#actually I’m in orchestra but people know of band more so

[emeraldkitty123]

When you lose track of where you are in the song but it’s just joy to the world so you can play it from memory till you find your spot again

[akuzeisms]

@oddlies asked:

Hercules: Favourite instrument? Cygnus: Favourite weather?  Comet: What’s your big dream? 

FAVOURITE INSTRUMENT: “Hmm… You know, I think I kind of like the piccolo. It’s a tiny little thing, but does it ever pack a punch. Mum tried to get me into orchestra in school, and I ended up playing that and the flute. Didn’t stick with it—music wasn’t really my thing—but I liked the punch it packed for such a small little instrument.”

FAVOURITE WEATHER: “Winter. I like the snow, though I’m not always a fan of the cold. But being able to wear nice, warm, cozy sweaters is fun, and the snow is just… relaxing, for some reason. Just a world of white outside the window is calming to me.”

WHAT’S YOUR BIG DREAM?: “Dream, huh? Well… I don’t really know if I have one any more, but when I joined the Alliance, I wanted to help people. I knew what it was like to be the person who needed to be saved. I knew what it was like to watch your home burned to the ground, the people you cared about kidnapped, or killed… and I wanted to help prevent that. I wanted to save people. Hell, I still want to save people—I want to save as many people as possible. Unfortunately, that… dream got a lot more real than I ever expected it to. Whatever dreams I have now, they don’t matter, because… I have a job to do. There are people out there that need me to fight for them, so whatever dreams I have don’t matter.”

[isak-dot-gov]

POV

Pairing: Wife!Paige Bueckers x Reader

Word count: 3760(including lyrics)

Summary: Based on POV by Ariana Grande

My Masterlist :)

.........................................

The sun had set, casting a golden hue over the reception hall. The evening had been filled with laughter, heartfelt toasts, and more than a few happy tears. You couldn’t help but feel a sense of joy and fulfilment as you looked around, seeing the people you loved most gathered to celebrate you and Paige. Your heart swelled with happiness as you watched her dance with her father, her face glowing with pure joy.

The band played softly in the background, setting the perfect mood for the intimate moment. Paige’s white suit sparkled under the soft lights, and her laughter rang out as she twirled around the dance floor. She caught your eye and winked, making your heart skip a beat. You couldn’t believe you were finally married to her, the woman who had captured your heart so completely.

As the song ended, Paige hugged her father before making her way back to you. She took your hand and pulled you into a warm embrace, her smile wide and genuine. “I can’t believe we’re finally married,” she whispered in your ear, her breath tickling your skin. “I’ve dreamed about this day for so long.”

You chuckled softly, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “Me too, Paige. Me too.”

Just then, the band leader stepped up to the microphone and cleared his throat, capturing everyone’s attention. “Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention, please?” he announced. “We have a special surprise for our beautiful bride, Paige, courtesy of her lovely wife.”

Paige turned to you, her eyes wide with surprise. “What’s going on?” she asked, a mixture of curiosity and excitement in her voice.

You gave her a playful smile, squeezing her hand. “You’ll see,” you replied, guiding her to the front of the room where a microphone stood. As you approached, the lights dimmed slightly, and the room grew quiet with anticipation.

Taking a deep breath, you stepped up to the microphone, your heart pounding in your chest. “Hi, everyone,” you began, your voice a little shaky. “First, I just want to thank all of you for being here today. It means the world to us to have our family and friends here to celebrate our love.”

The room erupted in cheers and applause, and you smiled, feeling the warmth of everyone’s support. Once the noise died down, you continued. “As most of you know, Paige has been joking for months about how I should sing at our wedding since I’m a singer. Well, I decided to take her up on that and do something special.”

Paige’s eyes widened, and she covered her mouth with her hands, clearly taken aback. She had mentioned in passing that it would be fun if you sang at the wedding, but she never imagined you’d actually do it. The room filled with excited whispers as everyone realised what was about to happen.

“I wrote a song just for you, Paige,” you said, turning to look at her, your eyes locking. “This is the first time I’m performing it, and I wanted it to be a surprise because I wanted to show you how much you mean to me.”

Paige’s eyes filled with tears, and she nodded, her hand covering her heart. “I can’t believe you did this,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “You’re amazing.”

You smiled, feeling your own eyes well up with tears. “You’re the amazing one,” you replied softly before turning back to the microphone. “So, here it is. This one’s for you, Paige.”

The orchestra, which had been setting up quietly behind you, began to play a soft, melodic intro. The sound of the piano mixed with the strings created a beautiful, ethereal atmosphere that filled the room. You took a deep breath, letting the music wash over you, and then you began to sing.

---

Song Performance:

“It's like you got superpowers  

Turn my minutes into hours  

You got more than 20-20, babe  

Made of glass the way you see through me  

You know me better than I do  

Can't seem to keep nothing from you  

How you touch my soul from the outside?  

Permeate my ego and my pride”

---

As you sang the first verse, you kept your eyes fixed on Paige, every note carrying the depth of your love and the promises you had made to each other. The words flowed effortlessly, but each one held the weight of your heart, conveying feelings you had never been able to put into words before. It was as if the music was a direct line to your soul, sharing the love story you both had written over the years. Paige's reaction was immediate; her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, and as the lyrics unfolded, those tears began to spill over, streaming down her cheeks.

She tried to smile, but the emotion was too overwhelming, her lips trembling as she fought to keep her composure. The love in her eyes was unmistakable, shining brightly despite the tears, reflecting back everything you were trying to convey through your song. When she reached up to wipe her tears away, her hand shook slightly, and you could see how much this moment was affecting her. Her gaze never wavered from yours, full of admiration, gratitude, and an intense affection that made your heart swell.

The room around you seemed to fade away, everyone captivated by the raw emotion in your voice, but for you, there was only Paige. It felt like you were singing just for her, in a bubble of your own making, where the rest of the world didn’t exist. You could feel a lump forming in your throat, the overwhelming urge to cry building up inside you. But you swallowed it down, pushing through, knowing you needed to finish this for her—for both of you.

Your voice wavered slightly as you continued, but you steadied yourself, focusing on the reason you were here, on the reason you had written this song in the first place. You wanted to give Paige a memory she would never forget, to show her just how much she meant to you, how deeply you cherished her. With every note, every word, you poured your heart out, letting her see the parts of you that were reserved only for her. 

And as you did, you saw her reaction deepen, her tears coming faster now, spilling down her cheeks without restraint. Paige's shoulders shook with silent sobs, her hand clutching her chest as if to hold herself together. The sight made your own eyes sting with unshed tears, but you kept going, more determined than ever to give her the performance of a lifetime—a performance that would be etched in her heart forever.

---

“I wanna love me (ooh)  

The way that you love me (ooh)  

Ooh, for all of my pretty  

And all of my ugly too  

I'd love to see me from your point of view  

I wanna trust me (trust me)  

The way that you trust me (trust me)  

Ooh, 'cause nobody ever loved me like you do  

I'd love to see me from your point of view”

---

The chorus was powerful, each word echoing with the intensity of your feelings for Paige. As you sang, you could see how deeply the lyrics resonated with her. Her hands were clasped tightly over her heart, almost as if she were trying to hold it together, overwhelmed by the emotions coursing through her. Tears brimmed in her eyes, glistening under the soft glow of the lights, and yet she smiled—an expression of pure, unfiltered love and adoration that made your heart swell. Paige was mouthing the words along with you, her lips moving silently to the rhythm of the song, as if every line was a secret she already knew by heart. It was as if the music had woven a cocoon around the two of you, making everyone else in the room fade away.

You could see the way her chest rose and fell with every breath, the way her eyes sparkled with unshed tears, and the slight quiver of her lips as she tried to hold back a sob. The sight of her so moved by your words made your voice catch in your throat, a lump forming as you pushed through the next line. You could feel your own tears threatening to spill over, but you will yourself to keep going, to give Paige the performance she deserved.

The connection between you was palpable, an unspoken understanding that this moment was just for the two of you. You felt a surge of emotion like a wave crashing over you, overwhelming in its intensity. Your heart pounded in your chest, and your hands trembled slightly as you gripped the microphone, but you knew, deep down, that this was exactly how you wanted to express your love for her. Every word, every note was a piece of your soul, laid bare for her and everyone else to see. You had always been able to communicate best through music, and tonight was no different. This song was a promise, a vow of your commitment and devotion, and the look on Paige's face told you that she understood that completely.

---

“I'm getting used to receiving  

Still getting good at not leaving  

I'ma love you even though I'm scared (oh, scared)  

Learnin' to be grateful for myself (oh, oh, oh)  

You love my lips 'cause they say the  

Things we've always been afraid of  

I can feel it startin' to subside  

Learnin' to believe in what is mine”

---

As you continued to sing, you saw Paige’s expression change from surprise to awe. The initial shock of hearing you sing something so personal and profound gave way to a softer, more vulnerable look. Her eyes, wide with wonder, began to glisten with unshed tears, reflecting the warm glow of the lights that surrounded you both. She was completely mesmerised, her gaze locked onto yours as if she were afraid to blink and miss even a second of this moment. Every note, every word seemed to resonate with her on a deep, emotional level. You could see her lips part slightly, as if she wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words.

The way she looked at you, like you were the only person in the world, made your heart flutter with an intensity you had never felt before. It was as if time had stopped, and all that existed was the two of you, sharing this intimate moment in front of all your loved ones. Her eyes, filled with love and admiration, spoke volumes; they told you that she saw you in a way no one else ever had, that she understood every part of you—the good, the bad, the beautiful, and the flawed. It was a look that made you feel truly seen and cherished, a look that promised forever.

The song was more than just a performance; it was a confession, a testament to the deep connection you shared. Every line was a piece of your heart, laid bare for her and everyone else to see. It was your way of telling Paige everything you had ever wanted to say, all the things that words alone could never fully capture. The melody carried the weight of your love, the rhythm echoing the beat of your heart as it pounded in your chest. Each verse unveiled a layer of your soul, a vulnerable yet powerful display of your devotion to her.

As you sang, you could feel the energy in the room shift, the air thick with emotion. You were no longer just performing a song; you were sharing a piece of your soul, inviting everyone to witness the depth of your feelings for Paige. The lyrics spoke of your insecurities, your fears, your hopes, and your dreams—things you had only ever shared with her in the quiet moments of your relationship. And now, here you were, putting it all out there, not caring who saw because this was for her, and she deserved to know just how much she meant to you.

You could feel the tears welling up in your own eyes as you poured your heart out into the song. It was as if every word, every note was a declaration of your love, a promise to always cherish and honour the bond you shared. And as you sang, you realised that this moment, this song, was the most honest and genuine thing you had ever done. It was a reminder of why you fell in love with her in the first place, and why you would continue to love her for the rest of your life.

The orchestra swelled behind you, the music lifting your voice higher, carrying it across the room like a wave. You could see the effect it was having on Paige; her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, her lips trembling as she fought to keep her emotions in check. It was clear that she was deeply moved, overwhelmed by the raw honesty of your performance. And in that moment, you knew that this was the greatest gift you could ever give her—a song that captured the essence of your love, a love that was unbreakable, unshakeable, and eternal.

---

“I wanna love me (ooh)  

The way that you love me (ooh)  

Ooh, for all of my pretty  

And all of my ugly too  

I'd love to see me from your point of view  

I wanna trust me (trust me)  

The way that you trust me (trust me)  

Ooh, 'cause nobody ever loved me like you do  

I'd love to see me from your point of view”

---

The chorus repeated, its melody filling the room with an almost palpable sense of emotion. Each note seemed to carry a piece of your heart, and as you sang, you could feel the intensity of the emotions in the room rising to an overwhelming crescendo.

Paige’s reaction was both heart-wrenching and beautiful. Her tears flowed freely now, her cheeks glistening under the soft lights. She had initially tried to hold back her emotions, but as the lyrics spoke directly to her heart, she could no longer contain the depth of her feelings. Her shoulders shook with silent sobs, and every now and then, a sob escaped her lips, echoing softly through the room.

