#TY NINA FOR LETTING ME RAMBLE!!!

[sleepymarimo]

WAAAAA I WOULD RAMBLE ABOUT THE SPECIFICS OF MY BLORBOS BUT WE WOULD HE HERE FOREVER SO THATS FOR ANOTHER TIME

But!! I will tell you my fav dates!! Luffy is hard on the mind right now so im going to start with him. He’s the adventurous type, can’t keep still, wants to always go outside type, and I adore him for that. But I can’t really do outdoorsy things cause I’m allergic to bugs so nature exploring is a death sentence 😭😭😭 he knows this and we end up meeting each other half way to find stuff that won’t get me sent to the ER. Like the beach is usually a good place, very bugless, he likes to clutch onto me as I float around in the water, but I’m also very content with just watching him collect seashells and run along the shoreline. Colder climates too are perfect!! There’s not too many bugs around when it’s snowing so he often likes to take me out when we encounter snowy islands and we end up just building a giant snow fortress that will inevitably cave in on us 💀💀💀

BUT YEAH!!! What about you, do tell what your fav dates with Zoro and Toji are I know you have something juicy cooking in that brain of yours

NINAAAAA thats so adorable tyty for sharing w me 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️ i feel like luffy would try so, so hard to not just pick up a beetle and rave to you about it 😭

and winter fic when?? a snow date sounds so fun and wholesome, no bugs to bother you except luffy since he’ll be a giant cuddle bug!! but he might throw a snowball way too hard at you on accident :(

and hmmm let’s see… ideal dates with my faves…

honestly, it’s about the same for zoro and toji I can’t lie!! probably just wandering around the streets and stopping at little izakayas, visiting food carts, and letting them guide me to all these places i’d never visit myself bc i can make plans but struggle to execute them 🤧

i love little speakeasies and would be so content just sharing an intimate space, getting a few drinks, and people watching or something, idk! i pick a place, we go, or if im indecisive, they know some hole in the wall joint to go to. for both of them I really love their confidence and would just feel safe w them, like they know how to run the room ✨ guard dog privilege or whateva, but i just appreciate that they get me out of my comfort zone

[amuseoffyre]

Just had GO s2 on in the background while I was doing some craft and some percolating thoughts came out of the first Maggie and Nina exchange.

Nina: See anything you fancy? Maggie: Oh. Yes. Coffee. Nina: The usual, then? Don't tell me, it's in here. You're a skinny latte. Maggie: You remembered :) Nina: A lot of people in this head, and a lot of coffees, but I only remember the regulars.

Now bear with me on this mental ramble as I try and put these thoughts in order. I'll divide it into three points:

Mind-altering and memory muddles

There's a running motif through the whole season about memory and the loss thereof:

Gabriel removing his memory ("all the bits that make you you")

Crowley forgetting who Furfur was repeatedly

Aziraphale and Crowley's miracle basically casting confusion over the bookshop and muddling everyone's minds

the threat of erasure of memory and demotion (and am still sure Muriel is a previous demotee on account of the 37th level thing. 3s and 12s! Those are the recurring numbers in the book! 37 doesn't make sense! 36, yes! 37, no!)

putting memories somewhere else (Gabriel's fly but also Aziraphale's journals)

Coffee

As with the memory element, coffee is a running theme through the whole show as well.

Crowley chugging espressos like there's no tomorrow

Give Me Coffee or Give Me Death - "does anyone ever choose death?" asks the Metatron, when the answer is obvious

Coffee's symbolism in the final 15. Let me yell about the symbolism of Coffee = Crowley and all things mortal and living and human and earthly. OR DEATH. ("I have ingested things, you know")

The flavours in the Metatron's coffee order also having allegorical symbolism - almond branches in various parts of The Book are a reminder that God is Watching.

The human avatars of the angelic and divine

Initially when I started watching S2, I assumed the parallels between Maggie and Nina were obvious: Maggie, the sunshine one, is the Aziraphale, while Nina, the grumpy one, is the Crowley. But I was wrong.

