#a song and three mental images and a vibe

[egginfroggin]

*smacc*

It's ya boi. Major character death.

Emmet's fine, he's just a wee lil bit dead, that's all. Nothing some therapy won't help.

So I've had like no inspiration last long enough to really finish an illustration, so instead I'm trying to embrace the sketchy half-finished look.

Also, highlighter brush, beloved.

Have a good day! :>

(Program: Krita; time taken: about 1 hr. 40 minutes)

[revelboo]

laying my coveted collection of three (3) muppet dvds down at your feet/general offering table. my soul for some bluestreak, if you wanna. if not then enjoy the muppets- but! i never knew they did cover songs for stuff like "got my mind set on you" by george harrison and kokomo until recently!! or that bluestreak brought "the muppets take manhattan" with him onto the lost light!! idk i really like the mental image of this giant sci-fi robot next to kermit the frog, not doing anything in specific or whatever, just... vibing. if some cybertronians think humans are like weird protoforms, i cant help but wonder what they think of muppets, ykwim??? either way, have a happy new year!!

Blue needs some love and he’s such a goober sometimes. I can see him absently humming Rainbow Connection

Where I Belong Pt 10

Bluestreak x Reader

• Carrying you back to his quarters, he absently rubs a servo against you and warms when you hook an arm around it to hug him. “Sorry about worrying you. I didn’t want to bother Ratchet and it wasn’t really that bad. I’ve seen worse and-” Trailing off when you look up at him. Because he knows he’s rambling, but you don’t huff at him. Don’t tell him to shut up. You never do and every time you don’t his spark aches with it. With all the things he wants to say, but doesn’t dare. “Sorry.”

• When he smiles that self-depreciating smile, that sense of a lost boy lifts through you again. He’s older than you, much older, but still it’s there in the fear you see in his optics sometimes. An unsettled feeling you don’t know how to deal with, but that makes you think the smiles and chatter on the surface are all for show. That he’s still reaching for you like he had that first time, desperate and afraid. “Don’t apologize. Just take care of yourself. I like having you around.”

• Do you? No one else does and his servos flex around you as he lets himself into his quarters and sits on the side of his berth with you. Reluctant to give up your warmth. Feels bad about clinging to you like he does, but can’t make himself stop. Optics shuttering as he braces for the rejection, he mass shifts. Hears you yelp as you end up in his lap and he wraps his arms around you, chin on top of your head. “I like having you around, too.”

• Heart racing, you shudder and try to shake off that awful feeling of falling. Not even sure why you’re surprised by anything at this point when you live with a giant alien robot. Shrinking? Sure. Why not? “Warn me before you do that next time.” Or you might get sick on him. Distracted when he so gently curls his fingers around your wrist and pulls it to him. Watching him line up his palm with yours and even smaller, his hand dwarfs yours.

• “Sorry.” You’ve always been so small and fragile to him, but putting himself closer to your size really drives it home. Your hand so tiny in his. “I just wanted to hold you. And I can’t normally because you’re so small and you’re still small. I feel like you’re going to break,” he murmurs, embarrassed. You’re always touching his servos, hugging them, trying to comfort him. He wanted to return it, but still can’t. Like he can’t begin to explain how much he loves you for being with him. For not abandoning him when he’d needed you. For keeping him from being so alone.

• “I’m not made of glass.” Shifting more to sit across his lap, you reach back and find his other arm and pull it around you. Encouraging him to hold you like he’d wanted and you lay your head against him, seeing his door wings lift from the corner of your eye. “See?” You can hear his internal systems and the thrum of his spark as he cautiously rests his hand on your hip. “This is okay.” Breath catching as his head dips and his cheek brushes yours. That hand still curled around yours tugging so he can brush his mouth against the inside of your wrist, his optics still shuttered. That gentle touch spreading warm through you.

Previous

Next

[ghostlyferrettarot]

•Pick an image: 🪐🖤Who has a message for you right now?🖤🪐

•Pile 1 •Pile 2 •Pile 3

❗️This is a collective reading, take what resonates and leave the rest❗️

✨️Paid services ✨️ (Natal charts and tarot readings)Open.

🖤If you like my work you can support me through Ko-fi. Thank you!🖤

🫧Join my Patreon for exclusive content!🫧

🖤Masterlist🖤

•Pile 1: The hierophant, the empress, the two of wands.

Hi pile 1! I feel a lot of mature energy from this person, this a mentor/spiritual teacher for you. This person can be older than you, it has a lot of love for you as well, i get grand-parents vibes. There could be an important decision that you have to make right now, you can be torn between two paths; they are coming to tell you not to worry, you will know the right desicion when the time comes and in case you feel overwhelmed you can ask for guidance and they will help. You may be worry about you financial situation as well; don't worry about it, whatever seeds you plant will flurish succesfully. I sense a lot of love from this person, it feels like an strict mentor that has a soft spot for you and want to see you at your fullest potential, they want to see you step into your empress/emperor energy.

★Signs: the color green, golden jewerly, earth signs, hummingbirds.

★Song:

•Pile 2: Nine of swords, nine of wands, wheel of furtune.

Hi pile 2! I feel like you may be going through or has gone through a rough time, things have not been working out for you and you feel lost and discouraged.

This person is coming thrugh to reassure you that everything will be fine, after every storm, the rainbow comes. I sense masculine energy, it feels like a best friend/significant other who is gonna help you get through this. Whatever it is that happened you can have the safety that things will start to go on your favor, it may have even started for some of you. This phase was a significant one for you and although it was hard it has helped you heal and better up. This person energy it so encouraging, i feel a really platonic connection between the two of you, i see a lot of holding hands haha so maybe this could be important, it's so sweet; what a beautiful energy to have around pile 2!

★Signs: doves, light blue colors, i see a man with a beard, butterflys ✨️

★Song:

•Pile 3: The lovers, five of swords, three of swords.

Hi pile 3! I see that you have been prioritazing yourself lately, cutting people off and making important changes in order to keep you mental health in check, so proud of all your growth pile 3! This person it's someone who loves you really deeply, it feels more romantic than the other piles. I feel like this is a reward, this person will come into your life as a reward for all you hard work and improvent that you made. That are really excited to meet you, i see puppy eyes, full adoration from this person towards you.

The main massage that they want to tell you it's that they know its hasn't been easy for you, others probably hurt you, maybe it was "friends" or family members. They want to tell you that they are proud of you and that they cannot wait to meet you, for some of you maybe you have already met! This person energy its so caring and wholesome, so beautiful pile 3!

★Signs: oranges,summer, color orange and yellow, dogs, honey, i see tea for some reason, maybe they are more of a tea person reather than coffee.

★Song:

🖤Thanks for reading! Tell me if it resonated and i hope you have a great day!🖤

[lemon-woos]

Assigning ATEEZ an alternative band (Maknae line)

A/N: Part two!! I’m glad people enjoyed the hyung line. Some of these were a little harder to decide, but in the end it’s just an opinion hehe. Enjoy!!

