereading a few pages. I want you to enjoy the book to its fullest as well.”

I simply smiled, “As sweet as ever.” He merely chucked. We read about a quarter of the way into the book together, pointing out moments that stood out to us and annotating, hoping to solve the mystery in the book. I always loved having discussions with James. He always brought a great perspective to everything. Soon enough, I found myself yawning.

“I think this is a good place to wrap up,” James said softly, “You need your rest, Miss.”

“Can’t argue with that.” I took a moment to simply sit and wallow in the night breeze, “You’re right. Reading out here at night does make for a great atmosphere.”

“I’m glad you enjoy it as well, Miss. Though I must say, your presence made the experience much better.” I smiled and laid my head on his shoulder. We both sat for a while, admiring the night sky.

After, we both headed back in the house and up the stairs.

“Goodnight, James.”

“Goodnight, Miss. Have sweet dreams,” He smiled before we both seperated to our rooms.

[leopardfang15]

A little present for the awesome @racfoam with Harriet and Voldemort. We’ve been chatting and I got inspired. Fun fact, swing dancing was very popular when Voldemort was young.

The portraits outside the ballroom at Malfoy manor were no doubt either confused or enraged beyond all reason. Big band jazz music was blaring throughout the massive room. Death Eaters and the Malfoy’s stood under the grand, crystal chandeliers as the Dark Lord and Girl-Who-Lived spun around each other with quick feet, swing dancing.

It was a popular dance when Voldemort was young. He learned when he’d spend his days wandering London in the summer during his Hogwarts years. He always spent as little time as possible at the Orphanage and old Mrs Cole wouldn’t be caught dead in the dance halls and jazz clubs in London. Even if she did decide to go hunting for him she’d never brace the dance floor. The best place for him to avoid the gaze of that miserable old hag was in the crowd of dancing couples. The fact that swing dancing ended up being kind of fun was just a bonus.

Though now, dancing with Harriet, who had a massive smile lighting up her face, it was the most fun Voldemort had had in a long time. Perhaps the most fun he’d ever had. The only reason Harriet even knew that Voldemort could swing dance was because she once walked into his room and found him listening to a record player playing big band jazz music. She’d never expected him to like music at all (especially after her little trick with her rock music) and if he did she would’ve expected nothing but classical. Seemed the Dark Lord still surprised her. She asked about the jazz music and how he grew to like it. Before she knew it Voldemort was out of his robes, into some trousers and showing her the basics of swing.

Now her low heeled shoes clacked on the ball room floor and her knee length, black skirt fanned out around her as she twirled. She also wore solid black leggings under her dress. Normally she wouldn't but she didn’t feel too comfortable showing too much leg around the Death Eaters due to the high energy dance. All attention was on them once the music changed and the other couples vacated the floor. Voldemort wasn’t complaining. Harriet was so lost in dancing with the red eyed man she almost missed her step when he spoke without looking away from her.

“Got something you’d like to say, Lucius?” Voldemort asked, stepping around Harriet as he twirled her so they were now dancing on opposite sides.

Their host startled, not realizing his lord would even notice the bewildered look on his face. Lucius cleared his throat to give himself a moment so he could gather his thoughts and his nerve. He wasn’t sure how the dark lord would react to this but he hoped the other man would be too distracted by his soulmate to start casting Crucios. “I’m simply surprised, my lord. I didn’t expect you to know any muggle dances, let alone one so… energetic.” Not to mention the fact that his lord was wearing a muggle suit. Not like one could do such moves in robes anyway.

Voldemort scoffed. “Please, your father spent two weeks incessantly begging me to teach him how to do this.” He twirled Harriet out before pulling her back to him. Using her momentum he pulled her back in and spun her around his body before setting her back on her feet. Harriet’s bright eyes and the sight of her hair slipping from her ponytail almost distracted him from Lucius.

“What?” Lord Malfoy asked, face revealing the depths of his surprise. Oh Abraxas would’ve been so disappointed at the unfettered emotion on Lucius’s face. “Forgive me my lord but when would my father have ever seen you do this?”

Voldemort almost rolled his eyes. “There was a function my sixth year at Hogwarts and a Pureblood Gryffindor I disliked had been rather irritating the entire night. Seeing as how I couldn’t curse him in front of the teachers I decided to pull his muggleborn girlfriend onto the dance floor and show her what real dancing was.” He said with a smirk, remembering the boy’s face as he tossed his date in the air.

Harriet was snickering. “And how long did those two stay dating?”

“Not very long.” Voldemort smirked, dipping Harriet low when she jumped into his arms. “Though as a result of my little performance I had numerous students coming up to me at all hours of the day asking for dance lessons. Abraxas being the most incessant and vocal. I eventually taught him as a reward for scaring off everyone else.”

“Why would my father want to learn?” Lucius asked.

“Your mother in particular was quite impressed with the show.” He paused his story as Harriet pressed her back to his. He then knelt down, allowing Harriet to roll over his back and end up in front of him again. “You know, Abraxas wasn’t supposed to marry your mother. He was engaged to a girl two years behind him, Melody Parkinson. I believe your mother was to marry a Carrow. Not only that, but Talia Rosier wouldn’t give Abraxas the time of day.”

It was difficult to hear over the music but there were several snickers coming from various Death Eaters. Lucius himself was beginning to look more and more ridiculous, his grey eyes were so wide one may worry they might pop out of his head.

“In any event, I allowed your father to practice with me; picking me up, tossing me and catching me. Abraxas quickly learned that dropping me would be worse than dropping Talia.” No one needed to guess what the punishment for dropping the Dark Lord was.

“Once I declared him passable he renewed his chase of Talia. I don’t care to know how he convinced her to dance with him but seeing as how your here, Lucius, it’s clear that my dance lessons were instrumental in Abraxas getting the woman he wanted.” Voldemort smirked. “In fact, during my best man speech at their wedding I took full credit for the event. Now I believe I’ll take full credit for your existence.”

There was outright laughter at the sight of Lucius’s dropped jaw now, even from Harriet. Bellatrix’s loud cackling was heard the most over the music. Voldemort was too focused on Harriet to notice, though.

[athetos]

Got the true ending + the super duper final secret in sea of stars and damn what a fucking good ass game. I had way high expectations for this one and it managed to hit all of them. For real if tears of the kingdom didn’t come out this year it would be a shoe-in for my goty. Definitely the best chrono trigger inspired game I’ve played, absolutely nails being a tribute without banking too hard on nostalgia or being tacky, and is original with enough twists and turns to keep you invested. The graphics are awesome, music is beautiful, the combat is engaging, the connections to the messenger really got to me, the designs are great. Lots of quality of life features that the jrpgs that influenced it lacked so that’s always welcome, with the addition of the relics you can turn on and off it’s very accessible difficulty wise but can also provide a challenge if you so desire. Truthfully one of the only criticisms I have is that while I liked Zale and Valere, they were pretty one-note and didn’t have much else going on personality-wise and were pretty interchangeable. It would have been cool if they had more features to distinguish them because it feels like you could read me any line of either’s dialogue and I’d have no idea which said it. As it is the rest of the cast way outshines them which is a bit of a shame. I could see Garl being a “creator’s pet” a bit too even though I personally adored him, but I can see why he might get on other people’s nerves for taking precedence over zale and valere. I love a good sidekick with no magical prowess to speak of who is unfathomably loyal and upbeat, though.

