#also debussy lmao

[juliamccartney]

Arctic Monkeys #1? in my spotify wrapped? um yeah obviously

also HELL YEAH THE MECHANISMS MADE IT !

[spacestation-l7]

Work doodle (2)

Did like 3 scenes worth of 2D assets at work so I feel a bit burnt out so I doodled the Debussys during break :)

[cynicalmusings]

fic i’m proudest of, eh? hmm…

hmc is definitely up there, partially due to the sheer amount of time and effort (as well as commitment) it took to write. as for anything else… i don’t really know. i’m pleased with most of what i’ve written, but not necessarily proud of them.

i guess that’s because, to me, taking pride in something comes from an intention which you’ve successfully realised — and in most cases (at least in the past) when i’ve written fics, it hasn’t really been with a particular purpose i want to fulfil in mind; it’s more going along with a concept and seeing how it ends up. it’s relatively recently that i’ve started wanting to incorporate more ‘intention’ into my writing and tell specific stories which contain specific themes.

if i had to choose something else… maybe tdaasof? again, it’s one of the longer ones with specific intention behind it, so i can consider it something i’m proud of. however, there are aspects of it which i’m not 100% happy with and want to change and rewrite if i sit down and commit to it, so i’d place hmc above it.

actually — as i’m writing this, something just came to mind: the first of the ‘stolen moments’ series, ‘pigeons’. i was trying to capture a specific kind of feeling which i had in my head, and i think it was quite successful, so i’d say i’m somewhat proud of getting that across to an extent — but that might just be satisfaction, not pride… hmm…….

fic writers in the tags tell me the fic you're most proud of writing. any fandom, ship, no ship, any length etc. whatever work makes you go "oh i wrote this" and elaborate why if you want

[innuendostudios]

by a wide margin the weirdest video essay I've ever release: List of Songs that Represent "Smart Music" Ranked from Most to Least Appropriate to Put in a Video Essay

this video is sponsored by Nebula, where you can watch ad-free and (sometimes, slightly) better edited versions of my videos for 40% off an annual subscription. just follow this link.

as a quick note: YouTube has already demonetized this video, as two different corporations are claiming copyright on recordings they do not own the copyright to - both are Creative Commons recordings of public domain music, that, in one case, YouTube has misidentified as a different recording, and, in the other, YouTube has the music in its database as under copyright despite it being having been released under CC BY-SA 3.0. I am disputing these false claims and will (hopefully) get whatever money I am owed, but, for now, YouTube is not paying me a dime for this.

so it would be a bigger help than usual if you would either watch the video on Nebula or back me on Patreon.

thanks. transcript below the cut!

List of Songs That Represent “Smart Music” Ranked From Most To Least Appropriate To Put In A Video Essay (And Presented In Drill Bit Order).

1. Clair de Lune, Debussy

This has been top dog ever since the teaser for Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and cemented its position against challengers with a showcase in Everything Everywhere All at Once. Said film could have been the shark-jumping moment where the song was irretrievably lost to irony, given directors Kwan and Scheinert (Daniels)’s style mercilessly marries the aesthetics of prestige and shitpost. Yes, despite its silliness, EEAAO is achingly sincere, but could the general public be trusted to recognize that? But then it won Best Picture, so apparently yes! Beautiful, delicate, to score a film or video with Clair de Lune signals a desire to be seen not only as an intellectual, but as an aesthete. The song could lose potency if the Clair de Lune sequence were parodied enough, but how does one parody EEAAO???

9. Gymnopedie No. 1, Satie

I fear we must, as a society, and as a community of video essayists, move on from Gymnopedie No. 1. It held the title longer than, I think, any champion previous, and for that it deserves merit. But its time is over. It is, like the phrase “mad dated,” mad dated. It is saying “lmao” out loud. Did you know the original screenplay for 2005 film The Island specifically stated that, in the weird culty enclave in which the film opens, Gymnopedie No. 1 must be playing over the loudspeaker? I don’t think Michael Bay followed that directive (I’m not rewatching the movie to find out), but that is how long this was the “Smart Music” song - since 5 months after YouTube launched. If you must - absolutely must - put Satie in a video essay, use Gnossienne No. 1, though it too is on its way to passe. At this point I’m prepared to say Vexations or GTFO.

2. Ave Maria, Schubert/Liszt

Nothing was certain after Satie vacated the throne, and for a while it seemed we might have a Starks vs. Baratheons situation between Schubert and Debussy. Following several appearances in pretentious YouTube videos, the Ave Maria made its strongest showing yet by scoring the opening scene of the grimdarkest Batman film so far, an entire twenty days before getting fully Lannister’d by Everything Everywhere All at Once. Unbowed, unbent, and unbroken, still she nips at the heels of the king, and may yet take his place. No one else poses a comparable threat. Hers is a curious strategy, being a religious, Christmas, and even classic Disney standard now repurposed as “Smart Music;” she gets a big boost every December, but can she take the top spot before this cyclical exposure nudges her back into a prior niche?

8. Moonlight Sonata, Beethoven

If you were in a film program in the mid-2000s, you are sick to death of Moonlight Sonata. Also if you were in a music class where you were asked to determine a song’s time signature by ear - how am I supposed to tell the difference between waltz time and 4/4 with all triplets without the sheet music in front of me? To say scoring a video with Moonlight Sonata is a hack move - you’d have to be a hack to not already know! This was the soundtrack to the blind cave salamander level of Earthworm Jim 2, there’s no coming back from that! I mean, the association with Tallarico Studios alone… It’s done. Roll over, Beethoven.

3. Cello Suite No. 1 (Prelude), Bach

This one is firmly-rooted. It is not going anywhere, both in the sense that nothing could soon push it off the list but it’s hard to imagine rising any higher. It is just slightly too beautiful, too expressive, too legato to fall into the stiffness of Habanera or the pomposity of a De Beers ad, but just close enough to them in tone to always read as a hipper alternative. So you’ll never be overexposed, but never go that long without hearing the Yo-Yo Ma version. And so here it stays, third on the podium, solid bronze, the waterbender, the Plup; with you as always is Prelude to Cello Suite No. 1. (Frankly surprised it took us this long to get to Johann, but don’t worry - he’ll be Bach.)

