#Of COURSE the most iconic ones will be repeated over and over again

[ronearoundblindly]

Big Pharma

Steve Rogers x doctor!Reader

Written for @stargazingfangirl18's Birthday Bonenanza--HAPPY BDAY, SIRI!--using the scenario prompt ~quick, frantic, secret sex in an almost public place + babe's hand over your mouth to keep you quiet~ and the dialogue prompt "goddamnit, will you just f***ing let me do this for you?" with free use kink for good measure. Why not?

Summary: The extreme drug cocktail you devise to save Steve Rogers has one major side effect.

Warnings for smut 🥴, sorta dub-con because it's like sex pollen, F E E L S, Steve being the most chivalrous gentleman while railing you (do it for your country, babes 🫡), completely unintentional dirty talk from Steve but 😮‍💨 we'll allow it, Tony being Tony, and--as always-- terrible puns. (There are no mentions of any medical instruments, except an IV, which is not used.) MINORS DNI. This is a mature gift work; see my Light Masterlist for all-age fanfic that is fine for minors. WC 2k

The constant photoflash burns into your retinas obnoxiously, and you’re not even the subject of the paparazzi.

Captain America is alive—all thanks to you—though he could easily have been six-feet under by now. The mysterious infection was so bad and spread so far, the drug regimen you administered constitutes one of the Avengers’ biggest Hail Marys to date, but it’s working. That’s all that matters…to the world. Behind the scenes is a different story.

As Captain Rogers turns to the next hand he must shake, his sharp blue eyes find you, twinged with a familiar fear.

This stupid event scheduled by Stark to boost morale, to show Cap is just fine and back in fighting form, has gone on too long. It’s happening again.

You worried Rogers might not make it when suddenly Stark showed up hours earlier than the initial, planned press conference—because, of course, there’s meet-and-greets, quick interviews, and these damn handshakes. He’s only gone so long between treatments for the last week.

You nod at Cap and make your way in the small crowd back to Stark. You tell him you’ll need a room, somewhere private to put in the IV, and at least thirty minutes to administer the huge dose. Rogers’s super-metabolism makes it necessary to use approximately forty times the prescription average for antibiotics and steroids. In theory, the side effects are well worth his speedy recovery.

Well, the only side effect.

Stark looks horrendously annoyed. “Can’t you just shoot him up with it and be done?” He doesn’t need your lecture repeated though. “Fine, there’s a greenroom thing over there, but you’ve got fifteen minutes at most, you hear me?”

“Twenty-five, Mr. Stark. He’s not a water balloon.”

“Twenty or he can wheel the damn thing around with him.”

You gulp in nervousness, but the problem isn’t Stark’s attitude. Rogers isn’t going to like rushing this. He feels shame enough already.

“I’ll make it work,” you assure the stubborn playboy. If he only knew…

“Good. A team player. We value that here.”

You have no fucking idea how ironic that is, you scream internally, but you follow him to a door off a back hallway, a room that shares a wall with the space all those people are gathered, and thank Stark.

“Oh good, he’s heard the dog-whistle of treat time,” Tony quips, and you swivel to see Cap trailing behind you.

He’s already made his excuses to step away, too. It must be bad.

You’re sure to pull out your props of a saline drip and tubing from your bag while Tony can still see, but you drop the act the instant the door clicks shut.

Cap take one step forward to flip the lock, immediately unzipping the fly of his iconic leather suit.

See, the only side effect of the drugs is Rogers gets hard, often, and can’t find relief from his efforts alone. Through trial-and-error, the clear solution has been help—discretely—from the only medical professional allowed around him until his condition improved.

Of course, he fought it. Of course, you wanted to preserve his dignity. Of course, you tried to keep it as perfunctory, methodical, and uninspired as possible, but the thing is, that didn’t last.

The more distant and cold the experience, the faster he became desperate and wanting again, and now you have just twenty minutes to make sure Captain America can hold out for hours.

Steve, you remind yourself. He prefers you not use respectful address when engaging is what he deems entirely disrespectful behavior. 

You need to get him off in essentially no time at all, so you’ve decided: go big or go home.

Bag tossed to the floor, you unbutton your pants and shimmy out of everything from shoes to panties, letting the longer tail of your dress shirt barely cover your modesty.

Steve looks dumbfounded. It’s bad enough he has to run to you for a handy every few hours, but this?

“Doc, no,” he breaths.

“I understand the procedure,” you say calmly, echoing his harrowing consent from that first night he needed you.

Steve’s brow furrows in strain. “We shouldn’t…”

‘We’ are way past ‘shouldn’t,’ buddy.

“Can’t ask you to…“ but he also knows time’s a wasting.

He’s already fisting himself, struggling to be the gentleman he never stopped being, which at the moment is a huge problem because both of you need to get through the day—you without losing your job and him without popping a boner on national television.

It’s your job to break him and break him right now.

“Goddamnit, will you just fucking let me do this for you?”

There’s a flat smack on the door.

“Do whatever the lady wants and then get back out here,” Tony yells from the other side. “Put us all out of our misery,” he ends with a grumble.

That is by far the most helpful thing Stark has said in the last week, so you mouth “see” and begin undoing your blouse from the bottom, giving Steve his first peek of you. His hand speeds along his length, adam’s apple bobbing in concentration.

“Here, I’ll make it easy for you,” you whisper. You walk to the far corner of the room, put your hands up, shirt rising over your bare ass, and face the wall. Your voice is soothing, pleading even. “Just take what you need.”

In some ways, you feel responsible for his predicament. You are the prescribing doctor, he isn’t in a relationship where a partner could assist, and he insists no one else know. He doesn’t deserve to be poked and prodded more than necessary, and you can’t give him any other meds in combination. None of it is his fault same as none of it is yours. You only intended to heal him.

Truthfully though, none of this is just about his release anymore, much as you’d like to dismiss your feelings.

You can’t deny, however, that each time the air gets a little thicker with tension, the body language a little more intimate. Steve has kept his eyes open, clutched your free hand to his chest, rolled his hips open, and thrust up into your fist. The greater the satisfaction of his climax, the longer he retains control.

“When this is over…I swear,” he grits out, getting closer word by word until his deep voice is right by your ear.

He tugs your shirt up to dip his fingers between your legs. “Been smelling you for two days. Can’t do anything until—” Steve growls, feeling how slick you’ve become in anticipation “—you’re ready for me.” 

His concern washes away when two fingers easily breech you to the knuckle and are immediately replaced by the blunt head of his cock dragging between your folds.

You didn’t expect him to give in so fast. You didn’t expect him to have known this aroused you. The idea he might want to continue, to go further, races down your spine, following the opposite path of Steve leaning into you. His forehead presses your occipital as yours presses the wall. The heat of him makes you arch in luxurious proximity.

Steve fucking forward to enter you in one smooth motion makes you forget to be quiet, but before the whole shout of ecstasy escapes, his hand covers your mouth.

“Shhh, Doc,” he breathes at the base of your neck. “Be good for me.”

That only gets you moaning into the seam of his gloves.

His hips start a staccato rhythm, a second of loud friction for each second of silent, fulfilling pressure.

Steve slips his still wet fingers under your shirt and beneath the cup of your bra to swirl a smooth pattern over your nipple. Instead of voicing your approval, you shove yourself back into him faster.

You notice the muffled chatting of Tony and someone else outside while your eyes roll. The slap of your skin against the Cap suit becomes the loudest thing in the room, but that’s not what Steve minds.

He pulls out and spins you around, pausing to see the cream you’ve created at the base of him drip to the carpet below.

Deep sea eyes meet yours through golden lashes.

“If I can’t hear you…” Steve hoists you up to his waist, threading one arm through the bend in your knee, spreading you wide and diving in swiftly.

Your body curls forward automatically to grasp at him and smother yourself in the leather of his shoulder pad. This pace is much faster, purposeful, utterly unravelling you. The position delivers more range of motion, all of the buildup and less of the noise, with the added benefit of his tool belt nudging your clit repeatedly.

Tony pounds on the door. “‘Bout done in there, guys? Let’s go.” How apt, the unknowing jester.

Steve pants, open-mouthed, against your temple.

You smile but can’t stop your own ruin.

A groan gets buried in your disheveled hair. “Are you…close?” His hips snap brutally. “Are you—“ he sounds wrecked “—you gonna…come on my—uungh.”

You tip over the edge, clutching him tight and fluttering for him in every way. The detonation of your orgasm burns red behind your eyelids like camera flashes, a dirty snapshot for you alone.

“Mercy,” Steve begs, gripping your ass to rut into you, desperate to join. His neck tenses as he spills inside you, pulse throbbing in time with his cock. 

He leans against you and the wall, his steady weight stilling your shaky legs. Slowly, your feet are guided to the floor and Steve steps away to wipe away any evidence of his ‘therapeutic treatment.’ His breathing settles much faster than yours, and by the time he’s tucked back in with his suit righted, you’re simply sliding down the wall to catch up.

He hurries over to the small vanity and mini fridge—usually ‘guests’ for speaking (or interrogating) wait here—to bring you supplies.

A box of tissues is set by your side.

“So…” he hands you a bottle of water “…maybe…dinner tonight?” 

You set the water down in favor of cleaning yourself, glancing up to offer a reassuring dismissal. “This morning was your last dose,” you remind him. “It should be over soon.”

Steve may not need this anymore, may never need you again, but he doesn’t miss a single beat.

“I’d like—I want to take you some place nice, but…” He chugs his whole water then quickly unclasps the glove on his left hand, rolling up his sleeve, veins jumping over a thick forearm.

“I don’t know what food you enjoy.”

Arguably, he knows a few other things that you enjoy.

There’s another impatient bang at the door.

“I—“ Your heart soars with the soft sincerity of his face, no trace of fear left behind, no hesitation. “I’m gonna need a minute.”