You could see how deeply moved she was by the performance. Her eyes were filled with a mix of awe and profound love, and it was clear that the song was touching her on a level far beyond what words could express. It was as if every word you sang was a direct reflection of her own emotions, resonating with the love and commitment you both shared.

The room seemed to hold its breath, enveloped in the raw and powerful atmosphere created by the song. The guests, though visibly moved, watched quietly, giving space to the intimate moment unfolding before them. The orchestra played with a delicate intensity, enhancing the emotional depth of the performance, while you poured every ounce of your being into the song.

Your heart ached with a tender, almost painful love as you observed Paige. Her reaction was a testament to the strength of your bond, and seeing her so profoundly affected by your gift made every moment of writing and rehearsing the song worthwhile. The way her eyes locked onto yours, filled with unspoken gratitude and affection, made you feel as though you were the only two people in the world at that moment.

You continued to sing, your voice steady despite the emotions threatening to overwhelm you. The connection between you and Paige was tangible, almost electrifying, and it was as if the entire room had become a cocoon of love and vulnerability. The chorus repeated, each iteration deepening the emotional impact, and you could feel the collective heartbeat of everyone present, pulsing in sync with the song.

---

“I couldn't believe it or see it for myself  

*Girl*, I be impatient, but now I'm out here  

Fallin', fallin', frozen, slowly  

Fallin', got me right  

I won't keep you waitin' (waitin')  

All my baggage fadin' safely (my baggage fadin')  

And if my eyes deceive me  

Won't let them stray too far away, I”

---

As you transitioned into the bridge, your voice took on a softer, more vulnerable quality. The intensity of the chorus had given way to a more intimate, reflective moment, and you allowed your emotions to shine through with every note. Your eyes remained fixed on Paige, not wanting to miss even a flicker of her reaction. The connection between you was palpable, as if the music had woven an invisible thread that bound your hearts together.

The room, previously filled with murmurs and soft clinks of glasses, had fallen into an almost reverent silence. Every person present seemed to be holding their breath, captivated by the tender, heartfelt performance unfolding before them. The orchestra played with a delicate precision, their instruments echoing the emotions that swirled through the air. The notes of the song seemed to hang in the atmosphere, each one adding to the building crescendo of feeling.

You could sense the emotional tide rising, the intensity of the moment reaching its peak. The soft strains of the bridge created a space where raw, unfiltered emotions could come to the forefront. Your voice wavered slightly, not from lack of strength but from the sheer weight of the sentiment you were pouring into the performance. Each word felt like a thread of your soul being laid bare, and you could feel the collective emotion of the room, as if everyone was collectively experiencing the song’s depth.

Paige’s gaze remained locked on yours, her eyes brimming with tears that reflected the soft glow of the stage lights. Her expression was a mix of pure love, admiration, and an almost overwhelming gratitude. You could see how deeply she was affected by the song, her eyes conveying a depth of emotion that words alone could not capture. The way she looked at you was both heartwarming and heart-wrenching, a silent testament to the profound impact your performance was having on her.

As the lyrics of the bridge flowed from your lips, you noticed Paige’s eyes glistening with a mixture of happiness and vulnerability. Her gaze was fixed on you, her expression tender and filled with an unspoken appreciation. It was as though the music had unlocked a wellspring of emotions within her, and her eyes communicated a gratitude that was too immense to articulate.

The intensity of the moment seemed to grow with each passing second. The emotional buildup was almost tangible, creating an atmosphere charged with raw, heartfelt energy. You could feel the connection between you and Paige intensify, as if the music had bridged the space between your souls. Her silent reaction spoke volumes, revealing the depth of her feelings and the profound effect your song had on her.

As you continued to sing, the room remained enveloped in that profound silence, everyone absorbed in the beauty of the moment. The bridge of the song served as a poignant culmination of the emotions that had been building throughout the performance. Your voice softened, and the lyrics resonated deeply, capturing the essence of the love you shared with Paige. The moment was one of pure, unfiltered emotion, and the mutual understanding between you and Paige was as powerful as the song itself.

You saw how her gratitude and admiration shone through her eyes, her expression a blend of awe and heartfelt emotion. It was a powerful reminder of the bond you both shared and the depth of your love. As the final notes of the bridge faded away, the room seemed to exhale in unison, the collective breath of everyone present a testament to the impact of the performance. In that moment, you knew that the song had accomplished exactly what you had hoped—it had captured the essence of your love for Paige and conveyed it in a way that words alone could never fully express.

As you neared the end of the chorus, Paige reached out, her hand trembling slightly as she touched her heart, a gesture that spoke volumes. The sight of her so openly moved, her face radiant with tears of joy and love, filled you with an indescribable sense of fulfilment. It was a moment of pure connection, a manifestation of the love you shared, and it made your heart swell with an overwhelming, heartfelt ache.

---

“I wanna love me (ooh)  

The way that you love me (ooh)  

Ooh, for all of my pretty  

And all of my ugly too  

I'd love to see me from your point of view  

I wanna trust me, ooh (trust me)  

The way that you trust me, baby (trust me)  

'Cause nobody ever loved me like you do  

I'd love to see me from your point of view (oh)  

Yeah”

---

As you sang the final chorus, you could feel the love radiating from Paige. She was openly weeping, her face a mix of joy and awe. You could see how much this meant to her, how much she appreciated the effort you had put into writing and performing this song just for her.

When the last note faded, the room erupted in applause, and you could see everyone on their feet, cheering and clapping. But all you could focus on was Paige, who was running up to you, tears streaming down her face. 

She threw her arms around you, pulling you into a tight embrace. “That was the most beautiful thing anyone has ever done for me,” she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. “I love you so much.”

You smiled, your own tears spilling over as you hugged her back. “I love you too, Paige. More than words can say.”

You pulled back slightly, looking into her eyes. “I wanted to do something special for you, something that would show you how much I love you.”

Paige smiled, wiping away her tears. “You did more than that,” she replied softly. “You showed me just how lucky I am to have you in my life. I’m so grateful to be your wife.”

You leaned in, pressing your forehead against hers. “And I’m grateful to be yours,” you whispered before kissing

 her gently, sealing the moment with a promise of forever.

As the room continued to cheer and applaud, you held Paige close, knowing that this was just the beginning of your beautiful journey together. And you couldn’t wait to see where it would take you.

..............................................

Isak speaks: Uhhhh... hi lol. Ik I kinda disappeared for a few weeks but I promise I'm currently writing a bunch of stuff for the next few weeks. So nobody hate me please

I'm also trying out using pictures for my fics(i was originally too lazy to do it but I always thought they looked so cool on other peoples fics so here we are), lmk what you guys think.

bye bye :)

[the-uninformed-zennial]

sooo bound band au when

Who said it was gonna be an au

Honestly though, most of the bound characters are giving me orchestra energy, so I feel like a Band AU would be like… a band kid AU if yk what I mean. Like, everyone would be in high school with braces and hormones and trying to find a course to fill their art requirement that wouldn’t absolutely bore them. Yk?

So that being said, here’s the instruments I’d think each Bound character would play and why;

Armor - Vocals <redacted>

Ashril - Funky Roadrunner guy is giving me either some random instrument no one has ever heard of before or keyboard and there is no in between for me personally.

Avalon - Drums. I know I always give the stabby people percussion instruments, but they’re just really good for helping to work out negative emotions okay??

Cosie - flute

Elwood - Canon Elwood would not learn an instrument unless Mojave somehow gaslit him into thinking it would be useful. So fanon Elwood would know piano, cause it’s a classical instrument so it fits the vibes and it’s also one of the most versatile so I think we wouldn’t have to bend Elwood’s character too much to make it fit.

Erin - Erin gives me cello vibes. I feel like the Avicane in general ooze kinda classical instruments, and Erin feels like someone who would want something like a bass but a little lighter and more based on melody. So Cello.

Gaverin - Singer. That bird gives me lead singer vibes so hard. If she isn’t in the front of the stage strutting his newest designs and singing their little heart out like a bird version of Chappel Roan, what exactly are they doing?

Marcel - Viola. It’s just- mmmm. Slightly deeper violin that fits the human range really well… it just screams Marcel to me idk.

Mojave - lead singer/rhythm guitar/songwriter. This is just canon lol

Pietro - Percussion. Not drums like Ava, but specifically like orchestral percussion. I’m talking everything from the huge bass drums to the triangle. I think while Virgil was learning violin Pietro signed up for orchestra too and the director was just like, “here kid, hit this” and Pietro went wild. They’re probably the best percussionist anyone’s seen in a really long time, but she doesn’t really talk about it/show off that much cause they want Virgil to be able to shine. (Guys I’m normal about the birdthers I swear)

Rune - I feel like Rune’s a guitar guy. Like, their vibes are chill and laid back enough to fit it, plus I feel like they’d have a really fun time inventing like pedals and stuff to make the guitar sound different depending on the song and stuff.

Sylph - Triangle. And Kazoo. And singing (badly) /lh

Taliesin - Okay, okay, my thought for Taliesin is that whenever someone asks if they play an instrument they always say something that like no one knows how to play, like Basoon or the Oboe. And then if someone ever asks her to, he’s just like “oh no, sorry, the stars aren’t in the right alignment you see”. And it’s cause they don’t actually know how to play any instruments cause they’re a lyin’ cheatin’ little— anyway (/j we love Tal in this house and they probably play something that’s totally against their aesthetic but easy to learn like Uke or smth)

Vast - Vast plays Clarinet. It’s classic, it’s breathy, it’s something the symphony I mean Avicane would teach. It just feels and sounds right for him. Bonus idea: his sister played the flute and he picked up Clarinet cause he wanted to be in the same section as her

Virgil - Violin. Again, this is just canon. But I feel like Virgil wouldn’t be like the best violinist ngl. In my head he’s like 3rd chair but Pietro always comes up to him after concerts and is like “THATS MY BROTHER!!” And like glares at people until they applaud for him. Virgil knows this. And is incredibly embarrassed by the whole thing, but it’s still kinda endearing.

So yeah, those are my instrument/Band AU thoughts. Do with them what you will

[finleycannotdraw]

can u recommend some bands? i think i like ur music taste and i am terrible at finding music

ty :)

of COURSE I can <3 you’ve probably heard of some of these, but maybe there’ll be some you haven’t! I don’t know what you already like, so… here we go :)

Hozier. Yeah this was always going to be first on the list I’m currently listening to basically nothing else! He’s an Irish folk/soul/blues/etc idk musician who uses a lot of religious and mythological themes in his lyrics and has a lot of songs that include social justice commentary.

The Amazing Devil is a folk rock band with an incredibly unique sound. Their songs are incredibly emotional and have an awesome fantasy vibe going on—plus there’s two singers, and they often sing independently from each other, which is something you don’t see often!

Good Morning Bedlam is a bluegrass band that I’ve gotten into recently! They’re sort of like… a mix of the amazing devil and the crane wives?

The Crane Wives, while we’re at it, and

The Oh Hellos. they’re fairly similar and I don’t have a ton to say about their stylistic differences, but they’re all definitely worth checking out!

Florence & The Machine. Most people have heard of them but I always like to recommend them anyway

Alec Benjamin, if you’re into softer indie music! He has a lot of different styles of lyrics, but his voice is consistent, so he’s great to listen to if you’re looking for that sort of variety.

Chxrlotte doesn’t have a lot of music out, but I’m a big fan of the music she has released, including the ones about Good Omens! The others are more angsty which I love too.

The Family Crest is an orchestral indie pop rock band, which blows my mind. I can’t believe orchestra isn’t a more utilized tool in popular lyrical music, because they do it so well.

Good Kid is actually my brother’s favorite band, and I love them too. They’re also indie rock, but they have a very distinctive style and are easy to get into! Plus they haven’t released a shit ton of songs like some other artists, so it isn’t overwhelming to explore their discography.

Jonatha Brooke is an artist I only know about because my mom liked her music a lot in the 90s, but she’s got a super nice voice and has some awesomely relatable lyrics. I especially recommend her album Ten Cent Wings!

Midlake is a super melodic folk rock band. I’m obsessed with their album The Courage of Others, which has a melancholy vibe that’s super easy to get lost in.

Palaye Royale is harder rock than anyone else on the list so far, but they’ve got an awesome style. Unique voice and definitely darker themes in their lyrics.