7. Air on the G String, Bach/Wilhelmj

Told ya. It’s not that she isn’t a beautiful piece of music, and it’s not that she already had her time. In truth, she never got her flowers. Inasmuch as she had a run, it was squished between the omnipresences of Beethoven and Satie. You’ll still hear from her now and then; she crops up, like a lucky penny. And you’ll smile, every time, but you know the stars in your eyes are not present joy, but nostalgia. A fondness for what was and what could’ve been - what should have been. Why - why couldn’t this have had the legs of Gymnopedie? I mean, even the Fucking Champs version - could that have made a run? Could TikTok pick up on it? But comes the day you have to accept - if it was gonna happen, it would’ve happened by now. Air on the G String grows weary; let her rest.

4. Duo des Fleurs, Delibes

Bit of a dark horse, this one. Didn’t exactly come out of nowhere - it’s been here the whole time - but you didn’t see it coming! It’s like that time I went snorkeling, and I wondered, “Where are the fish?” I was told there would be tropical fish, but all I saw was blue. Then I caught one flitting by my head and, as soon my eyes registered the shape, I realized they were everywhere! I just hadn’t taken them in. This is the one that makes you ask, where did I hear that before? Was this the one at the end of Margaret? No! How did it go? How do I hum dyads? But then it shows up and, oh yeah, that’s the one! The really pretty one. I knew it’d come around again. Has staying power, could make a run for the top if it sees an opening, but seemingly content, for now, to dance around the periphery, appreciated when heard if only half-remembered the next day.

6. Prelude in E Minor Op. 28 No. 4, Chopin

The bottom end of acceptability. Anything lower, you must avoid. But you can use Prelude in E. It is a risk, and it takes skill. But you can use Prelude in E. It is not for the faint of heart. This is the ending of Fez we’re talking about here. This is that one TED Talk about how everyone loves classical music they just don’t know it yet. This was all over Anatomy of a Fall. Are you sure you wouldn’t prefer something lighter? Nocturne in E-flat [Op. 9 No. 2] is very nice. Prelude has just enough penetration that some people are going to recognize it, and enough clout that those who do are going to expect things of the person who puts it in a video essay. You can’t just throw this under a rant about The Snyder Cut. But you can - with care, with effort, and with grace - use Prelude in E.

5. Spiegel im Spiegel, Part

We are not ready for Spiegel im Spiegel. The rare “Smart Music” that is, rather than classical, contemporary minimalist. This is - I have been led to believe - all over the film festival circuit. It is the go-to for aspiring arthouse directors. So I assume it is only a matter of time until it reaches general cultural awareness. But we - the YouTube video essay community - are not, at this point in time, pretentious enough to pull off Spiegel im Spiegel. This is not a statement on the song: it is a lovely, sparse, and unpretentious piece of music, which is why pretentious people are drawn to it. And we are not there yet. But I believe in us.

POSTSCRIPTUM

The List of Songs that Represent “Smart Music” is not ranked by quality; they are all, as a baseline, masterpieces. They are ordered, instead, by their possession of antipodal qualities. Beethoven’s Fifth may be a beautiful piece but it’s too well-known - to the casual listener, it reads only as “classical music.” Vltava is a beautiful piece, but it’s not recognizable enough - to most, it will read only as “music.” Pachelbel’s Canon works in too many contexts. Mozart’s Lacrimosa no longer works in any context but “Shit’s About To Go Off.” The Song that Represents “Smart Music” must balance these humors: suggestive, but not too specific; recognizable, but not overfamiliar. The kind of thing one imagines cultured people listen to, and fancies oneself cultured for having noticed it. Just popular enough to signify obscurity to a large number of people.

This impossibility of being both popular and obscure is what keeps the list in motion. Many songs drift back into obscurity before reaching the top, but, once in the primary position, a song begins its slow procession to overexposure. And when, at last, it is too popular to be niche, it does not slip to number 2; it plummets to the bottom, as did Icarus.

Due to this slow but constant movement, new songs will, at intervals, join the ranks, taking the place of those that became gauche. And if, dear listener, you were aiming to trendset, to score your next whatever-it-is-you-do with the newest Song to Represent “Smart Music,” and were I a gambling man… Bach’s Prelude in C. And I’ll tell you why: it appears in the Netflix series Bodies alongside Chopin (#6), mirroring Satie’s dual appearance in The Queen’s Gambit (#9); its arpeggiated structure makes it usable in scenarios similar to the Cello Suite (#3) (Johann did love him some broken chords); and it forms the basis of the Gounod version of Ave Maria, if you would like a Cool Person’s Alternative to Schubert (#2). You may feel I’m playing too safe, but I tell you truly: this song is due. But if I can impart one piece of wisdom let it be this: whatever you do, whoever you are, you cannot use Fur Elise. You cannot. You can’t do it. It can’t be allowed. Don’t fu-

[akimoroll]

the day you said goodnight

yoichi nagumo (sakamoto days) x afab!reader—wc 2.1k—read on ao3

tags—married couple. domestic fluff. angst. false pregnancies. disease. death. hurt/no comfort.

this is me procrastinating the last(?) chapter of the other fic lmao

on loop while writing this: clair de lune - johann debussy┊the day you said goodnight - hale┊only - lee hi┊A POTION FOR LOVE - AURORA (mostly this one)

“Are you killing people again?”

“What? No!” He chuckled, placing a hand over your own, “Why’d you ask?”

You searched his face before speaking, “Your eyes look tired lately.”

He gave your hand a little nudge, “I’ve been working late nights, remember?” He reassured you and went back to eating dinner.

