#Mind MGMT

[jones-friend]

WHO WANTS TO HEAR ABOUT SOME MORE GAMES

Mind MGMT is a great deduction game best for 2 people, workable with 3 or 5, but never for 4. In this game one player is the Mastermind, using a wipeboard behind their DM screen to move about and recruit for their evil agency. Everyone else plays the role of rogue agents and detectives trying to catch the mastermind. You track their footstep tokens and try to find when they were at which spaces to discern their location before time runs out.

The style in this game is great. Very comic-ish. The mechanics lend themselves well to trying to find the mastermind and the game comes with packs for continued play, making it an odd combo of legacy game and tabletop one off. If you enjoy these kinds of games with a roommate or two take a look into it! Its well done!

Arnak had been high on my list for a while and I’m glad I finally tried it! In Arnak the players take the role of explorers searching for the bird temple on in the ruins of Arnak. Over 5 rounds you must search out and excavate dig sites, gathering artifacts to do research on to find the temple. Its got some worker placement, some deckbuilder, and a whole lot of resource management.

There’s clever systems in Arnak that reward exploration without rng getting too in the way. I like how the research track has two tokens to move for different bonuses. I like how we get less Item cards for our decks and more Artifacts as the game progresses. I’ve played a number of tight games like Underwater Cities, I have never felt more pressed for time like I have here. And I mean that in a good way! Arnak is a great time with enough variance to make future games feel different. Its great!

ARK NOVA. Is a game I’ve seen in shops a number of times but wasn’t able to spring on it until now. Each player manages a zoo: building enclosures, getting animals, forming associations with regions and universities, receiving sponsorships, there’s a whole lot to do. It comes down to raising your appeal level vs your conservation level, two opposing meters on the large board, and once they cross the game ends and the player with the most distance between these markers wins.

I would say Ark Nova is a heavier game. More casual groups who run Azul, Splendor, and Sheriff of Nottingham may have more trouble with it. Groups who like Arkham Horror, Spirit Island, Terraforming Mars and the like will have a great time. It took about 3.5hrs to learn and play from scratch with 3 people. I love the way its systems work together and its mechanism of making actions more powerful the more time between uses was really juicy. To me its a great game to sink into for a few hours.

Its got QUILTS. Its got BUTTONS. Its got KITTIES. What else do you need! In Calico each player has three goal tiles relevant to colors or patterns of hexes surrounding these tiles (three pairs, no matches, two of a kind). On your turn place a hex from the two in your hand then draft one from the three available. Fulfill your goal tiles for points. Get 3 like colors for a button for 3 points. Get patterns of hexes in a contiguous shape and a kitty lays on your blanket for 3-7 points. The game ends when all quilts are finished.

This was a surprisingly thinky game! Since your goal tiles A, B, and C are arranged so A and B, B and C share hexes where you place what matters. Goals also have points for meeting it with Just shapes and colors or Both shapes and colors giving it this extra layer of challenge. If you were enamored by the box I recommend Calico! The best part is the end of the rules book where each named and featured cat gets a blurb about them. 11/10 best game.

[thefailurecult]

[re-readingcomics]

Comics Read 08/27- 09/01/2023

The original Mind MGMT written and drawn by Matt Kindt is one of my favorite comic books ever. Reading it was immersive in a way I didn’t think was possible. So naturally I had to get and read Mind MGMT Bootleg. Matt Kindt is still the writer, but here he is joined by an assortment of artists, each drawing an individual issue. In the order of the issue they worked on the artists are Farel Dalrymple, Matt Lesniewski, David Rubín and Jill Thompson. Thompson is the only one with whom I was familiar before reading this. They all have distinct styles, and they all do well with the stories that they are given.

One of the reasons the original Mind MGMT is so exciting is by how it takes advantage of the  format. This included having notes in the margins of the pages, some of which suggested something suspicions about the paper it was printed on, while other pages gave instructions for some kind of impossible craft. This all feels very personal for the writer, and I would imagine the creator. Would something like this carry over when they writer shares his duties with more artists? The answers is sort of. There are not those types of digressions in the sections with the various artists. However, after the main issues there his a script “sample” for people who want to understand how comics get made. Only the scenes in the scripts aren’t actually scenes in the issues and some of the instructions to the are written as if they were within the world of Mind MGMT. Also there are a small, short back of the issue comics that I believe were drawn by Kindt, though they don’t seem to get a distinct credit. (Eventually they’re revealed to be by one of the new characters.)

The plot of Mind MGMT Bootleg involves an attempt to relaunch Mind MGMT, the agency, while also relaunching the comic book series. The agency from the original series was corrupt and dehumanizing to it’s various employees, some of whom return here. But, it seems there are threats right now, such as the amount of pessimism and disinformation out there, that could use the products created by Mind MGMT to combat them. Which leads me, the reader, to have to ask myself; How much do I actually want a relaunch of Mind MGMT?

I didn’t like Kindt’s follow up series as writer and artist, Dept.H as much as I liked Mind MGMT. But I don’t like never ending franchise. There has to be a better reason to go there. 

[lankayu]

euyyyghhh today im diving into my sanusoverse headcanons and todays topic is playing PRETEND because they are fated to pretend (MGMT🫡🫡🫡) i have this long ass twitter thread of quotes that remind me of sanuso and i happened to add two back to back that have similar themes and I think they really go hand in hand, showing how each of them yearn

i think majority of sanusoers agree that sanji is without a doubt the one in the relationship to deny his feelings, and we’re talking over the course of MONTHS… the only thing that forces him to confront them is the exhaustion of the front he’d have to put up in front of his bestfriend, of having to pretend. sometimes he feels like hanging around usopp is almost dreadful and it hurts because he hadn’t done a thing. sanji’s getting all up in his head and he knows but it’s a force that simply can’t be stopped!! usopp is his best friend. the one who tells him jokes that make him laugh harder than he ever has and he hates himself for feeling this way and making things so complicated. he tells himself he can longer do this. everyday he looks at usopp and thinks, “i can no longer pretend i don’t want to love you” because it’s all he’s ever wanted since he got to truly know him. yet, he won’t do a thing. he won’t say a word about his true feelings. he cannot, but he forces himself to keep pretending, because he’s not as brave as usopp thinks

