#all eyes on me (song only) bo burnham

[dip-the-pip]

idc about the top songs tell me your last 5 songs and 3 weird honourable mentions for even MAKING it on the top 100 list

[ataraxiaspainting]

Icarus.

Yan (Emperor) Zhongli x F Reader.

Synopsis: You were taught ever since you opened your eyes to never go against your god. So why do you wish now that you have never opened them at all?

Warnings: Yandere themes, major power imbalances, manipulation, future forced marriage, some violence/gore, and unhealthy relationships.

Word Count: 3k.

Ten Songs Like This Piece:

Little Dark Age by MGMT

As the World Caves In by Matt Maltese

The Other Side Of Paradise by Glass Animals

All Eyes On Me by Bo Burnham

Space Song by Beach House

Murders by Miracle Musical

Tongues & Teeth by The Crane Wives

Teacher’s Pet by Melanie Martinez

A Pearl by Mitski

Isabella’s Lullaby by Takahiro Obata

*~*~*~*

“‘You know that I love you.’ And despite herself, Coraline nodded. It was true. The other mother loved her. But she loved Coraline as a miser loves money, or a dragon loves its gold. In the other mother's button eyes, Coraline knew that the other mother loved her as a possession, nothing more, a tolerated pet whose behavior was no longer amusing.” – Neil Gaiman, Coraline

*~*~*~*

There is no sin greater than to be a bird.

To be a bird is to be devoid of all burdens, soaring above all who are shackled by them, like a warden overseeing prisoners, or the sweetest and ripest peaches up on the highest of branches so no one can reach it. They can go anywhere, birds, with the winds at their call, the very embodiment of freedom itself, something your god has taught all his people to be wary of. Freedom can be a blessing, he told one of his counselors once, but it can also cause humans to be too conceited. There is no sin greater than to be a bird because all others will be envious. Envy is also a sin, one so common that even Archons are said to possess it. Sin gives birth to more sin, more suffering, and thus only the original that birthed it all shall be punished by Celestia’s fury. 

There is no greater sin than to be a bird, so the gods put in place cages, made to make those trapped by gold and chains and other things entirely. Birds who are not lured into such traps are dealt with by lightning, making them fall back down to the ground below, the last thing they see is the very sky that punished them. The sky, the stars, the moon, the sun… the entire world will be against you when you are a bird.

It will be that way until you die. The world hates birds and the way they fly and soar. Birds are meant for cages, or to be struck down with their corpses made into trophies.

There is no title greater than to be a hunter.

The sin; to be a bird, freedom… the title; to be a hunter, despotism.

To shoot, to stab, to twist until the prey bursts, is the way of someone whose greatest sin is doing good for this world.

To bleed, to be trapped, to be killed and put on display for all to see, that is what a bird’s purpose truly is, in the eyes of the divine.

They are different, quite so, like different ripples in lakes of mixed blood and water.

You can almost hear them, can’t you?

Celestia favors the strong. Celestia despises the weak. It makes sense to most people, those who were born into power be it money made from blood or strength made from blood. They don’t see the way the world works. The way flies feast upon rotting meat and are soon to be eaten by something bigger. It makes sense for most people, but not for you. Despite everything you have ever been taught from word of mouth, life on the streets teaches you otherwise. For everything you have endured, you have learned that you are not weak. In any case, quite the opposite.

You don’t pray anymore with everyone else, as they keep reciting such things over and over again at the states positioned throughout Liyue as if the emperor would listen to them. 

“O Almighty Geo Archon, give us your blessings for the many moons ahead of us all!” They would hold hands with their bodies being placed in circles around the sculptures. They close their eyes altogether, to not see the sacrifices trapped between them at the monuments, the last thing they see is the Lord of Geo’s face, looking down at them with a stone-cold glare laced with eerie delight. “O Almighty Geo Archon, give us your blessings for the many moons ahead of us all! O Almighty Geo Archon, give us your blessings for the many moons ahead of us all!”

To be praying and to be preying are two quite different things, but to the people of Liyue, there is no difference. Blood seeps into the earth all the same, regardless of who sheds it. So, as evidence that the people of Liyue do indeed bow down to Celestia’s every whim, they bring birds of all kinds and steal them of all they have. Their feathers make for excellent clothing, their bones make for stellar weaponry, and their feet make for charms of good luck. Celestia only smiles down upon the strong, after all. Celestia despises freedom because, without the divine, humans would have nothing to leash them onto rationality and laws. Perhaps that is why Mondstadt is very much in chaos now. Their god was said to have betrayed Celestia by giving his people forbidden knowledge of how nature originally ran its course, causing an uproar among the citizens. 

No one knows what happened to the god of Mondstadt after that.

Was he smitten down? Did his people turn on him? No one in Liyue knows for certain, as people of Mondstadt are forbidden from entering the land said to be made up of the purest of gold.

“O Almighty Geo Archon, give us your blessings for the many moons ahead of us all!”

That is the first thing you hear when you wake up, huddled in a corner to prevent yourself from getting even more wet from the rain. You assume that maybe it will be the last thing you hear when you close your eyes for good.

*~*~*~*

You grew up in Qiaoying Village and, once you grew up, got exiled from Qiaoying Village. You stood out, which no one saw in a good light. You were a mischievous, rule-breaking child, always stealing Jadevein Tea Eggs and both tea and tea sets made of fine porcelain. Your older brother taught you lessons far too valuable and unique for the traditionalist settings of Qiaoying Village, lessons like how to pick the elderly’s door’s locks, how to properly identify which pockets had the most Mora, and how to make alleyways a labyrinth for those who chase you.

Your older brother, though, did not partake in thievery himself. You suppose that might have been the first warning sign of many more to come. He made you, a child about half his age, do his dirty work for him. He always hoarded the rewards afterward, and if you got caught or he got caught with whatever treasure you had given him, he would pretend to scold you for going against the way of the Qiaoying. He said it was just pretend, but that look in his eyes still haunts you to this very day. As you got older, though, you got dumber. You crossed a line with everyone. You decided to steal from a Fontainian duke.