Overall I highly recommend, also play the messenger too. You don’t need to have played the messenger to play sea of stars but it’s also a fucking fantastic game that combines nes platformers in the style of, say, ninja gaiden with metroidvanias and has gorgeous art, some of the wittiest dialogue I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading, and a perfect difficulty curve.

[thisaintascenereviews]

It’s The End Of The Year As We Know It (And I Don’t Feel Fine)

Wintertime is here, folks, and that means a few things: Christmastime, as well as the various things that are associated with this time of year, and what’s come to be known as “list season.” This is my favorite time of year, because I love looking at people’s lists, since everyone is guaranteed to have such a different outlook on what their favorite albums have been throughout the year. I know that my list is not going to be exactly the same as nobody else, because I listen to a lot of different music at different times, but that’s the fun of it. I love seeing what everyone listened to throughout the year, as well as what everyone hated, too. I’m not as negative as I used to be, but I still love seeing a worst of list. You’ll see mine, too, and I decided to do it this year because I listened to enough bad albums that I didn’t expect or anticipate to be just that.

This list, however, is going to be the stuff I really enjoy! I tried to keep my lists small this year, and challenge myself by highlighting the best of the best (and what really stuck with me throughout the year), so aside from a top ten, I also wanted to highlight a handful of honorable mentions. I only have another 14 albums in my honorable mentions, but when I say these are the best of the best, these truly are the best of the best, folks. I’m going to start with those, and they won’t be in any order, but they’re all still worth hearing, nonetheless.

Honorable Mentions

Rain City Drive - Things Are Different Now

Starting with an album I didn’t expect to have on this list at all, it’s the new Rain City Drive album, Things Are Different Now, and this record isn’t the most innovative or most unique sounding, but they really hit their stride with this one. They perfected their R&B meets Octanecore sound, and if I had to pick a few albums in this vein to check out, this would be one of them.

Green Day - Saviors

Speaking of another band I didn’t expect to highlight here, Green Day’s new album, Saviors, is an album I surprisingly enjoyed quite a bit. It’s also nothing special, but Saviors is Green Day doing what they do best, and coming back to their punk roots by knowing what works within their sound. Now I’m not quite a diehard fan of these guys now, but I really enjoy it, nonetheless.

The Story So Far - I Want To Disappear

Pop-punk seemingly had a bit of a turnout on my list this year, because there are weirdly a lot of pop-punk records, especially when I’ve gone on record to say that I’m not the biggest fan of the genre anymore. With that said, most of the albums on my yearend list are either from bands I already like, or in the case of The Story So Far’s I Want To Disappear, this is their best album (especially for coming out six years after their last). It’s more or less an alternative album with some pop-punk influence, but it’s a lot of fun.

Judas Priest - Invincible Shield

I hate to say this, despite being a big metal guy, but I don’t have a lot of heavy metal / heavy music on my list. One exception, however, is Judas Priest’s Invincible Shield, which is also their first in six years. This record, like 2018’s Firepower, it shows them operating on all cylinders, even if it doesn’t do anything that they haven’t done before. It’s just impressive that these guys are in their 60s and 70s, but they’re still putting out awesome stuff.

Usher - Coming Home

Usher’s back with a new album, too, and this time it’s his first in eight years (six if you don’t count an EP from 2018), but this is a great mix of classic R&B, pop, and hip-hop. It’s not quite his best album, but at the same time, Usher’s voice hasn’t gotten any less fantastic. His voice is what steals the show, and if you enjoy that, you’ll surely love this album.

Fluorescents - Scream It At Me

Another pop-punk album on the list, but this time it’s a debut album from Chicago band, Fluorescents, entitled Scream It At Me, and these guys remind me of the 00s “neon pop-punk” scene, complete with bright synths, catchy melodies, and a 2010s scene aesthetic. This is one of the most fun albums I’ve heard all year, and it just radiates joy every time I listen to it. If you love that kind of sound, you’ll absolutely love this album.

The Ghost Inside - Searching For Solace

Metalcore has had a pretty cool year, and I got a handful of those types of albums on the list, but The Ghost Inside’s second album after their six-year hiatus. Even then, this is their first album in four years as well, but this record is a fun, engaging, energetic, heavy, and catchy metalcore album. Sure, it’s got a bit of an Octanecore feel to it, but at the same time, this album is solid for what it sets out to do. I kept coming back to this album throughout the year, and it’s a great and cathartic album for metalcore fans.

SeeYouSpaceCowboy - Coup De Grace

If I had a nickel for albums released this year with the title Coup De Grace, I’d have two nickels, which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice. Too bad one of those albums isn’t good, and I’ll mention it on my worst of list, but the good one is the new SeeYouSpaceCowboy album. I’ve loved this band for years, but this album is the culmination of their sound. This record is an amalgamation of 00s alternative music, including elements of metalcore, post-hardcore, pop-punk, and even dance-punk. If you loved and grew up with 00s alternative music, like I did, you’ll instantly feel like you traveled back in time to that era, but in the best way.

Denzel Curry - King Of The Mischievous South, Volume 2

Rapper Denzel Curry came back this year with one of my favorite albums of his, King Of The Mischievous South, Volume 2, and this reminds me a lot of his 2019 album, ZUU. That album was a love letter to Florida, and the 90s and 00s influences that Curry has from his home state, but this record is a love letter to the south in general. Mainly serving as a bandleader, so to speak, he brings aboard a slew of southern artists, as well as southern adjacent artists, to have a lot of fun and pay homage to the 00s southern hip-hop sound.

Better Lovers - Highly Irresponsible

A metalcore supergroup featuring every member of Every Time I Die, except for Keith Buckley, and Greg Puciato of The Dillinger Escape Plan, Better Lovers’ debut album, Highly Irresponsible, was one of my most anticipated albums, but it delivers. This album is kind of predictable, because if you’ve heard either band, you’ll know what to expect, but at the same time, it’s done well, so I really can’t complain. If anything, maybe their next album will be more interesting and push boundaries, but this debut is still quite good.

Brigitte Calls Me Baby - The Future Is Our Way Out

The debut album from Brigitte Calls Me Baby probably wins for most unique album of this year, especially for its brand of rockabilly meets 80s post-punk meets modern indie rock. Their vocalist reminds me of a mix of Morrissey (without the pompous attitude and racism) and Roy Orbison. It can get a bit messy at times, especially where their sound is a mish mash of stuff, but it has a really cool foundation, so I bet their next album is going to iron out those kinks in their armor. In the meantime, this is a really solid and unique album that surprisingly works really well.

Neck Deep - S/T

One of the final honorable mentions is the latest album from Neck Deep, which is just a self-titled album. This album came out in January, weirdly enough, but it was something I kept revisiting throughout the last handful of months. I mainly came back to this when it was warmer out, and the weather was perfect for pop-punk. This is one of those albums that isn’t anything super unique, but their sound ultimately goes back to their roots, yet they have a wiser mentality this time around. For that reason, I really enjoy this album, but with pop-punk having a real good year, I didn’t want overload my top ten with nothing but pop-punk albums.

Justin Timberlake - Everything I Thought It Was

The comeback Justin Timberlake album, Everything I Thought It Was, is one of those albums that came and went without much fanfare. It wasn’t hated, but at the same time, JT’s star power has faded over time. He isn’t the big name he was a decade ago, but this new album is still a quite good. If anything, he does what he does best, which is upbeat and catchy R&B, soul, and funk. The album does drag a bit by the end, and the lyrics aren’t very good most of the time, but I’m also not listening to a JT album for its lyrics. This album has some of my favorite moments from him, and some of my new favorite tracks, but it’s a shame that people don’t quite care about him as much anymore.