USOPP, on the other hand… he KNOWS sanji likes him and he KNOWS the cook is pretending he doesn’t feel the sparks between them and he pretends it doesn’t bother him. but it does. it will for as long he yearns. it’s the worst feeling in the world, knowing your best friend is in love with you and watching him laugh pretending he isn’t. usopp was always a bit off put by sanji’s obnoxious infatuation with women so like. he gets it, but would loving him really be such a scary thing? usopp knows the answer to sanji’s inner turmoil and he fears he’ll fight those feelings forever. but he doesn’t mind waiting for him, even if this longing goes on forever. so he pretends too. he puts on a brave face and pretends that sanji’s denial doesn’t bother him

and when those sparks end up igniting a flame, then what?🧐🧐

[beetrans]

this post is not reflective of the opinions of the author's employer

[sandwrrm]

the way i got so anxious for this interview drilling myself on answering common questions only for the hiring manager to be suuuuper fucking awkward on the phone and basically not ask me anything whatsoever lmao, mans literally monologued about the job for thirty minutes straight sprinkled with many long weird pauses and no typical interview shit whatsoever (cannot stress enough that this was fine, i hate interviews and was happy to sit back and listen lol, i just thought it was strange)

now instead of being worried i'd fumble it by being a shitty nervous interviewee, i'm worried i've fumbled it by being overqualified, overselling myself, and sounding too extra and formal in that ND overcompensating masking way lmao

[deermouth]

Forgiving who you are

For shat you stabd to gain

Just know that if you hide

It doesn't go away

[aeth-eris]

 ★  book  a  reading  ★  ★  masterlist  1  ★  ★  masterlist  2  ★

 ★   astro  observations  |  jukebox  ★ 

 ★  venus  sextile  saturn  ★

patience  by  tame  impala  –  because  they  know  that  love  worth  having  takes  time  and  commitment.

slow  dancing  in  a  burning  room  by  john  mayer  –  steady,  bittersweet  vibes;  they  hold  on  even  when  it  hurts.

stay  by  rihanna  ft.  mikky  ekko  –  loyalty  in  love,  even  when  it  feels  fragile.

★  mars  in  cancer  (or  4th  house)  ★

tears  dry  on  their  own  by  amy  winehouse  –  emotional,  passionate,  and  always  coming  from  the  heart,  even  if  it  hurts.

bury  me  face  down  by  grandson  –  they’ll  protect  what’s  theirs  fiercely  but  lowkey  wish  they  didn’t  have  to.

you  should  see  me  in  a  crown  by  billie  eilish  –  quiet  strength,  but  don’t  cross  them  or  they’ll  make  it  personal.

★  mercury  square  uranus  ★

mind  mischief  by  tame  impala  –  unpredictable  thoughts  that  feel  like  lightning  in  a  bottle.

weird  fishes/arpeggi  by  radiohead  –  their  ideas  swim  in  different  directions,  but  somehow,  it  works.

mr.  brightside  by  the  killers  –  their  mind  is  a  chaotic  overthinker,  but  it’s  never  boring.

★  moon  in  aquarius  (or  11th  house)  ★

team  by  lorde  –  they  thrive  when  surrounded  by  their  people,  even  if  they  feel  a  little  detached.

electric  feel  by  mgmt  –  their  emotions  are  unpredictable,  but  they’ll  shock  you  in  the  best  way.

starman  by  david  bowie  –  their  heart  lives  in  a  different  dimension,  and  they  wouldn’t  have  it  any  other  way.

★  sun  trine  pluto  ★

power  by  kanye  west  –  they  embrace  their  inner  power  and  radiate  confidence,  but  it’s  never  without  depth.

control  by  halsey  –  transformation  is  their  love  language,  and  they’ll  never  stop  growing.

bad  guy  by  billie  eilish  –  their  energy  is  magnetic,  and  they  know  exactly  how  to  wield  it.

★  mars  in  gemini  (or  3rd  house)  ★

pumped  up  kicks  by  foster  the  people  –  their  energy  comes  in  bursts,  and  they’re  always  moving,  always  thinking.

feel  good  inc.  by  gorillaz  –  chaotic  energy  but  with  purpose;  they  thrive  on  mental  stimulation.

flaws  by  bastille  –  they  channel  their  restlessness  into  making  things  happen,  even  if  they  trip  along  the  way.

★  mercury  in  pisces  (or  12th  house)  ★

dreams  by  fleetwood  mac  –  their  mind  floats  between  reality  and  fantasy,  and  it’s  a  beautiful  mess.

mad  world  by  tears  for  fears  –  they’re  intuitive  thinkers  who  feel  everything,  even  when  they  wish  they  didn’t.

visions  by  dvsn  –  their  thoughts  are  like  poetry,  and  their  words  are  always  drenched  in  emotion.

★  venus  square  mars  ★

love  is  a  battlefield  by  pat  benatar  –  passion  and  tension  are  their  love  language,  and  they  wouldn’t  have  it  any  other  way.

delicate  by  taylor  swift  –  every  relationship  feels  like  walking  a  tightrope,  balancing  desire  and  vulnerability.

bohemian  rhapsody  by  queen  –  dramatic,  chaotic,  and  never  boring  in  love.

★  mars  in  virgo  (or  6th  house)  ★

don’t  stop  me  now  by  queen  –  perfectionists  who  will  outwork  you  and  make  it  look  easy.

work  b**ch  by  britney  spears  –  they’re  hustling  every  day  and  expect  you  to  keep  up.

control  by  zoe  wees  –  their  drive  comes  from  an  inner  need  to  fix,  organize,  and  win.

★  sun  conjunct  neptune  ★

somewhere  i  belong  by  linkin  park  –  they’re  dreamy  and  empathetic  but  sometimes  lose  themselves  in  the  process.

crystalised  by  the  xx  –  their  identity  feels  fluid,  like  it’s  always  shifting  and  evolving.

ribs  by  lorde  –  they  live  for  the  nostalgia  and  daydreams,  always  craving  the  unreachable.

★  moon  in  leo  (or  5th  house)  ★

applause  by  lady  gaga  –  they  crave  recognition  for  their  emotional  generosity  and  creative  spirit.

on  top  of  the  world  by  imagine  dragons  –  their  heart  thrives  on  positivity  and  big  dreams.

kill  v.  maim  by  grimes  –  their  emotions  come  with  drama,  flair,  and  just  the  right  amount  of  chaos.