Nina is the human avatar of Aziraphale.

Maggie: how can you think about that after all this? Nina: People need coffee, I sell coffee, it's my coffee shop.

Nina defines herself by the place she works, it is who she is and she does it because people need it (coffee), much like Aziraphale defines himself by the place he worked (Heaven), it's who he is (an angel) and he does it because people need it (goodness).

Likewise, when they go and tell Crowley off for the way he's interfered in their lives, Nina says she's just getting out of a messy relationship and isn't ready for something new yet (again, Aziraphale and Heaven vibes because that fully impacts every decision Aziraphale makes through S2) and if Maggie is around when she's ready, then maybe, they can try. ("If she's there" "I will be :) ")

And then we have Maggie, the Crowley avatar. Useless at saying what she wants to say, tries to express herself and her emotions with gestures and gifts, offers her company and time when Nina needs it, happy to help her despite the way Nina is wary of the kindness being shown.

By the end of the season, Nina is caught behind the bar of her coffee shop, working and serving ungrateful people, while Maggie is alone in her empty shop, asleep on her counter, paralleling Aziraphale going back to work in a place where he will run himself off his feet to do the right thing, while Crowley is left with an empty shop.

But now to spin back to the original quote from 2x01, it feels like all of these motifs are tying together and foreshadowing something, very possibly an Aziraphale who has lost his memory/had his memories stripped away.

Let me rewrite the lines with only a tiny couple of changes:

Aziraphale: See anything you fancy? Crowley: Oh. Ngk. Company? Aziraphale: The usual, then? Don't tell me, it's in here. You're the demon Crowley. Crowley: You remembered :) Aziraphale: A lot of angels in this head, and a lot of demons, but I only remember the regulars.

If I'm right, he remembers Crowley, but only the surface level like Nina remembers Maggie. Nothing about who they were to each other, nothing about what has happened. But have no fear, Muriel has the bookshop and the thousands and thousands of years of Aziraphale's memories bound up in text form.

Especially prescient since Muriel is given a book by the Metatron Crowley which is a novel where a man pieces together a story from documents that have been left behind. Schroedinger's journals will be making a return in S3, I have no doubt.

[grishaverse-chaos]

as promised, here is:

grishaverse ships as taylor swift songs!!

malina - im only me when im with you

THE childhood friends to lovers song!!

just a small town boy and girl! living in a crazy world! trying to figure out what is and isn't true!!

and I'm only me when I'm with you!!!

don't wanna fly if you're still on the ground!!

it's SO malina

darkl!na - dear john (censoring the ship name so it doesn't show up in tags!)

sksadgshdh I had to

on a serious note it does fit very very well

don't you think I was too young to be played by your dark twisted games!! regret how I ignored when they said run as fast as you can!!

you'll add my name to your long list of traitors!!!! the darkl!ng literally DID add her name to a list of traitors sjdhshdgjdhd

genyadavid - paper rings <3

it's just..... so cute and soft, I love it sm

and you know something? david DOES like shiny things and he WOULD marry her with paper rings!!

nikolina - getaway car

taylor literally wrote this song for nikolina, I take no criticism

you were driving the getaway car!! we were flying but we'd never get far!! should've known I'd be the first to leave!!

no but they LITERALLY met in a getaway car. they were LITERALLY flying. but they didn't get far.

I'm sorry I will never shut up about this ever

ANYWAY!!

kanej - renegade

that one scene in soc where inej goes "I will have you without armour or I will not have you at all"

it's literally just GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER SO I CAN LOVE YOU!

there was nowhere for me to stay but I stayed anyway!! you wouldn't be the first renegade to need somebody!!!

GOD the accuracy of this is killing me.

I can't lie I could write a whole essay on every line of this song and how perfectly it fits kanej.....

you fire off missiles cause you hate yourself but don't you know you're demolishing me!! let all your damage damage me!!

wesper - enchanted

idk how to explain this one it's just the Vibes

walls of insincerity.... playful conversation starts, counter all your quick remarks

just the whole thing where they first meet reminds me SO MUCH of enchanted I can't even

helnik - miss americana and the heartbreak prince

.....yet another that I could write a whole fucking essay on

nina IS miss americana!!

my team is losing! battered and bruising!

boys will be boys then, where are the wise men!

