#also his style has more like line art shading where as mine is gonna have simpler lines lol
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horseshoemybeloved · 1 year ago
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Tee hee suitehearts sketch
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raventhedracovis · 9 months ago
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tell us about wordgirl bestie!
Will gladly use this as an opportunity to talk about a few headcanons that are canon in mine and @c0de-0f-the-clans reboot!
I'll stick with the characters we've done line ups for for now. Which would be: Becky/Wordgirl, Huggy, Tobey, Dr. Two-Brains, Chuck, The Butcher, Charlie, The Other Henchman, The Whammer, Invisi-Bill, Big Left Hand Guy, Ms. Question, and The Coach.
Becky/Wordgirl (or course we're starting with the girl herself):
Bi. She just is. I don't make the rules. Yes I do >:3
Non-binary but uses she/her pronouns. Comes from noticing in the show how casual she is with referring to herself as "mister". Even lampshaded in the Thanksgiving episode when she says "no more mister nice Becky! ... Or miss Becky. Either one :)".
She's got two birthdays, the day her parents adopted her and the approximate date she was actually born. Her birthday is always celebrated September 28th, but her actual birthday is closer to December 16th.
Part of the reason Becky sucks at art so much is because she sees way more colors than humans can perceive. A color combination that looks good to her just looks ugly or like the same shade of brown. Though even without the whole "painting with colors beyond human perception" thing she just generally sucks at art.
Becky is autistic and stims by pulling and messing with her hair. We also decided she has a bee necklace and she fidgets with it too.
Her full name is Rebecca but goes by Becky.
She's currently 4'5" and the shortest in her grade. When she's all grown up she's going to tower over her friends at around six feet (or more).
Bob/Captain Huggy Face:
Captain Huggy Face is not his real name (or title but I'll get to that in a later post). It's just the name Wordgirl came up with on the spot.
Just like Becky, Bob is only his nickname. Robert is his full name in the family.
Pan.
Non-binary as well. Just his vibes.
By Lexicon standards, he's considered colorblind. By Earth standards, he's not fhdh.
In his late 20's, but part of the reason is for a different post.
Chuck the Evil Sandwich-Making Guy
Trans man <3
Demi pan.
Chuck's full name is Charles Edward Guy.
Chuck is in his early 20's, a headcanon we pulled thanks to a flashback in the show where Tim and Sally are clearly around the same age they found and adopted Becky but Chuck is oh so small.
Dr. Two-Brains
He stands at 6'5" but slouches a lot and therefore looks more like 6'3".
Technically has three birthdays! One for Steven, one for Squeaky, and one for the day the two fused.
Pan. Can and will flirt with anyone and everything.
In his late 30's.
The Henchmen
The other henchman is Joey Meatball. We both had different ideas of what his name was and thought the combined name was funny.
The two are romantically involved <3
Charlie is 6'7", the other one is 5'2".
Both are in their 40's.
The Butcher
He's 6'9". Big man.
His full name is Jack Edison Shepherd Jr. He went by Butch for a while as a kid, and it kind of stuck.
Bi
The reason he struggles with words so much is because he has an expressive language disorder.
In his early 40's.
Tobey
While he was the tallest kid in 5th grade, he's only gonna be 5'4" all grown up, and it's going to make him so, so mad jhkdg.
We have also hit him with the autism beam.
He had braces at some point, as evidenced by a retainer that can be seen by his bed in most episodes. We have however, just given him braces in our reboot.
Tobey has anxious attachment style. Something I can literally talk about in paragraphs (and have. Twice.) and will probably share another day.
His birthday is reverse pi, 4/13.
The Whammer
The Whammer is half Greek, half Texan, and 100% professional wrestler. His father is a Greek immigrant who got into the professional wrestling career where he met The Whammer's mother, a professional wrestler from Texas.
His real name is Adam Minos.
Was supposed to follow in his parents' footprints and apprenticed under his dad. Unfortunately, his powers where deemed illegal for use in the ring.
In his early 20's.
He's 5'8".
Gay.
Invisi-Bill
He is romantically involved with Big Left Hand Guy. :]
In his early 30's.
He has ADHD.
Stands at about 5'11".
Gay.
Big Left Hand Guy
He is romantically involved with Invisi-Bill. :]
He's related to one of the reoccurring bank security guards.
Has anxiety.
In his late 30's.
He's 5'1".
Gay.
Ms. Question
Trans and non-binary. She's non-binary in the sense that she dodges any questions about her gender. No matter what, she will make you second guess yourself when you try to give her a label.
She's Afro-Latina.
Bicurious, because she's also dodge the question jdfkgh.
Her civilian name is Anne Neasia.
In her early 30's.
Very tall woman. Stands at 6'.
The Coach
The Coach has dwarfism. He stands at 4'8".
He's related to Timmy Tim-Bo. It's why he keeps him around.
In his late 40's.
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Silva Lining (Saul Silva x reader) Chapter 2
Warnings: Swearing?
Word count : 2.1k 
This chapter was a little longer, I really get hooked on all of the details and before long the chapter keeps getting bigger and bigger. It’s gonna be a whole story so bare with <3 
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The night before starting at a new school you thought was supposed to be exciting, or you were meant to feel nervous, it was not supposed to be spent crying in Tara’s arms after explaining to her what had happened between you and the man you now believed to be your soulmate. You don’t know how long it had taken you to get to sleep in the end, all you knew is that you woke up as heartbroken as you were the night before. However, today is the first day to the rest of your fairy life, so brave face, and deal with the pain after hours.
Technically you didn’t have to go down to the courtyard to see everybody coming in, part of you was just interested, nosy, sick of being surrounded by only like 3 people for the last two months? Let’s just say you had your reasons. So there you were standing by yourself like an idiot, Tara was helping some of her friends move their things in, you noticed a girl with bright blonde hair, stunning, popular no doubt, she had the heir about her, not to mention there was already a group of Fairies crowded around her. Then you noticed another girl, flaming red hair, looking a little lost, part of you wanted to walk over to her, say hi or whatever, then you realised Sky had already clocked her too and was making his way over. Sometimes it was good to fade into the background, it just meant you could see everything happening without seeming too nosy. Like when you notice Blondie shoot daggers towards Sky and the girl he was speaking to, you couldn’t help but roll your eyes. Dramaaaaa. The conversation ended quickly when another guy, dressed in dark clothing with brown hair snuck up behind Sky interrupting. From the way they messed around you knew they were good friends. Maybe it was the guy River… no.. Riven, Sky had told you about. You looked away, starting to feel a little lonely as you watched friends re connect after time away. You only had one friend so far, and no doubt she had friends already here too, it was only a matter of time before you were on your own again. 
It wasn’t long before the final students had come through the gates and they began to close, you were one of the last ones outside, some stragglers lingering, when you felt someone come up behind you. You could tell instantly who it was, you wanted to be pissed off, but you couldn’t, his presence making you feel more at home than ever. He was close enough that you could feel his breath fanning the back of you neck, but far enough away so that if anyone saw you both it would just look like a private conversation. 
“You should be mingling with others, not standing here on your own.” You could tell by the tone of his voice he was frowning. It angered you. He was the one that decided what you felt for each other ‘wouldn’t work’ and now he thought he had an opinion when it came to your social life? 
“Saul, I mean, Mr Silva, you made it pretty clear yesterday that what we have.. had, wouldn’t work, so why are you concerned about what I do.” You moved away from him as you heard him sigh. You could tell he was frustrated, you didn’t care. In the two months you’d got to know Silva, you realised that he was a pretty dominant figure, he wasn’t used to not getting what he wanted, or having someone talk back to him. 
“Listen Y/N, don’t make this harder than it has to be.” He gritted out, it was paining him that he couldn’t touch you. You rolled your eyes and scoffed, turning to look at him, raising your eyebrow in a kind of ‘are you done?’ attitude. His jaw clenched. “Just stay out of the woods, there was another sighting of a burned one, it’s not safe to be out there at the moment.” With that he brushed past you, his skin brushing yours lightly enough to leave your whole body tingling, he faltered as he felt it too but carried on walking away. You headed off the the Fairy hall, looking back watching his re treating figure, you thought you had been the only two out there, but just before you rounded the corner you caught a glimpse of Headmistress Dowling, staring at the both of you from the top window of her office. 
The hallways were bustling, students squealing and hugging friends, luggage being hauled through the crowds, you had to push your way past, noticing on the way, a lot of people staring at you. You could hear people chattering, whispering, getting bits and pieces of sentences here and there like “Changeling” ‘Burned one” “multiple powers”.. You rolled your eyes, how the fuck did the news spread so quickly. You were grateful when you reached the door to your halls. You pushed the double doors open wide and took in your surroundings. Tara was there, sorting out all of her plants, she looked up and gave you a wide smile. 
“Oh Y/N there you are! I was just telling the girls all about you.” She rushed out and came to stand next to you. The noise attracted a few girls from the rooms off of the main dorm. Blondie from earlier sauntered out, you don’t know why it hadn’t clicked before that she was obviously the princess. Then followed a girl with headphones, a girl with funky looking hair, bits of blue were braided through it, and then the girl with the flaming red hair you’d seen in the courtyard. You stood awkwardly, your Doc Martens kicking the tiled floor. It was easy to see you all had different styles, you were no exception. There seemed to be a colour theme going on. 
“You don’t have to be so worried you know, we don’t bite.” The voice came from the girl with the headphones dressed in purple. “I’m Musa, i’m a mind fairy, that’s how I know what you’re feeling, also the reason you’ll see me with these almost every single minute of the day” she said while holding up the bulky headphones that were around her neck. 
The girl with the braided hair was next to introduce herself as Aisha, Water Fairy, explained why she had the blue theme going on. Next was Bloom, the girl from the courtyard with the Fire like red hair, which was suiting considering she was a Fire fairy. She was the other girl from earth. 
Lastly was Princess Stella. A light fairy, her hair funnily enough as you mentioned earlier, a bright shade of blonde, her clothes weren’t yellow, matching the whole light theme, but you did clock that the majority of her room and clothing choices were shiny. She gave you a smug smile, you knew girls like her back home, you’d been friends with a girl like her back home, she gave off a vibe of “I’m better than everyone else” but it’s probably just so she can hide her own insecurities. There was hope for her yet so you gave Stella a smile, which shocked her. You looked down at yourself, taking in your appearance, heavy Doc Martin boots, black ripped skinny jeans, plain white top and black leather jacket, okay so if they all had colour themes yours would definitely be black. 
“You’ve obviously met Tara, she didn’t shut up about you since we all got here, interesting that you’re from earth too like Bloom, two earthlings in one year, how exciting, and you killed a burned one on your arrival, isn’t that something.” You glared a little at the girl dressed in Green as it seemed she had already spilled some details to the girls in your dorm. Stella mocked surprise, oopsing at the fact that she’d brought up what Tara had obviously babbled out. 
Tara mouthed a sorry from across the room, the earth fairy was harmless and you knew that anything she had said would have been accidental or came out in excitement. “Yup well, I’m Y/N as Tara has probably already told you, born in England, Silva found me, killed a burned one at the barrier in the woods, apparently I have multiple abilities andddd i’m a changeling. Any more questions? I thought not.” 
You laughed and walked over to your room. You shared the space with Musa, just like her mezzanine, you had one directly above, sort of like a bunk bed but it was more like a bunk room. You’d mastered the art of not falling over the railing when getting up in the night to pee which you were happy about. You heard the girls below all talking about what a changeling was, how you’d killed a burned one, what a burned one was, all riveting stuff. The only thing you could think about, the only person you could think about, Silva. Musa looked at you and gave you a side smile. You were going to have to get used to someone around you knowing how you felt all the time. 
“So Y/N, are you going to the party?” Your head peaked up, a party? You didn’t know there was going to be a party but you were sooo going. You needed to let off some steam, do some flirty flirting with the boys and for once be a normal teenager. “I say party, it’s not gonna be some total rave but it’s like a welcome party.” It surprised you that Stella asked. You flopped onto your stomach on your bed. 
“Count me in, i’m gonna go for a walk first though, clear my mind and get some air before. Anyone want to join?” You watched as 4 of the 5 girls shook their heads no, it was yet again Stella who surprised you saying yes. Maybe she wasn’t going to be awful after all. 
Stella was surprisingly easy to get along with and you could already tell she liked you, maybe you’d already become friends even, you didn’t want to push your luck. You found yourself walking by the pond near where the specialists train. You hadn’t realised that that’s where your feet had led you until Stella tugged on your arm a little. “See that guy there, the one with the blonde hair, that’s Sky, we used to date.” Stella linked arms with you. You nod your head and explained how you’d met Sky when you first arrived here. You tensed as you heard his voice, you heard him before you saw him. 
“So, after your classes, you’re all mine.” It made you choke on nothing but air and your cheeks flushed. A few heads turned to look at the interruption and you ducked before Silva saw your red face. He’d seen you though, hiding beside the Princess, he tried to conceal his grin of amusement and then went back to teaching. You looked to Stella, the awkward moment hadn’t gone unnoticed by her. Before you could explain you heard shouting, you and Stella sat down on a near by bench and watched as Silva roasted the living daylights out of a first year specialist for being disrespectful. You could pick up pieces of their conversation, Stella filling in the blanks you didn’t catch. 
“The shield is to protect us from the burned ones”….
“Have you ever seen a burned one.” Silva was pointing his sword at the students face. 
“That’s the thing no one my age has, isn’t that all over now?” The first year specialist didn’t seem so confident now and you scoffed. Wrong, you’d KILLED a burned one, without even knowing what a burned one was at the time. You still don’t remember how you did it, that moment blanked out completely in your mind, the only thing you remember, Silva finding you haunched over the body.
“That’s where you’re wrong, one of the fairies here, was attacked by one on the way in, luckily, something was in her powerful enough to kill it before it could kill her, so no, it’s not all over now.” You could tell Silva was gritting his teeth, stopping from going any further, sometimes his anger slipped away from him. A few people that had obviously heard the rumours turned and looked at you, shock crossing their faces as if they were all thinking the same thing… so it was true, not a rumour after all. You’d finally had enough of the stares, you jumped up, catching the attention of Silva, Stella following behind you as you walked away and towards the woods. 
The very place Saul had told you not to go to. 
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PART 3 ---- CLICK HERE 
Tag list :
@kingunder221b
@anreeixcobra
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taylizmasterpost · 4 years ago
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Reconciliation and Late-Stage Tayliz (September 2014 - Present)
Despite not seeing each other for a while, Taylor and Liz clearly still hold a soft spot in each other’s hearts.
During the Secret Sessions for 1989 in Nashville, fans took pictures in Taylor’s home, and you can clearly see she has photos from Charleston displayed:
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When it came time to mend the fences between Taylor and Liz, Claire Callaway was the one who ended up doing it:
2 October 2014 - Claire tweets a TBT to the Charleston trip. Liz responds to it:
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That seems to get the ball rolling, because when Taylor drops Out of the Woods as a single, this happens:
14 October 2014 - Taylor and Liz tweet about how much they miss each other:
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Then, when Taylor walks the runaway with Karlie at the VSFS, this happens:
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Taylor is with Karlie at the time, and obviously nothing romantic is happening on Liz’s end either, because...
20 December 2014 - Liz gets engaged to Bryan Brown and has dinner with friends:
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16 February 2015 - Liz tweets that Taylor is badass
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8 April 2016 - Liz makes this gay post on Facebook that I’d like to think is a response to Style, since the MV had come out a few months before:
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And Liz seems to have found a group of gay friends...
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Although, that could just be a typo.
15 July 2015 - Liz posts on Facebook that “Thanks to some really talented friends, I got to record something beautiful today. Can’t wait to share this one.” The picture she attaches definitely looks like Taylor:
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Liz also tweets this:
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We do NOT know where Taylor was that day. However, she performed in DC on the 1989 tour on the 14th and was papped in NYC on the 16th so it’s not impossible she was in Nashville working on something with Liz. Unfortunately, whatever they worked on has yet to surface (unless you subscribe to the theory that Liz is WB...)
3 August 2015 - Shawn Brooks releases a song called Matter of Time that was written sometime in 2014 by Liz.
Notable lyrics include:
She’s got me lovestruck, crazy Going out of my mind She’s got me lovestruck, crazy But sooner or later, she’s gonna be mine It’s just a matter of time
Don’t know what this means for Liz or TayLiz, since Liz has been with Bryan since early 2013 at the latest, but this is very gay and fun.
27 August 2015 - Thirst tweet:
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31 August 2015 - Liz calls Taylor sexy in response to the Wildest Dreams MV:
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15 October 2015 - Liz tweets about Better Than Revenge:
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28 October 2015 -  Liz quote tweets Taylor about OOTW acoustic:
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11 November 2015 - Liz responds to Caitlin’s tweet tagging Taylor about nostalgia:
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9 December 2015 - Liz congratulates Taylor on her Grammy noms:
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13 December 2015 - Taylor’s birthday. Liz wishes her HBD:
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29 January 2016 - Liz says her favorite song from 1989 is This Love:
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15 February 2016 - Liz and Taylor both attend UMG’s Grammys afterparty at the Ace Hotel Theater :
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26 February 2016 - Liz posts a TBT to Charleston:
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16 April 2016 - Liz and Taylor both attend Coachella:
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6 May 2016 - Liz tweets about This Love:
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10 May 2016 - Liz possibly writes STFU and Hold Me (likely about Bryan, since he’s out on tour with the woman he’s going to leave Liz for, signaling to me that their relationship is on the fritz):
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4 August 2016 - Liz posts a throwback to the Vogue photoshoot at the Bowery.
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3 September 2016 - Liz and Bryan’s last interaction on Twitter:
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(Bryan had been on tour with Jillian -- who he’d later marry -- and tweeting at her all summer, much more than he’d been tweeting with Liz). It’s important to note the way their relationship ended for when we start studying who Liz’s songs are about.
26 November 2016 - Liz tweets about Clean, possibly signaling her and Bryan have broken up by this point:
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13 December 2016 - Liz wishes Taylor happy birthday with a post about Charleston (captions vary based on site). This also signals to me that her and Bryan are over, since she’s reminiscing on Taylor picking her up off the ground after her breakup with Jason:
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11 July 2017 - Liz tells a fan that You Are In Love and All Too Well are her favorite songs from 1989 and Red (guess her favorite song is no longer This Love…):
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11 August 2017 - Liz releases STFU and Hold Me:
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This MV has a LOT of parallels to the IKYWT video. The lyrics talk about “staring with a bang” (”took off faster than a green light go”?), and reckless abandon (”this path is reckless”). MV parallels are as follows (thank you @mercuryonparklane​ for all the help finding this):
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(notice the key necklace?)
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So, either Liz is lowkey ripping off Taylor’s work or she’s trying to signal that she was the muse for IKYWT. However, considering Liz is deliberately trying to keep her image separate from Taylor, it doesn’t make any sense that she would try and rip her off. Of course, it could just be a big coincidence...
30 September 2017 - In an interview with The Young Folks, Liz says that STFU and Hold Me is about “getting to that point in a relationship where you’re sick of going around and around talking about the same issue with your partner and it’s time to wave the white flag,” Huett says. “We’ve all been there.”
Of the lyrics “I’m coming from a line of problems / I was born and I became a product” Liz says “I’m not exactly the most polished person. I’d rather be real than perfect and sometimes that means I say things that make people uncomfortable or act out in relationships and test limits, etc… I’m an honest mess but I believe I can and should be loved in light of that. :)”
I still think this song was written about the end of her relationship with Bryan, but it’s still interesting to see how Liz describes herself in relationships.
27 October 2017 - Liz releases H8U
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This is another song that I think was written about Bryan. The lyrics reference taking another woman to a Tom Petty concert (Liz LOVES Tom Petty) and generally moving on quickly with another woman, which seems apt for the Bryan/Jillian situation going on.
HOWEVER, the lyrics also reference “our first date two years ago,” which doesn’t make any sense, since Liz and Bryan didn’t break up until 2016 and were together since early 2013. So it could maybe be lyrically about Taylor.
I do think the MV makes a deliberate Taylor reference, though, with the interrupting the wedding scene. Taylor famously had Liz dress as the Bridezilla on the Speak Now album art:
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And, at the end of the H8U MV, Liz DOES kiss the blonde bride on the mouth after interrupting her wedding... which is... INTERESTING (especially since Liz is dressed in full RED the whole MV):
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I don’t think it’s a stretch to presume Liz could’ve reversed their roles here. IDK.
9 November 2017 - Liz makes her “H8U, love these” playlist on Spotify, which features All Too Well.
1 November 2017 - Liz obsesses over Reputation:
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15 November 2017 - Taylor posts an IG story with photos of her Liz and Caitlin in Australia in the background:
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13 December 2017 - Liz wishes Taylor happy birthday:
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20 December 2017 - In a now deleted tweet Liz obsesses over New Year’s Day
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6 April 2018 - Liz releases Don’t LV U Anymore. Here are some interesting lyrics:
I don't steal your chapstick anymore / Don't wake up to your kiss anymore / And I don't have a washer and dryer full of guitar picks anymore / 'Cause you don't come over to my place anymore / Don't flirt with my roommate anymore / And I don't run to your friends / To get them on my side when we fight anymore / And I never say it / I keep it inside / But maybe I'm wasted / Or maybe it's time to get this off my chest, babe / ... / I don't love you anymore / But I don't love you any less / I don't play you my songs anymore / To see if they're good anymore / You don't tell me your secrets / 'Cause you don't know if I keep them to myself anymore / I don't go to church anymore / Don't know what to believe anymore / And I don't remember the beat of your heart / The smell of your car anymore / ... / Two years and counting / Still got all this weight on my chest / Two years and counting / And I can't remember what I can't forget
Based on the “two years and counting” line, as well as the line about a washer and dryer of guitar picks, I’m inclined to believe this is another song about Bryan. 
However, it is a really similar sentiment to that Civil Wars song Liz posted back when her and Taylor first ended things, and the line about running to get friends on a side when fighting is very similar to the “you go talk to your friends, talk to my friends talk to me” in WANEGBT and the image in Battle/Let’s Go of all their friends standing around watching them fight. Could go either way.
9 April 2018 - Liz reposts a Facebook post announcing Dammit that implies it was written a while ago. But we already knew that.
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19 May 2018 - Reputation in Pasadena. Liz attends. Surprise Song: All Too Well. Camila Cabello is the opening act.  
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27 May 2018 - Liz gives an interview at Bottlerock festival where she says that Wrecking Ball by Miley Cyrus is a song she used to get over someone (likely Bryan). She also says Havana was the song she last had stuck in her head -- probably because Camila performed it at Taylor’s show the previous week.
14 March 2019 - Liz makes a happy birthday post for Antoni (who’s dating her friend Trace):
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27 April 2019 - Bryan and Jillian get married:
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3 May 2019 - Liz releases Nothing Personal:
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This feels like DIRECT BRYAN SHADE, since she released it right after his wedding. However, you definitely could also read it as being about being let go from The Agency.
Early May 2019 - Taylor shoots YNTCD. Her and Antoni bond over their love of The National (keep in mind Taylor would end up asking a member of the National to work on exile with her):
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17 June 2019 - Liz likes Taylor’s post announcing YNTCD is out:
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26 June 2019 - Liz posts on IG a video of unreleased song “One of These Days” with the caption “i’m emo” Lyrics:
One of these days I’ll rise above the blue / One of these days when I get sober too / I’ll be flying high you know / Gonna say I told you so / One of these days I’ll rise above the blue / The stars will align / My heart will come back to life / I won’t have to cry anymore / Someday soon, when I / When I get over you / One of these nights I’m gonna get some sleep / One of these nights you won’t be in my dreams / I will lay this love to rest / I will miss you in this bed / One of these nights I’m gonna get some sleep / The stars will align / My heart will come back to life / I won't have to cry anymore / Someday soon, someday / When I get over you
More evidence that Liz does, indeed, struggle with the things that Reddit post suggested.
14 August 2019 - Liz posts on IG a video of an unreleased song called “I Wanted It to Be You” with the caption “I really did” and a red rose emoji. Lyrics:
I’ll find someone else to take your place / In no time at all I’ll be okay / So you don’t have to say it babe / We don’t have to cry / ‘Cause I know you got shit to do / And baby so do I / I’ll find someone else to take your place, hey / I wanted it to be you I’m closing down the bar with / I wanted it to be you I’m fighting in the car with / Who I could push away / Come back and beg to stay / Ooh, I wanted it, I wanted it, I wanted it / I wanted it to be you
Likely for Bryan BUT maybe a red rose grew up out of frozen ground with no one around to tweet it (lol I’m joking the lakes is very likely not about Liz).
22 August 2019 - Taylor releases the Lover MV, featuring the “breakable heaven” board game:
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In the bottom left corner, you can spot a blue 0527. May 27th is Liz’s birthday. What does this mean? I don’t know. I absolutely do not know, but whatever it is is driving me INSANE.
28 August 2019 - Liz posts on Twitter a screenshot of her listening to Cornelia Street:
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16 October 2019 - Liz comments on a fan’s video of Taylor performing at the NPR Tiny Desk concert saying “she cute”:
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19 November 2019 - Liz says on IG that her favorite songs from Lover are The Archer and Cornelia Street:
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22 November 2019 - Liz releases That’s What You Get. This is the one late-stage Liz song that I FULLY BELIEVE is about TayLiz due to a few very specific lyric parallels:
“That’s what you get when you recklessly fall in love” >> “This path is reckless” from Treacherous
“That’s what you get for keeping your armor up” >> “You come around and the armor falls” from State of Grace >> “I would put my armor down if you said you’d rather love than fight” from Story of Us.