Now that the honorable mentions are out of the way, it’s time for the meat of the list, but these are the best of the best from 2024. A lot of times, I like to reflect on the year as a whole, and this year is no exception. I think it’s safe to say that this year was full of ups and downs for people, but it was a rocky year full of tragedy, political uproar, and negativity that we just need to escape from (and also fight against). These are my top ten favorite albums of this year, and these are the albums that I either went back to the most, I thought about the most, or that made some significant impact on me this year. There are no prerequisites for genre, sound, style, or type of artists I have here. They range from pop-punk to rap and hip-hop, but I love all kinds of music. With that said, let’s get into this, starting with…

10: Out Of/Into - Motion I

This is the most recent addition to the list, hence why this album is at number ten, but this band is a jazz band featuring some of the brightest and most talented musicians in contemporary jazz today. Specifically on the legendary Blue Note Records, these musicians almost all recorded other albums, but came together for this one. Originally called the Blue Note Quartet to celebrate the label’s 85th anniversary, they changed their name and dropped this banger of an album. This is some of the most fun, energetic, and unique jazz I’ve heard in 2024. A really great album that I wish came out sooner, but an album I needed to mention, nonetheless.

9: Bilmuri - American Motor Sports

Country has had a good year, too, although I didn’t hear too many country albums I loved. I heard a handful that I really liked, but the only one that came close was the new Bilmuri album, American Motor Sports. Bilmuri, known for his work with Attack Attack in the mid-00s and early 2010s, went on to form this band, but this is my favorite introduction to his work. This album is a country and metalcore hybrid, and you’d think this would be a joke or parody project, but it surprisingly isn’t. Bilmuri plays it straight, especially with the lyrics being very heartfelt and quite good for what they’re doing. The breakdowns are crispy, the hooks are catchy, and the twang is great.

8: Lil Dicky - Penith

Lil Dicky dropped his first (and only) album in 2015, and while he was still around, he didn’t release any projects since. I think he should have dropped more stuff, because it would have made his star power even higher, and he would have remained relevant even longer. He isn’t irrelevant, per se, but Penith is his first album in nine years, and it’s also off the heels of his FX comedy, Dave. Starring himself as a fictionalized version of Lil Dicky, the show is a great example of how Internet culture and hip-hop culture intersect, as well as what it’s like to be a viral star trying to be taken seriously (Lil Dicky himself was a viral star when his debut came out).

The album serves as a soundtrack to the show, so the songs on the show are on the album, and that ultimately makes the album better for me, but the album is a lot more poignant and mature than his debut. The songs are also catchier, and more relatable, because they’re more about him as an artist, and who he is, not just the jokes he can make. It’s more introspective, but I can see why people wouldn’t like this; the album does make more sense in conjunction with the show. The show puts a lot of context into these songs, and they hit harder for that, but they’re also really, catchy, and poignant in a few spots.

7: State Champs - S/T

I had a lol of pop-punk albums on my honorable mentions list, but aside from one coming up later, my favorite pop-punk album of the year is the self-titled State Champs album. I loved their last album, Kings Of The New Age, because it had a youthful energy that I hadn’t heard too much in the genre lately, even if it was rather generic in spots. This new album, however, takes that youthful energy and combines it with a world weary and wiser sound, at least lyrically, while also pulling from the 00s. This thing is super tight and catchy, all the while remaining poignant and interesting.

6: Lupe Fiasco - Samurai

Lupe Fiasco’s a rapper that I hadn’t listened to in years before Samurai came out, but this album is a masterclass in making straightforward and easygoing jazz-rap with some fantastic bars and rhyme schemes. Lupe sounds amazing, per usual, but this record is really short and sweet, ultimately making for a memorable listen that I always want to go back to. This record has hooks and lyrics for days, even if it doesn’t do anything that I haven’t heard before. Sometimes that’s all you need, because it rules.

5: Knocked Loose - You Won’t Go Until You’re Supposed To

In the beginning of this list, I mentioned that albums on here will be ones that I went back to quite a bit, that I thought about, or that had some kind of impact on me. The new Knocked Loose album, You Won’t Go Until You’re Supposed To, is one of those albums that I haven’t gone back to much this year, but it falls into the latter two categories. I’ve thought about this album a lot, and when I do go back to it, I love it. This album has made an impact on me, because it’s the one heavy album I heard that really did something unique and different, versus being the same things I’ve been hearing for years. This album is their heaviest and most unrelenting, but it’s also most interesting conceptually and musically. They opt for a darker sound, as well as darker themes, but it works insanely well. This isn’t a super accessible or catchy album, but it’s a damn good one.

4: Childish Gambino - Atavista

Donald Glover, otherwise known as Childish Gambino, not only dropped two albums this year, but he also had a TV come out (Mr. & Mrs. Smith was that show, and it was one of my favorite shows of the year). I didn’t care too much for the second album he put out this past summer, Bando Stone, but I liked the first one a lot. That was Atavista, which was a finished version of a record he quietly put out in 2020, including some new songs and reworked songs, but this thing is a great journey through R&B, soul, and hip-hop. I hate to say this, but this is what Kanye West should be sounding like in 2024, not whatever he’s been doing.

3: Bayside - There Are Worse Things Than Being Alive

My favorite pop-punk album isn’t really a pop-punk album, because it has elements of hard-rock and alternative rock, but that’s the new Bayside album, There Are Worse Things Than Being Alive. I’ve been a fan of these guys for a long time, especially with 2007’s The Walking Wounded, and this album comes close to that for me. It has a diverse sound, the hooks are great, the vocals are top tier, and the guitar riffs are crunchy and heavy, so this has all the makings of a solid Bayside album. The lyrics are a bit lackluster in spots, but they’re fine. The hooks and the vocals really make up for it, especially when this band has gotten on my nerves for making the same album over and over again in recent years, but this is such a step up.

2: Kendrick Lamar - GNX

When I first put together my list a few weeks ago, Kendrick Lamar’s surprise album was only just a couple weeks old. GNX totally shocked people, myself included, but I absolutely love it. This record served as the victory lap for Kendrick, even after the amount of embarrassment he caused Drake in 2024. It’s a good thing that I waited so long to post this, too, because I’ve spent a lot of time with this album, so I’ve been able to let it simmer more. I put it lower on my list for the same reason I have Out Of/Into’s debut at ten, because I didn’t spend a lot of time with it, yet I do quite love it, but I’ve been listening to this religiously. Songs like “Luther” and “Blue Dodger” absolutely rule, and I can’t get enough of how fun this album is.

1: Linkin Park - From Zero

My favorite album of the year is something I never thought would happen. Well, two things, actually: Linkin Park getting back together with a new singer, and said comeback album being something I truly connected with. Linkin Park announced a reunion seven years after Chester Bennington passed, as well as a new album, entitled From Zero. The name represents two things: their name before they became Linkin Park, and the fact they were starting from zero. With new singer Emily Armstrong, of Dead Sara, the band dropped From Zero, and this album is a master class in how to move forward while also honoring your past, and this is the album that truly got me into Linkin Park.