Steve stands, smoothing a hand over his hair. “I’ll lock it behind me…and, um, thank you, Doc.”

It’s the first time he hasn’t apologized this whole week.

“You’re welcome, sir.”

Steve flashes you a dopey smile and shakes his head. “See you out there,” he chuckles.

You can’t be seen when the door opens just enough for Steve to step out, but he makes a show of rolling the suit’s sleeve back down like he really did have an IV infusion, selling the lie like a pro. He keeps Tony talking while shutting you back into your debauched bubble.

Through the wall, you still hear “could you have gone any slower?” followed by a curt, “yes,” and have to stifle a laugh.

“What’d you do, blow a vein?”

You’re picturing an incredibly ironic look on Captain Rogers’ face.

“Just be grateful she puts up with us, Tony…” and their voices disappear down the hall.

His treatment may be finished, but Steve wants you to stick around. He wants you.

Would having dinner with that man really be so terrible? No. Not at all. Even the ‘worst’ of this situation has been a great fucking experience. You don’t want to give that up yet.

It seems you’re both addicted now.

[Main Masterlist; Steve Rogers One-Shots; Ko-Fi]

[thebenjiblackwoodexpress]

The Blackwood Knight prt.8

Disclaimer: I wrote this because Victoria is a Shakespeare girlie and loves Romeo and Juliet. She also loves Crimson Peak, which inspired the last two parts.

Description: Benjicot resorts to drastic measures to win back his lady's trust and love, having accidentally placed doubt in her mind as to his true intentions.

Part 7

Playlist:

Gold Rush~ Taylor Swift

The Way I Loved You~ Taylor Swift

How You Get The Girl~ Taylor Swift

Adore You ~ Harry Styles

Warnings: female reader. Nothing else I don't think. Robb being an iconic twink with access to the blueprints for Bracken Hall and too much sass for Westeros to handle.

"Let me get this absolutely crystal clear in my mind. You described your union as 'mutually beneficial'!" Robb cried incredulously, striking Benjicot on the shoulder from behind, as he sat slumped onto a desk in the library of his ancestral seat. 

The glow cast by the lit lanterns, attached to the ancient stone walls, cast shadows over his face which bore signs of the deepest distress. 

"It sounds beyond reprehensible when you repeat those words, words which I most bitterly regret. I did not mean them in the way that both yourself and my lady have interpreted them, but it makes them no less acrid when you repeat them." He responded dejectedly, slumping his head once again upon the desk. 

Mumbling almost incomprehensibly so that Robb had to tilt his head down towards his friend to hear him. 

"What can I do to make amends? She hates me. I fear she will never speak to me again." 

Robb cast a contemptuous look at his friend before retorting. 

"You bloody fool. Not only did you make her sound to even my indulgent ears like a prize to be bartered between Houses, but you also did so with the very fiend from whose taunts you once defended her. Can you not see that you have made a shy, sweet girl who loved and trusted you feel as if the one person who she believed cared for her and would protect her above all others was nothing more than a cipher of the bullies she has sought to shield herself from?!" 

Seeing Benjicot's increasingly pained expression, as he roughly gripped his hair in both hands, Robb relented a little. 

"The damage you have done in your carelessness will be very difficult to remedy. You must show her that you love her and value her above all else. Words are not enough." 

Lifting his head, Benjicot's expression became resolved as he turned it to meet his friend. 

"I will, even if she will never again allow me to be in her presence," He struggled to continue, the thought causing him physical pain, "I must at the very least convince her that my love for her was never a lie. I cannot bear the thought that I have only cemented her insecurities. That I have born my own part in making her feel as if I mocked her...just like her contemptuous cousin." 

At this, he began to rise.

"I must see her." 

Perking up at this and slapping his friend approvingly on the back, Robb moved to lift his sword from the table and responded. 

"Glad to hear it. I'll get the Lads together and we can defend your flank whilst you hop over the border and get on your knees to beg your lady for forgiveness, you're favourite past time I know." 

Looking at him with mild irritation, Benjicot rose, placing a firm hold on Rob's shoulder. 

"Whilst I greatly appreciate the support, I must go myself. She's shy and frightened enough of me, after my misdemeanor, and I don't want you and your cronies scaring her off before I can even apologise." 

Laughing at this, Robb retorted smugly. 

"More likely you're afraid of her falling in love with me. Fear not, my interests lie in another direction entirely, but I'll hold off if you are determined. Of course Kermit will be devastated not to have a free shot at a Bracken, but I will assuage him." 

With this, Benjicot nodded at his friend before rising quickly and striding from the room, through the halls of Raventree as he continued to ruminate with anguish on the distressed face of his lovely lady and the part he had played in causing her distress. He would explain that he loved her and valued her above all else. That he meant every word he had said to her. That he would protect, serve and adore her if she would only let him, only forgive him. He would beg for her forgiveness, even if she could never herself love him again. It would be enough if she would only permit him to continue in her presence as a loyal knight.

It had been a day since Y/N had fled from the man she had come to trust and love, the only one she believed had ever cared for her and seen her as more than a shadow in the background of life....mistakenly. After Aeron had carried her back to her quarters in Bracken Hall she had locked her doors and allowed no visitors, barring her handmaiden. 

She spent the intervening hours between that of the previous days events and the advent of night on her balcony, her still pained ankle raised on a cushion on her chaise, as she read of Visenya. She was mentally and physically retreating to the shelter of her room and her books, determined never to open her heart to another person, as she had so foolishly done this time. She was silly to believe that Benjicot could love her for herself, rather than the political promise she could represent for him. She had trusted him where she had never invested anyone else with such trust. She had begun to gain in confidence in her dreams, her beliefs, and in his love, all for it to be shattered in a moment. Her embarrassment at having opened her heart to another person, to revealing herself so freely, where she was always so careful to be a shadowy presence in others' lives, was overwhelming, as she sunk further into her seat and further into herself. 

Wrapped in these painful thoughts, it was a few seconds before she heard a muffled voice calling her name from the direction of the dark expanse underneath her window. Rising carefully from her seat, using the pillars lining the portico of the balcony to balance herself as she moved towards the edge of it, she looked down to see the hopeful and desperate expression of the man she both hated and loved. Seeing her come into view, his face lit up with irrepressible delight, before quickly falling when she began to quickly turn away, book pressed protectively to her chest as she made to retreat to her room. She did not want to speak with him. 

Seeing her retreat, he quickly called out. 

"Please my love, please, I entreat you to let me explain what you overheard in the woods." 

Stopping where she was, she turned and moved once again back to the edge of the balcony. 

Speaking quietly and timidly, but not so much so that he could not hear her, accustomed as he was to listening for her quiet voice, she responded. 

"Please leave, I do not wish to speak with you now or henceforth. I can't understand why you are here now when you have made it abundantly clear that I myself am not what you seek. I would like you to leave."

Taking a deep, pained breath, Benjicot's expression underwent several changes before it became resolute and he stepped determinedly towards the pillar bolstering the balcony from the ground. 

Confused at his movements, Y/N became panicked when she realised he was climbing the pillar, frozen in position. It wasn't until he had swung his leg over the top of the balcony and had landed gracefully that she turned to flee, forgetting her injured ankle in the attempt, causing herself to stumble and hold onto a nearby pillar for support. Feeling gentle hands enclose around her elbows, she heard Benjicot speak quietly near her cheek. 

"Please don't run from me, my love. Your ankle is still injured. Please just allow me to help you." 

Looking down with concern at the ankle in question, he slowly, with great caution lest his lady should be offended, raised her arm around his neck and held her waist, fully supporting her weight so that he could place her on her chaise.  

Distressed to see his lady look away from him, her expression betraying embarrassment as well as displeasure, he knelt before her, bending his head low, before gently, reverently holding her hands in both of his own. 

"I will not disturb you further if you do not wish it, but I must convince you of the truth of my feelings for you and beg for your forgiveness for making you believe otherwise." 

Stopping him abruptly, Benjicot immediately desisted in deference to her speech, so important was anything she had to say to him, even if she meant only to order him away from her forever. 

Speaking quietly, she interrupted him. 

"I already heard what both you and my cousin said of me when you believed me not to be listening. I know that your protestations of love for me were all a ruse and that you were both in league together." 

Benjicot's expression betrayed the deep pain he felt at her response, drooping his head to rest it on her knees. 

"I can never apologise enough, nor beg for your forgiveness enough, for making you believe such a horrific notion. I had never spoken to your cousin of you before that dreadful moment, except when I first had the honour of meeting you. You were never just a bartering tool between us. I would break his legs if even tried to make such a suggestion. I had only meant to convey to him that I would repair the conflict between our houses so that in choosing me as your husband you would not also be choosing to abandon all that you knew. It is my mistake that I so brazenly worded my intent, my love." He added, casting his face down in desperation. 

"I have loved you since I first saw you sitting with your nose tucked into your histories under the Brackentree and have persued your love ever since. I have meant every word I have said to you since, and will continue to prove it to you in any way thay you will allow me."

His lady slightly turning towards him, Benjicot grew at once desperate and hopeful that she would listen to his entreaties, gripping her hands tighter in his as he raised his face to hers, hoping to convey the truth of his feelings in his eyes. 

"You speak very elegantly but I now know that you are so to all ladies and that this charade is not reserved for me alone." 

Reaching out to touch her face before quickly retracting his hand once he saw Y/N move away from him in discomfort, he instead responded. 

"Whilst I would consider myself to be a gentleman, there is only one lady I would traverse miles of enemy land and scale walls to get to." Saying this with a gentle smile, he continued to gaze upon her reverently. 

When she did not respond, he removed a brown leather volume from its place, stashed underneath his cloak. 

"I found this in my library and I thought it might be of interest to you." 

Hesitantly reaching to take the volume from his hand, she examined it before opening it. 