CW for mentions of mental health and such

Choi San: My Chemical Romance

★ This was the first one I actually thought of

★ And it’s mostly because of San’s versatility 

★ If you know anything about My Chem, you know how varied their discography is. They have songs that range from a hardcore punk sound to Britpop, and even a little polka

★ And that reminds me of San. I mean, look at him. He adapts so well to everything that ATEEZ tries and isn’t afraid to go out and try new things for himself 

★ Also, San’s reputation precedes him, I fear. I’ve seen a lot of people say that he looks intimidating, even though Atinys know he’s a softie

★ Same with MCR. Back in the day, their image with the dark makeup, bulletproof vests, etc made a lot of people quite wary of them, but then they promoted their more emotional music which got people hooked

★ Cover Demolition Lovers and my life is yours, Sannie

Song Mingi: Three Days Grace

★ Now this…Honestly, this is purely based off of vibes

★ Like this just makes sense to me?? I’m referring to their first run with Adam Gontier, specifically to their album One X

★ They have a lot of songs about mental health (which put them on the scene as a band), and Mingi is quite outspoken about being kind to yourself and dealing with mental health

★ As someone with severe anxiety, I get comfort from both Mingi and TDG

★ I think it was the picture of Mingi holding that bass that made this opinion so solid for me…I immediately thought of Animal I Have Become

★ I almost said Fall Out Boy, but I think TDG really suits our boy here

Jung Wooyoung: The Pretty Reckless

★ Hard decision tbh, there are a lot of bands that remind me of our sweet sagittarius 

★ But in the end, I had to go with The Pretty Reckless

★ Firstly, aesthetics. I’ve noticed that Wooyoung has been into darker clothing as of late, and religious motifs. Definitely reminds me of Taylor Momsen circa 2015-2016

★ A lot of people send all sorts of criticism their way, whether it be for Taylor’s voice or what, but they never pay it any mind and keep doing what they love

★ Just like Wooyoung! He never lets other’s opinions of him stop him from doing what he loves. His mom says she’ll kill him if he gets more tattoos? Sorry, Mama Jung! Your son cannot be stopped, I fear

★ Also, there’s a sort of feeling I get from the both of them. Wooyoung is fiercely loyal and loving to his family, and TPR reminds me of that as well. Remember when he said that he’d bite anyone who was rude to Seonghwa? Brother is there until the end 

★ The song 25 reminds me of him. I can’t really explain why, but it does :]

Choi Jongho: Paramore

★ This was so obvious to me

★ Let’s get it out of the way: Vocals. If Jongho and Hayley Williams ever collaborated  I would simply die

★ Imagine Jongho covering All I Wanted or Decode. I would shit myself tbh

★ No but anyway

★ I feel like people used to underestimate Paramore because they were young when they started, especially because they have a female singer

★ But instead of caving under pressure, they made a name for themselves and worked for everything they’ve gotten in the past two decades 

★ Just like our boy!! If I remember correctly, I believe he’s said that he had to put in a ton of work to get to the place where he is now because he wasn’t a naturally gifted singer, and i’m sure he was under a ton of pressure as the maknae

★ Both artists are absolutely untouchable in skill and I adore them endlessly hehe

[veliseraptor]

Hello! I am a huge huge fan of your works and the hanahaki trope, so I have burning questions about the xuexiao hanahaki au

Is this before, during, or after the Yi city arc? Is it a fix it? Who falls first? Does the Xue Yang reveal change anything? How does the best girl A-Qing react? Does poor Song Lan arrive only to have to play relationship counselor?

I am so hyped for more of your amazing MDZS fics <3

this is a fun way to think more about this au so why not! this answer is coming so late it's not even funny but on the off chance you're still around, anon, and/or anyone else is interested in this concept

the version of this I'm writing is set during the yi city arc in terms of being set during the flashback period (the three years of domestic living, specifically). as far as whether it's a fix-it or not, I'm sort of torn on that and I think it'll depend on how I feel as I write it, which happens sometimes - for instance, our love would live a half life on the surface was originally intended to be a fix-it and ended up...only sort of being that, loosely construed.

I'm inclined to feel like it isn't one because the plan here is really leaning into the potential body horror of hanahaki as a trope, and also rather than being based on unrequited love is more... unacknowledged/repressed feelings. and xue yang is kind of the king of never recognizing what his own feelings are.

and it is true that the whole hanahaki thing should really give him some clues! but on the other hand in the bit I have written when he hears about how it works his response is

“Huh,” Xue Yang said. “Why don’t people just…stop?”  Jin Guangyao raised his eyebrows. “Stop?”  “Yeah,” Xue Yang said. “Stop caring. Just say fuck it, I’m not dying for this.” Jin Guangyao’s eyebrows crept higher. “Are you proposing that someone will themselves out of love?”  “Why not?” 

so like.

I feel like to a certain extent I'm going for some of the vibe of the hanahaki au for 2ha that i read once, which did not have a happy ending.

but also I might not be able to resist making it at least a hopeful ending. I'm not sure; it's really one that would depend on how it felt as it spun out. to be honest, I only have the loosest of plans/concept for this fic. (classic me! my downfall, often.)

as far as who falls first - typically I think that xiao xingchen does but is keeping a lid on his own feelings because he doesn't want to risk Ruining His Friendship by pushing where he isn't wanted and I think xiao xingchen would assume that his friend isn't interested. and xue yang doesn't so much fall as he gets boiled like the frog in a proverbial pot. his feelings for xiao xingchen grow like a fungus, unnoticed until they're not.

but I do find hilarious the mental image of song lan showing up to find a slowly dying of love xue yang and a panicked xiao xingchen and just being like. what the fuck is happening here.

[listerbirdloml]

this was probably from ages ago but some fun asks for you; favorite lister headcannons? [I]

OOH idk man i’m shit at head cannons ALSO THIS WAS SAT IN MY DRAFTS FOR AGES IM SO SORRY I THOUGHT I POSTED IT

- well in my mind i always read him with a northern english accent and i’m not sure why. i know he’s from kent like Rowan + Jimmy but he just gives off northern vibes idk. and after learning that his dads scottish i can also see him using lots of Scottish slang terms.

- i think he’s a slag for a bit of pop too. Britney, Ariana, Taylor, Reneé, you name it. he gets a bit embarrassed though so he turns off his AirBuds when he wants to listen to girly pop music. he has the widest music taste out of the ark, so his Spotify wrapped is always mental. he posts them every year and not once has the same song appeared in his top listened to

- ik he’s not like blonde blonde but i think his natural hair is a lot darker but he’s been dying it blonder since he first met Jimmy and Rowan. when the ark are on hiatus he lets it grow out to his natural colour for a bit.

- he tried to grow a stache one time but Rowan shaved it while he slept. Also he didn’t know how to shave when he first met Jimmy and Rowan, so Pierro taught him. Pierro also taught him how to tie a real tie rather than use a clip on one.

- Joan LOVED lister. she would always fuss over him when he would come over. When he’d come round he would help her in the garden, but really he was terrible and Joan would always have to fix his mistakes. when he told her about how he and his mum would listen to albums together when he was little, she began showing him her collection of old records from when she was a teen/young adult. when she died she left Lister a few of his favourites. Lister keeps them hidden at all times so when he was hosting parties there was no chance they’d get damaged. after they stopped having so many people over Lister kept them displayed in the living room.