I never quite got into the band growing up, and over the past decade, I’ve struggled to really get a grasp on them, but listening to this and their whole discography showed me that I quite respect and love this band (some albums more than others, but I respect their experimentation). This is the cream of the crop, though, and I absolutely love it. From the razor sharp hooks, the dual vocals that work so well together, and the lyrics that are broad yet relatable enough to get into, and the diverse sound that pulls from a lot of their albums, including Mike Shinoda’s debut solo album as himself from 2018, it just all works so well. It’s also a tight 32 minutes, so it’s such a short listen, and because of that, I want to keep listening to it over and over again.

Worst Of The Year

Something different that I wanted to do this year, and it’s something I haven’t done in maybe a decade, which is a worst of list. I like highlight the good music that came out, but bad music is out there, too. Just like with the best of list, this is personal. Out of everything I listened to this year, these albums were the worst. If you love them, great, but don’t whine to me about it. These albums aren’t good, and whining about how much you love them won’t change my mind. I got a few honorable mentions to kick things off, because I wanted to have a top ten (plus one honorable mention) but I still wanted to highlight a few other albums, starting with…

Honorable Mention: Kerry King - From Hell I Rise

Earlier this year, Kerry King put out his debut solo album, From Hell I Rise, and I enjoyed it for what it was. It was a solid, albeit generic, thrash album with some pedigree behind it. Having former and current members of Slayer, Vio-Lence, and Death Angel is impressive, but at the same time, it didn’t amount to much to when Kerry King wrote the songs. King is a decent guitar player, but this sounds like the last few Slayer albums after Jeff Hanneman passed away.

If I liked this album when it came out, why is here now? Well, in a lot of cases, I end up going back to stuff more and more, but I’ve gone back to this album less and less, although I wouldn’t say this album is bad, per se. It’s just generic and bland, especially when I can get better thrash elsewhere. I really liked it when it came out, but the more I thought about this album throughout the year, the less I was enthusiastic about it, so I wanted to put it as a late honorable mention on the list, versus actively putting it on there, because I don’t think this album is that bad, but it’s really forgettable.

Bastardane - Catatonic Symphony

Bastardane is the brainchild of James Hetfield’s son, and these guys have a pretty cool sound, but this album just isn’t it. Their debut was pretty rough around the edges, but it was an interesting mix of sludge metal and thrash metal, although it was nothing special. It was fine for what it was, but Catatonic Symphony is way too long with no sense of focus or direction, and it just doesn’t sound good. Maybe third time’s the charm, but this album left a bad taste in my mouth.

Capstan - The Mosasic

You can copy and paste the same thing with the new Capstan album, The Mosaic, because this record is a huge mess, as well as being way too long. The difference is, however, I really enjoyed their last album. It was a cool mix between pop-punk, math-rock, and post-hardcore. This album, however, really tries to force in a lot of other sounds that aren’t needed. It has a few cool moments, but there are some genuinely baffling and awful choices on this thing.

Cassadee Pope - Hereditary

Singer Cassadee Pope is a pretty good singer, all things considered, but her first rock album since her time in Hey Monday with the late 00s, Hereditary, just isn’t good. Truthfully, this album isn’t the worst of the year, but it sounds so lazily put together, haphazard, and boring, I just didn’t like it. I wish it was better, and a few songs are kind of interesting, but it sounds so uninspired, this record felt like it was put together by AI.

Okay, onto the list proper, and this is gonna get bad, so if you need to take a break or step away, be my guest. These are the worst albums I’ve heard all year, starting with…

Kittie - Fire

The biggest crime of Fire, which is the comeback Kittie album (their first in 13 years), is that it’s so boring, bland, and forgettable, it has no reason to exist. That sounds harsh, but they didn’t update or modernize their sound whatsoever. It’s straight out of 2004, but in a really bad way that makes me question why I even listened to this in the first place.

Powerflo - Gorilla Warfare

This is the newest album on the list, as it just came out within the last month, but Powerflo is a supergroup with some prominent guys from 90s and 00s rap-metal bands, including Downset, Fear Factory, and Biohazard, as well as a member of Cypress Hill. The pedigree is there, but the quality is not. This is their second album, and while listening to this, I kept wondering why this was made. This is super generic rap-metal, first off, but the lyrics and vocals are some of the worst I’ve heard all year. There are a few cool songs, which keeps it from being higher, but this album was so painful to listen to.

Katy Perry - 143

Katy Perry’s had a nosedive of a career falloff within the last handful of years, especially with her last couple of albums not doing the same numbers her first few did, but 143 is such a massive misfire. This album is another AI-generated album, but it’s so bland, forgettable, boring, and lackluster that it kind of hurt to listen to. Not to mention, there’s a painful “feminist” track on this album that sounds like it’s both ten years too late and trying so hard to pander to women. If anything, this record shows how she’s fallen out of public favor.

Jax - Dear Joe,

Remember that insufferable song with the lyric “I know Victoria’s Secret,” and it was about how men actually control the beauty industry, but it was by an artist named Jax. I forgot all about it until she dropped her debut album, and it’s some of the worst pop music I’ve ever heard. It isn’t the worst album I’ve heard all year, partially because what she talks about here is good, it’s how she talks about it that isn’t good. This is just some of the cringiest pop music I’ve ever heard, especially with how dated a lot of the songs immediately are for their Gen Z slang and meme references. If you needed an example, the album referenced the “hawk tuah” meme right when it first got popular.

Nothing More - Carnal

Nothing More is one of my most hated bands, both because they’re just not good, and because they’re a pretentious band that acts like they’re more interesting than what they are. Their new album, Carnal, exemplifies all their worst qualities, whether it’s throwing in stupid and pretentious samples of speeches that have nothing to do with the song or content, lyrics that are just as pretentious, or a sound that isn’t anything special, but they act like it’s super unique and innovative. Spoiler alert: it’s not. The first third of this album was cool, and it was slightly interesting, but the album devolved into a pretentious mess, and it completely lost me.

Skillet - Revolution

This is another one of the most recent albums on the list, but I hate Skillet. Even aside from frontman John Cooper becoming weirdly Christian and looking like a youth pastor trying to appeal to Gen Z, they’ve almost always been bad. Some of their early stuff is fine, but they’re just the epitome of bad hard rock. Revolution is the kind of album that has no reason for existing, as this thing is 35 minutes of hard rock that sounds like it’s from 2014. This thing sounds dated as all get out, complete with lyrics about revolutions and “rising up,” and generic riffs and choruses that all sound like stuff you’ve heard before. This album isn’t so much outright bad, as it is lazy, but that in turn makes it bad.

Hardy - Quit!!

Look, I liked Hardy’s last album, the overly long The Mockingbird & The Crow from 2023, but even then, I knew how ridiculous some of that was. I liked it, because it had some good hooks, and didn’t take itself too seriously, but Quit? Man, this thing is just awful, whether it’s from the title track that has Hardy complaining about how his haters told him to quit all those years ago, and he, well, won’t, to songs that are obnoxiously terrible and featuring Fred Durst, of all people. This album sucks, and I don’t know how his sound could get any worse, but here we are.

Eminem - The Death Of Slim Shady

Speaking of artists I hate, Eminem sucks, and let’s stop pretending that he’s still an influential and important rapper in 2024. He isn’t. The Death Of Slim Shady is a record that clearly wants to have his cake and eat it, too, by “killing” his most revered character but all the while revisiting and utilizing that shtick in the first place. What’s the point of killing that character when most of this album features him? There are also a lot of really awful, tone-deaf, mean-spirited, and unfunny bars that make fun of random kinds of people. Yeah, he makes fun of everyone, but he’s 50, so why? This album should have been “okay, boomer,” because Eminem’s age is really showing here.

