#also love the sort of hard to hear lyrics

[beatifysaints]

it's been so long since i had a good "on repeat" song to play for WEEKS until exhaustion but "good luck babe" has TAKEN ME

[cheeto-flavoured-pasta]

jmart animatic to American Beauty // American Psycho by FoB. Do you see the vision

[bisnes-socks]

i added my thoughts to the takavoltti lyrical analysis here but today i want to talk about why i think takavoltti is one of käärijä's most finnish songs ever.

this got a bit long, so just so you know what to expect going in: what i mean by most finnish is that there are references and tone of voice that are very specific to finland, there is complex use of the finnish language AND there are melodic/musical choices in the song that sound very finnish to me.

okay, here goes.

the dialogue that opens the song is already a sort of key moment to this finnishness of it all. when he says "emmä tiedä, kolisee jos kolisee, mut mun on pakko sit koittaa vetää tosi matalalla" he is doing a bit of a voice but more than that, he is talking in a way that is not quite his. his inflection, the rhythm, those are not natural to him or his dialect. you can hear it particularly when he says "koittaa vetää tosi matalalla". i don't know if it's at all easy to hear if you're not finnish, but it's not.. a serious voice or tone. the other two voices, one of them is modified to be high and the other talks like a sports announcer. the whole scene is quite comedic and it's a very specific genre of comedy that is very finnish indeed. it's also the type of thing he has been doing since always. (EDIT: OKEI MORE CONTEXT IN A REBLOG HERE)

funnily enough, you guys know köpi kallio now, the therapist in skit and autiomaa video? yeah köpi and his long time partner in crime viki are good examples of this type of humour i would say. they have their own podcast/show called viki ja köpi show but before that they were radio hosts and have been working together for ten years. the character voices and the whole vibe of the scene in the beginning of the song is very viki ja köpi to me, very ylex type comedy (yes ylex the radio station who did the ruisrock interview who still isn't back from the war).

and the small comedy bits stay in there through out the song, and they continue to have the same delivery instantly recognisable as comedic.

and that isn't to say the subject matter can't be serious. i think, again, this is something that feels inherently finnish to me. other finnish people feel free to chime in because this is hard to explain, but our culture is one where coping through making light of things is quite normal. and our sense of humour tends to be on the darker side, at least if you compare it to the american style of comedy that has taken over globally. so to make a song about there being too many demands on you and how you have a problem with setting boundaries and agreeing to insane shit, but to do it by interjecting the song with jokes just idk.. it sits in our culture lmao.

i honestly don't know how to explain this better, but quite dark comedic elements like this (after all he gets properly fucked up in the stunts it seems) in a song with a serious subject matter is something we've been doing for decades in this country (juice leskinen, for example) and it is something so loved by finnish people. we love a song that is just fucked up on multiple levels. käärijä is just adding his own style to this cultural history.

okay, onto the language.

the verse opens with "tekevälle sattuu" which is a finnish proverb.

quick finnish lesson: the word sattua in finnish means both to hurt and to happen. the word tehdä means to do but tehdä kipeää means hurting. like.. now that i think about it tämä tekee kipeää = this is doing (me a) hurt is valid and correct finnish lmao.

tekevälle sattuu, the proverb, actually means "things happen to those who do" but he is playing with the different meanings here, because he goes on to say "ain sattuu ku tekee" which can both mean "things always happen when you do" or it can mean "it always hurts when you do". then he goes on to say "ku tekee, ku kipee, ni kipeetä tekee" which is once again playing with words, because kipee here means both pain but also being sick. "ku tekee, ku kipee" would translate as "when you do as if you're sick" and "kipeetä tekee" means that it hurts.

so to recap (i'm not trying to provide a smooth translation, but highlight his wordplay:

tekevälle sattuu = things/pain happen to those who do [things]

ain sattuu ku tekee = shit happens/you get hurt when you do [things]

ku tekee, ku kipee, ni kipeetä tekee = when you do [things] like you're sick [in the head], you get hurt

so this is all to say two things: he's using the finnish language in a very clever way that really only becomes clear if you know the language and all of these idioms and proverbs. and also that he is very good at what he does. it has taken me four paragraphs to explain 13 words.

and he doesn't even end there. "oon yllytyshullu, ain hulluksi yllyn" is more play on words. jesus, jere. okay guys, stay with me.

yllytyshullu i explained in my previous analysis, but recap: yllytys means incitement and hullu means crazy. yllytyshullu is someone who does crazy shit when prompted.

"ain hulluksi yllyn" here he is using the word yltyä which is the same root as yllytys, but yltyä means usually more like.. to intensify. (for example: sade yltyy = the rain is getting heavier, or tuuli yltyy = the wind is picking up)

so to say hulluksi yllyn, he's saying like.. i let myself be incited and/or i always take it to the max, to the point of crazy.

and then he uses very clever rhyming words: "ja tää hullunmylly on kylmempi kylpy". hullu means crazy, mylly means mill, hullunmylly is basically a hullabaloo.

as you can tell, all of this is like bordering on impossible to translate accurately into a smooth translation. and that's just the first verse, but i'd be here all night if i explained the whole entire song 😭

and this to me is a very clear sign that no matter what sort of an audience he has internationally, he's not compromising on his language. and i find that admirable and, as a finnish person, very comforting too. this song is sort of reassuring, like he is reinserting himself very firmly into finnish culture, with the language and the comedy that do not translate very well. 

and if you look at the pre-chorus and chorus, the specific references keep coming: calling him kärtsä (finnish people have a lot of nicknames for him), "hyppää kybäst pommi" the slang use of kybä to mean ten meters, he mentions duudsonit (the dudesons) and he mentions jorvi hospital. all of these feel like he is signalling to a very finnish audience. (also "oon syypää sun hymyyn" could count as a cheek reference, cheek used to be like the biggest rapper in finland).

okay, time for melody and music speak. i only have one simple point here: melodically and musically speaking that has to be the most suomi iskelmä chorus i've heard from him. ever.

you could take that melody and insert it as the chorus to like any song on iskelmä radio. iskelmä is a finnish schlager music genre. kind of impossible to describe but something that finnish people will instantly recognise. the opening, with the piano synth could also open an iskelmä song.

very suomi, very iskelmä.

so.

all of this is why i think takavoltti is about as finnish as it gets. a suomi iskelmä about having serious issues with boundaries that uses clever finnish and paints a comedic picture of a banged up black-eyed käärijä who has dislocated his shoulder but is still showing thumbs up is like.. so much finnish condensed into three and a half minutes.

i know not everyone thinks the song is hilarious but i do. it's both hilarious and very serious and that's how we like it here.

and of course the fact that there is an "ai vittu" in there. we like that too.

[bitterbutblue]

What if i request Robin x Fem!Reader where Robin felt a bit pressured from the media and as her beloved girlfriend you help her relief stress :33

It can be fluff or smut, i dont rlly care i just want more Robinnn content :333

Thank you in advance!!!

Also can i be 🍷 anon? :3

you're not bad, but rather good ☆ robin x fem!reader

~ omg hi!!!! ur my first anon this is so exciting.... i don't do smut but i can totally do fluff.. anything 4 u <3

gonna start naming out the song lyrics i've been using as titles

loveable ~ jo yuri <3 ~

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────

Robin's recent comeback- a miserable failure.

Robin's new EP 'Welcome To My World' has been nothing but a colossal failure. With each new album, Robin continues to disappoint- fans are sick of her low effort songs and lack of stage presence. Her comeback stage shows her clearly lack of passion. Just because she has made a name for herself does not mean she can now slack off on stage when fans pay thousands to see her-

You closed the article before you finished reading it. If you continued, you probably would've ended up throwing your phone across the room or do something along the lines of that sort of stupidity that you would end up regretting later. That article was like a knife through the heart for Robin but for you it was a knife through the author's decaying and bleeding out body as you stab that fucker over and over again. Okay, maybe that was too violent but fuck you can't stand to see people say such bullshit about your girlfriend. She called you at work, crying and saying she couldn't do it anymore. You could barely make out her words through her sobs and the bad signal (which led you to believe she was hiding in the bathroom).

"I worked so hard, I don't know what they want from me. I can't-"

"Robin, baby, deep breaths- okay? I'm right here, it's okay."

It infuriates you, how people can run their mouths and say whatever bullshit that comes to their mind just because they're not satisfied with their own miserable lives. Just because they feel like dragging someone down would perhaps make themselves feel better about the fact that someone half their age is more successful than they will ever be. You want to tell her that you'll fucking find them and make their life a living hell but that's definitely not what she wants to hear right now.

"What do they want from me? I'm so tired, I don't wanna do this anymore."

All you really could do was continue to comfort her, hoping that she can pick up what you're saying through the static and cut offs due to bad internet. You just stayed with her until her cries became sniffles and she stated that she has to go before they suspect anything. You swallowed back your worry and just nodded.

"Okay. I love you, Robin.

You can feel her smile from across the phone.

"I love you."

That night you spent the entire evening in the kitchen, prancing around and trying not to burn the eight things you have going on the stove as you flip through your phone to find that recipe for the thing in the oven that looks horrifically bad.

"Ah fuck..."

You check the time- 8:03, she should be back soon. You finally find the recipe page and you feel your heart drop. Fuck, you were supposed to bake it for 30 minutes- not 50! No wonder that shit looked so wrong! You scramble to pull it out of the oven, the timer with 5 minutes left. You groan when you see how it looks- first it looked wrong and now it was probably burnt too. So much for making your girlfriend's favourite dessert.

"Love?"

The soft voice startles you, yelping as you dropped the cake pan.

"Shit!"

Robin stands there in all her glory. She looks exhausted, eye bags worse than before and shoulders sagged but to you she was still the most beautiful woman you have ever laid your eyes on.

"Everything okay?"

She tries to smile at you but it looks so forced. You feel your heart clenching in your chest as you pick up the cake pan from the ground, moving it back onto the counter.

"Baby, just let me take care of you tonight?"

You pull her in close, hugging her tight. She freezes at first, before completely melting in your grasp. She lets out a shaky sigh as she buries her head in the crook of your neck.

"I missed you."

Her voice is muffled against your shoulder but you just smile as you tiptoe to press a kiss to her forehead.

"I missed you so much, baby." You pull away, cupping her face with your hands as you brush your thumb against her cheek. "You look beautiful."

"Don't lie."

She gets flustered so easily, face turning pink as she looks away but she can't stop the small smile from forming on her face.

"I'm not. You look beautiful."

She sighs as she looks back at you, and the tired expression on your usual warm and happy girlfriend really does hurt you. The way the media can tear people down into nothing but the most insecure parts of themselves has always rubbed the wrong way with you but watching it happen to the one you love most is absolutely heartbreaking.

"I made you dinner?"

"I saw."

Her smile is not as forced now as she looks around the kitchen, a soft giggle escaping her lips.

"Quite a mess you made."

You just shoot an embarrassed grin at her as you tried to hide the cake pan behind your back.

"Well, I'm not a good cook."

"I think you did amazing."

She steps forward, caging you between the counter and herself.

"You make the worst days brighter, you know?"

"You make each of my days better. It's only fair I do the same to you."

Robin looks down, playing with her hands.

"I don't deserve you."

"Oh shut up."

The kiss was soft, gentle and loving. She cups your cheeks as she steps closer, bodies pressed against each other as you pour all the love you can convey through a simple act.

"I love you. I really love you so much, Robin." You say breathlessly to her when you pull away. She doesn't say much, only resting her head on your shoulder as she takes your hand into her own, lacing your fingers together.

"And I'm so proud of you for your new comeback. You've worked so hard and it paid off. You keep outdoing yourself and the people who don't see that can fuck off and die."

She sighs.

"No need for the violence, yeah?"

"Violence is always the answer."

You feel your heart flutter when she lets out a soft laugh, like a songbird's first melody of a new spring.

"You do whatever you want." She says, resting a hand on your chest as she leans in to press a quick but soft kiss to your lips. "Thank you- for this."

"Always."

The food you cooked was mostly inedible- resorting to the two of you ordering takeout together but you couldn't care less about the burnt cakes or undercooked mac and cheese. Robin is smiling again, and that's all you wanted to achieve for the night.

Response to: Robin's recent comeback- a miserable failure.

Robinsdog: op do u not have a life

servallandau_official: No one thinks this.

⤷ talesofthewinterlandsfan222: serval spitting facts but also what r u diong here

⤷ servallandau_official: Do I know you?

⤷ talesofthewinterlandsfan222: ENEVRMIND

march4robin: im giong to find u my entire crew is oing to find u we will run out train into u

galaticstelleballer: i am also going to run my train into u. and my bat. both at the same time.

⤷ dh: Guys please.

Sunday_Oakfamily: We are taking this post and the writer off the platform.

The article you are searching for no longer exists.

[suskz]

Can you write Bang Chan manhandling Felix?

Yours | Chanlix

pairings: Chanlix, (also Jeonglix, mentioned Hyunin and poly!skz)

w/c: 3.3k

t/w: smut ; fluff at the end ; butt plug ; crying ; exhibitionism kink (no exhibitionism) ; kinda fwb i guess?? ; blowjob ; facefucking ; manhandling ; semi-public sex ; mirror sex ; daddy kink (quick, act surprised!) ; slight dacryphilia ; pet names (baby, puppy) ; degradation (and names) ; praise ; coming untouched ; coming inside.

a/n: anon, i don’t know who you are, but just know that I love you. I hope you enjoy!

18+, MINORS DO NOT INTERACT

Chan can imagine him: sprawled out on the bed, head thrown back, long hair messy against the pillow, eyes half-closed and tear-filled, cheeks and ears flushed, fists gripping the sheets desperately.

He can’t see him, though.

He can hear his sobs, his voice muffled —probably by Jeongin’s hand— his sounds no longer hoarse as they were at first but higher-pitched and whimpery.

He can hear the sound of their bodies slapping together and Felix’s pleas to slow down or go faster, harder. He’s always so indecisive, his baby.

His loud moans are always so difficult for him to hold back —and he’s always so cute trying; tiny hands rushing to cover his mouth, teeth biting his shirt, or his face buried into the pillow—, and everyone in the house can always hear them. Not that they have any complaints.

Like Chan, Minho, and Jisung at the moment, sitting on the couch; the only others in the apartment besides the other two.

They were supposed to be working on a song's lyrics, but it became quite difficult once Felix’s high cries started echoing.

Minho and Jisung made excuses to leave, coming up with something about needing to go shopping because some things are missing at home —nonsense, Seungmin went grocery shopping two days ago. Chan knows full well that they’re just turned on and need to help each other out.

He stays there, seated in front of the coffee table with all the sheets still scattered around, painfully hard in his pants the entire time, until the sounds come to an end, and then Chan has to go, too.

He’s so aroused from hearing all those pretty sounds from the blond and really needs to fuck him, making him go dumb until his brain can’t think about anything but the man on top of him and the only word falling from his lips is Chan’s name.

But he’s just been fucked, and Chan would feel so guilty for having his turn right after. The little one would be so tired.

But what’s to stop him the next day, seeing Jeongin so touchy with Felix?

Chan isn’t the jealous type, and he could never be jealous of Jeongin —besides, Felix isn’t just his, but everyone’s.

But something clicked in him seeing how Jeongin spent all practice sticking as close as possible to Felix: how he hugged him from behind in front of the mirror during the break, how his arm rested on Felix’s shoulders while Minho explained a dance move, or how the blond’s head leaned on the younger’s chest on the couch while the latter had an arm around his waist.

Chan isn’t the jealous type; it’s just that he feels the need to mark him as his, to show the others who he truly belongs to.

Nothing stops him from holding Felix back a little longer in the practice room while everyone else leaves.

Chan’s eyes fixate on the point where Jeongin’s lips meet Felix’s before they part, and Hyunjin seems to be observing the same thing —oh, Jeongin is fucked, literally.

Once everyone is out and the door closes, Felix turns to Chan, who is apparently sorting some papers, “What’s up?”