“And all your friends are lining up to hate me” >> “You go talk to your friends talk to my friends talk to me” from WANEGBT >> “First shot’s fired everybody’s gathered around” from Battle >> “I can't run to your friends anymore / To get them on my side when we fight anymore” from Don’t LV U Anymore.
It also, just from an outside perspective, doesn’t make any sense for Liz to write a breakup song about Bryan blaming herself when it seems very clear to me that they broke up because Bryan wanted to be with Jillian instead. That’s not her fault. So either this is about another breakup (I’d guess Taylor, based on the lyric parallels), or she’s just very very self-loathing and won’t let herself think it’s Bryan’s fault (which both H8U and Nothing Personal don’t suggest to me).
25 November 2016 - Liz posts a video on her IG story about Taylor at the VMAs.
6 December 2019 - Liz talks about That’s What You get with Earmilk and gives an interesting quote: 
Huett explains, “This song is about facing myself after a brutal season of running from it... I made a self-destructive choice that hurt someone I really value. The angle of the chorus is really sort of a letter to me after that first long look in the mirror. It SUCKED. However, in owning my shit (and sharing this song) my hope is that listeners might apply the sad lesson without having to learn the hard way, or, if they’ve ever found themselves in the regretful position I was once in, I hope this song can at least make them feel less alone."
This is SO DIFFERENT fro mhow her relationship with Bryan ended, but matches up so well with Liz getting help and owning her shit after spiraling in 2012.
24 July 2020 - Folklore drops. Two of the songs are written by the mysterious William Bowery. One of those songs is Betty -- a popular nickname for Elizabeth. Liz tweets at Taylor about the 1 because all of Taylor’s exes wanna think that song is about them.
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So, IN CONCLUSION: Liz got help and worked through her shit and they’re on good terms now. They were possibly working on something together in 2015, although that never saw the light of day as far as we know. Liz seems to maybe be referencing Taylor in her music and MVs, but there’s no way to know for sure. Better Than Revenge on the Speak Now Tour was an iconic moment of sapphic energy, and maybe, just maybe, when Taylor re-records her masters, Liz will sing backup for her again.
Thanks for reading!
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ladyloggy · 5 years ago
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Home - John Constantine x reader
I also posted this on my wattpad. Everyone over 18 as there is smut, hope y'all enjoy!
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For (Name), it had been months since she had last seen John. The two had worked together since the Newcastle incident which John had blamed himself for ever since, but (Name) had stayed with the demonologist and their friendship had evolved into casual sex and then finally a relationship that neither of them had planned for. Like John, (Name) was in control of the dark arts, and along with their friend Chas, had encouraged John to go and work with the Legends for a while, whilst (Name) stayed in the US to help local exorcisms and other demon issues.
But, here (Name) was getting ready to go out on a date with John for the first time in three months. She had missed John as her partner - in both meanings of the word. She loved working with Chas, but she missed John desperately. He knew her inside and out, and she always felt safe and comforted working with John, even in unfamiliar or cruel circumstances. Of course, (Name) also missed John romantically - she missed waking up with him in the morning, going to sleep snuggled in his arms and wearing his shirts and obviously the more intimate part of their relationship. As (Name) hadn't seen John for a while, she wanted to impress him, so she decided to wear some new lingerie that she knew John would appreciate and the outfit that he often complimented her on. With the finishing touches on her outfit, (Name) started to style her hair and fix her makeup, doing her best to cover the bruises that she had gained on her last job so John didn't freak out. By 7pm, (Name) had finished getting ready and just as she grabbed her bag, there was a knock on the door to what (Name) classed as now her apartment. Looking through the peep hole, (Name) couldn't help but smile when she saw the face of her boyfriend holding some flowers and a pack of beers.
"Hi there, stranger." (Name) said, smiling at John as she opened the door.
John smirked, extinguished his cigarette and looked (Name) up and down, "You look stunning, love."
"Not so bad yourself, mister. I've missed you Johnny, come in. How long has it been for you?" (Name) asked, putting the flowers in a vase and the beer in the fridge.
"Couple of weeks love, you know time works different in the temporal zone." John replied, taking a seat on the sofa.
"So you've said." (Name) laughed and offered John one of the refrigerated beers that she had purchased prior to the night. "I got your favourite!"
John grinned, grabbing the beer and reclining as (Name) took a seat next to him on the sofa, her own beer in her hand.
"To date night." John clinked their bottles together before taking a swig.
The two chatted for a while, catching up and reuniting. They told each other stories of the Legends and Chas, and after an hour, (Name) was sat on John' knee as the pair kissed. (Name) had her hands in John's messy blond hair whilst John's had settled on (Name)'s ass, grabbing and squeezing in what was a very John Constantine way. (Name) groaned as they parted, resting her head on John's shoulder.
"I missed this," she confessed, biting John's neck playfully. "I've missed the way your arms feel around me and your unique charm."
"Is that what you're calling my prick now, love?" John teased, wicked grin on his lips. "My charm?"
(Name) laughed, swatting the man on his shoulder. "Head in the gutter as always Johnny."
"Mmm, only for my bird. You said something about food?" John asked.
"I said nothing about food, you hungry bastard, but I was thinking we were going out to your favourite pub." (Name) told John who nodded.
"That'll suffice, love. Come on, I'll get my coat and we'll go."
Conveniently, (Name)'s apartment wasn't far from John's favourite pub, and they were seated at a private booth with drinks and food menus in front of them rather quickly. It wasn't too long before John had his usual beer and (Name) had her drink of choice, as well as their favourite meals. (Name) was happy and content, tucking into her dish with gusto, laughing and joking with John as she ate.
All was calm.
Until it wasn't...
When they had finished their food, the pair moved to a different seat. Whilst no longer a secluded booth, the table was still for two but had a good view of the bar and the live singer.
"I'm just going the men's, love. Get us another round, will you?" John asked.
"Of course Johnny, the same again?" (Name) said, smiling as John nodded with a grin.
"Bang on, babe."
So (Name) went over to the bar, watching as John walked away. His golden blond hair instead was illuminated a shade of emerald green by the fire exit sign above the toilet. Of course, he was wearing the same white shirt as ever, but his red tie had been replaced with a newer one with a slightly lighter shade of red. He looked tired but his smile was genuine when she made him laugh, and other than a few flecks of gray put there by stress and a couple of healed scratches, John looked better than (Name) had seen him in a long time. These Legends people were good for John, maybe even better than she was for him.
"What's a pretty thing like you doing here all alone?"
The voice broke (Name) from her thoughts and with a glare, she fixed her gaze on a stranger.
"I'm not alone, mate. I'm with my boyfriend." She replied.
"Then where is he?" The strange man countered with a cocky smirk.
"If you have to know, he's taking a piss." (Name) rolled her eyes as the man recoiled slightly.
"Language like that doesn't suit a beautiful girl like you." He continued.
(Name) ignored him, instead speaking to the bartender who passed (Name) her drinks. With her two hands full, (Name) made her way back to their seat where John was waiting for her.
"Thanks, love." He said. "You alright?"
"Yeah Johnny, just some idiot at the bar." (Name) replied, taking a sip of her drink.
John's face darkened with what (Name) could only assume was a look of possessive jealousy. She knew the look well, as even before they got officially 'together' and were still just casual sex partners John got jealous if other strange men tried it on with (Name). That look on John's face often resulted in more rough sex than usual, and (Name) looked forward to their homecoming, as after two months apart, she had missed sex with John.
"Come on love, drink up. We're getting out of here." John declared, leaving half his beer.
The walk home from the pub was silent but the proxemics held a festering sexual tension. John's arm was around (Name)'s shoulders and his hand clutched her arm tight enough to be possessive but not painful. (Name) unlocked the door quickly and as soon as she had closed and locked it again, John's hands were all over her. They kicked off their shoes into a heap by the door as they kissed heavily, the man's hands roaming over (Name). Before they reached the bedroom of the apartment, John had gotten rid of his tie and a trail of (Name)'s clothes had been left behind as she was slammed into the bedroom wall.
"Bloody hell John, ease off a bit there." She muttered, moaning as John bit down on her neck.
"Be a good girl and hush for me love, I've waited a long time for this." He replied. "Wanking to your pictures just isn't the same."
(Name) laughed softly, doing her best despite the onslaught of kisses to rid John of his shirt.
"Mmm if you carry on like that, you'll have to do the same to me in real life. I get enough bruises from this bloody business without you carrying on." She said, gasping as John slipped his hand down her underwear.
"You can be in charge next time, I'm on a mission tonight to make you scream my name."
A shudder of pleasure coursed though (Name) at those words and she felt her knees buckle as John worked his magic. Crying out as she was brought closer and closer to the edge, (Name) grabbed John' naked torso as her whole body shook.
"Oh! John I'm gonna-"
"No you're not, pet. Let's get you all bare for me, lie down on the bed and spread those legs of yours - I want what's mine."
(Name) slid of her knickers and discarded her bra before lying on her back and opening her legs, baring herself to John who removed his pants and walked over to her. His eyes were focused on her, hungry with lust and desire as he approached her almost like a predator stalking its prey. He pried her legs open with his hands, squeezing slightly before lining himself up and entering her.
"Oh my God!" She cried, back arching.
"That's it love, just relax."
John let go of her thighs, trusting them to stay open for him and he grabbed her hair into a handle in one hand and gripped her thigh tightly with the other. He got into a rhythm and before long, (Name) was writhing and bucking wildly. She closed her legs slightly by accident and John brought the hand holding her hip down hard on her right thigh. The sensation triggered (Name)'s scream of John's name, and half triumphantly John groaned hers in return.
(Name) lay still, feeling John lie down beside her. He kissed her shoulder and wiped her hair from her sweaty forehead.
"I've missed you, love."
"I love you too, you big softie."
(Name) knew what John meant, and she knew that he couldn't say those three little words due to his turbulent past but the look in his eyes and the tone of voice conveyed what he really meant.
Here, they were both home in one another and safe to fight another day.
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sewerloli · 5 years ago
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☆Midoriya x Fem! Reader ☆
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💚The Waltz of the Rain Drops💚
•(Y/n)‘s POV•
Many days I have lived and I’ve never felt so in love...
And it’s all thanks to Midoriya...
I was going for a walk on a Sunday afternoon. Taking my time to get away from the dorms and all the 1-A from nonesense. Not that I wasn’t as nonsensical and humourous as the rest of the students, I simply enjoyed my time alone and wasn’t afraid to get up and walk out for a breath of fresh air.
I continued my path along the small forest. This minuscule yet lush expanse of trees was nestled in the heart of a public park a couple miles from the school. It was perfect for allowing my thoughts to wander, collecting fragments of imagination and gathering them in a bag as food for thought. Saving ‘em for a rainy day.
I don’t know if it was my suroundings that made me think of him... The brilliant green leaves of spring, the melodic chirping of birds, the bright shining sun, the soft rustle and bustle of newly sprouted leaves in the wind, or was I thinking of him because he was the last person I talked to. All I knew is I was thinking of him and I didn’t fight it this time.
‘The way his green eyes shine when he’s happy. How his hair flows, like the wind in the trees. The little freckles others call imperfections are nothing but perfect. They warm my heat and bring the stars to their knees.’
“How poetic...” I whispered, directing my words to my own thoughts. “Who knew I could think of such a wonderful description? Definitely not me that’s for sure. I’ll hang on to that.”
I walked a little further and took a seat under the shade of a maple tree. Pressing my back against the trunk, taking a deep breath and closing my eyes in peace. It was all too serene, too quiet.
I felt my eyes grow heavy. I resisted need for slumber that was tugging on my lashes. Realizing my yearning for sleep, I debated my next actions of wether I should go back to Heights Alience and take a nap or just doze off here.
“Maybe just a little nap. What could possibly happen? It’s a beautiful day, there isn’t a cloud in the sky! Everything will be fine.”
Or so I thought...
• • •
“(Y/n)?... (Y/n)!”
A voice echoed in the back of my slumber struck mind.
“(Y/n)! Wake up!”
My eyes fluttered open, standing before me was Midoriya. The boy I admired so much. He was holding something over my head.
“An... umbrella?” I groaned, sleep still in the back of my throat.
“It’s raining. You shouldn’t be sleeping out in the rain you could get sick!”
I felt my clothes.
‘Dry... It’s not raining is it?’
I raised my eyes and looked at the scene around the maple tree, my ears finally adjusted as well.
It was raining.
Not so heavily that the noise was loud and boisterous, yet not so lightly that it was inaudible. Though the air around me was thick, humid and warm, the droplets were as cold and refreshing at the flip side of a pillow. But how was I not drenched? I looked up at Midoriya and asked him that exact question.
“W-well...” He averted his gaze.
I leaned in a little indicating it was alright to continue.
“After you left the dorms to go for a walk. I... kinda followed you... I-I wouldn’t have if I hadn’t checked the weather forecast a minute or two after you left. It said it was gonna rain so I decided to bring you this umbrella. But if I’m being honest...”
His face dusted with an almost invisible pink.
“...I kinda wanted to see where you go when you go for walks. So I followed you instead of giving you the umbrella and heading back to the dorms.”
I giggled at how cute and caring he was.
“If you wanted to know you could’ve just asked, I would gladly taken you along with me.” I smiled.
“I-... I didn’t want to disturb you... You looked so beautifu- I MEAN at peace, and you usually take walks to get away from 1-A havock so I felt it would defeat the purpose of your walk.”
“How long was I asleep?”
“I wouldn’t know cause I got a little lost.” He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “But it had just started to rain when I found you.”
“This rain looks pretty on going to me.”
“Well I-... I did hold the umbrella over you for a bit. S-so you could rest a little longer...”
“I’m sorry, I know I sound like I’m questioning you but... how long did you stay here?”
“About... h-half an hour...” He looked down with a more intense blush.
I felt my heartbeat increase two fold.
‘He held the umbrella over me while I slept for half an hour?!? Who is this guy, the king of all gentlemen?!?!’
“W-we should probably head back though. It’s almost dinner time.”
“Right...”
We walked back to UA in the rain sharing the umbrella he brought. It was fairly small so we were shoulder to shoulder under the tarp. I couldn’t help but admire his features out of the corner of my eye.
‘The way his green eyes shine when he’s happy. How his hair flows, like the wind in the trees. The little freckles others call imperfections are nothing but perfect. They warm my heat and bring the stars to their knees.’
The poetic thought from earlier popped into my head. I matched every description to him perfectly. He did have beautiful green hair, expressive eyes and perfectly symmetrical freckles on his cheeks. But now that I was closer I had more to work with so I thought of a follow up description...
‘How his voice is milk and honey. He has a kindness, endless like the breeze. Blessed with the light scent of lavish cakes and pies, and a smile that makes the world freeze.’
“Did you say something (Y/n)?”
“N-NO... I-... I just had a thought.”
“Sorry, my muttering habit is starting to rub off on you huh.”
‘I wish he didn’t blame himself so much. He’s too good for that.’
“It’s not that, I just... talk to myself often and it’s hard to control at times. It’s disgraceful to be honest... You’re muttering has nothing to do with it believe me! If anything your muttering is adorable.” I slapped my hand to my mouth at the reaction of what I just said.
I side glanced at him and his face was once again tinted red. I looked away and also blushed profusely.
‘Craaaaapppp what have I doneeee?’
“H-hey (Y/n)...”
“Y-yeah...”
“... you talking to yourself isn’t disgraceful.”
“Y-you don’t think so? Well that’s a first.” I giggled.
“It’s... cute...”
“W-...WHAAA?!” I felt the heat on my face sky rocket.
“Yeah... you kinda spoke a little in your sleep.”
“I’m afraid to ask what I said...”
‘Please don’t be bad, please don’t be bad, PLEASE. DON’T. BE. BAD’
“It was about... m-me... I think?... at least I hope...”The last part he whispered.
“Midoriya. I am so sorry for anything you heard please forgive me I will never ever ever ever EVER ever e-“
“The way you described my apparence... or the appearence of someone like me... it was... incredible. What are your grades in literature and poetry?”
“Average.”
“If you wrote the way you spoke then, that wouldn’t be the case... Let’s just put it that way...”
‘Please don’t be what I thought of on the walk to the park’
“D-do you remember any specific...uh... words?” I asked growing more and more concerned.
“You said something along the lines of: freckles everyone thinks are faulty but to you they are perfect.”
‘CRAP...’
“I just wanted to ask...” He paused, stopping in his tracks, causing me to stop too. I realized we were in front of the dorms. “W-was that about me?...”
I looked down at my feet and shuffled them in embarrassment. I nodded as the heat on my face intensified. I couldn’t look at him, I was too scared of what would happen if I did.
Then out of nowhere I felt a warm embrace cover my body. The same cake and pie smell had swaddled me like a blanket. I wrapped my arms around him too and enjoyed the hug. His milk and honey voice trembled as he spoke.
“W-what you said made me feel so much better about who I am... E-especially coming from the girl I’m in love with...”
Once again I was taken aback by him.
‘Wait... did he just...’
I felt the hug loosen when I didn’t respond. I responded by hugging him tighter and burying my face in his shoulder.
“Only if I had known... If I-.” I sniffled. When did I start crying? “If I had known... I would’ve told you those things straight up... because I’m in love with you too.”
He stopped hugging me and dropped the umbrella to the ground. The rain continued to waltz around us, hitting our faces and weting our hair. Neither of us seemed to care.
His calloused and scarred hands cupped my face and directed my head so I was looking at him.
“Can... can I?...”
“Of course.”
He brought my face towards his and our lips connected. He was very gentle. Though his hands were rugged, his lips were as soft as silk and careful like butterflies. His hands shyly moved to my waist as he pulled me a little closer to him. Despite the kiss deepening, it remained gentle and sweet. A moment dripping with warm caramel. I felt the heat radiating off his face and I’m sure he could feel the warmth from mine as well.
With the rain, happy tears fell from both of our eyes as we parted, still remaining in each other’s arms. At that moment his simle was the most radiant I had ever seen. I was beeming myself.
“(Y/n), p-please be my grilfriend.”
“Of course. I would love too.”
We were completely drenched, but we didn’t care. We hugged and cried until the tears stopped flowing.
Many days I have lived and I’ve never felt so in love...
And it’s all thanks to Midoriya...
🍓(A/n):🍓
This is a taste of the my writing style. Again this isn’t the only thing I will write. If you want a Bakugou or Todoroki x Reader fic or any other character I will be willing. Make sure to send your requests and I’ll hop to it!
Disclaimer: Art isn’t mine unless I say it is. All art credit to the respected artists. I don’t own BNHA, nor do I own you. (You don’t own meeee~🎶)
Thank you for reading
Love you PLUS ULTRA~💚
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eurosong · 6 years ago
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My ESC 2019 ranking
Hey there, folks - after a lot of deliberation, I’ve decided upon my ranking of this year’s songs. I feel quite passionately about this year’s field, as always, and make some trenchant remarks, but a lot of them are tongue in cheek, and no shade is intended on those who like the songs I don’t or vice versa. Here’s my ranking with my thoughts on why I put each song where I did.
41. Croatia – The Dream I try to find a redeeming quality in every song, but sometimes the task proves impossible. This ironically-named nightmare of a track sounds like a poorly-produced early 00s track that tried to straddle the line between classic and futuristic and failed at both. The usual things that I hear in its defence are that Roko has a good voice, and that the Croatian segment is better. To the first point, maybe, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that the voice doesn’t shine through the scream mode of most of the song; to the latter point, if you know some BCS, you’ll know that the Croatian language bit is as cloyingly cliché as the English part. Some people are saying that this could be a surprise qualifier. If that happens, I will shed tears of blood.
40. France – Roi If France don’t change their national final system to equalise the jury and televote more after this year, I don’t know when they will. Destination Eurovision had a bunch of good songs, but thanks to the power of a Youtuber’s fanbase, one of the least remarkable and most cloying songs got the nod instead. Roi is an unabashed hymn to self with the most criminal franglais abominations (rhyming beaucoup with boo, really?) to which I’ve ever been subjected.  Now it’s supposedly got a chance of winning thanks to a gimmicky staging, which I feel uses people as props. I wouldn’t even mind the antipathetic performer and cringey, self-centred lyrics so much if the tune were interested, but it’s equally empty and pompous.
39. San Marino – Say na na na Well, this song certainly does get me saying nah, nah, nah. I do not get the amount of good will for it, as I neither find it a good track, nor enjoyable ironically like Who we are or Chain of lights were. It’s a “party track”, but the party in question is the kind I want to flee where the food is bad, the music is obnoxious and overbearing and the ambiance is that of an uncomfortable throwback. Bewildering how this is considered a worthy qualifier.
38. Moldova – Stay I swear Eurovision has songs like this just to be able to detect extra-terrestrials, because if anyone says this song is their favourite, and they’re neither Moldovan nor Romanian, then it confirms to me that they are aliens because this is banality writ large. Three minutes of contradictory and cliché rhymes (“it’s now or never, it’s forever”. Ok then mate), dull music, little progression, an oddly unpleasant vocal and even a staging that comes second-hand.
37. Finland – Look away My impulse is to look away from this song indeed – a dated slice of repetitive, oddly downbeat despite being uptempo EDM slathered with a simultaneously overwrought and undercooked social message and brought to us by an uncomfortable duo who look like two acquaintances whose fishing trip got interrupted abruptly and they had to cook up a Eurovision song last minute. There is nothing about this I like at all.
36. Israel – Home The one faintly interesting thing about this song is the remarkable wailing in its first few seconds, but they removed even that. This has to be one of the most maudlin songs I have ever heard, delivered gratingly. A friend of mine nicknamed Kobi the “Joystealer”, and the name is very apt. I feel like all the joy in the world is out of reach when listening to this lament, which is syrupy and bitter at the same time, like a coarse cough medicine. The “I am someone” has to be one of the most cloying lines of the entire year, too.
35. Estonia – Storm Estonia having to resort to sending a croaky renta-Swede to sing a budget Avicii b-side in front of a Windows XP screensaver with lyrics that imaginatively rhyme “this” with, well, “this” is like seeing someone who had always dressed elegantly having to resort to sporting torn, worn, ill-fitting hand-me-downs that were already out of fashion when bought first hand. This land of song and art can and should be doing so much better.
34. Montenegro – Heaven The fact this ironically infernal song is not just not bottom but also almost avoided my bottom 10 just goes to show how deep the bottom is this year. Sounds like Podgorica’s 56th best sixth form choir got some cassette tapes of bad late 90s R&B-lite, got a donation of a dodgy Casio keyboard and, at the last minute, got their granddad to do a bit of fiddling, mixed it all together and the result was this chaötic hot mess on ice. It’s a shame, because these kids seem genuinely nice, and they don’t deserve to be lumbered with the albatross around their neck of this song and the resultant cast iron “last in the semi” result it will achieve.
33. Switzerland – She got me There’s little separating the female attempt at a duego and the male one for me. Luca radiates a smug energy that annoys me more, but the song is a smidgen less generic, but then using the same dancers as from Fuego made the decision easier. I’m not sure what she got him, but it certainly wasn’t a grammar book, as the song is filled with bizarrely affected ungrammatical English, because I guess it’s uncool to properly conjugate.
32. Cyprus – Replay It seems almost self-parodising that Cyprus lamely returned to try to catch lightning in the same jar with a song that is entitled, and feels like, a giant replay. Fuego was an encapsulation of many things I really don’t like at Eurovision – a lyrically empty song with limited musical merit or memorability that got a lot further than it would off the basis, mostly, of staging. This year, the staging is worse and the performer is less charismatic. If it does as well, I will be astounded.
31. Norway – Spirit in the sky What if Aqua came back – perish the thought – and, for their comeback single, took a rejected b-side from the late 90s of theirs in their typical bubblegum style, but injected it with a dreadful attempt at joik and an aesthetic inspired by their newfound animal spirits? It would sound something like this bizarre Norwegian song, whose victory over En livredd mann still bewilders me. It’s a bit infectious, but so are many diseases, and part of the reason that it buries itself into your mind is because of its pretty flagrant lifting of last year’s “Monsters”’ chorus, which in itself was all too familiar. One of the year’s biggest cringefests for me.
30. Lithuania – Run with the lions Take a guy most noted until now for screeching in the world’s worst falsetto whilst pretending not to sing, while a drag act that barely qualified as a baroness let alone a queen wás pretending to sing, also badly. Give him a song that advocates running alongside large carnivores who’d probably find humans an attractive snack. That combination should at least be interesting, but it’s one of the dullest propositions of the year. The only real interesting thing is that dodgy falsetto making a reappearance. It’s pleasant enough but forgotten instantly.
29. Russia – Scream Russia confined themselves to a few fruitless years in the desert with the Samojlova charade, and now they look to return to ESC superpower status by bringing back the guy who won them the public vote back in 2016. Their logic in trying to go one step further, though, was rather flawed. Concentrating on winning over the juries, they took for granted that the public was going to enjoy this rather melodramatic effort as much as they did You are the only one. I doubt they will, and I doubt the jury will be much swayed from last time. Musically, its orchestral touches represent a step up from YATOO for me, but it is let down by the emo lyrics and some bombastic staging.