- i think that before he and Jimmy got together he had healthy and fun relationship with someone unrelated. it’s not anything ridiculously serious but it helps him see what he should realistically be looking for and what he deserves. it’s not like he’s using the person though, and he actually really likes them. they eventually end things amicably though, and stay good friends.

- it says on the WIKI article alice wrote for him that he has three half siblings. as far as i can think there’s no canon information about them other than that, so i like to HC that they are all from his dads second marriage and they don’t talk much since Lister hasn’t been to visit his dad in years. the ages are;

1.) Lister (19-20)

2.) a sister who’s like 17ish, she’s super embarrassed about the whole ark thing and is reluctant to rebuild a relationship with him again when he reaches out to her post IWBFT, because she remembers how he used to constantly fight with their dad when he’d come over for christmas / two weeks in the summer holidays. when they do start to reconnect and get closer she helps him bond with their dad too. (maybe she’s called Maya?)

3.) a younger brother who’s 13ish and a total TWAT. they look really similar and he’s just like how Lister was in school but he’s hilarious and really admires Lister. somehow he’s stupid smart though, even if he’s class clown. i think he reaches out to Lister when he’s still in the hospital after the incident. i also think it would be funny if the younger brother’s celebrity crush was Jimmy but his image of jimmy is completely shattered when he meets him properly. (i call him Brodie in my head)

4.) his youngest sister who’s like 7 who barely remembers lister but once they get closer she has him wrapped around her little finger. he almost bought her a horse once but Jimmy and Rowan had to remind him that a 7 year old who lives in a city centre can not logistically look after a whole horse. (i think her names Eilidh)

- the ark move from the flat into a house just outside london and he makes sure they all have a room so they can visit whenever they want to.

- after getting to know them better, he gets really close with Angel and Juliet. the three of them and Bliss have “girls” nights in the arks flat. when Listers hair grows they teach him how to pleat it. he gets really good and when he starts seeing his half siblings again he pleats his sisters hair for them)

sorry idk man i yapped a bit 🤷‍♀️

[is-this-plural]

on the plural chonny songs topic, hes got two original songs with some variation of the line "one will turn to two will turn to five"

"End the Dance." and "Devil's Tricks."

the second one is more especially plural all the way through but i think the first one precontextualizes the line

also Pit. is so so plural to me. you just gotta trust me but it matches the themes of both songs... and Devil's Song. has similar graphics to one major section of pit during the "one will turn to two will turn to five" line

obligatory mention of The Ballad of Dr Jekyll and The Mr Hide Jive for obvious reasons

laplaces angel is DEFINITELY PLURAL "one hundred trillion years all piled up in one brain" and just that whole verse

Not Perfect is so plural to us. on its own lyrically not necessarily but wearing different outfits n singing with voices for each section.

the forest for the trees for similar reasons tbh

tomcat disposables isnt necessarily plural but it feels like its about growing up after a particularly food insecure childhood, in a pretty plural way

honestly theres so many with one solo line that are so so plural in otherwise irrelevant songs

Thermodynamic Lawyer, Push, Mayday,

THE MOSS. i mean "well legend says that one and one is two and that one and two is three" which sort of ends up getting thematically reprised over into mucka blucka

we have even less reason for chonny's inferno i dont think theres a single line thats plural but to me its the. its the plural self acceptance and finding community. "an awfully diverse cast of critters resides down here in hell" you get it.

also also the latest project is based on the Ship of Theseus, and hes making a bunch of variations of the same song and theres nothing particular plural about it yet beyond just. the concept of the Ship of Theseus haha.

ok i think thats it

insert image I Can (imagine anything) Make ANY Chonny Jash Song Plural

It's moments like these that I'm glad I accidentally spoke this blog into existence.

End the Dance: your future self was too late to stop you but god damn it she's still going to try. If there aren't already animatics to this song, you know what to do.

Devil's Tricks: welp, she tried, it didn't work. Honestly, this one hits a little too close to home. I'll have to check out the full album

Pit: Even just the fact this is off the same album as the last two is already promising - why is the youtube upload's description "please do not call headspace"

Jekyll/Hyde Jive: oh come on how can I not?

Laplace's Angel: I almost put the original on the playlist when I first made it, and now I'm annoyed I didn't. Let's redefine reality together

Not Perfect: A flawed whole made of flawed parts? A life that never quite feels like it's entirely yours or always worth doing? Yeah, I see it

Forest for the Trees: This is the girl who's inviting me to run away with her in Laplace's Angel, mental health problems and all. Can't really call it a plural song though

Tomcat Disposables: this song just doesn't sound right to me in a major key, but you're right

Push/Mayday: Don't Die Wondering.

The Moss: Look, there's stretch, and then there's "the concept of math is a CCCC Covered in Discontent reference"

Chonny's Inferno: I see it. Dear anon, I see it

Ship of Theseus: "I did say I was working on one song." Track six wasn't out when you sent this ask, but I'd say it has the right vibes

(Total additions: 4)

[valyrfia]

need to know more about the charlos wcc fic immediately not to pressure you or anything but god i need it

charlos try to win the wcc is kind of the entire plot (whether they fail or succeed....you will see) and of course there's rpf shenanigans. I write my fics based around songs though and the three that I've been listening to on repeat for this one is: did you know that there's a tunnel under ocean boulevard (lana del ray), maroon (taylor swift), helium (glass animals). heavy on helium because it gave the fic its name, so if you want to get a mental image of the Vibes, just go listen.

[nono-bunny]

It's been approximately three years since I last listened to MBMBaM (kinda just? Fell off from listening to McElroy stuff after the weird and uncomfortable mental illness discrourse re:Travis) and the new (again, three years old by now) theme song came to my brain and I just... Could not place it? Like the mental image it evoked was 2010's Disney Channel shows (Liv and Maddy and Austin and Ally for some reason in particular??) which obviously didn't feel right, but that's what. My brain conjured, so I looked up "my life it's better with you" and obviously immediately the Montaigne song came up because that's what it was, and it made sense but! Fr there's something kind of funny about how my brain wasn't even remotely close when trying to place that song- like, that's just how much it just... Didn't sit right with the vibe of the podcast for me ig? That instead of conjuring up the image of the "family of podcasts" or whatever they call the McElroy brand nowadays idk I was fixated on for years, it fit better in my head with shit I was vaguely interested in as a tween

[iri-desky]

SOMEONE FINALLY SAID IT thank you so much y'all.

By the way, as someone who spends hours making playlists for characters, (you can check out my Reverse 1999 playlist on my blog!) here are a few tips to make some accurate, fun, and unique playlists that'll catch eyes!

Don't always resort to the obvious./Make your own opinions. || THIS is the biggest rule. You have to put thought into these playlists rather than just focusing on the vibe or the surface level connections. When making character playlists, there are three pillars you have to focus on: VIBE, MEANING, and META. VIBE defines how the song makes you feel, and the mental image the song conjures up. MEANING defines what the song actually means, as well as other meanings and creative interpretations that you made up based on the lyrics (lyrics is underneath the meaning umbrella). META defines everything else that makes you pick a song for a character -- for example, pop culture references, or strangely accurate references to the story in question the character comes from despite the fact the song wasn't made for the character to begin with; however, it FEELS like it was made for the character. However, despite all of these, when making a playlist, don't immediately go for the songs that seem obvious, or were made obvious by the fandom; think, and get creative! That being said, your fandom still is a big help and you should not entirely abandon the connections it has already made. For example, Queen in a Good Omens playlist is ALWAYS a welcome addition and shouldn't be omitted! Same thing for Bohemian Rhapsody in a Scaramouche (Genshin Impact) Playlist.