It was a foolish decision. Fontainians are known for their high sense of justice, and their tunnel vision when it comes to crimes and punishments. But you were just a child, were you not?

You couldn’t help it. You were just a child. That is what you told yourself then, and it is what you tell yourself now.

No one helped you then, and no one helps you now. Hell, it would be a miracle, a blessing from Celestia, if your older brother came to Liyue Harbor to visit you. But he never loved you, did he? He never loved you, and you never hated him until you saw him for what he truly is. A petty servant of Madam Mei with a spine thinner than that of a twig. He was a coward then, and likely still a coward now. Perhaps it would have been noble of him, while you were still an infant, to use that pocket knife he always carried around. It would have been better for you, for you to not know anything you know about him now. 

But he was a coward, your older brother. The person who taught you everything about thievery is also now the person who taught you how important it is to keep your cards close. Life on the streets calls for both, you suppose. Liyue Harbor may not be the friendliest for the homeless, but at the very least it had pockets to swipe into when no one was looking. Old habits die hard. You ended up relying on every memory of the past, no matter how bitter or how deceivingly sweet they were. You bore it. You bore it all. Every memory, every fragment of a lie, and every fragment of a half-truth. Life is never so simple after all, is it?

Your life was never perfect, and therefore still is not now. But you know deep in your heart that you would prefer this life over seeing your older brother’s face ever again.

But now, with eyes brighter than amber staring above you as you lay, your arm broken, you wish that your brother had taught you some fighting skills instead of everything else he taught you.

But he was a coward, and so are you.

To be fair, though, he never met the emperor and never thought that he would. So did you. No one in Qiaoying Village did, most likely. It was so far from the proclaimed harbor made of gold and trader’s blood and prayers. This was where the emperor lived, in his castle in the mountains surrounding Lingju Pass and Mount Tianheng. It was made up of the finest gold and wood and jewels. Only the best for the emperor, while people like you get mere pebbles. That is why, when you saw yet another stranger in a white cloak roaming around the alleyways, you attempted to strike. Your mistake.

Your mistake.

You were on the ground in an instant, your arm breaking so loudly an elderly man on his deathbed could hear it. 

The stranger’s eyes glittered like gold.

Frozen gold, perhaps, with how he was staring down at you with such disappointment.

So, he stared down at you.

You stared down at your arm.

You should have known better. But you are just someone trying to live, are you not? It’s not your fault. It’s not your fault. But that white cloak the man is wearing with the sigil of geo on the back, one of the few symbols of the emperor himself, should have made you not attempt to pickpocket him. You should have known better. You really should have known better. Should you apologize? You are already as good as dead though, aren’t you?

Does a death sentence await you?

Life? Death? Prison? Life. Death. Prison.

Escape.

You have to escape.

But the emperor seems to know what you are doing, what you are planning.

So he stops you with a simple hand raised, and pillars of geo appear out of nowhere, trapping you in the corner. Now there is nowhere to run.

He stares down at you.

You stare down at your feet, all mangled up from a life made of thievery and poverty.

He doesn’t speak. Neither do you. You prefer it that way.

You are in a cage. But he is not.

Please.

Please don’t kill me. 

Please.

*~*~*~*

Is it a sin to indulge? Perhaps it is, perhaps it is not. Perhaps it depends. Is the indulgence centered in reality or fantasy? This escape attempt, perhaps, is both.

Like the many that came before it, the only sounds you can hear is the rain, the water falling from the glass windows like teardrops, and sometimes you can swear you hear the sound of someone weeping. Despite everything you have gone through though, you do not weep with them, whoever they are. You only keep stepping on ahead for a brighter future, one where you sneak off to Sumeru, a land that prioritizes knowledge over riches. You’d have a better life there than here, you think. Anywhere but here you would run off to actually, even if it was Snezhnaya. 

You are treated well, too well.

You still don’t know why instead of throwing you in the dungeons, Morax placed your unconscious body in one of the many, many guest rooms that were spread about in his castle.

You are treated far too well, almost to the point that it is maddening. Everything is so perfect, from the morning birds outside your window that wake you up every morning when it just so happens to be time for breakfast to the hairbrush you use to put your hair up when it is time to sleep, the design intricately laced with jade and topaz. Perfect, perfect, perfect. It’s maddening, sickening, how perfect everything is. You wish he had just put you in a cell because at least then everything would not have been so planned out for you, even the type of flowers you saw in the gardens that week. 

“Damn it all…”

In your opinion, the clothes you received today were more intricate than usual. The sleeves are puffed and transition from white to a deep teal color. The dress itself showcases delicate lace patterns of glaze lilies around the waist and wrists, while the skirt is impractically long for any running. Strangely, the inside of the skirt features a constellation pattern, though it seems to be a design meant for your eyes alone. The purpose of this starry sky motif remains unclear. The dress, like everything else, appears flawless and fits you perfectly, almost as if it was tailored specifically for you. Given Morax's wealth, you can't help but entertain the possibility. However, the overwhelming perfection of it all borders on madness. Perfect. Perfect. Perfect. Perfect, so damn perfect. 

Today, you were not given shoes, presumably due to the rain and the consequent cancellation of your garden visit with Morax, where you typically indulge in tea and wine. As you approached the staircase leading to the dining room, however, the guards obstructed your path. Their actions were gentle, but their words were not. They formed a human barricade, preventing your descent. One guard clicked their tongue disapprovingly, while the other remained silent. Perhaps they harbored some disdain towards you. The servants in this establishment either treated you with utmost care or completely disregarded your presence, so it was not entirely surprising that the guards displayed a semblance of dislike.

The real surprise was you not being allowed to go to the dining room to eat.

“The emperor wants you to stay in your room for the time being. He shall see you shortly there.”

So, you went back, albeit muttering curses along the way. Due to your lack of shoes and the guards not even allowing you to go downstairs, this escape attempt is as short-lived as a moth flying much too close to a flame.