IT'S YOU AND ME THAT'S MY WHOLE WORLD, THEY WHISPER IN THE HALLWAY SHE'S A BAD BAD GIRL

and I'll never let you go!! cause I know this is a fight! that someday were gonna win!!!

zoyalai - peace

tbh I considered ciwyw as well but in the end I think this is ALSO such a zoyalai song I couldn't not pick it

honestly I can see this being from either perspective.... neither of them can give the other peace! and that's what they love about each other!!

I can't even choose any lyrics to highlight, just the whole song

actually wait that was a lie.

okay so think about zoya believing nikolai is too good for her. now think about "your integrity makes me seem small, you paint dreamscapes on the wall... it's like I'm wasting your honour....."

SIT WITH YOU IN THE TRENCHES!!!

the chorus.... I can't imagine it any other way than nikolai singing it to zoya tbh. I'll keep your brittle heart warm?? I would die for you in secret??

but you got a friend in me = as my general. as my friend. as my bride.

this is probably incoherent but OH WELL

tamadia - invisible string

again I cannot explain it's just the Vibes

isn't it just so pretty to think all along there was some invisible string tying you to me?

it's so CUTE and I love it

also "cold was the steel of my axe"

because tamar and axes.

anyway! that's it!! this definitely got super incoherent and rambling towards the end but I hope y'all enjoyed it :D

[brightlighttm]

i wasn’t able to make separate posts for each day (being adult sucks, i swear), so i’m gonna go ahead and put some of the days i’ve missed all in one post, but fear not!! everything is going to be under the read more because sometimes i talk a lot and it can get reeeeeeal rambly. 

day 03: favorite portrayals of a minor / underappreciated character in a fandom

@townsheriff — i love liz forbes, that’s not a secret to anyone. i love lia and that’s also not a secret to anyone. so can you imagine how i felt when lia made a liz???? if you can’t, lemme tell ya: i fangirled for, like, 3 hours straight. liz forbes is - as i’m sure a lot of you must’ve noticed - not a character that many people want/like to play, so to say i’m happy to see her on my dash every now and then would be a huge understatement. lia does a wonderful job bring liz to life; you can hear the sheriff’s voice in everything she writes and every action she describes is something that makes me be like ‘oh, liz would totally do that’. so lia, this is my formal thank you to you. thank you for bringing such an important character to life and for giving my caroline her mom. you have no idea how much it means to me to be able to write with such a talented writer as yourself (hint hint: a lot!!!!!!).

day 04: favorite portrayals of an original character

@thickcrskiin​  — i’m pretty sure i’ve followed jynx and jan since i made my first blog, almost a year ago. and ever since then, i was hooked. i smile whenever i see nina’s cute lil face on my dash or when i read jan’s commentary posts because they’re always gold. even though we’ve never interacted (i’m totally up for changing that, btw hihi), know that i admire you and your blog from afar!

@intxrcisus​  — even though we just met, i can say for sure that mj is one of my favorite ocs! the second i finished reading her biography (A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF PEOPLE’S BLOGS, ALRIGHT EVERYONE??? MUST. BE. READ. BEFORE. INTERACTION.), i was like ‘ok i’m sold, when can i start giving mj the love she deserves???’. we have yet to interact, but i want you to know that you’ve got yourself a new stalker, because i’m totally reading all of your threads as soon as possible.

day 05: favorite multimuses

@theperfectstorms @astormofagirl @roseguided @starhaze @staarryniights @theirfate @theirsacrifice @madeofsurvivors @puerdeos @heartsofvalor @myricds @ofgathered @sorrowfought @personatvs

day 06: blogs that promote representation of poc, lgbtqia+, and other minority muses