Tears for Fears is a pop rock band that I love because my dad does. (My parents are musicians—I trust their music taste).

Toad the Wet Sprocket got their name from Monty Python, but PLEASE go listen to the Architect of the Ruin EP. You will not regret it. Also the song Something’s Always Wrong is like… entrenched in my very being.

Elbow is a band that I never see in fandom circles, but they’re definitely not obscure. Check out their album Little Fictions! They’re kind of like Midlake.

Will Wood ranges from chaotic and fun (The Normal Album) to absolutely soul-crushing (in case I make it)! Sometimes even both at the same time!

(I would’ve also put Paramore, Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, and other rock/pop punk bands I like on there, but I assumed you already know them.) (If you were looking for harder rock or metal, let me know, because this list is not that.)

If you want more genre-specific recs or even album/song recs, don’t hesitate to ask!! Music is the fuel of my soul.

[dynasty889]

I’m having thoughts of an Epic Cycle/Iliad/EPIC: The Musical high school au. I don’t have a lot, but here’s my general idea:

The school is located in a really remote era. Like there’s nothing to do in town. There’s a mall half-falling apart. That’s like the only place of entertainment. Everyone in the town knows each other to an uncomfortable extent.

For characters, these are the ones I’ve thought of so far:

Odysseus: Odysseus in this au would be the new boy. Methinks he lived by the water (idk like California or something lol) and his hobbies were surfing, fishing, and working out. But then he moved away and he can’t do any of his hobbies anymore lol. He probably works at a bowling alley (it’s in the mall). I feel like a lot of people from school would come there after school and he just hates it so much when his friends see him in his silly little uniform. He likes to sass his teachers.

Penelope: I have a few alternate ideas (including emo/mean girl Penelope but that’s for an au for this au). The one I’m gonna go with is like shy bookworm vibes. She’s got all As (of course she does). But then she’s also a reluctant member of Helen’s rat pack group of friends. She tried to get away but Helen and Clytemnestra drag her out past her bedtime haha. I feel like equally hates hanging out with Helen as much as being alone, because her shyness kind of makes her a target to some teasing? She’s in the school’s orchestra (surprise surprise she plays the viola).

Helen: something something Heathers something. Alexa, play Candy Store from Heathers: The Musical. Do I make her 100% vain? Or do I make her vain for the sake of hiding her pain and struggles? Yeah, probably the latter. Flawlessly perfect…?

Clytemnestra: She’s something like Helen’s right hand woman. If Helen ain’t there, then Clytemnestra is in charge of their friend group. I think she’s also on one of the school’s athletic teams. I don’t know what, maybe track or tennis.

Achilles: The not so secretly gay footballer player I guess. I don’t know. Makes out with Patroclus in the locker room after practice.

Patroclus: He’s all of us. He’s just trying to survive high school. Average grades, As and Bs but maybe a C in there too. Supportive boyfriend, goes to all of Achilles’ games and sometimes (a lot of the time) practice (do they let people watch practice? I actually don’t know I’m not involved enough).

Nestor: The history teacher. He’s kind of chill but man does he talk too much. Odysseus has him, unfortunately. First period.

Agamemnon: On the football team too. Somehow he hasn’t gotten kicked off despite the fact that he’s probably definitely broken all rules of the game at least ten times and his grades are sinking. Achilles and Agamemnon hate each other.

Menelaus: Also on the football team. He’s a little more respectable than Agamemnon. Pining after Helen and Agamemnon tries to help him, but it always fails.

Diomedes: Not too sure about him because I don’t have a lot of headcanons for him in general. He’s probably a delinquent. I could see him in the school’s band on percussion and just loves doing exactly what not to do with the instruments. He and Odysseus like to get up to some shit on a regular basis.

[burning-idiot]

So I’m currently sick and feel like crap so I’m gonna spit out some random TLNM headcanons.

- Kai is captain of the lacrosse team and he’s suuuper popular in school. He used to be more popular before becoming friends with Lloyd, but still popular when he’s not around lloyd

- Nya isn’t quite as popular as her brother but she’s still popular. Also known as the “cool edgy kid” - a lot of people think her and Cole are dating.

- Cole is super quiet, always has his headphones on, and most people think he’s a delinquent. (He is, as he sm0kes underage, but people don’t know that)

- Reason he always has his headphones on is bc he gets overwhelmed by the noise of all the people. Music helps calm him down. (Also, it keeps people from trying to talk to him)

- Jay is a band kid. You can’t change my mind on this. He plays trumpet and is actually pretty good, so he plays in the jazz band and stuff. (I’m an orchestra kid and have no idea what I’m talking about)

- Jay’s orange scarf was a gift from his birth parents. It’s one of the only thing he has to remember them by, and he’s super attached to it.

- Zane is freakishly tall. You can always see him in the hallway and he stands out (I mean hello, he has white hair)

- Pixal is part of the friend group and lives with Dr. Borg, her maker. People don’t know that she’s a robot as she has a pretty good human disguise and understands people better than Zane does

- Pixal goes by “Pix” in school

- Zane and Pixal are valedictorians of their grade and often jokingly beef over it

- Zane also spends almost all of his time at school. Anyone texts the gc saying “anyone still at school?” And Zane will always be there, usually in the library.

- speaking of Zane, he lives with his maker, Dr. Julien, and was homeschooled most of his life up until highschool, when Dr. Julien decided he needed real social interaction and enrolled him

- Nya and Kai live with their parents Ray and Maya, but they’re not home often, usually working or jobhunting. Their dad has trouble keeping a job.

- due to this, Kai and Nya usually spend most of their time afterschool at school, too, both being on sports teams. (Nya plays volleyball)

- Jay lives on the very outskirts of ninjago city and is driven to school by his parents every day

- Lloyd spends most of his time either at home or with his friends, seeing that he has no where else to go where people won’t hate him

- Tried joining almost every club to find acceptance, but the second he joined everyone else quit, so he eventually gave up

- There’s probably a thing at school called “The Garmadon Touch” that’s similar to the Cheese Touch from Diary of a Whimpy Kid. All of Lloyd’s friends have the Garmadon Touch and are very proud of it

- Cole, Nya, and Kai protect Lloyd (and the others) from bullies

Ok that’s it thanks byeee

[electricsynthesis]

lance - sorry to teenagers in fanon in 2016 but I don’t think lance would listen to the pop hits of the 2010s. I think lance is too hip for that. He is not listening to pop from 100~ years ago. (Or more, nobody can agree on when the show takes place & I think that’s beautiful). lance is listening to the billboard top 100. He’s listening to what people are talking about . I imagine their pop music as very synthetic, almost edm, with loud vocals over top of it. Less bass than we have in our pop music, more tenor. he’s into particular celebrities and while he likes their music, and he says it’s about the music, he’s more into the celebrities really than the music. he’s into his eras version of, like, Britney Spears. Because they’ve gotta have an edge to them. Some controversy. if they’re too squeaky clean he gets bored

hunk - whatever the sci fi future equivalent of melancholy, heavily vocal guitar indie music. the kind of music that’s more poetry than it is really music. Stuff made by underground artists. it’s all emotional, ranging from sappy to comforting to sad. he likes love songs about pining but they make him really emotional . He also likes pop music generally, soft hip hop and r&b. also atmospheric music. He strikes me as the type of nerd to listen to a lot of video game osts because of the sweeping orchestral vibes, but for some reason refuses to just listen to actual classical music. Feels too pretentious but then he just listens to orchestras perform the video game osts anyway so lol

pidge - god’s most annoying electronica. I think 100 years of sci fi future is going to make hyperpop one of the whackiest music genres and pidge is right there with it. She wants pitchy, bit-crushed squealing. she wants electronic shrieking. she wants voices autotuned to the point of nigh unrecognizability. I think she also listens to more normal electronica, which I think is more mainstream in their era. Stuff we would associate with weird youtube electronica is a whole cast genre. She’s really into it. She knows all the bands, all the subgenres, all the specific sounds of each one. Matt finds this so fucking annoying because she plays it out loud and he h a t e s it. After she joins team voltron lance gets to take over matts place here

keith - forgive me for this, but I do think keith listens to what WE would call numetal. But it’s like. Classic metal, to him. Og metal. Like I think he literally listens to linkin park. I’m saying that keith kogane listens to 100 year old music. He heard it all from his crazy ass paranoid conspiracy theorist father, who only uses analogue tech because he’s terrified of the garrison finding out about his fuzzy purple alien long distance wife and his alien hybrid child. so he plays like, breaking Benjamin cds on an old boombox. This is the only kind of music keith likes . He’s ok with modern metal but he prefers what we would call classic metal. he doesn’t like emo music

allura -

So I have really detailed thoughts on what constitutes “music” and how that may be defined for alien cultures in sci fi. I’ve thought about this extensively since I was 14 and the conclusion I’ve come to is that altean music is the most industrial, heavy, absolutely dark fast paced noisemusic ever conceived. Metal grinding against metal. Plates shrieking against each other. Dull thumping on thick glass. String instruments that squeak and squeal. sudden starts and stops. Heavy drums you can feel in your teeth. clanking. whistling. wheezing. All the kinds of noises you hear in altean music. coran prefers more “classical” altean music, which entails more drums and strings (of the shrieking variety). allura prefers the “modern” (of her youth) altean music, their equivalent to pop, which is more industrial & metal grindy.

She excitedly shows the humans some altean music only to find them absolutely repulsed. Just, like, they’re trying to be nice. But when I say industrial I mean like, a collection of noises that we wouldn’t even categorize as music. so they can’t help the just inherent misunderstanding. except keith, he fucking LOVES it. He goes WILD for it. Allura convinces him to actually dance to it and they just flail around wildly.

he tries to show allura the music that he likes but sadly divorced dad rock doesn’t do much for her. But through their & pidge’s combined efforts into the forays of Abrasive Human Music they discover that allura also really likes death metal

[ourshadowstallerthanoursoul]

An audience with... John Paul Jones

(from Uncut, April 2010 - link)

You’re stuck on a deserted island, you have one instrument you can bring. It is: a) piano, b) bass or c) mandolin? (Gary Attersley, Ontario, Canada)

Oh… that’s horrible! I’ll probably get Hugh Manson – the guy who builds all my bass guitars – to build me some monstrous instrument that encapsulated all three! Hugh and his brother Andy Manson once actually designed me a triple-necked guitar with 12-string guitar, six-string guitar and mandolin on it! Andy also designed a triple-necked mandolin. But I guess if it really came down to it on a desert island, it would have to be the piano, because you can do so much on it. You’re a whole band. The bass is not much fun on your own.

John, it’s so good to see you so engaged with today. Any advice for old farts who can’t move on? (Andrew Loog Oldham)

Who are you calling an old fart? I dunno, Andy, you tell me! Ha ha. He’s done a good job of staying up to date. Andrew, of course, gave me the name John Paul Jones. I was John Baldwin, until Andrew saw a poster for the French film version of John Paul Jones. I thought it ’d look great in CinemaScope, as I wanted to do music for films. I imagined it saying “Music By John Paul Jones”, over the whole screen. I never realised then that he was the Horatio Nelson of America!

I know that you’ve been getting heavily into bluegrass lately – who are some of your favourite bluegrass artists of all time? (Ryan Godek, Wilmington, Delaware)

Apart from Bill Monroe, you mean? Oh, there’s loads. I’m friends with the Del McCoury band, I love that style of classic bluegrass. I love Sam Bush’s Newgrass stuff. And of course there’s Nickel Creek, Chris Feely, Mike Marshall. I love it all, really. One thing I like about bluegrass is that you don’t require amplifiers, drums and trucks. You can pull an instrument out of a box and get on with some instant music making. I carry a mandolin around wherever I go. I also like the fact bluegrass musicians play more than one instrument. There’s a tradition of them swapping instruments. In bluegrass bands I swap between double bass, fiddle and banjo.