As you were told, Morax came in his usual attire, black and brown robes with a geo sigil on the back. 

“...”

“I have been told that you have been getting a bit too curious with your wandering.”

Ah, straight to the point, it would seem. 

There is no point trying to beat around the bush when it comes to Morax. “It is not like there is anything else to do here.”

He sits beside you on the bed, not too close but not too far either. A perfect balance. “I can give you other activities to do if you would like. I can also answer some questions you have since you’ll be living here from now on.”

“...This isn’t temporary…” You look down at the arm he broke, a time which feels like a millennium ago. “Am I being charged?” Your question is quietly said. “Aren’t thieves simply sent to cells for a few moons?”

His chuckle was unexpected, causing a slight surprise. Morax, who was typically expressionless, wore a smile on his face. Despite the possibly good intentions behind it, the sight and sound were unsettling and made your skin crawl.

“...You don’t tell me anything.” You whisper under your breath. That much is clear. Despite Morax's little attempts to conceal it, his secrecy is unmistakable. You can't help but feel like a naive child stating the obvious.

“You are here for multiple reasons. For instance… you remind me of someone. As such, you must have questions, if you are anything like her.” His eyes glaze over you, from the top of your head where your hair is half put up with a hairpin to the anklet just hovering over your right foot. “All humans are born with an innate sense to pry. I won’t judge, as I am an Archon.” Are his words heartfelt? “Through my veins flow gold, but yours flow with sanguine, life, and desires.” 

His hand reaches forward, but he does not touch you. “You must see yourself as better than us because of this. Am I correct?”

“My feelings are not as monochrome as they seem to you. They are complex, quite so. But you are right, in some regard.”

“This is why I cannot stand the so-called divine.”

“Another reason as to why you are here. You are a sleeper of such, and I intend to help you open your eyes to the truth.”

You look at his eyes, seeing all the horrors within their depths.

The emperor known as Morax possesses eyes of pure gold, along with attractive features and pale, rosy lips that curl into a sickly sweet smile. Your body instinctively reacts, urging you to flee before your mind can fully comprehend the situation. However, your brain, awakening and analyzing the situation, is interrupted by the overpowering force of instinct, echoing the same warning as your body: the charming smile is a mere facade, reminiscent of something unsettlingly artificial. It is akin to a sculpture with painted skin and eyes or a doll with exaggerated, intricate features. This man, with his literal golden eyes, his potentially persuasive words, and his captivating yet unnerving countenance, is someone you cannot trust.

Desperate to escape, you attempt to run, only to find that arms and hands, seemingly made of stone, emerge from the walls, gripping and restraining your own. Two of these strong hands ascend, slithering towards the center of your back, forcefully pushing you down into a bow, while you remain compelled to gaze upwards. Your focus remains fixated solely on the emperor's eyes, observing the eloquent patterns of gold within them.

The caress of their touch is tender upon your cheeks, unlike solid ones that demand for you to stay.

“You shall become my consort and see the gates of Celestia for yourself. Humans are made to worship, after all. The divine are made to simply awaken those who have strayed off the path of destiny.”

*~*~*~*

To possess the gift of sight, encompassing all, is the gravest transgression one can commit. Thus, those winged creatures who lack this awareness are banished to the depths of the earth, their vision, their literal eyes stripped away until their cries reverberate to the surface, where the emperor Morax shall pronounce the ultimate verdict.

[nonuniverse-tarot]

Should You Let Go Of This Person?

*All my readings are for 18+ regardless the nature of the reading. If you're below 18, then this reading is not for you. Thank you for understanding*

Should you let go of the person/connection on your mind? If so, how can you go about doing that? If not, why were you attracted to this reading?

Can be romantic or platonic, take it as it resonates. (Also, try to focus on the vibe of the images and not so much on the image itself.)

D. E. F.

D.

Quick answer! No, it isn't a must to cut this person off - actually, from what the cards have shown me and the energy I get from the person - there's no reason to cut them off.

From the looks of it, you guys have many dreams (specifically dreams) in common. You seem to get along very well and that this connection is genuine from you AND them. There's great communication, there's great balance - no one sees the other as inferior than them and the two of you see eye to eye.

So, why were you drawn to this reading? You're used to another type of dynamic when it comes to most, if not all, of your relationships/connection of any kind. You're used to more hell fire. More chaos and struggles, than peace and harmony. Someone is always in control and/or has more power over the other. Because of this, you got used to handling everyone with so much caution, that it was easier for you to just not get involved too much.

"It's always the same with everyone, why would it be different with this person? They're probably the same as the rest. With time, their true colors will show so might as well end this now."

However that's not the case this time around. They see you as their equal, as a precise person and someone they can grow with, without fear. I keep getting that the communication, how you communicate with each other, or the potential of this connection, is something that will show the both of you, how it doesn't take blood hatred to be in a healthy connection.

Song: Caffeine - Kiro Akiyama | Look Who's Inside Again - Bo Burnham

E.

Yes you should. You've given this person all the chances and opportunities, you've directly communicated to them the issue you had or what you needed from them to fix this and they haven't done anything. Excuse after excuse from them and from you making up excuses for them when you think about the situation.

No matter how patient you are with them or how much more you decided to put up with, nothing will come out of it. The image of them giving you a seed and telling you it's a garden weed, then you planting it, expecting flowers to grow, only for weeds to come out.

Once you finally decide to completely let go of this person, focusing on your personal projects or even your job will become easier or more enjoyable than before. This person really does affect others around them. They might be an energy vampire.

Let me just tell you, I felt weak during your reading. A thought I had during the reading was 'what are you doing? Why this?' and a feeling of uneasiness. I was shuffling the last few cards and this feeling happened. The person you're asking about might have started this connection with rainbow and flowers, but now it's just spikey garden weeds all over the place.

So, how should you end this connection? By realizing they're not going to change and do all those things they promised you.