Falling In Reverse - Popular Monster

If it isn’t Ronnie Radke, the metalcore wannabe Eminem (or Tom MacDonald, depending on who you ask), but I’m not surprised a new FIR album is on the list. Popular Monster isn’t even a proper album, because most of these songs are from the last five years, so he only put this out to appease his record label, and actually give them an album. Go figure, though, this thing sucks. It’s got everything you expect from new Falling In Reverse — awful white boy rapping, generic metalcore, lyrics about how misunderstood he is, as well as lyrics that are about “cancel culture” for some reason, because Radke has turned into a conservative mouthpiece in the last handful of years. This album is just bad, but who am I kidding? I knew that before the album even came out.

Aaron Lewis - The Hill

And Popular Monster isn’t the worst of the year, it’s Aaron Lewis’ new album, The Hill. I knew as soon as I heard this album that this would remain unchanged for the worst of the year. This album is a hilariously sad attempt at a country album from a guy that isn’t even from the south, but has been making bad country music for the past decade or so. Only now, he decided to move into the MAGA territory, and the lyrics on this record are as bigoted, racist, and xenophobic as ever. The music itself is just as bad, but it’s the lyrics that take the cake for me. This album is just pure trash in every sense of the word, especially for its blatant racist ideas and lyricism.

[watercoloredlie]

So I read Flight of Icarus and it wasn’t that bad.

I love that Eddie got his love for music from his mom. She sounded like a cool lady gone too soon. It’s cute that he shares her initials.

Al Munson can rot.

Wayne should be protected at all costs. I hate how people lump all the Munsons together when Al is the only real bad one. Wayne always had Eddie’s back and I love that.

Higgins can rot too. I hate that stereotype of the jocks getting away with bullying while their victims get in trouble.

Bev is cool for the most part. I didn’t mind the idea of Eddie also working at the Hideout.

It was cool to get a glimpse of another Hellfire campaign with Eddie as DM. Also kind of cool to get a glimpse of earlier versions of the characters we saw on the show.

Ronnie was cool. I can see why she and Eddie were compared to Robin and Steve. Love that Granny Ecker was cool with Eddie too. At least until he upset Ronnie. It was cool to see Ronnie not backing down to the bullies.

Paige. I expected her to be terrible given everyone’s reactions to her, but she really isn’t that bad. Eddie was his cute dorky self with her. I was surprised that she bailed him out after their argument though. It’s funny that people think Eddie was a virgin with no game. Man had Chrissy skipping up to his doorway. He had her smitten with him in the woods. But I digress.

Chrissy my love. She was so badass standing up for Gareth and Eddie. This book just made me love her more. I loved the flashback to the night of the talent show. She and Eddie were adorable.

Reefer Rick was pretty much just how I had headcanoned him.

Eddie meeting the Byers boys and protecting Will was awesome. I love that Will got the first invite to Hellfire. I wish Eddie knew how the boys didn’t want to play DnD with Will in season three. Oh he would have reamed them out.

I appreciate the Warners for being welcoming to Eddie. Props to Mr. Warner for calling Wayne a good guy. Sure, Eddie had to downplay stuff a bit, but it was nice to see a family like Paige’s not immediately brush off Eddie as no good.

Eddie deserved to live and to graduate. This book just made it clear how even more unfair it was that his storyline ended the way it did. There was a lot of foreshadowing to it in the book too.

It was also pretty cool to see Corroded Coffin band moments. I still think Dougie is the unnamed member of the band since they did say their rehearsal space was in his garage and that kind of does match up with what was shown in Season 4. Although he’s supposed to be a senior in the book so that doesn’t line up. I don’t really know if he is the unnamed band member or not.

Also unless I read wrong, did they really mess up Gareth’s wrist when he’s a drummer? Only to have Jason mess up his hand in season four? That was uncalled for. Leave Gare alone.

I appreciate how understanding Hop was with Eddie. I think deep down even he knew Eddie was a good kid for the most part.

Eddie’s LOTR monologues were just so Eddie lol. It was cool to see Ronnie try to help him with his studies though. Hurt to see him call the assigned reading for English bland, but I get it. There were some books we had to read for English that I didn’t like either.

It was a nice touch that they mentioned Eddie enjoying comics. Especially the Xmen ones since it kind of confirms he got the Hellfire Club name from the Xmen comics.

All in all, not a bad book. Third ST novel I read. Lucas on the Line was really good despite the descriptions of Eddie not really being accurate. Also read the Hopper book which was pretty good too.

[squishmallow36]

Aro Dex Fic I don't feel like Titling

Word count: 2333

Tw: swearing, murder/near death experience mentions (i promise it's fluffy tho)

Taglist (lmk if you want to be added/removed!): @stellar-lune @gaslight-gaetkeep-gayboss @kamikothe1and0lny @nyxpixels @florida-preposterously @poppinspop @uni-seahorse-572 @solreefs @the-blender-of-the-genders @rusted-phone-calls @when-wax-wings-melt @immersion-blender @good-old-fashioned-lover-boy7 @dexter-dizzknees @abubble125 @hi-imgrapes @callum-hunt-is-bisexual @xanadaus @callas-pancake-tree @hi-my-name-is-awesome @katniss-elizabeth-chase @arson-anarchy-death

And of course a HUGE thank you to @synonymroll648 for giving me the motivation to write this thing. It'd still be rotting in my google drive if it weren't for you and I hope it lives up to your expectations from that one snippet. Sorry it took an extra day; I got distracted playing factorio in true Dex fashion

On Ao3 or below the cut!

    A knock at Dex’s bedroom door cuts through xor blaring music. Xe’s fully prepared to wage all-out guerilla warfare against whichever one of xor siblings dared to interrupt one of the few times xor brain isn’t being a little bitch. 

    One of the very few times xe isn’t worrying about seventeen thousand different productive things xe has to do and is instead simply able to ignore them. 

    And that’s exactly why xe’s spent the last two and a half hours coding a game of bingo. Sometimes that just kind of happens. It’s not like there’s anything xe can do to change it. 

    Dex pulls out his earbuds, calling, “Come in!” 

    Sophie’s head pokes through a small gap in the doorway as she greets, “Hello!” 

    Awfully cheery for someone who has a near-death experience once a week. I wonder what Keefe’s done this time. 

    “Oh, hey.” Dex smiles. “I didn’t know I still existed in your mind.” 

    Sophie closes the door behind him as he points to his temple, giggling, “Photographic memory.”

    “Ah. That explains it. What sort of project do you have for me this time?” Despite what she may claim and what Dex wants to admit to xemself, Sophie has a…tendency to only come see xem when she has a project for xem. That’s just the way it works these days.  

    “Hide me from Sandy. I don’t want to deal with him today,” Sophie answers, smooshing into the bean bag in the corner. 

    Dex sighs. “If you get murdered under my watch, I better not get blamed.” 

    Xe may mean it in a joking way, but history has shown it’s a possibility that shouldn’t be immediately discounted, and then it would be all xor fault if something happened to him. 

    Sophie makes a disgruntled noise. “You sound just like Sandy.” 

    A smile pulls at the corners of Dex’s mouth. “...Maybe I’m part Goblin. That would explain a lot.” 

    What exactly it would explain, xe doesn’t know. But there’s probably something somewhere. 

    “Like the fact you’re seventeen feet tall?” 