As she did so, he interposed "May I?" Pointing at the book. 

He turned the pages to an earmarked section, coloured with a rich illustration of a knight kneeling in homage before a queen. 

"This tells the story of a knight loyal to his queen above all else, swearing to protect, serve and..." He hesitated "love her for all of his life".

She gazed curiously down at the illustration in her hands as he spoke. 

"I thought you would like to have it, even should you order me away from your presence now. But I should like it to serve as an illustration of the devotion I feel towards you and as a reminder that I will always protect and adore you, even if only as your knight. Without any conditions. Without any expectation for you to love me in return. Just....let me adore you." He faltered staring up at her penitently, anxiously awaiting her response. 

It was a few agonising moments for Benjicot before Y/N raised her hand towards his shoulder, causing him to hold his breath lest he frighten her in his shock. Delicately placing her hand on his shoulder, she placed the other one on his other shoulder, causing him to subconsciously lean into her touch. 

Looking timidly away from him, she began to speak. 

"So you really did not mean that I was a...political tool." 

Leaning further towards her face, he quickly refuted such a notion. 

"I would thrash any man who suggested it. You are my lady, my love." 

Gazing into his eyes searchingly, she seemed to find what she sought in them, and leant her head gently upon his shoulder. 

Shocked, yet rejoicing at her affectionate gesture and in the comfort she seemed to look to from him, he lost no time in wrapping a protective arm around her waist, pulling her into his torso as he held her head gently in his other hand. Closing his eyes in relief, he held her like that for a few peaceful moments, scarcely believing that his love had forgiven him and that she had initiated their embrace. Taking it as a sign of the trust she had reinvested in him to protect her heart as well as her person, he solemnly swore in his own mind to guard it with more sucess than he had yet done as of late.

She pulled away too quickly for his liking, wishing as he did that she could always be so close to him.

"How did you even find your way here with impunity, let alone my balcony?"

Smirking at this, Benjicot threw his cloak dramatically over his shoulder to amuse her with his antics.

"I of course practiced great stealth, opting for a cloak and daggers approach."

Raising a disapproving eyebrow at him but with her mouth turned up at the corner, Benjicot rejoiced to have made her smile and to have amused her.

"In truth i just walked past the Red Ford and straight until i found Bracken Hall, i wasn't too worried about encountering any Bracken men. I'd just run them through if they tried to prevent me from reaching my Love. As far as finding your balcony goes, i was just blessed to see your pretty person upon it....and my good friend Robb also has an encyclopedic knowledge of Bracken Hall, having planned to storm it so many times." He added, slightly sheepishly.

Rolling her eyes at him, lightly swatting his chest.

"You're crazy."

Smirking again he rose to put his arm against the wall by her face, leaning his face towards hers.

"Crazy about you."

"And ridiculous," she added, laughing.

Reaching out to hold her chin gently in his other hand he leaned in further, before whispering in response "ridiculously in love with you", as his lips crashed onto hers, his arm moving to encircle her waist and support her weight as he did so.

Breaking the kiss, he stroked her cheeks with his thumbs, gazing up at her as if she were the sun. 

"Can i come and see you tomorrow?" He asked tentatively, unable to fully conceal his fear that she would still order him hence.

"I'd rather you didn't risk your life in such a dangerous attempt. I can always come to meet you."

Frowning at this, he stroked the back of her cheekbone with his nuckle. 

"You think i would allow my darling to cross that distance with an injured leg when i can cross it myself?"

Seeing her blush at his appellation, he smiled and reached forward to increase her blush by kissing the corner of her mouth.

"I think not. I have no fear of your Bracken bannermen. Although I do fear having to inform my disapproving lady love that i've despatched all of them because they tried to stop me from seeing her."

Benjicot walked away from his lady love's balcony that evening, not before blowing her a kiss, and silently rejoicing that she had forgiven him and permited him to remain in her presence and in her heart.

@lovebabe18-blog @poppyflower-22 @ithilwen-blackwood @spinachtz @lady-callisto @twistytimesandthoughts @abookloverlawyerfan-blog @mymoonempress @drwho-ess @dancingbaek @aemondslove @cheendrella

[shayberri789]

My theory on the NtN ending:

Cassiopeia wasn't the only one to betray Jod thousands of years ago. She wasn't the only one to see that what Jod was doing was wrong and put plans in place to deal with it.

Anastasia the first almost had perfect lyctorhood and watched her God kill her cavalier in front of her so she couldn't do it. Maybe she really would have died. Maybe she would have gone the paul route. Maybe she would have survived and Samael would still be around. But he was killed in front of her and she had no say in it.

Alecto was odd, and a little dangerous, but she's the soul of the earth and if Jod could kill the most important person to Anastasia of course he could kill the thing who loved humanity so much she gave them power over life and death.

And when the Lyctors were convincing him to kill his pet revenent beast, the pin point of his greatest sin and a being in constant pain and hurt, maybe Anastasia, the one left behind, the one maybe magicked to silence through a sewn tongue, cursed jaw, felt sympathy and kinship with Alecto. Maybe she knew Jod would never truly kill Alecto. Maybe she was the first person in hundreds if not thousands and millions of years to look at Alecto with compassion and actually say "I will help you if only you tell me how". Maybe she made a promise to protect Alecto, maybe she made a promise to look after her while she sleeps. Maybe she made a promise that one day she'd come and wake Alecto up and they'd solve things together. Maybe one day they can undo what John did and maybe Alecto can have peace, finally, one day. And maybe Alecto swore that for the debt of waking her again she would do anything for Anastasia, any one thing, if Anastasia woke her up in a time when things could change.

But by the time Anastasia, frail with her necromancer build and squirreled away at the edge of the solar system, started reaching old age she realized it was too soon to wake her up. Too soon to send her into the lyctor viper pit again, not while Anastasia was so weak. So she tasks her daughter with guarding the tomb. "This door must stay shut until the day comes when the emperor must die" she says, and her daughter repeats this to her son, and so on and so forth until the body in the locked tomb becomes Armageddon. Not locked away for her own protection, not awaiting the day for the tomb keeper to wake her up and try again, not awaiting the day when the nine houses get to restart. No, she's the greatest enemy of god, she must be locked away lest she start Armageddon, locked away for the protection of the emperor and their duties to her tomb an icon for devotion.

But the bloodwards hold for 10000 years and one day the curse of silence will be lifted from the jaw of the ninth house tomb keeper, and the oath to Alecto is preserved in the Anastasian bloodline. And the daughter of the tomb keeper has awakened the monster once again

[andiatas]

So, @cambridgemadness just slid into my DMs to talk about a tweet that cited an article (about Marius) from the Norwegian tabloid Se og Hor. Maybe this is me being mentally drained, or I truly had a lightbulb moment - I'll let you guys be the judge of that. Now... I have been one of those who have repeated "omg it just keeps getting worse" over & over these past two months... but I've changed my opinion.

This isn't actually getting worse (just to be overly clear here, I'm not talking about one of the ex-girlfriends having to flee her home because someone tried to murder her - that's obviously an escalation of the situation regarding the domestic violence cases). This is the Norwegian version of the Swedish 2010 scandal.

I've briefly talked about this before & I know @duchessofostergotlands have made posts about this topic, but a brief recap for those who aren't familiar; in 2010 a book about Carl Gustaf was published, the title roughly translating to "The Unwilling Monarch". This book was a bombshell because up until this point, there was this magical shimmer around the royals - you couldn't just publish or say whatever you wanted about the royals, they were royalty! Of course, people gossiped & speculated etc. etc. but there were certain lines you just didn't cross because, again, they were royalty. What was so groundbreaking (is that the right word?) with this book was that it took the King, the Head of State, & treated him like any other person worthy of scrutiny.

This book didn't just talk about the partying Crown Prince & later partying King. This book went further & detailed connections to criminals. It talked about sex & strip clubs (which led to this iconic meme), "coffee girls" & made accusations that Carl Gustaf had a fling with Camilla Henemark & that Silvia was aware of it. This was further & more detailed than anyone had ever dared go before & of course, these accusations caused chaos. But people were also shocked because, how could you say these things about the King?! Anyway, the point with why I'm mentioning this is that after this book, the floodgates were opened & the coverage of the Swedish royals was never the same.

I hope you guys can see the parallels here with what we & the Norwegian royals are going through at the moment. This is their 2010, however, it's not the King who is in the hot seat, it's Marius. As we know, the Norwegian royals have been criticised before, there have been scandals & Marius has been under scrutiny before. What has changed is that the Norwegian media aren't holding back anymore.

From an outside perspective, it probably looks like things are just getting worse & worse. But if you look at what is actually said in Norwegian media, these aren't technically news. Most of this is public secrets that we're now getting the full picture of. People knew Marius had been charged with things before; Marius has a public Instagram account & his friends haven't been shy about posting things about him on social media. But instead of just "Marius had a run-in with the police at Skaugum for a traffic-related incident" + "someone tried to sell silverware to an auction house that obviously is taken from a royal residence" we now get the story that "Marius had a party at Skaugum with his friends from Hell's Angels where said criminals stole stuff from Haakon & Mette-Marit (which the idiots tried to sell but were obviously caught)! Oh, & by the way, Marius himself had a visit from the police last October after having crashed into a fence at Skaugum!"

To wrap this up, what do you guys think? Do you agree or do you have a different interpretation of the situation?

P.S. If you can't tell, I'm heavily taking back my previous statement made weeks ago that I feel bad for Marius. I do have issues with how certain things have been handled, but I don't feel bad for him as a person anymore.

[signoraviolettavalery]

Everything I can remember about the Den Haag and Amsterdam gigs, before I forget, but also I got about as little sleep as they did because I was a)worrying about their travel b)too hyped up to sleep

Den Haag

they were so hella energetic for people who had gone through All That to get here, Bojan was hella alive, but he didn't banter much with the crowd

It was Sinterklaas so they got soooooo many gifts. Hats, lofts of candy (traditional sinterklaas gift), bracelets, flags, letters...