“I heard you and Jeongin yesterday, while Minho, Jisung, and I were trying to work on the song.” He says directly, and he can feel Felix’s eyes widen, even if he can’t see him.

“U-uh, I’m sorry,” the younger fidgets with his fingers. “I couldn’t keep my voice down.” He says in a lower tone, embarrassed and guilty for having disturbed them.

Chan turns in his direction, and when he sees the blond, his eyes seem to darken. He steps closer, “You know, we couldn’t get anything done yesterday, because of the noises.”

Felix is about to apologize again, but he’s interrupted, “You got me so hard I couldn’t concentrate anymore.”

These words go straight to the younger’s cock, which twitches with pride at knowing he had aroused Chan.

Chan stops in front of him and threads a hand through his hair, “You need someone to remind you how to behave.” He grabs the long blond strands and pulls his head back.

Felix lets out a moan at the sudden action.

“Slut.” Chan comments harshly, pulling the younger’s face closer to his by his hair.

He notices Felix’s eyes flick nervously to the door for a moment. Chan softens his voice just for a second, “None of the staff will come in for another 30 minutes,” he whispers. “Now get on your knees.” He releases his hair, and Felix drops to his knees.

As he realizes he’s semi-hard in his pants, he hears the metallic sound of a belt unbuckling and a zipper being pulled down.

Chan lowers his pants just enough to pull out his cock, already starting to harden. He holds it in his hand and rubs the tip against Felix’s lips, who looks up at him and sticks out his tongue, just like he was taught.

Chan rests the tip on his tongue and moves his hips back and forth for a few seconds, rubbing himself against the wet muscle. Felix feels so helpless and unwanted, the need to be used growing inside him.

When he pulls back, Felix lets out a whine, “I want to suck your cock, please. Let me put it in my mouth, I’ll make you feel so good-” Felix knows how much Chan likes it when he begs, but he gasps in surprise when his cock slaps his cheek.

“I don’t want to hear any whining out of your mouth, understood?” Another slap, and this time his own cock responds, leaking a bead of precum in his boxers, which now feel so tight.

“Sorry.” Felix apologizes so sweetly that Chan’s eyes soften slightly.

“Spit.” Chan orders, and Felix obediently lets some saliva slip from his lips onto Chan’s cock, which he starts stroking slowly to harden.

Felix looks at him with eyes full of lust, making it impossible for the older man to resist pushing two fingers into his mouth, pressing down on his tongue, going deep enough to reach the knuckles. And Felix doesn’t gag around them, just like a good boy.

Chan’s cock twitches in his hand, and his grip tightens, the sight drawing a moan from his lips.

Felix instinctively moves his head back and forth on the fingers, sucking and swirling his tongue around them, not caring about the saliva dripping down his chin. Because he loves it just like this —wet and messy. This goes on until the  man withdraws his fingers and brings the tip back to his lips, and Felix opens his mouth with his tongue out, eager to have it down his throat but remaining still and patient.

“Fuck my throat?” he asks in such an innocent tone that Chan wonders if it’s possible to sound like that in this situation.

“Oh, I will.” Chan assures before pushing past his lips.

A trembling breath leaves his lips at the feeling of his warm, wet mouth, and he groans as he manages to push it all the way down his throat without any gag reflex.

“Such a good boy, just like we taught you.” Chan praises, stroking his cheek, and Felix leans into his touch.

Felix’s hands are resting on his thighs, itching to touch the older man, but he keeps them in place as he knows he should while Chan begins moving without giving him much time to adjust.

His hips move back and forth slowly, and the wet squelching sounds that the action creates are the only noises filling the silence in the room. Chan moans, tangling his fingers in Felix’s hair and picking up the pace.

Saliva drips from Felix’s mouth down his chin, landing on his pants. Felix moans around his cock, squeezing his legs together as the vibrations from his voice draw a soft whimper from Chan. Felix’s eyes are teary, and he can feel snot ready to drip from his nose.

Felix lets his jaw go slack.

“G-good boy,” Chan finally looks at him. When Felix raises his eyes to meet his, the sight makes Chan groan and thrust harder. “You love having your mouth filled, don’t you, baby?” Chan coos the last words, “Look at you, crying on daddy’s cock. That’s what you get for not keeping quiet.” Felix digs his nails into his thighs through his pants. He knows he must look like a mess right now, but he only cares about pleasing the man in front of him, so much so that he forgets about his own aching erection, trapped in his boxers.

His hands move to the waistband of his pants, ready to pull them down and free his hard cock, but Chan notices and presses a foot over his hands before he can. Felix looks up at him with a pleading expression and whimpers. He feels Chan’s movements slow down.

“Who gave you permission to touch yourself?” His hips stop completely, his cock resting in the warm comfort of the younger one’s mouth.

Felix tries to say something, but his voice is muffled by the cock in his mouth. Chan pulls out to let him speak, trying —and failing— to hide a whimper that Felix hears clearly.

Felix tries to swallow his saliva a couple of times, failing. “I-I wasn’t t-trying to touch myself,” he insists, his voice coming out hoarse. Chan raises an eyebrow, his fingers still threaded through Felix’s blond locks. “I just wanted to p-pull my pants down ‘cause they’re uncomfortable.”

Under Chan’s gaze, Felix feels so small and guilty.

Chan sighs in feigned exasperation. “You can’t even finish one job without needing attention, can you? Such a greedy boy.”

Felix opens his mouth to object, but he doesn’t get the chance to speak as Chan interrupts, “Stand up and strip.”

Felix stands up, hesitates for a moment, but then lowers his pants and places them on a chair, remaining in his boxers and t-shirt.

Chan steps closer to him, lifts his shirt above his chest, and licks a line of skin from his nipple to the waistband of his boxers. Felix’s breathing grows heavier as he feels Chan slowly lick along his inner thigh, lifting the fabric of his boxers to get even closer to his groin, teasing him.

He leaves wet kisses and bites on his thigh, slowly moving behind him, where he lowers his underwear, revealing his ass and a little surprise that makes Chan’s breath hitch.

His mouth trails distractedly up the blond’s back as he straightens. His hands roam over Felix’s hips before moving to his naked ass, where he runs two fingers over the toy nestled between his cheeks.

“And what would this be, hm?” Chan takes it in his hand and begins to move it back and forth slowly, making Felix gasp.

“J-Jeongin made me put it in.”

Chan thrusts it in harder, making Felix moan and bite his lower lip.

“And you immediately obeyed that request. What a filthy boy you are. You love the idea of having your hole full in front of all of us without anyone knowing, don’t you? Acting all innocent around us while hiding such a dirty secret.”

Felix’s breath catches. His mind focuses on the movement of the plug going in and out of him and on Chan’s hand gripping his hip tightly. His eyes look ahead, but he doesn’t really pay attention to the mirror reflecting them.

The plug is suddenly pulled out, making him whine, but is immediately replaced by Chan’s hard cock.

Felix yelps in surprise, and Chan’s hand moves to cover his mouth. His eyes fill with tears again as he whimpers into the hand.

“We have to be quiet. We don’t want to be heard, do we?”

Felix nods obediently, but his untouched cock twitches at the thought that someone might have heard, and Chan notices. “But you’d like that, wouldn’t you, hm?” He starts moving his hips back and forth without giving Felix time to adjust —not that he particularly needs it. “You’d like it if someone walked in on us right now, wouldn’t you? You’d want them to see your fucked-up face from daddy’s cock, huh?”

Felix moans as Chan removes his hand, “Y-yes, daddy.”

“Look at yourself,” Chan says, lifting Felix’s face with a hand to make him look at his own reflection in the mirrored wall, “Look at the slut you’ve become for me. Following orders just like a little puppy, always ready to spread your legs at any moment.”

Both of Chan’s hands grip his hips, holding him steady, and Felix is forced to bend over with his hands on the mirror for balance.

“Letting yourself get fucked even in the practice room,” Chan groans, “Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?” His voice comes out more affected than he’d prefer, hips faltering for a moment.

Felix’s hands and breath fog up the mirror, his face pressed against the surface as his legs tremble with each strong thrust.

He sobs as Chan hits his prostate and whimpers when Chan’s hand smacks his ass hard. His cock leaks precum onto the floor, and Chan needs every ounce of self-control to stop himself from dropping to his knees and licking up every single drop.

“C-Chris, go f-faster, please.” Felix feels like he might cry if Chan doesn’t pick up the pace, struggling to keep his voice down.

“Finally learning to keep your voice down, huh? Good boy.”

Felix’s stomach does a backflip at the praise after all the degradation —not that he minded it at all.

Felix’s legs feel like they might give out at any moment, and Chan notices. His eyes fill with adoration.

“Hold onto me.” Felix doesn’t understand at first, but when he does, he reaches back and grabs onto the older man’s muscular shoulders.

Chan’s hands slip behind Felix’s thighs, gripping them harshly and lifting his legs, bringing Felix’s knees to his chest. Felix moans in surprise and clings to him even tighter.

“Better.” Chan groans and starts moving again, the sweet sounds from Felix’s lips returning as his face twists in a giddy expression, biting his lower lip to stifle the sounds.

For his own amusement, Chan spreads his legs wider. “Look at yourself,” he demands. Felix opens his half-closed eyes to gaze at his reflection in the mirror, but he immediately regrets it as shame washes all over him.

His ears turn even redder, and he tries to ignore the way his stomach tightens deliciously at the sight.

His legs shake with each thrust, and his eyes well with tears, but he can’t tear them away from the pornographic reflection in front of him.

“C-Chan, it’s- it’s embarrassing…” Felix whines.

“But you love it.” Felix quickly shakes his head at the words, sobbing at a particularly hard thrust that hits his prostate. “And yet you keep watching yourself. Look at you, crying on my cock. You’re just so easy to handle.”

Felix doesn’t respond. His eyes are fixed on the way the older man’s fingers press into his thighs. He bites his lower lip, hoping they’ll leave little marks so he can remember this. Not that he’ll forget anyway.

Chan breathes against his shoulder, his soft moans reaching Felix’s ears. Now that Felix notices, Chan seems more affected than he did just before.

The older man has a focused expression, panting as his eyes are glued to the way his own cock thrusts in and out the younger’s stretched hole, the latter’s cock bouncing with each movement.

“Your tight little hole feels so good.” He starts leaving open-mouthed kisses on the other’s neck, “How does daddy’s dick feel? Huh?”

“G-good, feels so good.” Finally, tears start to roll down his cheeks, his mind clouded with pleasure and his body trembling.

“Aw, baby, let go,” Chan breathes, “C-cry for me.” Chan’s cock twitches inside Felix, dribbles of cum leaking from it’s red tip, and Felix sniffles.

“I-I’m close,” he cries, “P-please, I’m gonna cum.” His voice turns urgent and desperate.

Suddenly, Chan brings him back down to the floor, making Felix gasp. He would have fallen if Chan’s strong hands weren’t holding him.

“Oh my god.” Felix moans, his voice high-pitched and eyes rolling back.

Chan guides Felix’s hips, making him thrust back onto his cock, fast and hard, driving him closer to his high. But he won’t give it to him so easily.

Felix closes his eyes, his hands fogging up the mirror. He almost feels sorry for whoever will have to clean it later. “‘M so close, please.”

“Almost.”

Felix cries out, hands reaching for something to grip that isn’t there. He tries moving his hips on his own, trying to get some kind of control.

“Please, Channie, please! Let me cum, please.”

“Hold it.” Chan orders him, choking out a moan from Felix.

“I c-can’t, I need to cum so bad, please, I-I can’t hold it.” Felix pleads, desperate for release.

“Who do you belong to?” Chan asks suddenly. It’s not a question he feels the need to have the expected answer to, but it’s always fun to tease the younger one a little.

“You,” Felix’s voice is shaky as he tries his best to obey and hold it, “Y-you, all yours, b-belong to you!” He says maybe a bit too loudly, but who is he to care at this moment, when all he can think about is the orgasm that’s about to overtake him?

“Is that so?” The sound of skin slapping against skin is louder in the room now, and Chan’s voice tries to remain steady but fails, revealing just how affected he really is.

“Yes! Yes!” Felix cries, his high dangerously close and probably now out of his control.

“Good.” Felix takes this as permission, and immediately he’s shaking and squirming in Chan’s hands, who follows right after, buried deep inside him, as Felix’s cum spurts onto the floor and partly onto the mirror.

They are panting as they come down from their highs, trying to regulate their breaths.

“Still with me?” Chan checks, still holding him by the hips to prevent him from falling to the floor, leaning forward to see his face, which is turned down with his head resting against the surface of the mirror.

“Mhm.” Felix whimpers softly with a heavy breath.

Chan is grateful to always have baby wipes on hand in his bag —as he says, ‘you never know’, and this situation is a perfect example— because it takes him hardly any time to clean them both up, and he even wipes the floor while Felix sits on a chair, despite having insisted on cleaning up his mess himself.

“All done,” Chan says as he stands back up and goes to Felix to toss the dirty wipes in the bin beside him. “The staff will be here shortly, we need to go.”

Felix nods, but before getting up, he pouts his lips, seeking a kiss, which Chan gives him only after imprinting a picture of his cute face looking up at him with big eyes into his mind.

The older man smiles into the kiss, and when Felix feels it, he smiles back, and they both chuckle with their lips still connected.

The younger wraps his arms around Chan’s neck, not wanting to let go and wanting to stay like this even for hours, with his lips against Chan’s soft ones. But they can’t, not right now.

“We’ll cuddle when we get back to the dorms, okay?” Chan promises him.

“No, I want cuddles now.” Felix shows no intention of letting go; in fact, he clings to him even more, burying his face in Chan’s shoulder.

Chan sighs with an affectionate smile and wraps his arms around him in a tight but gentle hold. He lifts Felix up, and Felix wraps his legs around his waist.

Chan grabs his bag and walks toward the exit. “I guess we’ll have to go out like this.”

“At least the others will understand to whom I belong.” Felix teases him with a smirk.

Chan’s ears turn red, and he slaps his butt in admonishment, “Brat.”

[mins-fins]

self control — [ mark lee — 엔시티. ]

where no matter how stubborn he may be, it's only you that mark lee really wants.. | now playing ❅

people tend to do the worst of things to cope when they're unhappy.

for mark, it's many things. scribbling down equally depressive song lyrics, smoking, retreating himself from everyone, drinking, the occasional late night hookup..

and also standing in front of his ex boyfriends door at eleven pm.

listen, mark isn't an easy guy. you two have already been broken up for months, it isn't as if this is some planned decision, it's a spare of the moment arbitration that mark would've never made if he was in his right mind.

but the thing is, he is in his right mind. it's not like he's drunk or high, he could use the excuse that his feet dragged him all the way over here, yet you would never take that with any sort of reason. it was either this or sinking back into his work, which he doesn't exactly want to do.

he contemplates as he stares at your door, just fucking brown hard wood. nothing special. he clears his throat as he raises his fist to land a knock, his anxiety rising as silence again fills the hallway.

he hears shuffling behind other doors, jazz music faintly playing, a few neighbors arguing, but it's all tuned out in favor of the the footsteps rapidly approaching behind your door. he thinks he might have enough time to ru—

"..oh, hi".

your tone is inquiring, and mark understands why. seeing your ex in front of your door after three months of simply silence is strange, and there's nothing behind your eyes but pure confusion.

mark stares with his big eyes bugged out freakishly, he blinks as he collects the words he so desperately rehearsed before deciding to knock your door. "uh— hi, i'm sorry i don't know why.."

he can't speak, because you're looking at him with those eyes. it's really hard to focus when everything is happening.

"can we talk?"

seamless segway, your eyes drag over mark's entire figure, he tenses up in a way he knows you can clearly sense. "sure" you whisper, face scrunching at your tone.

mark enters and immediately wants to shrink. he likes your place, he always has loved your place, it's why he preferred going to you in comparison to you going to him. the expanse of a space holds solace, memories, and many moments of drunk sobbing that mark's lips take an upturn at.