You continue yours as well. After a few spoonfuls and glass clinkings, “By the way, I think I’m pregnant this time,” you announced.

“Is that so?” His voice turned muffled after stuffing his face with rice, “you feeling nauseous again?”

You leaned back to your chair, pondering, “Yeah, my period is late too. I’ll take a test first thing tomorrow,” you smiled at him with sparkles in your eyes.

He nodded as he returned a smile to you.

The two of you had been actively trying to conceive a child ever since he retired from his life as an assassin, settling down and moving far away from his previous life. Routine check-ups had become a regular occurrence. However, despite your attempts, he always refused to let you speak to the doctor, claiming he “didn't want to stress you out”.

Nonetheless, you trusted Yoichi wholeheartedly, your husband and the only person whom you hold dear to your heart, the one who saved you from the people who put you through an unspeakable kind of hell. And although it wasn’t his responsibility to look after you—considering you were a miscalculation in that specific assignment—he couldn’t help it. This decision led him to foster a friendship with you that eventually blossomed into love.

All he asked of you was that you would take good care of yourself and religiously follow the regimen of pills the doctor prescribed to ensure your health.

Initially, he began working remotely to assist you at home, until he took all the responsibilities around the house. He started learning to cook healthier meals and then for some odd reason, he began putting labels on things around the house. He also took out all the things from the overhead shelves, built another so he could lower them down to make everything accessible for you. You protested at first: I’m not senile, I’m trying to be a mother! And he would laugh as he embraced you from the back, saying: I know and I’m trying to be a good husband… and father.

He noticed your complaints on nights you couldn’t sleep, prompting him to install blackout curtains and switching the mattress into something softer. He took you for walks to lessen your afternoon naps. Being in the countryside, you were closer to nature, helping you both to relax and be away from the city’s anxiety-inducing hustle and bustle.

And on days you couldn’t go out, he would play board games with you or watch movies in the living room, or sit in comfortable silence and read a book on the balcony that was seated above the garden that he learned to meticulously tend so he could make flowers bloom for you. And when he would piss you off from his incessant teasing the night before, he would sneakily pick flowers and put it on your nightstand while you’re still asleep, hoping it would soften your mood and make you forgive him; maybe even laugh about it together over tea.

However, marriage isn’t all bliss and serenity. There were times that doubts began to nag at your mind, suspicions arise that he might be hiding something. There were nights where he was convinced you were peacefully asleep, and you would catch sight of him crying alone in the living room. And everytime you attempted to talk to him about it over breakfast, he would always come up with a stupid excuse like: I was watching a movie.

Being intimate wasn’t such a big deal until he started lacking initiative and on days you yearned for his touch, he would decline saying that you should rest instead. And then you’d ask, how am I supposed to get pregnant like this? He was always sweet about it as he wrapped his strong arms around you, telling you: let’s focus on keeping you healthy first, alright?

Why? Is there something wrong with me? Are you not telling me something?

No, you’re perfect—he would always say with the sweetest tone of voice—I just don’t want you to experience complications when the baby arrives, that’s all. And he would kiss you so tenderly and you would always believe him.

But you noticed the hospital visits started becoming a little too frequent and you were clueless and in the dark, causing you to feel uneasiness. And when you asked him about it he said, “You told me you were having trouble breathing, right?”

“Yeah, I did say that,” you nodded, trying to recall it.

“I’m sure it’s nothing. Don’t worry,” he reassured, placing a hand on your lap and the other on the steering wheel as he kept his eyes on the road.

Frequent hospital visits turned into a full on hospital stay, causing you more distress. But he made sure to make everything feel familiar by bringing things from your house to your hospital room. However, everything still felt so confusing for you—all his answers were vague, making it difficult for you to piece it together.

“Why am I here? Am I giving birth already?” You worriedly asked as you watched him saunter around the room, making the place homey for you, “I don’t feel pain at all. I don’t even have a baby bump yet. Please, I wanna go home,” you continued.

“Hey, it’s okay,” he cooed as he glanced at you for a moment before continuing, “This is so we can make sure that you’re being taken care of closely.”

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier? I kept asking and asking and you never answered properly,” you voiced out in distress.

“I already–” he paused and walked over to you, sitting beside you on the bed, your hands in his, “I’m sorry. You don’t have to worry about a thing, alright?” He comforted you.

Reluctantly, you nod. But in your head, you knew he was hiding something. You had noticed a new watchful patience in him every time you had something to say. The changes in him made you brave to ask the real questions on his next visit.

“So which one is it?”

He looked over his shoulder for a moment before putting freshly picked flowers on the vase, “Which one is what?”

Taking a deep breath, you asked, “Are you killing again?”

He paused and went over to you, attempting to hold you but you pulled away. It had gotten annoying how he had been treating you like a child lately, “Or are you cheating on me?”

You could almost see the resignation in him as he closed his eyes, trying his best to maintain his composure, “Darling, you sleep a lot these days. I’m always with you.”

“You keep lying to me,” you hissed, “And why are you calling me darling? You never call me that, ever.”

“Listen, I got everything under control. I told you worrying isn’t good for you. Don’t you trust me?” He pleaded and you could see his tears welling up.

But you couldn’t feel anything other than betrayal, having been in the dark for so long and still in the shadows, you deadpanned, “No, I don’t trust you anymore. Please get out. I want to rest.”

That was the first time you had witnessed him breakdown before your eyes leaving you more confused than sorry. Because why was he the one crying when you were the one being lied to?

Asking yourself: Is he tired of me?

Every time he made a visit, the same tedious conversation kept replaying, as if the man you had fallen in love with was fading right in front of your eyes with each passing moment. A disconnect between you began to settle in—it seemed as if he was a complete stranger now, and the pain felt like no other.

///

You strolled in silence along the tranquil garden located within the hospital’s vicinity and despite the lovely weather and the flowers blooming around you, you couldn’t shake off the overwhelming sadness surrounding your situation. You began sharing your sentiments to the medical personnel attending to you, “I miss home.”