Try to dig deeper into your knowledge of music. || This probably applies still to the final part of Rule 1. Don't go for what the fandom made obvious or popular songs, those get exhausting quick. Think; what would REALLY apply to the character? Great minds think alike but fools rarely differ. Can you think of a song that'd fit the character better? What songs are unique to your knowledge? Have fun with it, and, again, THINK. You might at first think Hayloft by Mother Mother still fits this character, but maybe a song like Heart Shaped Box by Nirvana fits them better. Give the people listening FRESH songs! That being said, it isn't too bad to add a song agreed upon by the fandom to be "owned by the character" into your playlist. For example, I WILL say that Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen ABSOLUTELY is Scaramouche (Genshin Impact) song. Just don't oversaturate your playlist with the same old songs from existing playlists. I recommend checking out existing playlists on YouTube and Spotify and see what people have already come up with to get an idea of what your character is about/songs already used too much. For example, I think the song Hayloft is used WAY too much (shoot me with your Daddy's gun if you will /ref).

Pay attention to the lyrics! || Meaning is a big pillar. The song should always mean a lot for your character--and you shouldn't pick a song that is pointless to your character's meaning and doesn't fit them at all via lyrics alone. I recommend using a site like Genius, which gives meanings of songs, often lyric by lyric. That being said, don't rely entirely on Genius! Make up your own interpretations of the song lyrics, too, and give out explanations for your choices if needed. I love it when people get creative with their interpretations. Vibe alone still works, just don't end up with hayloft again and again.

Go down music rabbit holes. || If you have trouble finding more songs like a specific one you think fits your character really well, try going down a music rabbit hole. You can find them by looking for a song that you already thinks fits your character really well, and then looking in the "recommended" or "more songs like this" section on whatever site you're listening to music on. I recommend YouTube the most for this. Note that doing this usually just replicates the vibe--but with that being said, sometimes you'll get songs that have great fits for lyrics, too. I recommend the site "Spotalike" -- you can enter a song and it'll give you a whole list of songs with similar vibes/ones they think you'll like if you like that one song. It pretty much guessed my music taste when I put in my favorite song!

Don't be afraid to mix it up. || The playlist doesn't have to be full of the same kind of music! If you want, mix it up with lots of kinds of music. Characters are complex, so let their respective playlists be too! It's a lot more fun of an experience for the listener to be surprised with dozens of kinds of music, from a hit on the radio they heard a few years ago to a song they've never heard before. if you want, make it a complex mix to best represent your character.

Here's an analysis of why the song "Riptide", a popular choice for PJO playlists, was a good song for Percy Jackson;

META reference; it references Percy's sword, Riptide, with the title alone. Also, there's quite a few points in the song that it sounds like Percy talking about his journey and his best friend/girlfriend Annabeth, or also his mother, Sally Jackson. It can also be pretty much anyone else Percy loves.

VIBE; folksy, basically SOUNDS like Camp Half Blood. It sounds homey, like a childhood.

MEANING; It's like a stream of consciousness, like childhood and love and happiness. It seems to be about a girl that's out of his league, his happiness and childhood, and pretty much anyone he loves. Basically, a big roadtrip and an adventure. It's perfect.

Even though it's used a lot, it's still great.

So, keep it all in mind! Thank you so much for reading what basically became an essay, and feel free to reply with additions or playlists, I eat those things up. ^_^;

i am SOBBING thank you pinterest for showing me this LMAODBJA

[theharmonious13]

318 - Rotting

Couch Potatoes: The Episode lol jk

Watari being depressingly real, love her pessimism

But with her thoughts about Okazaki... poor Watari is losing her mental will to escape here, I want her to survive so bad

Tamba being the friend Watari needs, hell yeah for girl power

319 - Morning Announcements: Day 2

Hayashigeki just vibing in the background again lol

Poor Wada has nothing to improv about for the announcements

What classes are there to sign up for? Can I go? Lmao

320 - Graveyard

So whose room is Hama in for this? I know it doesn't matter since it's directed to everyone but I'm so curious

No Hama please you can't lose understanding of what being a good person means when YOU ARE ONE

Woah woah woah Hama slow down, you may have done some bad things but you're still a good person

I wasn't expecting Hama to ever question his religious faith, but I'm a fan of the topic being discussed, I like this episode quite alot

Chiba and Tsuno are godly/too pure for this worldTM

"If Keizou's in hell... (for being screwed over by the rules of the killing game)" Hama popping off 👀

Hama don't say you'll die... THE DEATH FLAGS ARE RESUMING 😭

Hama reach out to more people gdi, you need it so badly

321 - Girl Talk

Why did I think by the title alone it was going to be another Watari and Tamba episode lmao

Hiroaki being sick of Yanagi always visiting amuses me so goddamn much it SENDS ME EVERY TIME 😂

There is a way to open a door without nails even touching the handle, silly Hiroaki being overdramatic strikes again lmao

Ojima CATCH UP OMH LOL, you teased him three??? episodes ago 😭

Pleaseeeee Yanagi, confess to Mai idc if it's a bad time because it's a killing game and there are other more important priorities atm

Hiroaki is logical to a fault lmao

I missed Hiroaki's sass so much lately

OJIMA OMG THE TIED TO THE BED REFERENCE LOL

STOP THE DEATH FLAGS

322 - Stretch

Hama spotting for Tamba is very gentlemanly, we stan

'A murder hotel' I know a place 👀 (Jackbox Trivia Murder Party reference lmao)

Not allowed to talk in prison? That sucks

How is Hama not gone mentally insane after staring so much at a wall/solitary confinement?

Man Hama's really selling the idea of actual prison to Tamba lmao

Uh oh Hama mental breakdown incoming

Heavy lore drop chain in the order of Tamba -> Yanagi, Hama -> Tamba

Tamba be needing a dictionary lmao

323 - Rainbow

Underrated duo alert

If Ojima isn't quiet I don't know who is

OOO flashlight editing

Is the painting making Watari emotional-? OH NOOOOOOOO

If Watari dies someone needs to wear her coat with the patches representing the deceased students in everyone's honour

324 - To Be Needed

Can the flower represent everyone in the killing game instead of an individual? Everyone is suffering REALLY HARD this chapter

Not the Wada guilt 😭

How would everything be better Wada? People would've still died 😭

And if Isono couldn't survive a surprise attack she wouldn't have done any better than you Wada oof

WE'RE STILL HAPPY THAT YOU'RE HERE WADA TRUST ME

Even if he's suffering... he's still managing to keep himself alive, he should be proud of that

Not the survivors guilt 😭

What weird stuff has Wada been up to?