@hekvvte @blsms​ @lichtwald​ @awesomegaydar​ @cursedempcthy​ @devouredwreckage​ @fiercerebekah​ @sarcasticprince​

day 07: favorite threads / verses / group verses 

@safedrowned / @ofwickedminds  — idek why i’m including you here since we haven’t written in what feels like forever. yeah, i’m being dramatic because that’s who i am, but it’s also true and i’m totally calling you out. STILL, i love each and every one of our threads - and unlike you, i don’t forget about some of them -. you’ve given me more steroline threads than i could possibly ask for and made me ship (NOT CANON) klaroline. you know how hard that is?? speaking of kc, i couldn’t include you here and not mention the brother’s fiancée verse we have. i mean..................... i’m weak for that verse. so much angst and occasional fluff. and we didn’t even get to the fun stuff yet (aka klaus finding out about elle’s paternity hihi), but boy am i looking forward to it. so, thanks for all the threads you’ve given me since we’ve started writing together. it means a lot to know you want to rp with me. not surprising in the slightest, but still means a lot. you’re cool, i guess. i love you, ew.

@badasshybridqueen  — COOOOOOOOOOOORI, you made the impossible happen: you made caroline like hayley enough to be friends with her. or in our case, best friends. more like sisters from another mister. i cannot begin to thank you enough for all the threads we have going on. they make me laugh more often than not, but sometimes they made me sad because they’re angsty af (hint hint: atelophobia verse with kris). whenever i think about our threads, i get happy. because i can see how hayoline’s friendship has developed thorough them and how we, as muns, have grown closer and closer. caroline values hayley’s friendship a lot and i value yours just as much.

@petrovanity — there’s no way in hell i’d make this post and not include you, kat. or the twin verse. or the protagonist au. because i mean......... y’all are my drug, i swear. i was so used to having bickering threads with katherines, but then i stumbled across your blog. and you changed mind by telling me that, yes, caroline and katherine would make good friends. and now they’re besties. now, caroline is *wipes tears* katherine’s first choice, and caroline-mun can’t and won’t ever let go of katherine-mun. because we’re basically a package deal and i’m so okay with that. <3

@lockpup  — it’s the 3847384374th time you’re appearing on my blog, lia. i guess it’s time for me to accept the fact you own my blog more than i do. but i’m surprisingly okay with that. OKAY NOW BACK TO THE PART WHERE I SHOWER YOU AND YOUR TY WITH LOVE. if i’m being honest, i’m super selective when it comes to tyler. i’ve had some pretty bad experiences during my time in tvd groups, so when i made this blog, i was more than a bit hesitant to start writing with tylers. but then i met lia’s tyler. and i was immediately blown away by the talent that just emanated from the words in the replies posted on the tumblr. it took us a long while to start writing together (and that’s all on me and my insecurities lol), BUT WE FINALLY DID AND HOLY SHIT DO I LOVE OUR CURRENT THREAD??? there’s already angst in it and we’ve?? just begun??? i can’t wait where the thread goes and i’m looking forward to having other 38743847384 threads and verses with you!! I LOVE YOU <3

@temperproblem  — like i said above, i’m real selective when it comes to tyler. but you, alie, have managed to break all the selectiveness walls with your talented writing and amazing self. we got along from the moment we started talking to each other, and it didn’t took long before we were plotting what would quickly become a verse that i consider my baby. yup, i’m talking about bad at love. you know i live for angsty stuff, and bad at love is filled with it. i’m so so happy to have such a good verse with you and i can’t wait to see what we’re gonna do next!!