After walking around for a few minutes, you settled under the shade of a large aged tree and noticed an elderly man, likely in his sixties, sitting while holding a familiar book. He offered a warm smile in your direction as you sat a few inches from him on an old wooden bench.

“Have you read this one?” He abruptly asked.

You looked at the cover briefly, “I think so, yes.”

“This is my wife’s. They say if you read someone’s favorite book, it could help you understand them better.”

You chuckled, “That might be true. Is your wife here too?”

“She is. We almost live here now,” he joked.

“Your wife is quite lucky, mister. My husband doesn’t visit me anymore. He’s probably out there tired of me. He told me I was always asleep… but I never sleep.” you softly said with eyes far away.

The old man looked at you with a gloomy expression before flashing a gentle smile and kindly offered, "I’ll be your visitor, if you don’t mind, of course."

And he did visit you. He would bring books from his wife’s library and read them to you as you fell asleep to the sound of his voice. His most captivating stories were about his younger years with his best pals, you could tell he loved them dearly. He would challenge you to guess his former profession based on his tales alone, promising a reward if you guessed correctly (you never did).

Playing cards and board games was his thing too. He was hilarious, you had to suppress your laugh most of the time because it started to hurt when it’s too much. But laughter wasn't the only thing you held back in his presence, but tears as well when he finally spoke about his wife—the woman he claimed to have loved the most. He spoke of her with so much fondness yet in a distant and melancholic manner, saying that she was an angel who had unconditionally loved a troubled man like himself. And when you asked him what he meant by "a man like him", he simply smiled somberly in response.

You were puzzled with his words because he seemed to be a wholesome and cheerful man. And despite his age, he possessed striking good looks. Avoiding any prying questions, you instead expressed appreciation for him despite not having known him for so long, you found a friend and a father in him, telling him you’ve never met yours.

After listening to you, he shared a bittersweet smile before quickly shifting to a playful expression, telling you, "Hey, you've got something on your hair."

His hand extended and gently brushed the side of your face before reappearing in front of you, holding a freshly picked flower, a sakurasou, delicately pinched between his tattooed fingers.

Huh?

You both chuckled as he handed it to you. When you glanced up to him, you were certain you caught a fleeting glimpse of your husband’s face. Your smile gradually dropped as your breathing began increasingly labored.

“What’s wrong? Are you alright?” He asked softly with concern, his voice sounded distorted in your ears.

Before you could reply, you felt a stab like pain in your chest, slowly spreading through your neck and jaw. A blur of movement caught your attention as he bolted out of the room to ask for help. Soon after, the door swung open as your husband came rushing towards you. He held your wrinkled hand, telling you: Stay with me. It’s going to be okay.

His voice continually echoed apologies along with desperate I love yous, and you wish you could say it back and ask, where were you? I was waiting for you. I missed you so much. I was wrong for ever doubting you. However, everything was starting to slow down around you as you step in and out of consciousness, feeling extreme fatigue and sluggish all of a sudden.

Your husband's grip was abruptly severed as medical staff swarmed around you, the chaos overwhelming your senses. The only thing you could discern was the old man’s cry and pleading. As you began to feel the curtains of life closing in, you couldn’t help but realize that you missed the chance to tell the elderly man how grateful you are for helping you see your husband’s boundless love and the depth of his devotion for you.

You didn’t even ask for his name.

Or did you? You couldn’t remember.

Oh, wait. You did.

He had a pretty name.

His name was Yoichi too.

the floral language of sakurasou or japanese primrose is “desire” and “long-lasting love“. it also implies first love, youthful love, and longing.

[biconickyoshi]

tag games :)

Woooo thanks for tagging me @the-cloud-whisperer!! :) I’ve never done one of these before!

* Last song I listened to: Telephone Number by Junko Ohashi (classic city pop bop)

* Favorite color: Forest green - I painted my home office this color and it’s very calming (plus gives off hobbit vibes)

* Currently watching: Dungeon Meshi, didn’t expect to like it as much as I do but I look forward to every new ep and even binged the manga the other day :)

* Spicy/savory/sweet: Savory all the way, can’t handle too much spicy or sweet at a time T-T

* Relationship status: Married

* Current obsession: Strongest and longest running special interest is A:tLA since 2007, specifically Zukaang now ever since late 2021 when I had an epiphany about the ship and started writing The Avatar and the Fire Prince :)

-------------

🎶✨when u get this, list 5 songs u like to listen to, publish. then, send this ask to 10 of your favourite followers (positivity is cool)🎶✨

* Take A Chance With Me - NIKI (literally fits Zukaang so well so I listen to it a lot)

* Lovegod - Sarah Kinsley (the piano in this makes me feel so nostalgic and gives me extreme Debussy vibes)

* Naked in Manhattan - Chappell Roan (sapphic bop)

* That’s Me - Gnoss (celtic music is just 🤌🏻✨ i love it so much)

* Bewitched - Laufey (I feel like im in an old disney movie when I listen to this)

-----------------

nickname: KJ

zodiac sign : gemini, but none of the gemini traits fit with my personality so I don’t much believe in astrology lol. if I’d have been born just a day or two later I’d be a cancer and much more inclined to believe in it bc it fits me way better

height : 5'4"

last thing I googled: tripleS members (a kpop group my sister recently introduced me to lol)

amount of sleep: usually 6-7 hours, I recently got diagnosed with mild sleep apnea so I wake up literally every hour or two and i have to use a cpap 😔

dream job: hmm well I guess I’m working it right now (I’m a therapist)? when I was a kid I wanted to be on broadway (I was big into musical theater/choir)… now I honestly kinda don’t really “enjoy” working in general even though there are parts of my job that I enjoy. I honestly get the most satisfaction out of doing things I like for my own enjoyment (like writing and drawing) rather than for monetary gain.