28. Belarus – Like it When I first heard this song, where “you gonna like it” is repeated approximately 14 thousand times, my first impression was “no, I certainly am not going to.” It’s a bizarre stream of non-sequiturs dolled up with a technicolour assault to the eyes. I’ve softened to it somewhat, in part because of a reimagining of the lyrics as being a call for help after getting drafted into Eurovision by Lukaszenka, but I’ll still be stunned if it qualifies.
27. United Kingdom – Bigger than us I had a Freudian slip a few days ago when writing the “Undo my ESC” post – I wrote “Bigger than us” as “Better than us”. A fair swathe of the year’s field very much is more remarkable than this anodyne X factor winner’s single which seems to be aiming for 19th rather than first. Michael is a likeable character, but unfortunately that doesn’t come across too much in his live performance, most notable for him flapping around his arms as though they were on fire.
26. Iceland – Hatrið mun sigra Musically, there are elements of this that are really up my street. Decent throwbacks are rare, but the 80s’ techno ambience of the track is pretty good. I just wish it were not accompanied with a disdainful hauteur and the OTT attitude of a bunch of sophomore arts students who’ve just discovered irony. The last thing the world needs now is more hate, ironic or not.
25. Sweden – Too late for love Sweden made one step in the right direction this year – they’ve sent a man rather than an overgrown embryo, and someone with a bit more humility than Grosso last year. It’s a much better song for me than the past two attempts, but that’s not saying much – manufactured gospel has little soul, and there’s a charisma chasm here only partially filled by drafting in American mammas to sell the song as something more than what it is.
24. Poland – Pali się This is one that I wish I liked more. It’s middle of the pack for me. I like the fact that there are clear heritage influences but find the song itself to be rather too linear and the voices too shrill – and I am a fan of white voice.
23. Macedonia – Proud I had high hopes for Macedonia as I adored their artist, Tamara’s, imperious Brod što tone back in Skopjefest 2014 – a song that frankly got robbed of representing Macedonia. Where BST was subtle and poëtic in its message, Proud, which I regret wasn’t in Macedonian also, is rather too much on the nose for me and sounds a little like a charity single. This is augmented by the rather basic video which reminded me a little too much of Bebe’s “Ella.” Nonetheless, it’s a nice composition and well sung.
22. Spain – La venda Spain this year had a selection that they called “eurotemazos”. It’s difficult to translate, but Eurobangers, smashes or hits all carry a shade of the meaning. As soon as I heard that, I knew it was an ill omen, and indeed, the list of songs was full of bad attempts at bops and a few soporific ballads-by-computer. La venda was the best of a bad lot. Miki has energy but the song is completely inconsequential.
21. Germany – Sister Germany have once again invited disaster by inviting Chaosmeisterin, Barbara “Wild Eyes” Schönberger back to compère the national final. The end result was this inexperienced wildcard (when will you ever learn, Germany?) clinching the win with two gals who’d never met before this year singing about sisterhood in a group called S!sters with their song Sister. This is hotly tipped for last place in the final, but I feel it has sóme merit. The verses, and especially the bridge, are lovely, and seem to be building to something great – until we get a really generic, squawked chorus where the two non-sisters try to outshriek one another.
20. Australia – Zero gravity I’ll never get over the fact that we could have had something truly Australian in all senses of the word for once, and instead we got this. It’s catchy but repetitive and rather gimmicky, and I lament that it will qualify over better songs thanks to a rather cringey staging gimmick.
19. Belgium – Wake up This truly is a musical coitus interruptus. The moody verses get you in the mood, building a sense of urgency and direction, only for everything to get abandoned without warning with a very dreary, incongruous chorus. “City Lights” this ain’t, and it’s a shame, as it’s still decent, but could have been so much more satisfying.
18. Czechia – Friend of a friend Some countries take decades to find their niche at the contest. It seems like Czechia has found theirs in the space of a year and a bit, and found a particularly narrow niche. Field a cutesy lad with a retro-inspired, somewhat catchy but also somewhat problematic song inspired by infidelity. Last year’s “Lie to me” was written from the perspective of the cheated; this year’s, from a potential cheater who spends half the song listening with his girlfriend to his neighbours having noisy sex and the other half protesting he barely knows the female neighbour anymore. Truly weird.
17. Denmark – Love is forever This song reminds me of one time I was by the seaside and got offered to try a freakshake. It was one of the most OTT sweetest things I’ve ever had in my life. I enjoyed it, but it’s something I could only enjoy on an annual basis. This song is much the same. It’s bringing the Gallic cuteness where France failed, and the fact Leonora looks into your soul unnervingly whilst singing just adds more interest to the song for me.
16. Azerbaijan – Truth Azerbaijan bring a halfway decent song for the 2nd time so far, by my count. This is nowhere as near as good as “Skeletons”, but still strong. I like the atypical lyrical matter and the fact that the Symphonix crew created something contemporary but wearing Azeri traditional influences on its sleeve. The unplugged version of this is even better.
15. Netherlands – Arcade Perhaps I would enjoy this more were it not for the intense amount of hype, the hubristic arrogance of many people in thinking the win is already in the bag, and the amount of condescending barbs flung my way on other corners of the net for not considering this some transcendental masterpiece that deserves to win more than any other song. It’s not in the same league as the oft-compared, timeless Amar pelos dois for me. It’s a nice, heartfelt song – albeit one that relies too much on a head voice that I find rather unappealing – and it has a few clever turns of phrase, but I will never understand why this one has been singled out when there are several songs I consider more moving in this final.
14. Georgia – Sul tsin iare This song has really grown on me. It has an incredible, almost scary intensity and was written on an epic, orchestral scale. It feels like the music to the climax of a war film. I felt what it meant before I understood the Georgian. I particularly love the chorus backing Oto and the staging that matches the song’s drama.
13. Hungary – Az én apam I expected a lot of things from a Joci Papai return, and this song only delivers some of them, but it’s a song worthy of enjoying in its own right. If Origo was fire and had an undercurrent of hurt, Az én apam is water, but is warm in its own right. It’s a nostalgic song with the same poetry I expected of Joci.
12. Latvia – That night Latvia’s song has been criticised for not being very impactful, and it isn’t, but therein lies its charm. It’s a low-key, saudadic effort that beautifully occupies three minutes. It is the kind of track I imagine listening to whilst, and which makes me imagine as a result, driving down a long, lonely road at night in the rain. It’s hushed, it’s delicate, and it sounds to me like petrichor smells.
11. Greece – Better love Greece is sending something very atypical from them, almost as an allergic reaction to doing so badly with the more ostensibly ethnic “Oneiro mou” last year. I’d be disappointed, but this is really quite good indeed, a very professional and rounded effort that has produced a soaring, anthemic song. Katerine’s voice has a beautiful, dark and deep huskiness that imbues a certain quality too. My only problem with this song are the careless lyrics that seem like a compilation of Instagram clichés.
10. Ireland – 22 My dear Ireland sneaks into my top 10 for the first time in a few years thanks to a full-on earworm of a song that has become one of my most played tracks this year. This song is very simple, but sometimes unassuming simplicity is elegant. It’s got a retro, blue-eyed soul feel and is at once nostalgic and catchy. It deserved a lot better than the slot of death to which Björkman consigned it.
09. Malta – Chameleon Malta getting into my top 10 for the first time since 2014, with a song that is even more contrary to our expectations of Maltese songs than “Tomorrow” was. This song is aptly named, as it is an explosion of colour – not just in the clever video, but also, the music itself is so vibrant and fun. The only part I don’t like is the rather cliché bridge, because both the drop-based chorus, the slow build of the verses and the exuberant post-chorus are really good. GIVE ME X I’M A Y is one of the lyrical memes of the year and is infectious. From beige to a rainbow; well done, Malta.
08. Slovenia – Sebi Slovenia are on the money for the second year in a row. Whilst “Hvala ne” was an in your face, high-octane buzz of a song, this year, we’ve gone in the completely opposite direction: a very contemplative, intimate song that imbues a sense of peace and harmony. What they do have in common is some of the best lyrics of the year. In Sebi’s case, the text is graceful in its effortless simplicity and minimalism. It feels like the only thing that matters during those 3 minutes for the song’s performers are each other, which creates a particular atmosphere indeed.
07. Albania – Ktheju tokës When I heard the venerable Festival i këngës, Albania’s selection process, was essentially going to revamp itself, I was worried that it would lose its magic, but in the end, I needn’t have so much. For the second year running, the best song by far won – a song full of dramatic potential. Thank heavens they left the song in the wonderful mellifluous Albanian language and did not dig out the song’s heart with a needless revamp. I hope Shqipëria can keep this trend and momentum up. Ktheju tokës is a heartrending song about immigration and divided families, inspired by true experience, and performed with power and style by the enigmatic Jonida.
06. Armenia – Walking out Another country for whom I have a lot of time at the contest is Armenia, who always tend to bring something different to the show. I was initially a bit confused by their effort this year because of its abrupt stops between different parts of the song which at first sounded rather jarring. Now, this, and the great variation in tone and style between the verses, the gentle bridge and the ferocious choruses are part of what make the song for me. Srbuk has charisma and a fierce set of pipes. All these elements have made Walking out one of the major earworms of the year for me.
05. Austria – Limits The first time I heard this, I was underwhelmed. It’s a nice song, but it is lacking a bit in instant impact. Nonetheless, something about it demanded repeated listens; with each one, my appreciation for this confessional, Kate Bush-inspired slice of heartrending emotion grew exponentially. I am hoping that the live performance will give it the instancy it needs to bring to life how exceptionally good a song this is. It’s up there with the very best in terms of the lyrics. It’s so personal, so intimate, so searing and one of the most underrated tracks of the year. 04. Serbia – Kruna Pretty much everyone who knows my ESC predilections knows I am a huge fan of Serbia. They generally stick with their own language, and bring songs that highlight their rich musical traditions. My support isn’t categorical – I despised “Beauty never lies” and felt let down by last year’s style pastiche, though I felt Balkanika were wonderful contestants – so this year, I was relieved to see them back at the height of their powers with an unassumingly lovely ballad, performed with power and purpose by the mesmerising Nevena. It’s a song of few words, and it feels like every single one was weighed out carefully to pack the most meaning. Delightful.
03. Romania – On a Sunday One of the biggest surprises of the season for me has been Romania. I had no interest in their national selection, and was nonplussed when this won, albeit grateful that it beat two truly dreadful frontrunners. My first impression was that it was an odd but catchy song, and that it was weird and a little funny how the grown woman singing it seemed to throw a tantrum in the middle of the performance. Something about it made me listen again, and again, and again – and then the amazingly theatrical and imaginative video came out, which added to my appreciation even more. It’s a really emotional song, which somehow invigorates rather than saddens me, perhaps because of the bewitching power of Ester’s performance. She delivers this with an unbelievable intensity and has such a singular voice. I fear for its chances because it’s not the most accessible song – but I really hope this will at least qualify.
02. Portugal – Telemóveis I remember my first reäction to this well. I was confused and a little perturbed – it seemed like the rantings of a madman over highly dissonant, if rather bewitching, music. It stuck in my head, though, and very soon, the confusion grew into appreciation and then full on love for probably the most singular, sui generis offering of the entire year. This is a song that sounds timeless but futuristic; that could not have been composed by any other country, but which blends influence of fado with sounds from the subcontinent, the near and far east and what seem to be other planets. The text – all too often dismissed as “lol he’s singing about cellphones, how random lmao” – is a deep, introspective, metaphorical look at mortality that is gushing with saudade. The fact that this, the most forward-thinking proposal of 2019, might not even qualify is scandalous; it should be in it to win it.
01. Italy – Soldi As much as I adore Telemóveis, there’s a song that I love even more. The first time I saw Soldi performed live, it was like a punch to the gut in the best possible way. This song about a deadbeat dad and how money can tear a family apart is just one example of how Italy is brimming with exceptional lyricists. I’d translate some of my favourite lyrics, but firstly, I find every line to be powerfully moving, and secondly, the English can’t quite do justice to the perfectly measured rhythm and cadence of the original as well as the emotion. On top of that, musically, it’s one of the freshest tracks of the year, with super modern production but symphonic touches. Who thinks of making a trap-inspired song, but with an orchestra? Italy, that is who, and I so, so hope they finish this barnstormer of a decade for them with a much awaited win.
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hyungtop · 7 years ago
Note
Could you do an intro post for vixx like you did for sf9?
so for those of y’all who read my sf9 intro post, i’m sorry bc this is prob gonna be a lot longer I”M SORRY how can you guys ask me to do this for my faves
vixx (synonymous with “concept kings”) stands for “visual, voice, value in excelsis,” which is meant to say that vixx has the best vocals/visuals and all that but after 5 years many people think that the “v” in vixx also stands for violence oops. before debut, they were in a survival show called mydol with a few other trainees. under jellyfish entertainment, vixx debuted may 24, 2012 with the song superhero. since then, vixx have been known as concept-dols because of the way they incorporate themes into their teasers, outfits, mv and go way beyond in terms of expressing these particular concepts.
one thing you have to know about vixx is that they’re relatively popular but somewhat overlooked because they create music and concepts that they are interested in, which don’t necessarily overlap with what the majority of the kpop consumer body wants to see or hear. but they don’t care. they are happy making music and are grateful for all of their fans, no matter how small or big their fanbase is.
(another thing: vixx is literally 80% legs)
vixx’s fanbase name is starlight! starlights are known to be very respectful of the group’s space and privacy and for that reason the members are pretty “close” to us, their fans.
members:
n (cha hakyeon)
born june 30, 1990
main dancer, lead vocalist, leader
is actually perfect: sings, dances, choreographs, acts, cooks and is responsible, caring, hard-working, treats everyone with respect
“mom”
neck chops
chabooty
known for his sexy gaze and charisma onstage
has a very stressful job watching over five hooligans
beautifully tanned skin that he takes very good care of
proudly watches over vixx as they cheat on variety segments during games
kinda insecure abt showing his forehead which sucks bc it is glorious
a makeup genius, as shown on lipstick prince s2
MAGIC HIPS
lead in “in the heights” musical
has acted in web dramas and dramas like sassy go go, what’s with money, tunnel, perfect wife
makes candles in his free time and i believe the profits from what he sells go to charity
has choreographed bits of vixx’s choreography over the years and most recently choreographed “take it out” by myteen
do yourself a favor and watch some n fancams after you finish reading this post
leo (jung taekwoon)
born nov. 10, 1990
main vocalist, composer
mr hot body, resident shoulder gangster and athlete
used to be painfully shy on camera but recently he’s opened up a lot. before he used to give cold stares but now he’s screaming and smiling and laughing
huge soft spot for cute things, mostly babies and animals
powerful vocals
but has a soft, sweet speaking voice
hyuk’s ramen shuttle
yaoi hands
iconic long hair during hyde era
ripped jeans
nicknamed “hamzzi” (hamster) by ravi and it kind of stuck…
but it’s a fitting nickname, leo’s always stuffing his cheeks with food bc food > camera
really really likes coffee
also called the head fairy because he bows his head and shows the top of it when he’s embarrassed
has acted in musicals like full house, monte cristo, mata hari
he used to be vixx’s dad but now he’s more like vixx’s grandpa
wishes for the good old days when hyuk and the rest of vixx used to take him seriously
ken (lee jaehwan)
born april 6, 1992
main vocalist
aegyo king/wink fairy
starlights are his babies
bffs with bts jin and b1a4′s sandeul (@ celebrity bromance where is my 92 grandpa squad episode) and also exid’s hani!!!
hair porn
wiggly butt
an expensive hoe…he has so many shoes and overly expensive casual clothes
proud of his big nose
loves attention from the members
angry gamer
beautiful, goosebump-inducing falsetto
has a dirty mouth and has gotten in trouble for it…but it’s okay(if you watch vixx mtv diary there’s one episode where he starts cussing in english to lose a game)
rising musical actor, starred in chess, cinderella, and hamlet
also acted in the drama boardinghouse 24
loves to draw! he’s had a few “art lesson” vlives and draws the characters for their vixx tv videos
eats everything in sight
but he’s been working really hard and is going around shirtless now (famously dubbed as “having a tits party”)
ravi (kim wonshik)
born feb. 15, 1993
main rapper, lead dancer, vocalist
loves dogs and is a doggy daddy, he has a french bulldog named butt aka ongdongie (don’t go googling “ravi butt” now)
in the top 10 idols with royalties, boi is raking in the $$$$
resident fashionista, looks good in any style and any clothing (and any hair)
currently has 5 tattoos
deeeeeeeeeeeeep voice
seems very manly but is actually the softest and cries the most
knows how to work DEm HIPS
very touchy, especially loves doting on ken
expressive eyebrows
loves his younger sister and wanted to become a bodyguard for her when he grew up
hates bugs holy crap it’s not even a joke he is terrified of them
shy with girls
he’s going to lose his hair at this rate he’s been every single shade of the rainbow and more
professional photobomber/meme
has cute cheekbones that come out when he smiles
is a little bit of a shit to n but we know ravi loves him
debuted as a solo artist in january 2017 with bomb
hongbin
judging since born sept. 29, 1993
vocalist/rapper, visual
savage motherfucker but also smiley cutesy bean who laughs at everything
ravi’s soulmate
signature dimples and toothy smile
very deep but sweet and clear voice
cringe fists when he’s embarrassed
NEEDS MORE LINES
underrates himself and it’s really sad bc he’s way more than just a face if he made it this far
arms and jawline sculpted by the gods
teased for his short legs and baby hands
notable achievement: ranked #7 globally in overwatch for playing hanzo (sorry i don’t know gaming terms)
kind of emotionally constipated. he said he would “follow n anywhere” but mostly just acts like his life’s goal is to be as far away from him as possible
can be kind of mature but automatically turns into a huge dumb when put together with hyuk
well-known for his role as wang chiang in moorim school
recently starred in the drama “wednesdays at 3:30pm” check it out on viki it’s super cute!
hyuk (han sanghyuk)
born july 5, 1995
lead dancer, vocalist, maknae
from daejeon, making him the only member not from seoul
the boss of vixx
a die-hard belieber
used to be terrified of leo but grew 5 inches and muscles and now leo is his punching bag
but honestly everyone is his punching bag…except hongbin
hyuk is hongbin’s prodigy so there’s some obligatory respect there
aspiring songwriter and rapper
potato nose
fiercely competitive
hates aegyo
also a huge gamer nerd with hongbin
once abandoned by 5vixx at a gas station when he was only 16 or 17 and many speculate that this was the beginning of the end of sweet maknae hyuk
the worst cook in vixx, he can’t even fry an egg
always covering his smile
english cover king
very very wild dancer
up and coming actor! he starred in the 2016 film “chasing” as an overly aggressive delinquent with a dirty mouth and has a webdrama coming out in october with apink’s chorong!
list of comebacks and respective concepts:
superhero; may 2012
rock ur body: august 2012
on and on; vampires; april 2013
hyde/gr8u: jekyll/hyde; may/july 2013
voodoo doll: blood and gore warning; november 2013
eternity: time travelers; may 2014
error: androids; november 2014
love equation: probably the most “mainstream” song they’ve done; march 2015
chained up: love slaves; november 2015
dynamite: zelos (jealousy); april 2016
fantasy: hades (death); august 2016
the closer: kratos (destruction); october 2016
shangri la: paradise; may 2017
scentist: perfumers/scent; april 2018
some other non-title tracks that are treasures:
light up the darkness* // spider // love me do* // desperate* // black out
*choreographed by cha leader
vixx lr subunit:
vixx lr consists of leo and ravi. they had a subunit debut in august of 2015 with beautiful liar and more recently came back with whisper in late august 2017. both leo and ravi are heavily involved with song production, with both of them writing lyrics and composing for tracks on these albums.
beautiful liar
whisper
words to say
feeling
beautiful night
chocolatier
important videos:
plan v diary
only u
this iconic hyde performance I’M SORRY
stress come on!
blossom tears
one fine day (subbed episodes here)
bingo talk
white day // bloopers
ask in a box 1 2
king of masked singer n leo ken
asia where vixx loves
star 360 1 2
ken on duet song festival
i want to fall in love
don’t go today
moon of seoul
hyuk’s covers
call you mine
love yourself
photograph
hug (original)
ships: most of the ship names are pretty easy to figure out. the most popular ones are probably wontaek (leo/ravi), neo, keo, raken/kenvi, rabin, luck (leo/hyuk), chabin (n/hongbin).
i hope this helps! let me know if any of the links are funky :)
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punkwithpaints · 7 years ago
Text
College Weeb
Finally, I’m away from high school and in college. None of the weebs had went to the college I chose. Thank God. I was so excited my dudes. I’d be in COLLEGE art classes. I would finally not just be limited to 2 rooms, BUT A WHOLE BUILDING DEDICATED TO ART. I was very happy about it. The idea of having a whole semester dedicated towards just 1 area, such as painting, was just awesome to me. On top of they, they had offered course I’d never been able to take before, so more or less, I was super excited to learn new things. Also, I’d get to be around people who actually knew how to draw. Or so I thought.
I had a drawing 1 class and a Color Theory painting class. (I’m just gonna refer to it as Painting 1) So, my drawing class rolls around and I go on up there and sit on one of the bar stools which we’re in a circle. A girl is already sitting to the left of me, wearing a beanie and had various pins on her bag. I wanted to talk to someone, but like I’ve said before, I’m not the best at starting a conversation. Luckily (not so much now), she started talking, saying hi and the sort. The small group of us that had gathered started to talk about what year we all were and where we’re from. Weeb is just gonna be called Weeb cause I’m running out of initials. She was the one sitting to my left. She kept talking to me, and I didn’t mind as we talked about what we thought the class was going to be like and all that. Seemed nice enough. She asked me what I drew, I told her I was into fantasy type things and mythical creatures. She told me she like, yep, anime. Alright, that’s fine. I don’t mind if you doodle it on your free time and such, but I was positive that a person in college, going to be an art major, had their own style other than just anime. I figured she just used it for quick sketches, certain commissions, whatever. Our teacher came in, and honestly, I loved this professor. He was this small Asian man, kinda old, and was blunt as fuck. This is important for later. This teacher is very excited to see our work, and tells us he would love to see our sketchbooks. If we would like to bring them in, he’d love to check them out.
Now, I loved this idea, given that I had been working on large, detailed headshots of my characters, some fan art, and other things, and would love to hear his feedback right off the bat. I double check with him next class period, asking if he would mind if I brought mine in. He was very excited and told me he would love it. So, next time I had him, I brought my current sketchbook and my concept sketchbook, as usual. What I didn’t know was that, yeah, my teacher was going to talk to me about him, but he also wanted to show and talk to the class about it as well. I didn’t really mind, given that he asked first and everyone seemed really nice in this class. I said I didn’t mind and he asked everyone to scoot up to the table he was at and passed my sketchbooks around, telling everyone to be careful. I’m not the best at receiving compliments face to face, due to the fact I’m very flattered and don’t know what to say. (Seriously though, thanks to anyone who likes my art <3) Soon enough I was getting students complimenting me about how much they loved my stuff, how cool it looked, and other things. I was very flattered and thanked them repeatedly. When someone would do the whole, “I wish I was this good” or whatever, I’d tell them they were, just in their own way.
I’d like to make a disclaimer again: By no means do I consider myself an amazing, perfect artist. Hell nah. I got so much to learn and work on, and I think I’m ‘okay’ at best. I never want someone to tell me they wish they were as good as me and such, because I take that as they’re comparing themselves to me and saying I’m better. I firmly believe in the idea that artists shouldn’t compare their skill level to another artists to judge their work. Compare it to something you did a year or so ago! Your improvement and skill level is YOUR improvement and skill level, not everyone else’s, you got this. <3
Anyway, pep talk out of the way, lets move on. Weeb saw it and was suddenly like, quiet, I really don’t remember her saying much actually. I didn’t really think about it though, since I had been talking to another classmate about what marker brands I used and going over the inking pens we liked. (I was so happy to talk to people who geeked out about this stuff as much as I did.) My teacher told me I was a great artist and he would love to see what else I make.
Alright, so as we go through the semester, I’m having a great time. My drawing class just used graphite/charcoal for our drawings, and I was happy to get back into the swing of using them. At some point, my teacher had been talking to weeb about one of her drawings, and asked if she had an art background. Some people in this class were taking it as an elective, so some people didn’t have any experience with art. She came all pouty to me and was like, “I’m really upset.” I don’t really care too much, but go ahead. She went on to tell me about how she was upset that our teacher thought she had no art background.
Being honest, I totally thought she didn’t either…She didn’t know shading, she didn’t know proportions, she didn’t know the difference between graphite and charcoal, didn’t know the difference between oil and acrylic paints. Y’all know how when you buy brushes, the package or display usually has what media they’re best used for printed on them? She saw one that said all purpose, and still asked what she could use them with. Absolutely no common sense, even with the bare basics of art. Now, I tried so hard to help explain things to her, but it just went right over her head.
We were in this art club on campus, by the way, and this group had a group chat. This is gonna all come into play later.
During Christmas break, I had taken all my art supplies back with me and sat my workspace back up. I had taken a picture and sent it to the group chat, telling everyone I was excited to have my workspace all fixed back up and asked if they were excited for break. Everyone talked about Christmas Break and was sending pics of their setup as well, since we had never got to see each others actual set ups or rooms, and we had talked about them frequently.
Now, in my photo, in a kinda obscure area, I have a Babe Ruth tin that I store some of my pens in. Weeb messages me privately, zoomed into that tin and was like, “Where did you buy that?” Okay, whoa, weird, how hard were you looking at my photo bro? Whatever, I tell her I had found it in the paint bin when I was the Paint Master in drama. She asks, “So, you didn’t buy it?” No, obviously not, considering I FOUND it. She lets it go.