★  venus  in  taurus  (or  2nd  house)  ★

adore  you  by  harry  styles  –  sensual,  grounded,  and  all  about  the  slow,  steady  build-up  in  love.

let’s  stay  together  by  al  green  –  loyalty  and  consistency  are  their  love  essentials.

golden  by  jill  scott  –  they  find  beauty  in  simplicity,  and  their  love  is  a  whole  vibe.

★  mars  trine  jupiter  ★

stronger  by  kanye  west  –  they’re  unstoppable  when  they  put  their  mind  (and  energy)  to  something.

higher  by  rihanna  –  they  dream  big,  act  big,  and  expect  big  results.

can’t  hold  us  by  macklemore  &  ryan  lewis  –  their  enthusiasm  and  drive  can  move  mountains,  and  they  know  it.

★  mercury  in  libra  (or  7th  house)  ★

someone  like  you  by  adele  –  their  words  are  soft  and  charming,  but  don’t  mistake  that  for  weakness.

the  scientist  by  coldplay  –  they  analyze  relationships  with  the  precision  of  a  poet.

put  a  little  love  on  me  by  niall  horan  –  they’re  diplomatic  communicators,  but  sometimes  their  heart  bleeds  into  their  words.

 ★  book  a  reading  ★  ★  masterlist  1  ★  ★  masterlist  2  ★

[grapejuicebrat]

“Little dark age”

PAIRING: dark!rafe cameron x reader

SYNOPSIS: just know that if you hide it doesn’t go away.

SUMMARY: from the very beginning your relationship with rafe were perfect. You went on a dates, called each other multiple times just because. After a perfect month everything changed. He called you because he wanted to know where you are. At the end of the day he is worried about you. He stalked you just to know that you are safe. At the end of the day he is worried about you. He beat the shit out of a random guy who just helped you on the street because this guy could be a maniac. At the end of the day rafe was worried about you. You fell into a golden cage but at the end of the day rafe knew better. He is just worried about you.

WARNINGS: rafe cameron, a little bit of smut, angst, toxic and abusive relationship, swearing, kissing, mentions of blood, mentions of death, reader being a mouse and rafe being a cat:)

NOTES: what can i say the effect of rafe cameron and s4 of outer banks. be nice english isn’t my first language. inspiration:

WORD COUNT: 772

I appreciate reblogs and likes, share your ideas and thoughts too!

“Rafey, you don’t mean that, right?” you were about to start crying. Your eyes are full of tears, voice is shaking. He can’t do this. He can’t stop you from meeting your friends. You knew them for more than 10 years. if you don't have them, with whom will you have to share your thoughts and fears? Rafe is too busy for this shit. He needs to earn money, he doesn’t have time for your stupid thoughts.

“Stop with this fucking shit. I already told you you don’t need them anyway. You have me.” Rafe thinks that you are too fucking stupid if you think that you can change his mind. he has already decided that you will be better off without these pogues who are preventing you from making the right decisions. they decided to turn you against him. what kind of shit they are. you can't survive without him, he knows that. you are not adapted to a poor life, you are used to living in gold and money.

“But Rafey, they are my friends. I don’t have anybody except them” you want to say something else but you were interrupted by Rafe. He just slapped you. You feel your cheek burning and tears begin to flow. Yeah, he shouted at you before, but never hit you. Not until today. There was silence in the room. You look at him with wide eyes, not believing what he just did. “You hit me.”

“Cause you don’t fucking understand. God, i can’t remember that you were that fucking stupid when we first started dating. What the fuck, doll. Use your fucking brain. I’m just really worried about you. I want to be sure that you are always safe, you are always with me” he speaks quickly, not allowing you to say anything in response. actively gestures with his hands, showing that he really cares. Rafe takes your face in his hands and squeezes your cheeks tightly with his palms. You wince, one cheek still hurts from the blow, but you remain silent. You want to hear what else he has to say. You want to believe that he cares about you.

“Baby…fuck. I don’t like to hurt you, you know? But i can’t just pretend that you are good when you are acting bad. My word is the last, i’m the man. I am working like a damn dog so you could have a roof over your head and what are your responsibilities? prepare dinner and open your legs when I ask? Is that too hard? If you can’t do this, maybe i should break up with you and find a girlfriend who will respect me.” Rafe sighed, pretending to be disappointed. obviously he wanted you to feel guilty towards him.

It’s your fault that he beat the guy until he bled, you shouldn’t have agreed to his offer of help. It's your fault that that guy died in the hospital. It's your fault that Rafe was sent to prison for a couple of weeks. It's your fault that Rafe is disappointed in you now. after all, you're acting like a bad girlfriend who doesn't respect him.

“Maybe you’re right” you finally said in a quiet voice. Rafe stopped and looked at you carefully.

“What was that?”

“I said maybe you’re right” you repeated looking into his eyes. “maybe you should find a new girl who will respect you and humiliate herself for you?”

“That was the dumbest thing i’ve ever heard” Rafe laughs as he comes closer to you. “You don’t seem to understand. even if I find a new girl, I will also take care of you, keep an eye on you. You will always be mine. Wherever you are, whoever you are with. Always. Mine. In fact, you won't be with anyone. Because it's all mine.” He looks at you like a hungry animal. He runs his fingers along your cheek, down to your neck and lower. He squeezes your breasts tightly with his hand, the other going down to your stomach and to the butt. you stand motionless. you almost can’t breathe because you’re afraid of doing something wrong. You are afraid of Rafe.

“You are so good for me right now. My good girl” he praises you, slowly starting to kiss your neck. He teases you, grinning like a devil. Suddenly he leans away, taking your face in his hands. “I will never let you go, doll. I’m your endgame.”

And he kisses you. Sharp, painful and powerful. so you understand that he is not joking. he will truly never let you go. He is your endgame.

[thefailurecult]

[frogspond200]

𝚂𝚒𝚖𝚘𝚗 𝙿𝚎𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚔𝚘𝚟

Requested by: Anon

Ask: Hey, I really REALLY. enjoyed you Simon Hcs, Could you do one for just normal and not yandered, please😫🙏🙏💓

Warnings: None

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Simon absolutely adores you. He worships the ground you walk on, your presence has brought a sense of stability and warmth into his life that he thought was lost forever.

