#They're obnoxious and in love your honor

[jade-lynxx]

Ji-Woon, giggling and twirling a knife: "so there's this boy...."

Every other killer: "we know. You never shut up about him. PLEASE shut up about him"

[brotherwtf]

As promised, here’s the photo prompt: Gale in a suit on a bed ✨💀 I loved all your ideas in the chat but here be free free reign for you to take and run as you please!

THIS THIS YES YES

anyways, clegan should fuck with clothes on and they're gonna, I'm gonna make them

----

Gale and John didn't have to get dressed up often, and even when they did they would have to wear their dress greens, but there were days where they would have to put on a full suit and tie for the evening.

This was one of those nights, a gala of some sort honoring the veterans that fought in the war, so Gale and John rented tuxedos for the night. Nice, three pieces that hugged their bodies even better than their uniforms. It was a wonder John kept his hands off of Gale for as long as he did.

So when Gale throws himself on the bed, making an obnoxious noise of exhaustion, John finally allows himself to touch.

It doesn't help that Gales also running his hands up and down his body, wrapping a hand around his neck and groaning about how tired he is, needs help taking his clothes off. Which John, of course, jumps on the opportunity.

"Come on, John. Come lie down with me I'm exhausted," Gale groans, and huffs when John dips the bed with his knees.

He brackets Gale's hips with his knees, bending down and placing kisses and bites on the sliver of Gale's neck not covered by the collar of his shirt. Gale huffs, running his hands down John's side and bunching in the material around his hips. He pulls him up until he's breathing over John's lips, making breathy sounds as John runs his hands up to Gale's neck.

"Could barely keep my hands off of you, doll. Fuck, just look at you," John says, pressing Gale's face until it tilts back towards the mirror on their vanity.

It's a delicious sight, both of them fully clothed, Gale clutching at John's clothes desperately while John holds him down, hair already slightly dishevelled from Gale's hands. Gale moans at the sight and looks back up at John, surging forward to connect their lips.

Gale's kissing like he's desperate, immediately fucks his tongue between John's lips and making breathy sounds. John slides his hands down Gale's chest and flips the buttons to his jacket open, pulling Gale's shirt until it's untucked and he can creep his hand underneath to touch the burning hot skin. Gale keens high into John's mouth at the touch, grinding his hips up into John's.

"What do you want darling? Come on, ask for it," John says, groaning when Gale grinds against his hips.

Gale turns his head, hands finding Johns hair as he groans gently.

"Want it just like this, please, touch me John," Gale pleads.

He doesn't seem to know where to put his hands, alternating between shoving them in John's hair and running them down his arms. John eventually takes them and pins them on either side of his head, devouring his lips again.

He shifts his hips until their hips are aligned and he grinds their cocks together, groaning at the added sensation of the clothing on them. It makes Gale moan breathily into his mouth, grinding his hips up off the bed back against John's hips.

"Like this, darling?" John whispers, tucking his face into Gale's neck to press more kisses to his pulse point.

Gale moans high in his throat, nodding and clutching onto John's suit jacket, grinding his hips harder into John's.

They've never done it like this before, John likes to take his time undressing Gale and see him fall apart under his hands, likes to leave marks all over his body so Gale can press his finger into them and be reminded who made them.

But even like this, with only a sliver of Gale's neck visible, John can feel himself barreling towards and orgasm, just from their hips grinding together.

John comes with a groan into Gale's neck, lacing their fingers together as he huffs. Gale doesn't follow too far behind, keening high in his throat, nudging his nose against John's cheek.

"We ruined our suits," Gale mutters, and John huffs out a laugh.

[mellifluousprince]

in progressive spaces there are so many unique, personable expressions of what it means to be a woman, and how girlhood is this beautiful open ended thing that everyone has their own definition of. I think it's wonderful to see women bond over their shared experiences & find companionship in each other as a result. meanwhile, what it means to be a man is essentially getting pigeonholed into this idea of being some violent, sex-obsessed beast; both by obnoxious men who keep pushing the whole alpha male manosphere garbage, and by women who see that trend & then view all men that way, ascribing every man with the label of a monster in order to protect themselves. there's nowhere else you can go. if you try to strike out on your own and define masculinity in your own way, in the eyes of everyone else you just fade into obscurity. it's like you don't even exist. the worst part is, it feels like i'm the only one who wants masculinity to have a broader meaning. so many other men i know want so badly to live up to this ridiculous ideal being forced on them. meanwhile i've known my whole life that i'll never be an "alpha male", because i don't want to be. but even if you don't subscribe to all the manosphere stuff and live your life free of those toxic expectations, as long as you're a man you'll only be thought of as bland and uninteresting. Women are seen as these inherently ethereal gorgeous beings(they're not, they're just people and saying this just further pressures them into feeling like they need to be attractive objects, but that's a different post), and men are either monsters or...nobodies. "Just some guy". John Doe. If that's what you want, then that's all well and good. But is that really all there is to being a man? when you strip away all of those preconceived notions about how men should look or behave or be seen by others, then what is masculinity, really? ideally, it should be the same as femininity in the sense that it's whatever you want it to be. you can see yourself in a traditional sense, as a proud, strong warrior who fights for honor & protects and provides for his loved ones, or a more non-traditional way, a demure prince who waits calmly for a princess or knight or other lover to sweep him off his feet. you can romanticize yourself as anyone you want: a hardworking scholar who wants to learn as much as he can or improve the world around him, a powerful athlete who lives for the joy of sport, an early-bird baker who embraces the quiet life, an iron-willed blacksmith who endures the forge to arm his brothers and sisters, a singer who lends his strong voice to uplifting the oppressed, a warm-hearted husband and/or father who has so many good wishes for others. sky's the limit. i understand why women often put men in a box and view men the way that they do. if you don't know a man's intentions, it's safer to lead with distrust. but i know in my heart that i would never hurt anyone like that, and so i don't want my personal sense of masculinity to be defined by those men who do such horrid things. i don't think any man should personally feel like their masculinity is synonymous with being a monster. i think they should burn the manosphere to the ground and just find the answer themselves. what's manlier than that? someday i hope people will feel comfortable enough to no longer think of masculinity as this stagnant, unmoving collection of violent, angry traits. i want it to be sought after and romanticized the same way femininity often is; as another equally glorious representation of what it means to be human.

[a1307s]

Flickers of Green #2

(Dick Grayson & Jason Todd)

[Art is not mine! Credit to fish-goat]

Requested by: quirkyshortdumbo11

Keys:

Y/N: Your Name

Word Count: 6,214

Warnings and/or Pre-Notes:

Cursing

Mentions of Death

———————————————————————

I walk out of the abandoned building, the sounds of my gunshot and the now-dead drug lord's screaming still ringing in my head.

Nowadays it seems that these sounds comfort me more than Bruce ever could. Fucking Bruce. I hate him. I hate Batman. I hate the Joker. I hate myself for letting Y/N die. For dragging her to her death. For not being able to save her. For me being the one that's alive.

I can't let guilt cloud my mind right now. It's hard to kill someone as you're feeling guilty for causing the death of someone else. I need something to clear my head, something to reset myself. Coffee should help, it always did when I was originally alive.

I glance around, trying to get my wits together and figure out where the nearest coffee shop is. I tug my phone out of my jacket, taking a glance at the time. Nine thirty-two. Late but not too late, except for coffee. I don't know if anywhere with a decent cup of Joe will be open. I don't need that watered-down bean soup shit they serve at gas stations.

Pamela's cafe will be open. They're always open. I don't want to go there though. The last thing I need is more memories of Y/N.

I do a quick Google search, hoping to find any other cafe open, but I don't. I don't need coffee, but I do need something to eat and a donut sounds so good right now. I can't even remember what a donut tastes like. I'll just have to eat my feelings alongside the donut then.

I pull up Google Maps, glancing over it quickly before heading towards the cafe. The plus side of Pamela's is that the staff is pretty chill with anything; heroes, villains, and citizens alike.

It seems that in the past couple of years, the girls on staff have been adopted by some of the villains. I see Ivy, Scarecrow, and Harley coming and going from there a lot.

When I was at the Iceberg Lounge - aka Penguin's bar, strip club, and not-so-underground business - he mentioned that he "keeps up" on the girls and pays some of their tuition. He also mentioned there's a new girl that started a couple of months ago and that she's "a feisty little one that doesn't fear shit". That coming from Penguin is a bit of an honor. Not many people can get a compliment like that from him.

Maybe I'll meet this feisty new girl tonight. Maybe I'll take her home. I could use the distraction. However, I don't usually end up doing anything with them when I do get them home. I usually just lose my shit cause it's not the same as it was with Y/N.

I switch between being mad and being indifferent about being unable to move on from her. She died only ever loving me, why can't I live only ever loving her?

The neon lights of the cafe cut into my line of sight along with cutting through my thoughts. I forgot how obnoxious all the neon was. Standing right outside the cafe is Penguin and a young girl. She's in the 50s dinner uniform Pamela's staff wears. She's also wrapped up in a fancy-looking coat.

I feel half bad for the girl. If she's working at a cafe, she can't afford a coat like that, which means it's from the Penguin. It's never good for anyone - much less a young girl - to be in debt to Penguin.

My pace slows as I approach them. "Come on Feisty, just let me pay for your courses. Then you wouldn't have to work so much."

"No, I'm good. I don't mind supporting myself." The girl's voice is soft but firm as she speaks. Maybe she isn't as stupid as I thought.

"Listen here you little bitch-"

"No, you listen here you fucking flightless bird," the girl yells back, causing a bit of laughter to brew in my chest. "I already told you I don't want your money and unlike most of the other girls, I don't owe you shit so back off."

"And if I don't?" He asks, starting to turn the head on his cane. Under the head is usually a knife that Penguin is known to use on people when he doesn't get his way.

The girl yanks the cane away before any damage can be done, causing shock in both the bird and me. "If you don't I'll stab you to death with your own cane. Go back to your dumb pimp square." Penguin stands there for a second, just staring at the girl before he walks away mumbling to himself. His wobble is more present than usual now that he doesn't have his cane to support him. The club owner wasn't kidding about this girl not being scared of anything, or at least she was good at pretending.

Now that the fat man isn't in the way, I'm able to see the girl he was talking to. As my eyes scan over her my mind both empties and explodes. Standing in the neon lights is the spitting image of Y/N, which is impossible... because she's dead.