movie/book that describes me the most: uhhhhhh I guess I’d say LotR, I very much relate to Frodo lol (which is one of the reasons he’s my pfp on my main blog). I also love its portrayal of wholesome masculinity and kindness/goodness conquering all.

favorite song: hard to choose… there’s literally so many I like lol. I really love 1of1 (both the album and the song) by SHINee (my fave kpop group)

favorite instrument: I would say the mandolin or the fiddle

favorite aesthetics: I really enjoy the vibe of whimsigoth, though my personal style does not incorporate it. I attempted it a couple years ago but felt it was too femme - nowadays I wear “fashionable” men’s clothes (layers, button-ups, men’s jeans)

favorite author: Charlotte Brontë simply because I love Jane Eyre so much. She made me feel so many emotions with that novel 😭 I related to Jane a bit too much

random fun fact: hmmmm well I was the lead in two different musicals when I was in high school which was pretty neat! I mentioned somewhere above that I wanted to be on broadway growing up so that’s the closest i’ve gotten to that lmao

Gonna tag some of y’all if you wanna play (no pressure tho) :)

@finn0cchio @my-cabbages-gorl @veggiesforpresident @buncly13 @asukas-numberone-defender @zeno-zero @rennelelorren @gordielaweirdo @isthei @kirinjaegeste

[lixenn]

A SECOND ASK FROM ME HAS HIT UR ASKBOX TODAY…!

I'm curious on the method on how she uses her flames to disarm traps! Just from this section, it looks like she really knows her stuff!

"dark blue (the same color as her son’s eyes)" -- AWWWWWWWWW 🥹🥹🥹💖💖✨😭✨ IM SO SOFT I MUST DRAW HER!!! I can imagine that's also the same color as her late husband's eyes?

Does she have any favorites in classical music? Personally, don't get to listen to them a lot but when I do, one of my faves and the one that really makes me soft is Clair de Lune (Debussy); I wonder if she likes that too? She can even play the piano, so I can imagine her playing her fave pieces with that!

not a question but --- If she truly wanted she could have taken an officer position instead of her current job but she prefers being in a support role since that lets her spend more time with her son. --- I AGREE WITH THIS MINDSET. Chill culture >>>> Grind/Hustle culture (Hey Chief Dan, I hope ur listening right now 👍✨)

also dave wtf jsfhshvfshd what happened to dave the first time it happened? like the shampoo-switching? Did Valerie fall for it or did her instincts guide her to avoid the hair-dye?

We got a lot of hm Valerie loves her son here, but I also wonder about the other side. What is Valerie like in Maximilian's POV?

*faces this ask like it's the final boss in a JRPG*

I- I will beat you! YOU WILL NOT DEFEAT ME!!!!!

*insert exterme warcry here*

---

So... Heya Ein! It's been literal fucking months since you send this in but I haven't forgotten 🫡 I just procrastinated the hell out of it because the ask required research and also because Val doesn't tell me jackshit. She's quite the reserved lady... Keeping quiet even to her creator... The audacity!!

Anyways I finally come to deliver some answers! (which will be under the cut because long lmao)

Traps Disclaimer: I don't know traps. I don't know how to research traps either tbh. So I'm kind of winging this answer in the hopes that it makes at least some kind of sense.

Vals's analytical mind, observant nature and love for puzzles make it easy for her to identify and pick traps apart even when she just started out as an assassin. Her engineering studies also gave her an upper hand in the subject. So her disarming of traps is mostly analysing the bigger picture and then disintegrating the part of the trap that would do you harm with her Storm Flames. This means that while she sometimes just needs to take care of a small part of trap (for example the trigger that would set it off) at other times she just needs to get rid of the thing in its entirety or even spring the trap because everything else would be too much of a hassle.

Eyes Thank you for wanting to draw her 🥹🥹🫂💜💜 I haven't tried it myself yet because I'm honestly not sure on how to do her justice (<- this user doesn't know how to draw wrinkles in her style to safe her life) but dear @discendia actually did an absolute fantastic job of it, so now there's a Val visual!! As for her sons eye colour: Yes, he shares the same eye colour than her late husband (may he rest in peace 🙏).

Favourite music This might have been the most difficult question to answer simply because I don't know music OTL. I do enjoy instrumential music a lot but I don't know classics, which made answering tricky. Thankfully @myrmyrtheorca came to my rescue and saved my ass 🫡 You're a gem buddy!

Val has a fondness for waltz because her husband and her often danced together to it so we have:

Dmitri Shostakovich - Waltz No. 2

Aram Khachaturian - Masquerade Suite - Waltz

This one isn't a waltz but it's the kind of upbeat and fast paced she also likes Hungarian Dance no. 5.

Tchaikovsky - Valse Sentimentale okay this piece is less one of her favourites and more kind of a theme song for her and her husband because when I listened to this I got a lot of... bittersweet sad vibes and that reminded me of them.

I honestly don't know if you can play these pieces on piano? I would think if you could she would play them (music is really one of my weaknesses sometimes). But Val doesn't just like playing piano she also likes listening to classical music even going on live concerts for it when she has the time.

Chill culture Unlike certain other people I could name, Val has a very healthy work life balance which is mostly based on the fact that she was unwilling to compromise on her time with her son. It was hard at the beginning but with time and experience she got into a rhythm which she maintains with stubborn determination. She rises and sleeps early. She takes scheduled breaks. Vacation days aren't gathering dust and she will go on sick leave if needed. Unlike Dan who needs to be dragged from the office more often than not (he's also in fact not listening lmao).

Hair dye And it wouldn't be a proper Ein ask with me throwing in a snippet, would it? It's a bit on the shorter side but here you go!

Steaming hot water ran down Val’s back, washing away sticky sweat and doing wonders for the tension in her muscles. Training had been rewarding but her body wasn’t what it used to be, long since worn down by age and numerous injuries. Heat helped but something always complained even on the good days.

That’s the cost of living, I suppose.