Simon loves reading with you. Whether it's ancient scrolls, magical tomes, or simply a good storybook, he enjoys the companionship and discussions that come with it.

There is some residual angst in the relationship due to Simon's deep longing for Betty. While he's found happiness with you, he still carries the pain of losing his beloved Betty. Your understanding and support help him through these moments of melancholy.

Simon is a fan of cuddling. He finds solace in your arms, and the physical closeness reassures him that he's not alone in his struggles. It's a way for both of you to express affection and provide comfort.

Simon occasionally lets you in on his scientific projects. He trusts you enough to share his findings, inventions, and research. Your curiosity and insights often contribute to the success of these projects. You and Simon make a dynamic team when it comes to problem-solving. Your fresh perspective and his vast knowledge often lead to innovative solutions to the challenges you encounter in the Land of Aaa.

While he continues to grapple with the effects of the crown and the loss of Betty, your presence serves as a source of hope and emotional support.

Simon occasionally surprises you with his musical talents, playing the guitar or singing songs he's composed. It's a beautiful way for him to express his emotions and share moments of joy with you. You help Simon regain his sense of self and independence. While you support him, you also encourage him to pursue his own interests and passions beyond his past and the crown.

Despite the complexities and challenges of your relationship, the love you share with Simon is unwavering. Together, you navigate the ups and downs of life in the Land of Aaa, always by each other's side.

Simon Petrikov tends to take things slow in a relationship, especially considering his complex past and the emotional baggage he carries as a result of the Ice King's crown. He's likely to proceed with caution, prioritizing emotional intimacy and trust-building before rushing into anything too fast. Simon values stability and a sense of security, so he would be mindful of not overwhelming the relationship with speed.

Simon Petrikov can indeed be a romantic partner who appreciates the beauty in small gestures. While he may not always have access to traditional roses, he would find creative ways to express his love and create romantic moments. For example, he might use magical flowers or other enchanting elements to create a path leading to a warm, cozy bath for you to enjoy together. Simon would certainly put effort into making your time together special and memorable…

To set the mood, Simon would light scented candles or diffuse essential oils with calming fragrances like lavender or vanilla. The soothing aromas would fill the air, creating a serene and peaceful environment for you to relax and unwind.

Simon is also a fan of playing board games or card games. He finds that they not only provide entertainment but also help to foster a sense of togetherness and friendly competition.

You can spend hours laughing, strategizing, and creating fond memories while staying warm and cozy indoors.

And of course, Simon's musical talents come into play here as well. He might serenade you with a beautiful song on his guitar or share some enchanting melodies on the piano, adding a touch of magic and romance to the cozy atmosphere.

[anything2iz]

hey i'm back at it again, its official wind breaker has taken over my mind

theres definitely a tiny gnome in my head messing with the control panel (my brain)

i wish wind breaker was more popular, i just want more content related to it 😔 actually not too popular im scared of what goes on in some fandoms

[ro-written]

eyes closed - pt. 2 - R.Z

“Even in death, he had his foot on the back of your neck.”

GeneralTags/Warnings: Physical pain against mc (punches, slaps, kicks), brainwashing (?), PTSD, VERY brief mention of eating issues, ANGST, Zoro is pretty sad im so sorry

Playlist:

Little Dark Age by MGMT I Can't Handle Change by Roar Reflections by The Neighbourhood

Word Count: 4k

← prev | next →

The first night there, you were treated with a grand welcome.

The “higher ups” of the crew took turns trying to break you down. There were a few times you almost passed out, but you tried to ground your mind, fingernails digging into your palms as you clenched your fists. Your crew would find you soon. Zoro would find you soon. And all these people would burn.

A kick to your stomach had you curling in on yourself on the floor. You were starting to recognize their shoes more than their faces. This pair belonged to the first mate and his long purple braid.

“I am so glad you still have some fight in you. The Captain particularly likes watching the hope leave feisty ones.” The crew laughed around him. “Maybe if you put on a really good show, we’ll get treated! I promise to give you my scraps.” Their laughs echoed even louder.

You gritted your teeth, pushed through the pain, and brought your hand out to grab at the first mate’s boot. You looked up at him standing above you, his eyes filled with vicious amusement. He tilted his head, before squatting down in front of you, curious as to what you had to say.

Then you struck, pulling his foot out from under him to throw him off balance, and brought him to the floor with you. He landed on his back with a grunt, and you couldn’t help but laugh at the face he made. You took the spit and blood that was pooling in your mouth and spat on his white shirt, marking it. You knew it would only lead to more pain, but if you could get one of them, you would be content.

“You fucking– Get the chair out!” The first mate yelled to the other men around him, and you felt yourself being picked up by your arms and dragged to the center of the room. They scraped over some sort of wooden chair, pushing you down to sit in it and holding you down. Cold chains tightened around your wrists, keeping your arms against the arms of the chair. They then moved down to your legs, wrapping around your ankles and keeping them to the legs of the chair. You heard some clicks from behind you, and as you tried to thrust your body backward to break the chair (to no avail), you realized they secured the chair to the floor.

The sound of a door opening silenced the room, save for you and your grunting, trying to get out of your chains by any means. Heavy footsteps made their way down the stairs, and you looked up to see a tall man with a gaudy hat, and even worse boots, smiling down at you. The silver in his teeth glinted at you in the small bit of light in the room.

All of the men watched his movements with such intensity. He raised a hand up and waved it, all of his crew filing up the stairs and outside. As soon as the last member stepped out, he stepped up to you, grabbing your chin harshly with one hand. You noticed something in the other, a piece of paper rolled up.

You didn’t have too much time to think about it, as he took his hand from your chin and slapped you with the palm. Your head spun, cheek smarting with pain. He laughed, bringing the back of his hand across your other cheek and whipping your head to the other side. Tears pricked your eyes and you tried your hardest to blink them away, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of your pain.

“How proud you are…” The captain grumbled, tilting his head like he was studying you, his face pensive. “I can see why you and the swordsman would be so close. I just don’t know how you deal with his arrogance.”