Or is it? I'm technically dead and yet here I am. But if she was alive, she would have looked for me, right? Like I did for her? She would at least be at the manor, right? Bruce would take her back in or at the very least Dick would... right? Or maybe she didn't want to go back to them. Maybe she's mad at them too.

Y/N - I think it's her - turns on her heels, heading down the road. I need to follow her. If she is my Y/N I need to know. I need to be a hundred percent certain. At the very least, if it's not Y/N I should still watch the girl get home safe after she disagreed with Penguin.

What if it's not Y/N? What if it is? What if this is a trap? Is Al Ghul fucking with my head again? Did he set this up to trap me back within the League? Even if he did, I need to know what's going on. Just in case it is a trap, I stay hidden. I'll have the element of surprise if shit does go south.

I follow this girl, not paying much attention to where she's going but making sure to keep pace with her. If it is my Y/N I can't lose her again from careless mistakes.

My mind runs a mile a minute as I trail her. I need answers, I need to hold her, I need her to be Y/N.

Maybe-Y/N turns, making my heart race. Fear of losing her around the corner mixes with the joy of a split second of light enveloping her.

I catch a glimpse behind her ear. When we were twelve, right before Bruce took us in, we thought it would be a good idea to give each other stick-and-poke tattoos. We tattooed each other's names behind our ears. My name is there, behind her left ear, in my chicken scratch handwriting. It has to be her. There's no way Al Ghul could know about that. I don't even think Bruce knows about our matching tattoos.

My pace quicks as I slide around the corner after her. I need her. I need to tell her I'm here. I need - it's a trap.

Hands land on me, throwing me to my right. My boots slide against the gravel on the sidewalk, aiding in me losing my balance. I fall hard, harder than the Roman Empire.

On my way down, my helmet comes into contact with a trash can. The noise echoes within my disguise, promising to give me a headache.

"What the hell?" I bark, quickly getting back to my feet. I should have known this was too good to be true. I should have known it was a trap. I should have known to pay attention to my surroundings. What the fuck is wrong with me?

Once the sound rattling around my helmet quiets some I'm able to get a grip on my surroundings. Standing in front of me is Dick Grayson in his signature black and blue spandex suit. "Fucking Nightwing," I husk out, shaking my head to get the last of the echoes out.

"Hood," he answers, positioning himself for a throwdown.

From my last run-in with Bruce, it's evident he knows who I am. Despite his attempt to hide it, the Bat was throwing his punches. I'm guessing from the greeting that he didn't share his findings with Dick.

But fine, if a fight is what Nightwing wants, a fight is what he'll get. It shouldn't be difficult to get him down.

I cautiously walk toward him, preparing myself to swing. One easy hit. Just one to knock him down long enough for me to sneak off and find Y/N.

I swing at him, but he ducks. What a little shit. I don't want trouble, I just want to go find - he thinks I'm stalking her. Dick thinks I'm stalking Y/N. Does he know it's Y/N?

"Just move aside, Wing, it's not what you think," I call out louder than I meant to. I throw another punch, trying to get him down again. I don't have time for this. I don't have the want to explain who I am and who I'm chasing after.

Dick needs to get out of my way before I lose Y/N. I can't lose her again. I'd burn the Earth to a crisp before I let that happen.

My thoughts distract me, making me lag as Nightwing tries to sweep my feet out from under me. I almost managed to avoid it but do end up tripping a bit from my late reaction.

"You're a notorious killer chasing after a girl, what else am I supposed to think?" Grayson calls, his cocky attitude present in his words. Well, that answers my question; he doesn't know it's Y/N. Or who I am. Or maybe he does and doesn't want me to know that he's connected to her. I hate the hush-hush behaviors we both inherited from Bruce.

I stumble back, again causing my helmet to come into contact with more metal. I'm definitely going to have a piercing headache for the next couple of hours. Great.

As the object behind me catches my fall, my guns slide across it, reminding me of their presence. If he's not going to go down with physical force, a gunshot sure as hell will work.

Nightwing approaches me, pulling his weapon out from behind his back. He's mumbling, probably answering whoever is on the other end of his coms. Great, I'm going to have to go through Batman too to get to Y/N. If that's the case, so be it. Bruce's name is as good as carved into my bullets if that's what it takes to get Y/N back.

I take Nightwing's distraction as a chance to get the upper hand. Being the asshole I am, I sweep Nightwing's feet out from under him. It's what he deserves and quite good karma. He stumbles back, landing on his back a couple of steps ahead of me.

No time is wasted as I start closing the gap between us. My gun feels heavy in my hand as I pull it out. Richard made his own grave trying to get between Y/N and me again, but that doesn't mean I like laying him in it. I watch as he grabs for one of his sticks as I tower over him. He can try all he wants but it won't stop me; nothing will stop me. Y/N will be safe from him, from Bruce, from the life I dragged her into it.

I level the barrel to his head debating if I should just end it here. It would be quite the message to Batman. "Lady don't!" A young voice screams out.

I glance up to find who else is present but before I can my eyes lock on Y/N. She's rushed and flustered as she races towards me. Before I can stop her, she's shoving the gun up towards the sky. "Don't shoot!" She shouts, her words followed by the sound of the gun going off.

Fear flickers through me before my senses come in. Y/N isn't shot, she can't be, the gun is pointed too high.

She stands in front of me, anger rooted in her eyes as she looks at me. There are flickers of green mixed in with her normal eye color. I take in the rest of her, letting my mind go silent as I look her over. Y/N has a strand of grey mixed in her hair, just like me. She has to be alive because of the Laza pit. She has the same greying hair and recent green added to her eyes, just like me. Mine were caused because of the pit, so hers have to be because of it too, right? Is she suffering from the same side effects I did because of the pit?

"What the fuck is your problem, you daft cow?" Y/N yells, tugging the weapon from my hand before I can stop her. I have to stop myself from laughing at the situation. It's too much like it was when we were younger. Dick and me going toe-to-toe and Y/N swooping in to break us up once again.

"Don't stand there and look dumb at me. What do you think you're doing?" She repeats herself, her attention turning towards the gun.

I shift to point it down, so she doesn't accidentally shoot herself, but she beats me to it. The barrel is pointed at the open pavement between our feet as her hands work on disconnecting the bullets from the gun.

Y/N's fingers look smooth and soft as they work. I want to touch them. I want to hold them in my hands. I want to press kisses into them. I want to touch her. I want to know she's real.

"I..." I start, my mouth feels heavy and suddenly full of cotton. "Hi." The word sounds loud when it tumbles out.

"Hello," Y/N says back, her eyes sparkling. The color I've grown so used to comforts me despite the newly added flickers of green. She's so bright and here and alive.

Her focus stays on me for a beat longer as she hands me back my gun. Our fingers bumping into each other, sending shivers up my spine. She's alive.

I let the feeling envelop me as my eyes switch from her face to staying locked on the shitty tattoo behind her ear. My mind is on overtime, running through a million questions even as Y/N moves up and down in front of me. I can hear her voice as she talks to Dick but it's hard to focus on processing her words.

My eyes snap back up as Y/N stands. She whispers something, the words lost in her uncomfortableness. Am I making her upset? Is Dick? I glance around her to hopefully see what shifted her tone. Since being distracted, Bruce's new Robin has appeared in front of us. Is he making her upset?

Y/N starts walking away, causing panic about losing her to wash over me. Before I can stop myself, I reach out for her, my hand wrapping around her arm to stop her movements. "Let..." I start again, my mouth still feeling dry, and it gets drier as Y/N turns towards me. "Let me walk you home." The words come out quieter than I thought they would.

Her eyes harden as she looks at me and shakes me off of her. "What the fuck is with all you superheroes? Two days ago, I had a frantic Batman shoving hundred-dollar bills into my hand. You have been trailing me for three blocks, you-" So she knows I was behind her? Does she know it's me? Does she not remember Bruce is Batman? What does she remember?

I shake my head again, trying to Etch-A-Sketch the thoughts out of my head. I focus my attention back on Y/N. Her hands are on her hips, her right one popped out. I want to touch her again. I want to put my hands on her hips. I want to feel her between my fingers. I want to feel her warmth against me. I want-

My thoughts are cut off again when Dick starts touching her. "I... Y/N?" Dick says his tone as quiet as mine was. All the love-struck feelings wash out of me and are replaced with anger and jealousy. I don't want him touching her. I should be touching her. She's mine. She's always been mine. What the fuck does Dick think he's doing?

"Good guess," Y/N answers, her figure relaxing some. Does she remember that Grayson is Nightwing? Why does she remember that but not that Bruce is Batman? Does she like him touching her?

"Y/N?" He repeats, his face scrunched up in confusion. He needs to stop touching her before I lose my shit.

Almost as if Y/N can read my thoughts, she shrugs him off and starts walking away again. "That's my name, don't wear it out." Her tune is light and happy, making butterflies flap around my stomach. Nightwing and I stay frozen, watching her slip out of the alleyway before vanishing from our sight.

Dick's attention turns back towards me. His eyes are watery. Apparently, I'm not the only secret Bruce has been keeping from him, how in tune for the bat. "What's next? You going to end up being Jason Todd?" He asks, a sad laugh following. It tinges my heart, almost making me regret being willing to kill him a few minutes ago.

I hum a bit, turning towards the direction Y/N went in as I think about what I'm going to do. I start heading after her before changing my mind. I know she's alive and in town. That's all that matters. It'll be best for her if I back off, give her time to think over the event, and give Dick time to tattle to Bruce so I can see how they'll react. I glance at Nightwing behind me before opening my mouth again, "We both know that Y/N being alive isn't the only secret Bruce Wayne is hiding from the world."

I let the words hang behind me as I walk away. Waiting to go after Y/N also gives me time to think over what I'm going to do. If she doesn't remember parts of her life - if any of it - I don't need to scare her away by coming off too strong.

———————————

My heart jumps around as I walk up the path from the other day. The neon lights are still obnoxious as fuck, but I don't mind. Y/N will be there. I know she will. I've been watching her, keeping tabs on her, getting the hang of her schedule. I know, I know, I know. I sound like a stalker. But it's not stalking. It's... intel collecting.

I know she'll be here. She works until nine-thirty, so unlike the other night, I come in earlier, so I have time to see her. Time to talk to her. I also know they're not too busy at night so the cafe will at least be mostly empty, if not completely deserted.