"so why do you want to talk?"

oh, right, his excuse, mark's lips take a downturn. his hands shove into his pockets as he rocks back and forth on his heels, his tongue coming to lick at his lips. it's so strange to see you act so normal,

okay so maybe averting eyes and cheeks that are tinted red can't be described as 'normal' around your ex.

"i don't, i lied and i didn't know what to say when i saw you actually opened your door for me".

you pause, then, you chuckle, head topping downward as your gaze laser focuses on the floor. "that's funny.."

"yeah".

good god it's awkward.

you shrug your shoulders, spinning on your heel as you motion towards the kitchen. "do you want hot chocolate?"

mark shakes his head silently, settling onto your couch, quickly sinking into the comfortable cushions.

you blink, sighing as you settle beside him, the air again growing awkward as you place your hands into your lap, exhaustion clear in your eyes.

"is this weird?"

"after three months yeah" you snicker at your own words. "i probably would've understood if you came around like a few weeks after? but this was really random.."

"yeah".

"so what gives?"

"i.."

i missed you, no i miss you, i want you so bad, i'm sorry for overworking myself then dismissing your worries, random people at bars can't compare to you y/n, i want you back.

"i don't know".

you hum, kissing your teeth.

mark intently watches the movement of your lips and absolutely hates himself for doing so.

"it's not normal to randomly show up at your exes place, mark".

you didn't have to tell mark that, he opts to glance away on his shame. you relax your back against the cushion, biting the inside of your cheek. "so either you want me back.. or you're going to assassinante me".

oh well, you've always been good at reading mark's mind.

mark straightens his posture, scooting closer. "i miss you" he whispers, sucking his teeth at his own words. he sounds like some desperate loser who never got over his ex, oh wait.. that is what he is.

who cares? it's past ten o'clock, being ashamed of his actions is simply not needed. "a lot.. it's embarrassing".

"not really that embarrassing if you just told me right now".

mark is very desperate, his hands find purchase on your legs. you stare, and he stares back, eye contact much too difficult to avoid. "i don't know, it still kinda is.." he draws shapes into your pants, eyes flitting towards your lips.

how obvious can he be?

his eyes again widen exponentially as you catch him staring bright as day. well, he threw shame out of the window a long long time ago.

"did you miss me too?"

you contemplate on your words, a trial that only gets the anxiety back up on mark's tail. his bottom lip is caught between his teeth, a certain look in his eye that you seem to find amusing.

mark begins chewing on his lip as he impatiently awaits an answer, maybe he should shout, or scream, or.. something, it's embarrassing how spontaneous his responses are.

and he's about to scream, but you decide to answer his question by leaning forward, soft lips pressing against his.

they've always been soft, well chapped, a smooth force that seem to contrast with his own. he unfortunately can't keep his composure, letting his arms come up to wrap around your neck as you fall backward, mark messily staggering into your lap as he keeps you two pressed together.

it would be an understatement to say that he's addicted, your hands slide down towards his hips, and he sighs against your lips. he tugs you closer, as if the heat radiating from you isn't enough, as if he wants to be one with you.

his left hand comes down to cradle the side of your face, nothing else mattering. maybe your neighbors have begun fighting again, the women across the hall is baking chocolate chip cookies, your package might've arrived just now, but fuck it, who cares? mark knows he doesn't.

the only reason for separation is air, but mark could fathom kissing you until he ran out of breath, his fingers beginning to play with the hem of your shirt as he watches the rise and fall of your chest.

"yeah" your voice has a rasp to it that makes mark dizzy for a second. "missed you too".

mark parts his lips, staring down at yours. his eyes are blown wide, sparkling under the light of the lamp which barely illuminates the living room. "then maybe you should kiss me again".

you snort, but you oblige once more, allowing for mark to capture his soft lips once again. they taste like cherries, oh you never change, mark is positively going crazy. after a month of shady motel rooms including people he can barely remember, mark could never get you out of his mind.

mark tugs at your bottom lip, another small breath falling from his lips. he doesn't like cherries much, he just likes how they taste on your lips.

"you know exes don't do this right?"

mark pinches your collarbone, drawing a wince. "you know how to ruin the mood you.."

he can't exactly collect his words, your smile is taunting. "just don't talk about it".

"then we'll have to awkwardly talk in the morning".

mark shakes his head, cheeks a soft rose red. "who cares? were doing this now".

he isn't exactly sure why he's so.. determined, per say, but maybe kissing just draws something different from him. "so you want to sleep with me then not talk about tomorrow morning?"

"who cares about tomorrow? i'm focusing on right now".

you again decide to snicker, resting your forehead on mark's chest. you clearly find his words extremely amusing, but your fingers begin caressing under his shirt, the ministrations as comforting as they are calming.

"hey," mark softly calls out, eyes lidded heavily. "you know if we don't do this right now, i could die, and do you want me to die without getting in my pants one last time?"

how stupid, mark sees it in the way you laugh. "you're ridiculous".

"but i'm right".

you roll your eyes, still completely smitten. "okay, sure" you then pull him closer. "since you want me so bad".

mark attempts his best scowl. "you're so full of yourself".

your smile is beautiful, but mark still has to feign vexation at the sight. "and you talk too much".

"oh and what are you going to do? shut me u—"

mark yelps as you decide to turn the tables, now having him be the one under you. "yea, gladly".

and maybe mark isn't so against that idea.

[lynzishell]

The Past 💛 Atlas

I’ve finally reached a point where I can sit down and do some work on Ash’s game on my own. It took a lot longer than I thought it would. Not only because his workflow is incredibly chaotic, but also his design is incredibly complex, far more complex than anything we work on at Rainy Day, but it’s fun to feel challenged again.

I’ve spent every night this week in Ash’s living room while he walks me through everything he has so far, sorting out the design and the mechanics, his ideas for the worlds, characters, storylines, objectives, and so on. Yet, it feels like we’ve only scratched the surface.

We work well together, but we’re also easily distracted, often going off on random tangents and talking about everything from our families to school years and childhood friends to experiences we’ve had or want to have; we talk about how fun it would be to have our own indie gaming company one day, if only we could focus on the actual game for longer than an hour at a time.

Last night a song came on that inspired a whole conversation about music and all the songs we used to sing the wrong lyrics to, and some he still sings wrong just to annoy Lex. We started playing a game where we’d give each other a random word or category and the other would have to play a song they liked that fit. At one point I asked him what his guilty pleasure song is.

“Oh, I have dozens of those,” he said, “uh, but the first one that comes to mind is The Boys of Summer.”

“Your guilty pleasure song is an 80’s song?” I was shocked considering the amount of shit he gives me for the majority of my playlist.

“No no no no,” he shook his head, “I should clarify. The original sucks.”

“Of course you think so.”

“Obviously. Okay, but the one I’m talking about is the cover of The Boys of Summer by The Ataris.

“I like the name, but I have no idea who that is,” I admitted.

He laughed as he pulled up the song and told me, “You’re either going to love this or hate it. I’m not sure which.” When he pressed play, all I could do was watch in awe as he shamelessly enjoyed the song, complete with hand motions, air guitar and lip syncing. At one point he leaned in and sang directly to me, “But I don’t understand what happened to our love. But baby when I get you back, I’m gonna show you what I’m made of!” And then he spun away and started dancing to the chorus.  

Before I had a chance to think too hard about whether he was trying to tell me something through the lyrics, he pulled me off the couch to join him. We sang and danced with everything we had until we collapsed onto the couch, out of breath and wiping tears from our eyes.

When we finally calmed down, he pointed at me, “Your turn. What’s your guilty pleasure song?”

“Oh god,” I covered my face, “I can’t believe I’m going to tell you this.”

“Tell me.” He demanded.

“Dancing With Myself by Generation X. I can’t hear it and not sing and dance around my apartment like an idiot.”

“Oh, I have got to see this!” He sat up excitedly to find the song and turn it on… and then cheered when I began clapping my hands to the beat… and then completely lost it and fell over laughing when I sang along with my eerily accurate Billy Idol impersonation.

It’s become one of my favorite things, making him laugh. He has about a dozen different laughs from a rush of air through his teeth, to an infectious giggle, to a loud belly laugh… but my favorite is when he’s laughing so hard that no sound comes out aside from a series of clicks until he finally catches his breath.

It’s so easy with him, to get out of my head, to just relax and be myself.

Not everything is easy, though. I keep telling myself that eventually my feelings will fade, that it will get easier to just be his friend and nothing more, but if anything, it’s getting more difficult. Sometimes when we’re together, all I can think about is sliding my hand over to rest it on his leg, or to pick up his hand and interlace our fingers, or to reach up and hold his face, turning it toward me so I can kiss him. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about kissing him, his lips, his neck, that inch skin above his waistband that sometimes shows when his shirt rides up just enough, every part of him. Sometimes I let my eye contact linger just a little, desperate for him to give me a sign that he still feels the same way, but he never does. On some level, I’m grateful. It’s better this way. I’d only end up hurting him again.

I hear the front door open and close, bringing me out of my daydream and back to my computer screen. I look over what I’ve done so far to make sure I didn’t screw anything up while I drifted away.

A second later, I hear Dawn enter the room and flop onto my bed behind me and I glance at the clock, it’s only two.

“What are you doing here?” I ask.

“Finished early. What are you doing? I thought you weren’t working on Fridays anymore.”

“I’m not. It’s just a side project I’m working on with Ash.”

“Ooooh I see.”

I roll my eyes and change the subject before she can inquire further. “So, why are you on my bed? What do you want?” As I say the words, I’m overcome by the feeling that we’ve done this before.

“For you to take a break and go do something with me." I'm antsy. "I’m antsy.” Her words come out like an echo from my own mind and my whole body feels fuzzy for a moment.

“Have we had this conversation before?”

“No. I don’t think so.”

“Hm. I’m having the weirdest déjà vu.”

“Maybe you’ve been staring at that screen too long. We should get out and do something.”

“What do you have in mind?”

I’m open to suggestions. “I’m open to suggestions.”

Weird. This conversation, the song playing through my speaker, Dawn laying on my bed, me at my computer… everything feels so familiar. “Where’s your boyfriend? Why aren’t you dragging him out?” Even as I ask the question, I know I’ve asked it before.

“He’s busy…” Having coffee with his ex-girlfriend. “Having coffee with his ex-girlfriend.”

Okay, I clearly need some fresh air, and she clearly needs my support right now, so I save my work, lock my computer, and spin around to face her. “Oh, that’s why you’re antsy. Okay, I can take a break, but let’s go outside. We can go for a jog, that’ll get your energy out.”

“Fine, I’ll go change.”

Prev // Deja vu // Next

[zionworkzs]

Okay, but I need to talk about Good Omens and The Sound of Music.

First of all, I’m genuinely obsessed with it being explicitly canon that The Sound of Music exists in the GO universe and is, for some reason, God’s favorite movie. Neil says here that Heaven misses the point of the movie/musical, but I find it incredibly fascinating that Aziraphale outwardly despises it. 

Brief summary of The Sound of Music incoming as well as some really interesting parallels:

So we've got Julie Andrews playing Maria, who is studying to become a nun in an abbey in Salzburg. Problem is, she isn't the best nun, and is often late to chapel and just isn't the shining beacon of holiness that the rest of the nuns expect her to be.

In response to this, the Reverend Mother of the abbey decides to send Maria to live with sexy widower Georg von Trapp, a navy captain who desperately needs help with his seven children. The Captain is a bit of a hard-ass since the death of his wife, and has been treating his kids like little soldiers as well as banning music from the house.

The 7 kids are rambunctious and make things difficult for Maria at first. But one night, a thunderstorm scares them, and they run to Maria for comfort. The kids realize that Maria is really fun, and then later, when their dad is off to Vienna, the kids and Maria end up running around Salzburg singing, dancing, climbing trees, and having a blast.

When the Captain comes home and hears about this, he sends Maria away. But then he overhears the children singing a song Maria taught them and he gets all emo and remembers how much music meant to him and his late wife. He asks Maria to stay after hearing the song, telling her she's brought joy back to their house.

And oops, Maria and the Captain are falling for each other, but the Captain is sort of kind of dating this blonde bombshell.

There's a big fuck-off party, and the Captain and Maria dance together.

But, oh, no, Blondie saw them and can clearly tell they're in love. She tells Maria what she's seen and Maria is freaking out cause she's just realized she's in love.

Mentally, my girl Maria is going through a lot. She thinks she’s disappointed God by falling in love when she was supposed to be doing a job. She feels scared by the depth of her feelings and because of all these emotions, she runs away. Back to the Abbey. Back to presumed safety.

Mother Superior figures out what happened real quick and tells Maria that she isn’t wrong for falling in love. She sends her back to the Von Trapps, and it's such a great scene. If you wanna watch, I included a link below.

Maria goes back, and the kids are elated and she and the Captain confess their feelings (and oh my god, don't even get me started on the lyrics to the song they sing to each other while confessing, Something Good).

(I’m unwell.)

So that's the Sound of Music. There's a subplot going on with WW2 and the Captain being pressured to join the Nazi regime (which he is very against). King, we love him.

I pointed out some obvious parallels, but I'd also like to pull some random thoughts together here:

Mother Superior (God) is the one that sends Maria (Aziraphale) to help the Von Trapps (humans) in the first place.

Maria (Aziraphale) extends grace and patience with the children (humans) and refuses to give up on them, even going so far as to disobey their father by letting them fuck around and be kids (going against God's wishes and giving humans the flaming sword).

Mother Superior (God) also sends Maria (Aziraphale) back to the Von Trapps after realizing that Maria (Aziraphale) is in love with the Captain (Crowley).

Here's to hoping we see God telling Azi that loving a demon is chill and he should go back to earth in S3.

Overall, it's incredibly amusing to me that Aziraphale, our Aziraphale, doesn't like The Sound of Music, with the main plot being about a woman who choses love over religious obligations and a man who rejects an authoritarian regime so that he might make his own way in the world.

Maybe Aziraphale recognizes the parallels and is in denial. Or maybe he just prefers Sondheim...

[sevenboarproductions]

[IDOLiSH7] [Part 6] Chapter 12: In a quiet night

6.12.1. - The right mindset

Kujou Tenn: Good work. 

Staff: Good work! I’m looking forward to “New Black or White”! Do your best!

Yaotome Gaku: Thank you very much.

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Good work!

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Tenn, are you going back to Kujou-san’s house today as well? 

Kujou Tenn: Lately, Kujou-san keeps going on business trips. And I can’t leave Aya alone, so… 

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: She’s a girl, after all. Tell me if there’s anything I can do to help. 

Kujou Tenn: Thanks.

Yaotome Gaku: If he keeps going on business trips, is Kujou working on something big? 

Kujou Tenn: I wonder… He won’t talk to me properly. But it seems that he said the truth about staying home being hard on him, though.

Yaotome Gaku: Why would that be hard? Did he argue with Aya-chan?

Kujou Tenn: Well, kind of… 

Yaotome Gaku: If something happened, just talk to us. Don’t worry about it by yourself. 

Kujou Tenn: Yeah… Well, see you tomorrow. 

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: I wonder if Tenn will be fine…

Yaotome Gaku: He’ll come to us if things get too out of hand. At least I’ve had that sort of impression lately.

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: The impression that Tenn trusts us?

Yaotome Gaku: The impression that he’ll let us spoil him. He seems like someone who’s never been spoiled in a non-calculated way. He sucks at giving signs that he wants it, though.  

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Aah, I get that… I’m also getting the feeling that cautiously, bit by bit, he’s trying to reach out and join hands with us.

Yaotome Gaku: That was unthinkable for Tenn before. Even when he cried during the street live, he was TRIGGER’s standard. 

Yaotome Gaku: Even right now, he is doing his best trying to get used to being the youngest when he’s with us. It’s different when he’s on stage, though. 