Someone threw stroopwaffels because those are Kris' favorite

the Dutch crowd was so polite??? There was no barricade but nobody was grabbing them or their guitars, the only things that were being thrown at the stage were soft things like hats, nobody was chucking presents directly at them, any bracelets that got thrown were thrown gently onto the stage rather than at them

(fyi afterwards when the crew cleans up they go through and pick up all the gifts so as long as it gets onto the stage they'll get it)

they confirmed several times that they'll be back to the Netherlands

In Ne Bi Smel he changed "sem bil slep" to "sem kreten" again

when singing ASTP Bojan had the various parts of the venue cheer first, and the balcony that cheered the least loud got ASTP sung to them specifically; and at the end he changed the lyrics so they went "kako lepo disite me" aka "how nice you (plural) smell to me" idk was he saying the sweaty crowd filling this venue smelled nice to him (I have QUESTIONS)

there were balloons onstage, at some point, Jan decided he had a vendetta against the balloons, starting popping them with his boots by jumping around while playing the guitar and, being a clutz, got tangled in a flag/coat/something? by the drums and nearly fell over a;slkfjwe Jan why are you like this I love you

Kris got a pope hat that he put on right before NGVOT so he sang NGVOT as the pope I guess

Kris was drinking tea during the gig; every time Bojan was introducing the song he was just chilling by the drum set and sipping his tea while wearing sunglasses, iconic, gives zero fucks, I love him

Amsterdam

holy shit this gig was wild and magical. We gave them such a warm welcome and we screamed so loud I think even Bojan was impressed

the music as we were waiting for the gig was ABBA followed by Lady Gaga and Barbie Girl, and after the gig it was Avril Lavigne. We got most of those songs yesterday so Im' guessing Bojan picked that soundtrack :P

after they did Gola he asked "ok, so you know the words. How many of you hear aren't slovenian?" the entire fucking venue raises their hands. "we should get y'all on duolingo" Bojan Slovenian isn't on Duolingo!!

Bojan really, truly makes everyone feel seen. It's astounding. The opening act, Mia Nicolai, she was good, but she mostly just started in front of her, at the people in front of the stage. Bojan looks around and makes eye contact with everyone. The people on the balconies (I swear he looked straight at me, I died), the people in the front rows, the people on the sides, the people in the back. Every time, you feel seen. He's just got that something, not just stage presence, but that knack for being up there and making it a party that includes everyone

at some point, it got really hot and their crew started passing out water bottles. I think Bojan even went backstage during the Ne Bi Smel intro to ask them to give out more. He was really attentive and when one girl fainted or almost fainted during Ne Bi Smel he noticed, cut the music off immediately, the lights go up, and he made sure she was escorted by security and that she was okay before they restarted the song. Total pros.

introducing NGVOT: "I have to call a very special singer up to the stay. Kris. This song came about because of his broken heart. That heart is now healed" (important information to share I guess) and then Kris of course did NGVOT

Bojan: asks the crowd how to say umazane misli in Dutch. They tell him and he repeats it. Bojan then turns to Kris if he said it right, kris says no. "Well how would you say it then?" Bojan asks. "I don't know but what you said sounds wrong" as;lkfjwe Kris you're iconic

There were some Slovenians in the crowd! Including a girl whom Bojan went to high school with with. He dedicated Omamljeno Telo to her because "you heard it when I played it in high school"

He gave a really long intro to Plastika about how we're supposed to hate our analog minds and our analog bodies and how this is all terrible and basically just love yourself and don't judge others

Nace spent a lot of time playing across from Kris and didn't spend all that much time with his husband onstage :( :(

At the end Kris took off the Stozice outfit sleeves and threw them into the crowd so now there's two people who own that little piece of history

Anyway did I mention Amsterdam was magical, they were on fire, they were delighted to be there, the crowed was delighted to have them, and so enthusiastic, and there was just so much energy and hearing them live is truly something else. The recordings are amazing but being there, in that space with them, when they're at their best, hearing them actually perform those songs? Indescribable. Live CD when?

[xeas]

I SLITHERED HERE FROM EDEN (JUST TO SIT OUTSIDE YOUR DOOR)

🍍 IN WHICH: mr. inference cant seem to give himself a break. eli wants to help.

🥥 NOTE FROM XEA!: there's like, not a single surveyor icon on pinterest. idk if its because i searched the wrong stuff up or smth but i found an icon for every eli skin BUT surveyor . also no cop x criminal...that's tuff asf to write sorry,,,,,,i also have a tough time writing for men so i took this as a challenge ;;;;; sorry if it seems a little rushed or not as good as previous works

🫧CONTENT WARNINGS: not proofread; inference smokes a pipe, surveyor smokes the same one, surveyor is a flirt, relationship is up to the reader but its intended to be on the romantic spectrum, surveyor goes by eli, Mr. inference goes by naib, these two dudes kiss btw

There is something lonesome about Mr. Inference.

He spends most of his days (and nights) cooped up in his office organizing paperwork, writing reports, and putting two and two together.

And yet, some people just manage to get through locked doors (both physical and mental) to get on the detective's last nerves.

He considers himself a common man with common thoughts. No plaque or statue will be dedicated to his name, that will sooner be forgotten than remembered.

The detective cups the bowl of his pipe, exhaling a stream of smoke as he looks up at the drab ceiling of his office. Steel blue eyes stare up at the ceiling lost in thought, his classic coat hanging off of the leather chair he sat in.

The doorknob rattles. What?

Half of a moment passes. The door hastily creaks open and the detective doesn't even need to look to see who it is, the sound of black shoes clicking against the wood already making his head ache.

A figure with a mop of brown hair against porcelain skin sits on his desk. He watches, he is always watching. Naib continues to write and write and write with no end in sight.

"I believe it's past working hours, dear detective."

"Work picks up around this time."

"You're neglecting yourself, Naib."

The assault of ink to paper is halted. Naib suddenly feels the weight of exhaustion presses itself upon him.

"What do you need now." His voice is like a tangy whiskey against ice.

The surveyor hums, hands splayed on the mahogany of the desk. "Nothing, as of now. But a close friend of ours wanted me to check on you."

It doesn't take a genius to know who.

Naib puts his lips to the stem of his pipe and inhales, pulling away. He exhales away from Eli, offering the pipe to him. He takes his offer and repeats the same motion Naib does. Smoke hits the side of the detective's face.

"I know you won't talk about it Naib. Even it might kill you," Eli started, exhaling leftover smoke.

"But you have people you can talk to." The detective's brows furrowed.

"I know."

"Okay."

The two of them sat in pregnant silence. Eli observed what he saw. A man drowning himself in paperwork. His hair was messy, his overcoat draped over his chair, white collared shirt with 2 buttons open, you could see his rich olive skin-

Let's look at something else.

"I got you something." Eli interrupts his own thoughts. Naib looked over at him.

"I'm not going to get drunk with you." Naib cuts in.

"You're no fun," Eli pouts, setting the 'surprise' bottle of bourbon on the desk.

Naib just rolls his eyes, smoking the pipe again.

This time, Eli can't resist.

Almost as soon as he exhales the smoke Eli leans over the desk, planting a kiss on Naibs chapped lips. The detective's perpetually tired eyes widen a fraction, a hand suddenly gripping the desk.

As Eli pulls away he feels the detective grip a wrist of his. He watches him wet his lips.

"Stay for a while?"

"Of course."

୨🐙୧ ‧ 𝙃𝘼𝙑𝙀 𝘼𝙉 𝘼𝙈𝘼𝙕𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝘿𝘼𝙔! ⋆ ˚｡

🌺 𝙓𝙊𝙓𝙊,

XEA!

[seblaineaddict]

Happy 6 months of RWRB movie!

When Red, White, and Royal Blue came out back in 2019, I read it every day during my 90 minutes (each way!) Train commute to work, until it was finished. Every morning, I'd immerse myself in it, feeling cheated when I had to wait a few hours to read the next few chapters, and every night, I'd repeat the process. I loved it so much, in fact, that as soon as I'd completed it, I started it from the very beginning again.

I rarely do that. But when I do, it's always with books that clobber me over the head and deliver a sucker punch of emotions. Casey's incredible book and their unique style of writing were hugely impactful on my life and changed it in ways I couldn’t even have begun to imagine.

Fast forward to the movie announcement...Not gonna lie, I honestly vacillated between being so excited to a feeling of trepidation and dare I say it - deep dread... What if they ruined my new favourite book? What if the actors portraying Alex and Henry just didn’t fit for me? What if they changed it beyond all recognition and..I ended up hating it? We all know of at least one movie that started out life as a book, and was ruined beyond all repair when it hit the big screen. But then...on 11th August 2023, my Bestie @hrh-henrywales and I watched it together, and...all my doubts disappeared. It was just everything I'd been hoping for and so much more. Absolute perfection.

So thank you, Casey, for writing a book that has changed hundreds of thousands (dare I even say, millions?) of lives, and has helped so many LGBTQ+ people who previously felt marginalised and at times very lonely, to feel seen and appreciated, and celebrated for being exactly who and what they are. Thank you, Matthew, for vividly bringing to life Casey's wonderful story and, most importantly, keeping the essence of what makes Red, White, and Royal Blue so truly special and so uniquely ours.

And last, but by no means least, thank you, Taylor and Nick, for capturing our hearts and being our perfect Alex and Henry. We all love all four of you and the rest of the wonderful cast so much. Now...can we have our sequel? Pleaseee?

Music used is of course Oliver Sims' iconic Fruit - Red, White and Royal Blue version.