From my stalk- intel collecting, I know Dick came in earlier to talk to her. I don't know what they talked about though. I don't know if I want to know. It pissed me off seeing Dick with Y/N. Pissed me off seeing him touch her again. Pissed me off seeing the smile that stayed on her face even after she left the cafe for class.

What does Dick think he's doing? I'm not stupid or blind. Hell, even a blind man can see how down-hard Dick is for Y/N. Even when we were younger, he pretty much had hearts in his eyes anytime Y/N was around. She wanted me last time; she'll want me this time too... I think.

The jingle of the bell on the door competes with my heartbeat for space in my ears. Sitting in one of the bar chairs at the coffee island is Y/N. Scarecrow is next to her, helping her with her chemistry homework. I'm not thrilled about this arrangement but at least Y/N is getting the academic help she needs.

"Hello!" Y/N peeps out, sending a smile at me as her attention turns away from Scarecrow. Her eyes soften when she focuses on me. "It's you again."

"It's me again," I mumble, taking slow steps towards her.

Scarecrow stands up, placing himself between Y/N and me. He's always been a small man, even when I was a kid, but he seems even smaller nowadays. "Again?" He asks, trying to look intimidating. He's barely intimidating when he's in his suit, and definitely isn't when he's dressed like a civilian.

"Again," Y/N peeps up, her voice still airy and soft. The same voice that used to whisper sweet nothings into my ear until I fell asleep most nights. "Helmet man here walked me home after I argued with Penguin the other night."

"You got into an argument with Penguin?" Crow asks, turning his attention from me to Y/N. "What did he want?"

"You know, the usual. He wants me in debt to him for another body to do his bidding," She teases a soft smile on her face in an attempt to comfort Crow. Scarecrow shifts around a bit glancing at me a few times.

I step aside, standing next to the skinny man and joining him looking at Y/N. She's so pretty, even out of her style and in the dumb uniform for the cafe. "Can I buy you a coffee?" I ask her, slowly tugging my helmet off as well as making sure the mask under it stays in place. The last thing I need is Scarecrow knowing I'm Jason Todd.

"Look at you, pulling all the guys today," Crow half teases, sending glares my way.

"I guess so," Y/N says, her smile even bigger as she scans over my face. Maybe she does know who I am.

"I have something to deal with. Will you be okay if I leave?" Crow asks, his attention not being pulled from me.

"I'll be fine. I'm pretty confident that I can take him if need be." Y/N giggles at herself, pulling a soft chuckle from Crow as well. He nods at her before turning on his heels and walking off. "What do you want to drink?" She asks, standing up and sliding behind the counter.

"I'll have whatever you're going to have." She hums, starting to make whatever it is she's making. I watch her move around, my eyes drinking in every moment. Memories flow in and out as I watch her. Memories of her hands on me, her lips on me, of her laugh, of her. "What do you think he's off to go do?" I ask, being careful not to call him Scarecrow in case she doesn't know. It would be better if Y/N didn't know; it would be one less person to protect her from.

She hums, her hands working at pouring our drinks out. "He's probably going to go line the fog machines in the Iceberg with fear gas. He gets pretty pissy when Penguin fucks with the staff." So, she does know. Is that good or bad? Probably good in this situation. "Here you go," She murmurs, pushing my cup towards me before walking back around the counter with her drink.

Y/N slides back into her seat, patting the one next to her. I obey, sitting down. Her eyes stay locked on me, the flickers of green swirling around them as she stares. The space is quiet, the only sound being us sipping on our coffees. "Are you stalking me?" She asks, filling in the space and causing me to choke a bit.

My lungs force out a cough in an attempt to counteract my choking. Y/N's eyes stay locked on me, the green standing out as she watches. "I... no?" Why the fuck did that come out as a question? That's pretty counterproductive. "No, I'm not." That's better... maybe.

She hums again, sipping on her coffee as she thinks over my answer. "Defiantly seems like you're stalking me. Most people don't sneak around and follow me all day." Once again silence falls between us. How am I supposed to respond to that?

Y/N sits in silence, enjoying her coffee as she watches me. Even though I know she's suspicious of me, I still find comfort in her gaze. "I don't remember much of my life before six months ago so if I'm supposed to know you, I'm not avoiding you. I just don't know who you are, so you don't need to sneak around me; you just need to talk to me. Well, and be patient please." She says, being the one to break the silence again.

Oh... So, she doesn't know anything. That's... scary. For many reasons. "Is there anything you do remember?" I ask, gently pushing my coffee back and forth between my hands.

"Snip bits of stuff. Though some things have started coming back since I ran into Nightwing and you. Some more came back after my coffee chat with Richard Grayson too."

Don't fucking say his name. Don't say it. You should be saying my name. Should be remembering stuff because of me. Not because of fucking Dick. "Oh ya?" I peep out, glaring ahead of me at the menu instead of focusing my anger on Y/N.

"Mmhmm..." She falls silent, nodding her head back and forth as if she's trying to wiggle her thoughts around. "Helmet man-"

"Red Hood," I say, cutting her off with my correction.

I turn my attention back to her, being met with her eyes already on me. "You're my Jason, right?"

"Ya," I push out, suddenly finding it hard to breathe. The word 'my' repeats nonstop in my head, bouncing around my brain as I try to sort through my feelings of bliss.

"I think I love you," She whispers, her hand dipping back behind her ear to mess with her tattoo.

The bliss is all washed away once the words hit my ears. She thinks she loves me? Does she not remember loving me? Of course not, Y/N doesn't remember anything. Well, at least a small piece of her remembers me. Remembers me enough to know she's supposed to love me and that's good enough. There's enough hope there for me to build on.

"Well, I know I love you," I whisper back, keeping my eyes on her to see her reaction. She's still looking at me, her eyes shining.

She hums a bit, tilting her head as she scans me again. "Can I take your mask off?" Y/N asks, her hands slow and gentle as they slide over my cheeks and come into contact with the mask covering my eyes.

"Ya."

Her fingers are soft as they snap off my mask. The joy drains from me as the warmth from her touch is removed. "Your eyes are green... I remember them being blue," Y/N says, her fingertips soon back on my cheeks.

I can feel my cheeks heating up, both from a blush and the hands present on my skin. "They used to be, now they're green." Y/N hums, running her fingers over my cheekbones before sliding them into my hair. I let my eyes close, soaking in her touches. It's calming, being able to be so close to her again, feeling her touch me again, feeling proof that she's alive. I lean forward a bit, getting close enough to feel Y/N's soft breathing coat my face. "Can..." Asking to kiss her might be a little much right now. Maybe I shouldn't ask.

"Can you what?" Y/N prompts, her hands dropping down to my shoulders.

My eyes snap open and once again they're met with the familiar color and the newly added flickers of green. Why did she only get slivers and mine completely changed color? "Can I take you on a date?" I finally ask, shifting a bit so our noses are touching. God, I want to kiss her. I want to hold her. I want her in every way possible. It's going to kill me having to work back up to that.

"I'd like that, Jason."

Yes. God, yes. "Say my name again," I mumble, rubbing my nose against hers.

"Jason," She whispers, bopping my nose with her own before pulling away from me.

———————————

Butterflies flap around my stomach, threatening to come up in a not-pretty way. My hands shake as I lift one to knock on the door of Y/N's apartment. The knocking feels loud as I do it. Maybe I knocked too loud.

The door swings open soon after, the door frame filling with the image of Y/N. She's dressed up with her hair down to cup her face. "Hi," I breathe out, my eyes drinking her in. She's so pretty, so perfect, so alive.

"Hello," she answers back, her eyes glancing at my hand. "You got me flowers?" Y/N asks, leaning against the door frame.

"Oh ya," I bark out, definitely too loud, as I push the bouquet toward her. I couldn't decide what flowers to get so I ended up getting three different bouquets and had the lady mix them. "Your favorite flowers are orange roses, but I didn't know if you still liked them or not, so I panicked and got more flowers than you probably need or want." That was dumb. Why did I say that? I feel like a thirteen-year-old with his first crush again.

"I still like orange roses," Y/N tells me, taking the flowers from me before walking back through the door. I follow after her, making sure to close the door behind me. Her apartment is small but cozy. There's not much in her home either but I guess that's expected since Y/N doesn't know herself.

There is a small couch and one of those old, bulky, shitty TVs tucked into her living room. The apartment smells nice, like pork and chili pepper. A million different dishes are stacked up around her countertop in the kitchen. "What are you making?" I ask her, sliding my jacket off before laying it on the couch.

"I'm making Pozole. I remember you liking it. Or I think you liked it. Somebody did at least," She mumbles a bit, keeping her attention to the pot on the stove in front of her.

"I like pozole. Alfred and you used to make it for me all the time."

Y/N's eyes light up at my words, making my chest fill with the warmth of joy. I walk into the cramped kitchen, making sure to stay out of her way as I stand in her presence. I watch her like a hawk as she works away, letting the warmth of the stove and the smell of dinner fill the space between us. For the first time in two years, I finally feel okay, finally feel at peace.

"You didn't answer my question the other day," I voice, sliding in closer to her. I want to hold her; I want to wrap my arms around her waist. I debate it for a second. I don't want to scare her off.

"What question?" Y/N asks, glancing at me before turning back to her project at hand.

"Is there anything you remember from our - er - your life?"

Y/N snaps the heat off, continuing to stir the pot as she thinks it over. "There's not a lot I do remember. I'm starting to remember this dude named Wally, I think. I don't know. I'm going to talk to Dick about him tomorrow. I remember a bit about Dick too but not much. I remember a bit about you... about us." Her eyes glance at me, before turning back to our dinner. She picks up some heat absorbers, wrapping them around the pot before setting it on a cutting board on the counter.

She's talking to Dick? About her memories? Or lack thereof, I guess. I don't want her talking to him. What's he going to say to her? What has he already said to her? What ideas is he putting into Y/N's head? Has Dick tried anything with her?

"What do you remember about us?" I ask, trying to push for more information as I try to forget my worried thoughts.

Y/N floats around the kitchen, taking out dishes for our food. My eyes trail her as she moves around the small space. "Umm... I remember us kissing a lot."

I chuckle a bit at that response. We do - did kiss a lot. We did other things a lot too. "Ya, ya we kissed a lot. We were very... touchy." Y/N giggles a bit as she makes our plates. My eyes keep glancing from her face to her hips. I really want to touch her. Before I can stop myself, I push off the counter I'm leaning on and wrap her up in me. My hands are firm on her hips and her back is pressed into my chest as I bury my head into her neck.