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: TRIGGER stays TRIGGER but at the same time we continue to change. I think that’s interesting. 

Yaotome Gaku: It’s cool, right? If we keep changing, we’ll never be done.

Yaotome Gaku: If we’re never done, that means that there is no end, either. 

--

Kujou Tenn: I’m back.

Kujou Aya: Ah… Welcome home, Tenn-onii-chan. Kujou-san said he is sleeping somewhere else tonight again. 

Kujou Tenn: I heard as much. You made dinner, right? Thank you. 

Kujou Aya: You know… Can I ask you something weird? 

Kujou Tenn: Go ahead. You can ask me anything. 

Kujou Aya: Uhm, well… It’s about a friend! My friend confessed to the person they like, and they got rejected. 

Kujou Tenn: I see…

Kujou Aya: But they still love them… How long should they wait so it’s fine to confess once more?

Kujou Tenn: …Like a retry? 

Kujou Aya: Yes.

Kujou Tenn: …

Kujou Tenn: I think that your friend has earnestly confessed, but the person who rejected them also earnestly thought about it before rejecting them.

Kujou Tenn: Wouldn’t that person think that if your friend confessed again, their own earnest feelings weren’t accepted, either? 

Kujou Aya: But… I often hear stories about people getting attacked fiercely, giving in and then going out after all or something? 

Kujou Aya: Retry and retry and retry, and then reaching the finish-mark as a married couple thanks to tenacity!

Kujou Tenn: …That sort of story, well… It does happen, but… 

Kujou Aya: So it might be the same for the person my friend likes! How do I put it, like valuing your own persistence and retrying… a person chasing after their dream… 

Kujou Tenn: Ah— Certainly… 

Kujou Aya: So what do you think? If it was about you, Tenn-onii-chan, how many days of waiting would be the most favourable for a retry? 

Kujou Tenn: …The most favourable retry, huh… 

Kujou Aya: Never give up, never lose, never die. It shows up a lot in the lyrics of love songs, too, so…

Kujou Tenn: …Certainly…

Kujou Aya: Never die. 

Kujou Tenn: Never die, huh…

Kujou Tenn: …By the way, to change the topic, with Kujou-san taking so many business trips like this, aren’t you lonely, Aya? 

Kujou Tenn: Besides, until now, you were with Kujou-san when he moved around, so I think things must have been very hard on you, Aya.

Kujou Tenn: Isn’t it about time we look for a quiet place for you to live? 

Kujou Aya: A quiet place…? 

Kujou Tenn: By your real brother’s side.

Kujou Aya: …

Kujou Tenn: If you want to continue to be with Kujou-san as his daughter, it’s fine for you to continue living like this, too, though. 

Kujou Tenn: If you want to be with Kujou-san for a different reason, it would end up being weird if you don’t get rid of your standpoint as his daughter first, right? 

Kujou Aya: …That’s… That might be true, but… 

Kujou Tenn: Yotsuba Tamaki is still a student, but he’s a kind, cheerful, dependable and reliable person. 

Kujou Tenn: It’s about time you properly talked for once? It’ll turn out alright, you’re siblings after all. 

Kujou Aya: …Did you talk to him, Tenn-onii-chan? Your real brother. 

Kujou Tenn: We talked. On the stage of the “Zero” musical. Bathing in the lights there, we didn’t need any words. 

Kujou Tenn: We were born together. But we can’t keep holding hands. I’m sure we’ll be walking different paths from now on.

Kujou Tenn: Still, we couldn’t replace each other. The same goes for you and Yotsuba Tamaki, as well as for you and Kujou-san. Please have a proper talk with him. 

Kujou Aya: …Yeah…

Kujou Aya: I’ll try talking to Tamaki-nii-chan… 

--

Ousaka Sougo: Manager…

Takanashi Tsumugi: Yes. Did something happen?

Ousaka Sougo: Regarding “New Black or White”... I was wondering if there’s still open seats for priority guests. 

Takanashi Tsumugi: Ah… Could this be about your parents, Sougo-san? 

Ousaka Sougo: Yes… I want to try inviting them. 

Ousaka Sougo: I don’t think they’ll come. My mother might come, but she’s not the type of person who would go against my father… 

Ousaka Sougo: I’m sorry about wasting the seat space, but…

Takanashi Tsumugi: You don’t know that yet. But regarding the arrangements, I understand! I will get things ready!

Ousaka Sougo: Thank you.

Takanashi Tsumugi: I’ll get in touch with people right away. 

Ousaka Sougo: Please do. 

(footsteps)

Ousaka Sougo: …………

Ousaka Sougo: Even though it took a long time, with this, something will finally end… 

Ousaka Sougo: And the life of the new me will start. 

--

Natsume Minami: This is the demo of the new song. Please listen to it.

Inumaru Touma: It’s finally completed! 

Isumi Haruka: It’s the song we’ll sing as “New Black or White”! 

Midou Torao: What kind of song is it? How did it turn out?

Natsume Minami: Let me just say that I have no intention of being criticized by everyone. 

Natsume Minami: I will not listen to anything but praise.

Midou Torao: You don’t have to be so menacing…

Inumaru Touma: So it’s about building confidence, right?

Natsume Minami: …. Well… That’s true… …

Inumaru Touma: Well, I’m looking forward to it! 

Isumi Haruka: What’s the title?

Natsume Minami: Did I not tell you?

Natsume Minami: It’s “Utopia”.

Isumi Haruka: That’s a nice title!! Ah, it started. …Ooh! 

Inumaru Touma: Aah…!

Midou Torao: Hee…!

Natsume Minami: What is this reaction supposed to be…? 

Inumaru Touma: It’s good!

Isumi Haruka: It’s cool!

Midou Torao: I like it!

Natsume Minami: This is exactly why people who lack vocabulary are so… Praise me more, please, properly. 

Inumaru Touma: The best of the best! Mina, you’re a genius! 

Isumi Haruka: With this song, ŹOOḼ is definitely gonna win!!

Midou Torao: It’s perfect! The entire world will bow to Minami! 

Natsume Minami: …Alright!

Inumaru Touma: You’re unusually excited…

Natsume Minami: Let’s listen to it from the start once more. Please praise the lines one by one. 

Isumi Haruka: It’s super super super cool!! Only Minami can make songs like this! You’re number one! 

Midou Torao: Aah! Now we can't afford to lose. Let’s win with this song.

Natsume Minami: Yes. Absolutely. Since you said that, please put your body on the line, too. 

Midou Torao: Eh?

Inumaru Touma: Like, “show me some bold moves”. What do you think about something like that? 

Isumi Haruka: Isn’t that nice!? Let’s be bold! Torao, can you do it?

Midou Torao: Huh… Who do you think you’re asking? 

Inumaru Touma: Alright, I’m slowly getting the hang of how to get Tora’s motivation.

(door opens)

Utsugi Shirou: Excuse me. 

Isumi Haruka: Utsugi-san. Did you hear the song Minami made?

Utsugi Shirou: Yes. I listened to it a bit earlier. An incredible song has descended upon earth.

Utsugi Shirou: Natsume-san. I cannot express it in words very well, so I will write a 10,000 character report about it later.

Natsume Minami: Fufu. Thank you very much. 

Utsugi Shirou: Since the new song is finished now, there is someone I want to introduce to you.

Isumi Haruka: Someone you want to introduce to us…? 

~ to be continued ~

--

6.12.2. - Moonlight

Inumaru Touma: Are they coming here right now?

Utsugi Shirou: No. He said he wanted to say hello using a webcam. I’ll set up my computer now. 

Natsume Minami: …What kind of person is it?

Utsugi Shirou: Uhm, wait a second, please. I’m connected to them via this headset right now, so I’ll confirm things before switching to speaker.

Utsugi Shirou: Hello? Did you decide on the settings?

Isumi Haruka: …Decide on the settings…?

Utsugi Shirou: Anything’s fine. Eh? Ah… Ugh, what a pain. I get it, I get it.

Inumaru Touma: That’s a lot of arrangements… 

Utsugi Shirou: Sorry to keep you waiting. I would like to introduce you to a world-renowned event artist teacher.

Midou Torao: I didn’t have the feeling you were talking to a world-renowned teacher, though… 

Natsume Minami: What is the teacher’s name? 

Utsugi Shirou: Ah, that’s right… Please wait a moment.

Utsugi Shirou: What should I do? What’re you gonna do? Did you decide yet?

Inumaru Touma: He said “Did you decide yet?”... 

Isumi Haruka: Isn’t he introducing us to a really shady teacher? This manager… 

Utsugi Shirou: Sorry to keep you waiting. This is Moonlight Ichirou-sensei. 

Natsume Minami: Moonlight Ichirou-sensei…

Midou Torao: Have you heard of him?

Natsume Minami: Unfortunately, I have not, either…  

Utsugi Shirou: Well then, let’s switch to speaker. I’m very sorry, but his camera has a mosaic effect on it… 

Inumaru Touma: Why!? Serious, why!?

Utsugi Shirou: I’m starting.

(beep)

Isumi Haruka: Ah… it started… 

Midou Torao: Can he hear this already?

Natsume Minami: It seems so… Nice to meet you, Moonlight Ichirou-sensei, I am ŹOOḼ’s Natsume Minami.

Moonlight Ichirou: Yes… Nice to meet you.

Moonlight Ichirou: This is Moonlight Ichirou.

Inumaru Touma: …Ryou-san…？

Isumi Haruka: …Isn’t that Ryou-san…？

Midou Torao: …Is that Ryou-san…？

Natsume Minami: …Ryou-san…？

Moonlight Ichirou: Eeh~, to get right to it, before you take on “Black or White”, I’ll give you some advice.

Inumaru Touma: Wait a minute… you’re Ryou-san, right? 

Moonlight Ichirou: I’m not.

Isumi Haruka: You’re Tsukumo Ryou, right?

Moonlight Ichirou: This is Moonlight Jirou.

Midou Torao: The more I listen to it, the more it sounds like Ryou-san… Also, did you say Jirou? 

Moonlight Ichirou: Tch… That’s why I told you, Shirou. Come on, hurry. 

Utsugi Shirou: Wait a sec, I’m trying right now, so… 

Natsume Minami: What settings are you changing on your computer, Utsugi-san…? 

Utsugi Shirou: I apologize. It might be difficult to hear the audio, but… Ah, it’s working.

Moonlight Ichirou: Yes, I am Moonlight Ichirou.

Inumaru Touma: Ah, what’s this, it’s a voice that’s different from Ryou-san… Is what you thought I’d say!?

Isumi Haruka: Stop blatantly using a voice changer!? I mean, you’re Ryou-san, right!?

Moonlight Ichirou: I’m not.

Midou Torao: You’re Ryou-san! Utsugi-san, take down the mosaic effect. 

Utsugi Shirou: Can I? Ryou-kun.

Moonlight Ichirou: No way you can, idiot.

Natsume Minami: He’s calling him Ryou-kun…

Moonlight Ichirou: Anyway, I’ll give you some helpful advice, so listen to what I’m saying. 

Inumaru Touma: It’s been a while, Ryou-san. How have you been? 

Moonlight Ichirou: I haven’t been fine. It’s my first time meeting you.

Isumi Haruka: Did you see “BLAST”?

Moonlight Ichirou: I watched it. Not to the last episode, though.

Midou Torao: It was good, though! I jumped by myself in that one. 

Moonlight Ichirou: I know. I read it in a magazine.  

Natsume Minami: Wanna listen to the new song?

Moonlight Ichirou: Did you finish it? The one for “Black or White”?

Natsume Minami: Yes.

Moonlight Ichirou: Send me the data. 

Utsugi Shirou: Ryou-kun, can you stop playing Moonlight-sensei yet? 

Moonlight Ichirou: Don’t call it playing. It’s your fault it got ruined.

Utsugi Shirou: I don’t think it’s ruined. You might be able to keep going if you force yourself. 

Moonlight Ichirou: Really?

Utsugi Shirou: Maybe?

Isumi Haruka: No way. Utsugi-san, do you think we’re idiots? 

Utsugi Shirou: No, I would never.

Isumi Haruka: Ryou-san is the one on the other side of the screen, right? 

Utsugi Shirou: …？

Isumi Haruka: Stop tilting your head and playing dumb, you’re a grown adult! 

Natsume Minami: Well, isn’t it fine. So Moonlight-sensei, what in the world could the advice you want to give us be? 

Natsume Minami: We will no longer act according to someone else’s whims. 

Moonlight Ichirou: Hm… Aren’t you cocky?

Moonlight Ichirou: I will give you advice regarding the composition of ŹOOḼ’s mini lives so you can win “New Black or White”.

Isumi Haruka: Don’t need it! Stop messing with us by continuing to pretend. 

Isumi Haruka: Tell us properly. You’re Ryou-san, right? You wanna be involved with us, right?

Moonlight Ichirou: …

Moonlight Ichirou: I’m not.

Isumi Haruka: Utsugi-san! Hang up!!

Utsugi Shirou: Understood.

Moonlight Ichirou: Don’t “understood” me!!

Isumi Haruka: See you! Mosaic filter man!! 

Midou Torao: Hey, hey, hey! Wait! Isn’t Moonlight fine for now?

Isumi Haruka: You’re too soft, Torao! 

Midou Torao: Look, how do I put it, I just experienced wanting to say something but being unable to, so… 

Moonlight Ichirou: Why are you saying, idiot? Weren’t you replaced by some kid at the last second in the action scene? Since you have no guts. 

Midou Torao: …

Midou Torao: Utsugi-san. Hang up. 

Utsugi Shirou: Right.

Moonlight Ichirou: Don’t “right” me. 

Utsugi Shirou: Ryou-kun. If you’re just going to hurl insults at ŹOOḼ, I will hang up. This is an important time for them.

Utsugi Shirou: You said you had something to tell them, so I set up an opportunity to talk. If you have nothing to say, I’ll end it here. 

Moonlight Ichirou: …I get it. Remove the mosaic filter.

Utsugi Shirou: Understood. 

Moonlight Ichirou: As you said, my true identity is the one who scouted you… 

Tsukumo Ryou: Tsukumo Ryou.

Inumaru Touma: Huh…?  The blur on the screen got stronger…? 

Natsume Minami: Utsugi-san, what did you press? 

Utsugi Shirou: Huh? That’s strange…　

Tsukumo Ryou: I had my own reasons for not telling you my name right away. My position is little more than that of an observer, so… 

Isumi Haruka: Wa… Ryou-san, wait with the serious talk for a bit. Since it’s kinda become like an interrogation.

Tsukumo Ryou: What’s that supposed to… What are you doing? Isn’t this an important moment? 

Utsugi Shirou: Hey, Ryou-kun, that thing. The face editing game, where’d you drop that?  

Tsukumo Ryou: Just check your downloaded apps?

Natsume Minami: These old guys seem to play rather enjoyable games.

Isumi Haruka: Even when you become an adult you can use face editing apps. I’m kind of relieved. 

Inumaru Touma: That being said, aren’t those two getting along pretty well? 

Utsugi Shirou: We’re not getting along well. But we’re kind of like childhood friends, so I’ve been looking after him for a long time.

Tsukumo Ryou: I’m the one who looked after you, though. Since you’re from a family of commoners and all.

Utsugi Shirou: No, I’m the one who did. Since you were hated by your family. Ah, it’s fixed.

Tsukumo Ryou: Hello. It’s been a while.

Inumaru Touma: It’s been a while. It would’ve been fine for you to contact us in a non-roundabout way, though. 

Tsukumo Ryou: I was busy.

Natsume Minami: You haven’t met Momo-san, either? Isn’t he your friend? 

Tsukumo Ryou: He’s not my friend, so I haven’t met him. But after “New Black or White” ends, I might go comfort him. 

Isumi Haruka: Comfort him? Why?

Tsukumo Ryou: You know, since ŹOOḼ is going to win.

Isumi Haruka: …Ryou-san…

Natsume Minami: …You said you had advice for us, but what kind of advice is it? 