@hrh-henrywales

@acd-at-oxford

[geekywritings]

The stories that scars can tell

You guys are incredible! Just as I am working through last week’s requests, there are already new ones in my inbox. Thank you again for all your inspiration and encouragement. And of course, all requests will get a story!

But first, here is another one from last week: “You icon, it’s your fav anon again hehehe. So you are the best place to req for Cal so here’s another one 🤭 Cal x reader who has scars and he accidentally psychometry on one and he learns about her traumatic past and the comfort is reallll???”

_________

Cal had always been an early riser, while you preferred to stay in bed just that little bit longer. Now, after you had got together, the Jedi began to lounge in the mornings as well, enjoying that extra bit of time by your side.

He would busy himself studying your face or just closing his eyes to enjoy the feel of your warm body against his until you woke up. It was like a new form of meditation that offered him more calmness and happiness than he had ever thought possible.

This morning however was going to be different. You were still asleep, your nude body cuddled into Cal’s, as he drew lazy circles over your back. He could feel the traces of old scars there, some more faded than others. You were both fighters in this war, so your bodies were bound to carry the marks, but many of yours were older.

You had never spoken of their origin and Cal had never asked, knowing well that some things were better left to rest in the past. Still, sometimes he couldn’t help but wonder what your life had been like before meeting him. Before the rebellion. Before the fall of the Republic.

And just like that, his special Force power activated against his will, as his finger glided over a particularly long scar going from your shoulder down your back.

He found himself in a dark world of metal and strobe lights. Nar Shadaa? Corellia? It was hard to tell. Besides, something else quickly drew his attention. The agonizing screams of a girl, maybe 13 or 14 years old, as she knelt in a puddle of spilled drinks on the ground, shattered glass all around her. It was you, he realized. A younger version of you, to be exact.

“I told you to be more careful!” a tall man behind you yelled, as he hit you repeatedly with his belt. “You are the most useless slave ever! I should just sell you! It would be good riddance!”

Cal’s entire body was shaking with anger and disgust. And instantly, he forced himself to pull away from the vision. As much as he would have liked, he couldn’t pull his lightsaber at the man. An echo was just that, a replay of past events with no way to change them.

“What did you see?”

Your soft voice drew him back into the present and guilt filled him, as if he had invaded your privacy.

“I know that look on your face. You had one of those Force visions.” He had tried explaining them to you and while you could never fully grasp how they worked, you had come to know when they happened.

“I am sorry, Y/N… I didn’t mean to…”, he began, the guilt carrying in his voice.

“It’s alright. I know you can’t always control it… What did you see?”, you ended up repeating your question.

“I saw you being beaten… over spilled drinks.”

“Yes, my Master did that quite often.”

“You… were a slave?”, Cal asked hesitantly and you nodded. It wasn’t something you liked talking about, but it was no secret either. And especially the man you loved deserved to know.

“But slavery was forbidden…”

“The Republic didn’t have its eyes everywhere, Cal. And it wasn’t perfect. It tolerated more bad things than you and I can imagine…”, you spoke, adjusting your position, so that you could look at Cal better. “But the Empire is even worse.”, you tacked on, explaining why you were fighting for a Republic that had let you suffer.

“I never knew… I was so blind to a lot of things…” It was something the Jedi learned anew every day. How sheltered his life at the Temple had been. How much the war had covered. How many problems had been left unchecked because there was nobody to take care of them.

“We have the chance to make things better. That’s why we fight, right?” It was the reason you fought, at least.

Instead of answering, Cal pulled you into his arms, holding you close and burying his face in your hair. “I won’t let anyone treat you like that again. I promise.”, he whispered to you and you smiled, a hand gently playing with the hair on the nape of his neck. “We will make things better.”, he added on a vow. “For us. For everyone.”

You had no idea how you would manage that. You were but a handful of rebels against the might of an Empire. But right then, it didn’t matter. All that mattered were Cal’s arms around you, making you feel safe, protected and loved.

“We will, Cal. But for now, just kiss me.” And he gladly did.

[picascribit]

I've been thinking about the fact that it's been almost 20 years since OotP was released, and how traumatic that experience was for Wolfstar shippers. Only it wasn't Wolfstar back then; we called ourselves puppyshippers, or R/S shippers, or SBRL shippers (theirloveissocanon).

I remember a fic challenge in the wake of OotP's publication, which I believe was called "Through the Veil". The premise had Sirius using the Veil to jump between parallel realities, trying to find his way home, a la Quantum Leap. We were in a lot of denial about the nature of the Veil in those days, you understand. Much like Harry, we were unwilling to accept that Sirius might actually be dead. I can only remember two of the fics, both of which were deeply painful, because back then we enjoyed nothing more than to HURT one another.

One involved Sirius ending up in a reality without magic. He found Remus, who was all alone and dying of AIDS, and approached him as a dog, staying with him until he died, before jumping to the next timeline.

The other was called Without Moony. Sirius can't find Remus, but eventually finds himself at St Mungo's. It turns out in this timeline, Remus died as a teenager, as a direct result of the Prank (oh god do people even still use this parlance?). Out of guilt, Sirius never transformed into Padfoot again, and lost his mind in Azkaban. All he can do is repeat over and over, "There's no Padfoot without Moony".

I also remember things like fanvids of movie clips set to Evanescense songs, infinite animated livejournal icons, and long essays pointing to details in canon that PROVED Remus and Sirius were an item. (Of course we know now that what the author intended doesn't matter, but I would hate for the passion with which such things were written to be forgotten.)

I'm sure most of these things still exist somewhere out there, but a lot of the context has been lost. It's not really possible to convey what it was like to be there and to experience such things in real time. I guess this is just me pushing back a little against the sands of time, before these fragments of our history become lost forever.

[datcloudboi]

List of Films Turning 10 Years Old in 2024

The Amazing Spider-Man 2

American Sniper

Annie (the remake starring Jamie Foxx)

As Above, So Below

The Babadook (we stan a gay icon)

Batman: Assault on Arkham (a direct continuation of the Batman: Arkham games)

Big Eyes

Big Hero 6

Birdman (won the Best Picture Oscar for this year)

The Book of Life

The Boxtrolls

Boyhood (filmed over the course of 12 years)

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Chef

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Dead Snow 2: Red vs. Dead

Dear White People (the basis for the TV series on Netflix, and made by the same guy)

Dracula Untold (this was Universal’s second attempt at launching the Dark Universe)

The Drop (a crime drama starring Tom Hardy)

Edge of Tomorrow/Live Die Repeat

The Equalizer

Exodus: Gods and Kings (a biblical epic directed by Ridley Scott)

The Expendables 3

The Fault in Our Stars

Foxcatcher

Fury (the war movie with Brad Pitt and Shia LaBeouf)

Get on Up (the James Brown biopic starring Chadwick Boseman)

Godzilla (the 1st film in the MonsterVerse)

Gone Girl

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1

The Guest

Hercules (the one starring The Rock)

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (did you guys know the working title for this movie was “The Hobbit: There and Back Again”?)

How to Train Your Dragon 2

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1

If I Stay

The Imitation Game (the movie where Benedict Cumberbatch plays Alan Turing)

Inherent Vice

Interstellar

The Interview (the movie that almost caused World War 3)

Into the Woods

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

Jodorowsky's Dune (a documentary about the Dune movie that we never got)

Joe (one of Nic Cage's best movies)

John Wick (the 1st one)

Kill the Messenger

Left Behind (one of Nic Cage's worst movies)

The Lego Movie

Life After Beth

Lucy ((the “humans only use 10% of their brain” movie. Which has since been proven false. Source: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/do-people-only-use-10-percent-of-their-brains/ )

Maleficent

The Maze Runner

A Million Ways to Die in the Weset

Mr. Peabody and Sherman

Muppets Most Wanted

Need for Speed (Aaron Paul's first project after "Breaking Bad" ended)

Neighbors

Night of the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (the third one. Also one of Robin Williams’ last movies)

Nightcrawler

Noah (a biblical epic directed by Darren Aronofsky)

Non-Stop

The Nut Job

Obvious Child

Oculus (one of the 1st projects from Mike Flanagan)

Ouija

Paddington

Penguins of Madagascar

The Purge: Anarchy

The Raid 2

RoboCop (the reboot that was actually decent)

Selma

Sharknado 2

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

Son of Batman

St. Vincent

The Taking of Deborah Logan

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (the one produced by Michael Bay. It’s also the one where the Turtles look like aliens)

The Theory of Everything (the movie where Eddie Redmayne plays Stephen Hawking)

Third Person

300: Rise of an Empire

Transformers: Age of Extinction

Tusk

22 Jump Street

Veronica Mars (the film continuation of the TV show)

A Walk Among the Tombstones

What If? (a rom-com starring Daniel Radcliffe)

What We Do in the Shadows (the film that was the basis for the TV show)

When Marnie Was There

Whiplash

X-Men: Days of Future Past

[akahael]

TAG, I'M IT!

GAHHHH It's been so much time since someone tagged me in something like this!!! Thank you @one-silly-cart00nist !!! Bestie indeed :DDD 💖💥

Last Song:

This song has been repeating in my head for weeks. Maybe months? Chappell Roan is absolutely ICONIC and her voice and this song make my bones tremble idk how to explain!!?

Also a honor mention:

I know this might not resonate with everyone in here because it's in spanish but ☝️ another masterpiece and another incredible singer. This song gets me crying every💥 time💥

Fave place:

My computer? Lol- Probably any big city with tons of street commerce. I love exploring the capital with my irl friends when I get the chance (Getting robbed is part of the experience); and in general places where I can see people's small business too, like cons!!!