Y/N stiffens a bit in my hold before relaxing her muscles again. "We danced a lot too," I mumble into her neck, softly shifting her hips so we can sway together. She sways with me, her body weight feeling so good against mine. "You liked to read out loud to me too."

"Do you not know how to read?" She teases, shifting in my hold so we're face to face.

"I know how to read, I just read too slow for your liking."

"Oh ya?"

"Absolutely not, I just like your voice," I answer, lifting my head from her neck and placing our noses next to each other.

Y/N's hands slide up my arms, resting on my shoulders. "Our favorite book is The Great Gatsby, ya?"

My heart swells a bit at her words. "Ya, it is," I whisper, trying to focus my eyes on hers instead of her lips. It doesn't work so I decide to close my eyes, letting myself focus on her body heat instead. We stay silent, sitting like this, with me holding her. I could stay like this forever.

"Could you kiss me?" Y/N mumbles, shifting in my hold.

My eyes snap open, taking in her face. I roll the words over in my head. I already thought holding her was much for a "first date" and now she's asking me to kiss her? Maybe this is a trap. Maybe I'm making her feel like we have to move fast. Maybe Al Ghul is fucking with my head somehow. "Why?" I peep out, loosening my grip on her.

"Well, my therapist says doing stuff I used to do can help with my memories coming back. We were together ya?"

"Ya, we still are." Her face pinches some as her body stiffens again. Maybe I shouldn't have said that. It isn't fair of me to expect a relationship from Y/N. She doesn't even know who she is, let alone who I am.

"Well, I thought maybe kissing you again would help. We don't have to-"

"I really want to kiss you," I say, cutting her off, and tightening my grip on her again. Y/N's hands slide to the back of my neck, her fingers shaking a bit against my skin but her body relaxes again. "Close your eyes," I mumble, sliding my nose against hers again.

Y/N obeys, fluttering her eyes shut. I take my time, trailing kisses across her nose, her eyes, and her cheeks, before placing myself above her mouth. I soak this scene in for a second before closing the gap between us. Her lips are soft against mine and taste like mint gum.

I shift my hands up, cupping her neck with one and softly dipping the other into her hair. All my need and want and love is boiled into the kiss. Our lips shift against each other for a while, the kiss getting heated way more than it meant.

As my lungs start burning, Y/N pulls back, making me a bit sad. I'd gladly suffocate to death from her kiss. "Jason," She murmurs, her words a little slurred.

"Say it again," I whisper back, tilting my head so our lips are close again.

"Jason," She mutters again. Her lips brush against mine as she speaks.

Fucking Christ. This is too hot, too heated, too much for her right now but I can't stop thinking about hearing her whisper my name all night. "I can't wait for you to fall in love with me again," I say, keeping my tone at a whisper as I glance over her face.

"Why is that?" Y/N asks, her fingers tangling into my hair.

"Because I still love you so fucking much."

———————————————————————

[dizzybizz]

I need your Sampard headcanons, if you have none that’s cool ignore this ask, BUT IF YOU DO LEGALLY YOU HAVE TO SHARE THEM

anon- i don't think you know what you've signed up for with this ask

my headcanons are all incomprehensible to myself so o7

this is brain rot at its full saturation..........

gepard being honest to a fault and that flustering tf out of sampo..., , , , 🥺

like,, sampo will jokingly make a silly comment about gepard liking him and gepard will respond with something like "of course i do? why wouldn't i??"

it's a constant cycle: sampo joking -> gepard responding honestly -> sampo getting flustered -> it hits gepard after some confusion that it was in fact a joke -> and they're both useless and flustered together, absolute losers <3 -> repeat

anyone being genuine and nice to sampo would destroy him

he'd crumble

like- he'd collapse like a house of cards in a gust of wind

they're both touch starved and clingy but really awkward about it

"i need to cuddle so bad!! but i would sooner die than be the one to suggest it!!!!!!"

they get over it once they realize it's a mutual feeling

then it's just collapsing on eachother whenever

i kinda just want them to cry and have a breakdown together, cry and hug it out and just like talk

they both need a good cry,,, 🙏

gepard. yotasuke takahashi. just saying things that sound so romantic without so much as a glance at the other person,,, like:

sampo asks serval to please talk to her brother about thinking before speaking, she leaves him on read

idk what to tell you, they're just losers

they're that "relationships should be 50/50, he cooks us dinner and i sit on the kitchen counter and look pretty" post

sampo entering the kitchen: what's cookin', good-lookin'

sampo gets gepard one of those "kiss the cook" aprons

they're the kind of couple where they're seeing eachother through a shoujo romance lens but to outsiders they're just so unbelievably unbearable

can't flirt to save their lives.

i really just imagine them to be the biggest losers together, they're made for eachother, they're pathetic, they're disasters

them:

gepard runs cold!! sampo can't stand it!!!

who's the big spoon and little spoon? yes

pet names? pet names.

sampo uses them obnoxiously and calls gepard everything he can come up with

darling, babe, baby, sweetie, cutie pie, angel, my little captain, hotstuff, handsome, my one and only, knight in shining armor, prince,,, etc

gepard just defaults to calling him honey or something

gepard names one of his plants koski

sampo is very honored

but also so worried, considering gepard's track record with the lifespan of his plants

he makes it his mission to keep koski alive

sampo loves pulling on gepard's cheeks

[billwasnot]

hello!! I'd love to know more about stasya (your alnst sona) if it's okay with you!!

I took so long answering this that the polls already started. Oopsie

Anyway

So, first of all, here's Stasya's updated contestant profile, which I couldn't get out in time for the competition, but it exists

And here are their designs for various ages with some notes

Plus additional written info under the cut

Stasya facts:

• They grew up on a forested planet with lots of waterfalls, rivers and lakes

• Their owner's house was basically out in the countryside, considerably far away from any other residents

• Before Anakt, they have never met another human, only seeing them in pictures or videos

• Really, really, really doesn't want to be human

• Bad at bonding with people

• Part of it is them intentionally putting distance (they're all here for ALNST. People will die. It will hurt less if you aren't as close)

• Part of it is them feeling really disconnected from other humans (due to growing up in isolation from other humans + natural quirks)

• Sometimes it feels like they're closer to Segyein staff than to other students

• But they are friendly to (almost) everyone

• They rarely initiate contact but happily interacted with others when asked to

• Consistently act as more outgoing than they actually are, especially right before and during the competition

• Nerd. Competitive nerd at that. They're obnoxious

• Excellent grades, never lower than top 3 in any given subject

• They LOVE water and swimming

• They float face down in bodies of water to decompress

• Canonically trans! Transitioned in late teens (participated in some sort of competition with a monetary prize, owner reinvested it back into them)

• Afraid of death

• Also a furry. This one is Solei's (@solei-eclipse) fault. Bc before that they had NO IDEA of terran animals existing

• Their name tattoo is on the back of their right hand. They have very low pain tolerance, but their owner convinced them to get it there (for aesthetic reasons), which they did under anesthesia

Their owner is Guardian Photyne

Photyne facts:

• Relatively young

• Lonely

• Got Stasya from an unregulated backyard breeder on impulse

• Treats Stasya as an emotional support pet

• Saw Stasya's talents and decided to make them famous as a get rich quick scheme

• Places a lot of their personal troubles on Stasya's shoulders

• Poor compared to many other owners

• Doesn't want Stasya to actually die, has a poor understanding of risks involved

Stasya's opinion on their guardian:

• Family

• Wants to be like them (literally)

• No, really, they want to be the same species as Photyne

• Considers Photyne's dependence on them honorable, appreciates it

• These two have awful personal boundaries. Codependent.

• Which is why Stasya readily agrees to sacrifice years of their life and risk death for Photyne

• Doesn't handle separation well (early years of Anakt were hell)

• Gets progressively disillusioned, but never really falls out of love

• Feels like their devotion is never returned in kind, that their guardian's affection is conditional

• If Photyne really loved Stasya, would they send the human to a certain death?

• Deep down wants Photyne to save them, spare them of all this

That's more kr less it, I guess

[honeybeefae]

6, 13, 38. Just the stupidest and funniest situation you can think of with literally anyone 😂

Prompts:

6: "You look stupid as hell right now."

13: "Oh God yes, right there- oh my God, just like that, please don't stop." "...Can you stop that? You're making it sound like we're in a porno and now I'm highly uncomfortable."

38: "You're such a dork." "Yeah, no wonder you're so in love with me."

Pairings: Inner Circle, Cassian x Nesta, Feyre x Rhysand, Mor x Emerie

Warnings: Alluding to sexual situations but not actual sex!

(This was chaotic to write but it was so much fun and I can literally picture this exact scenario. I hope you like it! <3)

The fire roared inside the hearth of the cabin as everyone sat around the coffee table. All of the food had been eaten, the wine almost completely gone, but the conversation and good mood were still going strong as Cassian stood for his turn of truth or dare.

"Truth or dare, Cassian?" Mor asked, her arm loosely slung around Emerie.

"You know me too well to ask me that question, Mor." Cassian smirked, cracking his knuckles as he sent a wink to Nesta who rolled her eyes.

"You could surprise everyone once in a while, you know Cass? Keep people on their toes?" Feyre remarked from Rhys's lap, her eyes half-lidded as he played with her hair. "You don't have any juicy secrets you want to share?"

"Secrets, secrets are no fun, Feyre. Secrets, secrets hurt someone." He replied while pretending to take a dagger to the heart, Mor clearing her throat to regain his attention. "Sorry, what was it?"

"I don't think it's fair to make him do a dare while he's this inebriated." Elain said, her mouth twisted sideways.

"It is very fair, Elain." Amren corrected, taking a sip from her almost empty glass. "Let's hear it, Mor."

"I dare you..." She trails off while pursing her lips, looking across her friends before a devious thought enters her mind. "I dare you to renact sex between you and Nesta."

"What? No! I don't want to see that...or hear it." Feyre groans, covering her ears as Rhysand and Azriel laugh. Elain nodded her head, looking like she was ready to bolt while Nesta seemed fed up with the entire thing.

"Yeah no, that's not going to happen. Cassian. Pass it." Nesta ordered, not even bothering to glance at him while he crossed his arms and pouted. "Save your whining. Choose a truth instead."