Tsukumo Ryou: I’ll decide that from here on out. First, tell me the set list. He won’t tell me ‘cause I’m an outsider.

Inumaru Touma: I mean, that’s true. After disappearing like that and then not contacting us, that is. 

Tsukumo Ryou: What’s this, are you mad? 

Inumaru Touma: Yeah.

Tsukumo Ryou: …

Inumaru Touma: It might be a little different from being mad. After all, I feel grateful to you, Ryou-san, so I can't quite hate you. 

Inumaru Touma: But as ŹOOḼ’s leader, I cannot let anyone who might hurt them get close to them.

Inumaru Touma: I think that's also why Utsugi-san called you an outsider. Which is it gonna be?

Inumaru Touma: Are you going to cheer us on and pick up the pieces of our dream together with us? Or did you just come here to poke fun at us on a whim? 

Inumaru Touma: Tell us properly. …I know you disappeared by yourself to protect us. 

Inumaru Touma: Tell us properly if you want to hold our hands once more.

Tsukumo Ryou: …

Tsukumo Ryou: You guys are really stupid. You were used this much, and yet you thought you were being protected? 

Tsukumo Ryou: What's more, “holding hands”? You guys are idols, your image is your trade, right? What a bunch of imbecile idiots. 

Tsukumo Ryou: I was feeling down, so I poked fun at you, but I stopped. Since my identity got revealed, too. 

Tsukumo Ryou: This is the end of it. Shirou, you can hang up now. 

Isumi Haruka: You're the idiot here, idiot. 

Tsukumo Ryou: Excuse me?

Midou Torao: This is really pointless. Utsugi-san, lend me your laptop.

Utsugi Shirou: There you go.

Tsukumo Ryou: What are you doing? I can only see Torao’s face like this.

Midou Torao: Wouldn't that be lucky? You guys are fine with that, right? 

Inumaru Touma: Sure.

Natsume Minami: I don't mind.

Tsukumo Ryou: What are you even talking about?

Midou Torao: Look, I sent it to you just now. The set list. It's still a work in progress though.

Tsukumo Ryou: …Hmm…

Inumaru Touma: We thought about it in our own way and did our best.

Inumaru Touma: If you have advice, we'd like to hear it. But don't hurt us for no reason. 

Inumaru Touma: If your words affected us and we couldn't give it our all for the actual thing, that’d be the worst. 

Inumaru Touma: I no longer think you don't like us at least a little, Ryou-san. 

Natsume Minami: But the fact that you left us without saying anything is true, too.

Natsume Minami: Right now, we love ourselves, more than a certain someone who wouldn't take responsibility… 

Natsume Minami: Even if they don't love us, we need someone to take responsibility for us.

Utsugi Shirou: Why are you looking at me like that? I properly love you guys. 

Natsume Minami: If you care about our feelings, then let's play together again. 

Natsume Minami: Ryou-san, you said idols are the best game in the world. 

Tsukumo Ryou: …

Isumi Haruka: It's fine, right? You'll cheer us on, right? 

Isumi Haruka: During last year’s Black or White… Ryou-san, you came to see us. I saw it from atop the stage.

Tsukumo Ryou: …Hmm…

Tsukumo Ryou: I won't cheer you on. After all, I don't like idols.

Tsukumo Ryou: But, every now and then, Moonlight Ichirou might make some nice comments.

Midou Torao: You're going to continue with that character even though you failed that much at pretending? 

Inumaru Touma: …I get it. Then I will say goodbye to you. 

Inumaru Touma: But I'm glad you're doing fine.

Tsukumo Ryou: Yeah. You, too.

Natsume Minami: Contact us anytime. 

Midou Torao: Come see us on that day, too. 

Tsukumo Ryou: If I have free time.

Isumi Haruka: Cheer us on.

Tsukumo Ryou: Do your best.

Isumi Haruka: …

Tsukumo Ryou: Do your best.

Isumi Haruka: …Yeah. Thank you.

Tsukumo Ryou: Haha… …Shirou, this is enough. Hang up. 

Utsugi Shirou: Understood. 

(beep)

Utsugi Shirou: …I cut the connection. Sorry for taking up your time while you are busy. 

ŹOOḼ: …

Inumaru Touma: Since we're idols… I hope we can make Ryou-san happy one day, too. 

Midou Torao: That's right… 

Utsugi Shirou: Everyone is very kind. ...Huh?

(ring)

Natsume Minami: There's a sign of an incoming call. May I try taking it?

Utsugi Shirou: Yes…

(beep)

Natsume Minami: Yes. Who am I speaking to?

Moonlight Ichirou: It's Moonlight Ichirou.

Natsume Minami: …

Isumi Haruka: You're pretty fast at switching, Ryou-san… 

~ to be continued ~

--

6.12.3. - News from the country up north 

Nanase Riku: Finally, “Black or White” is tomorrow… 

Izumi Iori: That’s true… 

Takanashi Tsumugi: Everyone, you did your best even though you were busy! I’m sure there will be good results! 

Nanase Riku: Mhm, that’s right. Thanks, manager!

Rokuya Nagi: Iori, Riku! OH! Manager, too!

Takanashi Tsumugi: Nagi-san, what happened? You have your laptop with you…  

Rokuya Nagi: Manager! Please gather the members. He wants to talk to everyone using the internet… 

Izumi Iori: To whom?

Rokuya Nagi: My brother… Seto! 

Izumi Iori & Nanase Riku: Seto-san!?

Nikaidou Yamato: Ah, Bernard-san appeared on screen… 

Izumi Mitsuki: The background is stunningly gorgeous~… I’m kind of nervous… 

Bernard Kenneth: Good evening. Can you hear me? 

Rokuya Nagi: I can hear you.

Bernard Kenneth: Huh…? I think I can’t hear them. 

Yotsuba Tamaki: He said he can’t hear us.

Ousaka Sougo: What’s wrong? Are we muted? 

Yotsuba Tamaki: Bercchi! Bercchi, how are you?

Nanase Riku: Bernard-san, hello~! 

Bernard Kenneth: ＜Apparently there is trouble with the audio. Can they no longer my voice, either?＞

Bernard Kenneth: ＜That’s troublesome… I can’t type in Japanese, so I can’t confirm whether they can hear me or not via messaging them, either.＞

Bernard Kenneth: ＜If it’s going to be like this, the only thing I can do is to say some risque words and judge from whether his Highness looks shocked or not…＞

Rokuya Nagi: ＜Stop taking dangerous bets, Bernard.＞

Bernard Kenneth: OH! Hello! I just heard something! Hello, can you hear me?

Nanase Riku: I can hear you!

Izumi Mitsuki: Hello~! I can hear you!

Bernard Kenneth: OH! Hi! My friends! IDOLiSH7-dono, it has been a while!

Yotsuba Tamaki: It’s been a while! How have you been?

Bernard Kenneth: OH! I’ve been good! I saw “Crescent Wolf” on blu-ray! It was truly wonderful! 

Nanase Riku: I will tell TRIGGER about it! Tenn-nii and the others will definitely be happy! 

Bernard Kenneth: I will invite His Highness Seto. His Highness Seto has been studying Japanese. 

Rokuya Nagi: Japanese! I’m impressed!

Bernard Kenneth: He wants to give an encouraging speech to everyone in IDOLiSH7. Please look forward to it! 

Ousaka Sougo: He said it’s a message of encouragement!

Izumi Iori: I presume he contacted us because we are taking on the challenge of “New Black or White”.

Nanase Riku: Ah! Seto-san is here!　

Nikaidou Yamato: It’s been a while since I’ve seen him, but he is stunningly gorgeous as always… 

Ousaka Sougo: Even though there’s no effects, both the background and the people look like they’re in an MV… 

Seto Ranvalt von Northmeir: He. 

Seto Ranvalt von Northmeir: H e l l o.

IDOLiSH7: Hello~!

Seto Ranvalt von Northmeir: IDOLiSH7, how are you? 

IDOLiSH7: We’re fine!

Seto Ranvalt von Northmeir: I am, Nagi’s brother, Seto. 

IDOLiSH7: We’re IDOLiSH7!

Seto Ranvalt von Northmeir: I cannot, come to Japan, on December 31st. In order, to win, I will give you, a hundred, sea breams… sea breams.

Seto Ranvalt von Northmeir: Brimming with happiness.¹

Izumi Mitsuki & Nanase Riku & Yotsuba Tamaki: Ya~y!!

Izumi Iori: …Rokuya-san. Is it alright for His Highness, the crown prince of Northmeir, to memorize bad puns?

Rokuya Nagi: OH… Aren’t Japanese puns a lucky charm, though?

Nikaidou Yamato: Huh? Wait. Did he catch a school of a hundred sea breams? 

Ousaka Sougo: Do you mean a swarm of a hundred sea breams? Sea breams aren’t that big, are they...²

(doorbell rings)

Izumi Mitsuki: Huh? A guest… 

(door opens)

Ousaka Sougo: The lock unlocked before we even opened the door!? 

Thorvald: ＜As usual, the security of this accommodation is weak…＞

Rokuya Nagi: Thorvald!

Thorvald: It has been a while, Your Highness. I came to deliver the sea breams which come from Northern Europe.

Thorvald: They’re stored in a container right now, but is it okay to store them all in your refrigerator?

Izumi Mitsuki: No way it is, no way it is. 

Nikaidou Yamato: Our fridge will be filled to the brim with sea bream! Did you really bring a hundred of them? 

Thorvald: Yes.

Nikaidou Yamato: Why!?

Thorvald:  …So you’d brim with happiness…

Nikaidou Yamato: Are the people of Northmeir that innocent? 

Seto Ranvalt von Northmeir: ＜Nagi.＞

Rokuya Nagi: ＜Yes.＞

Seto Ranvalt von Northmeir: ＜Is there some sort of trouble?＞

Rokuya Nagi: ＜Yes, uhm…＞

Rokuya Nagi: ＜It’s nothing. Everyone is happy. Thank you, brother.＞

Seto Ranvalt von Northmeir: ＜Is that so? I’m glad.＞

Seto Ranvalt von Northmeir: ＜You, IDOLiSH7, are Nagi’s friends and you saved me. From the bottom of my heart, I am grateful.＞

Seto Ranvalt von Northmeir: ＜I wish for you to attain honor and victory in tomorrow’s battle.＞

Nanase Riku: What did Seto-san say?

Rokuya Nagi: He’s grateful to everyone from the bottom of his heart. He wishes for us to attain honor and victory in tomorrow’s battle.

Yotsuba Tamaki: Thank you~! Prince Seto! 

Ousaka Sougo: Thank you very much.

Seto Ranvalt von Northmeir: ＜One more thing.＞

Seto Ranvalt von Northmeir: ＜I’ll bring this up through the Northmeiran Embassy again, but Nagi’s residence problem needs to be resolved.＞

Rokuya Nagi: ＜You’re saying there’s a problem with my housing…＞

Seto Ranvalt von Northmeir: ＜You may have relinquished your royal rights, but you are my only brother. I want you to live peacefully and safely.＞

Rokuya Nagi: ＜Brother…＞

Seto Ranvalt von Northmeir: ＜But I know that you like living with IDOLiSH7, Nagi.＞

Seto Ranvalt von Northmeir: ＜If your friends are alright with it, I will look after the matter for all of you. The property is secured.＞

Rokuya Nagi: ＜Our residence?  What about our homeland? >

Seto Ranvalt von Northmeir: ＜Those who left the royal family cannot be supported by the people’s taxes. This a personal loan from me.＞

Seto Ranvalt von Northmeir: ＜I have backed up talented people. I never aimed for profit, there were people who expressed their gratitude to me by giving me some of their privileges. ＞

Seto Ranvalt von Northmeir: ＜Those are my personal assets. Do not worry.＞

Rokuya Nagi: ＜Wa… Wait. I will discuss this.＞

Seto Ranvalt von Northmeir: ＜I don’t mind.＞

Rokuya Nagi: …

Izumi Mitsuki: Nagi, what’s wrong?

Rokuya Nagi: My brother would like to prepare a new house for me. He’d like to know if everyone else would like to live there, too… 

Nanase Riku: You mean we’d all live in the house Seto-san prepared?

Izumi Mitsuki: All seven of us!?

Rokuya Nagi: Probably. What should we do…?

Izumi Iori: Manager…

Takanashi Tsumugi: …Even at the agency, we were thinking of preparing a new residence for everyone.

Takanashi Tsumugi: The only question is whether you’d live together as seven like right now, or whether there would be a different setup… 

Takanashi Tsumugi: But as for an answer, we don’t…

Nikaidou Yamato: It’s fine to live as seven.

Takanashi Tsumugi: Yamato-san…

Nikaidou Yamato: There might be a limit to living like this someday.

Nikaidou Yamato: But that will be alright when the time comes. Right now, we still want to be together. At least I do. 

Ousaka Sougo: Me, too… I want to be with everyone, too. 

Ousaka Sougo: When I came home fatigued from work, just seeing everyone’s smiles blew away my fatigue. 

Ousaka Sougo: I don’t want to lose this place. 

Izumi Mitsuki: I agree. Until Iori becomes an adult, I think we’ll stay together.

Izumi Mitsuki: So I think staying with everyone is fine. What about you, Iori?

Izumi Iori: …If possible… If I could stay with everyone, I think I’d want to, too. 

Izumi Iori: One day, the time where everyone live on their own will come. But even so… 

Izumi Iori: Right now, I want to be with everyone and still have them be within sight. 

Yotsuba Tamaki: …I… I might not be able to do it…

Ousaka Sougo: Tamaki-kun…?

Yotsuba Tamaki: I can’t leave Aya alone after all. When it comes to living with Aya, it doesn’t have to be right now, though… 

Yotsuba Tamaki: The idea of me being surrounded by people while Aya is alone is… 

Nanase Riku: Tamaki…

~ to be continued ~

--

6.12.4. - Sea bream

Seto Ranvalt von Northmeir: ＜What are you talking about?＞

Rokuya Nagi: ＜Tamaki has a younger sister. He would like to live with us, but he says he cannot neglect her. >

Seto Ranvalt von Northmeir: ＜She should just live with you. If you are concerned about the fact that there are a lot of men, I can hire female staff. >

Seto Ranvalt von Northmeir: ＜Is there a problem? If there is, let’s resolve it right away.＞

Rokuya Nagi: ＜Brother…＞

Yotsuba Tamaki: Nagicchi, what did Prince Seto say…?

Rokuya Nagi: OH, Tamaki… Prince Seto is my pride.

Rokuya Nagi: When the circumstances got bad, he would repeatedly try to escape from reality. For him to say he wants to resolve something right away…

Yotsuba Tamaki: Nagicchi?

Rokuya Nagi: OH, sorry. I was too impressed…

Rokuya Nagi: He said that living together with her is okay, hiring female staff is okay and that if there is a problem, he’ll solve it.

Yotsuba Tamaki: Really…!? Thank you, Prince Seto!

Seto Ranvalt von Northmeir: Y o u �� r e w e l c o me.

Izumi Mitsuki: I’m glad for you, Tamaki…!

Yotsuba Tamaki: Yeah! All I gotta do now is convince Aya…

Nikaidou Yamato: Have you not talked to her? If you keep putting off the conversation, you’ll become like me one day.

Takanashi Tsumugi: Since we can’t just keep putting the burden on Seto-san, please let us do something as well.

Takanashi Tsumugi: Which is to say, originally, we should have been the one to secure the property…

Izumi Iori: Isn’t it fine? There probably aren’t that many buildings with security levels that satisfy the royal family…

Takanashi Tsumugi: Seto-san. Please let me consult the President! We are very grateful for your feelings! Seto Ranvalt von Northmeir: ＜She is IDOLiSH7’s manager, right? What did she say?＞

Rokuya Nagi: ＜She thanked you and said she would like to consult with her boss first.＞

Seto Ranvalt von Northmeir: ＜She can do what she wants. Well then, Nagi and everyone in IDOLiSH7. I wish you great fortune tomorrow.＞

Seto Ranvalt von Northmeir: ＜May the goddess of victory smile upon you. Cheers.＞

Rokuya Nagi: ＜Thank you so much.＞

Izumi Mitsuki: Thank you very much! Thank you! Very thank you!