Christmas came and went, and she messaged me, telling me she had gotten some Prismacolor markers. Cool dude. She bragged about how she had been watching a bunch of tutorial and read up on them. HOWEVER, she immediately started to ask me how to use them and the such. Okay, fair game, I’ll help you considering you’ve never used them, but if you’ve read and looked at a bunch of research, why are you asking me? I’ll help though, maybe she just needs some verification or something. She proceeds to ask, “What’s the difference between a brush nib and a bullet nib???” Bruh. I thought you said you looked at research? What the hell? So, I explain it all and give my personal opinion on which one I liked better and why. She continued to ask question, being such as, “How do you shade, like, a pale skin tone?”
Bitch. The fuck? With some pale ass markers? Nah, the most jet black marker you can find. I explained it anyway.
“Why are there green and blue markers in my set if it’s skintone?”
Boi. Cause they cool colors used for shading. How do you not understand that?
“So, how do you shade with markers???”
Bittttttttttttttch. I explain how to pick out color choices and the whatnot. I tell her that I usually start with my undertones and then my base color. Then I keep moving up to darker colors and purples/blues.
BRO SHE ARGUED WITH ME.
“Um, so you color in the whole area with your base??? I don’t think you do that! It’ll dry out and you can’t blend them together.”
I told her how they were alcohol based and could normally blend just fine with each other as long as you weren’t waiting like, days or something like that. A minute or two won’t kill it.
“No, I don’t think that’s right. How do you make it not streaky?”
Whatever, fine, fuck it, welcome to Burger King because have it your way I guess. I told her when it came to making sure the marker didn’t look streaky when putting it down was something that depended on how you held it personally and that the best way to learn it was mainly from practice. She seems bummed it’s not something that instantly happens but oh well. She told me she was gonna be coloring something she inked and asked how long she should wait for the ink to dry. I told her I never really had an issue with my ink pens smudging, so maybe a minute or so just to make sure? She waited 40 minutes. I told her that when she got started coloring it with the markers, that new markers are very saturated with ink and may bleed a little, so stay away from the lines some to give it some room just in case.
Now, remember I told her to lay down her main color first, completely, and to work it up? She told me she read/watched a tutorial (Oh hey, there’s the tutorials you said you watched a million of.) that said to do it in sections. I’m not opposed to that, but honestly, if you color a section completely, then try to start another section, is it not gonna look streaky and wrong considering the edges have had time to dry? Like, it’s gonna take you 30 minutes to an hour for that one section, IDK, isn’t that plenty of time for it to dry, like you feared it would???
Sure kid, just go for it. I’m talking to a wall here. Little while later she messaged me and was like:
“I fucked up.”
Sure enough, she did the whole section coloring thing and was right against the lines, so it bled everywhere and wasn’t blending right.
Nailed it.
Later on in the year, the next semester, I was taking a 3D class (making large sculptures out of cardboard) and a Digital class (Learning to use photoshop and all that.). She was in 3D with me. This semester really let me see how crazy this person was.
There is this Art and Literature novel/magazine thing my college did every year. You could enter up to 6 pieces in the art area. 3 for publishing, and 3 for the cover art. I still wasn’t very good at photoshop, so I just submitted 3 things for publishing. She entered too and so did a lot of my friends from the art group. There was an upperclassmen in our group who I’ll call K. K knew her way around Photoshop and the sorts, so she submitted for the cover art. By this point, I had already had one of the girls (sweetest person I know) admit to me that weeb was talking shit behind my back because I had mentioned that I didn’t find anime very original. She said I was bashing other artists styles to make myself look better and that I was stuck up, all that good stuff.
I wasn’t surprised considering I ha began to see through her and realize she was one of /those/ people. After I had begun to realize that (before Christmas break) I had been trying to talk to her less, considering she would also come into where I was working and not leave me alone for the whole day.
(Sidenote: I’m someone who very much prefers to be alone when I’m working. Honestly, I like to be alone by myself most of the time. There’s a few people I usually don’t mind sitting and being around me during these times. She wasn’t one. In 3D foundations class, it’s a very demanding class so you’d have to stay long hours after class to finish the project on time. I work fast, like I mentioned, and I would stay up until 3-4 in the morning anyway, just chilling in the art building. She’d constantly just invite herself over to where I was working to work too. Me working around her turned into, “Come over here and help me work instead of doing your project.” So, due to her constantly asking me to come over and help her, I didn’t finish as quick as I normally did. I had mentioned to her quite a few times that I prefer to work alone and not have anyone in the room. Again, went over her head. She took it as ‘I told you I like to be alone, but since I told you, you can stay because I totally don’t mean you.’. Especially you. One night, I’ve literally gotten 10 hours of sleep in the last 3-4 days. It’s 1 in the morning and I’ve done all I can to my project. Like, I can’t do anything else because I didn’t have what I needed. Considering I hadn’t been leaving until 4AM a lot of the times, hell yeah I was leaving and going to bed. So I start packing my stuff up and she noticed. “Wait!!! Are you leaving?!?”
Yeah.
“Don’t leave!!!!!! I get scared being in here alone!!!!”
She made me feel bad so I stayed.
Until fucking 3:30 in the morning. Again.
I mentioned multiple times how tired I was, how I hadn’t slept really. She just goes, “Wow, how are you alive??” Bitch I ain’t. I’m fucking dead and you’re the one who killed me.
She tried to pull this stunt again next week. I just looked at her and went, “You’ll be alright.” And left. I’m not your babysitter. Next morning, she started to try and guilt trip me.
“Yeah, I stayed about an hour after you left, but I started getting scared and cried, I had to leave.” I took a sip of my coffee and went, “Not my problem.” (Are you seeing where my fucks are going? That’s right, right out the window.) She kept trying to stay in the art building as long as I did after I mentioned that I usually stayed until 4AM, either working on something, or just watching videos since I didn’t want to bother my roommates. I could be over analyzing, but I feel like her mindset was, “If I stay in here as long as they do, I’ll be just as good.”
Nope, try again. It’s not the time you spend in the art building, it’s how you work to improve yourself.
Also, everyday in 3D, when I’d walk by I’d say hello, just to be nice. Never got one back, always, “Ugh, I’m going to kill myself.” Or “Kill me” because she would bitch and moan about how hard the project was. She’d always always whine and cry that her’s were bad (tru) and our teacher was going to fail her and no one would look at her sculpture, dumb shit basically. End sidenote.)
My first red flag that this person was /that/ type of person was when we completed our first 3D foundations project. One of her ‘friends’ (weeb talked shit about them, as you’ll see.) had made this really awesome, large scale 20 sided die, complete with each number carved out. It was super cool and everyone really liked it. Later that week, Weeb is talking to me and she’s like, “I’m mad that M is getting so much attention for their project! That was my idea first!”
She went on to explain that the 2 of them had brainstormed together and that was one of the ideas they had come up with. M had really liked the idea and asked if she wanted to do it, which Weeb told them no, they were considering a different thing. M went ahead and did it. Weeb got pissed????? What???? Where is your logic? You told them to go ahead.
That was my next red flag, they were ‘friends’ with someone only to shit talk about them and be mad that they were doing well. She’d constantly be complaining to me about how M always was showing off and didn’t deserve to be noticed like that. (Dudes I don’t even know.) I tended to ignore her because I liked M and enjoyed their stuff, and knew that Weeb was a jealous jerk. A few weeks later, Me and Weeb are in 3D. It’s about 2 and a half hours long, so we can take a break to go get food or whatever since it’s early in the morning. She notices I’m getting my lanyard and getting ready to go get some coffee and food. She wants to come with me and I can tell she’s being pouty about something. Now, I want to clarify something. This isn’t like, you noticed your friend seems a little sad and ask them what’s wrong, nope. She would always sigh and pout and drop cryptic messages like some 13 year olds DeviantArt journal. Sure enough, we head outside, it’s raining. All I have is a flannel with a hood. She’s got an umbrella. Never once asked if I wanted to share the umbrella. Whatever, I like rain. K comes running up to us, very excited and was like, “Guys!! I just got told I won the cover art area!” I was very happy for her, and told her congrats and such. Weeb literally doesn’t say jackshit and just glares. We keep walking after that and I try to start up a conversation. “I love the rain. It’s so nice.” Or something to that effect. Of course I get a pouty huff and a “I’m really upset about that.”  What? The rain???? What?
“That K won that. She’s not that good, like, I could do better! She didn’t deserve that.” Bitch, excuse the fuck me? By this time we’re in the Starbucks on campus. I’ve already decided I’m not dealing with this and just gave small, “Mhm. Yeah.” As answers as I ordered and let her bitch. I got my food and we sit down. She literally hasn’t stopped ranting. Then she drops this bombshell, not kidding.
“I know I shouldn’t be, but I get jealous when other artists are better than me.”
She just stared at me and I sat there 100% done with this bullshit, but I had set a goal for myself to try and be supportive and to help others, use my words, ya know? Rather than being like, “You fucking dipshit what the fuck-“ I just said, “Yeah, jealousy isn’t a good thing when it comes to art. It tends to hinder someones ability to improve, and artists shouldn’t compare themselves to others, rather you should go to them for inspiration and guidance.” Holy shit high five me, you said words that didn’t include, ‘Fuck you’ in them. ONCE AGAIN, SHE COMPLETE IGNORES MY ATTEMPT AT HELP. “Yeah, well, I just can’t help it.” Bitch, yes you fucking can, if you actually tried at it, but apparently you don’t try at anything. I decided to try a different approach.
“I use to be like that, and got jealous at artists that were better, but looking back, I saw absolutely no growth in my work from that time.”
#Read@10:34 and ignored of course. “But you’re good now!!” MOTHERFUCKER. Because I stopped being a jealous twat at the age of 11????? Jesus Christ. “Well, what did you submit for the cover art? Maybe I can help you.” This ho looks at me and goes:
“Oh, I didn’t enter anything.”
What. The actual. Fuck.
Done. Done, 100% done. Fuck this Shit I’m out. You literally can’t be this fucking dense. I just blocked everything out at that and went back to the class. Now I was really trying to avoid talking to this weeb.
During this time, I was also voted to be the president of the art group, while K was told she could be Vice President. Weeb literally bullied/harassed her out of the position by messaging her like, “I really wanted that position, are you sure I can’t do it?? You’re always too busy to come to meetings.”
On down the year, I had entered 3 pieces to be judged to be put into an art exhibit. She did too. I didn’t tell her I was doing it because I knew she’d get all mad about it. My 3 pieces got in, hers didn’t. She started to complain and whine immediately, trying to get me to compliment her stuff. “My stuff is never good enough I guess.” Tru. Moving on.
I had gotten pretty well distinguished in the art department. I had gotten a lot of awards and the teachers liked to talk to me. Around this time, M was told one of her photography pieces had been accepted into the Colleges Art and Literature book, and I was also told my work was also accepted. I didn’t mention it at first, since Weeb hadn’t gotten in. I knew she’d be pissed. Finally, I mentioned. She acted all proud and was like, “Oh, congrats!” I knew she didn’t mean it for a second. Another friend of mine (Not an art major, but drew in their spare time,) took an art class for fun. She had left a critique and noticed Weeb talking to M and someone else, telling them that I was ‘always trying to one up her’ and ‘leaving their sketchbook open for compliments.’ And ‘showing off.’ Keep in mind, I had no sketchbooks for these classes. Only a small one to sketch a quick layout for my 3D project, since we had to have a model. She wasn’t even in my other class. The other 2 classes from last semester was the drawing class (no sketchbook, just giant art pads.) and painting class, which she wasn’t in. So????????? My friend let me know.
I was officially done. I wasn’t dealing with this again, in college, from people who were suppose to be adults. Now, she had texted me on like, Wednesday at 11 PM asking if I was in the art building, which I was, but damn it leave me alone, so I didn’t reply. It was around finals week. I was done with my art finals (Making the piece, not presenting), so once again I was in the art building, watching videos. I’ve been on the group chat, basically quoting word from word what she had said and telling my friends how people like that are just horrible people. Everyone was agreeing and Weeb hadn’t answered. So I strolled my petty ass right on over, next door, to the 3D room (I was in painting) and Weeb and another girl (that was actually another friend.) was in there. I sat down by the other girl, E, and started telling her about this ‘person’ that said these things, and quoted what she had said.
Deadass Froze.
She still tried to talk and put in input like she totally didn’t say that. I headed back to the painting room until 4 AM rolled by and I started to head out. Now, I could have went left and to an elevator where she wouldn’t see me leave. But remember, she’s scared to be alone. So, I went right and in front of the 2 doors that were open to that room. I made sure she saw me leave and I heard this feeble, “Hey!!” Kept walking.
Got to my dorm and finally replied to the message she sent (It was like, Thrusday or Friday now.) I answered it with:
No, I left.
“I know, I saw you.”
Good, thought so.
“Hey, I read the group chat. I just wanted to say I’m sorry if I ever said anything like that. If I ever said anything like that and offended you, I’m sorry.”
I was pissed. You’re gonna try and deny it when I have 2 separate people telling me you’re talking shit? You’re just mad you got caught. So I didn’t reply until the next day, since me and a bunch of friends went out to eat to celebrate almost being done with the year. I replied back with,
“I’ve had 2 different sources come to me and let me know you were saying those things behind my back. I had to deal with that all through highschool, and frankly, I’m not dealing with it in college. Have a good summer.”
She never answered, but funny enough, she ran back to the 1st girl she that she bitched about me to and started trying to make me look like the bad person, saying she never said that stuff. Funny bro.
So next semester, I get to deal with kicking her out of the group, considering I’ll be president and I don’t stand for that kind of stuff. Wish me luck.
116 notes · View notes
havokangel · 8 years ago
Text
Shape Of You - Part 1/2
Warren Worthington III x Reader
written by @kurtwxgners & @alexsunmners
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a/n; aka, the artist au no one asked for.
so first and foremost, this has been in the works since NOVEMBER. NOVEMBER. alex and i have been busting our ass for MONTHS over this fic and we hope we did it justice. sorry for keeping you all waiting, but we hope it was worth it! enjoy guys!
also on ao3
part two here
tags; @mvximoff @madelyne-pryor  @rax-writes @paperclipmac @v-writings @dicckgrayson @emmcfrxst @iamplaguedwithideas @hastyscribe @softwarren @jubillee @mutantlaura @idontknowwhattocallthisposts @theatricalenthusiast @themidnight-train @thequeen-ofnerds @xxencagedxx 
artist!warren playlist
ILYSB // LANY
Sex On Fire // Kings of Leon
The Less I Know The Better // Tame Impala
Comfortable // Lauv
Holy Ghost // BORNS
Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High? // Arctic Monkeys
Never Be Like You // Flume 
Sex // The 1975
Post Break Up Sex // The Vaccines
Idfc // Blackbear
Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You Baby // Cigarettes After Sex
Trouble // Cage The Elephant
She Moves In Her Own Way // The Kooks
R U Mine? // Arctic Monkeys
I Walk The Line // Halsey
Boys Don’t Cry // The Cure
Summary; You know Warren better than you think anyone else does; you know about his art and his habits and a bit about his dad, and you know that he’s reckless and self-destructive and that he doesn’t do relationships.
 Which wasn’t a problem until now.
There’s no denying that Warren Worthington III is incredibly attractive. Girls and boys alike always seem so naturally drawn to him, and you wonder if the universe had specifically put him in your life to make you angry. Warren may be the Adonis of your university, but there’s always a catch with boys like him: his ego, which may as well be bigger than the sun, and you’re almost positive that he knows he’s got everyone in your art class wrapped around his finger. You’re first hand witness to that, for an hour and a half three times a week. Everytime he cuddles up to some wide-eyed girl and suggests that they swing by his place that evening, you roll your eyes so hard you’re almost surprised they don’t fall out of your head. He tells them he’d love to have them model for him sometime. You’re pretty sure that’s what he tells every girl he wants to fuck. It makes you cringe. So, that’s why you usually kept to yourself in that class - that is, until Warren actually acknowledges your presence.
The project you’re working on, is simple, so simple that even someone who was just taking this as an elective, like yourself, could pass with flying colors without giving it too much attention. It’s still life week and you’re meant to be drawing the fruit bowl in the middle of the room, which feels like a cliche or something, but who are you to argue with the teacher’s assignment. You had put your headphones in a while ago, before Warren had started making his usual rounds of the class, to project his ‘artistic advice’ onto other students who didn't know any better, who were probably only taking his incredibly condescending advice at all in the hopes of gaining his affection. Or an invitation home. You’re pretty sure Warren has fucked half the class already and for reasons that escape you, the rest of the class hasn’t figured out that they should probably just steer clear of him. So when you see out of the corner of your eye a stool being pulled up next to you, a sigh leaves your mouth. You pull out a headphone, and look at Warren, who’s oh-so-carefully examining your sketch through his probably fake and definitely expensive glasses.
“Y’know, if I were you, I’d shade in this area,” He suggests, finger pointing to the bottom of the bowl. “It’d really make the drawing more realistic, and it’d give it more depth.”
“Excuse me?” You say with offense, looking down at your paper.
“M’just saying, it’d look good if you shaded there.” Warren repeats, leaning his chin against his hand.
“Look, just because you’re some ‘up and coming’ artist, doesn’t mean I’m going to do what you thinks good,” You tell him, using air quotes around your words to make your point. “Besides, the prof is always telling us to develop our own art style.”
“Ouch!” Warren petulantly says, clutching his chest. “Didn’t expect you to be so sassy, princess.”
“Don’t call me that.” You say with a roll of your eyes, ripping your completed sketch out of your book. You get up to go turn in your sketch, Warren quickly following behind you.
“Look, we haven’t really talked before, I was just trying to break the ice!” He says petulantly, though the effect is ruined by the smirk tugging at his lips. You swear that he was born with that permanent smirk on his face. The teacher points to the pile of sketches, and you place it there. “You’re always so observant, and I just want to get to know you.”
“Way to break the ice,” you mutter under your breath, moving back to the table where your things are.
“Why don’t you swing by my place tonight, I’m having a little get together with some other art majors,” Warren suggests casually, as you gather your things. “I’ve got lots of good wine, and you could check out my portfolio.”
“Sorry Warren, I’d love to be around people I have nothing in common with, but I've got plans tonight,” you retort, hitching your bag a little higher on your shoulder.
“And that's what? Netflix bingeing until three a.m.?” Warren calls after you, watching as you make your way towards the door. You just turn and give him a blatantly fake smile, flipping him off to the amusement of the students watching. He just sighs with a smile, his hands moving to his hips. He'd always see you during class, and he always wondered how a girl like you was always so quiet, and observant during class. And to be quite honest, he was getting pretty tired of the usual girls he flirted with during this class; so he took an interest in you, initiating the conversation with you today. You looked like you could be fun, and the way you had snapped back at him only confirmed the idea.So as the next few weeks unfold, he’s not too sure why his usual lines and tricks aren't working on you, like they had on everyone else. And you're pretty sure you might wring his neck, if he asks you to come to one more of his art shows; or to his loft for “modeling purposes.”
Warren finds out that when you get angry or annoyed, you look undeniably attractive. He also finds it attractive, that when you think no one is paying attention, how you'll chew at the tip of your pencil out of concentration. And, when you're in the dark room together, you look otherworldly under the red lights. He hasn't felt the need to pursue someone like this in a long time. No matter how much you two may argue and banter, there's no denying the underlying chemistry between the two of you. Between hook-ups and Uni, he’d kind of forgotten what it was like to “chase” someone he’s taken an interest in, so when a partner project comes along that requires a human canvas, he’s quick to sign your name along with his.
“I'm sorry, but when did I agree to be your partner?” You question him, seeing your name scrawled out in his handwriting.
“Oh c’mon princess! I'm a good partner,” he winks, as you roll your eyes at him. “We could get a head start on it tonight. I got plenty of ideas, and not to mention, some good wine.” You can't deny that he's the best artist in the whole damn class, and you've heard from others that he actually does have the best wine, and he's a pretty decent host. You're positive he’s also got way better art supplies, which would no doubt increase your chances of getting a nice grade.
“Alright, alright,” You give in, rummaging around your bag for a spare pen and paper. As you scrawl your number on the paper, Warren’s smirk on his face grows. “Text me your address, Worthington. I'll see you at 7.”
And like you had planned earlier, that’s how you end up in Warren’s loft; watching him pour you a glass of wine. (You’d be lying if you said you weren't at least a little nervous. Worthington may be an asshole, but he's also definitely easy on the eyes.) Kings of Leon is playing softly in the background, as he hands you the glass of wine.
“Well, I’d never thought I’d see the day,” Warren says, leaning back against the counter, as he takes a sip of his wine.
“And what’s that?” You ask, even though you're pretty much certain of what he's going to say.
“The day I got you to come to my place. It's a miracle, it really is, princess!”
“God, you're an asshole,” you reply with a laugh, bringing your glass to your lips.
“Yeah, but you like it. Don't lie to yourself,” he teases, causing you to roll your eyes.
“Oh, you're right! I love when you tell me everything I draw is fucked up,” you quip, as he shakes his head with a grin.
“In the art world, that's called constructive criticism,” he says defensively, as you just laugh.
“Well in the real world, that's called being a douchebag.”
Warren grabs the bottle of wine, and circles around the island, cueing you to follow him to the living room. He plops down on the couch, patting the space next to him. You sit, crossing your legs as he rests his arm on the back of the couch. “Alright, down to official Uni business!” He exclaims, reaching to grab his notebook off the coffee table. “I have some experience with using human canvases, so I've got a few ideas.”
“Human canvases, huh?” You comment, swirling your glass. “That human canvas wouldn't happen to go by Emma, from our class, would it? I've heard some pretty good stories from her about you, y’know.”
“Ha, ha,” Warren says, rolling your eyes petulantly and making you chuckle. “Anyways, as I was saying, you know Tumblr, right?” You nod. Of fucking course, he’d have a Tumblr. “Well, you've seen those pictures of paintings on people's backs and shit, right?” Warren asks, his brow raising. It takes you a second to think of what he's describing before it clicks in your brain.
“Oh, Worthington, you've gotta get a couple drinks in me before I do that.”
“I knew you'd say that.” Warren laughs lightly, moving to grab the bottle of wine. “It's a good thing I got this, and more options.”
As the wine begins to flow, so do the ideas. None of them really sound that appealing or creative, and you're pretty sure you're closing in on a decision. As Warren, it’s the alcohol that’s affecting your decision making, but you’re almost certain that it’s the way Warren is so effortlessly making you feel at ease; like he’s taking down the front to an act he puts on all day.
“Fuck it,” you say, interrupting Warren’s list of ideas. “Let’s do the back painting.”
He actually looks slightly taken aback for a moment, his plump lips parting for a moment as if he’s going to say something; but closing them, lips curling into a small smile. He closes his notebook and stands, your gaze following him. “Alright princess,” He says, offering his hand to you. “Let’s get started.”
Warren rearranges his furniture in the living room, pushing the couches out of the way so he would be able to paint. He rummages through his closet for some old sheets, spreading the already paint stained sheets on the floor. You hurriedly finish your wine and pour yourself another large glass as you watch Warren set things up because it’s hitting you that you’re going to be pretty much half naked on his floor, with his hands all over you. You watch him as he sets up a couple lights around the area, arranging them to his liking. He leans down to the couch, and grabs a pillow, chucking it to you with a playful smile.
“For your comfort,” He says simply, running a hand through his curls. “I’m-I’m just gonna go into the other room. Take… take your shirt off, and get comfy. There’s an extra sheet over there, in case I get paint on your skirt, or whatever.” Warren quickly excuses himself, much to your amusement. You’re actually quite flustered if you’re being honest; you expected him to make some suggestive comments throughout the night, but he's been a gentleman so far.
Taking one last sip of your wine for some courage, you slip off your shirt and place it over the back of the armchair. You unclasp your bra and put it on the armchair as well. You wrap your arms around your chest for a moment, feeling the vulnerability set it. You can do this, you convince yourself, as you settle yourself on the floor. You're gonna be fine, and you're going to get a really fucking good grade.
“Worthington!” You call out, raising your head to look over your shoulder. “I'm ready!”
Warren comes into the living room, his hands full of his supplies. It takes everything he's got, not to drop them. He really thought he wouldn't be affected by you being half naked on his floor, but he was so wrong. With your hair splayed over your shoulders and sheet over your legs, you look like you had just fallen asleep after…. after some pretty suggestive activities. And it doesn't help that you look like this, on his floor. He just clears his throats and tries to get his shit together as he makes his way over to you, setting down his supplies beside your body.
“Uh, do- do you want me to play some music or something? Do you want any more wine?” He asks, trying to maintain his professionalism.
“Yes to the music, no to the wine, unfortunately.” You reply, earning a laugh from Warren. “I'm pretty sure I'm past tipsy.”
“Aw, that's cute,” Warren teases, as he puts on some soft music. Of fucking course, he listens to Tame Impala. “You're a lightweight.”
“Shut up,” you retort, as he makes his way back to you. “Not all of us binge drink as often as you do.”
Warren chuckles, and gets to his knees, pondering the best way to go about painting. If he wants to get precise strokes and details, he's going to have to be close to your back. “Is it… is it alright if I sit on your thighs?” He asks carefully, preparing for some snarky comment. You're quiet for a moment, and even though he can't see your face, he's sure that you're cringing. But he's proven wrong, as you just burst into a fit of giggles.