Fave book:

I have always been a fanfiction boy I'm sorry... I don't know many "actual" books... But back in school "Fahrenheit 451" didn't let me sleep lol. It's about a biopolitical government who demands the firefighters no longer stop fires, but start them, by burning books (books are illegal)

It's pretty cool, but if I'm allowed to talk about my favorite fan-fiction, I HAVE to say, "Markdoka Magica!" by @bonkerbuster69 on A03 LIKE. THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING I HAVE READ?!?! IT MADE ME CRYYYYYY!!!!!!! It's about Mark discovering and accepting herself as a trans girl SNIFF SNIFF everyone should read it 😭😭😭

And in second place there's "The perks of being in love" (orphan_account) which is a 2015 fanfic on AO3 about Wirt (Over the Garden Wall) and Dipper (Gravity Falls) and their slow burn romance in highschool GAHH the corniest thing but it low-key made me realize I was on the ace spectrum AND high key was the start of my love for poetry so it kinda had a big impact on my life LMAOO

As for books again, I will say "Dear Evan Hansen" too but just because there isn't a space for "favorite musical" heh

Fave movie:

I don't watch many movies either lol but I have to say Luca (yes, the one from pixar). It brings me the biggest sensation of comfort any sort of media has ever made me feel, and I had a bigg hyperfixation with it for over two years so yeah. It's special.

Honorable mention to The Bad Guys too (I'm not a furry I swear (?))

Fave show:

OHOHOHO!!!! I wouldn't know... Both Gravity Falls and Over the Garden Wall fight for the first place with fists and teeth. Every time a hyperfixation is over I just go back to them

That's in general. Currently tho, of course I'm OBSESSED with Craig of the Creek and especially the Elders, 1. for the comfort sensation it gives, 2. It's surprisingly funny and 3. The way they approach certain, more serious topics in a friendly way for kids. I love to see it with my lil sister and she loves the show too.

Honorable mentions again to The Eltingville Club pilot, Fired on Mars, Total Drama Island (SPECIFICALLY the 2023 reboot) andddd Edd Ed n Eddy which I still haven't finished but I HAVE to lol

Fave food:

Popcorn.

ErMmM I'll tag @twuizzy just if you want to do it pal!!!! :D

[borisbubbles]

Eurovision 2023: #08 & #07

08. MOLDOVA Pasha Parfeni - "Soarele și luna" 18th place

Decade rank: 28/116 [above Trenuletul, below Gjon's Tears]

"With friend and foe, we march to the battle plain

Some to seek success, others to seek fame

We play with honour, for the love of this game

So that someday, someone, somewhere will remember our name." -- Benjamin "Coach" Wade

No surprises here, I would hope. Pasha may have aged 11 years since his last appearance but he is still the same weird, irreverent stoner king he has always been. Perhaps even moreso than before, now that he's openly become the Eurovision equivalent to Coach in both style and substance.😍

Pasha delivered not more, not less, but exactly what I thought and hoped he would.

First of all, the song is just really fucking good. It sounds (very complimentary) like something you would hear in a Vidbir final. Maybe a follow-up to Kadnay's Beat of the Universe, remember that one? (Melovin's BIGGEST crime is robbing us of Kadnay, Lelya AND the minotaur girl because zomg uwu quirky theatre kid) (lmao the way I totally would have been okay with Dreamer and put it high on my 2024 list, cuz he ate that) (um, hypothetically ofc). Vidbir sound-alike is huge praise for a country that normally takes the role of a Schrödinger's qualifier and it was nice to for once know exactly what we were getting here.

REEEEEYNE N FYAAAAAAAA GAEDE MEHEEHEEEEEE

And here we get to the delivery of the song and, I mean, it's Moldova. How else are they going to tackle a song about pagan wedding ceremonies?

Moldova don't care about your stupid "wokeness". (good grief the (unselfaware) ableists freaking out about the little person. ALLOW PEOPLE MAKE A LIVING THE WAY THEY WISH TO, GOOD GRIEF. Dwarfism is not a cognitive disability, they have full agency to work in the entertainment industry. Stop behaving like they need you to emancipate against "the oppressive straight white cismale".)

Moldova don't care about trifles such as appearing "competent" to your insipid juries.

MOLDOVA IS REAL, always aiming fully maximize their entertainment factor for the lowest possible cost, and thank fuck they do.

Only this country could stage their performer as karate-chopping at a little person and make it light entertainment.

Only this country could take a quirky, Ukraine-coded electrofolk fusion and stage it like a weird grotesquerie,

Only this country could bring irreverence with such unerring earnesty.

"Soarele si luna" was a yet another solid showcase of what Moldova excell at, raw intuitive entertainment with no strings attached. Of course, we're in 2023 and being fun doesn't matter in the overal rankings. The least I can do in those cases is give a high spot to those who've been paid dirt the most.~

---------------------------------

07. LITHUANIA Monika Linkyte - "Stay" 11th place

Decade ranking: 25/116 [Above Stefania (Last Dance), below Sam Ryder]

HOORAY FOR YET ANOTHER YEAR OF LITHUANIA AT THE TOP OF MY BALTIC SISTER RANKING~

(enjoy it for the moment lithuanian readers, because a certain song about narcotics is threatening to take that crown away in 2024...x)

We have finally reached a point where the placements on my ranking more or less match the scoreboard, praise hallelujah. Of the robbed outsiders only Joker Out remain, and they're here to stay. :dramatic cymbal:

Speaking of both Outsiders and Stay, Lithuania were also kind of an outsider at first. After Monika beat Ruta Mur in PiN, I didn't think they would come close to a top 10 - clearly So Low was The Choice, Right? I honestly I don't know if I can feel that way any more. "Stay" aged really well. Ruta is an icon, but she did not have the Monika's secret weapon. She did not have -

ČIŪTOOO TŪŪŪTOOO

ČIŪTOOO TŪŪŪTOOO

ČIŪTOOO TŪŪŪTOOO

And what is "Stay" if not čūitooooo tūūūtoooo. Like legit, those two words, that's ALL it took. Those two words, that mantra, repeated over and over and over again, is what endeared her to me and juries (this is Lithuania. LITHUANIA. and juries liked them.).

Adding more čiūto tūto such a simple, elegant tweak, but one that Monika masterfully delivered. The hook is as strong as steel, but it is her charisma and her harmonies with the gospel choir which bent it into pure wholesomeness.

"Stay" is not the strongest composition, but it was an effective one. What it did exceptionally well was deliver the home comforts. The song is blanket, a fleece, a cuddle. It's the musical equivalent to eating a hearty meal by a lit fireplace, leaning against the warm body of your beau or belle. It is the spirit of Nature Is Healing in music form. It is a mental health balm covered by a mantle čiūto tūto. Lithuania earned their spot on the left side of the scoreboard and that's about as positive a surprise we're gonna get with these darksided results.

THE RANKING

[onedumbazz]

Charity Case Spamton/Reader or Spamton & Reader

Water hitting metal and your umbrella meets your ears as you travel through the familiar alleyways that you walked through countless times it seems. The sight of the iconic dull jade dumpster comes closer with every step you take, with the sound of your feet splashing some puddles as you do.

Finally stopping infront of the dumpster and with a swift movement of one of your hand you gently knock three times in a row and take a step back. A silent second or two pass by before a weak knock can be heard from inside, This made your brows furrow in worry as you take a step forwards and place the umbrella down for a moment to use both of your hands to open the dumpster.

Water droplets land on you as you lift the lid half-way so to not let him get wet and take a peek in. The sight you're met with is Spamton. Spamton curled up in a ball on their side and broken glasses. He hadn't look up to you yet, most likely trying to hide their state from you but fails to, your brows furrow even further at the sight as a wave of worry wash over you.

You know Spamton hates being seen at being vulnerable in way but here both of you. "What happened?" your voice quiet, you feared that it couldn't be heard but as you before you could try to repeat yourself you're cut off "N0THING [YOU] SHOULD WORRY ABOUT [Little Sponge]..." They curl up even tighter looking away, trying to hide away from you. This makes you let out a huff and push up the lid fully and lean into, offering a hand to them "Come on" Spamton turns and looks to your hand before looking to you "[What are you talking about?]" confusion laced onto his face as they look up to you, you finally get to see the full extent of the damage. Glasses crooked and the pink lens cracked, hair that is usually styled and smooth, is now fallen with multiple lines sticking out, their face, their red circles are gone and instead have scuff lines and a black liquid coming from his mouth and their clothes battered and a few holes can be seen in the fabric.

"I'm not gonna let you stay here in the a dumpster and rain when you're hurt" You answered with a firm voice as your brows match your tone, Spamton watches you not saying anything as his eyes move to your hand again before looking back up to meet your eyes. "I'M N0T 4 [Donate for Charity] CASE..." He turns away from you again and this lights a fire inside of you, and you prepare yourself for the next few actions you plan on doing.

"And I'm not leaving or taking a no" you move before he could respond and grab their middle and bring them close to you, of course he doesn't go without a fight but it's weak and shortly and unwillingly stops as their movements are sluggish and slow clearly showing how battered and worn he is as you take him out of the dumpster and hold them closely. You hold him bridal as you bend down slightly and pick up your umbrella and move yourself to the side of the dumpster and nudge the lid to close, which results a resounding clang of metal crashing into metal making both of you jump over the sound. Silence follows before the sound of footsteps follow it as you begin heading back to your apartment, with Spamton and umbrella in hand(s) of which Spamton clearly unhappy but isn't making any comments or moves but instead not so subtly snuggling closer and try to keep their eyes open but is clearly failing. This cause to quicken your pace.

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

After what seems like hours you finally reach your apartment and set Spamton down onto the couch and go to the kitchen. Normally a person would probably go to the bathroom or a specific room to treat injuries but thanks to the darkworld, food is made with healing magic. So with a few healing items placed onto a plate and a cup, you head back to the couch and place them on a table next to the couch and go to your room to look for clothes that would be small enough for Spamton, after digging through your stuff you find a pj top that would fit Spamton but it would most definitely be baggy on them but it'll work for the time being. Along with the top you grab a first aid kit and bring them to the couch and make another journey this time to the bathroom and take a towel, wetting it and bringing it with you. After seating yourself next to the salesman you begin cleaning his wounds...