    Note to self: learn the US customary system of measurement. 

    At least, the way she says this implies that this is a large number even if the Elves don’t measure things in feet. Feet--as in, the attached appendages--vary in size too much for their pretentiousness because everything has to be standardized. 

    But not the same way humans do. The human metric system isn’t good enough either. Why that is, nobody knows. 

    “I’m a normal height. You’re just short.” 

    Actually, xe’s half a maik taller than the average elf, but that’s close enough for the sake of argument. 

    “You know what? Fuck you.” Sophie replies, getting up from the bean bag and burrowing into Dex’s bed. 

    Or at least that’s what it sounds like he says. The blanket muffle factor is very high. 

    He pauses for a second before mumbling, “I live here now.” 

    I really hope you can breathe in there. 

    “Mood.” Dex turns to go back to xor Bingo project, but xe has a thought--wasting xor only one for this week on a Tuesday--

    Why do Elves use the same Gregorian calendar as humans do anyway? Eh, whatever. That’s an issue for another day. 

    --and asks Sophie, “Why didn’t you choose to go brother Keefe?” 

    “More time before Sandy finds me. He’d check there first. Or maybe Everglen. Either way, it’s high up on the list.” 

    Dex shakes xor head. “So you’re trading my life for what? Ten minutes of being buried in a blanket cocoon? Can’t you do that at home?”

    “Well, yeah, but I don’t have Gwendle at home,” she replies, crushing the fluffy pink pig’s head in with her elbow. 

    “If something happens to Gwendle, I swear to fucking Exile the Neverseen are going to look like a bunch of Level Twos.” 

    “Level Twos are vicious, my dude. I hope you can bring it.” 

    “I know. I live with three of them. Send help.” 

    Sophie does not seem to take this as an actual plea for help. Or actively chooses to let Dex suffer. 

    “Wait, the triplets are Level Twos? They’re still supposed to be like,” Sophie pauses, “seven.” 

    “They were nine the first time you met them!” 

    “That’s both wrong and incorrect.” 

     No, unfortunately, it is neither of the above. And Dex has learned from the most obnoxious of Level Twos, so any sort of punishment xe creates is certain to be horribly painful. 

    Sophie recovers quickly from this revelation, asking, “So what’s new in your life?”

    “Not much. I have a random bruise on my arm and I’m not sure how it got there.” Xe tries to show her, but his head is buried in the blanket cocoon and has no chance of appreciating the yellow blob.

    Is it weird my bruises don’t really go through the bruise-looking purplish stage and instead go directly to yellow-green? I should Google that at some point.

    “How about you,” xe tacks on after a moment because that is the correct next step of the social contract. 

    “I’ve been experiencing gay thoughts for Keefie. You know how it is.” 

    Dex laughs nervously. No, I don’t, Sophie. 

    It’s not that Keefe isn’t objectively attractive, all Elves are, but that’s part of the problem. If all Elves are gorgeous, then none of them are.  

    Don’t blame me for getting my philosophy from The Incredibles. There’s only so much I can do. 

    “Oh, and, uh, by the way. I’m not exactly straight,” Sophie mentions casually. 

    Dex sees flashbacks of one of the last times xe was trying to procrastinate, trying to find Amy on human Social Media because that seemed like a good use of his time. 

    Incidentally, he found both Amy and Sophie, who stated in his description that he’s bi. Also the gender thing. That should also count for something although that hasn’t been updated in a while and still included they/them which has since been blacklisted for reasons.

    “I--I know. I stalked your Instagram page.”

    Sophie sits up, blankets puddling around her, hair standing on end from static. “You found that?”

    “I’m a Technopath with too much free time so…yeah.” Dex shrugs. “Spent some time trying to look through every single Sophie Foster but then I figured Amy would probably be following you and somehow she managed to find me a while ago.”

    “Why the fuck do you even have an Instagram?” 

    “I’ve got to keep up with the chocolate man’s bullshittery,” Dex replies like it’s the most obvious answer in the world. 

    Sophie clearly has no clue who Dex is talking about, but doesn’t bother asking. There are some days when going to a lecture is almost tolerable, but she’s not going to waste her free time away from Sandor to learn. “Fair.” He pauses, falling back into the bed with a huff. “You’re smart. Can you explain something to me?” 

    “I can try?” Dex replies, attempting to mentally prepare for whatever he tries to throw at xem. 

    “Elves are fucking stunning, yes?”

    Xe was not prepared for that. 

    “Yes?” Objectively, of course, but yes. 

    “So can you explain to me why my gay awakening was caused by Grace O’Malley? Like, what the fuck, brain? She’s been dead for centuries. I don't understand this. And this postdates moving to the Lost Cities by the way. This was two months ago.” 

     I could’ve told you two years ago, but I was oblivious to myself so I’m not going to be like that. Not today. 

    Dex nods like xe understands what she’s saying, but despite xor human studies, xe has no clue who this is, but there’s reasoning behind it. Just like the entire conversation they had ranking all the US presidents by how attractive they were. 

    That Franklin Pierce won by a large margin.

     Why that was a conversation, xe couldn’t tell you. Why Grace O’Malley is causing Sophie so many gay thoughts, xe couldn’t tell you either. 

    “You have no clue who I’m talking about, do you?” Sophie asks. 

    “No but that doesn’t mean I don’t have Wikipedia…but, please be my Wikipedia for this. It’s sure to be more entertaining than normal Wikipedia.” 

    “I see you’re enjoying my suffering,” Sophie mutters, but before Dex can reply, he’s off on a rambled explanation. “Grace O’Malley, also known as Granuaile, was the baddest bitch that ever lived. I mean yes she was documented to have a husband at one point and a boyfriend at another point but then he was killed and she absolutely fucked his killers over so, yoou know, that comes out even. She’s known today as the pirate queen of Ireland and, gods, I wish she’d step on me.” 

    Are the Allos okay? 

    “None of my little gay thoughts make any sense. By any rational means my gay awakening should’ve been Biana or Marella or Linh. Oh gods, Linh is so pretty. Isn’t Linh so pretty?”

    “I…haven’t really thought about it I guess.” 

    “What the fuck do you mean, my dude?” Sophie asks, sitting up once again to stare into Dex’s soul.

    Dex shrugs. “I mean it just hasn’t really crossed my mind.”     

    Sophie buries his head in his hands. “What do you mean it hasn’t crossed your mind‽ I can’t seem to have any other thoughts even when I’m literally in the middle of getting murdered.”

    Dex takes a breath. “Would you like a possible explanation to this whole dilemma?”

    Cranking sarcasm up to eleven, Sophie replies, “No. I enjoy suffering this anguish. Teach me your ways.” 

    “Yeah, so, um. A couple of weeks ago I might’ve come to the realization that I’m aro…”

    Smiling, Sophie asks in pretend anger, “Why the fuck did I kiss you then?” 

    “You see, what I believed was romantic attraction was really just a wonderful combination of a squish and comphet. So yeah. That happened. I’m sorry.” 

    “Oh, don’t be sorry. Elves being painfully blind to the obvious is just simply a genetic trait we all seem to share.” 

    “...I thought I was part goblin.”

    “You inherited the worst of both worlds. Obliviousness and being tall,” Sophie laughs.”So how’d you overcome your predisposition to obliviousness?” 

    Dex begins, “I was laying in bed one night at about, let’s say three a.m. because that’s better than the actual time, refusing to sleep because sleep is for losers--”

    “Mood,” Sophie interrupts.