“Yeah, sure, that's- go for it,” You reply, between giggles. “Just don't crush me.”
“Was that supposed to be an insult?” Warren quips, moving to straddle the upper part of your thighs.
“Definitely not. You're like, way more ripped than an artist should be.”
“Wait, what?” Warren asks, not fully processing your statement.
“Uh, nothing, just- just sit already, Worthington!”
Warren feels his cheeks heat up, and shakes his head with a fond smile. When he settles on your thighs, that’s when he realizes how close he actually is to you. Christ, his dick is pretty much pressed against your ass at this angle. NO, Warren thinks to himself, Do not think of her ass. Focus on the painting. Focus on the painting.
Taking one last deep breath, he picks up a brush to start. He dips the paintbrush into a deep purple, moving his hand to the middle of your back. You instantly shiver when the paint comes in contact with your spine, eliciting a small squeak of surprise from you. Warren just laughs softly and asks you if you’re good. When you just nod against the pillows, he starts again. As he works, you’re pretty sure you’ve entered Heaven. His free hand is soft and inviting as it occasionally touches your skin, and the strokes from his brush are soothing against your skin. When Warren leans down to examine the details of his work, you feel his breath against you - and you’d be lying if you said that didn’t make your heart flutter. The music in the background fades as you slip in and out of consciousness, the mixture of wine and the paint making you sleepy. You’re not sure how much time has passed because before you know it, you feel Warren’s weight leave you; making you frown.
“Is it done?” You ask, voice laced with grogginess, as you turn to look at him over your shoulder. His hair is slightly disarrayed, and his white shirt has splatters of blue and purple on it.
“Yeah, it is,”  Warren starts, searching through some bags to dig out his camera. “Do you mind if I take a few for class?”
“No, not at all.” You answer, turning to rest your face back on your arms.
As Warren adjusts the lighting once more for the photographs, he realizes just how dangerously attractive you look. With your hair sprawled out and your body half covered with a sheet, you look like you’ve just fallen asleep in his bed. It’s almost a little too much for him, as you yawn. He shakes himself from his thoughts before he finally starts to snap some pictures. With every click, he can feel himself stray to thoughts of how you’d look underneath him, and how your lips would feel against his. He won’t admit it, but he definitely snaps more than he should, for nights when he can’t shake off the feeling of how your ass felt underneath him. When he sets down his camera, he takes note of how you’re more or less fast asleep on his floor. He kneels down to your face, where he gently places a hand on your shoulder.
“You want to take a shower?” He asks softly, as you rouse from your lax state. “Or I could wipe you off if you don’t want to move.”
“You do it,” You mumble back as if it was the obvious answer. “Don’t wanna move.”
Warren nods in understanding, moving to the kitchen to grab some washcloths. He runs them under hot water, and rings them out, before going back to you. He takes his place on your thighs once more, pressing the warm washcloth on your back. His free hand finds its home on your side, balancing himself as he wipes carefully down your spine. Your reaction is entirely unanticipated and it sets him reeling.
The groan you release is muffled, but not muffled enough for Warren not to hear it. It sounds akin to a pleasured groan; one that is produced when a person is in the midst of a climax and it shakes him to the core. He freezes, and tenses above you. It’s only then, you realize, that Warren fucking Worthington III is hard against your ass.
You’re suddenly not so tired anymore.
It takes Warren a moment for him to collect himself before he starts wiping off your back again. You do your best to stifle your groans, but you’re sure he’s doing it with more pressure deliberately. It’s not long before Warren is done wiping off the paint, and you’re about to thank him before the washcloth is replaced with his hands. The moment his thumbs dig into your shoulders, you know, that you’re completely and utterly fucked.
You’re sure he knows what he’s doing to you, as his deft hands travel around your back, his thumbs digging in all the right places. Warren bites his lower lip, as you’re underneath him, a wicked thought crossing his mind. His hands drift to the base of your spine before he lowers himself so that his lips are level with your ear. You physically shiver when you feel his lower lip brush against the shell of your ear, his fingers dancing across your skin.
“You okay, princess?” Warren’s voice is three octaves lower than usual, and the slight lust in his tone is enough to make a heat of wave surge through your body. You can’t physically make the effort to actually form any coherent words, so you just opt to make an ‘mmh’ that sounds pathetically desperate to your ears. There’s a long, tense pause, as he takes in your answer. You’re about to say something, say something to convince you both that this is maybe a bad idea, but your words are caught in your throat as he places a kiss to the nape of your neck, and he doesn’t stop there. His lips place hot, wet kisses down your back, and you’re pretty sure you’re going to lose it right then when his tongue traces the dip of your spine. His calloused hands travel down your sides, pulling down the dirtied sheet to reveal your skirt, that in the process of painting, has been hiked up a little. The way you’re fisting the pillow underneath you is enough permission for Warren to continue.
He pushes up your skirt and just lets out a dark laugh at what he’s met with. Your lace cheeksters make your ass look fantastic, and he loves the way they look against your skin. His large hands suddenly grasp the swell of your ass, causing a surprised moan to fall from your lips. “Goddamn, princess,” he groans, voice gravelly. You barely even process the feel of his lips suddenly sucking hard at one of your cheeks, his thumb moving to stroke you outside of your panties. You let out an absolutely wrecked moan as he marks up your ass, his thumb rubbing at your clit in uneven circles over your underwear.
He grows quickly impatient with that and opts to scoot forward slightly. Your back arches the second he starts mouthing at your clothed heat, a yelp escaping your lips. Warren hums in approval at your reaction, and that's when he takes the cue to rid you of your underwear altogether. His hands make quick work of the underwear, throwing them behind his shoulder, long forgotten. Your breath is ragged and short as his rough hands grasp your ass, and you all but scream his name when his tongue presses against your cunt.
The angle’s a little awkward, but you don't really care: because all you can focus on is the feel of his tongue lapping at you like a starved man, and the feel of his hands spreading your ass apart. Warren alternates between deep, longing licks and short, teasing ones. Your knuckles are turning white from how hard you’re grasping the pillow underneath you, and you nearly lurch forward when you feel his tongue against your ass.
“Fuck!” You curse loudly. Your voice cracks from how dry it is, but you don’t care. Warren fucking laughs at your reaction, because he knew you were close, too.
He keeps up the teasing, deep licks for a couple more minutes. He wants to see how far he can push you until you’re begging for the release you need. He’s always been a tease. It takes Warren by surprise when he feels your hand place itself in his curls, fingers digging into the roots of his hair. You impatiently press him harder into you, and he seems to get the point. His tongue immediately moves down to your clit, where he focuses his attention. With every movement of his chin, you could feel the day old stubble rub against the apex of your thighs, only increasing the pleasure. The second Warren’s fingers nudge at your clit, you gasp out his name; finally getting that release you’ve needed for the past ten minutes.
Your eyes shut tightly as you cum, your grip on Warren’s hair tightening as he rides out your orgasm. His fingers are still rubbing at your clit, making your body pulse and writhe underneath him. It’s not long before he finally detaches himself from your aching cunt, and hastily making his way up towards your lips.
He leaves a couple more kisses on your ass and spine before you’re resting your weight on your elbows to meet him halfway. You’re pretty sure a first kiss has never been so utterly filthy before. His tongue is immediately in your mouth, and you’re kicking yourself for being turned on by the taste of yourself on his lips. At the taste of yourself, you can’t help the needy little moan that leaves your mouth, which causes Warren to actually fucking growl.
It’s a blur, as Warren’s hands plant themselves on your hips, practically manhandling you to your back. He leans back on his heels to pull off his shirt quickly, returning to give you a bruising kiss. It’s a mess of tongue and teeth, as his hands greedily knead at your breasts. Your hands shove themselves between your bodies, fingers trying to unbuckle his belt as quickly as you can possibly manage. The second his belt falls to the floor with a ‘clink,’ Warren detaches his mouth from yours once more. He kicks off his jeans and briefs hurriedly, wasting no time to come back to you.
When he comes back down to you, you can’t really help yourself, as your hand slides down once more to grip his length. The second you stroke him, Warren gasps heavily into your mouth; his eyes screwing shut. His tongue darts out to wet his lower lip, as you stroke his cock. You let out a small noise of surprise when he regains his focus, his hand moving to hold the base of your throat.
His hips grind forward, the length of him sliding across your wanting entrance. When you whine in response, Warren just chuckles darkly, ducking down to brush his lips against yours.
“You want me to fuck you, baby?” He whispers, the hold on your throat tightening. “Want me to fuck you good?” You’re so far gone that your body feels like one huge pulse; controlled by the single hand on your throat, the soft lips ghosting against yours. Your slightly trembling hand moves to grip his wrist as your hips roll into his, your head nodding almost frantically, giving him the green light. He smirks down at you, and you can practically see the lust in his eyes. The second he tightens that grip around your throat, you can already tell that you’re going to have trouble walking straight.
He slides into you easily, filling you to the brim. The ragged moan that the two of you let out is so fucking filthy, that it makes the whole situation even sexier. He doesn’t waste any time in setting up a deep, punishing rhythm. Warren’s lips seem to be connected permanently connected to your jaw as he fucks you, his teeth scraping at biting at the skin there. Your gasps are loud but you don’t care because they’re quickly muffled by Warren. Your hands move under his arms, nails digging into his back, only causing Warren to thrust harder into you.
You’re already sensitive as hell from earlier, which makes you cum quickly around him. The second Warren feels you clench around him, eyes rolling back into your head, he knows he’s got you.
“Fuck, yeah,” He groans, his hand leaving your throat. “So fuckin’ hot when you cum.”
You wrap your arms around his neck to yank him back down for a bruising, mean kiss, his tongue fucking into your mouth, as he feels his orgasm creep up on him. All it takes is for him to pull back and take one good look at you, to finish; the fucked out look you give him is what does him in.
He cums with almost a yell, his hips slamming hard into yours and stilling; his hot cum spilling into you. Warren collapses against your chest, his breath ragged, his heart rate elevated. It seems like you both just lay there for an eternity, as he keeps his head resting in the crook of your neck. Part of you wants to believe that this whole thing was a mistake; something to blame on the alcohol. The other part of you wants to feel his lips on yours once more and to feel his hips thrusting against yours.
It feels like ages before Warren stands, moving to the kitchen to grab a warm cloth to clean you up with. You lie there feeling almost jaded as you let him clean you up, shivering at his touch when he moves the cloth between your legs. He leans back on his heels and offers you his hand, helping you up. You stumble slightly, but Warren is quick to catch you. Warren just coughs out a small laugh, which causes you to scowl at him playfully.
“I... I think I may need that shower now,” you tell him quietly. Warren just chuckles and nods in understanding. He helps you to the bathroom because lord knows your legs don’t work properly after that. In the bathroom, he starts up the shower and throws you a towel, turning to make his leave. Warren is surprised when you pull him back by his wrist, a tired smile playing at your lips. Your eyes are half lidded, high off the sex and still drunk off the wine. Warren wonders how you still manage to look beautiful, even after he just fucked you senseless. His breath hitches when your finger grazes the dips of his abs, his eyes following your finger, tracing over the paint smears that litter his skin.
“I know you’re sweaty from the sex, but don’t think I didn’t notice the paint,” You tell him, as you look up at him through your lashes. Your fingers idly trace up his torso and to his neck, tracing his collarbones. Warren’s adam’s apple visibly bobs as you move them to his lips, tracing them gently. His lips part, and as a natural reflex, they slip into his mouth. His tongue laves over them for a fleeting moment, before you’re caught off guard by his hands gripping your hips. He all but slams you against the counter, your fingers popping out of his mouth. Warren mouths at your neck, one of his hands moving to inevitably finger you again. You’re quicker than him though, your hand wrapping around his wrist to stop him. He pulls away like a docile dog, probably thinking he pushed your limits. Pushing his curls out of his face in reassurance, you say,
“Not that I’m opposed to the idea, it’s just that the water’s probably getting cold.”
The confused visage melts away, replaced with an almost bashful smile. He just leans forward, resting his face in the crook of your neck. It takes you slightly aback when he presses a chaste kiss underneath your ear - a kiss lovers most likely share. You try not to think about it too hard. He pulls back, and you both get into the shower. It’s quiet, but not uncomfortably so. You both clean up and share small, fond smiles as you pass the shampoo back and forth. When you get out, he wraps you up in a towel and leaves you be to change. As you dry your hair with your towel, the reflection in the mirror is only what can be described as a hot mess. He surely did a number on your neck, that’s for sure. Looks like it’s going to be nothing but scarves and turtlenecks for the next week.
He offers you his bed to stay in for the night, and as pleasing as it sounds, you have to deny. You have work early the next morning, and you’re sure if you spend the night he’ll add more damage to your neck, which you just can’t have. As you gather your purse, Warren comes up behind you. His arms wrap around your waist, and you squirm a little when he presses light kisses to the marks he’d left earlier. Your arms overlap his, as you try to break free out of his grip, only to fail. He spins you so that he can mouth at your jaw. The bastard.
“Warren,” You all but stutter out, with a smile. He pulls back with a smug grin, raising his brows in fake innocence. “You’re making it so hard for me to leave.”
“That’s the idea, princess.” He quips quietly, his lips ghosting over yours as he leans in for another kiss. You turn at the last second and push out of his grip with a mischievous grin. Warren sighs in defeat, pushing back his damp bangs.
Cutting him some slack, you stand on your tippy toes and press a kiss to the corner of his mouth. When you pull back, he’s got a crooked grin on his face, and almost a wicked gleam in his eye. You back up to the front door, and before you turn the knob to leave, you say,
“See you in class, Worthington.”
The next few weeks are slightly surreal. Neither of you acknowledges that you had sex, but the dynamic between the two of you is very obviously different. You’re friends now-or at least friendly. Warren reigns in his ‘constructive criticism’ in class, and you work together on another project, and everything feels normal, besides the whole ‘being friends’ thing. You still roll your eyes when you see him smooth talking the other people in the class and you definitely don’t cut him any slack for his ego, but it’s less aggressive and more bantering now, and you don’t really know where this is going, but you like being his friend, so you just figure you’ll let it happen. You don’t go to his parties though, and you don’t show up to any of his exhibits. They feel like you’re committing to something, though you’re not sure what, or even why it feels like that, and it sets you slightly on edge.
Warren doesn’t keep asking you to things either, which is why you’re feeling almost as surprised as he looks when you push open the door to one of the campus art galleries where his latest exhibit is being displayed along with other top student artists from the area. He glances over reflexively as he hears the faint noise from the door, and then freezes when he sees you. You’re pretty sure this is the first time he’s seen you put any significant effort into your appearance, and you’re not hating the distinctly appreciative look in his eye as he takes in your dress and heels.
“What’re you-” he starts, and breaks off, still staring at you as if this is unfamiliar territory and he doesn’t know how to proceed. “I don’t think I mentioned this show to you,” he remarks with feigned nonchalance, and you smirk at him.
“You didn’t. But I’m here to see if you can back up all that shit you like to talk about being an ‘up and coming artist’ or whatever,” you quip, and a small answering smirk of his own curves his lips as he hands you a champagne flute from a passing waiter.
“Princess, I can back up all my talk,” Warren retorts, a slightly suggestive emphasis in his tone that makes you laugh as you take hold of his proffered arm and he begins to lead you around the small gallery.
He takes you through the other student’s sections first, and you expect him to trash talk everything about their exhibits, but he doesn’t-well, not all that much. He points out details in the pieces that you wouldn’t have picked up on and he tells you about the process and the techniques you’re unfamiliar with without being overtly condescending about it. You’re almost hyper aware of the other girls in the gallery throwing lingering glances his way, but not once does he leave you to fend for yourself.
It takes you the better part of two hours to reach his section of the exhibition, in part because he seems to have taken it upon himself to explain the aesthetically and technically impressive aspects of the other artist’s work and because he keeps being stopped by unfamiliar, but important looking people. When he finally reaches his own display, you’re astonished by his lack of overt arrogance, actually looking a little unsure of himself as you stand in front of the first big piece. It’s a hazy, unfocused, dimly lit photograph of his apartment living room in weak evening sunlight, and while you can certainly appreciate its aesthetic value, you feel like you’re grasping at straws as you try to come up with a deeper meaning for it.
“So what does this mean?” you say eventually, still studying the enlarged photo on the wall before you. “I mean, it’s a good photo, and I get the technique, but is there a message you’re trying to send or whatever?” Warren laughs sheepishly, one hand ruffling his hair unconsciously.
“I-uh-that shot was a total accident, to be honest. I told my professor that it was an attempt to capture the intangible sense of melancholy brought by the ending of a day, but actually, I fell asleep on the couch and my glasses fell off, and then when I woke up again the light was gorgeous, but I could barely see, so I grabbed what luckily turned out to be my good camera and sort of hoped for the best,” he explains, cheeks slightly flushed, and you can’t stop the giggle that escapes you as your gaze drifts from him to the photo and back to him again.
“Y’know,” You remark after taking a second to compose yourself. “I definitely thought you wore those glasses to be some ironic cliché hipster or some bullshit like that rather than actually needing to correct your vision.”
“Yeah, I’m blind as a bat.” Warren nods complacently at your remark and the utterly unperturbed manner in which he accepts your jab brings on a fresh wave of laughter from you, leaving a slightly inscrutable smile on his face as he watches you. The next block of work is a small spread of still life charcoals, and as you examine them a little more closely, you let out an incredulous chuckle.
“These are from class. Our class. I thought you were an edgy boundary pushing artist or whatever but you actually put some honest to god fruit bowl still life in your big exhibit,” you giggle in an almost accusatory manner, and he glares at you in mock offense.
“Hey, don’t knock the classics. My technique is really good in these and I gotta counterbalance my edgy stuff with something so the old people don’t have heart attacks,” he says defensively, and you roll your eyes, taking his arm again and tugging him on to the next display board.
“Whatever you say, maestro.”
Warren watches you as you pull him around his exhibit, asking questions about his work and more often than not teasing him about his answers, not taking any of his gracefully articulated pretentious explanations seriously when you ask what the art means. He’s utterly unaware of the other girls watching him enviously as he walks with you around the gallery and the thought crosses his mind that he hasn’t had this much fun with someone else in a long time. Your skin is warm against his and even though neither of you has mentioned that night in his loft, he sure as hell hasn’t forgotten it. That night and the events that transpired aren’t far from your mind either, and as you approach the final photograph in his exhibit, you can’t stop the soft gasp that escapes your lips, because it’s you.
The photo is familiar, but it’s not one of the ones the two of you handed in as your final project. The painting on your back is a technically excellent as you remember it being, but something about the lighting of the photo and the drape of the sheet over your lower back makes this one infinitely more suggestive, and you look away after a couple of seconds, heat rising to your cheeks.
“What, no questions about this one?” Warren asks, teasingly and you roll your eyes, even as you avoid looking over at him.
“No, I think I’m already pretty familiar with the details of this particular photo, thanks,” you retort, and he chuckles. Looking around the gallery, you notice that the rest of the guests have more or less cleared out now, and the staff hired for the event are starting to clear away the tables. You don’t check the time but you know it’s getting late, and yet you’re not quite ready to leave because you like spending time with Warren when he’s like this. No arrogant superiority and not blatantly flirting with anything that breathes. Glancing up at him, you make a split second decision, tightening your grip on his arm and starting to tug him towards the door.
“C’mon, let me buy you a drink. There’s a really good bar not far from here,” you say decisively. He doesn’t resist, but he gives you a quizzical look as you pull him along the sidewalk.
“I’m not complaining or anything, but is there a particular motivation to buy me a drink?” He asks and you let out a short laugh, leaning into his side a little because the night is colder than you had expected.
“Let’s just call it payment in kind, or whatever. I’ve talked a lot of shit about your art, and you proved me wrong tonight, so it’s the least I can do. Besides, I’ve been having a good night. Have you?” You tease him, and Warren chuckles in response, unwinding his arm from yours and tugging you to a brief pause as he takes off his jacket and drapes it around your shoulders before offering you his arm again. You give him a surprised look as you hook your arm through his, leaning a little more heavily against him than necessary because you never expected him to be like this with you, but you definitely don’t dislike it in the slightest. “Look at you being a gentleman, Worthington,” you quip, and you can’t quite tell under the dim glow of the streetlights, but you think he might actually be blushing.
“Don’t spread it around, I have a rep to maintain,” he jokes, and you roll your eyes and elbow him lightly in the side as you continue down the sidewalk together.
It takes five minutes to reach the bar, and when you slip inside, it’s fairly empty, only a few other patrons nursing drinks in booths or at the counter. You hand Warren his jacket and point him at a table in the corner as you head to the bar to order drinks for the two of you.
“Did you-you didn’t need to buy me a drink,” he starts and you scoff, cutting him off.
“I said I would and it’s not like one beer costs me all that much. You can buy the next few if you really feel you have to for whatever reason,” you say, and he just laughs, clinking his bottle to yours before taking a sip.
The two of you sit and drink for another hour, and true to his word, Warren buys the next few drinks for the two of you. It’s a little surreal, spending time with him like this, and as the night wears on, this unfamiliar tension starts to build between the two of you. It makes you feel like there are sparks skittering over your skin and you can’t stop thinking about the first time you and he were drinking together. His hair has gotten progressively messier and his shirtsleeves are rolled up and it could be your imagination or the alcohol or a whole range of other factors, but his crooked grin seems to be getting more and more suggestive by the minute and you can’t help but consider just how of big a mistake it might be to kiss him.
It only takes one or two drinks for you to be on Warren’s side of the table, leaning into his side with his arm around your shoulder, and you don’t really want to think about what the consequences might be if the night goes where you’re steering it. Not long after that, the pool table in the corner of the bar clears out and you get up from your seat with a smirk, grabbing his hand and pulling him over.
“You know how to play, or am I gonna have to ask someone else here to teach me?” You ask with a wicked smirk on your face. Warren smirks back at you as he downs the last of his drink, rising to his feet and following you as you tug him over to where the pool table stands in the corner.
“Don’t you worry sweetheart, I know how to play,” he drawls, slinging an arm over your shoulders and pressing in close to your side as you survey the table. You know how to play pool. You play pretty damn well. But Warren doesn’t need to know that. Though, you’re not sure he’d care that you were strategically miscommunicating about your skill level, given that result is having you pressed up against his chest as he leans over you, his arms around your shoulders to help you guide the pool cue.
You’d be lying if you said you weren’t enjoying the warmth of his body pressed up against yours or the way his arms felt as they wrapped around yours, repositioning you gently. His breath is warm on your neck and on an impulse, you deliberately rub your ass up against him. The way his breath hitches in his chest is enough to bring a satisfied smirk to your face as you do it again, a little less subtly this time. Warren lets out a low, muffled groan as you line up the next shot, hitting it dead on. His grip on your body is getting steadily tighter as you continue to deliberately roll your hips back against his, gratified when you feel his hard on against your ass.
It takes all of about ten more minutes of this teasing before he takes the pool cue from you, setting it on the table before gripping your waist tightly and ducking his head to graze his lips along the column of your throat. You let out a low sigh of contentment as you turn in his arms to face him, a hint of a challenge glimmering in your eyes as you wind your arms around his neck, briefly taking in the empty bar before smirking at him.
“Bathroom. Five minutes,” you whisper, voice low and suggestive, before pulling away, walking over to grab your bag from your chair and then past him to the bathroom in the corner, incredibly aware of his gaze on you as you go.
He’s there in less than five, but the bar is almost totally deserted so it doesn’t really matter. The second the door is locked behind the two of you, he’s pushing you up against the sink counter, hands heavy on your hips as he kisses you hard. Your tongue is sliding against his as you wrap your arms around his shoulders, pulling him in closer as you slip back to sit on the edge of the counter. As Warren dips his head to mouth along your neck, you reach blindly into your bag, feeling around till you pull a condom out. He lets out a breathless groan of arousal when he sees what’s in your hand.
“You came here knowing you wanted to fuck me, didn’t you princess?” he growls, his voice rough and hoarse, and you just shoot him a coy smile as you undo his belt buckle, pushing his pants and boxers down past his hips to roll the condom on, feeling a surge of satisfaction at the low hiss he lets out at your touch.
“Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t. It’s not like you don’t wanna fuck me, though, is it?”
That’s all it takes for him to push you back further onto the counter, shoving your dress up your thighs as he hauls your panties down your legs and discards them before parting your legs with rough hands, pushing into you with an urgency that makes your head spin as he tugs the neckline of your dress down to knead at your breasts.
It’s quick and rough and hot and when he pulls away from you to dispose of the condom, you have an assortment of marks along the neckline of your dress that you can’t quite hide. Warren gives you a crooked, tired grin as he re-buckles his belt.
“That was a damn sight more fun than the gallery, sweetheart,” he says and you smile at him in the mirror as you touch up your lipstick.
“I know how to have a good time, Worthington.”
He pockets your panties before heading back out to the main bar, and you follow a few seconds later, a self-satisfied smirk firmly in place as you leave the bathroom. Neither of you mentions the sex as he walks you back to your apartment, and he doesn’t kiss you goodnight.
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shankss-magnificent-ass · 8 years ago
Text
Unadulterated Crack part 2
pairings: Thorin x reader
warnings: None? 
word count: 6,000+
Author’s note: uhh, I wrote this around thanksgiving and christmas so you’re gonna have to deal with holiday feels in May. Also I made the quest start in fall so yeah.