Humming a nonsensical tune Val turned off the water and blindly reached for her shampoo bottle. She squeezed some product into her hand, eyes still closed and ready to massage it into her hair when a sharp smell reached her nose.

Val froze.

She gave up scented shampoos and soaps decades ago when subterfuge and stealth took priority over unnecessary comfort. With time reaching for the simple products on the shelf became a habit she never saw the point in breaking. Most of the fancy stuff irritated her skin anyways, it wasn’t a huge loss.

However, this begged the question:

Why the hell did her shampoo smell like ammonia?

Brightly coloured hair and a mischievous smile came to mind. Talking a mile a minute about how she would look great in red.

That little brat!

With a wave of her hand, Flames sparked to life, ridding her off the dye staining her skin. She left the bottle and its nefarious contents alone, better to have some evidence as backup just in case.

She dried herself in record time, put her wet hair up in a bun and grabbed some fresh clothes out of her closet. Her shirt was still half unbuttoned when she reached for her trusty naginata, ready to make a pesky little nuisance regret all his life choices.

---

^so yes Dave got caught and Val was not amused. He survived her warth but definitely needed to pay Varia medical a visit.

Maxi Val's love is equally returned by her son. Their relationship isn't without conflict because even though Val tried her best she was still extremely busy in her early assassin days, needing to leave Maxi with friends for days during her numerous missions. But he learned that he will always be her priority and that she will always come running if he calls her. Somtimes Val can get a bit overbearing because she's super paranoid that someone will take Maxi from her the same way her husband was burtally ripped from her life. Maxi tries to be understanding but he has limits (and he's a teenager) so he sometimes storms of in a huff to sleep over at his friends after they fight.

[whiteshipnightjar]

i just had a dream, and you can take it as a random dream or see something in it if you want but I NEED TO TELL YOU. i dreamt that joanna’s new album title is ‘doulent’ (or doulant), like joanna created word that sounds like the french ‘douleur’ meaning ‘pain’ (it’s a similar word in many languages, spanish, portuguese and others but my brain made it french i think cuz joanna speaks it and likes debussy lmao) but also like a phonetic allusion to ‘doula’. and doesn’t this just MAKE SO MUCH SENSE??!! (yes, it’s very divers with the pain of birth being lighter borne than the pain of death, i think my subconscious went full joanna mode, past, present and future there haha). anyway, that’s not all. also, she announced she is going to have shows in summer. after kilby fest. and there were clips of her performing??! some old, but some absolutely new. that was the gist of it. i couldn’t tell anyone bc my internet or accounts were down or something and all i could see was scully from x-files in random promo pics looking down sadly (don’t know what that means, maybe i need a haircut) and i went almost insane lol, didn’t understand i was dreaming. so, there you go. happy holidays!

[lotus-lamps]

yippee intro post (ALSO COMMISSIONS ARE OPEN!!!)

okay last one was a PAIN to read so im rewriting it lmao

-> COMMISSION INFO <-

heyyyy its me lotuslamps, but you can also just call me lotus or cozm. dont worry about pronouns, i dont care. i do happen to be a minor though, so id rather not interact with nsfw blogs, thanks.

reposts are allowed (on other sites) WITH CREDIT. you can also use my art for non commercial purposes, like pfps.

this blog will mostly be my art, but i might occasionally drop a shitpost, textpost or reblog here and there.

#lotus drawdles is my art tag. ...not sure if all my art actually shows up when you click the link though. oh well.

sigh. you can have #cozm textpost too i guess. lmao

im a multifandom (+ my ocs) artist with no schedule at all, so its not unusual for me to not post for months. what i draw for varies often, so if you wanna follow me, i recommend you do it for my art style rather than the specific fandom i drew for. your call though.

MY FANDOMS:

alien stage (current)

link click

jujutsu kaisen

bungo stray dogs

project sekai

sky cotl

oneshot

madoka magica

kill la kill

hollow knight

vocaloid

animation vs animator

undertale/deltarune

cult of the lamb

the lower it is on the list, the less likely you'll see art of it here, more or less.

my askbox is always open, send whatever shit you want lol. i'll try to answer them all if theyre not too personal, and if they are ill just give you a meme or something instead lmao.

art requests are open right now too, you can ask for whatever as well. it might take a while though. i'll draw whatever I'm interested in. no oc stuff, sorry. thats reserved for my commissions.

SOCIALS:

carrd: https://lotuslamps.carrd.co/#

discord user: cozmiccupcakes

ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LotusLamps

ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/lotuslamps

instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lotus.lamps/ <- less used than tumblr

X/twitter: https://x.com/Lotus_Lamps <- honestly never thought i'd get this but alas.

thats all. i think. okay random fact time lets goooo

i like birds, eating food, sleeping, listening to music, doodling, and daydreaming. i dont like procrastinating (lie. kinda) but unfortunately im a professional and have a degree in it lmao.

speaking of music. my favorite artists are maretu, jack stauber, kikuo, AURORA, karikibear, ghost and pals, and wotaku.

also debussy goes hard lowkey. please dont take that out of context it sounds weird LMAO. yeah i play piano. sometimes i make my own music too.

hm. thats really all, this time. i think. wow this is longer and probably just as hard to read as the last one lmao.

okay then. have a good day/night/whenever. take breaks, drink water, live your best life. you're loved. see you :)

right. hope you like my blog or something. lol

[ay-chuu]

Hi! (how are you??) I am writing about the shipping event (bsd) I just really wanna know who I am matching with! So i am an female entp and I love singing, drawing and cooking. I think I want a attantive and romantic partner who is loyal (! I think cheating is the worst thing someome can do). A negative thing about me would probably be that I am getting jealous easily and if I don't get love and comfort often, my self confidence is going down hill. My love language would probably be something like physical touch.

I often listen to jazz or classical music and I love debussy and chopin. I also play some instruments.