"Hang on, hang on, I think it's up to the player to choose, right Mor?" Amren pointed out, smirking as Nesta shot her a glare. "What's wrong, Nesta? Afraid we're all going to find out how bad your sex life is?"

"Amren, you better-" Nesta began only to be silenced as Cassian stepped into the middle of the circle and shook out his body. Amren grinned when she saw Nesta's face pale, everyone knowing what was about to come next.

"Cass, no, please, they're just trying-" Nesta tried to pull him back only to sigh when he shook his head dramatically, stumbling back a step as he turned to look at her with a hand over his heart.

"I'm defending our honor." He said bravely, grinning wolfishly as he looked down at Rhys and Feyre. "Cover your ears, High Lady, it's about to get graphic."

Before anyone could though Cassian went head first into the "act". He started thrusting sloppily, his hair falling into his face from how loose his bun was becoming as he threw his head back and started making the most obnoxious, high-pitched moans.

"Oh yes, Cassian! Right there! You are so handsome and strong!" He wailed, not even noticing how red Nesta's face was becoming. "Oh God yes, right there- oh my God, just like that, please don't stop."

"...Can you stop that? You're making it sound like we're in a porno and now I'm highly uncomfortable." Nesta pleaded, burying her face into her hands as Cassian continued on as if she hadn't even spoken. "Cassian, please, I'm begging."

"Please, Cassian, I'm begging!" He repeated with a girly voice, falling on his ass as Nesta swiped her leg behind his knees to finally get him to shut up. Everyone started laughing, Rhys having to physically hold his sides, as Cassian stood back up and bowed not so gracefully.

"Thank you, thank you." He pretended to accept roses, pulling a reluctant Nesta into his lap. "I love you so much."

"You look stupid as hell right now." She snapped though there was no real bite in her tone, her hand cupping his face as he nuzzled his nose against her. "You are such a dork."

"Yeah, no wonder you're so in love with me." He replied smartly, avoiding her light smack as he kissed her softly. "Just know the feeling is returned one hundred percent."

"And just know you'll be sleeping out in the snow tonight, darling." She replied sweetly, patting his cheek as he tried to figure out just how serious she was.

[oklotea]

Tintin Character Requests! Pt. 1

The series where I draw Tintin characters in funky little outfits cuz they truly are funky little characters

In the first picture, we've got toxic yaoi, well, no, the first request was these two on their own but because I love them so much and their interactions in the 2011 movie I drew them together, and wow I am actually quite proud of how it ended up looking like!!!!! (Probably one of my favorite out of this batch of sketches)

Ty @mis3rabl3m3lody and @libraryidealist for the request!!!

Aaand behind curtain number 2, we've got certified best boy, Chang!!!! Where is he running off to? Idk. I would be embarrassed to admit how much time I spent figuring out how running looks like cuz I just suddenly forgot wtf running looks like

Ty @myfunnyvalentine !!! For the request!! You seemed quite enthusiastic

Next up, we've got AHHHHH MY SILLY MY GOOFY MY FAVORITE MANIC PIXIE DREAM GIRL!!!! PROFESSOR CALCULUS!!!! I drew him in polite little vest and turtleneck combo and some patterned pants, politely waving at you! I was watching a few episodes recently and AGEHHDHDHH I FORGOT JUST HOW ENTERTAINING AND AMAZING AND ICONIC THIS MAN IS he's so silly he's a genius he has no idea what's going on most of the time <3333 we need him in the hypothetical 2011 sequel (it's coming guys trust me)

Ty @unlikelyintelligent and @akasanata for the request!!

TADAAA!!!! IT'S GENERAL ALCAZAR!!! ok. As you know I've only recently started coming back to Tintin, and I'm ngl I forgot who general alcazar was. Then I watched Tintin and the picaros and pretty quickly I remembered. THIS GUY WAS SO COOL. my dumb kid brain didn't entirely grasp what was going on in that episode, BUT NOW I DO KNOW. AND WOW THIS EPISODE WAS WILD. every Tintin episode is on a spectrum of insane but this one tips closer to the more unhinged end. GENERAL ALCAZAR IS SO BADASS, HES LEADING A REVOLUTION, HE'S A MALE WIFE, HE IS A PRESIDENT NOW??? I miss the guy. ALSO I LOVE HIS DESIGN.

(Also if your wondering if every Tintin post I make I'll include a tangent of just gushing about how much I love some aspect of Tintin you better get used to it cuz I love rambling about how much I love Tintin)

Ty @tintinology for the request!!! AARRRGHRHRHHH GENERAL ALCAZAR!!!!!!

here's a couple characters ik little about, ik they were the original antagonists of the secret of the unicorn but that's about it! It's the bird brothers!!!! They're in some fancy suits, judging everyone they pass, their probably grumbling about something. From their appearance they look like their never happy sjhfjdjf

Ty @jimmyandthegiraffes for the request! :D

And last but definitely not least, IT'S JOLYON WAGG!!!!! if only the editing was better so you could bask in his graceful and obnoxious glory. I really like his voice! I really like his wardrobe! And he is some sort of anomaly to me, hes just popping up in the most random times, and most of the time it's to be an annoying little bitch (endearing), he has a medal of honor btw! If I ever met him, I would at first be very charmed, but then realize this is an entirely one sided conversation that'll go on for hours and hours that I won't be leaving anytime soon, and when I eventually get home I'll be completely exhausted by how much social energy I was using up just trying to keep up and look like I was really really invested in whatever this man was rambling about

But anyway he's silly and whimsical so I still really like him

Aaannnddd that's it folks! I'll eventually work on the other requests I have!!!! Have a good evening!!!!!

[monstersinthecosmos]

List 7 comfort films and tag 7 people!

Tagged by @ihaventcomeupwthanameforaheroyet ! thanks!! I WROTE DOWN A FEW FAVS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD (IN NO ORDER) AND HAD 9, SO, I THINK IWTV 1994 GOES WITHOUT SAYING LMFAO, ALSO HONORABLE MENTION TO AMERICAN PSYCHO BC IT MAKES ME LAUGH MY ASS OFF EVERY TIME BUT I ULTIMATELY CUT IT FROM THIS PRESITIGOUS LIST.

is it obnoxious if i put some pictures in the post too? Sorry I get really excited to talk about movies hkjdslgasd please don't feel obligated to put pictures in yours, I'm just being extra.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day [1991]

LISTEN I CRY EVERY FUCKING TIME it's just the best, ROBOT DADDY??? HOT MOMMY???? The T-1000 is so scary?? ALL THESE RIDICULOUS EPIC FIGHT SCENES AND THE ACTORS ARE JUST NOT EMOTING AT ALL BECAUSE THEY'RE ROBOTS? The director's cut with the extra scene where John is trying to teach the Terminator to smile and you realize when he does his little side smirk it's because he's copying John's smile, bc when he copied randos it didnt fit on his face?!??! Eddie Furlong's voice cracking which feels like such a happy accident because he's a weak little fragile human in contrast to the killing machine?? PLEASE.

Hellraiser [1987]

IT'S WEIRD, IT'S KINKY, IT'S GAY, IT'S CHEESY, IT'S GOT PRACTICAL EFFECTS THAT ARE KINDA COOL BUT KINDA STUPID, IT'S GOT THE GRAINY 80S COZY FEEL, IT'S GOT INCREDIBLE FEMALE SEXUALITY AND BAD ACTING, I JUST LOVE IT. It's just a movie I put on when I need to relax and wow it just makes me really happy ;.;

Pet Sematary [1989]

okay this one and the next one and the last one are all GRAINY 80S COZY FEEL, you have to understand that I grew up watching 80s horror from like the age of 5 so that flim look, the grain, the flat lighting, it just !!!!!!! gives me so much cozy fuzzy warmth for childhood and I just adore it. Anyway !!!!!!1 I LOVE THIS MOVIE SO MUCH it's so extremely dark and also extremely absurd, somehow it's so magnetic that you are immediately immersed even though it's got the aesthetic of a bad TV movie, it's just wonderful I adore it. ALSO a rare super faithful Stephen King adaptation!

An American Werewolf in London [1981]

PRACTICAL EFFECTS MY BELOVED!!!!!!!!11 blah blah cozy 80s, but also! FUNNY! ROMANTIC! TRAGIC! SCARY WHEN IT NEEDS TO BE! I'm so deeply deeply impressed by the practical effects in this film, too! But wow it's so good every time, the hot nurse in this movie is a crazy monsterfucker I adore her, it's a good Armand/Daniel AU, the end is a gut punch every fucking time, it's the best, a naked American man stole my balloons, etc. Absolutely perfect film.

Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain [2001]

VISUALLY STUNNING FILM ABOUT AN ASEXUAL WOMAN WITH SOCIAL ANXIETY, PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. I think this movie like, changed my life maybe? I think I saw it when I was 15 or so and it just had such a huge impact on me. I used to watch it so much I would just turn the subtitles off because I'd get distracted and didnt even need them anymore. It's a movie I used to bring with me when I traveled, like I brought the DVD with me when I studied abroad because I was so scared I'd have anxiety or get homesick, I just always wanted to be able to watch it if I need to. IF I WATCH THIS AT THE WRONG TIME OF THE MONTH I CRY MY EYES OUT which is cathartic in the end, idk if it's comfy or comforting but wow. but wow really amazing film it's so beautiful and had such a huge impact on my worldview and my creativity and the way I write and the way I do photography and just !!! ;.; I'm gonna cry!

The Departed [2006]

I really like it when Leo DiCaprio cries and he's not a super crybaby in his one but he does scream in pain and have the shit beat out of him and has panic attacks and needs anxiety meds! The cast is sick! The music is amazing! It's such cool storytelling!!! It's exciting every time! The ending fucks! GOD. Just wonderful, I love it so much. The Blu-ray starts over every time it ends so every time I watch it I tend to walk away and let it loop all day LOL. It's disgusting how many times I've watched it. ALSO MY BABE VERA FARMIGA WHAT A MILF god i love her.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall [2008]

this is like such a perfect comedy for my sense of humor, INCLUDING A BONUS DRACULA SUBPLOT CAN YOU BELIEVE IT, but is actually such a clever and lovely story about getting over heartbreak wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love this movie so fucking much oh my god. Also ever since I worked on ships I feel like especially potent to it because there's something about the social community within the resort that feels so much like the community of a cruise ship crew!! ;.;

Tagging (but no pressure!): @rugbertgoeshome @hekateinhell @mothmage @apoptoses @cup-of-lixx @somevagrantchild @covenofthearticulate

[bxldrsdraumar]

"Hm? Oh, quite. Some parts exaggerated for, ah, dramatic effect - " he snickered at his own joke, "But the facts remain true. I did break my leg during a hunt, and it was with my two best and dearest friends. We did find our way home, in the end, and into many other misadventures."