ISONO WOULD BE PROUD GDI

Nooooo Wada don't be suicidal pleaseeeee

325 - Talking to Someone

Ojima Mai said all of it nonchalant because she's been desensitised loca 😭

Hiroaki being proud of Ojima 🥺

I can imagine Hiroaki rolling his eyes as Ojima compliments Mai lmao

"I wasn't supposed to talk about it" (+1 relatability point)

OJIMA being proud of Ojima 🥺

326 - Image Check

Wada not eating anything today was way too predictable 😔

Wada struggling to talk... poor boi

The quiet/gentle voice Yanagi outs on... I love it

I also love when characters are proud of each other, Yanagi proud of Wada <3

Chauffeur Yanagi let's go

327 - Evening Together

Omg please tell me it's a sleepover again

CAFE TIME!?

Can we insert the Take a Break song from Hamilton for Tsuno and Yanagi every time they mention/show even an inkling of stress? Lmao

I love how casual Hayashigeki chat/get along so well

SHE LOVES HIS COOKING, AND HE'S TAKING THE COMPLIMENT REALLY WELL 🥺

Yanagi suggested cooking more for Mai, Mai agreed, and I started bouncing up and down like a giddy fangirl

They'll trade off cooking duties? RELATIONSHIP TIME, or better yet PLATONIC AND/OR ROMANTIC ROOMMATE SITUATION AFTER THEY ESCAPE

"Order it? I demand it" I'm sipping for Mai like Watari and Yanagi oml

Mai likes Melon cake? Interesting preference, I didn't even know that was a thing haha

328 - Phoenix

You don't think the word phoenix has WAY too many analytical meanings in regards to Watari right...? Well there's the obvious fire connection. But phoenixes are reborn from ash so it has me thinking... does this foreshadow Watari's death because of what she said about being reincarnated as foxes with Okazaki? Or alluding to the fact that Watari's actions while alive will help the cast 'reincarnate' going into chapter five. Probably won't happen but I'm just delusional/rambling my silly thoughts

Watari is losing her sanity... poor girl

Why can't Watari speak to Monomoko like that? Serves them/Staffside right, and there's no rule against it so suck it Monomoko

Death flags no...

Watari is quickly not making it you guys...

Other than the Ultimate mcguffin why are these specific people in this killing game? I know nothing of Staffside/genuinely have no clue or theories

Monomoko is cruel man...

[twistednuns]

December 2023

Advent tea.

A very well-designed poster in a wine store. A Christmas tree with red berries, nothing else. Gustav Mahler. A good therapy session providing clarity about the urgency of quitting my job. A guy with Ewan McGregor vibes guiding a handicapped/probably mentally disabled man: "This way, please!"

A long massage with lots of chest action. Even my jaw had a turn.

An evening at Rationaltheater with Raphael. Drinking for free. Getting to know new people.

Erotic voice messages.

I was super disappointed when Munich was snowed in and Christian couldn't leave his house to come to my concert. I felt a little lonely, I'd been looking forward to seeing him very much.

A very cozy Saturday, painting my nails while watching Christmas movies.

The choir concert was so much fun! My solo part wasn't perfect but it was okay. I eased into it and enjoyed the songs we sang together a lot. Afterwards I talked to Elke's husband about my business idea and he gave me someone's phone number. She is the organiser of Munich's foodsharing network and might have access to a lot of rooms in the city.

Waking up to pink stripes in the sky, almost like a frosty Aurora Borealis. The sun reflected on the walls of the houses, everything covered in a thick layer of snow. I loved the muffled acoustics caused by the thick layer of dry snow everywhere. I must admit, it was quite beautiful outside for a few days.

I finally found my orange beanie I hadn't seen in a while. Nice surprise: an earring I thought I'd lost was stuck to the hat!

Mushroom wraps for breakfast. Baking coconut cookies with dark chocolate. Using up all my veggies for brunch in bed with C.

Cameron Diaz and Jude Law's love story in The Holiday reminding me of my own.

An afternoon playing board games at Chili's with BaLu, Heinrich (who texted me afterwards), Robert and Luna. Helping Chili's son with his English homework.

Christian picked me up by surprise and we went to the cinema together! It was super cozy and we talked for a long time afterwards. I realized I have a hard time setting up emotional boundaries because I tend to take on people's problems and try to fix them even though they have nothing to do with me.

I framed my new Serifa poster while C. installed my router for me. I loved it so much that someone took this task off my plate even though I could have done it myself and I felt like a spoiled princess.

When C. said that he really liked my colour palette. My taste, what I'm wearing and combining.

Drying my bedsheets on the heater. So quick and warm.

A very calm and joyful day. Wild dreams with C. sleeping next to me. A shower while he worked. Cooking lunch. Spending some time together harmoniously. A nap. Connecting with friends in the dim light of the lava lamp. A walk to the wholefood store late in the evening with the crisp crunch of the icy snow under my steps. The first Christmas lights in the windows and gardens. I was the only customer in the store. Such a blessing for my nervous system. Alone time, one on one time, no crowds. I realize that this has been missing in my life over the last few weeks and months.

That freaky little moment when the three of us invented the dance move "smell all available armpits" at Joy of Connection.

When the kids gave me a chocolate Santa after I told them that the neighbours got a visit from St. Nick and I didn't. And when I taught Nino a few notes of the Flohwalzer.

A phone call with C. Listing random animals. Thinking about Janosch's blind mole. Talking about our insecurities.

Researching Napoleon's letters to Joséphine. November 21, 1796: I am going to bed with my heart full of your adorable image… I cannot wait to give you proofs of my ardent love… How happy I would be if I could assist you at your undressing, the little firm white breast, the adorable face, the hair tied up in a scarf a la creole. You know that I will never forget the little visits, you know, the little black forest… I kiss it a thousand times and wait impatiently for the moment I will be in it. To live within Josephine is to live in the Elysian fields. Kisses on your mouth, your eyes, your breast, everywhere, everywhere. I want to write a letter like this for C. and send it via snail mail.

Asking my friends for classical music playlists and boy, they delivered right away.

Manu showed up in choir practice again! And we sang Breathe, a song I love a lot.

Lucie's yoga class, like every week. It's really helpful for my body and mind, especially when I'm angry and on edge like these days. I feel so relaxed and calm after the movement and singing. We did partner exercises the other day. Nice touch!

Waking up early and energized, in the mood to meditate. It's been a while!

Lying in bed in underwear, blow drying myself. The warm air flow felt nice.

A nice outfit composition. Green pants and a black sweater with a pink shirt and socks underneath. Pink lips, gold and black accessories, my burnt orange beanie.

Attending the Kinky Insiders party with C. I met Lukas and Neil, watched many couples in fascination, was left alone in the dark room with the circular bed. An interesting experience.

Long psych talks upon waking up, not wanting to leave the bed. Beautiful oral edging. An unusually long and intense climax.

Robert and Yeli came over and we cuddled, went for a long walk through the forest (R. and I held hands and fell over in the snow face down), made delicious hot Christmas chocolate and Lebkuchen.

R. and C. installed my new Marshall speaker for me! It still feels wrong not to do it myself but I feel so cared for when I let somebody do a task like that for me. Oh, and lovely sound, too. Good choice.

Elegant nude manicure with tiny rhinestones.

A little Burner meetup at the Christmas market. I bought a very pretty ring that reminds me of the Bauhaus logo I have on my sleepy shirt.