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

Warmth and comfort is what first come to his mind as they came to, he keeps his eyes close for the time being while enjoying the warmth. The thought of possibly being in the afterlife comes into mind but is stopped in their tracks as they felt something damp is placed on his forehead. This prompted him to open their eyes, the first thing that he sees is you backing away and have a surprised look on your face, most likely not excepting them to wake up.

He looks around their surroundings, finding themself in an unfamiliar place that has a homey feel to it. He looks back to you, mouth opening and closing trying to find the right words, you let a sigh pass through your nose and place a hand on their shoulder. "We're back at my place" Spamton's mouth closes as he stares at you, processing the words that left your mouth the expression becomes a pout... that he could manage to make with their limits but a pout either way, "I kno-" "why?..." You begin but were cut off by a somewhat small voice your mouth goes to open you were cut off again "WHY! WHY [Do you have limescale?] INSIST 0N [Help I'm scared!] ME?…" He looks down and their hands balls up into small fists and tremble. Your hands move before you could say anything and wrap themselves around his hands, thumbs resting on top rubbing circles into them at a slow pace. "I don't like seeing you hurt Spam" silence followed after those words as both of you sit there, the tremble seem to worsen and you feel something wet fall onto your hand but choose not to say anything as your thumbs continue to rub circles at their slow pace. A sniff broke the silence and Spamton lifts their head but don't make eye contact quite yet, for a few tears still linger and some still falling down their cheeks, dripping from his chin.

You stop rubbing circles into Spamton's hands and continue to sit in silence. "I got a shirt that you could wear. For the time being that is..." you begin, "Your tux is kinda... need of repairs and I reckon you like to get it clean and get some patches into it" you finish, words slipping into the silence as Spamton finally looks to you with an unreadable expression but nods slowly.

One of you hands let go his and grab the shirt and bring it over to their hands, "would you like any drinks?..." you asked and another nod before his voice could be hear "Water [Please and Thank you]" You nod and head over to the kitchen to grab a glass of water for the salesman, you can hear rustling from behind as the tap fills the glass with water. After the glass is two thirds full you make your way back to the couch, finding Spamton with the pj top on and his suit on their arm waiter style.

You hand the glass to him and they take it and take a greedy gulp before placing it on the table next to the couch "Thank you" his voice quiet, "Don't mention it, there's a some food i like you to eat but i wouldn't wanna force or hurry you. Would there be anything else you want?" You smile gently with a tilt of the head, Spamton looks up to you "I [Don't you Hate it when-] WANT 2 BE A [Oh bother, this guy STINKS!]" you smile falls a bit "You're never a bother Spam"

Spamton looks away bashfully with a small blush dusting his cheeks, before they open their mouth "I [Guess the Lucky Number!] S0ME F00D BE [Have a Nice Day~]" You simply nod and gesture to the plate of food with the two glasses on the table next to the couch, "Feel free to eat whatever catches your fancy" Spamton's smile grows a tad bit more and grabs the plate and places it onto his lap and looks up to you "Thank you D0ll"

"It's always a pleasure Spam"

[goldendoodlerlockerlove]

So I got asked by @fangomango what some of my favorite end credits scenes are (it was on my main Shadowbanned blog, though, so Tumblr is rude and won't let me answer it there ;-;) but yes, I am so excited to answer this question, because I've wanted to make a full post on my favorite end credits scenes ever since I asked @drawthethingdoppelganger about her favorite end credits scenes:

--One of my all-time favorites is Candy Cane Moose because it's so flipping catchy somehow despite only consisting of a few lyrics that are repeated over and over. Also, seeing the Belcher kids are lil' babies makes me 🥺 I actually screamed when I saw this one for the first time because I was not prepared for the cuteness:

--Of course, I also love Pesto in My Pants, because Bob and Tina's dancing is glorious, and it's just so iconic:

--99 Red Balloons is hilarious, I adore the animation in it as everyone is pelted with water balloons:

--Turkey, I Need You Beside Me makes me sob because it makes me think of my dad 😭 And Bob and Gene are just so cute in it, I can't:

--You Make Plumbing Fun makes me feel so 🥹 IT'S JUST SO ADORABLE, CAN YOU HEAR THE ADORATION IN THEIR VOICES AS THEY SING?? (And Gene's lil' dancing is the most precious thing):

--I love Beyond the Sea as a song, but Larry Murphy's cover of it as Teddy is fantastic. He's actually a really talented singer! And the visuals for this one are so much fun:

--God, I love I Love U So Much (It's Scary) so much. It's so wholesome seeing the family singing and dancing together and eventually getting Bob to join in as well 🥹. I know I made a post saying that Pesto in My Pants is more iconic, but really, this one still holds a special place in my heart (and that post by far got a ton more notes):

--The Wonder Wharf two-part Season 4 Finale is one of my favorite episode sets in the entire show and this end credits scene is absolutely fantastic. John Roberts absolutely kills it, and the visuals are *chef's kiss*:

--I'm choosing Street Life because it's so catchy for some reason?? I also need John Roberts and Larry Murphy to sing together more often:

--Tina's Spanish Song (I forgot the name) is the most hilarious thing ever, I wheeze uncontrollably every single time I listen to it and remember it exists. It's the end credits of the episode where Gene has a ukelele that he never uses again, and the episode where Gayle and Mr. Frond get together:

--Twinkly Lights is such an absolute banger, and I adore the message about diversity in it! It's incredible: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TpZHJvpMWo&list=PL_c9X60eyied1UKYCo48cNW25KXFWgres&index=97

--The TSA Musical outro is so cute, and Gene's lil' bouncing 🥺: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyTzxGnOJ9g&list=PL_c9X60eyied1UKYCo48cNW25KXFWgres&index=102

--Best Couple Friends is so addictive ("Like Heroin? :O" "YES SON, LIKE HEROIN >:D") and it's just so much fun. And it's a Boblin end credits scene!! What more could I ask for?: https://youtu.be/_mOc3oS5fcw?si=O81ioknHi3LByfIy

--The Burobu end credits song is way too catchy, I adore it as someone who was really into Pokémon at one point: https://youtu.be/lsJ4hQQoh-k?si=Qis-ASt8aQgDq4YS

--The Right Number of Boys is awesome. It's so cute and catchy, and Tina's lil' dancing at "How 'bout seven?" is adorable: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TIqEiJ2qFU

--Doot Doot Doot (Means I Love You) was the first ever piece of Bob's Burgers media I ever consumed, and I fell in love fast. Yes, this outro was the one that got me into the show in the first place: https://youtu.be/kbAYu-0JdHw?si=GIaR8QF0HD68DdPu

--It's Halloween is so catchy and funny, and Gene's lil' dancing near the end gets me every time: https://youtu.be/aA37bcLABj8?si=efrPQTTgX0EOW2Wl

--Nun of Your Business is so iconic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdJKiDEnIlM

--Me and My Spider is so catchy and sweet, I can't handle it: https://youtu.be/UDn7ZrKGI38?si=cZwmbTpsFSmZmYuF

--And finally, I have to put in I'll Be Around because I wanted to make sure to include a Mr. Fischoeder song. It's so good. And it has Boblin dancing!!: https://youtu.be/ep0Hyw9Ajeg?si=nNOeZVxRYXmjYRqO

Okay, this ended up being way too long, but I just have a ton of outros I adore!! I know there are some that I wasn't able to include, because there are just that many good ones. Do yourself a favor and listen to all of these. Oh, you have?

Listen to 'em again.

Okay, I have so many on this list, but if I had to pick an all-time, absolute favorite??

I really can't.

But it might be either Candy Cane Moose, You Make Plumbing Fun, or The Right Number of Boys.

[snowangeldotmp3]

hi! uhh would you be willing to talk more about sacred spaces? lol im really interested if you want to talk about it!

anon. i would love nothing more. i broke out my old books and articles that i had to use in my sacred space class (aka the reason i am the way i am now) just for this. i'm not totally sure how long this is going to get, so bear with me. i will also have sources.

so the first question we really need to answer is: what is sacred space?

we tend to think of sacred spaces as one of two things. 1.) religious space 2.) solemn places (like monuments, for example--more on this later!)

either way, a sacred space tends to do one major thing: it evokes an emotion. a feeling. you know when you step into a sacred space, how the air around you shifts. but why? what is so special about church? or the cemetery? or a memorial? what defines a sacred space?

short answer: depends.

long answer: well...

so one of the main books that i'm pulling from is called The Sacred and the Profane by Mircea Eliade (who is, btw, one of my favorite authors on the topic--as well as the first academically. it is not an easy read. it's confusing and dense, don't let the page count fool you. it's a short book with a lot packed into it.) ANYWAY. eliade introduces the concept of "sacred time." he defines sacred time as thus: "by its very nature sacred time is reversible in the sense that, properly speaking, it is a primordial mythical time made present. every religious festival, any liturgical time, represents the reactualization of a sacred event that took place in a mythical past, 'in the beginning.'" it is also important to note here the definition of a liminal space. a liminal space is, by definition(!), a transitional space; a threshold. it is a space that when you enter, you are different when it comes time for you to exit. something happens in that liminal space that changes you. so sacred time--the return to a mythical past--is marked by one especially important thing: repetition.

part of this sacred time is what eliade calls the "time of origin" and is defined as the "ritual repetition of the gods' creative act." religious festivals are held the same time of year, every year. (this, of course, can vary depending on religion--example: easter is not the same date every year, but the easter sunday service is essentially the same every year.) this is known as imitatio dei. an imitation of god, trying to return to this mythical past or origin or miracle or something. sacred space is marked by repeated ritual--our sacred time

but this is only part of our answer.

eliade also introduces the concept of the axis mundi, which translates literally into 'world axis' or 'center of the world', but in the terms that eliade presents us with, it refers to any place that connects the human and the divine. for example, the altar in a church would be considered the axis mundi.

it doesn't always have to be religious, though. in sacred space, it often is religious, but it doesn't have to be. example: think about how a home is set up. older homes have a fireplace, because this is where families would gather around. this has shifted over the years to become the tv. either way, it's often the center of the room, or where people gather around the most. (one of the papers i wrote in this class was on the fact that the disney parks often have an icon and this is what would be considered the axis mundi of each park)

speaking of not always being religious; back to monuments!

i don't have enough time to really dive into it, but the book Shadowed Ground by Kenneth Foote delves really deep into (specifically) america's monuments and how they have become sacred spaces over time and what makes them sacred. i'll have to find it, because i apparently did Not have this article on hand so i have to search for it once again but! there's an academic article about how monument mall is set up in washington d.c. to specifically evoke these feelings of solemnity etc etc. it's in the very design of it.

tl;dr - sacred space is often created through the repetition of rituals, religious or secular, there is often a liminal space or threshold that we cross, and, sometimes, sacred spaces are intentionally created to evoke the feeling without the ritual--as is the case with a lot of memorials or monuments.

anyway! this got a little too long, but i hope this answered some things!! i love talking about sacred space and religion and religious history in general so i would be. thrilled to answer any that u have!!