One Butthole Surfers anecdote, please? (Dave Grohl)

Ha! I was brought in to produce the Butthole Surfers’ 1993 album, Independent Worm Saloon. I guess it was to give it a heavy rock vibe, but it didn’t work like that. They were actually incredibly hard-working in the studio, but I do recall running up a phenomenal bar-bill at the San Rafael studio. And then there was Gibby [Haynes, Butthole Surfers’ frontman] and his… eccentric studio behaviour. Gibby did one vocal take shouting into his guitar. He held it out in front of his face and screamed at it. Ha! He was trying to find out if it picked up through the pick-ups, which it kind of did. And that was pretty good.

How’s the violin coming along? (Sean, Berkshire)

I started about three years ago. With the guitar, or the piano, you can sound OK quite quickly. With the violin, it takes much longer. Once you get past the first six months of scraping, of muttering to yourself, “What is this fucking horrible noise on my shoulder?” you get the odd musical bit, and you think, ‘Oh, this is starting to get good.’ And you continue with it for a while. I’m getting into country fiddle playing, Celtic folk songs, a bit of swing. Basic stuff, but very satisfying.

Why not record a second ‘Automatic For The People’ with REM? (Franz Greul, Austria)

They haven’t asked me! But doing the string arrangements for that album was a great experience, actually. They sent me the demos of their songs, and we went into a studio in Atlanta, with members of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. They were great songs, something you can really get your teeth into as an arranger. And I’ve been good friends with them ever since.

How did you first meet Josh Homme? And is he still a notorious party monster? (Rob Hirst, Kippax, Leeds)

Well, I think we’ve all calmed down rather a lot. Dave introduced me to Josh at his 40th birthday party. It was a ridiculous themed place where they have jousting with knights. As Dave said, it was like somewhere you’d have your 14th birthday party. Or maybe even your 4th. Anyway, Dave sat Josh and I together for a blind date. Which was reasonably embarrassing for both of us, surrounded by people going “prithee this” and challenging each other to duels. But we survived the trauma and went into the studio the next day, and just started jamming. And I knew immediately it was going to be something special.

If Them Crooked Vultures had Spice Girls-like nicknames what would they be? (Paul Jones, Liverpool)

Dave would be Smiley Vulture. He can’t stop grinning. Josh would be Slinky Vulture. He’s a slinky kinda guy. And I’d be Speedy, I guess. Or Jumpy. So there you go. Smiley, Slinky and Speedy. Or does that sound more like the dwarfs?

I remember you being a pretty funky bass genius back in the day! What memories do you have of those sessions? (Donovan)

The sessions with Don and Mickie Most were great, because we were given a free hand. I usually got leeway, because I was the sort of Motown/Stax specialist, so producers in the mid ’60s would get me in for cover versions of American records, and none of them could write bass parts convincingly enough, so I was London’s answer to James Jamerson, I guess! And I was certainly encouraged to get kinda… funky when I worked with Donovan.

How did it feel to see Jimmy Page and Robert Plant venture off in their own project in the ‘90s without mentioning a word of it to you? (Danny Luscombe, Hull)

Oh yeah, I was pissed off about it. The surprise was in not being told. It’s ancient history now, but it was a bit annoying to find out about it while reading the papers. It came just after Robert and I had been discussing the idea of doing an Unplugged project. Then I’m on tour in Germany with Diamanda Galás, I turn on the TV and see Robert and Jimmy doing it, with someone else playing all my parts! I was pissed off at the time. You would be, woudn’t you? But… it’s all in the past, isn’t it?

Did you listen to much work by Josh Homme or Dave Grohl before you were contacted in relation to joining Them Crooked Vultures, and if so, how did you honestly rate it? (Ralph Ryan, Lisronagh, County Tipperary)

I did like the Foo Fighters and Queens Of The Stone Age, before I’d met either of them. There’s a tendency for people – especially musicians from my generation – to say that there has been this terrible decline in musicianship, that today’s bands haven’t got the chops, blah blah blah. But that’s not true at all. There’s always some people for whom technique on an instrument isn’t necessary. They can get their ideas across without being able to have the chops. But Josh really does have the chops, he just doesn’t feel the need to flash them about all the time. In fact, there were a few riffs he gave me that I had to simplify, because they were bloody difficult to play. I really had to work at it, where he could just flick it off. He is an astonishing musician.

Were you serious when you told Peter Grant that you wanted to jack it in to become choirmaster at Winchester Cathedral? (Brian Fisher, Manchester)

Ha! That was a tongue-in-cheek joke, although I was serious about leaving Led Zeppelin in 1973 unless things changed. But Peter did sort things out pretty quickly. What kind of choirmaster would I have made? A bloody good one! Listen, any way that they’ll pay you for making music is just the best situation in the world. I’d do it for nothing. I don’t care what music it is. I just love it all. The rubbing of notes together. I love it all. I would be very passionate about whatever I decided to do.

What was the worst session you ever did as a jobbing session player? (Adam Burns, Castleford, West Yorkshire)

I generally have fun memories of that time. I’d criss-cross London playing two or three sessions a day, going between Trident and Olympic and Abbey Road and Philips in Marble Arch, you know. You’d be backing Shirley Bassey, Cat Stevens, Lulu, whoever was paying you. The worst experience was a Muzak session. With Muzak sessions, the music was deliberately boring. I distinctly remember one session where I embellished the bass part a little bit, just so that it wasn’t so boring for me to play. They said, “No, you can’t do that. Any interest in the music will distract people’s attention from when they’re meant to be eating.” Or standing in a fucking lift. For fuck’s sake! So I was like, “OK, thanks, bye!”

[theboywithburninghands]

So I finally got it done, yet another Funnybunny piece. the longest one I think. But I have to confess that this one is a little bit lighter on the romance, since I worry a bit about the formula getting stale. But the upside to this is that I actually got to include all six performers this time. This one is more of my own personal headcanons about what kind of music the cast enjoys, but the Funnybunny enthusiasts will get your food if you pay attention throughout and stick around 'til the end. Also it's semi-interactive; there's a ton of links to outside media in the text, and it's all links to music. If a line is underlined, it's a link to a song. Okay, shutting up now, enjoy. The Jitterbug

Dinner time after another adventure. The Performers were all gathered at the table, picking at their food. It was one of the rare moments of awkward silence between the six of them. The adventure that day hadn’t been anything particularly noteworthy… well, for Caine anyway. It was music themed, a romp through a lush theater populated by anthropomorphic instruments. The goal was to track down the six missing members of the grand orchestra and bring them to the stage within an hour long time limit. The intention was to have the group split up and find each band member individually, a plan which would have gone swimmingly if Gangle had been able to persuade her target to return. She found herself too meek to tell the guy to come with her, which, if it hadn’t been for some timely intervention from Jax, may have cost them the adventure. They were “treated” to a performance by the grand orchestra of instrument people, which consisted mostly of improv and a few subpar renditions of classical pieces. They played Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, although they only managed to pull off “Spring” before scrapping the rest for being “too boring” and moving onto an improv piece. Said piece sounded like someone instructed the orchestra to play The William Tell Overture before putting said orchestra on a bus and driving it off a cliff. The performers’ ears were still ringing after the cacophony of noise, and thus weren’t particularly in a conversational mood. 

Gangle: Mmmgh… eh- Gangle appeared to be struggling to hold her fork. There was a crude double knot in her ribbon right about where her hand would be, and it prevented her from gripping her fork hard enough to stab into her digital pot roast. She managed to spear one prong onto a piece of meat, but it fell with an almost comical plop onto the edge of the table before dropping out of sight beneath her chair. Gangle: *whine of defeat* 

Pomni looked at Jax, who was watching Gangle struggle with minor amusement. The purple rabbit met her gaze and his faint smirk disappeared. 

Jax: What?

Pomni: You know what. *she points at him, then at Gangle with her fork*

Jax gave an exaggerated sigh and got out of his chair, slinking to Gangle’s side and taking her ribbon with the knot in it. 

Jax: Hold still, Crybaby. *he takes the knot between his fingers and undoes it*

Gangle: …Uh… thank you, Jax. *she experimentally curls the ribbon around, it’s undamaged*

Pomni: Is there anything else you wanted to say to Gangle?  

Jax: Wanted to say? No. 

Pomni shot him an exasperated glare. Jax sighed and turned back to Gangle without looking her in the eyes. 

Jax: *speaking rapidly and insincerely* Gangle, I’m sorry I used you as rope to tie up the last band member. *looks at Pomni* There, we happy? 

Pomni: Are you okay, Gangle? Gangle: Oh… um… yeah! I’m okay, uh… I-I’ve been in worse… binds. Eheheh… uh… I’m okay. 

Pomni motions Jax back to his seat. The rabbit plods back to his spot at the table and sits, resting his cheek on his hand sullenly and poking at his food. 

Ragatha: Wow… I never thought I’d see the day! Jax actually said sorry! Jax: Yeah, whatever, toots. I save our butts with some quick thinking and I’m still the bad guy. 

Zooble: Don’t be an @$$. There were six of us and one of him. There could’ve been a way to get him back with the others without having to hurt Gangle. 

Jax: Oh really, and what bright idea did you have, Hodge-Podge? *in a babyish voice* Asking him nicewy? Zooble: You wanna lose an eye, limp&!$#?!  *holds up butter knife* 

Ragatha: Guys… *pinching the bridge of her nose*

Pomni: Alright, stop! Can we please just &%$#ing stop?! My ears hurt and I don’t need you two shouting! Just… sit down and shut up. Both of you. 

Zooble: …Tch. Fine. 

Jax: Yeah. White flag or whatever. You hear me? White Flag. *he waves a napkin around half-heartedly before tossing it over his shoulder*

The six performers continued eating in silence, everyone’s mood set right back to bad. However, one of Jax’s ears twitched and his pot roast froze halfway to his mouth. 

Jax: …What’s that? Ragatha: What’s what? 

Jax: Shh! Listen!

Everyone, sans Kinger, stopped eating and listened. There was a continuous but very faint sound coming from somewhere. 

Gangle: I-I hear it! It sounds like… music?

Zooble: Good music. Like an orchestra. 

Ragatha: Where’s it coming from?

The performers turned their heads to better locate where the pleasant song was coming from. After a couple of seconds of listening, their eyes all fell upon Kinger, who was still eating his dinner. He froze in the middle of cutting his pork chop and slowly looked up to meet everyone’s gaze.

Kinger: I’m being observed… 

Jax: It’s cuz you’re making music.

Kinger: I’m not making music. I’m eating dinner. 

Ragatha: No, Jax is right, Kinger. Do you have something in your robe? 

Kinger looked down at his robes and patted around inside them. He froze when he felt a foreign object clinging to the white inside and pulled it out. Inside his robes was a creature about the size of a baseball, that looked like a mix between a ladybug and the grille of a microphone. The orchestral score emanating from the creature reached a swell before suddenly-

Bug: LOOK! YO!-

Kinger yelped and dropped the creature as it suddenly exploded into a rap verse. It lands on the table and stands back up, bopping along to the rhythm of the song playing from its grille-like carapace. 

Zooble: What the #%!! is that thing? 

Kinger: Oh! I remember you! *reaches his hand out to pet the small creature* I put her in my robes back at the theater. 

Pomni: I guess Caine missed deleting it when he sent us back here for the night… 

Kinger: She’s not an it! Her name is… *there’s a drawn-out pause as Kinger struggles to remember what he called the creature* ...Layla!

Upon hearing this, the microphone-bug suddenly plays a guitar riff that makes everyone jump. Ragatha: I know that song… *beams* That’s a REAL song! From outside! It’s by uh- 

Zooble: Hang on. This thing plays-

Kinger: Layla.

Zooble: …Layla plays music? 

Pomni: That’s… I thought that was impossible… 

Gangle suddenly appeared beside Kinger, moving quicker than anyone had ever seen her move before. 

Gangle: Layla! Play uh, play… Play Melt by Hatsune Miku!

Jax: Play what by who?

The microphone-bug, which was apparently named Layla, began to play a sugary-sweet J-pop song, quiet at first before bursting to life. Gangle stood and watched the creature with a twinkle in the eyes of her mask, her mouth wide open in delight and her ribbon-hands on her cheeks. 

Ragatha: Oh, oh! Can I have a turn? Uh, Layla, play Respect by Aretha Franklin! 