Monday morning check-ins with my friends. I felt like socializing, initiating contact with people I don't hear from too often at the moment.

Binaural beats as white noise.

The 21 days meditation challenge I started with Christian and Yeli. I did it first thing in the morning and wished I'd had more time because it usually takes me around 20 minutes to even calm down my thoughts. Right afterwards I drew Osho cards, asking what could help me to be more in contact with myself. And they delivered: Comparison (shadow) and Creativity (light).

When I noticed the words Keep the fire burning at the top of a building I pass every day one morning.

Kiwi gold.

A 44:44min meditation and an hour-long massage on a bad day. Talking to C. on the phone. The feeling that he is showing up for me.

Active, or rather, subconscious problem-solving during meditation. And waking up realising that all the problems you'd been dreaming about that night aren't real.

Spending two nights at Christian's place. Simply postponing going home indefinitely. The long, intimate talk we had before I took the pregnancy test. The little tear she shed when he realized how much he trusts me. I was so nervous and incredulous when it was positive but he was there for me, talking it all through with me.

Throwing salty popcorn over hazelnut crunch ice-cream at movie night. When Charlie the cat came in and let me hold him for a while. Sleeping in fresh bedclothes. Meditating together in the early morning.

A little Christmas get-together at Heinrich's apartment: Grocery shopping with Luna. Coming up with a yogic animal pose challenge with David and including Frank and Chili. Ben in a good mood, talking about his crochet projects. Gentle contact dancing with Tafara. Making Heinrich chase after a little bell on a Santa hat.

One of the most beautiful moments of my life: hugging Christian in the dark living room after we'd both smoked a little weed. The connection I felt was so intense and my mind was flooded with beautiful feelings, thoughts and visuals. I was so grateful to be there, realizing what a coincidence it was that we'd met. Björk's Unison (a song I'd already reacted to strongly when he was DJing at a Joy of Connection event) was playing and in that instant it seemed like the beautiful piece of music playlists ever written. The lyrics seemed so poetic and spot-on. I reflected on the year 2023... What a wild ride. One hand loves the other, so much on me / Let's unite tonight, we shouldn't fight, embrace you tight, let's unite tonight / I thrive best, hermit style, with a beard and a pipe, and a parrot on each side; but now I can't do this without you / I never thought I would compromise

Opening a brand new box of oil pastels. Playing around with a few colours during my break to calm down. In the zone. Being pleased with the results. Not only me - some colleagues and students kept staring at my drawing, noticably intrigued.

Christian's birthday. Getting to know some of his friends. Playing with their cute children. My perfect presents. Bathing together. Cuddling with Charlie the cat the next morning, bare feet on frosted ground in the early sunlight.

The Vespertine album by Björk. So incredibly multi-layered. We have a recurring dream: Every time we lose our voices, we dream we swallow little lights. Our mother and sons bake for us during the night; they do a little trapeze walk until they're in the sky right above our heads. While we're asleep my mother and son pour into us warm glowing oil. Into our wide open throats. I have a recurring dream. They make me feel better.

A very cute baby so fascinated with me that it followed me with its gaze and even stretched to get a better view of me.

Weirdly enough: my OBGYN confirming my pregnancy. Observing the tiny blob on the ultrasound monitor together.

Heinrich providing me with mushroom and broccoli sandwiches for dinner when I picked up the bag I'd forgotten.

Unlocking a memory of the ice skating rink in Landshut. The sour candy worms from the vending machine. The smell and the completely destroyed floor, cut up by generations of ice skaters. The little dwarves and penguins they had to push around on the ice. My dad tying up the skates. The breaks during I've hockey matches.

Feeling very comfortable at Uli's second Naked Party. So many lovely friends and sexy people. Sneaking Ansgar in who had a great time. Painting Katharina's naked body (it turned out absolutely beautiful). The moments alone with Felix, Robert, Christian, Lukas, Mike. Dancing in the kitchen.

Watching A Street Cat Named Bob with my students. Explaining the plot to them. Agreeing over his adorableness.

A gorgeous illustration of a water surface at night, a woman half-submerged amongst the moon and a few stars. My new phone background.

All these talks I have with C. How intense everything is. Romantic. Inevitable. I've never met anyone who is able to talk about his emotions like that. I'm not afraid anymore. Bring on the next level.

The macarons at the choir Christmas party. And Manu was there.

Sharing sweet and savory breakfast. Cuddling up to C.'s new baby alpaca sweater. Doing the doctor's visit together. Holding hands and each other.

Some luxurious Muji treats. A frankincense and myrrh candle. Socks in mustard yellow and plum. An umeboshi onigiri.

Walking out of the noisy gym on the last day of school. And Susan kindly offering to take over my break shift. A smacking low five.

And then I was sick and sad for a few days, going through hormonal change, depression and a stomach bug. C. tried his best to cheer me up but nothing would do. My plans to spend Christmas Eve with Manu and his family were cancelled. When C. arrived late that night I couldn't help but cry about it all. So why is this in the Things I Love list? I guess because it got better. I started laughing again. Feeling hungry. And watching You've Got Mail together helped a great deal, too.

Christmas chocolate porridge with crunchy peanut butter and fresh fruit.

Falling into each other. Spending too much time in bed. Making vision boards for 2024. Decorating a doll house. Playing a computer game together. Eating pancake soup at a village restaurant. Watching a Björk concert in the living room. A tour of the estate, chasing the kittens, a surprise bunker. Meditating together. The sunrise behind the forest in the distance. Being alone together. Writing little notes for each other. Making plans. Seemingly never running out of stories to tell. The big jar of juice he made for me in the morning.

On hosting guests: My favorite guests are the people who are excited, and I always try to remember that when I’m a guest. I love when I say, ‘Would you like wine or beer at dinner?’ and they’re like, ‘Ooh can we have both? Can we start with wine and then have beer?’ I appreciate people who are into being hosted and enjoy all the special stuff. ‘Do you guys eat ice cream?’ ‘WE LOVE ICE CREAM!!!!!!’ - Catherine Newman

Spending quiet days at home. Cooking and baking. Creative projects. Cleaning. Organising. Reflecting. Reaching out to people.

The Dragon is about change.

A new laundry detergent. Smells divine. And speaking of smell: getting some Byredo and Escentric Molecules sample sizes. I'm on a mission to find my new scent.

Ben said that I'm basically glowing each time he sees me and that my style is impeccable. Lovely compliment.

Loud karaoke in multiple harmonies with Fin, Mephy and BaLu.

A sharing moment with Fin who told me about her difficult health journey and the issues she's dealing with. I've felt a lovely connection with her and will reach out, offering my support and friendship.

Inspired by the Osho Zen card Compromise I started sketching a diptych of the two hands connected by their little fingers. In the morning of the last day of the year I felt inspired to make a painting with oil pastels and it turned out pretty wonderful. I love it when I'm unexpectedly satisfied with a creation of mine.

New Year's Eve at Filzhof. Getting to know some of Christian's best friends. Raclette and board games. Sparklers and a bonfire. Singing mantras together.