He paused a moment, expression soft, even as the boy rifled about with the imposter's belongings. It was a miracle, Sigurd thought - not merely that he lived yet, but that in spite of so many blank spaces in his mind, he still held so tightly to these memories of those he loved most. Of Deirdre, and Seliph, and Ethlyn too, of course.

And also Quan and Eldigan, for deep in his heart, they were family, just as surely as the others. His lips curved into a smile, and he turned his face to Hector; "Those bonds are worth more than aught else, lad. If you've friends of your own, you must cherish them - through thick and thin," he added, parroting his companion's words.

They searched further for a moment, and Sigurd murmured softly to the horse when its tail began to twitch in irritation, and he patted the beast's neck thoughtfully, chuckling a bit at the revelation that his imposter truly was an idiot.

He shook his head with some disbelief. "Were I not in such a fragile state myself, I'd perhaps be offended," he said aloud, though to none in particular. To the horse he added, "And such a fine companion you must be, to carry this lout's burden, all by your lonesome. I suspect you were a gift from some noble or another. Ah well."

At Hector's suggestion, though surely a joke, Sigurd's grin widened, and he raised his voice to reply; "No rope, you say? None to get our poor king form the hole? Alas, you might be right! Perhaps the only recourse is to begin to fill the hole, that he may climb out of his own power!"

Faintly, he heard the calling voice reply, "Ah, erm. Well! If it's all the same, I'd rather, er, one of you come down to - ?"

"Nay, nay, I think you are a genius, my young friend!" Sigurd continued in his stage-shout, clapping Hector on the shoulder. "Surely we would not be so foolish as to trap all three of us in the hole - and lo! Conveniently, all of the displaced earth from digging the hole is quite within reach! The heavens do smile on us."

And, crouching, he gathered a modest pile into his cape with a great sweep of his arm, and carried it over to dump back into the hole without ceremony.

"Only a bit more, milord! And then you can clamber your kingly way to the surface!"

sigurd go down the hole

[snickerdoodlles]

oooooh 📓 for word of honor? :D

ohhh yes, i have so many woh ideas i did absolutely nothing with. let's seeeee first up is *spins wheel* ✨LEVERAGE AU✨

this is quite literally all of my notes for it:

summary: Wen Kexing, head of a rag-tag group of grifters trying to do good (well, karmic) deeds, gets introduced to his own boyfriend while on the con. Luckily, his A-Xu is going along with it without a fuss, but Kexing is so dead when he gets home.

Con: ?????

Squad: wkx, a-xiang, & department of the unfaithful

wkx: mastermind

A-Xiang: thief

Qianqiao: GRIFTER

Fumeng: head of a hacker collective. originally she started it to collect info on unfaithful men and expose them, wkx helped broadened her scope

A-Xu's at the party for chengling. channels all his many, MANY years of working for the prince to not laugh in wkx's face when they're introduced

sneaks his menace of a boyfriend off to the side to be like "you either need to come clean or exit stage right right now because the kid is here and you know he's a terrible liar"

wkx proceeds to flirt obnoxiously and outrageously. physically he is on the con, mentally and also physically he is roleplaying a seductress trying to seduce a married man with zzs.

a-xiang's complaints could be heard across the city without coms, fumeng is planning is death. qianqiao is the only one who finds this both charming and hilarious.

zzs: what do you need me to do wkx: kiss me zzs: i meant for your grift wkx, pupils blown wide: KISS ME

husbands boyfriends off to do sneaky things (???), get caught by security. zzs takes them all down before wkx finishes his first flirt.

wkx didn't need the help, he's the team's emergency killer hitter, but. so fucking hot. he needs zzs to fuck him against the wall IMMEDIATELY but also. what.

wkx: i thought you said you worked insurance! zzs: no, i said i was the insurance guy wkx: ...is that code for assassin? zzs, amused: did you think i actually worked insurance?

honestly biggest thing was that the reveal isn't angsty. wkx has been worried how he's going to break his ~life of crime~ to the love of his life for months. zzs could have known nothing about it prior to this and he'd help wkx burn the city to the ground no questions asked.

this never really went anywhere because i couldn't settle on a plot beyond ✨Shenanigans✨ but i did figure out that their client was Gao Xiaolian (because she is the cutest) to destroy zhao jing for driving her dad to suicide.

[[ ask me about fics im not writing ]]

[itsjaywalkers]

Hii! In honor of half the fandom hc that today is regulus’ birthday, how would each of your reguluses celebrate their birthdays? (I just know oby reg would be having some of the best sex of his life because oby James would make that his #1 priority) ps I love all of your fics!!!

hi nonnie!!

omg u guys know i loveeee these questions, so even if i really don't support the reg is a cancer agenda, i'm more than happy to indulge u <3

i feel like i've spoken about this to mil before, but i think it was regarding how oby jegulus would celebrate james' bday. but when it comes to reg's day, i feel like . they spend a very quiet and domestic day together . regulus doesn't like big crowds and he isn't fond of parties, and james is aware of that, so he'd make sure that reg is the most comfortable during his day. they'd have a lot of amazing sex, ur right about that, james is definitely waking him up by eating him out but !!! then reg is also probably having lunch with sirius, just the two of them, and once he gets home james is definitely cooking for him and letting him choose what he wants to watch that night and drowning him in gifts bc if there's something oby james likes is spoiling reg. and then they're absolutely fucking again.

in making ghosts, before james came into the pic and reg and sirius reunited, reg never made a big deal out of his bday. his parents did give him gifts and all that, but they never treated it like it was an important day, and considering how many of those he spent on his own or just like . only around his parents . he's not super fond of the concept. obviously evan and barty still organise this lil party for him, with just the 3 of them, and even tho reg complains every year and tells them to stop, he appreciates it quite a lot and is very thankful for the fact that . they go out of his way to celebrate him and make him feel loved. so it's not really this big thing (im pretty sure u get a peek of what they usually do on reg's bdays in that one scene where james is reviewing the footage, with reg blowing the candles of the cake barty and evan got him) but they do something special every year

once james is there, he would go all out and he'd take reg to this day-long date, and would probably make a lil game out of it, try to surpass himself every year and come up with fun stuff he thinks regulus would enjoy but has never tried. since regulus stayed with his parents until they died and has always lived at grimmauld, there are a lot of things he's never experienced??? especially in a romantic context??? so james would make sure he gets the full experience, always wants him to feel loved and appreciated. i also feel like they're the ones that give each other the most sentimental most personal gifts. and the day would end with them meeting all their friends for a lil dinner bc if barty and evan don't get to celebrate with regulus during his bday bc of stupid james they'll end up committing a crime

in nothing happens james is super annoying and obnoxious about it. he's organising a party for reg months in advance. he's reminding everyone that reg's bday is coming up, making sure absolutely no one forgets. he has a list of things reg wants and sends it to all of his friends, especially the ones who are struggling with what to get him, just so he's certain that reg will love every single present he gets. it's an odd mix of him being a bit . obssessive and controlling bc he needs everything to be perfect for regulus while also . letting reg choose what they do and how they celebrate (apart from the party) bc it's his day and it's supposed to be all about regulus. but again, this is mostly before they actually get together. when they're official james is more chill about the whole thing even tho he still smothers reg in affection and is very dedicated to giving him the best day he can. he also tends to hog reg quite a lot on his bday, more than usual i mean, which doesn't always go over well with other ppl (sirius mostly)

[mouthsfullofsharpteeth]

im normal about timlex and instead of just posting about them I have decided to share all these thoughts with you so. college alex really wants to go to a party and he invites tim to go. tim knows he's not gonna enjoy it at all but like. he's gay so obviously he's going /j.anyways party sucks ass tim wants to leave. alex leaves with tim instead of just making him leave alone .beacuse,,,,,,guuhhh..... They're so in love your honor

tim knowing hes gonna hate this party, but what he hates more is the idea of alex going alone, maybe getting cozy with some stoner girl who's seen american psycho, so tim sucks it up and goes. and who knows, maybe he'll be able to get alex alone somewhere quiet and they can smoke a little or share a beer and talk and maybe even finally kiss? so tim goes and lo and behold, even medium sized hipster parties end up being too much for him. who would have guessed. its an hour into it, and tim is getting tired of the small talk and the shitty music and the intense weed smell is starting to give him a headache. he leaves the counter of munchies he had been hiding at and looks for where alex had wandered off to. finds him getting another drink, though he pauses when he sees tim. "im going home, uh. thanks for inviting me," tim says into alexs ear, shifting awkwardly on his feet. alex sets the can down, tilting his head. "oh okay," alex says, "let me grab my jacket and then we can head out." tim freezes, not sure if he heard right. alex was leaving with him? but wasn't he having fun? tim follows alex to the door, watches alex grab his jacket with disbelief, still not sure what hes seeing as alex waves goodbye to the host and then opens the door for tim. the outside air is cool and windy, but alex only tucks one of his hands into his jacket pockets, the hand in between them occasionally brushing against tim as they walk. stupid charismatic annoying gentleman, tim thinks. he grabs alex's obnoxious hand and squeezes it tight. tim doesn't think its his imagination that alex looks a bit shy as he squeezes tim's hand back, ducking his head bashfully, a faint little blush on his cheeks...

[captainhysunstuff]

The Chain - Date: Third Wheel Transcript

The Chain - Date: Third Wheel comic

Light has dug up the hidden Death Note and is holding it. He and L sit on the ground contemplating it.

L: Is that...?

Light: Yes.

L: I knew it!

Light: Hm. *takes out envelope*

L: What's that? Instructions for the next person who finds this notebook?

Light: They're unnecessary now.

L: May I read it?

Light: *pockets it* Maybe later.

L: Hmm...

Light reacts to something.

L: ?

Light: *smiling at nothing* Long time, no see.

L: *thinking* Another shinigami?

Light: *sheepishly glances at L after a pause* ...Ha... Yeah. There's been a change of plans.

L: *looks around*

Light: *glares at nothing* ...THAT'S NOT TRUE!!