@xhidingintheshadowsx  — lastly, but in no way, shape or form, less important: BARB!!! words cannot begin to describe how happy i was when you said you’d be up for having a SMA verse with lil ol me. because honestly??? i’ve watched you from afar for so long and i never thought i was good enough to have threads - much less a whole verse - with someone as talented as you are, but apparently i am?? and trust me, i’m not about to complain about it because our little verse makes me so happy and excited with each reply!! and do not get me started on the I Fixed Him verse, because honestly............. i’m addicted. that’s the best way to explain it. this verse is my new addiction and i cannot see where it goes!!

day 08: blogs that you think deserve more recognition and appreciation 

 @bourbonandheels @fallenregent @deservesbettcr @thelockwoodxhybrid / @destructivehybrid @knowsnavi @cursedempcthy​ @nerdisums​ @facetiious​ @dissolvedshadows​ @mollisms​

day 09: favorite edit and graphic blogs

@temperproblem  — it’s pretty much impossible to talk about photoshop and pretty graphics and not think about alie. i mean, have you guys seen the stuff she does??? the wonderful graphics and jaw-dropping themes?? i could never do something remotely similar. alie is so talented at everything she does, it’s honestly so amazing to be able to see her talking about theme designs and code stuff because i know it’s something that really interests her. 

day 10: blogs that go above and beyond

@jailbrd @atomiism @wclfgirl @giiilbcrt @donovanlegacy @anditsxsorrows @originallymikaelson @tobeblamed @inherited-vanity @opheliajumped @starkwithsarcasm @fiercerebekah @ladamedemartel @griefbeat @hastodosomething @brokenbrxther @notintime @niiklausx @mcmachine​ @pcrfectdaughter​ @codeconfined

[pippims]

about a quarter to nine, 1/3

or, the one where Wylan is struggling to pay his rent and plays music on the streets, Jesper dances and has no restraint and may or may not dance along to a cute street musician, and everyone is embarrassed at what these dorks get up to. {ao3}

It was February, another snowstorm had just hit, Wylan Hendriks was behind on his rent again, and apparently no one on this street had ever learned the values of tipping.

For all intents and purposes, the day should have gone well. He’d set up near a museum that was usually filled with tourists, but today it was curiously empty. Wylan had also started off with playing the violin, which usually worked in more “cultured” areas, but there was hardly anyone around to even hear him. The most attention he’d gotten was a few vaguely dirty looks and a disapproving glance from a police officer. However, the worst part of the day was the man who had walked up when Wylan pulled out his guitar and started singing, seemingly enjoying his performance… and then walked away.

All in all, he made a whopping three dollars.

Cutting ties with your rich father is, unsurprisingly, costly.

Wylan trudged into his flat, tracking in mud and bits of snow from his boots. Kuwei, who was laying on the floor with a notebook in front of him, hardly looked up as the door creaked open. For a moment, Wylan worried he’d passed out until he heard him give a slight groan. Probably organic chemistry again.

Light footed, he walked around him to set down his cases and throw his satchel over a chair. Grabbing his laptop, Wylan sank into the torn yet overstuffed couch, pulled up the spreadsheet, and got to work. Maybe he just had to change up his routine? Guitar-and-voice was a classic; usually, he’d bring that out towards the end of the show and rake in some money. He only brought his flute out occasionally because, even though it was by far his strongest instrument, it was too quiet to effectively play. And as much as he enjoyed the violin, looking at the numbers…

“Shush. You’re thinking too loud.” Kuwei, at some point, had flipped himself and rolled over onto his back and was currently staring up at Wylan, hair blown over his face. “Just… relax. Enjoy the minimalistic scenery of our lovely flat.”

He’d definitely been working on organic chemistry. Nothing could send Kuwei into an apathetic, overly-calm mindset like stressing out over his worst subject. “Yesterday, you were stressing out about being able to make this month’s rent. I think you should take your own advice.”

Kuwei just pouted and rolled back over, tying his hair back and flipping through pages of organic molecules again. “I’ve given up on life. Money isn’t real, life isn’t real, time isn’t real, I’m not real…”

“You’re right, you’re right,” Wylan said, tapping absentmindedly on his keyboard. If only he’d decided to pursue a major that would actually make moneyinstead of going for music with a minor in chemistry, but there was no way he was going to listen to his father and do something practical like business. “We’ll figure it out.”