Seto Ranvalt von Northmeir: Thanks. Byebye.

Nanase Riku: Thank you so much! Byebye! See you!

Yotsuba Tamaki: Thank you!! Byebye! See you again!

Izumi Iori: Thank you very much.

Nikaidou Yamato: Byebye~

Rokuya Nagi: Good night, byebye.

Seto Ranvalt von Northmeir: Byebye.

(beep)

Nanase Riku: …Sending us an encouraging message as we worry about tomorrow… you have a great big brother, Nagi!

Rokuya Nagi: Yes… A day like this coming is like a dream.

Izumi Mitsuki: About the dorm though… Is this really fine?

Thorvald: Next time when I have time, I will show you around the property.

Nikaidou Yamato: Thorvald-san, what are you doing with that penlight turned on?

Thorvald: It’s preparation for tomorrow. I wanted to make sure it shines properly…

Rokuya Nagi: OH… How foolish…

Ousaka Sougo: I didn’t think you were close enough to him to say “How foolish”.

Yotsuba Tamaki: It’s like a manga, it’s cool. Rokuya Nagi: This type only glows for a couple of hours. So there won’t be a tomorrow for that penlight.

Thorvald: How tragic…

Nikaidou Yamato: Shouldn’t we be happy he came to cheer us on? Thorvald-san, thank you.

Thorvald: You’re welcome. Is it fine with you if I distribute the sea breams that wouldn’t fit in the refrigerator among the neighbors?

Izumi Iori: I don’t know about giving out perishables in the current times…

Thorvald: Don’t you give leftover ingredients to the neighbors in Japan?

Nanase Riku: It is sea breams, though… Do you think TRIGGER will eat them?

Nikaidou Yamato: It does seem like they’d eat them, but should we really give sea bream to the people we’re competing against tomorrow…?

Izumi Mitsuki: That’s just how we are, isn’t it fine? I’ll go ask Momo-san, too.

Yotsuba Tamaki: Then I’ll contact Isumin.

Nikaidou Yamato: Riku, will you ask TRIGGER?

Nanase Riku: Yes! I’ll send a rabbit chat right now!

Izumi Iori: Nii-san, our parents might eat it, too…

Izumi Mitsuki: That’s true! I’ll contact them. It seems like we’ll be able to hand out all 100 fish!

Ousaka Sougo: I will ask Touma, too.

Yotsuba Tamaki: Sou-chan, don’t you get along better with Toracchi, too?

Ousaka Sougo: Because Midou-san is the type of person who can eat sea bream whenever he wants…

Thorvald: Eating sea bream anytime… He must be brimming with happiness.

Nikaidou Yamato: Uhm, I don’t think you have any bad intentions at all, but there is a risk of battle occurring here…

Thorvald: Is that so? Are you the type of person who is brimming with happiness without engaging in battles, Nikaidou-san?

Nikaidou Yamato: Yes…? Are you trying to pick a fight…?

Takanashi Tsumugi: Well then, I will go for a quick drive to deliver the sea breams to those we managed to contact!

Izumi Iori: Somehow, it has become a strange evening…

Izumi Mitsuki: Well, isn’t it fine? It’s not like the sea breams are poisoned.

Yotsuba Tamaki: We’re brimming with happiness, after all!

--

Yuki: What is this, what happened…?

Momo: It’s from Maneko-chan. A delivery of sea bream!

Yuki: A declaration of victory…?

Momo: Eh~!? It’s to make us brim with happiness for sure. Isn’t it like, “let’s do our best together”?　

Yuki: Huh. They’re strange kids. Momo, do you wanna eat some?

Momo: I wanna~!

Yuki: Then I’ll grill it.

Momo: Nice~!

--

Yaotome Gaku: Takanashi-san just delivered this to us. Ryuu, prepare it!

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Sea breams are a lucky charm, after all! It’s a big sea bream, too! What do you want to eat it with?

Kujou Tenn: Sea bream over rice.

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: That’s good, sounds delicious!

Kujou Tenn: Do we have mitsuba leaves? Maybe I should buy some.

Yaotome Gaku: We got three sea breams, so we could also do grilled fish or sashimi.

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: I kind of… am starting to feel like we won!

Kujou Tenn: Same.

Yaotome Gaku: Same. I feel like I’ve just scored a goal.

Kujou Tenn: Maybe it’s a strategy to make us let down our guard…?

Yaotome Gaku: IDOLiSH7 will eat it tonight, too, so I don’t think so…?

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke: Let’s be thankful and eat it! Alright, let’s prepare it~!

--

Isumi Haruka: We kinda got a lot of sea breams from IDOLiSH7…

Haruka's grandmother: My, isn’t that nice, Haru-chan? Eat lots of it with your friends, will you?

Inumaru Touma: Excuse me! Sorry for intruding! I thought since it’s a good opportunity, we could all eat together!

Haruka's grandmother: It’s fine, take your time. The sea bream rice is almost ready, too.

Natsume Minami: I’m happy. I love it.

Haruka's grandmother: My, well, I am glad.

Isumi Haruka: Grandma, you can go now, so.

Haruka's grandmother: Yes, yes.

Midou Torao: Thanks, it will be a feast.

Midou Torao: The sea bream Haruka’s grandma grilled is yummy. But don’t you normally eat pork cutlets³…?

Natsume Minami: Sea bream have a bone called the sea bream’s sea bream because it is shaped like a fish. Supposedly, carrying it with you will ward off misfortune.

Isumi Haruka: Then the leader should carry it.

Inumaru Touma: A fish bone!? Won’t it smell!?

Midou Torao: Won’t it be fine as long as you put deodorant on it?

Inumaru Touma: Then should I hide it in my costume for the sake of victory…?

Isumi Haruka: It’s both surreal and funny that the guy preparing sea bream bones is going to dance in “New Black or White”.

Inumaru Touma: Mina, around where is the sea bream’s sea bream?

Natsume Minami: It appears to be around the pectoral fin.

Inumaru Touma: Then I’ll go find it now…

Isumi Haruka: If you find it, I want to see it, too.

Midou Torao: Me, too.

Inumaru Touma: It’s like a treasure hunt. Fufu, just wait for it…

--

Takanashi Tsumugi: And just like that, the night before the battle passed―

Takanashi Tsumugi: And December 31st… The day of “Black or White Live Showdown” arrived.

~ to be continued ~

--

TL notes:

Mod Riku here! I'd actually drafted this ages ago, so going back to do TL notes was kind of a hassle. We started this project over a year ago... Nostalgic, am I right? Two more chapters to go!!

...That being said, expect chapter 13 to take a bit. Both mods are kind of preoccupied.

¹ - I've dreaded this pun for a long time. I managed, though! (Click.)

² - Japanese counting words correspond to the thing you're counting, hence them joking about what counter to use for sea bream. (Click.)

³ - Katsu (pork cutlet) and katsu (to win) are homophones, so you eat katsudon before a competition.

[milgram-tournament]

MILGRAM Best Song Tournament, Round 1, Match 9 CAT vs. THE PURGE MARCH

Propaganda for both options under the cut!

Propaganda for CAT:

"You like jazz? Jazz is chaos within order. Got to love the whole band. Vibraphone, saxophone, trumpet, flute, piano, guitar, drums, bass… Go, rhythm section, go! The song sounds tender at times and aggressive at others as different instruments pop up at different times. Sometimes they follow Kazui’s voice (“follow the king of the masquerade”). Sometimes they get to be the focus. You have the chill piano one moment and the screaming guitar in the next.

You’ve got a lovely “jingle” (“Lie until it gets better…”) which occurs at the beginning, middle, and end. It fits the “newspaper ad” style of the video really well. Also at the very end, there’s one more line that gives the jingle an upward contour, giving a sense of finality. “Until you can meet the king of the masquerade.” You’re there now.

The two verses start off differently before they take on a similar melody. It feels like Kazui is talking to a different person in each verse.

The chorus is a beautiful façade the first time and a sinister truth the second time.

The opening for solos shows that this jazz song means business. I love how the saxophone and trumpet especially get in your face. And with the tacet on vocals, the walking bass really shines if you lend it your ear.

And the smoke break! Silence is golden. Glass click. Lighter. Huff.

As always, Kazui’s voice is super deep. He hits even lower notes this time around. He’s a fifth lower than the next lowest singers (Haruka and Shidou)."

---

-Great instrumental choice. Kazui and jazz is *chefs kiss*

-Symbolism. THE SYMBOLISM. I can’t type out all my thoughts but ifykyk

-The almost comic like style of the MV is really appealing.

-Lyrics!! There is so much to unpack but it’s really cool.

-Kazui eating the dove… fricken iconic.

---

FIRST OF ALL the vocals????? BEAUTIFUL. His va put his whole pussy into this song and you can tell!! The way he sings the chorus is so damn addicting I'm so in love with him. His voice is more or less stable throughout the entire thing until the final chorus but you can hear the emotion peaking out which fits perfectly with Kazui keeping everything hidden. The way his voice turns into a sort of whisper during "all the things I wanna do that I can't say outloud"??? The way his voice starts trembling during "this feeling it's yearning to be satisfied"???? The way his voice turns into a sort of whisper AND starts trembling during "hey, if I said I liked-liked you, what would you?"?????? HEAVENLY! You can really feel how afraid Kazui is under his disguise and my heart breaks a little everytime I listen. Not to mention how absolutely powerful his voice gets at the climax!!!!!! It's insane!!!!!!! It's genius!!!!!! It makes me wild makes me crazy makes me eat my walls!!!!!!!!!!

THE SMOKE BREAK?????? What other song has something as powerful as that huh???? This isn't just a song produced by the milgram machine using his memories, this is HIS song and he is OWNING IT! The music builds up so much and gets so intense right before it, I can literally feel myself get tense and starting holding my breath right before he takes the break and everything relaxs… it's not just a break for him, but a break for the viewer. The song is spiralling out of control just like his life and his lies and he has no choice but to put it to a quick stop before its too much to handle.

THE IMAGERY IS WILD!!!!! He's a magician!!! Little magic guy!!!! Using tricks and lies to amaze and captivate the people around him! Trying desperately to magic his own feelings into something else! But it's all fake! It's all tricks and no matter how hard he tries he can never actually change himself into what he wants! But he's trying to convince himself the same way he's convinced his audience!! And when you're watching a magic act, are you there for the magician themself or are you there to watch the show?? The people in his life only cared for him when he performed for them, but they didn't give a drop of love to who he was a person! ALSO the transformation of the wedding ring to a cigarette to the dove at the end??? Makes me wild every single time! Right infront of his wife, he showed her that their marriage was something unhealthy for him that was slowly killing him from the inside. AND THEN he uses it to harm himself???? And then he turns that cigarette into a dove- a representation of love and literally TEARS INTO IT. He tears his marriage apart with his mouth!!! AKA HIS WORDS. makes me wild. Also fun fact Kazui says he started smoking because when he was younger it was "just natural for everyone to smoke" and that lines up with his reasons for marriage perfectly.

Kazui looks really hot in it. You should vote for Cat because Kazui is insanely attractive. What other reason do you need huh? Hot gay middle aged man.

Propaganda for THE PURGE MARCH:

"Despite the shorter length, the Purge March has several distinct sections in its structure.

It starts with a rolloff, and then… they don’t follow it. Amane isn’t here to follow the beat.

There’s the spoken-word intro and the upbeat first verse listing the tenets. The prechorus (“dou shiyou mo nai…”) has an amen break. The most-sampled four-bar drum beat. Well, there’s half of it. Is it supposed to mean something? Can I get an amen?

The chorus is so, so cheerful… unless you’re actually listening to the lyrics (“I’ll crush your throat too”) or watching the video. And it’s super catchy. 

The second part of the verse dials things back. Now we’re in reality. This is how Amane breaks her tenets. All the while, those tenets are spoken into both ears over the singing. Get some good headphones. She sounds different in each ear.

The music picks up again with the amen break as Amane happily strolls back home, and then-

Oh.

The somber second chorus, with Amane’s lower singing voice and mournful spoken words, leads into the final chorus, with new lyrics and a more forceful tone. The once-meaningless chanting now has real words. “You’re sorry? I don’t care! Please go ahead and die already.” You can hear Amane’s anger despite the cheerful melody. She harmonizes in the final phrase, as if to say “we’re in this together, me and my little color guard troop.” And finally, it’s just her. Speaking. "Oboetemasuka?" Accompanied by only a single drum.

She is both Amane Momose and not. She upholds the doctrines that she was raised with, but she can’t."

---

"Purge March is geniunaly one of my favorite pieces of fiction both in and out of the context of trauma. Its fantastically directed and composed. The batton twirling is spetacular and energetic, the set and character design of Amane conveys a lot about the world she’s in and the story she’s telling. Purge March contextulizes a lot of Magic in both expected and unexpected ways (insert the entire cat symbolism thesis here) Purge March casts Amane in the role of a scary child. The glowing eyes, the framing of Amane as Above the viewer, the brutality and catharsis of it all. It seems tailored made to make you Scared of her. It’s a continuation of the cycle of abuse that we the audience repeated in T1 when we gave her that verdict. A red flashing warning sign about the Inhumanity and Monsterous qualities of Amane Momose. But Amane as a monster is fufilling and freeing. Again, its deeply cathartic. I would write more if I wasnt so sleepy at the moment but its just some Fantastic work overall. Purge March is also just fantasitic vocally and also hids electricity sounds in the instrumental which I think is evil and awesome."

---

-Amane’s vocals and how they slowly get more and more off the deep end is both really sad and cool to watch.

-The symbolism of the marching band and the flags. Ifykyk

-The beginning where it sounds like a propaganda TV show… really shows just how far Amane’s thinking is rooted in her cult and how that’s shaped her perception.

-The LYRICS. They work so well but it’s also creepy AF considering it’s a child who’s singing it.

-“So there is no second time, I’ll give back the judgment that you gave to me!”

-The overlapping part… gives me chills everytime.

-Building off the last point, the last “I’ll crush your throat too.” Ouch.

-“Remember MY cries, MY repents, MY words of “I’m sorry” that I said to you?”

-The song also does a great job of showing how much the guilty verdict messed with her.

[fruity-fruition]

More Tenma Siblings Headcanons from the top of my head

Ok this one's more hurt/comfort-ish than my last one

--

Tsukasa's first creation in terms of script writing and song is actually a really scuffy lullaby made when Saki first felt really bad in the hospital after THE show (the one that made Tsukasa want to become a star).

Tsukasa decided to put on his first self-made show with a song specially for her.

When Toya first came to them upset (specifically the "Never Give Up Cooking!" Flashback), Tsukasa puts on the exact same show for him as well. In his logic, it's because of how well it worked for Saki, but in a more outsider's sense, it's a Tenma initiation. Toya has no escape now. He's stuck as a Tenma.

While the song is really REALLY awkward and scuffed (he's literally a pre-tween leave him be), it becomes a staple between the three.

Eventually, as they grow up, the song does get less awkward with some tweeks in lyrics, rhythm, etc.

It was a bonding moment between them as well, song-writing together. It helped both Saki and Toya discover their absolute love for creating, just like how the song was Tsukasa's first step to creation.

It became a habit for Tsukasa to at least hum it to them when they're cuddling, or when he's comforting them. Toya came running from home and needs a place to stay? He runs his hands through his hair while voicing out the melody. Saki's gets a sudden hit of separation anxiety? She hears the faintest hum coming from her brother, who doesn't mind at all that she's clinging onto him so hard.

This results is both Saki and Toya humming the song whenever they're stressed. Saki sometimes get scolded in the middle of the test for humming (she didn't even realised she started). VBS silently wonders about the melody Toya sings before shows.