--- Part 1 --- Part 2 --- Part 3 --- Part 4 --- Part 5 --- Part 6 --- Part 7 --- Part 8 ---  Part 9— Part 10 — Part 11— Part 12 — Part 13 —Part 14 — Part 15— Part 16— Part 17 --- Part 18 --- Part 19 --- Part 20 --- Part 21 ---
After insisting they get an extra pony for Bilbo, everyone had a pony, and their supplies were on their horses, despite you assuring them they wouldn't need half of them with you there, you set off. When the dwarves were making their bets about whether Bilbo would show or not, you said, "I bet you that he shows up. I also bet you he quickly realized he forgot his handkerchief and insists we turn back to get it."
Kili said, "I bet you he remembers it! He's practically attached at the hip to that thing."
When Bilbo showed up, you turned to Thorin and quirked an eyebrow at him as he said, "Give him a pony." After Bilbo was on said pony, and everyone tossed around the betting gold, Bilbo did indeed realize he forgot his handkerchief and demanded everyone stop. You looked at Kili, held out your hand, and said, "Pony up bitch."
Kili smirked at you, and handed you a single coin, you glared at him. Before you could growl at him, he said, "You need to be specific with what you want before agreeing to something. Otherwise people will take advantage of you." then looked like he was bracing himself for a scolding. But instead, you simply threw back your head and laughed, "Right you are! You are very clever Kili, and you presented it with wit, and tact might I add. You've got spunk kid, and I love spunk. Here have this as a reward." putting the coin he gave you in the bag with the coins Dwalin and Nori gave you, and tossed it to him.
Fili cried, "Hey! Why does he get free money he didn't earn?" 
 You smirked at him and chuckled, "Oh he earned it, I was not expecting that at all. If you remember what I said before, your world provides me very little mental stimulation. So I'll take it where I can get it, and reward them for it. Plus because I wanted to give it to him, and it was mine to give. If you were smart, you would have kept your mouth shut and tested to see if I'd give more out  in return for making me laugh, or enjoy something."
Kili piped up, "Yeah, what she said." as his older brother pouted.
  You turned to Bilbo and said, "Here Bilbo have one of mine, I have plenty." reaching into your bag, pulling out one of soft squares of fabric, and handing it to him. Soon as the fabric touched the skin of his hand, he jerked it away like it electrocuted him. He cried, "I can't take a silk handkerchief from you!"
"It's fine Bilbo, I have like twenty of them, take it I insist. Plus it's not even one of my good ones, so chill bro." you sighed.
  He reluctantly took it, and muttered his thanks. You felt anger and jealousy flare up in Thorin's mind, although out this exchange. But he didn't act on it, he kept his mouth shut, and didn't even look at you. You smiled at Bilbo, and excused yourself to go tend to Thorin and his jumbled emotions. When you and Wilhelm trotted up to Thorin and Minty, you asked, "A penny for your thoughts?" Thorin threw a confused sideways glance, that feigned disinterest, at you. You smiled, and clarified, "I want your opinion on something."  
He huffed, "What is it?"
"Well today, in my culture, is a holiday known as Thanksgiving. Usually we have somewhat of a feast at dinner. I was wondering if you wouldn't mind letting everyone stop come night fall to partake in it. I know you guys don't celebrate it, but I have never spent a Thanksgiving away from my family before. I would feel a little sad spending it alone. I'd provide the food, and drink. I'd just would like to spend it with good company." You explained.
  Thorin paused, before asking, "What does this 'Thanksgiving' celebrate?"
"It means different things to different people, but to me it celebrates people from different cultures working and living together, the fall harvest, and most of all giving thanks for what you have." You replied. (a/n: this is what I like to think it’s about)
  Thorin muttered, "What type of food will there be?"
    "A roast turkey, sweet dinner rolls, cranberry sauce, yams with marshmallow, spiced-and-candied-carrots, mashed potatoes with turkey gravy, stuffing, deviled eggs, apple cider, mead, ale, coffee, and most of all pumpkin pie with whipped cream. Not to mention that there will be cheese trays, and relish trays to snack on before dinner." You answered, and added, "I've never been away from my family for so long, I guess I'm just a little homesick. Plus it'll give you an inside view of my culture. Not to mention there will be entertainment before and after dinner, either sports or movies."
    Thorin was apprehensive about letting everyone stop and partake in your holiday. Not because it wasn't from his culture, he really wanted to do this for you. If it would make you happy, he'd do just about anything. He was worried about the other's letting down their guard and getting attacked by orcs. You smiled and said, "By the look on your face I can tell something is bothering you about it. How about when we stop at lunch I show you the place I wish to have this meal."  Thorin shot you a confused glance. You chuckled, "Remember I have the ability to pull things from my world to this one. That includes structures, Thorin, I know festivities tend to be noisy, and people let their guards down. But I assure you, the structure I have in mind is more fortified then you can fathom and is more than secure."
  Thorin nodded, and said, "If I approve of it, then yes if the others want to partake in it, I will allow them to."
    At lunch time everyone stopped at a clearing, and dismounted from their horses. Thorin came up to you and said, "I want the others to see it as well to see if they feel safe in it as well." You nodded your head and manifested the house. It was a large modern concrete house with large foot thick windows of blast-and-shatter-proof glass. The only entry point on the outside were a couple of three ton steel door, with no physical key to open it, just an electronic code. Thorin announced what was going to happen and asked Gandalf to watched the horses. You said, "That is not necessary, there are stables around the back, they will be fine there. They will have plenty of hay, and water as well." leading Wilhelm and everyone else to the stable door. The stables were just as fortified as the house, with high windows of the same glass, and three feet thick concrete walls as the exterior structure. Inside there was one stall for each horse and pony, each stall has an automatic refilling water trough, and a trough of wheat, barley, oats, and hay, and had a large pile of hay on the ground if the horses felt inclined to lay down.
    Once the horses were in the stables, you showed them the house. Inside the decor was in a post-modern style, and was white, various shades of gray, black, and one color of the rainbow in each room. The living room was large and furnished enough that everyone had a couch or chair to sit on. None of the furniture was white, they'd be on the road so they were bound to track in dirt. The few things that were white where coated in a hydrophobic spray, as were all of the lavender accents in the room. You said, "Each of you have your own bed rooms as well. I tried to make them to suit your personalities as best I could, if something displeases you about them just tell me what you want and I will endeavor to get it right."
    Dwalin muttered, "This place is nice and all lass, but those big windows will break real easily if we get attacked."
    You smiled and snickered, "No, those windows are just as, if not more secure than the three feet thick stone walls. They are meant to withstand explosions, they are a foot thick, and are shatter-proof. They also have an anti-scratch coating. Take a swing at them with anything you like. If that doesn't make you feel safe, then you should know that if anything taller than four feet comes in a hundred foot radius of the house, eleven inch steel plates will cover all of the windows in about three seconds. We will still be able to leave even then, there is a tunnel in the stable that is about a mile long that goes what ever direction we will need to go to get to Erebor that we can take our horses through." You turned away from him and continued, "Now, so that the house would not go too high above the tree line there are only four stories above ground. So some of your rooms are below ground, I hope that won't be a problem." Only to be interrupted by a loud bang of metal on glass. You ignored it, as Bilbo said, "Whelp, this is good enough for me." 
  You turned to him and said, "You and Gandalf can sit in here, watch tv, and help yourselves to the trays of food that I just put out, if you want. Gandalf knows how to work the TV." Bilbo explained he wanted to finish the tour, then you turned to the dwarves and added, "Would you like to see the kitchen?”    Bombur nodded his head eagerly, and the others just grumbled.
    The Kitchen was mainly white, and yellow, with a couple of black and gray accents. The theme of the room was bees. It was state of the art, and fully stocked, complete with a walk in freezer and pantry. It had four ovens, two extra large ones, and two regular. It also had an extra large stove, that had six burners, plenty of counter space, and a large sink. You knew that your company might have a hard time reaching top shelves and what not, so you had a rolling ladder attached to a track on the top of the cabinets, that could be moved to form a false wall of a shelving unit at the end of each counter. Each ladder had a harness type rope attached to prevent anyone from falling. You explained all of this to the dwarves, and said, "I knew Bombur loved cooking, so I designed it with him in mind, also there are plenty of spices, and ingredients to make tasty snacks and elaborate meals." You showed them the dinning room and it's apple red accents, with a long ebony table currently set up for the Thanksgiving dinner. Then you showed them the pine green den, and the admiral blue library, and the blood red training room, and the bathroom and the laundry room. After that you sighed, "Now for the bed rooms, now I basically grouped you together by siblings or family. Each group has a floor to themselves, complete with a bathroom, and a sitting room connected to each of your rooms. First we'll start with the Bilbo, since he and Gandalf share a floor. It's upstairs." 
    Bofur groaned, "Ugh stairs." 
    You laughed, "No stairs, just an elevator, come I'll show you all how to work it. I'll just drop you all off at your floors. You'll figure out whose room is whose since the rooms all have signs. I also included extra rooms, like I have a studio to draw in attached to it. Usually these rooms are rooms that I think you'll like based off information I know about you, or things I have observed. If there is a blank or empty room it means I don't really have enough information about you to fill it. If you don't like it or anything about your accommodations just come find me." Then you explained how to work the elevator, which was an industrial one so it could hold all of you with ease. You had the floor buttons labels with who was on that floor.
    When you dropped Thorin and his nephews off at their floor, he looked around at the sitting room in wonder. It was cozy, and roomy. The room had a four black leather couches with many small green, gray, and white throw pillows. They sat around a short silver and black glass table that had a clear glass vase with black, white, and silver flowers. Which sat on a massive gray pelt laid across the ebony wood floors. There was a chandler of black metal handing from the ceiling. The walls were decorated with pictures and sculptures of various deer. Thorin felt so alien in this place, but not in a bad way. His nephews explored the room and played with any moving sculptures in the room. There was one hallway at the north side of the room, and there were three doors visible from where Thorin stood. Fili past by one of the doors and exclaimed, "Kili this one has your name on it!"
     Kili trotted over and opened the door, and peered in. Thorin and Fili followed him in. The room was painted a rich crimson, with a white four post bed and two nightstands with lamps along one of the walls, a black desk on the other, and a chest of drawers that was coated in mirrors. The room had a many decorations of wolves, and geodes filled with red, white, black, and gray crystals. There were two other doors in the room, Kili went to one and Fili to the other to investigate what was in them. Fili opened his door, and announced it was a closet. Kili opened his and told them it was a rather large and spacious bathroom with a bathtub, three sinks, and a toilet, and two other doors. He also said Thorin's room on the other side of the west wall that his bed was against, and Fili's was against the wall with his closet.
         Fili and Thorin were interest in finding their rooms Thorin headed to his, and found it to be a bold and royal blue, with a gold and black four post bed with blue curtains, black, and blue covers and pillows. The bed and two black night stands sat on another massive pelt, however this one was black on white wood floors. There was a couch facing the large windows in one corner of the room next to a gold and blue stone side table with many crystal bottles of amber liquid and matching cups. There was what he assumed to be a closet behind it. Against one of the walls was a simple desk of ebony, and in the far left corner sat a large Celtic harp. Thorin's feet carried him over to it, where he noticed a note sticking out of the mouth of the dragon carved into the rich wood. Thorin took it up in his hand, it read, "I vaguely remember something about you playing the harp. So you can keep in practice, I will let you use the one that has been passed down in my family for the last eight hundred years. But only if you promise to play for me one day! (Y/F/N) (Y/M/I) (Y/L/N)" Thorin examined the harp, it was large, and had many strings. He did in fact play the harp, but how in the world could you have known that? He felt grateful to you for lending him a harp, and a family heirloom of your's at that, he had missed playing since he left on the quest. He reached out and plucked a string, and it hummed and shimmied in response to his gentle touch. He noticed that there was a matching chair that had ravens carved into the stool's support post. The pair looked like a set, how fitting and poetic, the musician sitting on the shoulders of ravens taming the dragon harp. Thorin felt flattered that you had thought of him in such a way and trusted him enough with something so valuable.     You sat in the living room with Gandalf, Oin, Gloin, Balin, and Dwalin, when Bilbo and the line of Durin came into the living room. Kili, Fili and Bilbo started to chatter at you all at once, but you understood the gist of it. They liked the rooms you designed for them. You said, "Um guys, I'm glad you like them, but they will change a bit along with the house based off how I'm feeling. So don't get too used to it being just the way it is now, because I may subconsciously change or improve it. The layout and style of the house may totally change as well."
      Suddenly Dori tore into the room and snarled, "What did you do!" while charging at you like a deranged bull.
     You leaned back, and said, "What are you talking about, I didn't do anything I've been here the whole time!"
     Dori snapped, "Ori started sobbing when he went in his room and has locked the door and won't let me or Nori in to comfort him! And Nori can't figure out how to pick that infernal lock." 
    You frowned and said, "I don't know what I did to make him cry, but I'd like to go down and see if I can fix what ever it is that is upsetting him."
     Dori sneered, "You better go do that, now."
          You knocked on Ori's door and called out, "Ori, dear, is everything alright?"
     Ori sobbed, "Everything is just fine!"
    "Then why are you crying sweetheart?" You asked. Ori just wailed like a banshee in response, you asked, "Ori, will you open the door?"
     Ori protests, "No, it's my room and I don't want to share it with anyone!"     You retorted, "it's my house Ori, open the door please. If you do not I will unlock it from the outside."
     Ori was silent for a minute, then you heard a scuffling, and the door unlock. You open the door to see a bashful, teary eyed Ori standing there looking lost. You softly ask, "What was wrong with the room Ori?"
     "That's the thing, it's perfect, I've always dreamt of a room like this one." Ori sniffled, walking over to you, and wrapping his arms around your waist and hugging you tightly. He whispered, "Thank you so much!"
          You all managed to coax the young dwarf from his book lair, although a more apt description is you had dragged him out of it. In the living room everyone ate lots of food, from the relish tray and the cheese and cracker tray.     As you set off after lunch, you went to Thorin and said, "Well is my humble abode acceptable to you, oh might leader?" smugly.
     Thorin blushed at the thought of your kind gesture, and mumbled, "Yes it is." 
    You smirked and said, "I'll go explain my holiday to the boys and see if they want to participate." 
     The rest of the company was eager for night to come, since all of them agreed to amuse your holiday wish. Dwalin especially wanted your home made pies, which were currently chilling in the refrigerator. When the sun set, and Thorin announced that you'd be stopping for the night, everyone buzzed eagerly, and chatted happily away about what food from your world would be like.
     You set them up with a movie and something to drink before retreating to the kitchen, where you scurried around the room putting the finishing touches on your dishes. Bombur who had gotten curious peeked into the kitchen. You caught site of him out of the corner of your eye, you chuckled, "You can come in here if you promise to stay out of my way, and not to eat too much, and to help when I ask."  Bombur quickly hurried into the kitchen, you asked him to put the bread rolls in the oven as you put marshmallow on the mashed yams to be light roasted with a creme brulee torch.     By the time you had almost all of the dinner on the table it was about six thirty. You and Bombur looked at each other and smiled. You had him go get everyone one else while you got the hard apple cider out of the cooler. You arrived just in time to see everyone's faces when they saw your meal. Dwalin muttered, "How are ye not married yet lass?"     They left you the seat at the head of the table for you to sit, with Gandalf and Thorin flanking you. You muttered, "I'll be right back." and headed into the kitchen to get the turkey. As you brought it in the others kind of gasped  at the site of the large bird, as you put it on the table, you sighed, "Usually the head of the house carves the turkey, but would one of you like to cut it? I've never done, so I'll probably butcher it." 
    Thorin quickly announced, "I'll do it." you nodded and handed him the carving knife.     As Thorin sliced the turkey and put it on the serving plater, Dwalin said, "Lass, where did ye even catch a bird tha' big?"
     You frowned and shrugged, "This one is from a farm. Most of my people usually don't eat wild game, I personally haven't."
     Ori gasped, "You've only ever had meat from farm animals!"
     You nodded in respond, and added, "Or eaten anything that was foraged from the wilds. Just stuff that was grown on a farm, or in my yard that I planted." 
    Bofur said, "Ah, so you have done a hard day's work then, I was starting to think you were some spoiled princess." You just shrugged in reply.
     Thorin had piled the plate high with thick slices of turkey, you realized that he had gone for the dark meat only. You politely, asked him if he'd cut a slice or two of white meat for you. He obliged, as Dori said, "At least someone will eat that dry stuff." 
    "I'm not used to eating dark meat, plus if I eat too much of it at any one time I get sick, since because I wasn't really raised eating dark meat. And because of that I also don't like eating it anyhow, to me it has a slimy and stringy texture. There also isn't much nutritional value to dark meat since very little energy is stored there because of the type of muscle it is." you reply.
       After loading their plates with food everyone dug in. After Dwalin's first bite, he pointed his fork at Thorin and in Khuzdul he said, "You better have a courting braid in her hair by the end of the week or I will." completely and utterly serious.     Thorin shot him a dirty look and hissed, "You wouldn't dare, joking about it like before was borderline unacceptable, but flat out threatening to steal another Dwarrow's one is completely over the line."
     Balin who sat across from his brother, whispered, "Lad, I don't think he means it. I think he's just trying to get the point, that she is a woman to be desired, across to you."
      Thorin eyed his advisor, who was looking at him like he was the idiot with mashed potatoes in his beard. Bilbo took one look at Dwalin's beard and said, "Um Dwalin you've got a bit of food in your beard."
     You looked up from your plate and chuckled, "Bilbo, he's just saving it for winter." and returned to eating your meal like you hadn't said anything at all.     The Dwarves stopped to see how Dwalin would react to your comment, due to the fact that other races making remarks about someone's beard was kind of a touchy subject. After a long pause Dwalin asked, "Lass, don't you care that I have food in my beard."
     You stopped eating, looked him straight in the eye, and said, " As long as you have it out before you hug me, and it doesn't stain anything or I don't have to clean it up later, no I don't. It is a joke my dad used to say about his beard."     Dwalin inquired, "So you like beards?"
     "My only problem with beards isn't with the beard itself, it's when the person attached to it doesn't take care of it. When they let it become gross, smelly, and oily  and is plagued with dandruff. That's my only quarrel, if you won't take care of it, don't fucking have one. Other than that, they're great. They're like nature's scarf." 
    With that Dwalin burst out laughing, the other dwarves followed. Once they stopped, Bilbo asked, "do you ever wish you had one?"
     "Yes and no. Yes because why the hell not, and plus it'd be blue and I could do things with it, and I could stroke it while thinking for theatric effect. But no, because I'd be afraid of getting it caught in stuff, and because of the extra work I'd have to put into it to make it look and feel good, and because I already find my hair all over the place I don't need more of that." you said.
     Balin assured, "Trust me lass, it doesn't get caught in stuff." 
    "I don't believe you." You grumbled, and started to eat again.
    As you felt everyone wrapping up eating you asked, "Are we ready for pie now, or do we want to wait an hour or so?" You asked everyone.
     Some groaned something along the lines of, "Oh Mahal, no more please." or "Oh no, not pie too!" and others voiced their eagerness for pie. You got a head count of how many of them wanted pie and told them you'd bring them their pie after you made the whipped cream. Eight other people wanted pie, one of which you knew felt he didn't have room for it since he'd forgotten that there'd be pie. As the others put away the leftovers, you made the softest whipped cream, and served eight slices of pie on small plates, and added a generous helping of whipped cream on the tops of each one. You brought them their slices, three at a time. During the first trip, Thorin promptly volunteered to help you. You thanked him and told him you could handle serving pie, but he insisted, claiming that you had made them a delicious dinner, and that you deserved to rest. You were tired and your feet hurt so you did not fight him on it, and allowed him to help you.
A/N: I’m not sorry for this
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   okay im done back to the story...
  Once all of the pie was served, you sat down with your own pie between Dwalin and Thorin, and realized no one had started to eat their pie. You asked them what they were waiting for, and Gloin said, "You don't start eating until your host does and everyone is served."
     "oh right that's a thing, well for future reference, I don't really care about that, it's just pointless formalities. There is no need to for that with me, it's bullshit in my opinion. It's a thing in my culture too, but I honestly don't care. It's basically a control and dominance behavior, and I don't see myself as being better then anyone. Usually if I give you food I want to see your reactions to it before enjoying my own piece." you sighed. 
   They all awkwardly listened to you, and took a bite. Thorin immediately felt Dwalin's eyes drilling into the side of his head. Oin hummed, "What fruit is this made out of?" 
    "It's made out of primarily squash, but there are also spices, condensed milk, and eggs." you replied.
    You heard the room go silent, you looked around and said, "It was good wasn't it?" 
    "Well yes, but it is well known that Dwarves hate squash." Gandalf said, as he scooped up another piece of pie
.     You grumbled, "Well if they don't want to eat my delicious pie, fine, more for me." and continued eating. 
    You pulled up Netflix, and put on a movie for them to watch, until bed time. Half of the Dwarves had eaten pie by the time they went off to bed.
    On the morning of December first Thorin woke up in his room to a faint light when it should have been dark out still. He rolled over and growled, "Which ever one of you trouble makers is in here get out now." When he got no response and the light didn't go away, he sat up and looked at it's source. In the corner of his room sat a beautiful tree covered in many different ornaments, sparkly strings, and colored lights. Thorin slipped out of bed and went up to it, and touched a branch. The whole tree gave off a strong pine scent, that was starting to fill the room, its starred top tickled the ceiling which had to be at least ten feet high. Thorin looked around the room to try and figure out who did it, when he noticed there were other changes to his room. There was now garlands of pine branches draping from his bed, and paper snowflake garlands dangling above the window. The room, now, also smelt of cinnamon, orange, and anise. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted an odd wooden soldier next to the tree, and many other things he didn't know the purpose of.  He wandered out to the sitting room, and saw that there was another tree sitting in the far corner of the room, only this one was decorated in green, blue, red, and gold ornaments and it glittered in every color imaginable. Thorin couldn't really believe his eyes, he rubbed them to make sure his vision wasn't blurry, and even pinched himself to make sure that he wasn't dreaming. He sat down on the couch and stared at it, forgetting he wasn't wearing a shirt. His nephew Fili, walked in as the sun started to rise, to find his uncle sitting there barefoot, half naked, scratching his hairy chest, and staring at a glowing tree. 
        Fili called out, "Uncle...Uncle...Uncle Thorin!" trying to get Thorin's attention. When he did, he said, "We need to get Kili up for morning training."   
   Thorin paused, he decided he didn't really want to do anything other than stare at the strange tree, before murmuring, "Let him sleep in, we've all been rather tired lately, you can go back to bed as well if you'd like." and turned his attention back to the tree. 
    Fili shook his head, and asked, "Who are you and what have you done with my uncle?"
     Thorin did not reply, so Fili just walked back to his room and went back to bed. 
        When you got up to make breakfast, cranberry and pumpkin crepes, you found that Thorin had wandered down to the living room in just his pants, and was staring at the large tree in the corner. You said, "I take it your world doesn't celebrate Christmas?" 
    Thorin nearly jumped out of his skin, he slowly turned to you and asked, "What is it?"
     "It's a Christmas tree Thorin." you replied, "it's just one of the decorations that I'll be putting around the house this month. Granted it's the biggest one I'll be putting in, just about every room has got one. I may also change the style and layout of the house a few times as well." 
    "Christmas, what is it?"  
   "It's our winter solstice celebration, there will be another feast at the end of this month as well, and there will be presents." You explained, as you walked over to the fire place and examined the stockings you created for all of them.    
 Thorin's eyes drifted from you to the fabric in your hand, his eyes widened, it had his name embroidered into it. He walked over to you, and said, "And this?"     "It's a Christmas Stocking, small presents are put in here on Christmas Eve, and large presents go under the tree if you were children.  But since we are all adults they'll appear there whenever I think of them." You sighed, "Now I really need to start on breakfast, you can keep asking me questions about Christmas if you help me." Thorin nodded and followed you into the kitchen.
          As Thorin got the jams, and fruit out of the fridge you made the batter for the crepes. Thorin asked, "So why do you put the presents under the tree only on Christmas eve for children?"
     "Part of the magic of Christmas is Santa Claus, he is a man who lives in the frigid North pole where he, his wife, and a bunch of elves make toys for all the girls and boys in the world. He rides a sleigh pulled by reindeer on Christmas night to deliver them."
     "How is he supposed to get in the house, do people just leave it unlocked or something?"
      "No, he lands on the roof, and comes down the chimney, and people leave him a plate of cookies and a glass of milk."     "what is that little weird wooden toy by my tree?"     "That is a nutcracker. Thorin will you go wake the other's breakfast is almost done." you replied. He nodded his head and left the room.     During breakfast Fili realized, "Uncle, the deal you made with (y/n) back at Bag End was that you couldn't bug her for another hint on who she is bound to until the end of the month." 
    "Yes, and what of it?" Thorin grumbled.
     He replied, "Well it's December first, a new month, you can ask her for another hint."
     Kili added, "and be specific with what you want this time."
     Thorin paused thinking about what he wanted to know, before he looked up at you and asked, "Can I have a hint about his eye color?"
     "Fine but in return, I want you to stop smoking in my house when you think I'm not looking." You replied.
     Thorin paused and asked, "Then where am I supposed to smoke?"   
  "Outside like everyone else, I absolutely loath smoking, and it angers me to no end when I wake up to my room smelling like smoke every morning." you growled.
    "Fine, but how did you know it was me smoking?"