“You know nothing about him–” Another slap caught you off guard, and you grunted out loud before biting your tongue. The captain raised his eyebrow at your attempt to keep quiet and started walking around the chair, circling you like a hawk.

“Trying to keep so silent, but in the end? You’ll be screaming anyway. And when you’re yelling out in pain…when I finally break you…when you’re looking for a name to curse – you can call me Silver Tooth.” His eyes held a sadistic look, his breath reeking from having not seen a toothbrush in years.

“Yea? I think I might call you ‘Hot Breath’ instead...do you mind taking a step back from me?” You looked up at him despite the pounding pain in your head. Your eyes were defiant, even though they felt like they would burst from your skull at any point, and it sent a shiver down his spine in excitement. 

But as much as he wanted to keep this game going, he had a ship to run.

His fist, with all of its heavy rings, collided with your temple, making you see spots in your vision.

“You know,” he sighed and walked over to the wall in front of you. “You only have him to blame for this.” Your head rolled around on your neck. “If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have to go through all this trouble.”

A bang on the wall caused you to jump, and you blinked back the blurriness, trying to see what he put on the wall as he moved back up the stairs. It…it looked like a Wanted poster.

“You’re simply a means to an end.”

Zoro’s Wanted Poster.

You woke up.

Actually woke up. Not forced awake from sudden agony.

Your eyes opened on their own to light streaming into the room through sheer curtains. The sound of waves crashing against the boat sounded how they should. It smelled familiar here. Like a campfire, some sort of plant lightly burning and wafting through the room, mixed with the salty ocean air coming through the open window. You closed your eyes to take it all in.

You couldn’t trust your brain. You couldn’t actually be home.

You just wanted to stay here forever.

You don’t want to wake up.

You don’t want to be in that room again.

“Oh! You’re awake!” A small, sweet voice called out. It made your eyes shoot back open, and you lifted your head (with some slight difficulty) to hear the hooves of your crewmate coming towards you. You saw his hat and antlers, then his face, as he crawled up onto the wooden chair next to the bed.

A feeling of disbelief washed over you.

“I’m…here?” Your voice was raw, scratchy. It sounded as if you hadn’t had water in days. Which might actually be true…

“...Yes? I am actually not sure how to answer that one!” His eyes looked at you curiously as he started to feel your face, trying to determine how hot you were. 

You wanted to ask if he was real, but hesitated. His touch felt real. And it was gentle. Something you hadn’t experienced in so long. But you still did not want to trust your brain yet, afraid that as soon as you got comfortable and allowed yourself to believe in it, he would appear to tear you apart again.

“You know, you’ve been out for a few days!” He exclaimed, turning in the chair to the small side table next to the bed that held a cup of water and a bowl of hot soup with a piece of bread on the side. “Sanji keeps coming by to see if you have eaten anything, and also to check to see if the food got cold! He said he wanted to make sure the first thing you ate when you woke up was his ‘good, hot food!’ His words, not mine!”

The tiny doctor rambled as he carefully grabbed the water cup, watching you cautiously as you winced when moving your arms to take it from him. He needed to see how badly moving around would be for you, and it seemed pretty rough just from a surface level.

He remembered when Sanji and Luffy brought you in from off that godforsaken boat. He was just about to come over, but they busted down his door before he could, your unconscious body dragging between them.

“What on earth happened?” Chopper yelled out, hurriedly making his way to the bed they were attentively putting you down on.

“We don’t know…but it’s way worse than any of us could have imagined.” Sanji stated, eyes not able to come off the plethora of bruises littering your face and arms, the blood both dried and fresh staining you. 

“Ch–...Chopper…please…do anything you can.” Chopper looked at Luffy in shock, never having heard this tone come from him before. Desperate.

He decided he didn’t like it.

“Days?” Your voice brought the doctor back to the present, the extended silence making you slightly uncomfortable. You sounded a little clearer now, having finished the water and handing him the glass back. You ignored the stinging at your lips as much as you could, the cuts and dryness reminding you they existed there.

“You were out for five days! I kept having to tell everyone that I could still hear your heartbeat.” He helped you sit up a bit more, but the aching in your body was so dreadful that you couldn’t help the tears that lined your eyes. You blinked them back quickly, hopeful that he hadn’t caught them. He handed over the bowl of soup to you and you started to spoon it quickly into your mouth, working through the soreness in your jaw.

“Woah, careful! You know you could eat yourself to death if you go too fast!” The doctor put his hoof on your hand in order to slow you down, and it took everything in you to not glare at him for keeping you from Sanji’s homemade soup. He is just trying to make sure you're okay.

A gentle knock rapped on the room’s door, and you heard Nami’s voice call from the other side as you sipped on the broth that warmed your chest.

“Chop? Is it okay to come in?”

“Is it okay?” He looked at you with his round eyes and you pursed your lips, bracing yourself, before nodding your approval.

“Come on in!”

The door opened to Nami’s concerned face that morphed into pure joy at the sight of you sitting up in the bed.

“You’re awake!” She rushed over to the bed and sat on the side of it. You chuckled at her enthusiasm, her eyes beaming at your face. 

One thing was for sure in her head. You looked somewhat better than you did when she saw you after they rescued you. It wasn’t something she ever wanted to see again.

“How are you feeling? Any pain? Do you need me to help feed you? I can change your clothes for you if you need me to, I’ve been doing it the past few days and tried to be so careful not to hurt you.” She rambled on, completely worried about you, but it felt endearing to you, causing you to huff out another bit of laughter.

“I’m feeling better, thank you Nami. The clothes and this soup are helping my recovery, I’m sure.” You grabbed at her hand and squeezed it as much as your weak state could.

“Don’t let Sanji hear that, his head might grow ten sizes,” she giggled out. Your smile widened, despite the soreness in your cheeks and the cuts on your lips stinging something fierce. It felt right, sitting here and laughing along with her. This couldn’t be a dream. Maybe your brain wasn’t playing with you this time.

“So, you are awake.”

Your body goes rigid, face falling. Your lungs emptied of all the air within them. Your eyes widened as you shook your head imperceptibly.

His black boots step in, followed by the swords. You stared down at the sheets covering you, unable to look anywhere else.