You're not weak. You're strong and strong enough to make decisions and take control. You're capable of doing your projects/work without them or their 'moral support'. Go within and really feel. I'm just hearing 'really feel deeply what this is. Really feel how this is.' I'm not sure what 'this' is referring to. Might be the situation you're in or something else, take it how it resonates.

Also - take this step by step and use your intuition. How can you cut this person off? Depends on what your intuition tells you.

Something to know if it's your intuition or anxiety: Fear screams. Intuition whispers.

Song: Don't You Dare Forget the Sun- Get Scared | Burn - David Kushner

F.

Yes you should, but for some reason you're under the impression that if they leave you, your life will become difficult because they're the 'hot shot'?

'Hot shot' is the only thing coming to mind! They made you think or you assumed that they just know everything and anything since the beginning of time to the end of it, when that's not the case at all. You're also putting up a show for them. You're part of the play they've made, but it's not working anymore, not like in the beginning. You're getting tired of participating and that might've caused this person to be more difficult to deal with because they want you to continue this show.

In reality, they don't know jack shit. I'm getting cult leader vibes (they don't have to be 'spiritual' or anything like that) because they talk with such confidence that people would believe them if they said that 2+2=0.

If you continue this any further, you'll go down with them. Life can get easier or harder without them, but what you're actually scared of is the responsibility they have 'handled' for you up to this point. They're handling an aspect of your life, but they know as much as you do about it.

I see most of you leaving them, being more at peace, being overwhelmed, and then having fun during this process of learning how to handle this aspect.

How to cut them off: be fast about it. You don't have to go into detail if you plan to have a conversation with them. Most can just be direct and skip the fluff. Because they do seem to want people to think highly of them, you need to word this correctly.

If you don't plan on having a conversation, then try to cut them off quickly. Like I said above, this could be a platonic or romantic connection, maybe even situationship, so keep that in mind when doing this.

Also, I'm being repeatedly told not to neglect your feelings. You'll have to get many things in order, but don't neglect what you feel. Any separation can hurt, so just feel what you must and continue on.

Song: I PEEP - Odetari w/ jnhygs | Artist vs. Who? - Secrets

I hope this helped you. Ending patterns can be difficult, especially in the emotional/mental aspect so reach out and seek help if you need it!

Thank you so much for being here!

[freesia-writes]

Ch 30: Wedding, Part 1

Master List ~~ Previous Chapter ~~ WC: 2.8k

Song: That Funny Feeling -- Bo Burnham (from "Inside")

.

The bell on the door of the butcher shop chimed, and Hunter was surprised to see Omega coming in. Wiping off his blade and hands, he ventured into the front to greet her. 

“What’s up, kid?” 

“Sorry for embarrassing you at dinner the other night,” she admitted, although the mirth on her face did not convincingly reflect a wealth of remorse. 

“Yeah, well… I probably deserve it,” he chuckled. The few days between had replaced the utter humiliation with more of a begrudging acceptance of the whole ordeal.

“You’re just going through your rebellious phase, since you didn’t get to as an adolescent.” Her diagnosis came with twinkling eyes that earned a groan and an eye roll from him. 

“I don’t know what I’m doing,” he admitted. 

“And that’s alright,” she said sagely. “You’re doing the best you can with what you have. Besides�� it’s kind of fun, eh?” She elbowed him in the side, and he squinted at her in suspicion.

“And what do you know about that?” 

“Nothing, of course,” she smiled innocently. “Anyway… I have a favor to ask.”

“You’re not off to a good start.”

“Neither are you,” she returned evenly, surprising him into a chuckle. “Some of my friends are going to a beach bonfire, and it starts… like… now. But I was supposed to drop off all this stuff from the last few internships.” She held up a bundle of datacards. “For some reason, my transmitter isn’t working, so I’d have to go up to the school in person. But by the time I get there and back, I’ll have missed most of the bonfire. So…”

“You want me to close the shop and take them to the top of the island?” He lifted an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. He knew he was going to do it, he just liked to point out what a huge imposition it was. 

“You’re closing in eight minutes anyway,” Omega pointed out with an equally knowing grin. 

“Fine.” 

“Thanks Hunter! You’re the best!” She gave him a hug, dropped her datacards on the counter, and bounced out of the shop with a spring in her step. 

It was only then that he was hit with a sudden suspicion of her true motives.

* * * 

The walk to the school ended up being just what he needed. It was a beautifully fresh afternoon on the island, with the perfect balance of sunshine and breeze. The sky was dotted with fluffy clouds that gave periodic respites of coolness when the sun would pass behind them, allowing Hunter to avoid getting overheated as he hiked up the winding path. The brick building came into view, bringing up a scourge of memories and emotions, but he attempted to fight them off with an insistent focus on his singular objective: drop the datacards off in the main office and be done. 

“Well hello, sir,” the main secretary greeted him as he slipped through the door, quickly donning some lipstick when he turned to secure the knob behind him. She shoved it into a desk drawer as he approached the desk, holding up the datacards. A few ladies were packing up for the day in their cubicles behind her, and he noticed a few others finishing a conversation in the back of the room around a small water dispenser. 

“Afternoon,” he said. “I know you’re about to head out. I just wanted to drop these off for Omega. They go to… the internship office.” A quick frown came and went.. 

“Vetana?” came an abrasive voice from a side office, and a greasy figure swaggered out. “I’ll run em back to her.” None other than Mullet Hanker was the one approaching the counter, a smug expression on his handsome face. The front desk lady’s heart rate increased as he approached, and a light flush painted her cheeks as she fawned at him. He gave her a wink as he reached for the cards, and Hunter felt a tightness in his core. 

“Actually,” he said, pulling them back into his hands. “I forgot. Omega needed me to deliver a message too… I’ll just take them around.”

“Oh yeah?” Mullet seemed to recognize Hunter then, and a myriad of emotions danced across his face. “Well I’d be happy to deliver a message as well.”