It was 11:46 in the evening on February 13 in the year 2017, and Jesper Fahey was drunk out of his mind. He wasn’t slightly tipsy and still coherent, just a bit looser with affection and words; he was full drunk with no control over his actions and absolutely no filter between his brain and his mouth.

“Inej, let’s…. let’s just get married. We can do it tomorrow! I know a priest, my uncle went to… to whatever pastor school is for like, a month, we could probably break into a church…. we could do our little solo as our first dance… we just need some musicians. And rings! But I have some old ring pops, I think that would work…”

Inej, to her credit, just laughed. She was also a little on the drunk side, but only enough that she was a bit less tightly-wound and her cheeks bore the slightest flush. “I don’t think we’re ready for that,” she said, breaking their dance just briefly to brush her hair out of her face. The tight bun she’d worn for the rehearsal before their big party had mostly fallen out, leaving strands of hair flying everywhere as they twirled. “We’re dance partners this year! How does that not imply marriage?”

“I don’t know, but we should at least go on a date first.”

“We’re dancing right now. How is this not a date?”

Jesper pulled her into another tight spin, making his head whirl in the process. Inej only seemed slightly dizzy afterwards, but she was famous for her ridiculous series of turns that left the whole room feeling dizzy just watching her. Even drunk, she was still in control of herself.

He became aware of a shadow approaching from the corner of his vision. Jesper was prepared to fight off some kind of demonic invader until the shadow was close enough for him to tell that it was tall, leaning on a cane, and very grumpy.

“Kaz! Kazoo! My best friend! My best man! How’s it going?”

“You’re drunk,” Kaz said, flat. He gave him the disappointed look that, at times, could give Matthias’s Dad Look a run for its money. Today, it didn’t work.

“I know! It’s fun! I’m having fun! That’s what you do at a party; you have fun . You don’t just hang out in the corner and drink apple juice while pretending it’s beer.”

“I don’t do that.” Kaz turned his attention on Inej for support, but she just covered her mouth with her hand and laughed. “Fine, maybe I’ve done that once. But still, you’re far too drunk and you’re going to embarrass yourself soon.”

Jesper pouted, pulling Inej closer. Kaz’s glare just intensified. “But Dad, I’m not going to embarrass myself-”

“He asked me to marry him,” Inej said. Jesper pushed her away. Traitor.

That seemed to appease Kaz. He grabbed Jesper’s arm and started to pull him away from the crowded dance floor (which, it was a miracle Kaz even got this far out , he usually didn’t leave the corners), saying, “Yeah, you’re done. Good night, Inej.”

“Night!” Inej called, turning around to dance by herself. Eventually she’d probably find Nina and they’d dance together, so Jesper didn’t feel too bad for leaving. Not that he wanted to leave, of course.

Drunk Jesper, apparently, had no sense of boundaries, because he wrapped himself around Kaz like a monkey that felt it was about to fall. Usually this kind of contact got you a punch (at best) or sent Kaz to a Bad Place, but tonight… he seemed looser, somehow; his posture more relaxed than usual and his grip on his cane not as blisteringly tight. Perhaps he had actually drank some alcohol tonight, or perhaps the mood of the room had absorbed into him somehow and left him feeling something close to happy, for once. Regardless, Jesper was proud of him.

Maybe too proud of him.

“Did I ever tell you how much I love you? I mean, you’re my roommate, but you’re so much more than that, oh my god, I love you and how Kaz you are, and you scare the hell out of me and you probably could- and would- murder me in my sleep, but.... I love you. You’re the bomb. The man .” Kaz, for the most part, ignored the endless stream of babble coming from Jesper’s mouth, which was a miracle considering he usually made some sort of sarcastic comment when this happened. (Jesper couldn’t help the fact that he was a clingy drunk and Kaz was his “designated walker”, because they were both too poor to afford a car and it was Amsterdam, you don’t need a car in Amsterdam anyway).