    “--and out of nowhere the realization hit me like a sack of wet mice. Looking back, the lack of heart palpitations should have been a very telling sign. And there was some sorting out and reclassifying what I previously believed was romantic attraction but everything can be explained away pretty easily,” Dex finishes. 

    “Palpitations? Is that related to Emperor Palpatine? Dex, are you gay for a crusty old Star Wars dude?” Sophie jokes.

    Dex laughs. “That would be so on brand for me but, sadly, no. You know when your heart gets fluttery during a panic attack? It’s the fancy medical word for that.”

    “Why do you know this? You aren’t a healer; you don’t like people enough for that.” 

    “Partially because Merriam-Webster offers a word of the day calendar and partially because my brain just sometimes decides to store the most useless shit. Like the periodic table. Can you tell me the molar mass of copper off the top of your head?”

    “63.55, of course. But you don’t have a photographic memory. This makes no sense to me.”

    “You see, to make room for all that extra storage, I forget an equal number of things. Often the victims are remembering to eat and sleep and which way is left and right.” 

    “Mood. Do you know the left hand right hand trick?”

    “...no?” Dex answers. 

    “If you hold out your left hand, it looks like an ‘L’ which is the same letter that starts the word left. And the right hand is backwards,” Sophie explains. 

    “I hate to break this to you, Soph, but that might be the case in the Latin Alphabet--I should really get back to Duolingo--but that’s not how it works in Elvin runes. And I have a feeling it would take more brain power to remember the rule than to remember left and right so I think I’m just not going to know directions ever. I’ve resigned myself to my fate.” 

    Before he can craft an elaborate mnemonic device to help both of them with a skill they probably should have learned in elf-kindergarten, Dex’s mom yells up the stairs for xem. 

    Half a second later, she’s followed up by a chorus of slightly-off-timed “DEX!”s from the triplets. 

    Xe cracks the door open, replying, “Yeah?” 

    “You wouldn’t happen to know where Sophie might be, eh?” 

    The triplets attempt to also repeat this, to vastly more disastrous results as Dex and Sophie have the shortest staring contest in recorded history. 

    ‘I’ll send her right down!” Dex says, trying to keep any sort of emotion from xor face to no avail. 

    Sophie’s gaze hardens into a glare with the fury of an incredibly cliche but still somehow accurate thousand suns. 

    “You can go and fuck yourself,” he says quietly. 

    Dex pretends to consider. “Nah, I’m too ace for that. Now. Begone before Sandor comes and destroys my room. Everything has its assigned place and I’m not in the mood to reorganize. Not today.” 

    “Bye! If I never get to leave the house again I’ll hail you when I get bored.” 

    Please don’t. I’d rather not have a panic attack and avoiding calls is a very good way to do that. 

    Dex waves as Sophie escapes xor room and down the stairs. If she gets kidnapped by the triplets on the way down, it isn’t xor fault. 

    Xe collapses back into xor chair, leaning too far back and scaring xemself before sighing. 

    That was…less painful than anticipated. Still not telling my mother any time in the next thousand years though. Even with a society constructed around the arospecs we call the council. That’s not happening. Not under my watch. 

[chicken-delight]

OK here is my voice to text two cents. Don’t think it’s gonna be as bad as we think. I think there’s some of you who just don’t like Timothy because he’s famous. And that’s OK. I don’t think he’s great. I think he’s OK. Hated him as Laurie in little women. But that’s besides the point. he is doing his best. I do think that they’re gonna make Joan a manic pixie dream girl who’s only in the movie for 30 minutes. Are we truly expecting it to be any other way? It’s Hollywood. I think this is all depending on the quality of the writing in the writing of the story. I don’t know anything about this director. But as long is it a genuinely good story about a person I’m ok. like that’s my main issue with like the doors movie for instance. Not only is it a false retelling it’s also a bad movie. And that’s the worst combo. That’s the worst crime. Anyways, don’t take it out on Timothy. He’s the pawn. He’s just a guy. and anyways, like no movies ever gonna capture the depth of Bob Dylan. I wish they would’ve picked well. I wish it could’ve either been like a from birth to now story even though they’d be missing a lot of things, but I do wish it were more about going electric but then what happened after not really the buildup because that’s just kind of boring. I don’t know I feel like the Woodstock. And like the Nashville period Is really more interesting than him putting on the electric guitar for the first time. Even though like you know culturally, this is a substantial thing. That people don’t know about people don’t appreciate. And maybe they’re using Timothy as kind of a gateway for the uncultured youth of today that’s supposed to be an air quotes to access. Or at least access the importance of putting poetry to rock ‘n’ roll music. Anyways, I’m losing my train of thought. I need to direct the movie about Bob and Sara and their kids in Woodstock on the trampoline. I’ll do it. I don’t even like movies. But I’ll do it. Someone hire me. Marty!!!! and I also want to say like. We can not like Timothy. And that’s OK. And a little bit of gatekeeping is OK too but just have your hearts open. Even if it’s just a crack open. We don’t want to be haters. I know there’s memes about being haters, but in reality everyone is a lover. And that’s just what I think. Open your heart. If it sucks. It sucks if it’s OK it’s OK. I don’t even wanna go there to say that if it’s good, it’s good. But you never know. Bob is something so personal to me. And I do kind of feel like people are stepping on the sacredness of my connection with Bob’s music by making a movie with you know some young heartthrob in it. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t still have my own relationship with the music. you know? And I will say like like in high school this is funny I did run a Timothée Chalamet fan Instagram account that was quite famous. OK well I didn’t run it. I ran it the girl who ran it and like got all the crazy number followers posted something like I need someone to admin and and it was me so I don’t wanna take all the credit but I used to do that. I thought he was cute. Sue me. I like again like I don’t mind him. I don’t think he’s awesome now but he’s just like whatever. And it’s just like funny for me because it was like right after I started doing that account that I started like really really listening to Bob Dylan. So it’s kind of just like a funny coincidence for me personally. OK I don’t really know where else I’m going with this OK bye

[periwinckles]

first semifinal of the Eurovision Song Contest is done! #spoilersahead

my favourites: Norway, Portugal and Czechia.

I actually went back and listened a second time for each one of these songs. They are the most memorable and the ones I would surely put into a playlist. I would be glad with either one winning.

all three of them sound very culturally unique, and I love it, I just love when you can guess which country is singing only based on the musicality of the song.

NORWAY- Queen of Kings

Norway is singing in English and I usually prefer when they sing in their own language, but it really works with the song. To me the song deserves a total of twelve points and I’m actually listening to it for the fifth time. Her voice is just awesome, the costumes are on point. Twelve points from me.

PORTUGAL - Aí coração

this is the most fun song of the whole semi final. Love the Mediterranean vibe, love the choreography. You can’t listen to this and stay still, and the choreography has some basic moves (head bobbing, the chest slaps, the clapping) that the audience can easily replicate it and that adds to the whole music experience. I’m only disappointed with ‘MiMicat’s vocals tonight. Her voice wasn’t on pitch at least a couple of times, and I get that it’s probably due to nervousness. The studio version is flawless. Other than that her last high note is fenomenal. 10 points from me.