    "Because none of the others come to breakfast reeking of smoke." You grunted.
     Dwalin said, "Give us the hint already lassie."
     You sighed, and answered, "Blue, his eyes are blue."
     Ori said, "That rule just about all of us out."
      Kili muttered, "That leaves just Fili, Uncle Thorin, and Dwalin."
     You shrugged, "Alright no more questions."
     "That wasn't part of the deal lady (y/n), I'm rather interested in seeing who it is." Balin said.     You glared at him and growled, "Ask me all the questions you want, me answering them at all was not part of the deal either."
     Thorin thought aloud, "Well we could always tie you up and send one of us down the escape tunnel, that's a mile long."
     You smirked and said, "it's locked with a pass code. Already thought of that Thorin, one thing you will learn about me is that I am ‘slightly’ paranoid, and smarter than you."
      Dwalin mused, "You did say that our lives wouldn't be in danger for another month. We could just go in three different directions for about a mile and a half. While the others hold you here."
     You rubbed your temples and said, "All of the doors leading outside are protected with a pass code. Honestly boys, at least challenge me a little bit. Keep in mind that I can hold you hostage here too if I so desire. And on top of that I can also not feed you and keep you stranded in one room. Also I meant that as long as you do not stray from the path set for you by fate, you won't be in danger. If you stray, I know not what will be fall you."
      Fili said, "I wouldn't be comfortable with doing any of that anyways." The other's agreed.
     You sighed, "Just because I refuse to answer any more questions now, doesn't mean I will at lunch. Just give me some time." 
         Around lunch Thorin was antsy to find out more about the one you were bound to, but didn't want to be the first one to ask you about it. Kili, bless his soul sensed this and asked, "Will you tell me about their hair? The one you're bound to that is. In return I'll take my shoes off before entering the house"     You sighed, "Deal, uh, it's nice looking."
      Gandalf scoffed, "You are the queen of unhelpful answers."
     Thorin inquired, "What's his beard like? Answer me that and I'll do the dishes for a whole month." 
    "I will hold you to your word Thorin. His beard is not quite fully what it could be." You answered, while still dodging his question.
     Dwalin grumbled, "What weapon does he use? I'll stop stealing the sweets from the pantry."
     "I knew it was you, you sneaky little! Deal, I imagine he'd used anything in reach if he had to." you snapped.
     Oin exclaimed, "All of you are asking the wrong questions! If you tell us what color his hair is I'll rub your feet for a week!"
    You shook your head, and chuckled, "That's sweet, but no deal, I don't like people touching my feet any way."
     Bilbo said, "If you tell us a name I'll return your journal, and if you don't I'll read it out loud."
    "I don't have a journal, so no deal." 
    "What sort of weapon does he carry with him as of this moment?"
     "You need to offer something of value in return Thorin." you mused.
          Thorin's mind flashed to the harp you were lending him, he looked up at you and said, "I'll get back into practising the harp so I can play for you."
     He watched your eyes go wide, you broke down and said, "A sword."     Dwalin grumbled a curse in Khuzdul, Thorin truly feared you were bound to his nephew. You were far younger than either of them, but Fili was far younger, and could physically keep up with you. Gandalf, who was watching Thorin's grief, and seemed to sense it, so he asked, "If you give us a ten year range of their age, I'll answer all of the questions about this world I can. You have been pestering me with many after all."
     You stared at the ground, before answering, "a hundred and ninety to two hundred."
     Thorin froze in his seat, you were bound to him, he gawked at you. You were here to protect him? From what? What could you handle that he possibly couldn't? You felt the emotions swirling in Thorin's head, you looked at him, and said, "Just because you got your answer doesn't mean you're getting out of the dishes deal old man, or the smoking deal."
     Thorin nodded his head and took your empty plate to the sink, rolled up his sleeves and and started washing them.
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@imaginesreblogged @17baldwinn (I think that’s everyone....uh message me please if I missed you or you wishes to be added to the tag list.)
--- Part 1 --- Part 2 (here)--- Part 3 --- Part 4 --- Part 5 --- Part 6 --- Part 7 --- Part 8 ---  Part 9— Part 10 — Part 11— Part 12 — Part 13 —Part 14 — Part 15— Part 16— Part 17 --- Part 18 --- Part 19 --- Part 20 --- Part 21 ---
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ramblyravingnnjashark · 6 years ago
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Nier Automata - Genius and Madness
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the works of Yoko Taro are something that have eluded me for most of my life, and that I have given very little attention to. Probably for good reasons because from the outside, the gameplay of his games range from Mediocre to Average at best and I consider myself a very "gameplay First" person. Some of my Freinds would rave about Drakengard and how weird it is but that didnt quite convince me to look into them much further. However, one Fateful Day a little game called "Nier Automata" was announced, a sequel to Yoko Taros Xbox 360/PS3 game Nier with a little line of Text that would change things in an instant
                                   "Developed by PlatinumGames"
now friends of mine will know that, PlatinumGames is one of my alltime favourite Game Devs for their Crazy High skill Character Action Beat em up titles, containing Larger than Life characters and great and tight Gameplay that owes their roots in the Arcade games of old, which is something I have a appreciation for.
So, with a combination like this I finally decided to take on this series, by means of watching Youtube essays about it because goddamn, the gameplay in these games can get rather mind numbing sadly but honestly? Yoko Taro mighta earned himself now a nice cushy place as one of my favourite Directors, right next to  Hideki Kamiya and Hideo Kojima themselves.
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But there is one thing I realised from watching these Essays and actually playing one of them it is one thing to watch a guy sum this series up for you, its a whole different thing to watch the Insanity for yourself
because the works of Yoko Taro arent stories about Heroic Knights slaying Demons and Evil Dragons, or Loving Fathers/older Brothers trying to survive the Fall of Humanity with their Daughters/Little Sisters
they are stories about Love, Hate, War, the meaninglessness of the Universe and the Hope growing from it, what it means to be Human, and what it means to lose all reason and go complete and genuinely Mad
(there will be spoilers, so be warned if you wish to expirience these games yourself!)
so originally, this was gonna be a brief recap of Drakengard and Nier, but then I realised I couldnt do these games justice so I just link this and this recap of these games that should give you a good idea what these games are about but to keep it brief
Drakengard is essentially to RPGs what Evangelion was to Mecha Anime, and thats a fairly approviate comparsion when you just look at, this
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its also notable for how it handles its different endings, usually referred to as Ending A, Ending B etc, Ending E of the first Drakengard game was a Joke ending that nontheless became the basis for the setting of Nier, a ruined Planet Earth set hundreds of years after the Fall of Humanity about a Father (in the Western Releases) or a Older Brother (Japanese release) having to fend for himself and his Daughter/Younger Sister in a world under constant threat of creatures known as Heartless Shades
both these games are interesting, because their gameplay is nothing special, in the case of Drakengard its outright terrible,they got mediocre reviews and poor sales and yet these games have a dedicated Cult following and  tons of Novels, Audio Dramas, Manga and even Stage Plays that expand the Universes of these games and its lore
and thats for a simple reason: these games may have mediocre gameplay but, their Stories, their Characters, their Art Direction is actually of fairly high quality featuring intriguing Characters and worldbuilding that makes you invested in them regardless I mean, theres a entire exchange in Nier thats entireley between two Magical Talking Books for cryin out loud, and its one of the best parts of the game!
however, these games have thus far had a life as just that, Cult Classics, that didnt manage to garner a mainstream audience due to its aforementioned quirks, the Gameplay just could never stand up to the well written stories of these games
this is where PlatinumGames comes into play
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now, the gameplay of Automata I honestly felt like was more on par with what Revengeance offered: there is stuff you can do with it but all in all its below the likes of Bayonetta and Devil May Cry 3 but thats not to say its poor, of course not, it doesnt encourage you to try anything other than just Mash about, but thats Fine, theres also Chips that your characters can even equip Chips that enhance their abilities and giv e them new ones such as a Bayonetta style Parry and Witch time or give them Heals upon Killing the enemy and while the actual enviroments can be a bit of a chore to go through (until you get Fast Travel), it still felt good to Parkour your way through them, nice snappy and smooth which gives me hopes they take a cue or two from this game for Bayonetta 3 in that regard at least
another thing I loved is the Soundtrack itself. Now I dont consider myself a musical person, however I can tell when a Song is used perfectly, and in Automata? Every Song is used to actual perfection. Music to me can be the deciding factor wether a Area or Scene in a Game or Movie is Garbage, Forgettable or Legendary, and for Automata, every song makes each area fall niceley into the latter fortunatly. One Standout track for me is Birth of a Wish (Become as Gods) a retake of an earlier song that adds in additional Chorus, and the Theme for Pascals village which is a cute Melody involving Children singing.
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now onto the game itself, Route A puts you in the sexy and Lucious Thigh High boots of YoRHa Unit 2B, whereas Route B puts you in the cute Boy shorts of her Partner and mostly Good Boy YoRHa Unit 9S both tasked with ridding the world of Machine Lifeforms and making Earth inhabitable for the Humans stuck on the Moon again Both Routes play out roughly the same, 2B plays like a Standard Character Action Heroine with Lights and Heavies and such, whereas 9S is mainly focused around his ability to hack enemies and engage into brief SHMUP segments.
of the two I felt like 2B was a little more fun to play all in all, the Hacking was fine but also felt a teeny bit like a pace breaker but not too much, at least until late in Route B the game throws curvebals and unique hacking segments into the mix
a thing Yoko Taro games have been very good at showing, is showing the process of a Person losing their mental stability and throwing it all away to become a one track minded Mad Man and I find that interesting.
Drakengard had a good example when the Character Inuart completley loses it and becomes obsessed with bringing back his Dead Love interest, causing here to turn into the monster posted above. Automata meanwhile, shows this also but with Machines, being that shouldnt even go mad in the first place but become Insane with concepts like Revenge, Fear or other. Now I am not a Psychology Major or anything but I cant help but feel "this is Intriguing", not sure if thats a bad thing or anything but thats how it is.
now, Route C is where officialy the PlatinumGame ends and the Yoko Taro game begins, in that things become utterly, utterly Bleak. Not to say it was happy funtime before, many of the sidequests end on a very sour or outright terrible note, but here? Shits gon Bad!
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YoRHa falls, everyone on the Protagonists homebase dies or becomes infected with a Virus that makes them go insane, 2B dies and 9S is severeley wounded and has his mental state utterly ruined by seeing 2B, his Love interest, die. from this Point onward, you play as Either A2, a former YoRHa gone Rogue and 9S as he tries to kill every last Machine Lifeform, and as hes utterly loses his mind. Focusing entireley on his one Goal so that maybe, he can find Death and be with 2B in the Afterlife.
this is where the game really became interesting to me. Gradually 9S goes from this sweet pure boy to a Violent Mess that only wants to Kill and Kill and Kill, Over and Over, its a Interesting Development for such a Character I feel. A2 meanwhile, while still a Great Character and a Blast to play, I felt like was severeley underutilized, getting very little playtime compared to 2B and 9S, with most of her greatest character Development limited to a Japan only Stage play that got a short text recap on a terminal. and it just goes from there and it keeps going, plot twists happen, reveals happen, callbacks to the first Nier and Drakengard 1 happen, its just this huge Mountain of themes and stuff to uncover and analyse. references to old Philosophers and the Concept of Nihilism itself ebing explored, little details that popped up in the early game and now have much greater meaning, its....actually incredible?
I dont think I ever played a game that had so much going on, the last time I think I did was, Metal Gear Solid 3, maybe?! I think....this might actually be one of the best written games I ever played?
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and there is still so much content I could go through, the Stage Plays, the Novels, theres probably a buncha Audio Dramas for it too already its like, Jesus christ. and then theres Ending E, which while rather difficult (and probably causes at least 4 people to fucking hate my Guts) was probably one of the best ending sequences I seen in recent years, I'm not gonna go into detail what it is because, it needs to be seen to be belived, but I find it genuiley incredible.
I dont think theres a single game in the Drakengard and Nier series I would actually consider my "Favourite Game", maybe Nier Automata but thats up for consideration still, but I think I can safeley say that both games story as a whole is easily up there with Metal Gear as  one of my favourite Game stories out there, and friends and followers of mine would know by now how much I love that Franchise and its wacky insane story, Drakengard and Nier are special little series that you dont see enough of these days, but maybe thats for the better
I'm not gonna say "Nier Automata rekindled my love for video games" or anything, but I am glad I got to expirience these two series.
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drink-n-watch · 7 years ago
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Welcomed back everyone to another installment of Irina wines about her one-sided feud with her local UPS. I have put quite a few Loot Anime posts out lately because I have been receiving my boxes rather sporadically. As I mentioned in my October box review, I almost missed out on it all together because UPS delivered it *somewhere* and when I followed up with them, they, to my face, informed me I had moved. The delivery was mildly smoother this time around. First, you should know that I live in what is essentially a high-rise building with individual unit postal boxes for mail and a large postal locker for packages. UPS leaves my Loot Anime boxes in that locker one time out of two and it’s fantastic. I just pick them up and everyone’s happy.
For completely unknown reasons however, they also refuse to leave them in that locker half the time and stick a “we couldn’t deliver” notice on my mail box instead. This is tricky because they only attempt delivery once and refuse redelivery and I them have to pick it up within 5 days from the UPS counter. It may not sound that unreasonable, but their UPS counter is only opened from 10am to 6pm workdays. So, for me to pick up a package I have to leave early from work. I am lucky enough to have a job where I can come and go pretty liberally but it’s still a hassle and in my opinion completely unreasonable, every single time I get a package. If I cancel my subscription it will be in most part because the delivery is just too much trouble.
I hope you enjoyed this post on the failing of international carriers. I know it doesn’t have much to do with anime so I’ll make sure to.. oh yeah, the crate.
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The first thing that caught my eye here was that bunched up thrown in t-shirt. You could be fooled into thinking I had packed these myself. It’s a bit disappointing since they’re usually so neat but hardly the worst I have ever received.
Poster
No phone charm this time. Weirdly I was a little let down.
As you can see, this month’s poster is quite pretty. I’m a sucker for those bright colours and cute design. The featured artist is Xeph and you can see more of their work at Collateral Damage Studios .
Ilove the colours on this.
Batman and the Justice League Art Sheet
A second smaller poster was included and is meant as a companion piece to the manga. It’s a nice poster but I’m a little limited on wall space, I have a LOT of art. Maybe I’ll do a virtual tour some day. I have some gorgeous Natsume and Okami paintings some of you may like. In any case, this particular poster isn’t going to be hanging up there, but I can’t actually find any fault with it.
It’s pretty and high quality. The single careful fold at the center will probably be barely noticeable if put in a nice frame. I’m just not a huge fan of the DC universe.
Batman and the Justice League Manga
The is a loot anime exclusive print of Shiori Teshirogi’s Batman and Justice League. It is in fact a very nice book. The actual manga is only black and white but very high quality and the heavily Americanized manga art is a blend of East meets West in the superhuman genre. I wager that if you are a fan of either the DC Universe or Saint Seiya, you will be very excited by this item.
Unfortunately, I am not. I can plainly see the quality of the book, but I really would not have bought this individually. I haven’t read it, so it may turn out to be the best manga ever made. The official plot synopsis is:
The manga is titled Batman and Justice League, and features Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Cyborg, Green Lantern, and Aquaman. The story will feature the Justice League heading to Gotham City to protect the world from the Joker and an alliance of super-villains.
From flipping through the book, I can see that the narrative seems to follow an ordinary student who gets wrapped up in the story. I’m assuming that’s why it was included in the box because I wouldn’t qualify any of those characters up there as “underdogs”. I understand that the monthly themes have always been loose suggestions at best, a simple marketing tool to advertise individual boxes more effectively, but they could have just called this month “superhero” and it would have felt much more accurate. Was it not animeish enough? Maybe they had already used that one. Just saying that anime features a TON of underdogs that seem better suited to the title than Batman.
Black Clover Shirt
I haven’t seen Black Clover yet. I have seen lots of images from the show and have read a lot of your reviews. Apparently, it gets loud. It’s like the show itself is an underdog so I appreciate that. I have absolutely no idea why, but I have a soft spot for it (sight unseen) and I am looking forward to starting it soon.
Fact about me, I love T-shirts. I collect them even though I have to wear suits at work and live in a country covered in snow half the year. I think they are close to the perfect garment. But a good t-shirt is very hard to find. I’m a short and generally petit girl with an hourglass figure. I can’t pull off boxy men’s t-shirts unless they are made with a very flimsy material that will drape over me and generally just follow my natural outline. Anything else looks ridiculous and adds 20 lbs on me. One of the biggest draws I had towards loot anime was the fact that they frequently sent out apparel and you could choose women’s small as a size. Finally, anime t-shirts that would fit me! I was so excited. Ironically this is the first one I’ve received.
It’s not a women’s small. The actual size isn’t on the t-shirt anywhere but I’m willing to bet it’s a unisex small which let’s face it just means men’s small. It’s not too big on the shoulders but it’s cut perfectly straight which means that is you have any kind of waistline it will appear to bulge out at the stomach making for a particularly unflattering figure. I am not too big so it’s not tight on any level but if you happen to be more hippy, I bet it will be too tight at that point. The fit was a huge disappointment.
On the other hand, the print is nice, I might eventually just cut is out and use it as a patch. The material is wonderful. Very soft and comfortable. Sadly, no matter how I styled it, it remains one of the least flattering things I have ever worn and has already been relegated to sleep wear. I already have more sleep t-shirts than I know what to do with. I’m a little sad guys.
Saint Seiya Hat
If the T-shirt was ill-fitting, the hat simply doesn’t fit at all. I’m not sure who thought a person who wears a women’s small would also have a head big enough for this snapback. It’s a nice hat though. Some people are all about a snapback. I wear them a lot when walking buddy.
I’ve never seen Saint Seiya and it seems unlikely I ever will. Not throwing shade or anything, I’ve actually heard great things about it and had I taken it up a little earlier I think it would have been exactly my cup of tea. However, it’s an older series with episodes in the three digits and I have so much anime to catch up on already…
What I’m saying is this hat really does nothing for me.
I’m not gonna lie, so far it was a rather disappointing box. A first clear miss and then:
My Hero Academia 6.5” Deku Figure
When the December box was announced I decided to keep only because of the inclusion of My Hero Academia. I said at the time that I was hoping it would be the big-ticket item… Guys it’s Deku – Deku’s on my desk!
I love this piece. It’s beautiful and detailed. It features Deku’s superhero outfit with those vibrant Christmasy colours (was that on purpose) That piece around his neck is actually loose and you can position it however you want.
In terms of detailing, it may be a bit plainer than previous figures. Not because the item itself is low quality, I mean look at those adorable freckles, but simply because Deku has a much cleaner design than Madoka or Josuke. However, everything from the pose, to the facial expression, to the size, are just perfect. Yes, I am biased. I love both MHA in general and Midoriya in particular but it’s also a wonderful figure. I would have happily paid the price of the box for it. Let me just add in one of the official shots because I want to do it proper justice:
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What can I look forward to maybe receiving if it doesn’t get lost in shipping next month? The announced theme is: GAME ON!
“Sonic the Hedgehog, Steins;Gate, Final Fantasy and Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Memoria Freese all blur the lines between anime, manga and video games, so let’s embrace it…”
So no NGNL, no KonoSuba, no Hack, no SAO, no isekai at all (?) You can argue that IIWTPPGIAD (love that title) is a bit of DnD in anime form but with so many shows that have a stated premise of blurring the lines this seems like a way to get rid of inventory they couldn’t fit elsewhere. Not complaining mind you. Aside from Sonic, these are all franchise I really like. If it was up to me, I would try to make Steins:Gate fit into every single theme ever! You bet I’m keeping this box. 
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On a different note, I have been enjoying the boxes quite a bit, but I do find that I get items that are just wasted on me. A good friend of mine was interested in the manga so that was put to good use. However, it just occurred to me that some of you may be interested in these items. Like that baseball cap for instance. Accordingly, I have spontaneously decided that the best possible option would be to start holding some giveaways.
I’m still working out the details on exactly “how” to proceed (individual items or hauls, through twitter or through the blog…) If you have suggestions I’m all ears. I know most people use them to celebrate milestones. I get a little impatient with presents – I’m the idiot that gives you your birthday present a month in advance *cause it’s just sooo perfect* and then has to scramble to get something lese for the actual day *cause it’s your birthday*. I’m not sure I can stick it out until another significant milestone comes around. I thought of potentially working them in with posts if ever I have merch that is somehow relevant to what I happen to be writing about. Like I said, it’s a work in progress….
I’ll figure something out
Loot Anime December 2017 Welcomed back everyone to another installment of Irina wines about her one-sided feud with her local UPS.
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comicteaparty · 7 years ago
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August 17th, 2017 CTP Archive
The archive for the Comic Tea Party chat that occurred on August 17th, 2017, from 5PM - 7PM PDT.  The chat focused on Centralia 2050 by Michelle.
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Featured Comment:
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Chat:
RebelVampire
Good day everyone~! This week’s Comic Tea Party is now officially beginning. Today we are discussing Centralia 2050 by Michelle~! ( http://centralia2050.com/ ) For those new to CTP, discussions about the comic are freeform, so please feel free to bring up whatever you wish. However, every 30 minutes I will be dropping in a discussion question to help those who would like a prompt. These questions are totally OPTIONAL to answer so pay them no mind if you wish~! Remember, constructive criticism is allowed, but the primary focus here is to have fun and appreciate the amazing comics that the community makes~! Each chat a top comment will be picked and featured on an ad for this chat, so let’s have a great discussion~!
With that said, let us begin with this first question~!(edited)
QUESTION 1. What is your favorite scene in the comic so far and why?
Ravix-Strips
The video game scene with Ren, Midori, and Grey. (edited)
Deity Cali of BISHIES OF SPEEDS
pops in to say i really like the art in this
fairyfun5118
CH 3 page 5 cuz they were bonding for the first time!... i think
and Q and As cuz there cute and fun
Kabocha
Hmmmm, that's a good question. Ch3 is really good... ...I liked how vulnerable Grey was at the end of the chapter, but I mean, I also really liked the explanation in ch2 about the Lumico takeover, too...
This panel was like, oh you poor sweet child D: RebelVampire
i really liked the depiction of the blackout. everything artistically about it made me think "yup, this is a blackout all right."
Michelle
PS-- I'll be hanging out in the chat if anyone has questions about the comic! c:
Ravix-Strips
ok
Envelion
And my name is Matt. Hi there! I'm the brainstormer and co-writer of sorts with Michelle on Centralia 2050
Kabocha
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Michelle
Yeah, Matt helps bounce around story development.
Ravix-Strips
NNice to meet you two
Kabocha
that scene made me cringe a little for Midori
Michelle
And speaks terrible Japanese, apparently
Ravix-Strips
and is in the same room with the characters
RebelVampire
i think that scene made everyone cringe a little. cause even if you dont feel for midori, very clearly a poor attempt at japanese
so cringe
Kabocha
ahahaha
mathtans
I am late, but to atone I have a fave scene from each of the Chapters!
wishjacked
My favorite scene is the blackout explanation, too!!
Honestly all my favorite scenes tend to be the kinda in-between ones when the characters are walking around the city— the art is SO AMAZING at building the world up through background details.
mathtans
From the most recent chapter, when they went into VR, it was just kind of Wow (and Gray was so cute! ). From the one before, when she was on the roof and reaching up and Grey was like "don't jump" and Midori was like, "what?". And from the first chapter, when she first pushed past Grey and he was all, 'what's her problem' and then EVIL SPIDER BOTS so yeah, that's a problem.
wnqs
My favourite scene is Tomo the head-bonking robot and Lor's introduction :P
Kabocha
Admittedly, when I first read the title of the comic, I was half-expecting it to be built on Centralia, PA... which has a continually burning fire in a mine
wnqs
Always blown away with the background art and the details put into every single panel.
mathtans
Lor is cool too.
Michelle
We'll be seeing more of her in chapter 4 :>
wnqs
Woot!
Ravix-Strips
Awesome!
Envelion
Who's to say that it DOESN'T take place in Pennsylvania? >.>
RebelVampire
i actually did not know this place in PA existed till yesterday and that was only cause of reading an askreddit thread about creepiest small towns.
albeit when i heard the title i admittedly thought of the movie metropolis for some reason even tho ive never actually seen the movie
Michelle
afaik there is one in PA, and one in Washington.
mathtans
In fact, the setting isn't really something I normally go for, and while I can appreciate the artistic talent (which is so far above me, I can't even), it's not what kept me reading either. It's the way the characters react to each other, like Grey randomly tossing out info to Lor, or Midori doing her own thing despite what's going on, that really sucked me in.
wnqs
nods the character development is very well done. They're engaging and you really get a connection with them
Envelion
@mathtans I'm glad. I think a story should be defined by it's characters more than anything. Michelle and I both really try to make them all feel alive.
Feather, Duke of Comedic Timing
I haven't finished Chapter 3 but I really like the scene early on where they are on the roof :3
mathtans
It's kind of impressive that Grey's so likeable, actually, given his tendency to shut down conversation.
Ravix-Strips
@mathtans ironically.
Michelle
Hopefully when he starts talking more people don't suddenly dislike him XD
"I LIKED YOU BEING QUIET DAMNIT"
wishjacked
Yes!! I think both Midori and Grey are shaping really good characters!!
mathtans
Hahaha. No, I think Grey will still be cool. (I only wish he didn't smoke! That stuff'll kill you!)