[zetaeta87]

astromania alstroemeria, bodyswap magenta, emotion names villain au, lman but there's god, magical safe haven, ROLESWAP AU, the boo in lman what will he do, villain assistant ranboo au and to throw a dart at something Unknowable, iiiiiiii. For Innit, who is patiently waiting for me to write its next post answer about how it enjoys snackies.

Astromania Alstroemeria - band au, featuring Tommy, Tubbo, and Purpled as the actual band, and Ranboo as their chaotic assistant! I even somehow gave Purpled a tragic backstory by dramatically misinterpreting a song that I was planning to use for him. Stars would be a huge recurring theme, which is why it’s called Astromania.

Bodyswap magenta - this idea was first formed when I was mildly sleep deprived. Basically, Tubbo, Ranboo, and Purpled have a sleepover at Tommy’s house. They find a book of rituals in Phil’s room, and since they’re unsupervised chaotic teens at a sleepover, they perform one that’s meant to swap their consciousness around. They don’t expect it to work, but it does. They begin Pranks.

Emotion names villain au - I’m gonna be honest, I mostly wrote this one because I like the Dream-Tommy-Ranboo trio and wanted them as villains. But basically, those three are villains, and the rest of SBI plus Sam and Tubbo are heroes sent after them. Dream has puppeteer strings that basically act like telekinesis, Ranboo can manipulate plants (including turning himself into a plant), and Tommy can manipulate gravity. I don’t have a plot for this, but I did write the reveal of Tommy’s powers because I had such a clear mental image of that scene.

Lman but there’s god - the title gives it away, pretty much. It’s L’Manberg, but Drista is a part of it from pretty much the start. And she’s the god of chaos, so you can imagine how well that goes for the people going to war against her. Hint: it goes very fucking terribly.

Magical safe haven: This started as a background part of a chatfic, then I went absolutely feral on the worldbuilding. I made a chart of what characters are founders and members of certain organizations, not to mention all the representatives in the central magical council which required funky things like Techno being the rep of Pogtopia and Bad being the rep of Manhunt. I literally ended up forgetting the plot and thus have not been able to continue.

Roleswap au - while it may seem like it, this actually is not the one inspired by your fics! That’s ddddd. This one has Tubbo swapped with Ranboo, Tommy swapped with Purpled, Wilbur swapped with Sally, and Dream swapped with Drista. The fic opens in Snowchester with Purpled and Ranboo hanging out, Ranboo’s on call with Tubbo (who’s out mining), they’re vibing. Then XD shows up and goes ‘i’m bored, this is your problem now’, and yeets Ranboo and Purpled into canon L’Manberg. Oh yeah, and here’s my favorite part of the roleswap world: since Sally is in Wilbur’s place, calling it L’Manberg doesn’t really make sense. So they call it L’Talberg instead, since they are tall bois.

the boo in lman what will he do - time travel! After Sam kills Ranboo, Kristin goes ‘alright, this is too far’, and yeets him into the past so that everyone gets a second chance. He is fully planning on not telling anyone about this… but then the past!Tommy accidentally reads his memory book. And he tells the other L’Manbergians. Good luck keeping secrets from the smol version of your best friends, boo.

Villain assistant ranboo au - ranboo has memory manipulation and teleportation powers. These are valuable to villains, so of course he ends up joining SBI in villainy. Phil is actually a bad guy in this one - he tries to get Ranboo to use his powers way too much. The others notice and promptly get him the hell out, then have an epic confrontation with Phil and get him thrown in Pandora’s Vault alongside Dream, who is his ally in tormenting Ranboo.

iiiiiiii - I’ll actually share a snippet of this one, since it doesn’t really have a plot beyond pure fluff. Tommy’s a catshifter, him and Tubbo are vibing. That’s it.

Tubbo awoke to soft sheets and a small warmth on his chest. He soaked in the sunlight streaming through the thin curtains, and gently shook the little cat awake. Tommy yawned and stretched. His thick blonde fur seemed to shine in the light, and even when he jumped to the floor and switched to his human form, his hair kept its glow.

“Morning, Tubs,” he grinned. “Whatcha gonna make for breakfast?”

“It’s fuck off o’clock, you’ll get a knuckle sandwich,” Tubbo grumbled, flicking him a middle finger to hide his smile.

“Nah, you love me too much. The worst you could do to me is, like, hide the sugar so I can’t have hyper-sugary pancakes.”

“No, the worst I could do is only make enough pancakes for me and leave you to figure out your own breakfast.”

A jokingly-offended gasp echoed through their house. “You wouldn’t!” Tommy exclaimed.

Tubbo turned to him with a deadpan look. “Oh, I totally would.”

They lasted an impressive ten seconds before collapsing in laughter.

[godzexperiment]

"Ready." She called back, hand already grasping the copper doorknob—she'd had to replace every doorknob and other metal thing she could when she'd moved it. It had been a task. "One...two...three!" She swung the door open and leapt out into the hallway to meet him.

Rose threw her arms up enthusiastically, "whoa, you look sick. The accessories actually work with the vibe." She said as she studied him, pleased it worked for him and fit him. "Okay, dance time." She gracefully and swiftly moved past him, but not before pretending to juke him out in a playful manner, her pleated purple skirt—which was a shade or two darker than her pale lavender hair—swishing at her quick, dramatic movements. "Oh, shoot, shoes. Know what? Screw shoes, I don't even like shoes." In much less time than it should have taken for her to connect to her bluetooth surround sound system—why not have the very best when you can make it for free? Then, search through her vast amount of songs on her phone, which was covered with a plastic case that was covered with an image from Spongebob including the quote 'bold and brash? more like belongs in the trash.' And find the correct song to play. Which means she had this song prepared ahead of time for certain situations. Without warning, music by the underground Russian rap duo IC3SPEAK. It was dark, kind of sinister sounding despite the angelic voices, and had a heavy bass that rattled the windows and various other objects in her home. Not long after she began to jump around and dance.

Arms behind his back, little stretch in response to her reaction. "You look stunning." Genuine and very sincere it looked good on her. Though did ponder if outfits were switched briefly. Or mixed. Honestly he just took an note wanted to get her back with an makeover of his own at some point. Chuckle at the thought of shoes being forgone. Just watching her for a moment, mentally taking in the dancing around and music. Before gracefully beginning to sway to the music, slight twirls and loose movements of his body. Bouncing on his feet, twirling around in an controlled speed that went with the music.

[9haharharley1]

It's just really funny to me to think that Sephiroth doesn't have any music taste whatsoever because of the way he was raised. Like his exposure to music comes exclusively from other people, but he can't connect with it all.

The scientists listed to classical music exclusively if they listened to it all while he was in growing up in the labs, and I think he would have negative associations with it.

Then along comes Genesis with his indie music, and we all know he owns every copy and has seen every version ever of Loveless, which includes at least 2 different musical adaptations that he adores, probably one more than the other, and he's gonna force his friends to listen to them whether they like it or not.

Angeal probably doesn't have much of a preference for what he listens to, but it probably leans more towards classic rock and what would be the equivalent of 80's/dad rock. Sephiroth can vibe with that. He starts leaning more towards Angeal's tastes without really noticing it, but he can't quite connect to it.