L: *frustrated* Umm... Light?

Light: *shrugs and holds out the Death Note to L* *sigh* I suppose if you really want to meet him... *to nothing* ...I know you want to meet him. *to L* I'll warn you: He's a pain in the ass.

New Voice: Aw, you don't mean that!

L looks up after taking the Death Note and sees Ryuk on a tree branch.

Ryuk: Nice to finally meet you, Mr. Detective. I'm the shinigami, Ryuk. How's it going?

L: *a little shaken* Hello.

Light: *to Ryuk* Way to introduce yourself in the most obnoxious way possible.

Ryuk: Sooo...

Light: What?

Ryuk: *holds out his hand* Got any apples?

Light: *laughs* Of course that's your first concern.

Ryuk: Well??

Light: *reaches into his bag* Yeah yeah. You're lucky that I brought one. I wasn't sure if I'd actually be coming here tonight.

L: ...

Light throws the apple to Ryuk.

Ryuk: *catches it* Whoo! You're the best!

L: Apples?

Light: Yup. Remember those dying messages about shinigami loving apples? They were referring to this guy. It's pretty pathetic.

L: *annoyed* Oh, right. Those messages really pissed me off.

Light: *smug* Good. They were supposed to.

Ryuk: "Pathetic?!" Check this out.

Ryuk reaches into his shoulder feathers, pulls out a wrinkly gray apple, and dangles it in front of Light and L.

Light: *cringes* What is that?

Ryuk: An apple from the shinigami world.

L: Ew...

Ryuk: *puts hands on their shoulders* Go ahead. Try it. One bite won't kill ya~.

Light and L hesitantly regard the shinigami apple that Light now holds. They both take bites... and experience instant regret.

L: *violent spits it out* PHHBBBBBTT!! *tries brushing his tongue off* It's SAND. Bleh...

Light: *forces himself to swallow it* Ugh...

Ryuk: There! You see? Imagine centuries with only that to snack on!

Light: *cough* Okay! I get it! *cough* Ahem. Anyways. There's been a change of plans.

Ryuk: I can see that. *Hyuk* I certainly didn't expect this.

Light: *puts a concerned hand on L's shoulder* Neither did I, but it is what it is. L has agreed to help me as Kira.

Ryuk: Oh, really? What happened to make you trust him so much?

Light: It's a good opportunity. Besides, he knows what will happen if he betrays me or steps out of line.

L: *places his hand on Light's* Yes, or if he reneges on our agreement.

Both entwine their hands and gaze at each other fondly. *Death Threats. Sooo romantic~*

Ryuk: *picks teeth* Well, as long as you're sure. *laughs* Should be interesting either way~.

Light: Yes. *stands up* L.

L: Hm?

Light: *closes eyes and puts hands in his coat pockets* I have a vision for a perfect world. A world where good, hardworking people can live without the fear of injustice befalling them. *in blows a dramatic wind, begins walking towards Ryuk* To achieve this, society needs to be cleansed and put on the path of healing and betterment. Alone as Kira, I've given it a head start in the right direction. But, as you've stated, there is resistance, and Kira's presence is still necessary for lasting change. With your experience and resources, there's no doubt that we could overcome any hindrances. *smirks* Together, we'd be unstoppable.

Ryuk: *Hyuk hyuk hyuk...*

Light: *turns and holds out his hand to L* L, I would be honored if you would join me in creating a new, better world.

L watches him while Light gazes imploringly at him. L smiles and begins to get up.

L: Light... Kira... *rushes toward him and grasps Light's outstretched hand* Yes.

Light: Looks like we're going to prove those conspiracy theorists right~.

L: If we must.

Light: Are you ready to help me become the God of a New World?

L: *snort* Only if we workshop that title~.

Light: *pulls L closer* Shut up.

L: *grins* I thought you were accepting criticism now--

Light: There are better uses for that mouth than criticism.

L: Oh, really? Care to show me?

Light: Gladly~.

They kiss. L chuckles as Light pushes him against the tree, still smooching~.

Ryuk: *rubbing neck and looking away uncomfortably* Ahem. Oh, boy. You guys are just gonna do that all the time now, huh?

Light and L are reminded of his presence.

Light: Got a problem with that?

Ryuk: Not really? Just kinda awkward.

Light: No one said you had to watch, moron. In fact, I'd prefer if you didn't.

Ryuk: Henh, yeah. I guess I'll just make myself scarce whenever you two get... frisky~. Heh heh

Light: Well, you might want to get lost then. I believe it's time that L and I properly consummate our new partnership.

L: "C-consummate?"

Light: *leers* Yes~. Are you ready to host communion with your god~?

L: *blushes harder* Uhhh...

Light: *presses closer* I'll show you all the ways you can worship me~!

L: *chokes*

Ryuk: Hyuk~ I thought you weren't gonna kill him.

Light: Some light teasing never killed anyone.

L: *recovers a little* *snort* "Light" teasing...

Light: *bears on him again* Ohh~. You're gonna regret driving a motorcycle tonight~!

L: !!! ♥

Ryuk: *partially covers eyes* Hyuk hyuk! Geez... ^__^U

[a-moth-to-the-light]

Most-Listened of June 2024

[last month]

June was a ridiculously exciting month of releases--I'd been so looking forward to the new Sunmi single, plus albums from Charli XCX, Megan Thee Stallion, Kehlani, Raveena, and Red Velvet. And then I got surprised by comebacks from The Japanese House, Bol4, Nayeon, and Epik High! And apparently the Suho album is pretty good? And the cupcakKe one is, too? Naturally, though, I was overwhelmed by the excitement and didn't spend much time with those new releases, so this list consists of... none of the aforementioned comebacks. I'm still quite proud of my top 15, though, especially because I had a chance to catch up with some exciting releases from last month (which will be making an appearance here)!

I also got to see Lucy, an absolutely wonderful k-band I've been following since debut, in concert, and it left me with a post-concert high for like a week. (It made me super sensitive to sensory input for a week, too. Like, I couldn't listen to Repion for that whole week, because their harmonies were too powerful, they made my skin feel like it was exploding. I could also FEEL the collars of my t-shirts like ants on my neck oh my god I've never been like that before it was wild.) So what I'm saying was, it was a fantastic concert & left me with a lot of appreciation for how interesting music can be! (Which is probably why the list of five-star songs is so long this month...)

It doesn't make an appearance here, but if you're curious: my pride anthem this month was George Michael's "Freedom! '90". (This is my pride anthem every year, actually, but it just never gets old to me.) Honorable mention to Hayley Kiyoko + Kehlani's "What I Need", and I hope you had a great pride month!

1. 5D (Fifth Dimension) -- The Byrds

You know that U2 lyric that talks about "a song that made some sense out of the world"? Well, here's a song that made some sense out of my world. Like, is it super exciting? Not really. But it shifted something in my soul. It's a song about having enough, and it feels like having enough--that warm guitar, those high harmonies at the end... And the lyrics make me cry. It's a simple song, but it has the feeling of a warm shower on a snowy day stored somewhere inside it. "5D" is magical, and I don't regret a single one of the many times I replayed it this month. (Also, this completes another item on my music bucket list for 2024, which was to like a new Byrds song!)

2. S.O.S -- Taichu, Lali

Since "Top" and "Noche de Sateo" last year, I've been keeping an eye out for Taichu. They have so much charisma--if there's an 'it' factor to being a star, Taichu has it to the max. All this to say, I don't think I could stay away from "S.O.S" if I tried. I don't love it as much as "Noche de Sateo", but it's still fantastic--the beat is super aespacore, and Taichu's raspy "SOS / save your souls" is one of the most iconic lines of the year. (Spotify says they're saying save our souls, but I like my headcanon better, so...) I've been singing the chorus all month, too. I would 100% recommend checking this one out, if just for the spectacle of Taichu's first verse--they're such a skilled performer.

3. +82 -- Badvillain

I'm so happy to announce that I've finally connected with a fifth-gen group! Though I definitely enjoy "Super Shy" and "Melting Point" and a few other fifth-gen hits, I've been feeling a little like I'm missing out, since I just haven't gotten into any of the new groups everyone's been so excited about. But Badvillain? They're exactly my kind of group. They're a perfect amount of obnoxious, reminiscent of CLC, but with the sleek rapping of XG (another group I've been REALLY getting into lately) added on. I love the weirdness of this debut, the drama of it. (Purplekiss got my attention with "Ponzona", a similarly melodramatic dark-concept debut, and I stan them now, so...) I definitely don't think this debut will be for everyone, but I call it a victory for obnoxious girlpop. CLC may be gone, but Badvillain proves that their spirit is still with us!! "+82", a short b-side attached to Badvillain's debut single, was released with a performance video, and it's such a gem. And yes, it's super short--like, less than 2 minutes long--but it's so packed with explosive brass (think: Demi Lovato's "Confident" or "Tell Me You Love Me") and thundering bass that it feels much fuller than its runtime suggests. It's an instant shot of energy, like all the best girlpop is. Here's to hoping that I'll like their future comebacks, and maybe Badvillain will be the first fifth-gen group I stan!

4. Popper! -- Akrilla, Taichu

Yep, it's Taichu again! "S.O.S" was a little weird, a little industrial, but it definitely felt like a song; in contrast, I can't promise that "Popper!" is actually a song--it's more like ambient noise (ambient, if you live in a sci-fi dystopia) with a chorus that pops up occasionally. People say Itzy & Stray Kids make construction zone music, so I guess "Popper!" is kind of like POV: you're a brick in a building that is currently being destroyed with a wrecking ball. And to be clear, I love it--the layers of sound are absolutely captivating. I can appreciate that even though "Popper!" sounds like the sonic equivalent of throwing paint at the wall, it takes work to get production this pristine. I imagine that every detail had to be sooo carefully placed, all these strange, creative sounds carefully sculpted into a landscape with the appearance of chaos. The more I listen to this one, the more addicted I become--it's surprisingly listenable! (I think we can thank the ever-charismatic Taichu for that, but maybe that's just my bias talking.)

5. Cosmic Love -- Faux Paz

Here we have the sulking song of the month! I've loved this song for forever--it's actually one of the songs that got me into Faux Paz--but I was reminded of it when I heard the name of the new Red Velvet album. When I revisited "Cosmic Love", it kickstarted a craving that lasted well into July. This arrangement is Faux Paz at their strongest--the whole arrangement is dense and cushion-y, and the final chorus, in particular, makes use of the choir's wall of voices just so excellently. The soloist's voice is heart-wrenching, too. I have no idea where Faux Paz finds so many people who can belt the way their soloists do--or is it all one person? I have no idea, but they're fantastic. While we're talking about Faux Paz, I've also been obsessed with their cover of "Chandelier" this month!