Layla began to play a funky soul song, Ragatha giggling girlishly and beginning to dance along to the rhythm on the spot. Her energy was so infectious that the other performers couldn’t help but watch, especially as she began to lip-sync to the song with an invisible microphone. 

Gangle: giggles 

Jax: My turn. Layla! Play… Sandstorm by Darude. 

Everyone gave a collective groan as Layla began playing a familiar Finnish techno beat. 

Jax: Whaaat? I like this song! You guys have no taste. 

Ragatha: Well, you picked it! Now you gotta dance to it! Come on!

Jax: No I- HEY! 

Ragatha grabbed Jax’s hands and pulled him up onto his feet. 

Ragatha: Come on! Follow my lead! 

Ragatha began to dance along with the music, Jax scoffed and crossed his arms.

Pomni: *trying not to giggle* You made your bed Jax, time to lay in it.

Jax: Oh, have I? Layla, play Everywhere at The End of Time.

Zooble: Ew, Jax, what the h€!!? 

Kinger scooped Layla up before she could begin playing the six-hour depressing behemoth of an album Jax requested. 

Kinger: Everyone, stop! You’re going to make her overheat! *he pets the little microphone bug* There, there, you did good. 

Gangle: Aw, is it over..?

Zooble: Kinger’s got a point. We don’t want to push that thing’s-

Kinger: Layla.

Zooble: -Layla’s processing too hard. You know how weird NPC’s get when they’re overclocked. 

Pomni: Overclocked..? What does- Actually, I don’t want to know.

Kinger: Layla can stay in my room. I have other bugs in there so she won’t get lonely.

Jax: So Kinger just gets to keep the thing that plays real music in his room? 

Kinger: Layla.

Jax: Whatever.

Ragatha: Well, he did find her… and he did go through all the effort of sneaking her back to the tent. That would make her his.

Jax: So if I found a dozen donuts, I’d get to eat all of ‘em and not share, since they’re my donuts. 

Zooble: You’d probably do that anyway…

Jax: I’d share ‘em with everyone but you, Zooble.

Gangle: I’d get a donut, really? 

Pomni yanked on one of Jax’s shoulder straps, a sharp reminder to behave.

Pomni: I’m sure Kinger wouldn’t mind sharing Layla now and then. Is that okay with you, Kinger?

Kinger: Don’t eat her! *holds her away from Pomni*

Pomni: Wh- nobody is going to eat her!

Gangle: Layla isn’t a donut… 

Kinger: Oh. Well. Maybe. As long as you’re gentle with her and don’t let her overheat. 

Ragatha: We can all promise that, right everybody? 

There was a murmur of affirmation, but then everyone looked at Jax. 

Jax: Oh for- *sigh* fine. Yes. I won’t hurt the bug thing.

Kinger: Layla.

Jax: *deep breath, phony enthusiasm* LaYlA!

Ragatha: I’ve gotta say, that’s the most fun I’ve had in a while. Real fun, not Caine fun.

Zooble: I didn’t peg you for an Aretha Franklin fan, Rags.

Ragatha: Yeah? What kind of music did you think I liked? *smiles, amused*

Zooble: I dunno. Sara Bareilles or Taylor Swift. Maybe that song Wildfire. 

Ragatha: Oh, so horse girl stuff, huh? I see how it is, Zooble. *she’s still grinning playfully* 

Jax: We didn’t get to hear what you liked, Hodge-Podge. Who are you to judge? 

Zooble: Call me Hodge-Podge again, Jax, and I’ll tie your- 

Kinger: Frank Sinatra…

Zooble: Huh?

Kinger: That’s my favorite. Frank Sinatra. *he sings a little to Layla* “I’ve got you… under my skin.”

Layla: *Playing a snippet from the real song* “I’ve got you… deep in the heart of me.”

Gangle: Awwww…

Zooble: *they get up* I’m tired. I’ll see you all in the morning. *they walk towards backstage before pausing for a moment* …I like Janelle Monáe by the way. 

Ragatha: G’night Zooble. It is getting pretty late… I’ll be right behind you. 

Steadily, the performers left the stage and headed back to their rooms. Pomni left not long after Ragatha, rubbing her eyes. It was weird how her eyelids still felt heavy despite her body being a bunch of pixels… 

She wished Ragatha good night as she passed her in the hallway, went into her bedroom and flopped onto the bed. It had been a pretty bad day, like most other days in this technicolor hell. But it had an okay conclusion. It was nice to hear real music again, but she wished she had gotten a turn. Although,  she did wonder a little… if that bug could play songs from the outside world, maybe there was a way to get out of here after all… 

There was a knock at the door. One thing at a time. Pomni rolled out of bed and shuffled to the door to open it. She smiled a little seeing Jax leaning against the doorframe, and the rabbit gave her a smarmy grin right back.

Jax: Leavin’ me behind, huh? Pretty cold, Pompom. 

Pomni: You’re a big boy. You can handle being alone for a little bit. Also, you’re knocking now. 

Jax: You should note the date and time. *he strolls into her room* So, what’s the plan tonight, Pomni? 

Pomni: I’m too tired for much of anything… you wanna just cuddle? 

Jax: Sure. But how about a little music? *he takes Layla out of the front pocket of his overalls*

Pomni: Jax! Where did you get- did you steal her from Kinger? 

Jax: You’ll be happy to know I asked before I took. *he sets Layla on top of one of the oversized building blocks in Pomni’s room* 

Pomni: R-Really? He actually let you borrow her? How did you convince him..?

Jax: You really think I can’t be charming? You fell for me, didn’t you?

Pomni: *blush* …Alright, alright. 

The two of them crawled into bed, climbing under the covers, Pomni scooting her smaller frame backwards into Jax’s arms. The rabbit held her close, resting his chin on top of her head.  

Jax: So. Whatcha wanna listen to?

Pomni: …You know what? You can go first. 

[ghostradiodylan]

I'm on a four hour car drive, singing at the top of my lungs (terribly, I'm so congested right now, not gonna stop me though lol), and having quarry brainrot. Who among the counselors do you think can sing well and who do you think can play an instrument?

I looove this question and I have to admit I haven’t thought about it that much so this is gonna be kind of off the cuff, instinctive stuff and I’m sure I’ll refine my opinions if others chime in (please!).

It’s kind of weird we never get any campfire singalong action in the game when there’s a guitar in Chris’s bedroom and he mentions Kumbaya, but maybe they’re tired of that from camp by the time the plot line picks up.

Miles obviously is a musician and Dylan’s the music guy so I’d imagine he’s musically inclined in some way. I’ve seen headcanons that he plays guitar and I could see that but I lean more toward thinking he would have taken piano lessons when he was younger and moved on to keyboard and adding on techie stuff like the Mellotron and Moog synth. I think he loves dials and buttons and weird sounds and he can sing but he’d rather fuck around in the noise. Any instrument he plays is gonna get a bit sad if he loses his hand but maybe he’d get more into sampling and remixing and looping computer generated beats as a result.

I think it would be funny if Jacob had a surprisingly angelic singing voice that was completely uncoached and no one ever expected out of him, sort of like Finn from Glee (RIP) but less auto-tuned. I think he’d be an acoustic guitar guy for sure just for the romance of it. Anyway, here’s “Wonderwall.”

Actual footage of Jacob serenading Emma, feat Abi.

Kaitlyn does not strike me as particularly musical though I headcanon that she and Jacob slay karaoke together. She just kind of shouts into the mic like a 90s riot grrl and sings Alanis or Joan Jett and kills.

Abi is so high school marching band nerd coded to me and I feel like she’s a total flute/piccolo girlie or else clarinet/oboe. Or maybe she plays violin in the school orchestra. Something sweet. She’s good but too nervous to perform or audition in front of people very much so it’s just a hobby she shares with people she trusts.

Emma I think would have a perfectly nice mid range singing voice that she’d wish was better. She probably started her influencer career recording Taylor Swift covers for YouTube but she’s a much better actress and dancer than she is a singer. Not quite triple threat material but she believes in herself so she’s trying.

Ryan has such a unique voice that I can’t decide if he definitely can sing or if he’s practically tone deaf. I kind of lean toward the latter. I imagine he hates his singing voice and rarely sings even for fun but if Dylan catches him singing or humming he’s like smitten times one million about it. I could see Ryan playing drums though, I’d imagine he has a good sense of rhythm.

Max, on the other hand, cannot carry a tune but sings ALL THE TIME anyway. And Laura cringes but finds it endearing all the same. He probably plays the ukulele. He just seems like the type.

Laura was a choir kid for sure and probably got solos in school plays and Max was accompanying her on ukulele and playing unnamed roles or else he was painting backdrops or something. We know Siobahn can sing and I feel like that would carry through with Laura for sure. I imagine them doing elaborate musical routines together on car rides even with their vastly different musical abilities.

Nick reminds me of a bassist I know who is maybe the weirdest human being alive. So that’s where I see him. He can sing a little but it’s definitely a backing vocals voice. I feel like he’d be in a stoner jam band just fucking around, playing the same song for an hour while both the band and audience are too high to know the difference.

Chris Hackett obviously plays guitar and Travis accompanies him on harmonica. Bobby plays blowing air over the lip of a jug and also cowbell.

I LOVE THIS ASK EVERYONE TELL ME THOUGHTS!

[hairmetal666]

“Still here, Harrington?” Buckley asks. She’s carrying an instrument case, and he remembers vaguely that she did band stuff, probably was part of the orchestra playing earlier. Again, he’s struck by how little he actually knows this person he’s spent countless hours with over the last year. 

“Yeah, I—uh—” he rubs the back of his neck. “Just hyping myself up to walk to the dorms.”

She lets out a long breath. “Tell me about it. Wanna walk together?”

He appreciates the way she doesn’t question it; knows she understands exactly why he struggles to be alone at night now. 

They set off down the path, Buckley’s instrument case banging a little as it bounces against her hip. He wonders if he should ask if he could carry it for her, then wonders what she plays, and is ashamed he doesn’t know already. He should. He’s pretty sure she’s in marching band, must have played at his games and dozens of pep rallies, he just never noticed. 

“You’re not how I thought you would be,” she says into the quiet. 

He snorts. “That is a relatively new development.”

“Yeah?”

“I’ve been re-evaluating some things.” 

“King Steve, douchebag no more?”

He laughs, surprised. “Seems that way. I hope. It feels like I’m seeing things clearly for the first time.”

“That Hagan, Carver, and Carol-fucking-Perkins are, like, bottom of the barrel for people you could choose to spend time with?”

“Fuck, how did I miss it after all this time?”

“Oh no, Harrington, don’t get me wrong, you fit right in with them.”

This time his laugh is so loud it echoes off the buildings, ringing into the night. “Damn, Buckley. Okay.” He takes a deep breath; thinks maybe he can be vulnerable with her. “I want to be better. I don’t want to be like those guys. I—I’m not. And I want to get Eddie back more than anything.”

She shakes her head, mouth relaxed but lips in a line. “You’re not like them. As shitty as you could be, this is—it’s something else.”

He likes Robin Buckley. She’s honest. Funny. Smart. 

“Do you think—” He’s cut off as a shadow darts away from the edge of the library, coming straight for them. Steve jumps in front of her without thinking, takes the brunt of the body that throws him to the ground. 

“Steve!” She yells, and she’s so far away he can’t see her, immediately flashing back to that night, to Eddie crying out to him for help. 

WIP Wednesday for You Will Still Haunt Me ft. hs Stobin becoming best friends

Chapters 8-11 drop Saturday!

[ladykailitha]

I am frustrated with technology at the moment. Windows 11 decided that it was going to save my stories in two places. And with two stories (I almost put twice, it was way more than twice) it only showed the versions that were from before I got my new laptop.

So like with Royal Pain's epilogue, the version I sent @duraffinity for Exit Eddie Pursued By a Steve was the version I posted here and not my edited copy (I at least try to do a SPaG read before I send it to her so it's not too bad).

So I'm struggling with leaving it as is on AO3 or trying to send the version I had worked on for her to get the right on edited and posted on AO3.

Version 2.0 in all its 4882 word glory under the cut:

Eddie had been on his way to the choir room for his weekly “meeting” of the Hellfire Club. They had to have in there this week due to the unfortunate fact that the school musical was currently being preformed and they actually needed the drama room closet.