There's an area conversation between Emu, Tsukasa and Kaito, where Emu asks Kaito if the flowers always sing the same song. Kaito responds "No, they sing other songs. But they like to sing this one. This song you're always hearing is a song very special to Tsukasa" (or something along those lines). And Tsukasa snaps his finger and went "oh, so that's why it sounded familiar!"

Yeah. Yeah it's this lullaby.

Tsukasa has a bunch of blank memories from his childhood because of how often he suppressed his emotions,

(Fun fact! Suppressing so much emotions can cause amnesia! A really funny thing considering Tsukasa is canonically really forgetful <3)

But this lullaby is the biggest constant thing from his memories. Basically an anchor that his childhood was actually his if that makes sense.

(This one is a bit incoherent sorry I really didn't know how to word this one out)

--

Saki has separation anxiety due to being ripped away from everything she knew at a young age, and while she thinks she doing better now, she still gets a sudden hit of it randomly.

Days like these, she either asks Leo/Need to hang out, or ask Tsukasa or Toya if she could go with them to practice

The first time the entirety of VBS (-Akito since he's met her earlier) meet Saki, they're majorly confused on why she's there. They're also super confused on why this girl keeps glaring at Akito when Toya's not looking.

Emu is absolutely ECSTATIC that Saki's there. Nene and Rui seem to think having her there offers some sort of improvement too. (Rui's trying to get in her good graces)

--

Hhhh I'll update if there's more. This is an addition to my previous post.

[bettyshoweduptotheparty]

1989 - The story of two muses

Back to my first and forever love – Lyric analysis!

1989 is very close to my heart, and I have always found it noticeable that this album has quite a contrast between love songs about a very up and down/anxiety filled relationship on one hand, and the very raw and heartfelt romance as portrayed in ‘This Love’ and YAIL on the other.

And the 5 new vault songs we have on Taylor’s version now have added quite a bit of detail to the picture that emerges and I’m more convinced than ever that there are two distinct relationships/muses being described and I fancied doing a deep dive into how each one is described in the music and how the themes connect to other songs. (And it may even explain the beach theme 😉)

Ok, so, I have actually sorted every song from 1989 that is about a romantic relationship, including the 5 new vault tracks, into this scheme (even though I found some really hard!)

Muse 1 – “The heartbreaker” This relationship is described as very up and down, very anxiety-driven, something you can’t walk away from like an addiction, “against your better knowledge but can’t help myself” kind of way. Taylor has described this person as ‘the one that might one day interrupt your wedding, because you’re never truly over’.  Break up: ‘you left me’.

Muse 2 – “The one that came back” While this relationship is by no means described as perfect, it has a very different tone to it. It’s very much based in secure feelings, ‘us against the world’, any difficulty faced is worth it. Break up: ‘had to let it go’. And the person came back when it counted.

(Sorry about the pictures, I couldn't fit a table in any other way)

I am really impressed with how much just five new songs have furthered the story of these two relationships and I (personally) love how much this is filling in the blanks and makes everything make so much more sense. 'You can hear it in the silence' vs 'Now your silence has me screaming' almost killed me, honestly. She really found the love that needs no words. 🥰 And the direct contrast of the metaphors, one relationship as an addiction with very high highs and very low lows, and the other as the calm waves on the shore that continually come in and out with the tide, is just so masterfully done, I love it. And I think given the beach theme of the 1989 TV covers, we can guess which of the muses is being honoured in this re-branding.

Lyrical connections to later albums

Perhaps not surprisingly, these two muses and their lyrical themes show up again in Taylor’s music in later albums. The connection I’ve already seen a lot of people make is the playing cards reference from Say Don’t Go (‘I’m trying to see the cards that you won’t show’) linking to Cornelia Street (‘back when we were card sharks, playing games’). And I love how this tells the story of someone whose previous relationship impacts how they react in a new relationship. Because the person in Say Don’t Go really did lead her on and played her and then left, whereas the Cornelia Street muse didn’t but Taylor thought as much based on her previous experience (‘I THOUGHT you were leading me on…but then you called, showed your hand…’).

Another parallel to Lover songs is the ‘light in the dark’ theme that starts in This Love with “lantern burning/ flickered in my mind for only you”, which feels very similar to “chandelier still flickering here” from Death by A Thousand Cuts. This relationship/lover is the light that perseveres in the dark, even if it’s just flickering, it never goes out. It lights up the darkness (‘glowing in the dark’), whereas the other relationship is a “shot in the darkest dark”. We obviously get a whole lot more songs in later albums that reference love as light in the darkness, most prominently in Daylight, the Lover album closer. But more subtly, I also think that “Takin’ your time in the tangerine neon light” from Slut, and “hang your head low in the glow of the vending machine” from Cruel Summer follow that same pattern. Something that illuminates the darkness. And just btw, Slut and Cruel Summer give me a very similar vibe in terms of different takes on the same situation…anyone else get that? But one last, maybe more subjective, connection is the line “I’ll pay the price, you won’t”. Which everyone immediately took as a comment on double standards between men and women, but I think it could also be interpreted to mean ‘I’ll happily pay the price and take the hit, so you don’t have to’, if you interpret the song to be about dating a man in public to keep a female partner out of the public eye.  With that in mind, the line becomes very reminiscent of ‘I can never give you peace’ from folklore, both expressing that Taylor wants to shield her lover from the media scrutiny that comes with dating her.  

Suburban Legends alone has so many links to later songs that I had to give it its own paragraph. The chorus ‘I didn’t come here to make friends’ is so ‘I don’t want you like a best friend’ coded, and ‘We were born to be suburban legends’ gives me big reputation/big conversation vibes. Other people have already pointed out that ‘flushed with the currency of cool’ draws links to Gold Rush and Gorgeous (‘You’re so cool it makes me hate you so much’) and ‘so magnetic it’s almost obnoxious’ is very similar to ‘magnetic force of a man’ from Lover. All painting the picture of a person who is so cool and alluring that they feel almost unattainable. The whole premise of the song being that the narrator didn’t come to make friends, but instead is on a mission to get what they want, feels very Mastermind to me. The background music over the outro confirms that, as it’s the same production as Mastermind (I call it ‘game show music’ 😊) and the lyrics saying that the muse now doesn’t knock anymore, suggests to me that maybe the masterplan has worked. Lastly, the conclusion of the song being ‘my life is ruined/I always knew it’ is a different way of saying I’ll happily ruin myself for you, as in ‘for you I’d ruin myself a million little times’ from Illicit Affairs.

We don’t get nearly as many references to the first muse’s themes in later music, but ‘fell from the pedestal, right down the rabbit hole” from Long Story Short is a nice drawback to the wonderland theme. Bottom line though, ‘It was the wrong guy…’.

And there we have it, the story of the two muses of 1989. If anybody here is even remotely as excited by lyrical analysis as I am, this one is for you, and feel free to have a friendly chat in the comments if I’ve missed anything!

[jjngkook7]

Motives (1)

NCT Jaehyun X Reader / Demon AU / Angst, Fluff (?), Suggestive Smut

Summary: You didn’t know how good you had it until your new job suddenly takes you far away from home. Desperate to settle into your new life, you turn to an eccentric medium who introduces you to an entity named Jaehyun. He offers you three wishes, but do you dare make a deal with the devil? ***Please ignore the mantra later. I literally copied and pasted their Favourite lyric sorry if its CRINGE****

“Goodnight! Love you!” you force the biggest smile you can as you wave to your best friend over facetime.

“Goodnight!” Karina blows you a kiss and the call ends.

A heavy sigh escapes your lips as you drop your head onto your pillow. Your phone lays still on your stomach and you’re tempted to just throw it across your room until it shatters into a million pieces. Seeing your loved ones posting little life updates on social media used to warm your heart but is now the reason you cry yourself to sleep. Facetime calls with your friends went from every other day to every other week because there was really nothing to update them on besides work and how much you missed them. Besides, you didn’t want to burden your friends with the knowledge of how truly alone you felt. You took a peek at the time and let out another sigh when you realized that if you wanted to get through the day tomorrow, you had to sleep now.

As a creature of habit, the prospect of relocating to a new city for work was almost off the table. You’d be a plane ride away from everything and everyone once knew. Your new employer gave you a week to decide and for the whole week, you contemplated long and hard. Your family and friends were completely supportive of your move for good reason: you get to explore a new place, expand your view on the world and make new connections. Alongside the possibility of growing as an individual, the job also promised a pay raise and a better role. All these great reasons eventually led you to make the move. After two months, your bank account was a little bigger, your role in the company was a little better and your mental health was a little worse. The city you moved to was the complete opposite of where you came from. First, this place was significantly smaller than the bustling city you grew up in and seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. Second, a fun time was going to the only plaza in the middle of town to buy knick knacks for your home. Finally, it was quiet and actually quite peaceful. The citizens here really cared about preserving the environment as much as possible, so highways were few to none and many people chose to walk or bike. You appreciated how much closer the mountains looked and how much cleaner the air smelled but there was no one to appreciate the serenity with. For a creature of habit, you were kind of pleased with the limited amount of restaurants and shops to choose from but once again, it was hard to appreciate these things without someone to share it with. Your growing loneliness made this small city seem so much larger than it was.

“Tomorrow will be a better day,” a mantra you whispered every night before bed in hopes to manifest for the next day.

__________________________________

A shiver ran down your spine as a cold breeze blew past. You hugged your scarf closer to your face and quickened your pace in order to get home faster. Autumn settled a little too quickly for your liking. The weather was constantly gloomy and with your city being so close to the mountains, it was already below freezing. In the past few weeks, you worked really hard to remain grateful and positive to get through the day. You put in a lot of effort to make your place feel like home and you tried to foster some sort of relationship with your coworkers. Your coworkers were a lot older than you but hearing them talk about their family and weekend activities was somewhat comforting to hear about during lunch breaks. However, with the days getting shorter and the weather getting worse, you worried that you would slip back into old habits.

As you kept your head down to bury as much of your face in the warmth of your scarf, you noticed a weird tune playing a couple feet in front of you. Curious about the source, you first noticed neon pink lights dancing on the sidewalk as you lifted your head. Your eyes went towards a store front you never saw before despite walking down the same sidewalk to get home for almost three months. A flashing pink palm with the words “PSYCHIC” in the middle decorates the mysterious storefront. You inspected the shop a little more and noticed that it was only twenty dollars to get a full reading. You scoffed, figuring that this store was a scam just like every other pseudoscience out there and averted your gaze. As you continued down the block, you thought about what you were going to do this weekend and felt an all too familiar ache in your heart. There was no one to see, no where you wanted to go and nothing you really wanted to do. Your pace slowed down as you thought about your sad weekend plans. Your cold hands formed into fists in your jacket pocket as you tried to push the intrusive thoughts about how pathetic and lonely you were. I worked way too hard to keep feeling like shit. You felt your body go backwards until you were in front of the psychic store again. Maybe they can tell me what to do this weekend.

You almost gasped at how much colder the store was inside compared to outside which was odd considering how cozy it was decorated. The lights were dim creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. A large, fuzzy white rug sat in the middle of the store with two green sofas on top. On the side was a large wooden bookshelf with various texts, trinkets and a diffuser spraying out what seemed to be an essential oil of some sort. You peered around the store and noticed that you were the only person inside. As you looked around more, you noticed a closed door in the back leading to what you assumed was the staff room. Continuing your guessing games, you wondered if the staff couldn’t hear you come in. You walked over to the wooden bookshelf and skimmed through the spines. There were lots of titles you expected in a store such as this like, “Speaking With the Other World” and “Supernatural Beings”. What caught your eye was a large crystal ball with what looked like clouds trapped in the sphere. It seemed like the closer you looked inside, the bigger the clouds got. You reached out your hand to hold the ball but quickly retreated when you suddenly felt the hairs on your body stand. You turned around, swearing you felt someone behind you but found no one else in the store. Wanting to suddenly leave, you turned on your heels and headed towards the front door.

“I’m sorry, were you waiting long?” a voice asked from behind.

You thought your soul had escaped from your body from how hard you jumped. You quickly turned to face whoever spoke.

“Did I scare you? I’m so sorry!”

You couldn’t help the racing of your heart as you scanned around the room. Where could this person have come from? You looked towards the back door and noticed that it was still closed. Were you too engrossed in that stupid crystal ball to hear them open and close the door? Your eyes went back towards the man standing in front of you. He looked almost as worried as you with his brows furrowed and his hands placed in front of him. His bangs were long, almost covering his eyes and he had little beauty marks scattered around his face.

“I just-I didn’t hear you,” you stammered, embarrassed by your reaction, “sorry I just-I thought-“

“I think we both need to calm down,” he laughed and reached out his hands towards you, “I’m Haechan! I will be the one to do your reading if you’re interested.”

You shook his hand and felt a jolt run through your arm, he was ice cold.

“It’s nice to meet you,” you smiled back, “I was just curious because I walk by here everyday and have never seen your store before.”

“Ah,” Haechan nodded, “we kind of just opened like yesterday. Before I took over, this store was literally just a grey building which is probably why you’ve never noticed until now. Please sit!” he gestured towards the sofas.

You hesitated but eventually gave in to the thought of how this might turn out to be a funny story to tell your friends over facetime later. Haechan waited for you to get comfortable before taking a seat across from you.

“So what brings you in today?” he asked.

You scratched your head in thought. You battled the desire to vomit up your sob story to this stranger because it would feel so good to just talk to someone and be honest without feeling like a burden. Your friends knew you were having a hard time settling into your new life but they didn’t know the extent of how miserable you were and there was no way in hell you were going to open up to your coworkers. Another thought hit you, if this guy really was a psychic, shouldn’t he know why you’re here?

“I honestly was just curious.” you finally answered.

Haechan hummed in thought and leaned towards you. You felt your face get warm by how intensely he was staring at you. Is this part of the reading…?

“You haven’t been doing well huh? I’m picking up something to do with transition, dissatisfaction and loneliness.” he suddenly says after what seemed like forever.

You felt your heart begin to race again. You knew that psychics do cold readings and their predictions are usually very general but what are the chances of him describing your situation to a T in three words.

“Uh…kind of.” an uncomfortable laugh escapes from you.

Haechan shoots you a sympathetic smile and you swear the room suddenly gets colder.

“Change is hard but adapting to change is harder. You must remember your strengths during these times. Just looking at you, I can tell you’re more than capable of fighting through this.” Haechan says.

You smile and feel a sense of victory. He was right, you are strong and capable! It felt good to get some validation even if it was coming from a conman.

“I can’t fix your problems for you but I can offer some ways you can practice mindfulness in order to heal your energy. On a scale of 1-10, how accepting are you of help?” he asked.

“I’m pretty open minded.” you lied.

Whatever this guy was going to tell you to do, you were absolutely not going to do. You figured that for an extra $50 he was going to perform some stupid energy healing for you where you guys sit in silence for a few minutes while he closes his eyes and pretends to speak to your "spirit guides".

“Repeat this mantra three times after the clock strikes midnight and you’ll find your greatest desire fulfilled.” Haechan says instead.

He hands you a little piece of paper, which you swore he produced from thin air. You take the paper from his hands and read what’s on it. Thorns, crown, poison. Let my world shatter as I swallow it all. You gasped as your eyes looked up from the paper and you see Haechan standing in front of you. The room becomes unbearably cold as he looms over you. You then notice that he’s wearing jeans and a simple cotton t-shirt.

“I keep scaring you tonight, I’m so sorry!” he apologized.

“It’s alright! You just move so quietly!” you laughed as you wave his apology away.

You and Haechan exchange a few more words before you decide to call it a night. He fights you as you try to pay him $20 for his scam. He argued that since you’re his first customer, he wants to give you the session for free.

“If the mantra works within the week, then come back and I will take your $20.” Haechan suggests.

“Sounds good!” you agree, “I hope it does then!”