Hunter stared back at him, keeping his face carefully neutral, but the intensity in his hawkish eyes spoke otherwise. “I appreciate it. But not necessary. Thank you all,” he said, addressing the secretary as well, whose eyes had widened somewhat as she felt the tension sparking between the men. It seemed as though Mullet were about to reply, but he closed his mouth, watching Hunter slip out the door with thinly pressed lips. 

Once outside, Hunter took a deep breath, simultaneously apprehensive and indignant at himself for feeling that way. He toyed with the thought of going back and just leaving them after all, and he wondered why he’d felt so immediately insistent that he take them himself. He didn’t want to, if he were honest, but he’d somewhat sealed his fate, so he headed for the main hallway and began a slow walk down the dark, quiet halls. When he arrived at Lyra’s door, halfway open as usual, he paused, trying to calm the tidal wave of frustration and resentment rising within. Finally, he knocked on the door frame and stepped into view.

Lyra looked up quickly, eyes rounding as she recognized him. Panic and hurt flashed across her face, and she remained in her chair, hands spread flat on the desk as though it were the safeguard between them. Hunter held up the datacards, searching for the right words to say and second-guessing every single one. 

“Omega asked me to bring these.” A sheepish admittance.

“Ah. Thank you.” She stood to take them from him. 

“Yup.” He passed them to her carefully, avoiding any accidental touch of the hands. 

Silence.

They looked everywhere but at each other.

“Well… thanks,” he said lamely, then moved back toward the door, slowly, as though held back by some unidentified force. 

Lyra watched him, mouth opening and closing a few times. He couldn’t help but look back over his shoulder to offer a polite nod, and he was struck by her body language. She was perched on the edge of her chair like a bird about to take flight, hands fidgeting on the desk before her for a second before she clasped them together to stop the movement. She was emanating a disquiet anticipation and he could feel himself being drawn into her tumult like a boat on stormy seas. 

He turned and left without another word. 

* * * 

“Babe!!” Luci exclaimed, beaming at him as he stood in her doorway. “You look a-maaaaazing!” He stepped in sheepishly, straightening the front of his tuxedo. It was an incredibly formal wedding, a stark contrast to the typically laid-back affairs of the island, and he’d been coerced into wearing a full suit, including a vest and white gloves. Again he had that sensation of being in someone else’s life, but the absolute adoration from Luci was distracting him from the spiky discomfort he was feeling. 

She had indeed given him space over the last week, insisting that she would truly be okay with whatever he decided about the wedding. While part of him wanted to refuse out of spite, he had a begrudging compulsion to keep his word. It was a pathetically trivial topic, but the principle of the matter had nagged him into compliance, so here he was, trussed up like a Life Day dinner and being delightedly inspected by Luci.

“What’s this?” she asked, drawing her fingers over a small pin he had added on his left breast pocket. 

“Omega made it for me in a job shadow for a welder,” he answered, glancing down at the small skull with two Aurebesh 9s beneath it. 

“A bit morbid, don’t you think?” she observed, furrowing her perfectly-shaped brows. 

“It’s… an old family crest,” he deflected, standing up a little straighter with an air of authority. Maker, how long had it been since he felt that? Luci read his vibe effortlessly, instead grasping his lapels and pulling him in for a quick kiss. 

“Well you look freaking delicious. Maybe too much, actually. Gonna have to beat the ladies away,” she said playfully. “But maybe I’ll give you a run for your money.” She held her arms out, offering a little spin to show off her own outfit, which Hunter had been trying to formulate words to address. She was wearing a bright red, lacy dress that hugged her curves all the way down her body until it flared out gracefully below her thighs. The scalloped neckline danced across her cleavage in a treacherously perfect cut as she adjusted herself one last time.

“The curse of perfect tits,” she giggled, wagging her eyebrows at him. Her lips had never looked so voluptuous, and she’d applied her makeup expertly to give herself a boldly glamorous look, framed by luscious curls that scattered across her shoulders and down to where her dress scooped across her lower back. 

“You look…” He was lost for words.

“I know. You’re speechless,” she laughed. She was a bombshell and she knew it, and yet it was somehow not a brag that hid a deeper insecurity but rather a seemingly effortless confidence that she carried into virtually every aspect of her life. Turning to look at her floor-length mirror, she tilted her head as she stood beside him. “We look damn good together.”

He nodded and waited by the door as she pulled on some black high heels followed by a dab of perfume from an ornate, gold-plated bottle. With one last scrutinizing glance, she joined him in the doorway, satisfied. Her sweet-yet-spicy scent filled his nostrils, and the heat radiating from her bare chest was palpable. She had skipped on jewelry, which surprised him as she was typically adorned with a luxurious array of gold necklaces and earrings, but her nails were long and bright red, a perfect match to the dress, and the hair and makeup was above and beyond. She’d turn heads, no doubt. 

Luci was in the wedding, which, as Hunter quickly discovered, meant that she was needed for a whole lot of things that didn’t involve him. There were two brides, each uniquely decorated with the customary attire of their home worlds, and a large bridal party made up of friends that all seemed to know each other well.

So he was left to fend for himself as the final ceremony preparations were made, opting to slink around the perimeter of the patio before finding a nice, quiet corner to tuck himself into. The outdoor area was made entirely of stone, with mature trees draping their leaves over the roofs and railing of a balcony that curved across the side to reveal a stunning vista below. As the sun lowered, it painted the horizon with a beautiful, creamy light that gave an ethereal feel to the evening. 

Hunter fidgeted with his gloves, noticing with a wry smile just how odd they now felt, despite the fact that he’d been wearing gloves almost his entire life. Different ones, granted, but it was further proof of the irrevocable shifts of the last few years. An elderly couple approached him, wandering away from the throngs of people that were quickly filling the seats and space, and he stood up straighter, offering a polite dip of the head as they neared. 