Suddenly a gaggle of people came tearing out of the stage in a hurry. The last of which was someone in a large red wig and bright yellow dress. But Eddie knew those hazel eyes anywhere.

He let out a low whistle. “Looking gorgeous there, Harrington.”

Steve skidded to a stop in his kitten heels and turned to see who had cat-called him.

“Yeah?” Steve said to him under half-shut eyes. “You like what you see, Munson?”

Eddie gave an appraising glance up and down. “I do indeed.”

“Too bad I have to change out of it,” Steve teased.

Eddie shook his head sadly. “Now, why would you want to go and do a thing like that?”

Steve laughed. “Because I’m in the next scene, and I ain’t wearing this!”

Eddie laughed, too. “Damn shame.”

Steve looked around and then hurried over to him. “If you like it that much, meet me after the play.”

He winked and then gathered up his skirt and ran for the changing room.

Eddie was still standing there when Jeff, Gareth, and Brian came up behind him.

“Who was the broad?” Brian asked.

Eddie licked the top row of his teeth. “That was no broad, gentlemen. That was King Steve in a ballgown.”

“Wait, what?” Jeff asked, his face screwed up in confusion. “No way.”

“Oh yeah,” Eddie hummed. “And I’m pretty sure he just asked me backstage after the play for a little action.”

All three other boys turned to him in shock.

“Ain’t no way,” Gareth hissed. “It’s probably some prank to have the basketball team jump you or something.”

Eddie grinned. “Come on, boys. We’ve got dragons to slay before they kick us out of the choir room, too.”

They all followed him to the choir room, a little confused on what just happened.

*

Steve waited nervously after getting one of the band and orchestra geeks to help him back into the dress. The wig and makeup were gone, as were the shoes. Those things pinched.

His dress swished back and forth as he paced wringing his hands.

“Oh.”

Steve stopped in his tracks and turned to the open door. Eddie stood there with an expression that Steve couldn’t quite make out.

“I have to know before we do this,” he rambled. “Are you wanting to do this because you thought I was beautiful as a girl in a dress? Or because you thought I looked beautiful in the dress?”

Eddie paused for a moment. “That is a very important distinction and one you are right in asking, sweetheart.”

Steve blushed deeply.

Eddie crowded his space and lifted his chin gently, “You look beautiful, Stevie.”

He gasped and Eddie dived on in, pressing their lips together. Instantly, Steve’s tongue tangled with his.

Eddie pulled away reluctantly. “We are definitely doing this.”

Steve nodded. “Just try not to get anything on the dress itself, otherwise I’ll be murdered by the drama teacher.”

Eddie chuckled darkly. “You’ve got it, babe.”

*

When Eddie walked in the room, Steve appeared coy. Shy even. And then when Steve asked why he was interested in fucking him in that dress, he suddenly got it.

“Anyone ever take care of you, Stevie?” he murmured, slowly pulling up the folds of the dress to get at those delicious thighs.

Steve shook his head. “I’ve only had sex with girls. They tend to expect you to do all the work.”

“Oh, darlin’,” Eddie cooed. “I’m going to make you feel so good, baby.”

Steve threw his head back and moaned as Eddie caressed the sides of his thighs.

“That’s it,” Eddie purred, mouthing along the expanse of Steve’s neck, “you sound so good.”

He pushed down the pantaloons Steve was wearing and tucked the dress behind his beautiful cock and sank to his knees.

Steve’s hands immediately buried into Eddie’s hair, pulling him all the way onto his cock.

Eddie lifted one of Steve’s legs and tucked it over his shoulder. He took the spit and slick from his blowjob and coated his fingers. He pressed one finger into Steve and the boy let out the most delicious sounds.

Eddie wished he could swallow them up, but he would have to settle for swallowing Steve down entirely. He continued to open Steve up and suck him off. Suddenly Steve was coming in ribbons down Eddie’s throat.

Eddie stood up and kissed Steve dirtily, mouth still slick with his cum.

Eddie gathered up the skirt of the dress and pressed into to Steve’s hands. “Hold on tight to that, darling. We don’t want to get anything on it, right?”

Steve nodded. He let out a low whine, taking in as much of Eddie as he could.

Eddie lined himself up and slowly pierced Steve’s ass.

“Eddie!” he cried. “Oh god!”

Eddie took that as encouragement and slid all the way to the hilt.

Steve wanted to grip the back of Eddie’s shirt and fist his hair, but his hands were occupied by the skirt of his dress. He held on tight, barely holding on as Eddie fucked him wildly.

Soon Eddie was coming into Steve, in rough, hopeless waves.

Steve let out a breathless sigh. “God, oh fuck.” He moved to bring his hands down but Eddie stopped him.

“We need to get you out of this dress first, darlin’,” he murmured into Steve’s ear, “then you can lower your arms, all right?”

Steve nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, okay.”

Eddie giggled at how far gone Steve was. He removed the dress and hung everything up their proper places, while Steve panted for air, pressed against the crates Eddie fucked him against.

Once Steve was able to catch his breath, he asked, “How did you know where everything went?”

Eddie turned back to him with a grin. “This is where my club meets for D&D. The Hellfire Club, ever heard of it?”

Steve nodded. “I’ve got these kids I babysit that love that game. It’s all they’ve been talking about when it comes to picking out classes and clubs for next year.”

Eddie raised an eyebrow and sat down to watch Steve clean up himself and get dressed. He wondered where it was all going to go from there. Would Steve throw him out? Punch him? Mock him?

“I think you’ve ruined me for anyone else,” Steve muttered darkly as he ran his hand through his hair. He stood there in sweatpants and ratty old yellow sweater, looking every bit as beautiful as he had in the dress.

Eddie grinned. “Yeah, big boy? How’s that?”

“I don’t think I’ve come so hard in my life.”

Eddie cackled. “Right back ‘atcha, sweetheart.”

Steve blushed and walked over to stand between Eddie’s legs. “We’ve had dessert, what would you say to a late dinner?”

Eddie smiled up at him and then pulled him down for a kiss. “Sounds perfect, Stevie.”

*

“I call bullshit,” Brian said the next morning at their lockers when Eddie told them. “There is no way you sucked Harrington’s dick.”

“Did a slight more than that, Bri,” Eddie crowed.

Jeff frowned. “Prove it.” He jutted his chin across the hall to where Steve was at his locker getting stuff out for the next class. “There’s ‘your boy’ as you say. Go get him.”

“And even if it is true,” Gareth growled. “There is no way he’d associate with you in the middle of the whole fucking school. He’s going to break your heart and we’ll have to pick up the pieces.”

“Watch and learn, boys,” Eddie said flippantly.

He strutted across the hall to Steve and placed his hand on the locker next to him by his head.

Steve turned around, closing his locker. “Oh, hey, Eddie.”

Eddie smirked. “Morning, princess.”

Steve leaned against the lockers and laughed. “I’m the ugly step-sister, remember. Not the princess.”

“You were as pretty as one last night,” Eddie teased.

Steve grinned and put his arms around Eddie’s neck. “Hmm...that kind of talk is what got us in that position in the first place.”

Eddie grinned right back, putting his hands on Steve’s waist. “You saying flattering works on you, sweetheart?”

Steve cocked his head to the side. “I’m saying it doesn’t hurt.”

He pressed his lips to Eddie’s and they both melted into the kiss.

“Am I going to see you at lunch?” Eddie asked pulling away and pressing their foreheads together.

Steve shook his head. “You have first lunch and I have second.”

“So cruel,” he murmured, his thumb rubbing a patch of bare skin between Steve’s jeans and where his sweater had risen up because of his arms around Eddie’s neck.

“I’ll see you after school, okay?”

Eddie nodded. “It’ll be torment until I see you again.”

“For me, too,” Steve breathed.

And then Eddie was digging his fingers into Steve’s sides, tickling him.

“Eddie!” Steve protested, laughing.

Eddie leaned forward and kissed the smile off his face. “Later, Princess.”

“Later, Eds.”

Eddie turned and walked away.

“Eddie!” Steve called out. “Catch!”

Eddie managed to catch whatever it was on sheer instinct. He looked at it to see that it was Steve’s varsity basketball ring.

“Hold on to that for me,” he said with a smile. “It’s special to me.”

Eddie saluted and practically skipped back to his friends.

Steve laughed, shaking his head fondly.

*

“Holy fuck,” Jeff said. “He laughed at an Eddie-ism and not mockingly either.”

“His varsity ring,” Gareth replied numbly. “He gave Eddie his varsity ring.”

“That possessive draping his arms over Eddie’s shoulders...” Brian muttered.

Eddie just chewed happily on his pretzels as he watched his friends repeat all the things that Steve and he had done that morning.

“So...no broken hearts this fine Friday morning, is there?” he said into a brief lull in their retelling.

All three heads snapped his direction.

“How the hell did you manage to convince Steve Harrington to be your boyfriend?” Jeff asked.

“I really don’t think you want the play by play,” Eddie teased.

They all made gagging sounds.

Suddenly their table darkened. They stopped talking and they looked up.

There, standing above them were Tommy H, Carol, and about half the basketball team all glaring at Eddie.

“And how I can I help you gentlemen and lady today?” he asked, grinning around chewing on a pretzel.

“What did you do to Steve?” Tommy asked. “What spell did you use, man?”

Gareth snorted.

“This is serious!” Carol shrieked. “You tell your friend to undo whatever it was that he used to curse Steve.”

“Hon,” Jeff said with a raised eyebrow, “if Eddie could do magic don’t you think he would have magicked his way through school and not had to do a second time at being a senior?”

They all kind of looked at each other a moment before the muttering started.

Eddie just shook his head. “Or maybe, just maybe Steve needed someone to take care of him the way he takes care of everyone else.”

His flicked around the room and he could see Nancy and Jonathan inching closer to hear him.

“Because,” he continued a little louder, “if you lot had given as much of damn about him as he did about you, maybe I wouldn’t have had to adopt him like have all my other little sheep. So fuck off. And maybe ask Steve why he abandoned you lot.”

He waved them off and went back to eating his lunch.

*

Steve was showering after gym and could feel the eyes on him. He looked up to see that half of the boys showering were looking at him and the other half was avoiding his eye.

“Did theater turn you gay?” one of the guys asked.

Steve had give it to the kid for actually having the balls to say something. He sighed and turned off the water. “I like dicks and hard chests, sure. I also like soft breasts and wet cunts. It’s not always an either or thing.”

Some of the guys started covering their junks and he laughed.

“Oh god, I don’t care about your dicks, for fuck’s sake,” he said rolling his eyes. He turned the water back on. “I’ve never looked at any of your scaly dicks. I know how fast you shower. I don’t need to look at your dick to know you didn’t wash it.”

Some of them ducked their heads as they knew he was talking about them.

“And don’t think for a second that I’m the only queer in this shower room either,” he continued. “You lot aren’t as slick as you think you are. Plus, what would I want with any of your dicks? Have you seen Munson’s? Take it from someone who has, it’s far superior to you lot.”

Steve finished up rinsing his hair and got dressed. The second he was out the door, the locker room erupted in a cacophony of gossip. He just shook his head.

*

Steve walked out to the parking lot where Eddie was waiting for him. He strolled right up to where his boyfriend was lounging against the driver’s side door of his van.

“Hey, honey,” Eddie greeted with a big smile. “Miss me?”

“Always.” Steve kissed him soundly.

Eddie pulled him closer to deepen the kiss, hands buried into Steve’s gorgeous locks.

When they finally broke apart, Eddie licked his lips. “Damn, Stevie, if you kiss all the girls like that it’s no wonder they’re after you all the time.”

Steve draped his arms around Eddie’s neck. “Only you, sunshine.”

Eddie tucked his hands into Steve’s back pockets. “You got the play again tonight?”

Steve hummed. “And tomorrow, too.”

Eddie chewed his bottom lip. “I want you to meet my Uncle Wayne. Is it too soon?”

Steve shook his head. “I’d love to meet your uncle, baby. You just don’t want to meet my parents.”

Eddie pursed his lips. “You won’t get into trouble by dating me so openly, will you?”