[jennathearcher]

Me listening to all three Sleep Token albums for the first time:

Take Me Back To Eden

Chokehold - by far the most lore-oriented song I've heard so far?? lyrically this is just the band's mission statement and it's SO good

The Summoning - THE iconic song :P I had this thought while vibing to it again, the title is SO apt because this is the song that essentially summoned LEGIONS of fans 8D

Granite - this song has me ALL kinds of fucked up?? this was the point where specific lyrics started to have me SCREAMING, like, "you gave me nothing whatsoever but a reason to leave" HELLO??? not to mention "we'd rather be six feet under than be lonely" THAT HITS

Aqua Regia - MMMM THE VIBES THEY ARE IMMACULATE I believe the title translates to something along the lines of "ocean queen" but don't quote me on that XD I genuinely cannot cite just one lyric that makes me feral IT'S THE WHOLE SONG

Vore - AS A MONSTERFUCKER I AM FEELING VERY SEEN IN THE CLUB RIGHT NOW. TIS IS A MONSTERFUCKER ANTHEM. VESSEL. VESSEL P L E A S E.

Ascensionism - I was told this song would make me cry I WASN'T PREPARED FOR HOW REAL THAT WOULD BE. "Make it real, cause anything's better than the way I feel right now" HOOOOOOOO. This entire song is POETRY.

Are You Really Okay? - I....have A LOT of feelings about this song. Holy shit. From Vessel's lips straight to the ears of my soul. God DAMN.

The Apparition - and now we have the self-shipping anthem :P VESSEL XD "Why are you never real" !!!!!! "Just let me go or take me with you" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DYWTYLM - lowkey I always love when artists genuinely abbreviate song titles like this it's really cute and stylish :P THIS SONG IS S O CUTE??? OH MY GOD the sheer amount of genres this band covers is AMAZING; plus this is another song where the lyrics are DEEPLY SAD but the beat though :P

Rain - from what I'm aware of this might be an underrated song??? instant fave from me 8D IT'S SO ROMANTIC!!! "the vicious cycle was over the moment you smiled at me" I'M SO!!!!!! SOFT!!!!!!

Take Me Back To Eden - TRUE TO ITS NAME THIS SONG IS A RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE. but also among a million incredible lyrics "I'll take a pound of your flesh before you take a piece of my paystub" has me CHEWING THE BARS OF MY ENCLOSURE OH MY G O D

Euclid - I have deduced that ST is the masters of ending an album with the most unexpectedly BEAUTIFUL song OH MY GOD. All the nods of their previous songs?? So much TECHNOLOGICAL imagery all across this album too tbh??? "So if your wings won't find you heaven I'll bring it down like an ancient bygone" SCREAMING!!!! and of course "the night belongs to you" I AM EATING THIS

it is at this point I begin to swiftly realize I am listening to this in reverse order which makes a lot of things hit different but REGARDLESS :P WE PRESS ON

This Place Will Become Your Tomb

Atlantic - not only is this song ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL but the lyrics are just.....w o o f. it hits harder the more you think about it.

Hypnosis - I can't get over how this song is ACTUALLY hypnotizing to listen to :P

Mine - ONCE AGAIN TRACK THREE IS WHERE I START CLIMBING THE WALLS XD both of the other albums have direct lyrical connections to this song, and it's also just HOOOOO INTENSE IN THE BEST KIND OF WAY 8D plus the "wasted years" lyric got me thinking about Phantom of the Opera which y'know feels appropriate :P

Like That - this song reminds me of Granite with just how VISCERAL the feelings are when connected to a toxic relationship??

The Love You Want - biased cause I've had this song on repeat but HOOOOO!!!!!! "TOO MANY SWALLOWED KEYS WILL MAKE YOU BLEED INTERNALLY SOMEDAY"!!!!! "MAYBE YOU BELIEVE THAT IN THE END YOU WILL BE BETTER OFF THAT WAY"!!!!!!

Fall For Me - *incomprehensible shrieking* "WON'T YOU FALL FOR ME, FROM REALITY" *somersaults out of window* "MY INSECURITIES SURROUND ME LIKE LIONS IN THE DEN" *puts head through wall*

Alkaline - I am now intimately familiar with the emotions of the girl absolutely losing her shit in the background of the concert video in which I first heard this song XD Another song with one of those verses where every single line is ABSOLUTE POETRY and also :P HORNY. HORNY HORNY ENERGY. VESSEL YOU MENACE I LOVE YOU.

Distraction - at this point I am all but tearing my hair out over how ROMANTIC this is and how it can perfectly encapsulate such a simple idea and make it absolutely HEART-ACHING?????

Descending - ohhhhhh myyyyYYYYYY GOD!!!!!! "YOU COME CRAWLING BACK TO ME BUT I'M ALREADY UNDERGROUND" !!!!!! "AND WE ALL KNOW THAT TALK IS CHEAP SO COME ON AND SAVE ME NOW" !!!!!!!!!!!!!! "AND YOU WONDER WHAT I BELIEVE BUT YOU DON'T WANNA BE AROUND" "SO WHAT WOULD YOU DO FOR ME?" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Telomeres - another song I fell in love with on the first listen :P much like Rain it's just so DEEPLY ROMANTIC AND EMOTIONAL??? "I know as you collapse into me this is the start of something" MMMMMMMMMMMM

High Water - I am OBSESSED with this song lyrically, just "it seems my hell is your high water" that's SO!!!! GOOD!!!! but also just the absolute gutpunches all throughout this song; "you are still a perfect reminder of what all these scars on my arms are for" !!!! "I know you still bear the weight of your own existence and you'll never bear the weight of two" I'M SO?!?!?!?

Missing Limbs - I legit GASPED when the soft guitar started???? and the last verse just absolutely destroyed me HOO. The whole song has Bon Iver vibes but better tbh

Sundowning

The Night Does Not Belong To God - it was here when I started to really lose my shit over all the lyrical parallels across the three albums :P SO GIVE ME THE NIGHT!!!!!

The Offering - "YOU'VE GOT DIAMONDS FOR TEETH MY LOVE, SO TAKE A BITE" OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!

Levitate - THIS IS THE ONE of course I find a song that contains the lyric "your body is mostly blood" to be HELLA ROMANTIC :P also very apt considering how ST's music makes me feel like I'm the one levitating XD Saint Maud up in this bitch ahem

Dark Signs - ANOTHER INSTANT FAVE 8D the fucking bassline!! EVERY SINGLE LYRIC HOOOOOO JUST THE PICTURE IT PAINTS!!! also "tear off my arms" sounds like a direct parallel to Missing Limbs don't mind me!!!

Higher - "I AM GRANTING YOU MORE THAN THE DEBT THAT I OWE" *sound of underwater screaming sounds* also idk if it's been said but Vessel lowkey reminds me of Corpse Husband in a lot of ways; I love my faceless anxious endlessly talented cryptid boys!!!

Take Aim - this one had my Archer sensibilities making the eyes emoji :P personally this one really makes me think of the Greek myth of Artemis and Orion but THAT'S JUST ME XD

Give - AND NOW WE HAVE A DARK ROMANCE ANTHEM MMMMMMM DELICIOUS. THIS IS MY ENTIRE AESTHETIC 8D

Gods - THIS SONG IS SO A N G R Y I LOVE IT SO MUCH!!!!! but also "you want to watch me beg cause I beg so well" VESSEL PLEASE :P

Sugar - PURE HORNY ENERGY. B O N K, TO HORNY JAIL WITH YOU. NONE OF THESE THOUGHTS ARE IN THE BIBLE.

Say That You Will - GOOD LORD I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS POSSIBLE BUT WE HAVE GOTTEN EVEN MORE HORNY literally "is that a knife in your pocket or are you just happy to see me" but way more poetic than that XD

Drag Me Under - Once again, the vibes, they are IMMACULATE 8D have I mentioned how much I love all the religious imagery in ST's music because ohhhhhh my god

Blood Sport - I knew I was gonna love this song after seeing part of the live performance of it from last weekend's show <3 This song is absolutely BEAUTIFUL 8D I know Vessel cried while performing it live but I was NOT expecting the actual song to end with him crying too??? I WANT TO HUG THIS WEIRD LITTLE CREATURE MAN SO MUCH!!!!!

So far this is the extent of my journey but I'm definitely going to check out their earlier singles and EPs soon as well <3 I have also listened to the covers they did as well and I need more Vessel doing acoustic covers in my life PLEASE AND THANK YOU :P