It was all a dream. It was all a dream. It was all a dream. It was all a dream. It was all a dream. It was all a dream. It–

“Hey, are you okay?” Nami’s hand lands on your arm. The sudden contact cracks something in your mind, and you throw the bowl and spoon in your hand at the wall in front of you with all the power you could muster in your aching limbs. The sudden movement and crashing shocked everyone, and Nami stood up from where she sat on the bed. Chopper jumped and looked from the shattered bowl to you.

Your eyes were trained on where Zoro stood in the middle of the room. He looked at you in your eyes, his wide with worry. He could only compare the sight of you to some sort of wounded animal, baring its teeth and ears poised up, ready to do whatever it took to stay alive. The same look he saw when you were on the boat.

“I am not going back.” Your voice was emotionless, cold, hard. It was something he hadn’t heard from you before. “I’m not FUCKING going BACK there.”

You started leaning forward as if you were planning to pounce on him. Nami watched as you prepared yourself to start attacking, and she put her hand up slowly in front of you, placing herself between you and Zoro.

“Hey, you’re not going back. Look at me, tell me what’s wrong.” She pleaded with you, but you moved your head to keep your eyes on the swordsman behind her, not letting him disappear. Not letting him take this from you.

“I’m not going back there, do you fucking hear me? Get the fuck out of here,” you pulled back the sheet covering your legs. It didn’t take Nami too long to figure out who the issue lied with here.

“Zoro, leave.” Nami commanded sternly, her sight not leaving you out of fear of what you may do if it did.

“I…I don’t understand, what’s going on? What’s wrong?” He begged for you to talk, but the most you did was grit your teeth and swing your legs off the bed, no matter how much your body screamed at you not to. “Talk to me. Please–!”

“ZORO,” Nami yelled, head finally turning to him quickly and her eyes serious. He looked from you to her, almost surprised at the look she gave him.

“Leave.”

Your body didn’t untense for another thirty minutes after he left. You couldn’t sleep that night until Chopper gave you a drink that knocked you out.

It had been almost a month now since you were rescued.

And you were going fucking stir-crazy.

The entire crew had made some sort of agreement that you were not allowed to leave the boat until you were somewhat more mentally stable.

The “mental stability” in question was determined based on if you could be in a room with Zoro for more than a minute. And you kept failing.

The first week and a half after Chopper deemed you to be steady enough to get around on your own – meaning that if you took two steps you wouldn’t collapse – was the worst of it.

At least once a day you would see the swordsman. It felt as if you blacked out. Your entire body went into this frenzy, every instinct in your body yelling at you to grab the nearest item and tear him apart with it. There had been a few times that week where your impulses got to the best of you, and you did attack. Luckily, he was skilled, and he could hold you off long enough until the others could drag you away.

Eventually, it became a bit better. Every time you two crossed paths – it wasn’t that large of a boat – you were able to halt yourself and ground your senses to keep from doing anything rash. However, bile would rise up in your throat, and you felt as though your body would betray you at any second. You would freeze up, but then turn around and go the opposite direction. 

It broke his heart.

Everything he had done to find you. The people he threatened and tore through to reach you. His... And when he did find you, he simultaneously felt a sense of relief, and his heart falling into the deepest pits of his stomach.

He wanted his partner back.

He needed you back.

Everyone on the crew saw it, no matter how hard he tried to mask his true emotions. They could feel it in his heavy sigh every time you walked away from him. They could see it in his eyes as he watched you hurriedly leave the kitchen with your dinner plate when he walked in. They could hear it in his heart breaking when he saw you flinch at every loud laugh from Luffy and every sudden movement from Usopp.

But you couldn’t get past the fear trapped in your head. Past Silver Tooth’s voice that would whisper in your ear late at night when everything was so still, so quiet that even the gentle waves lapping against the boat couldn’t be heard.

“You’ll never leave here.”

You took a deep sigh and tried to determine if you wanted to re-count all of the cracks in the ceiling again. But you might actually commit murder if you did, so you chose a different route of getting out of your bed, putting on a robe and some slippers, and heading out of your room to get air.

Out on the deck, you looked over the side of the boat down towards the water. Being so close to it now, it lowered the menacing voice echoing in your head, but didn’t kill it entirely. Why won’t it just stop? 

It started to feel so overwhelming. Your crew danced around you carefully, unsure if they would say something that might cause you to snap. Treating you like porcelain. You weren’t getting enough sleep, you were overeating out of fear of being starved again, and you couldn’t look at the man who knew your entire soul without feeling like you were going to completely break down.

Suffocating. It felt like you were suffocating. Like Silver Tooth was holding your head under the water you watched splash up against the hull and laughing at you.

Even in death, he had his foot on the back of your neck.

“Hey,” A gently voice came from behind you, and you quickly whipped around to see Robin. “What are you doing up and out here?”

“I could ask you the same,” you smiled gently, trying to not worry her and steer the conversation away from you and your reasons. She returned the smile back.

“There's supposed to be a light show in the sky here soon and I wanted to catch it. Mind if I join you?” She gave you an out – a way to (kindly) tell her to go away. But thinking about it for a moment, you realized that maybe this is what you needed; someone to be here with you so you were not alone with your thoughts. You nodded.

She came over to stand next to you, leaning against the railing while your eyes shifted over the ocean in front of you. You could hear her calm breathing and waited for her to start questioning you. It only made sense – you had been completely out of character since you were rescued. Everyone on the crew wanted to talk to you to figure it out and help, Zoro most of all, but none had gotten the chance (or possibly the courage) to bring it up.

However, she didn’t say a word. For fifteen minutes straight, you two stayed at your spots next to the ship railing, watching the sky for the “light show” she had mentioned. Part of you was thankful, not wanting to think too much into your time on the other ship. But the more you anticipated her bringing it up, the more you did think about it. And that led to a building feeling of pressure in your chest and in your throat, until you didn’t think you could do it anymore.

“Every night I close my eyes, I'm back there.” You stated it at the hour and a half mark. Robin’s head turned towards you slightly, watching your face.

“And…I’m staring at his poster. Zor–...Just fucking praying to it.” You huffed out a laugh. “I can’t even remember the last time I stepped foot in a place of worship. But there I was, watching his poster like it would give me all the answers.”

You looked down at your hands slowly starting to pick at the skin around your nail beds.