Steve shrugged. “I don’t honestly know. But it wouldn’t matter if I did. I’d pick you over those jackasses that haven’t been around much since I turned sixteen.”

Eddie hummed. “Okay, baby. I just want you safe.”

Steve kissed him. “Thanks for that. But I’ll be fine.”

“So I’m coming to the play tonight,” Eddie said, “all proper, with a ticket and everything.”

Steve raised an eyebrow. “You hoping for a repeat performance after last night, Eds?”

“And if I was?” he growled in Steve’s ear.

Steve giggled. “I have an outfit that I’m actually wearing at the end of the play that I think you’ll enjoy a little more than the ballgown, baby.”

Eddie’s nostrils flared in want. “Yeah, honey, we can do that.”

Steve kissed him deeply. “Can’t wait.”

“What time do you have to be here tomorrow for the play?”

“About three o’clock, why?” Steve asked, rubbing his nose along Eddie’s.

“My uncle has work at two,” Eddie explained, “so why don’t you come over tomorrow for lunch and meet him.”

Steve kissed him fiercely. “Okay, sunshine. I’ll bring pizza, is noon okay?”

Eddie nodded. “I’ll see you then, princess.”

They finally broke apart and Steve walked back the school.

Jeff shook his head and clacked his tongue. “Dude that was the most disgusting display of affection I’ve ever seen. And you’ve met my parents.”

Eddie cackled. “Just wait boys, I have feeling we’re about to get so much worse.”

*

Eddie sat in the back of the school auditorium and grinned when Steve came out in a yellow robe over just a corset and pantaloons with stockings and kitten-heeled shoes for the scene with Cinderella trying on the glass slipper.

Eddie ran his tongue over his lips slowly. Steve had been right. The ballgown had been a treat, but this? This was the fucking main course.

He waited until all the other guys had filed out of the drama room to enter. He nearly growled when he saw Steve draped against the sofa dressed as he was in the play minus the silk robe. Which was fair. That was a lot harder to keep out of the way.

“Like what you see, beautiful?” Steve murmured. He rand his hands down the corset and Eddie growled. And then pounced.

Sex that time was different. Now that they both knew that they were on the same page, it was both more tender and a lot raunchier.

When they were getting dressed, Steve hummed.

“You know,” he said. “you really are good at making sure there isn’t anything on the clothes.

Eddie huffed out a laugh. “That’s because if you’re sneaking around and don’t want people to know, you learn real quick the art of not letting it show on the outside.”

Steve stopped what he was doing and walked over to him. He lifted his chin and gave him a deep kiss. “You’ll never have to worry about that unless you want to. Like tonight and last night. This is just a bit of fun, but...” he held up Eddie’s right hand that held Steve’s varsity ring, “this is a full on declaration, okay? I won’t ever hide that I’m yours.”

Eddie nodded. “You’ve got it, sweetheart.”

“Good,” Steve murmured. “I’m starving and Benny’s has pancakes on special on Fridays.”

Eddie laughed. “Yeah, baby, it’ll be my treat.”

*

The next morning Wayne found Eddie pacing the living room.

“What’s got you around the twist?” he finally asked after the hundredth sigh.

Eddie wrung his hands. “So you know how I don’t introduce you to the guys I sleep around with?”

Wayne snorted. “I figured they just liked leaping out of windows when I came home.”

Eddie giggled. “Well, this one wants to meet you.”

Wayne raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

Eddie chewed on his bottom lip. “He’s really good to me, Uncle Wayne. And I mean, really good.”

Wayne hummed. “What do you mean?”

Eddie started pacing again. “It’s like every time I think, ‘oh this is it, this the part where he gets embarrassed by me’ he does something super sweet and cements that he’s with me for the long haul. It’s like he’s inside my head reading my insecurities and coming up with things that would allay those fears.”

He stopped in front of his uncle and handed him the ring.

“He gave this to you?” Wayne asked before really looking at it.

“In front a large crowd of people so that people wouldn’t say I stole it from him.”

Wayne’s eyebrows shot up. “Seriously? Wasn’t that dangerous?”

Eddie nodded, close to vibrating out of his skin. “But he wanted people to know he belonged to me and no one else.”

“It doesn’t look very expensive,” Wayne said with a chuckle.

“No,” Eddie agreed. “It’s a chintzy thing, but it’s important to him so...”

Wayne actually looked at the ring, like really looked at it. “Ed. This is a varsity basketball ring.”

Eddie nodded again. “That’s the other reason I’m nervous introducing you to him. We were both targets of jock bullies in school until we became untouchable through admittedly very different ways. You with auto body and me with metal.”

He sat down and then back up again. “And I won’t lie and say he wasn’t like that, but after getting a concussion he started to realize popularity wasn’t all it cracked up to be so he joined drama, ditched his asshole friends and–”

“Who are you trying to convince me or yourself?” Wayne interjected gently.

Eddie blushed. “He’s just so good, Uncle Wayne.”

“So why are you trying so hard to convince me?”

Eddie gulped and sat down on the sofa, hard.

“Because it’s Steve Harrington.”

Wayne stared at him for a moment and then moved to sit next to him on sofa. “We’ve talked about him before, what so different this time?”

“He wants to meet you for a start,” Eddie said furrowing his brow. “Like even the boys that were out when they were with me didn’t want to do that. He bitched out a bunch of boys in the locker room for ragging on me. And I didn’t hear that one from him by the way. I overheard a couple of guys from his gym class talking about it. When I asked it about it later, he brushed it off like it wasn’t a big deal.”

“It wasn’t a big deal to defend you against bullies?” Wayne asked, eyes wide.

“Yeah.”

Wayne licked his lips slowly. “All right, let’s meet this boy of yours. When is he coming over?”

“Today at noon?” Eddie said with a grimace.

Wayne looked around at the newly tidied trailer and simply said. “Ah.”

“He’s bringing pizza for lunch,” Eddie said sheepishly, “if that helps.”

“Depends from where.”

Eddie pushed him playfully. “You are such a pizza snob, God!”

There was a knock on the door and Wayne looked at his watch. “Looks like your boy is a little early.”

Eddie blushed.

“I wonder if I can have him teach that trick to you,” he said rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

He got up to get the door and had his hand on the doorknob before Eddie came to his senses.

“Don’t you dare open that door, old man,” he said scrambling to the door. “I won’t have you to scare him off because of his pizza choices.”

Wayne laughed, but let Eddie open the door. On the other side was a grinning Steve.

“I hope Carlos’s Pizza is good enough,” he said holding up the two large boxes.

Wayne took the boxes from him and peeked into the top one. “You’ll do.”

He wandered off into the kitchen for plates.

Eddie grabbed Steve by the lapels of his stupid Members Only jacket and hauled him inside to kiss the daylights out him.

Steve yelped in surprise, but went willingly into his boyfriend’s arms.

“You brought pizza from the only Italian pizzeria in town,” Eddie breathed. “He is going to love you.”

Steve laughed. “I have an Italian grandmother and rich parents, we only have ever gotten pizza at Carlos’s.”

Wayne stopped short in the small area between the kitchen and the front room, pizza shoved in his mouth. He swallowed roughly.

“I hadn’t thought about that,” Wayne said a little sheepishly. “Of course he brought good pizza.”

Steve couldn’t help feel like that had lost him points.

“I’ve set some plates out for you two,” Wayne said, jutting his thumb behind him.

Eddie and Steve went to kitchen. The plates didn’t match, but Steve couldn’t find it in him to care.

Eddie opened the top box and grimaced.

He went to pull out a slice, but Steve slid the bottom box out and opened it for him.

“Cheese?” Eddie asked looking into the new box. “You bought me a cheese pizza?”

Steve smiled. “Sure. You always pick off the pepperoni off your pizza when we had it at school.”

Eddie opened and closed his mouth a couple of times before snapping it shut to kiss Steve senseless.

“I didn’t know you noticed that,” he admitted shyly.

Steve laughed. “Dude, you used to throw the pieces into Tommy H’s hair.”

Eddie giggled. “Oops!”

They went out to the front room and Eddie sat on the sofa, and Steve sat on the floor between Eddie’s knees.

Wayne raised an eyebrow at Eddie’s meatless pizza, causing Eddie to blush.

“So Eddie tells me you’re dating now,” Wayne said after polishing off one of the slices he picked up for himself.

“Yes, sir,” Steve said, curling one hand around Eddie’s calf and rubbing it soothingly.

“You’re not worried about what’s gonna happen to two boys out in Bumfuck, Indiana?”

Steve looked up at Eddie and then back to Wayne. “Not really. I probably should. I know it’s dangerous. But I’m tired of hiding who I am to be palpable for other people.”

“You aren’t worried about what your parents are going to think?” Wayne pressed.

Steve shrugged. “They’d have to actually be home to do shit.”

Eddie and Wayne shared a glance over Steve’s head.

“What do you mean, baby?” Eddie asked softly.

“They started taking trips together when I turned sixteen,” he explained, picking at the crust of his pizza, tearing off little chunks. “The trips have gotten longer and longer the older I’ve gotten. Some days, I don’t think they remember they have a son.”

Wayne wanted to poke that statement a little bit more, but Steve was already shutting down.

“They will find out eventually,” Wayne said gently. “It’s not as though they aren’t completely disconnected from the Hawkins rumor mill.”

Again Steve rubbed Eddie’s calf, a move Eddie was starting sense was about Steve’s comfort and not his own.

“They didn’t come home when Billy Hargrove bashed my head in with a plate for stepping between him and a black fourteen year old kid for daring to hang out with his step-sister.”

The glance between Wayne and Eddie was far more concerned the last.

“Is that why you came to school after missing a couple of days with your face all black and blue?” Eddie asked softly, not sure he could say it louder. Not with Wayne nearby.

Steve nodded. “Quit the basketball team after that. That got my dad calling let me tell you. Hurt and in the hospital in the second major concussion in two years, fucking crickets. Quit the basketball team, on the phone screaming about wrecking my chances to get into a good college.”

“That’s more reason to be concerned, you realize?” Wayne asked.

Steve sighed. “Probably. But when I turned eighteen, I opened my own bank account and have been stashing away money to get out if I needed to.”

Eddie bristled at that. “You shouldn’t have to.”

Steve shrugged again. “I’ve been wanting to get out that house for a while now, and I have enough saved up to do it. Which probably why I outed myself, I guess. I knew I could walk away if I needed to.”

“So why Eddie?”

Steve blushed. He looked up at him with a dopey grin. “I’ve had a crush on him for years. Hell, my first major girlfriend was essentially fem!Eddie. Beautiful, dark curly hair, deep soulful eyes...” He ducked his head in embarrassment.

“Years?” Eddie asked. “Seriously?”

Steve stroked Eddie’s calf again and hummed in agreement. “Yeah. Ever since I started high school. You were so unapologetically yourself standing up to bullies, making sure the weirdos, freaks, and outcasts were taken care of. God, how I wished I could be one of your sheep. But I had to have the right friends, date the right people, take the right classes. So I watched you from afar.”

He looked up at Wayne. “Did he tell you how we got together?”

“Yup,” he said, sucking on his teeth.

“All of it?”

“Yup.”

Eddie laughed. “Sorry, sweetheart. I tell him everything.”

Steve shook his head. “That must be so nice.” He scratched his cheek. “When Eddie told me he was into me, that it wasn’t just about having sex, I wanted to make sure everyone knew how much I was into him.”

Eddie leaned down a kissed the top of his head. “That’s because you love loud, Stevie. And I wouldn’t have any other way.”

Steve kissed Eddie’s knee as a thank you.

“Ed said that you seemed to recognize the doubts in his head,” Wayne said, “and take steps to combat them before they took root.”

Steve blushed. “Oh, I didn’t even realize I was doing that. I just knew all the fears I had and what I would have liked my partner to do to allay them. And then did that.”

“You’re so sweet, babe.” Eddie ran his fingers through Steve’s hair and he leaned into the touch with a sigh.

Steve laid his head on Eddie’s knee, soaking up the comfort. Eddie kicked Steve’s thigh with his foot.

“Eat up, Stevie,” he murmured.