Jesper was in the middle of rambling about how even his dad loved Kaz when they suddenly stopped, and the moment he took a breath he knew that he was about to tell him to stop babbling, shut up and act normal for once and that no one cared, but instead Kaz pulled a wad of money out of his pocket. “I’m out of advil, and this place isn’t completely shady. Can you not die while I go and get some?” He nodded, which made his vision swim just a little bit. Maybe Jesper was a little too drunk. Just maybe.

While Kaz disappeared into the little store, Jesper leaned against a wall and tried to think about his marriage proposal to Inej. He just needed some flowers, maybe some backup music and- and yes, backup dancers , and he’d rip his shirt off and break into some-

Wait, backup music?

Jesper blinked out of his fantasy at the sound of music, old-fashioned jazz played on a violin that sounded just a hare out of tune, and he found himself stumbling towards it like a lost child. It felt- The music felt homey, for whatever reason; like the warmth of his mother and the nights where she’d sing along to the radio or she’d dance in the living room with Jesper standing on her toes, reaching up to her and following her fluid moves with chubby toddler stiffness.

“You’re not my mom,” he said when he found the source of the music. It was a kid- there was no way he was older than fifteen- sitting on a stood, violin under his chin, rapidly playing a swing tune. Based on his look of intense concentration, he was probably improvising.

Was was the keyword.

Once Jesper spoke, the song broke off suddenly before the kid held out a random note. “I’m sorry?” he said, looking up at him. His eyes were huge and impossibly blue, like every simile for blue eyes that ever been written.

“I thought you were my mom. You’re not.”

The kid raised an eyebrow, slinking back on his stool. He probably thought Jesper was some strange man trying to kidnap him, which, to be fair, was not a bad conclusion to make when someone says you thought they were your mother. “That’s… unfortunate,” he said, picking his violin back up.

Jesper stood there for a moment while the kid flipped through his book, brows again drawn in concentration. “Do you think if someone’s your dance partner you should marry them?”

This time, he wasn’t graced with a response. The kid just glared at him before starting another round of improv just as intense as the last one. He was being rejected, he knew that, but damnit Jesper was drunk, and he was clingy, and he was not going to let this kid win an imaginary argument.

So Jesper started dancing.

The street corner was crowded with people heading home after a long day/night and wasn’t very spacious to begin with, Jesper hadn’t taken a jazz class in years , and his limbs were heavy and uncoordinated, but he swayed with the music, spun when it called for it, clapped at times. Vaguely, he was aware of a crowd gathering to watch the child prodigy play while a very drunk man danced along, but it didn’t bother him. At one point the music lulled and Jesper saw the kid stare up at him, eyes wide, but instead of yelling at him the kid nodded and he resumed with renewed vigor, not bothering to worry about the amount of people he accidentally slapped.

And then a voice yelled, “JESPER LLEWYN FAHEY, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING,” and the mood died. Jesper froze in the middle of a spin, losing his balance and tumbling into the kid, who had once again suddenly stopped his song. Parting the crowd was, again, a tall, grumpy shadow holding a cane and a small plastic bag. “Jesper, I told you you were going to embarrass yourself. Let’s get home before you make out with a random stranger.” He started to turn to leave, but looked over his shoulder. “And apologize to that poor musician.”

Jesper turned his head to look at the kid, who was half-beneath him from when he fell. He pulled himself away, squatting in front of him. “Sorry about that, I’m really drunk and I guess I have no inhibition-”

“Look at my tip bag.”

“- it was wrong of me, I probably embarrassed you, God I’m so sorry, you were just minding your business and playing your amazing music and I ruined it for you, also you’re like twelve and-”

“Jesper Llewyn Fahey, I’m nineteen years old, and look at my tip bag.”

Jesper finally looked away from the kid’s eyes (well, not kid, even though he looked like a kid) and at the little sac that sat in front of his violin case. It was overflowing with money, a few coins sprinkled around the outside.

“I’ve never made this much money before. You don’t even know how much I needed that.”

Jesper was about to respond when Kaz yelled his name again and shot him a glare that meant he definitely wanted to kill him a little bit, and so he pulled himself away from the kid and walked the rest of the way home in silence.