“Fuck, sorry…I’m unloading and you’re just trying to watch your stars…” You turned your body back away from Robin and started to think that maybe you should just go lie down in your bed and wait till morning, until you hear the smallest giggle.

“I may or may not have lied about that. I apologize, but I wanted to make sure you weren’t alone.” You quickly turned back around to see the woman giving a slight smile, the right corner of her lips tipping up. She slowly and gently reached her arm out so as to not startle you, and placed her hand on one of your shoulders. “After what you have gone through, you shouldn’t feel alone ever again.”

You were frozen in place, unable to think of the proper words you wanted to say to express your gratitude towards her. You simply watched as she patted your shoulder a few times and then turned back towards the water, watching out at the ripples.

“I wasn’t expecting you to talk at all, honestly. I just wanted to make sure that if you did want to say something, you had someone there to listen at the very least. And I deeply appreciate that you felt safe enough to talk with me.” She finished, finding particular interest in a small bug that moved along the rail along the edge of the deck.

You sighed, ran a hand down your face and turned back to face the same currents she saw.

“I guess I just haven’t given myself the room to talk about everything that happened,” you admitted, and paused to think, Robin’s eyes still locked in on the sea. “But I think a part of me is terrified that I will have to relive everything again and again and again or that I will talk about all of it but then be back in that same goddamn room with all of Zoro’s posters hanging around.”

You felt the water drop on your hand before you felt them on your cheeks. You lifted a hand to quickly wipe them away, not feeling like losing yourself entirely right at this moment. You would prefer to do that by yourself, away from your crew.

“The last day I was there…when everyone found me…Silver Tooth came down and told me something that I think I am slowly starting to understand. ‘You’ll never leave here.’” You let out a shaky breath voice cracking. “Robin, I don’t think I left that room. Yes, you took me from the ship, but my mind…a large piece of me is still in that room. And I don’t know what to do.”

A silence enclosed the two of you within its grasp, allowing you both to absorb the words you spoke into the space. Robin’s heart ached for you, wishing she could just rewind time to save you from the consequences of their inattention towards you during that fight, right before you were taken away.

She then grabbed your hand that was resting on the rail, holding it tightly, and making your heart clench up.

“You may be free physically, but until you beat him, you will never be gone from that place,” she sighed, turning her head to look at you. “What that looks like may be different to you and me. It’s little steps. But saying something, talking to someone…that’s a great place to start.” She squeezed your hand as the tears welled in your eyes yet again.

This was written by @/ro-written and is not to be plagiarized, translated, or distributed anywhere else. Copyright 2024.

All comments, reblogs, and likes are always welcome

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Taglist: @xenop0p, @arielaufson

[hunnysnoops]

South Park Music HCs

What music I think the South Park characters would listen to.

Stan ✰ Kyle ✰ Kenny ✰ Cartman ✰ Wendy ✰ Bebe ✰ Heidi ✰ Tweek ✰ Craig ✰ Butters

With Spotify links!

Stan Marsh

Artists:

Radio Head

Siouxsie and the Banshees

Crywank

She Wants Revenge

System Of a Down

Slipknot

The Front Bottoms

Favourite Songs:

Atoma- Dark Tranquillity

Smokey Eyes- Lincoln

F.C.P.R.E.M.I.X- The Fall of Troy

Mr Grieves- Pixies

Misc:

Generally angsty

Gets embarrassed of his taste when he’s put on aux

He probably likes 90s dad rock

Whenever Stan listens to ‘System of a Down’ Cartman calls him ‘Syndrome of a Down’

Likes The Front Bottoms purely because he relates

Kyle Broflovski

Artists:

Dan Mangan

The Cure

Echo & the Bunnyman

Blur

Weezer

Billy Idol

Favourite Songs:

I Love You- Fontaines D.C.

Troubled Mind- Dan Mangan

The Killing Moon- Echo & the Bunnymen

Jumping Someone Else’s Train- The Cure

Candy- Paolo Nutini

Misc:

Cartman calls him a virgin for listening to Weezer

If he’s playing his music around you, he’ll sneak glances at you to see if you like it

Definitely has a poster for The Cure in his bedroom

Refuses to use Bluetooth headphones

Kenny McCormick

Artists:

Eminem

Outkast

Ini Kamoze

Car Seat Headrest

Cypress Hill

Limp Bizkit

Green Day

Favourite Songs:

Hits from the Bong- Cypress Hill

Sexy Drug- Falling in Reverse

Deadlines (Hostile)- Car Seat Headrest

Take A Look Around- Limp Bizkit

Misc:

Watches clips of Woodstock 99 on YouTube

Plays his music so loud that it spills through his headphones and gets weird looks for it

Listens to Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter with his little sister

Eric Cartman

Kanye West

T-Pain

Lady Gaga (we all saw this coming)

Rihanna

Black Eyed Peas

Oliver Tree

Pitbull

Favourite Songs:

Church- T-Pain, Teddy Verseti

Meet Me Halfway- Black Eyed Peas

I Can’t Stop- Will Smith

Bury Me Alive- Oliver Tree

Happiness is a Butterfly- Lana Del Rey

Misc:

Strikes me as the type of guy who doesn’t really listen to music

Unironically likes Oliver Tree (His music and him as a person)

Rips on everyone for their music but won’t tell them who he listens to

Lip syncs to Wiz Khalifa while flexing in the mirror

Listens to T-Pain and Will Smith to make him feel tough

Prefers podcasts

Wendy Testaburger

Artists:

The Shins

Gwen Stefani

Hozier

Grizzly Bear

Nelly Furtado

Olivia Rodrigo

Elliot Smith

Favourite Songs:

Swan Upon Leda- Hozier

Lacy- Olivia Rodrigo

Stand By Me- Ben E.King

Vienna- Billy Joel

Pocketful of Sunshine- Natasha Bedingfield

Misc:

Thunder makes her think of stan so she skips it

Relates to Vienna and probably got a small tattoo for it after she graduated

Probably has an eclectic taste and loves 2010s pop

Lets everyone else play their music while she’s driving and never complains

Stares at her ceiling and listens to Elliot Smith when she’s sad

Gets ready listening to y2k pop songs

Bebe Stevens

Artists:

Jungle

Wild Belle

Dominic Fike

Kesha

Avril Lavigne

Justin Bieber (baby era)

MGMT

Favourite Songs:

Feet Don’t Fail Me Now- Joy Crookes

Back On 74- Jungle

Memory Box- Peter Cat Recording Co.