6. New Me -- Flo Milli, Anycia

I wish I loved the new Flo Milli album more than I do--as someone who lives for her campy mean-girl aesthetic, I want to love all her music!! But as of now, I haven't really found much to latch onto from Fine Ho, Stay. (It's not bad at all, just nothing I've been obsessing over!) That being said, I have to give "New Me" some credit, because it has a lot going for it: a great beat, a great feature (WOMEN WITH DEEP VOICES APPRECIATION POST), and some great ad-libs (which are exactly as obnoxious as I expect from a Flo Milli song, of course). I can totally see someone else falling head-over-heels for this track, but I think I'll be going back to leaving "Not Friendly" and "Big Steppa" on repeat, instead. I'm definitely inspired to check out Anycia's new album, though--

7. Más Lejos -- Atalhos

The summer heat is really hitting now, so, as per my tradition, I'm bringing out the wistful indie rock. "Más Lejos" was one of my favorite releases last summer, and it's still just as infinitely listenable as it was last year. I was inspired to check out more stuff from Atalhos this month, too, and I'm really impressed! I'm SO hyped to listen to their album Em Busca Do Tempo Perdido, since I'm pretty sure it's a Proust reference?? That's so cool, I was not expecting Proust to show up on my Spotify.

8. you should see me in a crown -- Billie Eilish

My brother and I were talking about albums that we think would be on Best Albums of All Time lists fifty years from now, and I'm confident that a Billie Eilish album will be on there--whether it'll be When We All Fall Asleep or Happier Than Ever, I'm not sure, but definitely one of those! So anyway, that conversation inspired me to revisit When We All Fall Asleep, since I had only paid attention to its ballads before. And oh my GOD, "you should see me in a crown" is fantastic. I remember it being popular, but I don't think I ever gave it a proper listen back in 2019--I was missing out. That bass in the chorus, with those shuddering effects, feels like tectonic plates moving. This song has so much grandeur, and Billie Eilish's performance here makes me believe she's the earth itself, a natural disaster waiting to happen. This is even more impressive than I was expecting.

9. Virtual Angel -- ARTMS

This actually isn't my favorite song from the album, but I'm not surprised it's my most-listened. "Virtual Angel" has all the magic I expect from a Loona(ish) comeback--that fluttering instrumental, for one, doesn't feel like something a human could produce, so I'm quite convinced it's a gift from the angels.

10. Hide & Seek -- Pixy

After watching a video from Planet Minjae on YouTube, I was inspired to revisit some of my favorite fourth-gen discographies, and Pixy is one of those. These ladies have some fantastic b-sides, and the group as a whole is way too underrated. I love the Chosen Karma mini ("Falling" & "Whisper" oh my god oh my god oh my god), but I'd never fully appreciated "Hide & Seek" before this month. Pixy don't have the production budget to make this song as much of a masterpiece as it could be, but I can see the vision here--the tongue-in-cheek intro, the commitment to brass in the instrumental (chorus and verses?!!!?!?!!!), and that fantastic rap section. Everything about this song is ambitious, and it really should be a hit.

11. Ah Yeah -- EXID

I have a whole ramble in my journal about how this is the best girl crush song ever. (Yes, it's like technically the tail end of the sexy concept or whatever, but this is literally EXID doing Blackpink before Blackpink, so I'm calling it one of the mothers of girl crush. And it outdid them ALL. Just saying.) EXID has Mamamoo-level vocals + a 4minute attitude (I love you, LE); they're pure power, and "Ah Yeah" lets them give their all. And the way they control the song--those little moments of commanding the beat to a halt--is such a nice little touch that really elevates the girl power concept. This song isn't new to me, but I fell in love all over again this month!

12. The Killa -- TXT

When this album first came out, I listened to the first minute of "The Killa", was like oh look it's tinnitus again, and then I went and listened to "Tinnitus" instead. But I really underestimated this song! "The Killa" is hazy and distorted in a way that "Tinnitus" isn't--I find those weird, robot-y harmonies in the chorus so captivating. I love how the production here is so layered and creative, and I think this song will continue to age quite well.

13. Te Encontrei em SP -- Atalhos, Delfina Campos

Re: my Atalhos binge! This one isn't my favorite--it's so wispy and laid-back that it becomes kind of monotone--but that saxophone is wonderful. They really give the saxophone room to breathe in the instrumental, instead of relegating it to one short solo, and the fuzzed-out production is really interesting!

14. Armageddon -- Aespa

This chorus has been everywhere all month, and I'm more than happy to get caught up in the hype. Like, I can't stop craving the "imma get it dunnnnnnn" bit, and whenever I can finally get it out of my head, I hear a snippet of it on YouTube Shorts--and there, the craving is back. That crunchy production is exactly what I want in an Aespa song, too! I don't know if the Aespa ladies really do this song justice--their voices are gorgeous, don't get me wrong, I just think I would enjoy "Armageddon" more if their performances leaned more into its moodiness. So it's not my favorite Aespa song, but I'm happy to succumb to its popularity and spend a summer leaving it on repeat!

15. Boom -- Nmixx

Yeah fine I get it now. It's fantastic, whatever. Nmixx's album this year was super exciting and wonderful, whatever. (Look, Nmixx songs have a history of giving me headaches, headaches which I'm still a little bit bitter about. But I'll get over it eventually... the bitterness is hard to maintain, especially after "Passionfruit"...) "Boom" places a lot of pressure on its hooks--it's more like a highlight medley than a song--but that "tick tick tick tick boom boom" hook is surprisingly sturdy. The whole thing ends up feeling coherent in a way that is deeply confusing to me: how does it do that? What a masterpiece. Also, that glossy house section at the end is to die for!!

Five-Star Songs This Month

Butterfly Effect -- ARTMS

And here we have my favorite song from Dall. I've spent the month with the album, and this is the one that really sticks with me. That sonar-sounding vocal hook is just two notes, but it's ridiculously gorgeous.

Chokehold Cherry Python -- Ashnikko

Ashnikko has met her match with the aggressive guitar in this song. The combination of the two? It's like being struck by lightning. Also, their song "Deal With It" (with Kelis) probably isn't a five-star song, but it's SUCH a summer hit!! I've been listening to that one a bunch, too.

De Zombis -- Repion

Check out more of Repion's back catalog, they said. It'll be fun, they said. This song, the first track on Repion's first album, is such a way to debut. Like, it's painful how overwhelmingly beautiful it is. The vocals here are piercing--the front-and-center harmonies I love so much about Repion aren't something they grew into; apparently, this duo's vocals have been sending electric shocks through their music as long as they've been around. The roughness of this song's production brings a completely unique kind of intensity, too, something so different from their recent releases but in the same spirit--Repion knows how to make rock anthems that come straight for my heart.

Drug Free America -- Bleachers

A joke song with surprising longevity. Like, I appreciated the absurdity of this one right from the start, but I didn't expect to actually enjoy it as music. Here we are, though! The snappy comedy of the lyrics balances out the sonic soup of the vocal effects, and "Drug Free America" is full of fun lines that stay fun on repeat listens. Look, I've been obsessed with Bleachers for forever, now--I'm willing to indulge pretty much anything they put out, so this gets five stars and there's nothing you can do about it.

Mine -- Aespa

I think I tend to like Aespa most when they're ice-cold ("Illusion" is my favorite aespa song for a reason), and this song is right up my alley. I defer to @pocima's write-up on this one though, because she does "Mine" more justice than I could! [link]

Popper! -- Akriila, Taichu

S.O.S -- Taichu, Lali

Starburned and Unkissed -- Caroline Polachek

The I Saw the TV Glow soundtrack strikes again! After falling in love with yeule's "Anthems For A Seventeen Year-Old Girl" last month, I listened through the whole soundtrack album and zeroed in on this fascinating song. It's a hazy, ghostly scream, it's a ballad left out in the cold too long, iced over and sleeping in the snow and dreaming desperately of a home it may never see again. I don't know, it just hits. Both yeule & Caroline Polachek's contributions to this soundtrack are beautifully warped--I love how these songs find so much soul and emotion and life energy in decidedly unnatural sonic worlds.

[dothwrites]

inside man showcases yet another episode of "sam and cas do absolutely insane shit when left to their own devices" "yes, we will recruit bobby to break out of heaven so that we can break INTO heaven, help a prisoner escape, and then proceed to torture him"--your honor i love them both because they're dumbasses

dean being an older brother in the most obnoxious of ways will never cease to amuse me. i wish they did this more often. it's fun!

nonbinary hannah for the win! diversity win! the angel who is currently being mean to you is nonbinary!

why am i just noticing the blatant product placement of the microsoft surface? insane. the camera very lovingly lingered over the logo for at least a good ten seconds.

i do love that dean hustles annoying white boys out of their cash for fun and profit. it's a good hobby for him! (the little wink that he gives donnie the bartender suggests that this is something he does fairly regularly)

"i'll break it down/i'm HELPING" is absolutely insane. we love an impatient bitch of an angel. "you can't be an angel because i'm an atheist" is also one of the funniest exchanges ever on this show

Love that little flash of black eyes. Miss you forever demon!Dean.

BOBBY SINGER I LOVE YOU AND I MISS YOU FOREVER AND EVER

"the bobbys are surly. i repeat the BOBBYS are SURLY"

dean and crowley's fun little drinking date. it's always fun to get together with your exes!

cas' fun little action shot of him running and jumping and then sliding in at bobby's feet. that's just a nifty little thing. love that for everyone involved. i love the rare times that we get to see bobby and cas interact. cas is one of bobby's boys! and more importantly, bobby is kind of like cas' father in law. bobby likes cas because cas cares about dean. everything else is secondary.

"you're gonna be MY punching bag" okiedokie yes sir

i do love sam and cas flipping the script on metatron. this is VERY satisfying.

bobby's note. i weep with agony. i miss bobby so much. he was SUCH a grounding presence for the boys, and after he was gone, it really was like their dad died and they had to grow up. you always got the feeling that as long as bobby was around, nothing TOO bad could happen. and i do miss that kind of security.