RebelVampire
in all honestly i like grey because i feel he provides a sort of cynical realism balance to the story.
fairyfun5118
they are better together
mathtans
Rebel: Yeah, yeah, I think you nailed it there.
Michelle
Yeah, I agree, smoking's no good. D:
mathtans
I like the tongue-in-cheek kind of attitude.
wishjacked
and I also really like Grey… I feel like his character would easily read as kind of a typical edgy apocalypse guy in a different writer's work, but as is he comes off as very understandable.
He always seems so exasperated but he's also obviously kind right from the beginning.
Kabocha
Grey is surprising. He's struck me as the sorta fellow who goes along with shenanigans even if it's something he's saying he doesn't wanna do. XD It's funny to watch him contradict himself.
mathtans
Yeah, that was an excellent introduction for him. Well thought out, might not have worked if he was just in a cafe or something.
Michelle
No matter where he goes, Midori would've found a way to barrel into him
Envelion
He's tricky to write. Michelle's always like, "Does he sound too much line an ass in this one?"
Michelle
lmao
Kabocha
sometimes you just gotta let the snark pour through though
mathtans
Haha, I kind of understand that. You get latitude once he's established as a protagonist though.
Michelle
He WAS a bit too rude in the first draft of chapter 1. It took some figuring out to strike a good balance.
mathtans
I wonder what his gen-mod is.
Kabocha
I'm gonna guess it's got to do with mental acuity or something.
mathtans
Maybe it's why he smokes. O.o
Envelion
A genetic mod that makes smoking cool.(edited)
Kabocha
Put some shades on him and we've got max coolness right there
Michelle
@Envelion oh no, Grey has been created by Big Tobacco
RebelVampire
grey doesnt need shades. is too cool already theyll make laws about it.
mathtans
VR Shades.
wishjacked
I mean I don't know what else to say about my analysis of him except I really liked when he offhandedly told Midori to put sugar in the coffee to make it taste better hahaha
RebelVampire
QUESTION 2. During Chapter 3, Midori and Grey meet and join Switch, an anti-Lumico organization. Do you think Switch is unquestionably trustworthy or do you think they may have their own secrets? Will joining Switch actually help the two find the missing people or will something happen that gets them both into trouble? How will Midori and Grey’s skills be utilized for the group?
wishjacked
and OH NO, THE WORST GEN MOD. TOBACCO MOD
Ravix-Strips
what is up with her and coffee?
it's like it's her life support and if it is, give her more.(edited)
wnqs
Swtich probably has their own secrets. It's not like they're gonna go blabbing everything to people they just meet. Whether or not they're completely 'good' is a good question, though
Michelle
@Ravix-Strips once she put sugar in it, she realized its glory
Kabocha
Switch has some issues bein' shady. But you know. Midori's a robot-smasher, so... they could use more people willing to do it lol
mathtans
No group is unquestionably trustworthy. >.< They have the same goals though, or so it seems.
wnqs
Well, Midori's mad pipe-wielding skillz will probably come in handy
mathtans
Grey builds the robots and Midori smashes them!
wnqs
Grey can scowl at the baddies and make them feel terrible about themselves
mathtans
They can be their own branch.
fairyfun5118
i feel like both will happen
wnqs
"MIDORI SMASH!" ala Hulk style
Kabocha
meanwhile, Grey's dad IS Lumico
Envelion
So much I can't say about the switch right now. But it's good stuff. #nospoilers
Kabocha
)dpm
erm
don't ask, I do this every ctp I'm in. crack theory time!
Michelle
I love crack theories XD
mathtans
I like the double meaning of "switch", by the way. Like, it can refer to a change, a switch in power, or a literal switch of turning things on and off. Which also harkens to that logo, curiously enough.
Michelle
Of course, to all theories my answer is "definitely maybe"
Kabocha
pfffft
RebelVampire
yeah everyone thought ctp stood for comic tea party. its actually crack theory party
mathtans
Oh, I have theories. We'll get to that. Curious if anyone else is thinking along the same lines though.
fairyfun5118
wwwhhhhaaaattt!?
Kabocha
@RebelVampire Damn straight!
Well, @mathtans -- time to start spoutin' them out
wnqs
I want to know more about Midori. Is she an unknowing agent of Lumico, or something designed explicitly to counter them?
fairyfun5118
i thought ctp was comic tea party
Michelle
@fairyfun5118 it is, haha, don't worry.
fairyfun5118
oooo
Kabocha
Midori and Weiss are siblings; meanwhilst, Grey's dad is the head (or IS) Lumico. And Switch needs Grey because of his unknowing ties. Much drama when plot reveal is made. >:3
fairyfun5118
thxs for telling me
lol
Kabocha
end crack theory
RebelVampire
no no it def is i meant that as a joke XD cause we usually have a lot of crack theories during the sessions.
i like the idea of grey's dad being the head of lumico
wishjacked
that's a good crack theory there, you dudes
RebelVampire
as i picture a whole darth vader i am your father scenario
mathtans
Ooh, I like the idea of Grey somehow being tied in more than anyone realizes.
Kabocha
I know, right, Rebel?
Envelion
What I CAN tell you, is that Grey's dad rocks a mad pony tail.
Michelle
Nooooooo he doesn't
Kabocha
lmao
fairyfun5118
lol
Michelle
Grey's dad turns out to be a pony-tail wearing, acoustic-guitar strumming upbeat guy, and he just can't understand his Goth Son
Kabocha
:3 Grey's dad is Grey with a ponytail? XD
mathtans
You want a crazy theory? Midori and Weiss are the same person. Weiss is artifically aged, and her hair is turned green, but in the process she loses her memory. She's now trying to chase after her lost childhood, represented by the fact that only SHE can see Weiss (like that time in the playground).
Kabocha
Also, how is Weiss' name pronounced? "Veiss?"
Michelle
"Wice"
wishjacked
(kinda going on back to the prompt I DO want to say that I like Switch but I don't trust them yet. They do give off really strong "we are an awesome rebel faction and we're the side that all protagonists rightly back" vibe…. but that isn't enough to make them flawless lol)
Michelle
In German it would be Veiss, but... American pronounciation etc(edited)
Kabocha
Right, right
fairyfun5118
i alwasy pronounced it wheez
mathtans
Wow, that got all the reactions, heh.
Envelion
I'd totally make fun of a girl named "Wheez"
Michelle
#rude
fairyfun5118
lol
sorry
mathtans
I agree with you, wishjacked.
wnqs
mathtans wins the reaction lottery(edited)
RebelVampire
yeah back to the topic of switch, i trust them as far as i can throw them. all powerful organizations have corruption somewhere within their ranks. i mean to be fair, i already dont trust them because they more or less bullied grey and midori into joining since it was a join us or we wont help you sort of thing.
mathtans
I seem to have won a hamburger. ^.^
Kabocha
well, it was a "join us RIGHT NOW" situation, too
which is worse, I think
mathtans
I'm pretty sure there's an operative inside Switch who's working against them. I hope it's not Lor, she's kinda awesome.
RebelVampire
yeah there is that too. which is pretty manipulative cause its forcing them to react more on emotion than logic.
its okay math, its probably not Lor. its the tiny robot Lor is making.
Envelion
Hmmm
wnqs
the situation may be that dire that they have to make them choose quickly
Michelle
TOMO will become sentient and seek to unravel everything.
mathtans
Phew. ... Wait, could be blamed for that though.
Kabocha
@wnqs -- well, yes, that's probably the case, but it's still not much better
time will tell though
wnqs
So, Tomo is the new Claptrap?
Kabocha
and if they start to get all cult-y....
welp.
Envelion
Welcome to Switch, Wear these robes, drink this!
wnqs
koolaid for everyone!
mathtans
I think part of the issue is, we haven't really seen what they're fighting against... like, we sort of have (seriously, anyone who uses spider bots can't be on the side of good, right?) but even Grey himself has said there's just something that feels wrong about the power company, nothing so overt. I could be wrong.
Maybe all the missing people got sent to the Bahamas.
RebelVampire
clearly next chapter is the initiation arc where grey and midori have to prove their devotion to the cult err i mean switch O_O
Kabocha
OH MAN
mathtans
They need to perform a feather dance.
Kabocha
and there's a rift between Grey and Midori over it.
Midori's all ready to drink the kool-aid and Grey's like, NO, don't forget Weiss
metaphorical kool-aid
...it's important to clarify.
RebelVampire
i demand literal kool-aid but the non poisoned kind. the refreshing sugar drink kind
Michelle
I'm sure Forrest stocks the Switch cabinets with plenty of refreshing powdered drinks
Envelion
I'll make a note, next chapter needs koolaid.
Michelle
you can't have a rebellion if you're thirsty.
Kabocha
oh man
mathtans
Here's a question: Part of the reason Switch wants them is because of how Midori doesn't seem to be categorized by the surveillance. Why not? She also has some sort of effect on Grey's cell phone, which I'm guessing is related. Is it unique to her? How does it relate to the power that's being used in these things?
(It's probably the artificial aging.)
Kabocha
Midori's the actual plant by big tobacco
Grey's her sidekick.
mathtans
Heh. "You can't use your phone. What're you gonna do now? Gotta smoke."
Envelion
plant - green hair - all makes sense
Kabocha
it's all so clear(edited)
RebelVampire
its because midori was a robot clone this whole time.
mathtans
Who would clone a robot?
fairyfun5118
?
people would
RebelVampire
scientists
Envelion
Other robots.
RebelVampire
for science
Kabocha
I would!
wishjacked
are you saying you wouldn't clone a robot?
Kabocha
gotta make data backups somehow.
Michelle
But... you don't need to clone a robot, you just build another one
Kabocha
You clone hard drives!
Michelle
R-robots don't have DNA!
ok, fair enough.
RebelVampire
well maybe someone first decided to make a robot with dna. and then the next logical step is to prove its cloneable dna
mathtans
Next chapter, Grey builds another Midori. One who doesn't ask so many questions.
Envelion
I have a question... Does anyone have a favorite switch character?
Kabocha
Grey.
RebelVampire
grey
Kabocha
lol
fairyfun5118
lmao
Kabocha
What can I say, I like my guys tall and snarky.
RebelVampire
idk if i feel i know anyone enough to pick a fave. i need to learn more about them.
mathtans
That's actually a tough question, about the fave character. Because part of what I like about Grey is his interactions with Midori. I don't feel like he'd be as captivating without her, which doesn't hold true the other way, so.... I may have to go with Midori. Because of how she named the motorcycle "Lucy".
wishjacked
same @RebelVampire
Envelion
Fair enough.
mathtans
Most of their scenes have been together. I do enjoy randomness, is the thing.
wishjacked
but Midori is my favorite character of the story thus far. I'm a sucker for those happy go lucky types. (and I do really look forward to getting to know Switch better haha!!)(edited)
mathtans
And none of the others (aside from Ren, who I'm kind of lukewarm on) have been seen enough. Though Lor is starting with lots of bonus points for her VR avatar.
Michelle
We'll be getting to know the main Switch members much more in chapter 4. :>
mathtans
Hoping I'm making some vague sort of sense there. I'm also probably not a typical reader, I can be as random as Midori.
RebelVampire
if i had to pick someone in switch id be most interested in learning about itd be Forrest cause Forrest hits my suspicion meters
mathtans
(Still like that scene where Grey thought she was going to jump.)
Envelion
Yeah, I'm excited to explore the characters more in the future too, but Forrest most of all. For reasons I can't say :x
mathtans
Run, Forrest, Run.
RebelVampire
QUESTION 3. So far throughout the comic, Midori has shown to have little knowledge about the nature of the city and may potentially have some level of amnesia. Who exactly is Midori? How did she wind up in the city? What is her relationship to Weiss? Why does Weiss seemingly appear before Midori and lead her around?
Envelion
why indeed.
mathtans
Okay, so here's my OTHER Midori theory. She was created by that Power Company (mebbe Weiss, mebbe genetically) in order to investigate the city on a grass roots level. But she went rogue, and maybe one of the last things she saw was a Weiss missing poster. In the end, she'll have to pick whose side she's on.
fairyfun5118
.....?
mathtans
Like, when she gets her memory back, she'll be like "damn, I'm supposed to be against these Switch people, do I still help them?".
RebelVampire
and then she decides nah screw switch and rides off with grey into the sunset
mathtans
It might explain why she doesn't know stuff, she never knew it in the first place, it wasn't part of the amnesia at all.
Kabocha
Are we shipping Midori and Grey? :3
fairyfun5118
ooh
mathtans
She tries to catch the sun!
Michelle
Oh no here comes the shipping ship
Kabocha
XD
I dunno, they seem like good friends but haven't actually struck me as shippable quite yet.
fairyfun5118
i ship Midori x gray
Envelion
I ship Grey and Forrest. Grorrest
Michelle
Forrey???
mathtans
I ship Midori and Lor. Because I always ship the pretty girls.
RebelVampire
i ship grey and eternal cynicism
mathtans
Rebel wins.
Kabocha
I just think Grey Forrest sounds like a nice place to visit
Michelle
Grey Forrest sounds like the next Silent Hill
I wouldn't go there
Kabocha
it's directly adjacent to Centralia
actually is a garbage fire
Envelion
But yeah, for the topic, I am really interested in hearing who people THINK Midori and Weiss are. Sometimes it's stuff we've never even considered, sometimes it's really close to the truth. Sometimes it's just weird.
mathtans
OH. I'm reminded (because suddenly I'm thinking of bust lines) about Michelle's comments below the comic. Those are sometimes funny as all get out. Kudos.
fairyfun5118
your comic turnded me into a shipper
Michelle
@mathtans I try ;u;
mathtans
(I don't know why the one about squeezing into the train came to mind. )
fairyfun5118
lol
Michelle
@fairyfun5118 You're definitely not alone in that, especially among Tapastic readers D:
RebelVampire
im gonna take a crack theory stab. weiss is the child of some big head honcho of lumico and midori was an artificially constructed bodyguard.
mathtans
I'm still squinty about Midori = Weiss. Though I'm pretty sure Midori's also connected to the satellite thing. I feel like that wasn't just a throwaway gag when she was talking about seeing the star. So maybe Midori's the next evolution in gen mods somehow.
Michelle
There's definitely a lot of little things in the comic that are foreshadowing.
mathtans
I wonder, do they have memory retrieval technology?
Michelle
If they do, it would certainly be hard to come by
mathtans
Midori might also not be a genetically age increased Weiss, it might just be that their memories were swapped or something. Like, Midori's memories are still inside Weiss, wherever that girl is, and Weiss' memories are KIND of inside Midori, but the transfer was incomplete, so she's seeking out her own memories, in a sense.
Those two are connected in some way, basically.
Like, okay, obviously, but in a bio-tech way.
I'm also weird.
fairyfun5118
we need game theroys opinion on this
RebelVampire
maybe midori was weiss' imaginary friend brought to life. i kind of get that sense cause of weiss' childish drawing and the fact was surprised grey could see her. especially the latter really struck me as an odd thing to say to someone
Michelle
Midori is definitely full of odd exclamations.
mathtans
OMG. Rebel, that's brilliant.
That's maybe the piece my brain was trying to fill in.
We never actually saw Midori in the flashback panels, right? (That's what made me wonder if they were somehow the same.)
RebelVampire
not that i recall. there was some convenient cutting off if memory serves correct
which is why to me i could believe midori wasnt real
cause its very kid like to invent an imaginary friend like that when theyre getting bullied
mathtans
So the creepy power corp is doing experiements on Weiss and accidentally activated Midori!
(I've seen "A Certain Magical Index", I know these kinds of things can manifest.)
Michelle
I wish I could imagine anything as coherent as Midori. Anything I'd imagine would be an incoherent blob.
mathtans
I feel like there's huge irony in the artist saying that.
Michelle
lmao maybe, I mean I can't stay on one thought for more than a few seconds
mathtans
That's fair.
Envelion
My imaginary friend had antenne and green skin. Would look like an alien if she suddenly appeared.
mathtans
As to why Weiss just seems to randomly appear, maybe Midori can wish things into existence, if she concentrates hard enough? (Because of how she herself was created in a similar way?)
fairyfun5118
these crack theroys are really crackin me up
end me
RebelVampire
really the answer is this is just one of the noire detective ghost situations. and weiss is a ghost trying to get midori to solve the murder
mathtans
I rarely say things that I don't at least partially believe. ^.^
Her own murder. Because she is ALSO a ghost! ... okay, no.
RebelVampire
haha i dont stick entirely with the imaginary friend but i do think the line about grey seeing her is super suspicious legitimately. the only reason for someone to exclaim that a person can see them is if they are in general used to not being seen/arent supposed to be seen(edited)
Kabocha
spooky~
mathtans
I'd forgotten about that line, at least on a conscious level. Now I totally ship Len with Weiss' imaginary friend.
Michelle
I had to find out who that was haha
but 14 is a little young for Midori!! :0
If we're following this cracktheory of imaginary friends shipping
mathtans
Derp. I meant Lor. I'm so bad with names.
Michelle
OH haha
it's funny because when I looked up that character there was something about them being not real.
mathtans
I somehow mashed it up with Ren in my head. I fail at all the names!
Michelle
So I thought that was intentional.
mathtans
I do many things intentionally. Names, not so much.
Oh well. Something to bear in mind with me.
RebelVampire
its okay math. as long as you dont fail us at math. cause its in your name.
Kabocha
I hear he's good with imaginary numbers
RebelVampire
QUESTION 4. The central mystery to the story’s conflict so far is the 2048 blackout. During the blackout, numerous people went missing, and it was after the blackout that Lumico took over the city. What do you think happened to all the people who went missing? Is Lumico responsible somehow or was their rise to power a coincidence? Additionally, why did Grey’s non gen-mod father go missing when most of the missing people are gen-mods?
Kabocha
the gen mods are being used to power the city. :3
mathtans
The math I'm okay with. I liked the comment about the blackout being in 2^11. That was neat.
fairyfun5118
yes my theroy is tha during the balckout lumico kidnapped most of the gen mods and there going to do somthing with them(edited)
mathtans
Oh yeah, I've got a theory about the missing people. They're NOT missing. They were given new memories and new physical appearances. (Did anyone check for NEW people after the blackout? Well? DID they?) I don't know if it was inentional or not (there could be some common element, like they were all near microwaves or a satallite or something), but it ties into the fact that Midori's old identity is now bleeding through, she was originally one of the missing.
Envelion
damned evil microwaves
RebelVampire
thatd actually be an interesting twist. is if ppl were so busy looking for what wasnt there they missed what was there
granted i do think its more likely lumico kidnapped them.
XD
mathtans
yis. Microwaves with tinfoil hats in them.
RebelVampire
but then again maybe lumico isnt evil. maybe they kidnapped gen-mods cause something is wrong with gen-mod technology and they need to fix it
Envelion
They've been brain washed to be Lumico's janitorial staff.
RebelVampire
lumico probably does need janitors
sounds efficient
mathtans
Oh, I kinda like that angle, Rebel. Except Grey's dad wasn't a Gen-Mod, so maybe someone screwed up (or like the earlier theories, dad is in it deep).
Michelle
They're using his dad's ponytail for nefarious purposes.
mathtans
What happened to the houses and apartments of missing people? Were they repossessed or what?
Did Grey have to sell his Dad's house?
Michelle
Oh no. It's all a real estate heist!
mathtans
A real estate heist by Big Tobacco.
"Oh, your phone doesn't work AND you have no house now? Gotta smoke."
RebelVampire
maybe grey just depressingly keeps the house. visits every weekend and smokes and mopes in the corner
fairyfun5118
lol
RebelVampire
brings midori and midori is like wtf grey
mathtans
He pretends he's a lamp. It's illuminating.
Seriously though, what happened to their bank accounts and stuff too? Awkward.
Envelion
If Grey's father went missing, but Grey didn't... And Grey is a gen mod, why is he still around? Do you think they got the wrong guy?
"Yes, this is the Greyson home. Grey Greyson? No, he's not here."
RebelVampire
yes. except mostly they were lazy. were like "eh same last name close enough nab the dude"
mathtans
I'd say maybe the missing people never even EXISTED in the first place, and were somehow false memories transmitted by cell phone... except why the missing posters then? (Though I guess Ren's the one making those. Hm.)
Michelle
Yeah, Ren is behind the poster effort.
mathtans
Though Grey's dad must be somewhat responsible for the gen mod, unless his mom did it secretly. Maybe all they needed was the information.
So Ren could be making all these posters for people who DON'T EXIST. O.o (Well, except we did see Weiss in a flashback... that DIDN'T EXIST. o.O )
RebelVampire
were starting to get to everything was a dream territory O_O
fairyfun5118
yup
lol
mathtans
They're actually still in VR!
RebelVampire
maybe grey's dad wasnt kidnapped. maybe hes a super spy and went on a long, undercover mission
mathtans
Grey is actually his own dad, trapped in VR.
(Ok, now I'm not really believing the stuff I say.)
Michelle
Well, his dad and Grey both certainly have some explaining to do.
which is, as we know, Grey's least favourite thing
Envelion
It'll just take him another 3 chapters to come out with it.
mathtans
Something I just realized. Midori makes Grey's phone go weird and the bots don't register her... but she can still VR. Is it a different system?
Michelle
Naw. We'll find out something next chapter.
Midori's avatar is glitching in the VR simulation, so it isn't perfect.
mathtans
Okay. (At least they spelled her name right.)
Kabocha
Hmmm, reading a little; d'ya think grey was saved by being indoors when the blackout happened?
fairyfun5118
yes
mabye
mathtans
snaps fingers That reminds me, the bit with him climbing up all the floors reminded me of the East Coast power blackout some 15 years ago or whatever. I had a friend in that situation. Nice realism.
RebelVampire
i think grey was saved by how cool he was. they saw him and were like "im blinded by his cool snarkiness. we cant take him."
mathtans
And yeah, maybe being inside meant you weren't abducted by the aliens who are running the Lumico corporation as a prelude to invasion. (Yup, that's a new theory.)
Envelion
yes, yes... make more theories! Stray farther from the truth!
mathtans
"The others won't come out." "I dunno, give them back their power, we'll come up with a new plan in a couple years."
The truth is out there!
RebelVampire
it could be that being inside played a role. hard to say. i mean how many gen-mods are there? is there some national list of gen-mods?
i mean obviously lumico has a list of some sort for their robot spiders
but where did it come from
was it always there
Envelion
If there was a list, it wouldn't be up on genmods.gov I imagine
RebelVampire
are the spiders just that amazing
Kabocha
@Envelion -- knowing any .gov, it's probably in an access database in sharepoint
mathtans
The spiders are actually the ones in control.
RebelVampire
no i see through the lies. theres a genmods.gov and midori was the person used for the splash page
Michelle
XD
Question: What are you looking forward to in chapter 4?
fairyfun5118
EVERYTHING
mathtans
Honestly, more of the Switch people, like you said. To get a better sense of the fight, what they're actually up against. Also, Lor.
RebelVampire
grey and snark
Michelle
There Will Be Snark
RebelVampire
im pretty one track about that. more grey. and refreshing kool-aid
Envelion
In these last few minutes, do you guys have any questions for Michelle n' me? Without asking for spoilers?
Michelle
oh no now all they'll ask is spoilers
mathtans
How long does it take to draw a page? O.o Like, seriously, that's frigging impressive.
Michelle
On average, somewhere around 10-12 hours
fairyfun5118
actually i want more grey and midori bonding moments
Michelle
Though one of the blackout pages took upwards of 20 (the one with all the cars and crowds)
mathtans
Damn. I believe it.
Michelle
@fairyfun5118 We'll have some of that!
fairyfun5118
yes!!!
mathtans
Another question, have you planned everything out a lot in advance, or do characters sometimes derail the plot as you go?
Michelle
I have the character trajectories and major plot points planned out, but I like to save the details for when I write the scripts. Like, I write the script for ch 4 as ch 3 wraps up.
Envelion
I think most of it is planned out, yeah? There's specifics that usually don't get nailed down until the script is done though. For example, the VR scene wasn't in chapter 3 until right before Michelle wrote it. Originally it was just going to take place at a cafe or something.
mathtans
headbobs That makes sense, kinda suspected but nice to have it confirmed.
Michelle
Yeah, I know the "what," but I figure out the "how" during scripting.
mathtans
Ooh, glad we got the VR Gray.
Michelle
Yes, widdle kawaii Grey
Envelion
Yeah, I was working on a VR project at the time, maybe that inspired it.
mathtans
Keep being awesome with it.
Envelion
Thanks so much for coming guys. It's been a pleasure to help Michelle with the story and I love what she's done with it. I'm as big of a fan as I am a helper. I'm excited to see that people are interested in the story too!
Michelle
Thank you! You guys keep me going strong
RebelVampire
Unfortunately, the scheduled Comic Tea Party is now complete~! Thank you everyone so much for joining this week’s chat~! That being said, if you would like to continue discussing the comic, we encourage you to do so~! We want to give a big thank you to Michelle, as well, for volunteering Centralia 2050 for our reading queue. If you liked the comic, please be sure to support Michelle’s efforts. If you have questions, concerns, or suggestions about CTP, please feel free to PM me, or e-mail me at [email protected].
With that said, next week’s Comic Tea Party will focus on Tangled River by snowshadow. Please use this week to read as much of the comic as you would like. Hope to see you next Thursday (August 24th) from 5PM to 7PM PDT~! Until then~!
Comic: https://tapas.io/series/Tangled-River
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