Keep You- Wild Belle

Beauty And A Beat- Justin Bieber, Nicki Minaj

Ur So Gay- Katy Perry

Misc:

Hates sad music, she’ll force herself to listen to USHER during a breakdown

Picky about her music, if someone plays a song she doesn’t like she’ll definitely skip it or complain until someone else does

Mentioned she liked Justin Bieber and then got in an argument with Cartman because of it

Never lets Clyde near the speaker

Screams Ur So Gay at the top of her lungs when it comes on

Heidi Turner

Artists:

Jack Johnson

Syd Matters

Daughter

Fleet Foxes

Rainbow Kitten Surprise

Noah Kahan

Of Monsters and Men

Favourite Songs:

Open Season- High Highs

To All of You- Syd Matters

Two Weeks- Grizzly Bear

Sitting, Waiting, Wishing- Jack Johnson

Sisyphus- Andrew Bird

Blue Ridge Mountains- Fleet Foxes

Misc:

Loves going for walks while she listens to music

Sends you songs that remind her of you

Listens to every song you send her and tells you what she likes about it

Hums when she has her headphones in without realising

Her and all of her friends love Noah Kahan

Tweek Tweak

Artists:

Billie Holiday

Billie Marten

Johann Sebastian Bach

Claude Debussy

Ludwig van Beethoven

Foals

Connie Francis

Favourite Songs:

Who’s Sorry Now- Connie Francis

Cello Suite No. 1 in G Minor- Johann Sebastian Bach

Méditation from Thaïs- Jules Massenet

Bad Apple- Billie Marten

The Lark Ascending- Ralph Vaughan Williams

Misc:

I actually think he would hater Hyper-Pop

Prefers slow/classical/instrumental songs

Listens to a lot of white noise, really specific ones like ‘Heavy Rain in Autumn Fairy Forest 9 hours’

Musical prodigy, plays piano and cello

Craig Tucker

Artists:

Nirvana

Hole

No Doubt

Foo Fighters

Pulp

Arcade Fire

Jeff Buckley

Favourite Songs:

Common People- Pulp

Malmo- Mook

Forget Her- Jeff Buckley

The Pretender-Foo Fighters

Dumb- Nirvana

Misc:

Made one playlist in eighth grade and never listens to anything else

Thinks Courtney Love killed Kurt Cobain

Hates TikTok music, like genuinely.

Somewhat of a gatekeeper

Butters Stotch

Artists:

She & Him

Blonde

Kate Bush

Dolly Parton

Regina Spector

The La’s

The Mama’s and the Papa’s

Favourite Songs:

You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine- Lou Rawls

In the Summertime- Mungo Jerry

Hey, Lucky Lady- Dolly Parton

The Tide is High- Blondie

Why Do You Let Me Stay Here- She & Him

Don’t Let The Good Life Pass You By- Cass Elliot

Clay Pigeons- Michael Cera

Misc:

Songs absentmindedly all the time, annoys the hell out of everyone

Quotes the songs he listens to

Developed choreography in middle school and still remembers it

Asks people if they’ve heard a super popular song that’s all over the radio and social media out of genuine curiosity

Anyways, that’s all I got for now. Re log or comment what you think they’d listen to bc I’m genuinely curious, thanks for reading!

Also it literally took hours to add all of those Spotify links so I hope you got something out of this! they wouldn’t let me add more than 100 :/

[letterstomichelangelo]

just imagine, end of season 5, its the end of episode 8 and the party have defeated vecna, byler confessed, theyre happy.

we see the party heading off to college, new beginnings and all that. mikes helping will pack up his stuff into a pickup truck, he says something like "well, looks like we're all done, everything's strapped up!", will walks over to him from where he was saying his goodbyes to joyce, jonathan, hopper and el (shes going to a local college with max in this idk) and just with every bit of softness in the world says "thanks for helping me pack, mike, are you sure you don't mind bringing all this to chicago for me?" and mike's eyebrows just shoot up because he literally went to hell for this man, and in the most sassy tone you can imagine "uh, yeah, we're gonna need some type of furniture for our new place and the government hush fund didn't stretch that far" will lets out a little chuckle, "damn, its the least they could do after the last 7 years" "i know right", mike squawked out, "anyways we better start heading if we want to make it there before dinner, see you soon mrs. byers!" muffled tears of happiness can be heard from her, and her voice wobbles slightly when she shouts back "call me when you get there and send pictures of the apartment! i love you boys", even a sniffle can be heard from hopper when he shouts out some reminders for driving the long distance. as the boys get into the truck, will shouts "we'll be back for thanksgiving, you'll hardly know we're gone" and as mike pulls away from the newly renovated byers-hopper house, there's this perfect shot of a normal loving family wishing their son(s) off to college and in this moment everything is forgotten, no more upside down or vecna or demodogs, no more possessions or otherworldly connections, just two boys holding hands over the console of the car as they set off to a new city, knowing that no matter what happens they'll always have eachother.

me and michael, solid as they come

me and michael, its not a question now

[oilyboilysbrother]

While we wait for that fic I’m working on, here are some songs that make me think of jayvik

(Warning: listen to these with the intention of imagining heart wrenching doomed yaoi jayvik, also some of these songs are very basic CALL ME A POSER IDC, also pay attention to the lyrics for the full jayvik experience for these songs:3 )

Dream on - Aerosmith

Somebody to love - Jefferson airplane

Pretty boy - Kevin Krauter

Mary on a cross - ghost (cringe ik)

This charming man - the smiths

Pork Soda - Glass Animals (tomtord lore?!🤨)

Me and Michael - mgmt

Heart for brains - roar

Linger - the cranberries

Me and my husband - Mitski

I bet on losing dogs - Mitski

Young and beautiful- Lana del ray

Babooshka - Kate bush

Call me little sunshine - ghost

Duck or ape - roar

Michelle - sir Chloe

Where is my mind - the pixies

Vampire empire - big thief

It’s all over now, baby blue - them

The chain - Fleetwood mac

Eternity - Kip Tyler