CZECHIA- my sisters crown

oh those braids! I just love it! Love the song, even if I don’t understand what they are singing. Visually it works well, love the harmonies and the folk vibe. choreography is pretty good too. I kept expecting them to fall over their braids, but they were AWESOME. The only thing I wasn’t that convinced was when they sang all by themselves, I prefer the harmonies. They sing ok, but the voices weren’t awesome, and it showed when they sang alone. 10 points from me.

much ado about nothing: Sweden

seriously I don’t get it. Yeah, Loreen is a good singer, and she is somewhat memorable but the song is not that great and actually sounds pretty generic to me. I wouldn’t mind not listening to the song ever again. I’ll be disappointed if she wins.

I was sorry they didn’t pass to the finals: Ireland and Azerbaijan

[untitled-document-95]

In The Stars (andy barber x daughter!reader)

Summary: Andy picks up his daughter from dance and enjoys a blissfully ordinary evening

Warnings: None

Requested: by @youmakemefeelbetter

A/N: This is the part where I apologize for a) writing this request and never posting it, b) losing the original fic I wrote, and c) just now posting it...almost two years later 🙃

The song I picture her dancing to is "In The Stars" by Benson Boone, hence the title...but it's up to your imagination as well :)

*gif is not mine*

“Beautiful! Step, step, bend deeply, and-“

The words of her dance coach were drowned out. The music was loud around her, the melody within her. Her concentration only peaked as the music crescendoed to its intense end before slowly fading out. The song ended, leaving her sweaty, breathless, and lightheaded from the high of it all.

“Great job, Ms. Barber. Time’s up, so I’ll see you next week.”

She nods at her coach before retreating to the corner of the studio to change out of her shoes, throw a pair of sweatpants on over her leotard and tights, and slip on the shoes she’d worn into the studio that day.

Outside on the sidewalk, she slipped her team hoodie on as the wind chilled her more than expected. Spring may be here, but winter still hadn’t fully left, either.

Andy Barber’s dark Audi pulled in front of the dance studio to pick up one of the last dancers left that evening. Not just any dancer, but his favorite one: his daughter.

“Need a ride?” he asks, rolling down his window. What a dad joke. His daughter playfully rolls her eyes at him as she pulls the passenger door open.

“Hey, sweetheart, how was practice?”

“It was good. I think I’m as ready as I’ll ever be to do this solo at Nationals.”

“That’s great, honey. You know I’m proud of you no matter what!” Andy looks at his daughter expectantly, but she gives him that “You’re so corny, dad,” look before looking back down at her phone.

“How about dinner? Your mom went to Toby’s and your brother went to a friend’s house, so it’s just you and me.”

“Sure. Can we just grab pizza?”

“I don’t see why not,” Andy replies. The drive to their favorite pizza place is silent, save for the white noise of the drive and the radio softly playing a station neither of them were paying attention to.

At the counter, Andy orders while his daughter scrolls on her phone at a nearby bench. He pays before joining her on the bench.

After a few moments, Andy speaks.

“Hey, can we,” he tries to cool his tone and not sound like a nagging father. “Can we have an actual social interaction not blocked by a cellular device for a second?” She obliges without even an eye roll, surprising Andy.

“Sure, dad. What do you want to talk about?”

“How’s school going?”

“Wow, the most cliché parent question ever,” she teases. “Um, it’s okay, I guess. I got an A on my last science quiz.”

“You did not get your scientific side from me,” he chuckles. “Remember your third grade science fair project? Your mom had to help you with everything, I just got to glue paper to the display board.”

You laugh too. “Yeah, I remember that. Still got a blue ribbon, though.”

“You know, I don’t know if your mom and I really give you enough credit for how awesome you are.”

“Daad…” the teenager begins, but Andy cuts her off.

“No, seriously. We’re really proud of you, kid.” She just gives him a lopsided smile, trying so desperately to hide the wave of emotion his words had washed over her. She didn’t realize how much she needed to hear the words until he said them.

“Order for Barber!” a teenage boy at the counter calls. Andy goes to stand, but his daughter stops him.

“I got it, dad!” she says. Andy wants to believe his daughter offered to go grab their pizzas as an act of kindness, but her rushed tone and frantic body language tell him there was a completely other motive for her actions. Sure enough, when she approaches the counter, Andy watches her begin a mildly flirtatious banter with the boy who’d called their order out. With one eyebrow raised, Andy slowly stalks up behind his not-so-little girl. He claps a gentle hand onto her shoulder and interrupts the conversation.

“Ready to go, sweetie?” he says. There’s an edge to his words that says “There is only one right answer to that question.”

“I’ll see you at school,” she calls to the boy. He returns the farewell and the two Barbers head back out to the car.

“Who was that?” Andy asks, flashing her a mischievous grin.

“Daaad…”

[michaelndarling]

“Really? Wow. That’s - that’s awesome. The music was really good, I don’t know much about orchestras or anything like that, and I didn’t really have anything else to compare it too - but it sounded great to me,” he compliments in a bit of a rush, feeling somewhat embarrassed for having admitted that the only reason he’d bothered going to the show the other boy had likely worked so hard on was for a few pop stars cast in the lead role. But hey, it meant two tickets sold for just him alone at least - and Michael was certain he hadn’t been the only one to show up simply for the stars. At the mention of Berlioz’s sister, his eyes lit up ever so slightly. “I do know her, actually. We haven’t officially met yet - but she’s kinda dating my brother, John.” Small world it was, him running into and meeting one of Marie’s brothers before the actual girl herself. Though, in truth, he hadn’t been in any real rush to meet her - not with the slight riff between John and himself going on.

At the way Berlioz so easily accepted the fact and even encouraged his prioritizing the job at the restaurant over his school, he couldn’t help but grin a bit. It was rare to find anyone nowadays that didn’t think university was the most important thing a young person could and should do. And perhaps maybe in the future Michael would regret not putting more time and effort into his studies, but in his current point of life it just seemed like a waste more than anything else. “If only my parents could see it that way,” he quips, shaking his head a bit. There was something about the boy, who was practically a stranger, that made it feel so easy to admit to things he continuously held so close to his chest. “That makes sense. In honesty, I didn’t want to do school either. Still don’t, really, hence the lack of declared major. I’m only doing it because it’s kind of what all my family expects me to do.” He pauses for a moment, debating if he’s already said too much as it is before deciding fuck it. “If it were up to me, really, I would have already dropped out by now. I’m still kind of considering it, actually.” This was the first time he’s told anyone about his potential plan to leave school, and maybe it was a mistake admitting that to someone who could potentially end up running into his brother and spilling it all - but regardless of that possibility, it felt good finally admitting to someone just how little interest he had in getting his degree.

Berlioz let out a laugh, unsurprised by the choice of show, nor the reason behind it. There were plenty of people who had gone for the two pop stars: that was the whole point to making them the sparkling diamonds, after all. "I worked on Moulin Rouge, oui. I was the pianist for the orchestra, and I helped Sharpay in her rehearsals to replace Poppy, too." The blonde had been a bit of a diva, to be honest, but she at least treated Berlioz with respect after she found out he was Marie's brother. "My sister is Marie Bonfamille, she has some music out, I don't know if you know her, but she's one of Sharpay's friends, so she was quite nice to me."

Regardless of the job, Berlioz was at least glad to hear that the other boy enjoyed what he was doing. He couldn't imagine doing anything other than music, his one true love. "As long as you love it, I don't see why not." Having been playing professionally since he was a teenager, there hadn't been a need for Berlioz to go to school, especially when being a musician was more about someone's connections and talent. "I didn't go to school. I figure it's better for my career if I just keep playing when I can, non? Build my resume, things like that."