“Well aren’t you a dashing young man,” the lady spoke, her quavery voice sweet as honey as she looked him up and down. “Look at him, Arro.” She elbowed the feeble-looking man next to her, who was hunched so much that Hunter was looking more at the top of his head than his face. The labored straightening of a stiffened spine brought the man’s eyes to Hunter, and a mischievous smirk curved his wrinkled cheeks. 

“Quite a delightful specimen,” chuckled Arro, who slowly lowered his gaze back to his frail wife. “But he lacks a certain… jenessekwah…” He drifted off, wiggling his eyebrows and earning a burst of embarrassed laughter from the woman.

“Oh, pulling out the Twi’leki, I see!” she giggled, the wrinkles on her face settling into the smile lines that she had clearly spent years carving out. “What a night!”

Hunter could not have felt more distinctly “other”, and yet there was something about the deep love and familiarity between the two of them that created a dull ache in his chest. He forgot whatever Twi’leki phrase he’d conjured up to impress the two of them and instead excused himself with some genuine well-wishes and a bow. He found an empty seat in the back of the rows, with some space between it and the people further down, and he slipped into it, glancing at his chrono, then checking his comm. 

Minutes ticked by. The crowd grew louder. The seats filled. The host of the evening took his place at the front, giving a five-minute warning that the ceremony would soon begin. Hunter was doing everything he could to avoid the merciless waves of thoughts that seemed to be intent on afflicting him. It was frustrating that, after a lifetime of having clear missions laid out for him, a squad to tackle them with, and a litany of distinct, purposeful plans at his disposal, he was spending the “free” portion of his life in what felt like a complete freefall. Memories flickered at the edges of his consciousness – joy and loss, victory and defeat, contentment and confusion – moving his forehead in tiny flinches as each took its turn. 

“Well fancy seeing you here!” Two women appeared from behind, dressed to the nines and clearly delighted to be there. Hunter recognized one of them from the school office, though he’d never talked to her directly… Unless she was part of the herd that sometimes visited his shop. They stepped past his legs, one being far more careful than the other not to brush against him, and sat down neatly in the chairs right beside him. “Hunter, right?” the office lady said, offering a hand, which he gently shook. “I don’t think we’ve ever officially met. I’m Ketzya. This is my friend Araquella.” The friend leaned forward with a friendly wave and her textured dark hair fell over her shoulders, framing a brilliant smile. She was beautiful, and the mere noticing of such a thing somehow made Hunter feel angry.

“Nice to meet you both,” he replied automatically, forcing the hint of a smile onto his sharp features, but it was immediately frozen. Past the women, across the aisle, he saw a familiar form. Lyra was exchanging pleasantries with a few Xyloan elders, head tilted at their words as she listened intently. One of them clasped her hand, nodding vigorously, and she smiled demurely, lowering her head in humility before picking her way across a row to an empty seat. 

“And how do you know the brides?” Ketzya asked, as Araquella settled back into her seat.

“What?” Hunter said it far too loud, startling himself and both ladies, and he jerked his eyes back to them. “Oh. Uhh. I…Um…” He paused, entirely unsure of the social nuances of a situation like this. 

“Haha, oh I see!” Ketzya giggled, leaning in to gently elbow him in the side, which again irritated him more than it should have. “Wedding crasher, eh? Sweetheart, if you want a free dinner, you just have to say the word.” She batted her eyelashes at him, snickering at her own magnificent wit, while Hunter simply stared, dumbfounded. 

“Subtle,” her friend observed, tipping her head back to catch his eye behind Ketzya’s head. He watched her eyes roll before they crinkled into a smile. 

“What!” came the protest, and the school worker lifted both hands in surrender. “I’m just stating the obvious. You tellin me you wouldn’t do anything he told you?” Ketzya looked at Araquella now, and Hunter wondered if she’d been drinking or was simply always this unfiltered, but her friend huffed indignantly and stared right back. 

“What if all he wants is for you to shut up and leave him alone?” she retorted, but her face was relaxed and Ketzya burst into laughter. They clearly had some kind of understanding. “Besides,” Araquella continued, “No one is bossing me around.” She leaned back again to address Hunter, “No offense.”

“None taken,” he muttered, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. He glanced around the patio as surreptitiously as possible, wondering if he could slip out unnoticed and find Luci at the reception. Why did he need to be here anyway? He hadn’t thought to ask and was deeply regretting it now. But alas, the gentle background music gave way to a proclamation, and the ceremonial fanfare began.

.

I had to write in Hunter's outfit after seeing this DELICIOUS fanart of tuxedo Hunter by @marymunchkiin!! Click the link and show it some love.

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@techsgalaxy02

[turnin9pag3]

i need an au fic of the potters secretly being evil.

like hear me out- james getting super close to regulus and pulling a hans move from frozen with the whole “oh anna. if only there was someone who loved you”

or the mr and mrs potter taking sirius in and raising him deceitful then sending him out like the song our word from the play 32 questions

GUYS PLEASE TELL ME U SEE WHAT IM TRYING TO SHOW

OR EVEN JAMES LIKE GROOMING(?!?) REGULUS INTO KILLING HIMSELF AT THE END LIKE IN THE SONG ALL EYES ON ME BY BO BURNHAM “r u feeling nervous? r u having fun? its almost over? its just begun. don’t over think this look in my eyes don’t be scared don’t be shy come on in the waters fine”

i base everything on little inspiration pieces i collect like Pokémon but yeah anyways PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE TELL ME U SEE WHAT IM TRYING TO CONVEY

[elltheenergetic]

hi

how ell sees pancake:

(for context, Hamilton would be pancake)

@pancakepieman25

how ell sees nora:

@themanedbish

how ell sees zailyn:

@abagofstalechiips

how ell sees artemis:

@amemoryyoullforeverlingerin

how ell sees gabriel:

@vie-online

how ell sees pixy:

@pixythemercenary

how ell sees star

@cookiestar360

how ell sees jaws:

@themisfortunateone

how ell sees rose:

[ambi-kiko]

tma music tma music tma music

please reblog with your own! i need it (:

also im more than willing to elaborate on any of em, just ask! (i have much to yell about)

for bitchard, we have:

kiss me, son of god (they might be giants)

i'm gonna win (rob cantor)

blood & money (the orion experience, orion, linda XO)

ruler of everything (tally hall)

BlackBoxWarrior - OKULTRA (will wood)

community gardens (the scary jokes, louie zong)

the main character (will wood)

your body, my temple (will wood)

laplace's angel (hurt people? hurt people!) (will wood)

saint bernard (lincoln)

welcome to the internet (bo burnham)

all eyes on me (or3o)

my ordinary life (the living tombstone)

cabinet man (lemon demon)

peter x elias (for my frenchies out there <33)

marine marchande (les cowboys fringants)

ok dont judge me too much i had to have smth for them ((: plus its not that unrelated

next! martin

a better son/daughter (rilo kiley)

12 feet deep (the front bottoms)

things to do (alex g)

be nice to me (the front bottoms)

step on me (the cardigans)

heart for brains (roar)

mama (my chemical romance)

summer child (conan gray)

hello my old heart (the oh hellos)

i cant handle change (roar)

against the kitchen floor (will wood)

least favorite only child (leanna firestone)

sharpener (cavetown)

empty bed (cavetown)

life's a beach (bears in trees)

jmart ((:

no children (the mountain goats)

the moon will sing (the crane wives)

euthanasia (will wood)

as the world caves in (matt maltese)

the truth (the front bottoms)

balade à toronto (jean leloup)

doctor (jack stauber)

apocalypse (cigarettes after sex)

talk to you (ricky Montgomery)

cabo (ricky montgomery)

meteor shower (cavetown)

juliet (cavetown)

feel better (penelope scott)

would you be so kind (dodie)

two birds (regina spektor)

line without a hook (ricky Montgomery)

and jon, ofc <3 i rly dont have enough for him ):

body terror song (AJJ)

downhill (Lincoln)

montreal (penelope scott)

ramblings of a lunatic (bears in trees)

its called: freefall (rainbow kitten surprise)

chin music for the unsuspecting hero (foster the people)

love, me normally (will wood)

dinner is not over (jack stauber's micropop)

also melanie! dont have that many but she deserves the mention (:

saturn suv (fredo disco)

brave as a noun (AJJ)

tongues & teeth (the crane wives)

wreaking ball (mother mother)

we fell in love in october (girl in red)

and just random songs with tma vibes (other characters, ships, dread powers, etc)

underground (cody fry)

hand me my shovel, i'm going in! (will wood)

terry's taxidermy (teddy hyde)

cotard's solution (will wood and the tapeworms)

amnesia was her name (lemon demon)

memento mori: the most important thing in life is death (will wood)

skeleton appreciation day in vestal, n.y. (will wood)

icicles (the scary jokes)

puppet boy (devo)

oh ana (mother mother)

i dont smoke (mitski)

choke (I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME)

thermodynamic lawyer esq, G.F.D (will wood and the tapeworms)

sorry haha i fell asleep (egg)

despair (leo)

stuff is way (they might be giants)

baby teeth (baby bugs)

king park (la dispute)

i/me/myself (will wood)

dr. sunshine is dead (will wood and the tapeworms)

amygdala's rag doll (ghost and pals)

little pistol (mother mother)

burning pile (mother mother)

this is home (cavetown)

body (mother mother)

turn the lights off (tally hall)

like real people do (hozier)

im going insane

[thedreadpirate-cupcake]

So i finished reading Fallen Hero: Rebirth and Retribution and it has absolutely consumed my brain OMG seriously seriously well-written, and the depth of emotion of it 😭

I like playing as a high-empathy, no-kill conflicted tragic anti-villain anarchist Sidestep (doing the poly Argent and Julia Ortega route), and when i was listening to this song, it reminded me of her. For some reason this song just kinda works as a soundtrack for a character who could do crowd-mind control during a heist or in fight trying to get civilians out of the way, while still being nefarious and shitty (for good reasons tho lol! Fight the system! 😋)

[iiotic]

༉‧ა°.Vox (spotify) playlist

Songs:

Eyes on Me (Vox's Song) - PARANOiD DJ

Vox's Interlude - Silva Hound, Dagames

My Games (I Am Your Overlord) - Chroma9

Eyes on Me (P DJ Tech Dance Rework) - PARANOiD DJ

Stayed gone - Sam Heft, Christian Borle, Andrew Underberg..

Valentino - Olly Alexander (Years & Years), MNEK

All Eyes on Me - OR3O

Welcome to The Internet - Bo Burnham

GMFU - 6arelyhuman, Odetari

Discord - The Living Tombstone, Eurobeat Brony

The Fine Print - The Stupendium

Power Glove - Knife Party

Level up! (w/ Odetari) - 6arelyhuman, Odetari

Fighting With The Melody - Jimmy Urine

All Eyes On Me - Bo Burnham

SPIT IN MY FACE! - ThxSomch

HONEY (ARE YOU COMING?) - Maneskin

Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High? - Arctic Monkeys

Dead to Me - Melanie Martinez

[antiquatedplumbobs]

URL Song Game

Thank you for the tag @vermutandherring this is such a fun idea!!

antiquated plumbobs: an eclectic assortment of hoarded memories and experiences, people and emotions, akin to a dragon sitting upon its pile of treasure, but it's more one man's trash kind of vibes and oh we're in the woods

A - all the way by shane smith & the saints

N - nightswimming by rem

T - take me home country roads by john denver

I - i am california by john craigie

Q - question...? by taylor swift

U - use somebody by kings of leon

A - all eyes on me by bo burnham

T - the view between villages by noah kahan

E - evelyn by gregory alan isakov

D - dancing on my own by vitamin string quartet

P - punchline by ed sheeran

L - leiser by lea

U - u r my everything by leslie odom jr

M - miss atomic bomb by the killers

B - broken by lovelytheband

O - ophelia by the lumineers

B - by and by by caamp

S - sunday by joy oladokun

This was delightful but also crazy hard (q almost defeated me thank god for taylor) i am not really a song girly, i save things that make my brain feel nice and that's about the only criteria, so I'm going to tag some of the song girlies (and others) in my life, can't wait to see what you do with it darlings

@aheathen-conceivably @surely-sims @thebramblewood @elderberries-and-honey @applesaucesims @stargazingsims and literally anyone else who wants to do this!!