Steve straightened up and began to eat. The rest of the meal, descending into a comfortable silence.

They cleaned up and Steve let them keep the leftovers.

Steve said goodbye to Eddie and Wayne and him walked out to their vehicles together, Wayne for work and Steve to the final practice before the last performance.

Wayne patted his shoulder. “You’re a good kid, Steve. And if you ever need a place to run to, run here.”

Steve blushed for what felt like the hundredth time that afternoon, but nodded. As he got into his car and pulled away he shook his head fondly. In the space of two hours, he had found himself a home.

The last two days had really changed his life. He had someone who loved him for who he was and a place to run to if things got bad. The ugly step-sister didn’t need a prince to happy, all it took was one earnestly sincere metalhead and Steve would take that over Prince Charming anyway. Especially since the prince had been played by Tommy H.

[sivavakkiyar]

What do you think of video game jazz? I’m getting into jazz right now and it’s how I got it into it but it feels kind of cringe to admit that

Ahhh tbh this is one of those things I’d want to give a more in-depth answer to. By which I mean I fantasize about having the talent and ability to do a 4 hour Folding Ideas style video essay about the entirety of ‘video game music is real music’ as a phenomenon. The most relevant backdrop to this is that I think people forget that the early 2000’s, when this discourse (in the West) started picking up steam was reactionary, by which I also mean probably not inline with the aesthetics by which we love video game music now. I mean ‘it’s not just beeps and boops!’ was the rallying cry: Anamanaguchi and chip tune stuff, even the fetish for those old hardware sounds wasn’t particularly widespread. So they loved the melodies they grew up with in games, but also thought of them as being ‘hobbled’ by the hardware, as opposed to sounds in their own right. So they were arguing that the music was legitimate now—-by which they very explicitly meant ‘performed on real instruments, often the instruments of the Western Orchestra.’ And I’m not saying ‘Western’ as a kneejerk thing either: a lot of those early attempts are embarassing because they take music obviously based around Japanese timbres and apply them to Western instrumentation in a way no one would be happy with today. So we no longer share that aesthetic—-we recognize that the moon theme from Ducktales on the NES is gorgeous, not in a ‘imagine what it could be!’ way, but specifically in and of itself. The orchestrated version of Mother’s Fallin Love is somehow not as intensely moving as the NES original, etc, and even if tastes differ we can agree on the possibility of that.

So I’d argue that this is kind of an important backdrop to the cultural phenomenon of what ‘video game jazz’ is, and has a lasting influence on it’s appeal: a legitimization for melodies and pieces we love. Jazz traditionalists and gatekeepers might occasionally dismiss it as ‘not real jazz’, but that involves a whole host of other assumptions. It obviously is jazz—-but what kind? overwhelmingly, it’s either tightly performed big band medleys or smooth jazz—-closer to the infamously Kenny G.

And that, to be honest, is kind of the point! People attend video game jazz shows to hear those melodies, that’s the point—-they’re not interested in jazz as such. Normally the argument for it’s potential legitimacy is ‘jazz has always used popular music of the day’, and I agree! But that’s clearly not the singular draw of the stuff, and I’ll give this example:

Mahanthappa is objectively one of the major figures of contemporary jazz. This was his arrangement of the New Horizons theme, recorded shortly “after COVID” (you know what I mean, god save us). It was relevant, popular, and significant, and made no headways in the video game jazz scene. How is this possible? Because the assumptions are different, and a good amount of the video game jazz specific audience didn’t respond to it: this is Mahanthappa bringing that music into jazz, as opposed to what amounts to an arranged revue. And so in a weird way there’s actually something like mutual disinterest, and reason why people tend to think of them as like fundamentally different.

It is stupid though. I have an old OneUps CD.

Sorry that coulda been shorter lol

[paradoxical-catastrophe]

It’s probably just the Frontal Lobe developing combined with dissociation but… anything even 6 months ago just feels like… not me, though I can recognize it as me. But anything like… 2-3 years ago, I could easily be convinced that was not me.

Vent ig? More just complaining. TW mentions vague of sui. This is all just random jumping back and foward about shit on my mind

Even just comparing highschool to now…

I did so many clubs and extracurriculars in ms/hs, and wanted to do more. I did a military program, band, a team creativity program thing, martial arts… I even wanted to do stuff like chess club, math competitions, orchestra, etc.

I drew constantly, I did my homework, I attended everything, I generally felt productive.

And now like… the last time I drew was over a month ago. I had to drop most things due to lack of time and loss of motivation, I only do band now. And… I don’t practice my instrument. I constantly forget homework, I never study. I was a gifted kid, and I thought the burnout would plateau in college. But it’s only gotten worse. I haven’t made any friends here. I don’t know my roommates names or anything about them. I haven’t made a proper meal (aka actual cooking, not just box stuff) in weeks.

I want to indulge my hobbies more. And I know the biggest reason I couldn’t is because of Friend Issues™️, deteriorating mental health, and school. And like yeah I’m finally getting out of ‘need constant distraction or the Harmful Thoughts will come back, but now it’s just… I feel empty without it.

I miss the kid I was. She couldn’t have ever imagined life would be like what it is now…

She has no idea we’re trans, we’re disabled, we broke up with that one guy who actually turned out to have cheated on us, lost that one friend who meant everything to us, learned how actually disgusting this stupid state is to the point I’m scared and tempted to take down any visible pride things I have because of elections, not even the fact we’re a system.

But like we got cool ass dyed hair and piercings and tattoos that’s sick at least. I want more.

It’s hard to think about what my life would have been like if I hadn’t done this one thing. If I hadn’t spoken to this person, if I hadn’t watched this show, if I hadn’t gotten an account on this website…

Yet, I really don’t think there’s a universe where life is any better than this. There’s a lot of shit, but there’s some wonderful things too.

Yeah I was cheated on, injured my leg, traumatized, constantly sick as a kid, made absolutely terrible mistakes, but. Now I’m in an apartment studying something I love, I’m playing fantastic music and I’m a lovely musician, I’m making fashion choices that I like, I’m doing what I want with my body. I’ve even got a fantastic boyfriend and group of friends that I don’t feel like I have to pretend around. I never realized how much I was masking and pretending and hiding until I met these people.

Idk whether I’m happy or sad. Something something cancelled out I guess. Now that Friend Issues™️ is over after being stuck with them for over a year, things finally feel like they’re (somewhat) going up. Just gotta stay alive until then. And I think working on fixing my sleep schedule is helping. No more staying up till 5-6 am!! Need a Morgana to bitch at me to sleep smh

I should pick up a new hobby. I still kinda feel like I’m distracting myself with my interests instead of enjoying my hobbies. I’d like to do something artistic, but I don’t have the motivation to really draw.

Maybe I’ll have some motivation tomorrow between classes. I do wanna draw my new oc and give him a solid outfit instead of just ‘inspo’…

[colorfuldreamsmkg]

First Note - Ch1 Battle of the Bands Theme

April 3rd, 2:45 PM. A day and a half since the announcement of your haunting situation within the abandoned structure (school?). At least by now you had explored the new areas and had enough space to move around without bumping into less savory characters on the regular. The fact that you could still enter your SEKAIs easily most certainly helped, too. Still, this was no replacement for the safety of home.

Much to the general dismay of the situation, a text reached your phones, bearing the name Hatsune Miku as the sender. What now?

🎵 Wow, it’s been two days already, hasn’t it? I have an update on your team-building activities! Wouldn’t you like to hear about how the Battle of the Bands is going to go? If you head to the orchestra room within 15 minutes, I’ll be handing out your theme!

Going out to meetings was met with less general enthusiasm before, but there was the sentiment that people had little choice in the matter. After all, how bad could it be? It wasn’t like you were being expected to write music about murder, too, right? Or something else dark and horrible.

The footsteps felt heavy on the dusty carpets of the orchestra room, with some opting to sit and some standing to avoid the dust. There was no requirement to sit, after all. A glow flicked from the digital clock of this room, Hatsune Miku standing at about a foot and a half tall to be seen by even the people less-inclined to be perceived in the back. With a bright smile and a wave, she proceeded to take mental roll call before greeting you properly.

“Hello again, everyone! It’s so nice to see you all, truly. I’m glad you made it! It would be a shame if I had to help someone get here myself. That takes some extra steps, doesn’t it?” 

“Anyway… As I’ve already mentioned, I’ve brought you here for the Battle of the Bands theme! I’d really like everyone to get closer, so… I picked an easier theme for our first round. So this time it will be… Dundundundundundun…”

Miku mimicked the sound of a drumroll, stomping in place with excitement to build anticipation. It was up in the air as to how much this actually worked, though.

“Love Songs!! Specifically, this love song must be a Cover of a Virtual Singer song! It doesn’t have to be originally sung by ME, but I would be tickled if it was. Wouldn’t that be cute? Oh! And if you don’t know any virtual singer songs yourself, understandable if you don’t, I’ve been so kind as to leave a bunch of songs to reference in the music library, and CDs with instrumentals for those of you that can’t play any instruments right now! Your performance is flexible, and I’m not judgemental, I promise.”

Well… That wouldn’t be TOO hard, right? At least for the people who actually had performance experience. The rest of you might end up having a major disadvantage here. Still, Miku herself seemed perfectly satisfied with the announcement, what with her emphasis on team-building this entire time.

“Now that the theme’s revealed, I should talk a little about the format we’re doing this in! After everyone performs, I’ll be ranking your performances from first to fifth place. The first through third place winners will all receive prizes in the means of crystals for each of you, and first place will also receive a bit of relief from what’s to come as an added bonus. Fourth place will simply be ‘safe’, and fifth place will receive a penalty regarding what’s to come. I can promise you’ll want to participate! It will be worth your time.”

“Oh, and… Every person in your group needs to contribute in some way, or else your entire group will be automatically disqualified. And I’m willing to have more than one group in fifth place, if I must! And no top three places, too. I truly want you all to become closer through this! Both in collaboration and in friendly competition.”

Only time would tell if this would actually help build any bonds like miss Miku claimed she wanted. After all, it was harder to make friends under the threat that any one of the people here could kill you at any moment (not that that was deterring some of the folks present, either). Best steel yourselves and rehearse, if the reward was truly as worth it as she claimed it would be. Best hope the others on your team would be open to helping, too.

“Oh! But I know some of you enjoy music in a way that doesn’t involve performing yourself, of course! It would be unfair to force all of you to perform directly if it’s not your specialty, so know that I’d only like for you all to CONTRIBUTE in some way! The more you contribute, the better. But if you aren’t singing or playing something… Maybe you can be in charge of special effects, costumes, A/V, composing a rearrangement, or choreography. Things like that would all work, but if you’re doing backstage help, make sure your contribution is still major! Simply picking out premade costumes and doing nothing else isn’t much for a contribution, right? But don’t worry, you don’t need to inform me of what you’re doing to help. I’ll know!”

“Oh… but doesn’t that also mean you might be short performers? Hmm… Well! You can ask your SEKAI’s virtual singers to help you by playing something or singing with you as you need to, also! Or whatever else. So how about we at least host this round in everyone’s personal SEKAIs? We can do a grand tour to everyone’s stage! That would be wonderful, don’t you think?”

That certainly would be an aid. At least thus far, everyone’s virtual singers have been quite eager to help their units out, to some of your annoyances. And the lessened pressure of not needing to be the person on the stage would help out those who were more hesitant to perform.

“Just keep your eyes on the prizes! Hard work and caring consideration will be rewarded, even for performances that are weaker than what professionals might put on. Good luck, and have fun! We’ll be performing in four days from now. I hope that’s enough time for everyone to rehearse…”

Four days? Yeah that was a tight timeline for anyone who was less familiar with performing. But it was better than nothing. You’d just have to get to work on deciding the song sooner rather than later if you wanted enough time to practice.

“Oh, but before the performance time… you’ll be seeing me again for something MUCH more fun the day before then. I think of it as another stepping stone to getting to know the people around you! After all… Getting to know things about others is a great way to become friends someday. Look forward to it! Goodbye, dear friends, I’ll see you again soon!”

And thus, Miku’s form flickered out of visibility. It was time to roll up your sleeves and get to work!