Then Zack enters the picture, and he brings with him the top 40 pop songs and alternative punk. Stuff like late 90s/early 00's mix. It's still not right. Their voices sound a little too whiney, but their words paint a picture and resonate with the feelings Sephiroth has never been able to convey.

It's not until one day he runs into Zack in the Firsts' cafeteria, separate from the other levels of SOLDIER and infantry, and he's sitting with this tiny little thing. He can't be much older than 15. He's definitely not in the SOLDIER program, and he's wearing the infantry uniform with helmet on the table next to his food (far superior than the slop they feed infantry and troopers), and there's a little music player on the table between them. The volume is low, the words indistinguishable, but he's never heard such angry sounding music before. Curious, he walks over and sits across from Zack and the tiny trooper.

The little blond jumps and stutters over a quick salute, Zack gives him a cheery greeting and tells the little thing to relax.

"What is that?" Sephiroth asks, and he points to the portable radio.

Zack raises an eyebrow at him. "What, you've never seen a radio before?" He's teasing, but Sephiroth ignores it.

"I know that," he says, and his curiosity raises as he tries to make out the words to the song playing. "What is the music? I've never heard it."

"I-It's metal," the tiny blond speaks up through his nerves, and Sephiroth's gaze goes to him. The boy squeaks, his face goes red, but Sephiroth appreciates that he manages to hold his gaze.

"What's metal?"

The blonde's eyes widen, but before he can explain, Zack says simply, "It's angry growling into a microphone."

If the scowl his friend is giving him means anything, then Zack is only teasing again, probably over this same subject they've probably talked about before.

"It's not that simple, Zack, and you know it."

Zack grins at him, nudging his shoulder. "Do enlighten us then, oh wise chocobo!"

The boy practically squawks (or maybe warks) indignantly, and Sephiroth has to fight back a grin at the mental image. He manages to keep a straight face, as bright blue eyes turn back to him, a hint of a scowl still on a lightly tanned face.

Sephiroth does not at all expect what the boy has to sat.

"Metal is like... it's like when life sucks and you feel alone and empty. You put on some metal, and life is better because..." he pauses, looking down at his plate. "Because someone else knows that pain and the rage you're going through... ya know?"

There is silence between the three of them as Sephiroth takes a moment to digest that explanation.

Zack throws a dramatic arm around his friend. "Aw, my music is like that, too!"

His friend ducks under the arm. "No, your music is for when you're feeling sad and alone, and you don't know what to do with all those big emotions you feel constantly."

"Ouch, Cloud," Zack laughs. "I don't know if I should be insulted or flattered!"

The newly dubbed Cloud shrugs. "There's nothing wrong with it. Your music is fine. It's just not what I need to hear sometimes."

At last, Sephiroth speaks up. "I... think I know what you mean..." he says softly. Zack and Cloud end their rough housing, staring at him with wide eyes almost as though they had forgotten he was there. "About the pain and... rage."

He reaches across the table for the little radio, the song on it ending and segueing to a new one. He turns up the volume, aware of the eyes on him as he listens.

He listens to the soft opening chords, the added percussions. The quiet build of tension as it all rises together in sync.

Then, there is an explosion of noise, and Sephiroth can feel his blood pulse as the cafeteria is filled with the sound of heavy drums and guitars screaming in rhythm with the beat of his heart.

Their judging eyes watching me

It's all I've ever known

When I try to open up my heart

I am ridiculed and torn apart

Your damn jokes I'll never get to hear

Behind my back at my expense

There's something inside me

And I know it's good, I'm not evil

Just misunderstood

Do you see me now?

Do you hear me now?

You will know my name

Sephiroth listens to the song, unaware of how his breathing has picked up as he states down at the radio in his hands, unaware of Zack and Cloud's eyes on him. He listens to the words, listens to the drums and the guitars, internalizing the feeling of the music moving through him like it never has before, the singer's voice growling in his ears.

He doesn't look up again until the song ends and another is starting, still heavy, pulsing in time with his blood in his veins, and there is something so alive in the music he's never resonated with before. He's aware of the concerned furrow to Zack's brow, but his eyes meet Cloud's, and he notices the small smile on the younger man's lips.

Like he knows what Sephiroth is feeling.

Like he's felt it himself.

"You didn't break my friend with your angry music, did you, Cloud?" Zack asks, half-joking, half-worried.

Cloud just smiles, knowing and smug, and still holds Sephiroth's gaze. He props his elbow on the table to prop his cheek on his fist.

"It makes for excellent workout music, too," he states knowingly.

Sephiroth gives him a tiny smile back, maybe a touch feral as his heart beats in time with the bass. "Can you give me some recommendations?"

---

Maybe I'll clean this up and post it to AO3...

The explanation of metal is from a line in the movie Deathgasm.

The song is You Will Know My Name by Arch Enemy.

I want to write short thing where my faves listen to metal, go off on their boss Aggretsuko style at a company thing, and make-out sloppy style at a concert with a bunch of strangers cheering them on from a moshpit five feet away

[sprixyn]

marble hornets band au... thoughts? suggestions? im kind of in love already. more thoughts below

ok first of all? no slenderman in this universe. its my au and i get to make my blorbos (somewhat) happy BUT the operator is still one of tims hallucinations that hes been having since he was a kid. tim writes songs to cope with his mental illness, he's done this his whole life but hes never shared any of them w anyone. skip to film school (maybe i should change their major to be music so it makes more sense that theyre all into it? unsure. anyways). alex has been looking to start a band but hasnt been putting a lot of effort into people searching cause hes focused on school. and one night — maybe on a dare, maybe because he's had a couple of drinks —  tim performs a song about the operator. everyones taken aback cause they didnt know the guy very well but they really like the song. alex goes woah ive been looking to start a band actually?? and kind of drags along everyone in the room to a first rehearsal it goes surprisingly well, everyone clicks and the music sounds great. since theyre all living in dorms and using the practice studio on campus theyre able to get together usually a few times a week, and they hang out outside of it too. they become really close friends. most of the songs are still tims old material but they write stuff together too. brian has some killer ideas and eventually they end up with enough material that matches in vibes to release their first album: "To The Ark". its a massive project, 38 songs.. YEAH THATS RIGHT each one is named after a totheark video. it also makes sense because tim 'wrote' a lot of them and brian the others. im a genius tell me im a genius. also maybe clips from it are the music videos for the songs? or clips from mh too i like the idea of that. idk its released in three parts (for the three seasons) and "Operator" (THE SONG TIM PLAYED FOR THEM FIRST BTW) becomes a radio hit out of nowhere. by this time theyre reaching graduation so its time to discuss the future of the band!! theres a big scene where theyre each thinking abt what they want for the future but they end up deciding they want to keep it together and see where it leads them :) so they go on tour together and are super successful and umm happily ever after. thats as far as ive thought LOL also theyre all gay and trans just like in canon <3/hj. so maybe theres love triangle stuff?? but i dont really have any fav pairing in this scenario since the dynamics are different.. idk give me ideas pleas. and if anyone drew them i would piss myself and cry OH ALSO I FORGOT TO MENTION all the alter ego things are like stage personas in this. i think thats probably apparent in the first image but yeah. they go on stage and introduce themselves as that and wear the masks for performances. idk why alex and jessica go without one maybe ill design them masks too but that feels weird