[hamyheikki]

I was tagged by @autisticwriterblog, thank you! This seems like fun!

The rules of the game are to write one song for every letter in your url, then tag as many people as there are letters in your url.

Halla ja etelätuuli - Antti Railio (Frost and Southern Wind, in english)

All Eyes On Me - Bo Burnham

Muisto Vain Jää - Jarkko Ahola (a Finnish cover of "Only A Fool Breaks His Own Heart")

Yhtenä iltana - Hector (One Night, in english)

Heroes and Villains - Poets of The Fall

Elan - Nightwish

Ikävä - Jarkko Ahola (Longing, in english)

Kukaan ei koskaan - Vesterinen Yhtyeineen (Nobody Can Never, in english)

Kohti Sydänpeltoja - Vesterinen Yhtyeineen (Towards the Field Of Hearts, in english)

In the Shadows - The Rasmus

I don't know if I have enough mutuals for all the letters, but I will tag some folks I have seen around my Tumblr! @three-two-six @dreaming-of-spots @ghostwith

[heaven-knowss]

My fav artists and what Fear they'd serve

• Everybody knows Hozier is an avatar of The Buried, like look at his album covers....

• William Woodiam is an avatar of The Spiral??? I think??? He just gives me Michael vibes

• Bo Burnham is a difficult one... I just associate him with the guy from the "Monologue" ep, so... The Lonely?

• Grand Commander is reaallyy difficult cause "i hope you die in a fire" is The Desolation but "Fuck you I'm going underground" is The Buried. I think I'll go with The Desolation

• Eminem is The Slaughter cause hes so violent in his songs😭 no but if I am fr I think he's The Stranger bc of the "im slim shady yes im the real shady all you other slim shadys are just imitating" line.... Do you see my vision...

• Alt-J is The Vast purely because of the vibes of the An Awesome Wave album ...

• Yaelokre is The Eye bc of its Storyteller Character! The whole lore is based on telling stories and that stuff feeds the Eye... the only based opinion in this whole thing

• Alex G is The Stranger, or rather he is more of a person that meets an awful amount of avatars of The Stranger? Like youre telling me Mary and Sarah are human...

[standupcomedyhistorian]

Bo Burnham's second-most popular video on YouTube changed recently, and I knew it was coming but was surprised to see it happen!

Yes, the AUDIO for 1985—a song with no official music video and that only appears in The Inside Outtakes for a few seconds—has officially surpassed other incredible visual spectaculars like All Eyes On Me (number 3) and Can't Handle This (number 4).

Insane! 1985 still has a LONG way to go before it reaches number one though—Welcome to the Internet has 142 MILLION views compared to 1985's 41 million.

Keep it here for more comedy fun! ✌🏼���

[misterbardman]

Songs on my favorite songs from my Falling from Olympus playlist, with lyrics, that just remind me of trials of Apollo:

•”I’ll blow up into smithereens and spew my tiny symphony all up and down the city street while tryna put my mind at ease. Like finishing this melody, this feels like a necessity, so this could be the death of me or maybe just a better me.” - Worlds Smallest Violin, AJR

•”You don’t have to be like everybody else, you don’t have to fit into the norm, you are not here to conform. I am here to look inside myself, recognize that I could be the eye, the eye of the storm. I am not my body, not my mind or my brain, not my thoughts or feelings, I am not my DNA.” - Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land, MARINA

•”They give so much to me, I’m losing touch, get me? Served on a silver platter, ask for seconds they just let me. They tell me I’m a god, I’m lost in the facade, six feet off the ground at all times, I think I’m feeling odd.” - My Ordinary Life, The Living Tombstone

•”Well, well, look who’s inside again. Went out to look for a reason to hide again. Well, well, buddy you’ve found it, now come out with your hands up we’ve got you surrounded.” - Look who’s inside again, Bo Burnham

•”You’re a loser, baby, a loser goddamn baby. You’re a fucked-up little whiny bitch, you’re a loser just like me. You’re a screw-is-loose loser and only one-star reviewer.” -Loser, baby, Hazbin Hotel

[shrekgogurt]

Shuffle your On Repeat playlist and list the first 10 songs that play, then tag 10 people.

So many of y’all lovely people have tagged me and ummmmmmm I’ve been hesitant to do it because when I shuffled literally ALL ten were ikabikam inspiration songs I feel like I’ve already talked about ad nauseam.

Nevertheless, she persisted though:

1. Harmony Hall — Vampire Weekend || chapter 12 inspiration

2. Dust Bowl Dance — Mumford & Sons || chapter 13 inspiration

3. All Eyes On Me (Song Only) — Bo Burnham || chapter 13 inspiration

4. exile — Taylor Swift, Bon Iver || chapter 12 inspiration

5. The King — Sarah Kingsley || chapter 24 inspiration lol

6. Lovin On Me — Jack Harlow || chapter 12 inspiration

7. So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings — Caroline Polachek || chapter 14 inspiration

8. PINE BARRENS — Jakey || chapter 12 inspiration

9. Dial Drunk — Noah Kahan || chapter 12 inspiration

10. FREEDOM — Jon Batiste || chapter 14 inspiration

Thank you for the tags! @raenestee @thewholelemon @valeffelees @imagineacoolusername @onepintobean @letraspal @alexalexinii @emeryhall @you-remind-me-of-the-babe and to make it ten I’m tagging @cutestkilla

[meantforinfinitesadness]

23!

23!!!!

All Eyes On Me (Song Only) - Bo Burnham

(send me a number 1-100 for Spotify wrapped)