I hope this is enough and I hope you have a nice day! (if you are not able to write anything its ok! With lots of love!)

Hi sweetie your love came here and i send you back with lots of more ＼(≧▽≦)／! Thanks for your great wishes <3 And thanks im fine!

I match you with... (っ＾▿＾)💨

CHUUYA NAKAHARA!

Chuuya's favorite thing about you is that you can be more comfortable with some things than him because he can get very upset and tense about life, I personally think Chuuya is an ENTJ rather than an ESTP, but since you're ENTP, you're pretty compatible with both types of MBTI <3 In general, you're more relaxing, Being understanding and kind is a plus for him because you intervene when he can't express himself!

I don't think that your jealousy and self-esteem problems will affect Chuuya much because I think he has them too and being like that helps him to empathize more, you're on good terms together as you always calm each other on these issues <3 Other than that, I think you're on good terms with his loyalty, You like that he treats and cares for you like a goddess and supports you no matter what you do as long as it's a good thing and makes you happy, while he likes that you can give him peace and make him feel at home with someone when you're together! :3

The main problem in your relationship would usually be self-confidence and trust problems, in fact, you know each other very well in this regard, but whenever you get angry and act silly, it upsets you excessively and sometimes even leads to breakouts. It's hard to stay apart though, because sometimes you two are the only people you can trust are each other. <3 One way or another, there is a peace conversation going on between you. Please remember to take it slow!

Finally, some moments I dream of for you: Escape to the sea after dinner in a luxury restaurant together, dinners cooked together, singing to him with your sweet voice after a nightmare, and secretly drawing a portrait of him while he's doing his job :3

Hope you'll like it! <3

BTW ME WHILE READING YOUR ASK LMAO:

[roosterbox]

Watching Hannibal (again) and

I’m sorry, did Dolarhyde just describe Will as “not handsome?!”

Will Graham, the living embodiment of the “I saw a man so beautiful I started crying?” meme?!

That was more shocking to me than all the brutal murders, lmao.

(Also yay for them using a classical piece I recognized immediately - The Girl With The Flaxen Hair, by Debussy)

[racketballz]

Some songs that the boys listen from the sun shower???🌞

Hmm I think Noel listens to post hardcore music or pop punk. music is very important to him compared to the other characters since he plays the guitar so I think he likes to romanticize his life with music a little bit I can also see him listening to old jazz music and 90s hip hop beats if he’s walking around

Daniel is………….I think he forces himself to listen to classical music I don’t actually think he likes it tho LOL

Jamie :) likes hot 100 pop music he can dance to! I think he would listen to kpop girl groups specifically too and I don’t think he’s gonna listen to anything sad or aggressive because he will get in a bad mood LMAO but I think he likes love songs and ballads as well

Adrian…does Adrian listen to music… I mean he does I don’t know if I would say he likes a specific genre tho

Jazz listens to jazz music and rnb and rap music

[madwickedawesome]

INFO !! ♡

♫ hello!! my name is juno and my friends call me tuna!!! however u r free to call me whatever u wish, i have no preference whatsoever :] i use he/him pronouns and i am 16!!!!

♩ i speak english and sign in asl + i am learning latin!!

♬ my close friends describe me as funny, "secondhand romantic" (i have no idea what this means and he can't explain it so this one is up to interpretation LMAO), insane, silly, puppy, science and animal enthusiast, biggest modern minimalism hater, and "like 10 am on a summer morning and it's light and breezy." so. take those as u will!!

♯ i listen to largely classical music (my fav composers are prokofiev, debussy, and shostakovich a heem heem giggle) and artists like tears for fears!! i'm also a major fan of rococo/baroque architectural and art styles (hence l'apothéose d'hercule above) and floriography!! i have been singing in choirs for like. a third of my life and am trained classically :] despite all of this art stuff, biology is my spinterest!!!!!

♭ although u probably would not be able to tell from the vibe of this alone, i am in fact incapable of being normal about ANYTHING. i adore everything on this list, but my biggest fandom interest at the moment is most specifically gus halper's mischa bachinski from ride the cyclone LMFAO!! a poor quality 3d render of him is spinning around in my head at all times, and his Strange bf, rap girlie fiancée, and singing abilities occasionally tag along :]

♮ i'd prefer if people 13 and below didn't interact with my posts, but if ur already here, dw abt leaving!!! of course i'm not too comfortable with adults being here either, but that's probably a given. overall dni criteria applies here but that's also probably a given LMFAO. my biggest thing is that if u support the 'noel is talia and is catfishing mischa' theory, i sincerely ask that u don't follow this blog and learn abt why it's a sucky theory!! aside from that, i don't really have any major unique dni thing, but please know that if i do anything to make u uncomfortable, i ask that u tell me so that i don't repeat it!!

𝄞 that's all i got!!! thank u for reading!!! i love u and hope u have a great day!!!!

[pianocat939]

do you have any classical music recommendations? especially for writing?

YOU SERIOUS???

BITCH I GOT YOU

If you want the dramatic stuff that gives a weird spark then these one would be great:

- Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven (This one has like 3 different moods to it)

- 1812 Overture by Tchaikovsky (This one is quite loud, there’s literal cannons used in part of it. It’s supposed to picture a war so like…)

- O Fortuna by Carl Orff (Very loud. Brings a lot of terror)

- Lacrimosa by Mozart (This one is perfect for sadness/angst it’s a funeral song that was never finished bcs he died before he could)

- Danse Macabre by Camille Saint Saëns (A song about skeletons lmao)

- Waldstein Sonata by Beethoven (Very energetic)

- Fantaisie Impromptu by Chopin (Probably my favorite piano piece)

- Prelude in G minor by Rachmaninov (Kinda like this steady almost March thing)

- 1st movement of Eine Kleine Nachtmusik by Mozart (Very famous. I’m only putting it here bcs it’s like elevator music to me lmao)

The more calm and just chill ones:

- The Swan by Camille Saint Saëns (This is from the collection Carnival of the Animals. I would check all of it out tbh. Oh and there’s a string version and Oboe version, I prefer Oboe)

- The Aquarium by Camille Saint Saëns (Another Carnival of the Animals. Very water-like)

- The Girl with Flaxen Hair by Debussy (I’m learning this one rn actually. Very chill)

- Clair De Lune (I’ve played this one as well. Is calm but has a slight energetic feel to it)

- Morning Mood by Grieg (Bro it’s so calming in a magical way Istg)

- The Blue Danube Waltz by Strauss (I wanna fling someone when listening to this idk why)

- Waltz in C# Minor by Chopin (I also can play this one, flows really smoothly)

I’ll also give you a list of my favorite composers cuz why not:

- Chopin

- Tchaikovsky

- Camille Saint-Saëns

- Bach (His music might be boring but I still love it lmao)

[gaybd1]

I’ve lost control of my life it is now 2:30am

(Chris watches Twilight Eclipse for the first time)

Okay fuck it it’s 12:30 am let’s start the annoying love triangle one (I’m guessing)

All I know about anything for the rest of the franchise is bella and Edward will be married and she’ll become a vampire either before or after that and also they will have a creepy baby but I think all that happens in the last book so NO guesses for this movie

At least the budget and therefore quality seem to be getting bigger/better each time

Another cheesy quote from Bella to open us out aight

Like idk she’s a student and I feel like students shouldn’t gotta worry about this marriage shit? Not in high school

It should be illegal to get married before 25 when your brain finishes developing btw

They’re both gonna be so annoying aren’t they, her with wanting to turn and him with wanting to get married, just kill me now

Anyway are they gonna finally resolve that one crazy lady vampire issue from the first movie bc that was really such a tiny problem to drag our

So is it jacob or jake what does he prefer

The music is a little better (so far) at least

Oh fuck not Edward controlling Bella’s movements and friendships GET AWAY FROM HIM BELLA

I get that Charlie has beef w Edward like girl same but also I feel bad for Edward lol

Mom sees that Edward is creepy too

Bella’s lying out in the sun but still just as pale okay

So jealous of T-shirt quilts

Dramatic ass vampire family nothing ever changes

Just get rid of this red hair chick so we can move onto the Vampiric Council villain plot

Teamwork!

More annoyed about Edward wanting to save Bella’s soul now that I know it’s Mormon propaganda tbhhhh

The thing w the Jacob v Edward drama that I never understood all those years ago is that they’re BOTH bad people!!

I still say they’d make a killer polycule

But I do love the “Edward is my boyfriend, Jacob is my best friend, and they’re jealous of each other”

Loving the lady werewolf

But how many are there now it seems like Too Much

Oh imprinting got it cool

WAIT I SWEAR I saw somewhere that Jacob ends up imprinting on Bella and Edwards daughter?????

Anyway at least lautner is kinda losing the accent at this point. Makes him less annoying

Unresolved Victoria plot, unresolved volturi plot, and now someone new???

Cross-species teamwork to help protect Bella how cute

Loving the historical flashbacks actually, I’d love a movie on the lore

WAIT FUCK jasper is SOKKA in that awful shyamalan avatar movie I’m sndkldjdsjkslskshdhdjdkd

JACOB why would you kiss her she just said she doesn’t love you I hate every man in this franchise

Clueless Charlie is pretty great

Rosalie has been nothing but spout straight up facts this entire franchise so far

Wow what a terribly tragic backstory though damn

So amused that they keep talking about defeating newborns lolol

Why would jasper know more about them than anyone else? They’ve all been newborns at some point? Is it bc he’s the most recently turned?

Oh good, explanation

Oh NOW he has an accent? lmao

Since when does he control emotions, have we seen that yet??

Ugh Jacob just DROP IT

Hahaha the father-daughter talks are so good

Listening to Debussy in preparation for seeing depussy nice

Oh DAMN he cockblocked himself. The damn Mormon influence again

It DOES make sense with the era he’s from etc etc

I just know the fangirlies were going crazy in the theatre w this whole sequence

oh NOW she says yes okayyyy

Okay seriously why is Jacob allergic to shirts

Cuddle for warmth. Classic fanfic trope oh all THREE of them should cuddle

“I am hotter than you” wow the fan girls are losing their minds

Anyway like we all know I stan rpats but he IS a goofy looking guy and I am constantly surprised he got cast for this role

Jacob doesn’t know how not to be a creep Jesus

Nice convo Jacob and Edward now kiss

But anyway that was actually super boring

Are they not even gonna SHOW the battle lmao

This movie feels super long am I wrong?

This fake ass snow

He’s literally making her say she loves him grossssss

What is any of this for like she’s less than 30 minutes of screen time away from marrying Edward right?? What was the ENTIRE point of that Jacob kiss

I actually do like how chill Edward was about it though lol

That is NOT Bryce Dallas Howard why doesn’t it look like her

What’s with the metallic clanking sounds when they die

This would be a great time for bella to get hurt and have to be turned, just saying

Oh DAMN did Bella use the trick from the werewolf story nice

Lol I had no idea vampires were so flammable

No idea what just happened to Jacob tbh like he doesn’t LOOK hurt

Why did they have to kill the girl jesus

The second movie was a gay allegory but this one is a trans allegory for sure

ok so yeah that’s another one done I guess lol

[drawingwithgreen13]

For the music ask thing: let’s try number 16th !

Ooh boy this might be a tough one if I’m understanding it correctly

I assume that by classical, it means compositional stuff like Mozart and Beethoven, so I’m gonna go with Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy. Yes I was introduced to this via Danganronpa, no I’m not letting my love for the franchise away me on my opinion lmao. I don’t know many classical songs but this one just feels so pretty to me, it doesn’t feel too over the top but it’s also melodic enough to where I can follow whatever Debussy is trying to tell us. If I had enough patience I would probably practice it on piano jekdidkfkf