”It will.” Haechan chuckles, but the laugh doesn't reach his eyes.

You wave one final goodbye to Haechan as he closes the door. The cold autumn air seems to warm up your freezing body. How the fuck is he just in a t-shirt. Maybe my $20 will go towards a heater for his store. As you walked home, you felt a sense of contentment wash over you. You tried something new for the first time since you moved here and you couldn’t wait to tell your friends about it!

You stretched your legs as far as you could as you plopped down on your bed. After a long hot shower and a face mask, you were ready to get comfy and watch tv all night. You rolled over to your nightstand to grab your remote when your attention lands on the paper Haechan gave you earlier. You sit up and grab the paper. For a mantra that was supposed to be uplifting, it was kind of dark. You laughed to yourself at the thought of Haechan typing this out on his computer and printing it out to give to potential clients. You came this far with this ridiculous scam, you might as well just finish-and it was free! You checked the time on your phone. 12:01 am. Three times right? You closed your eyes and whispered the mantra to yourself secretly hoping that things would look up from here.

________________________________

”Going somewhere, Jae?”

Jaehyun yawned as a portal appeared beneath his feet.

“I’m heading to work,” he replied while stretching his arms, “thanks for the new customer, Haechan.”

Haechan gave Jaehyun a thumbs up as he watched the portal glow brighter until Jaehyun began to disappear into the other world. As Jaehyun prepared himself for his entrance, he wondered what his new client would be like and how long it would take before they destroyed themselves. Haechan bet a week and Jaehyun bet a month, winner got to keep the customer’s soul.

[madrone33]

I have been CHILLING this week post-Vengeance saga release! I managed to avoid debilitating stress and anxiety from the onslaught of fan stuff by simply avoiding all social media for the first two days, so it's been good!

However, I am now BACK, dumping my immediate reaction of the saga from a week ago. I thought I was ready. I was not ready. 600 Strike blew my mind. I was left staring blankly at my ceiling. Jorge please rest sometime, I'm begging you. The amount of talent beaming through my screen is exhausting even me.

Also, to every cast member and collaborator and behind the scenes person: y'all are amazing. Like seriously. I hope you all get a yummy drink and a cozy blanket and just. Bask in the satisfaction of a job well done. Hats off to y'all fr.

Anyways! I keysmashed the following at around midnight, 14 hours before the livestream ('cause australia is the superior timezone /j). Be warned there's LOTS of swearing 'cause sleep deprivation + incoherent excitement lol

AHHH IT'S GO TIME

Ok it's starting the same as the Goodspeed festival showed. Tho, the first lead in sound thing reminds me of Lucids.

Gorgeous vocals. Hate Calypso, love Wangui fr

"Let me speak!" She really doesn't care about his feelings huh. I noticed in LIP as well, she always makes it about her, which is absolutely in character.

Those ensemble harmonies tho!!

"... You do?" Girl you literally told him to lie smh

"Why in the world won't you love me too?" 'Cause he has a WIFE

IT'S HERMES TIME

FSA melody? YO??

"Cause I had one goal in mind..." the silence where the crew's chorus would come in is PAINFUL

BAG?? HERMES!!

"Hello old friend!" Grinning so hard rn

"Well it's a little bit ✨dangerous✨" AHHH IT'S HAPPENING

Fingertapping and headbopping to this chorus

"Put your whole braiin in it!" I love how he says that sm

"And lastly the wind bag" NEW STUFF

WINIONS

Wow ok I did not expect the wind bag to show up again. Tho it makes sense; this is probs the storm that Ody told Sirenelope kept blocking the way home

ODY SINGING THE CHORUS!!!!

RUTHLESSNESS MENTION

"Hermes! Thank you" AHHH THE CALLBACK! He sounds so tired and like down to his bones grateful this time 🥺

"I'm not the one who fought for you!" MY EYES WIDENED SO FAR. WE ALMOST GOT AN ATHENA NAMEDROP. I'll settle for the reference to her

Okeee. Charybdis!!

Oooh it's just like in the reference vid. No lyrics for this start part!

The 5/4 is amazing. And the electric guitar!!

God this song is SO BADASS

LETS GOOOO ODY!!!

ahhh I KNEW there'd be some sort of soft KYFC esque "I can't wait to make some new memories" type verse AND I WAS RIGHT

he sees ithaca!! Oh god poseidon's gonna show up isn't he

my heart's beating so fast i'm scared

PENELOPEEE

the ELECTRONIC DISTORTION OH NO IT'S HIM

RIGHT INTO GET IN THE WATER AHHH

"Coward" AHHHH I CAN'T BELIEVE WE'RE FINALY HEARING THIS FOR REAL

"That's when our paths collide!" THE RASP

"Now get in the water" Oh shiiiit here we go

the choir is so eerie

"GET IN THE WATER" THE GROWL

"aren't you tired poseidon" ooh it's this part!!

ha he changed it to ten years instead of eight like the demo had XD

"maybe you can learn to forgive" the line from that one snippet!

"No" oop

"DIE" DAMN that deep echo!!

*underwater sounds* oh shit ody's fucking dying

NO! FUCKING POLITES

EURY

ANTICLEA

FUCK YOU JORGE

THE CREW

WAITING??? EXCUSE ME WTF

AHHHHHH WHY TF DOES JAY LOVE HURTING US SO

HUH? HUH??? WHAT WAS THAT! AND THERE'S A FUCKING AD. Probs good, I need the break but WAHT. I KNEW he'd do another fucking polites reference gods damnit jorge WHEN I CATCH YOU

Ok time to hear 600 strike. Holy shit we're here

ELECTRIC GUITAR LETS GOOO

Aeolus theme. IS HE GONNA OPEN THE WIND BAG AGAIN??

600 MEN MOTIF HOLY SHIT

ANIME SCREAM

HOly shit there's magic sounds happening. I'm really curious about whatever Jorge's cooking up for the animatic in the livestream, 'cause I have no clue what's happening rn 👀

"For every comrade!" FSA melody!

"all those _ who were slaughtered by your hand" hmm I can't quite hear what he's saying there?

wait wait wait he's ACTUALLY using the power of his 600 men!!

"You idiot" damn lol

DIFFERENT BEAST ODY HOLY SHIT

is that a blade sound effect?

WAIT DID HE JUST STAB HIM WITH HIS OWN TRIDENT

HOLY SHIT ODY

HOLY FUCK

POP OFF ODY

OMG "MONSTER" AND THEN "RUTHLESSNESS"

BRO HE'S BEGGING??

*trident drops* hot damn ody

"Next to my wife." OHHHHHHH MIC DROP

Holy FUCK that was crazy

I'm gonna listen to it again.

Ok but holy shit Odysseus literally just tortured a god until he gave in?? Daym ody

Tho I like how he tries using open arms first, and then ruthlessness. He's kinda found a balance? I say kinda, 'cause he went hard on the ruthlessness, but since he sincerely tried to ask Poseidon to just drop the whole thing already, his later actions in 600 Strike feel more warranted.

I honestly don't know how Jorge keeps doing it. He just keeps topping himself! Like! Thunder Bringer? And then God Games?? And now Six Hundred Strike??? They just keep getting better! Banger after banger, like!! How.

Wait I just wanna. Sit with it. Imma lie down and stare at the ceiling for a bit, aight?

... I am shooketh.

But BRO THAT WAS INSANE! ODY FUCKED HIM UPPP

AMAZING BRAVO EXTRODINARY INCREDIBLE SHOWSTOPPING GORGEOUS WONDERFUL HOW DARE YOU

[bamjammy]

My Billford friends. I present you: Will Wood. This is song is them. Not up for debate, thanks and I’m correct. Analysis below. Also TBOB spoilers probably

This is a lyric by lyric analysis about why this song is them. Most of (if not all of the song) is Bill’s perspective in my mind, Will Wood definitely captures his weird chaotic energy. Not every lyric matches. That’s ok, I’m just gonna skip those. The song is still them. Lyrics will be in quotes, analysis will be in parentheses and also a different color.

“Why do you wanna kill me?”

(I also hear this as “what are gonna do, kill me?” sometimes cause it’s a little hard to understand him. I feel like both fit a bitter/cocky Bill talking to Ford in the pyramid)

“Say you're still her, the woman you were, and you haven't turned into someone who never could love me again”

(Ok obviously Ford is not a woman, we can just ignore that part. The point of the lyric is the narrator, in this case Bill, wanting reassurance that he is still loved, I feel like this would be more subconscious on Bill’s part, but that denial is absolutely palpable during weirdmaggedon/TBOB)

“'Cause you never broke my heart, no, you fixed it, and now it works, but only enough just to suffer that hurt. Whoa-oh-oh-oh”

(Ok I fucking love this line especially in this context. This is literally their entire dynamic like, c’mon. Bill, up to the point of meeting Ford, had been manipulating people all throughout human history. It really feels like Ford is the first one he got so deeply attached too, so much so that he would want to convince him to join him in ruling over everything as an agent of chaos. Ford was captivated by Bill the moment he met him, believing him to be a higher power capable of provisioning him with what he needs. As their relationship progresses they sort of have a reversal of roles, Ford comes to despise Bill and fear him, Bill comes to be obsessed with Ford. He NEEDS him. God I love this line)

“What can I say to convince you to slip back into my arms again? I won't do you no harm again. Let me tell you that I'm sorry and that-”

(I don’t think Bill would ever say sorry out loud unless it was specifically to be manipulative, but after reading TBOB there is clear regret at losing Ford. Even if it’s not remorse you can tell he wishes he’d gone about things differently even though he refuses to admit it. Also the “slip back into my arms again” thing, again I associate with him trying to convince Ford to join him in weirdmaggedon.)

“I'm just a little bit crazy about you, Just a little bit out of my mind, Just a little insane without you”

(Bill’s always been a little insane by nature of who he is, but he goes to such extremes to get Ford to stay with him (see TBOB missing journal pages) and then STILL tries to convince him during weirdmaggedon after he’d already been rejected and despised. He makes him CRAZY. It’s kind of sad)

“Please come back and be just a little bit mine- Just a little bit mine”

(He wants him back soooooo bad it’s really just pathetic at this point)

“I never thought, and if I did, I forgot while blacked out in love”

(I don’t think Bill thinks through much of what he does to Ford in those desperate moments if at all. They’re just that- desperate. Can also be interrupted as Bill possessing Ford, when he “blacks out” and finds himself harmed or in danger, he obviously can’t remember those moments when Bill takes over. Bill interrupts this as “blacked out in love” either to justify it to himself or to convince himself Ford still loved him. I think that’s a fun interpretation)

“That what's only starting would've come to an end but now, I'm hungover and hung out to dry, and I'm giving it time”

(Time passes faster for Bill, it should feel like a blip in his life but it consumes him. The “hungover” part, see TBOB “Losing Sixer”. It’s the best page)

“Does not knowing the truth turn my words into lies? Whoa-oh-oh-oh”

(I could see him absolutely trying to play dumb in last ditch attempt to get Ford to trust him again. Fucking loser lmao)

“What can I say to convince you or do to make you agree with me?”

(Again, desperate. See all my previous allusions to the weirdmaggedon scene)

“I don't need you to be with me, Just try to remember what you'd see in me”

(I feel like this line could be a breaking point for Bill, where he’s desperately grasping at anything to make Ford continue his work, including harming, threatening him, etc. I know a lot of these lines have come back to the same thing but it’s just. The vibes, y’know? I feel like this is specifically the part where Bill tries to call Stan, which scares Ford into actually reaching out to him, Bill inadvertently causing his own demise. That’s from TBOB btw. I warned you about spoilers)

(Cut the chorus since I already analyzed it)

“I'll be here singing 'til our heartbeats might slip back into that rhythm again”

(Bill waiting for the right moment to strike. The moment Ford steps out of the portal Bill sees an opportunity, he’s done biding his time. You feel me?)

“Whether it is or isn't the end, Who cares? God knows that I could use a friend!”

(Bill is living in so much denial it’s suffocating. I mean, it’s not even just Ford, it’s his whole life. He’s in denial about how people in his home dimension treated him, he’s in denial about the fact that he’s not all powerful, he’s in denial about how similar he is to humans, and he’s in denial about Ford not loving him (and also in denial about Loving Ford). There is no end because he refuses to accept it, but then tries to brush it off like he doesn’t care, because he’s in denial about caring. My boy, YIKES!!!)

Cut the rest of the song cause it’s just the chorus again but longer. Anyway yeah the point of this is Bill is a desperate freaky ex with weirdo Will Wood energy, Will Wood’s music is good and I love it and you should listen to him if you haven’t, and I’m not normal about them and their weird fucking dynamic. Enjoy and eat well my strange creatures

[subtle-as-an-earthquake]

i am finally home and i'm pretty knackered but aaaahhh what a weekend!! ✨✨ so much happened in such a short amount of time, i'm still processing i think (also some personal stuff, that i won't bore you with). but yeah, the shows were absolutely epic, they were such good crowds for london standards. very rowdy but overall the atmosphere was amazing, and tbh that's probably in part because miles just exudes such incredible energy himself, if you ask me

just a little snippet of don't forget who you are from yesterday (night two) to illustrate:

also, a few random things i'm remembering now (which i'll put under the cut because i apparently remembered more than i thought):

miles seemed really really into it both nights, and really centered somehow? he was clearly having a blast and had everyone eating out of the palm of his hand, he's just SUCH an incredible showman. that's nothing new of course, but I was once again struck by just how very special and awe inspiring and just incredibly fun it is to watch him do his thing on stage. no one does it like miles fucking kane, baby

also, there were so many men in the audience who were just really letting go during the show, hugging their mates and singing the lyrics at each other, even full on crying when miles played colour of the trap (not even kidding, actual tears streaming down their faces). i don't think i've ever seen that at another gig to that extent, really. miles and his music seem to have - for want of a better phrase - a sort of liberating effect on a lot of men that's really nice to witness

on night one miles slipped on a spilled drink on stage and took a little tumble, but he recovered like a king and honestly it just made him look even cooler somehow lol

his arms and shoulders......... are sooooooo...... 🔥🔥🔥 dear fucking lord. his shoulders are broader than ever and honestly it was very hard to concentrate on anything else 🫠

after the show, we were chatting to ben for a bit who was just the sweetest and again talked about how he was a fan first (of arctic monkeys and tlsp and miles) and then sort of organically came to be a part of the band, and has just been having the time of his life so far! we were still chatting to him when miles came out after night 1, and when everyone started whooping, ben started screaming 'aaaaaahhh miles!!!' really loudly as a joke, before starting an impromptu chorus of the don't forget who you are 'la la la' that everyone joined in on. it was pretty hilarious

liam was super sweet too, and when he learned that i was dutch he was like 'oh we're playing a show in holland next week!' so i was like 'i know, i'm going!' and then he offered to put me on the guestlist, which was very kind of him even though i already have tickets lmao. he and ben both were very excited for that show for some reason, which made me even more excited as well!!

after night two ben and liam shared a massive hug outside and they both seemed really emotional, which was very sweet to see 🥺

nathan is the loveliest man alive. he said this tour was definitely the best one yet because the energy's just been amazing! he also asked us what are favourite album and song of the night was (his own fave was never taking me alive) and when I mentioned i just loved the bassline in coup de grace so much, he said it was as fun to play as it sounds, and that on the album it was actually miles who played it (that's probably common knowledge, but i didn't know!)

he also said that the band really is very close and they're all equals, and miles always says "we", and that he really is as kind and lovely as he seems 🥺 i mean, we knew that, but it was still really lovely to hear!

and of course, miles was once again just the most wonderful, gracious man ever with his fans, chatting to as many people as he could and taking pics with them and cooing at turtle paraphernalia, all while looking and smelling absolutely diviiiiine. he did seemed pretty knackered though, especially after night two, but that makes sense i think. and yet he still came out! truly a hero

as for my own chat with him, i for some reason went up to him like 'hiiiiiiiiiiiii' with my hands held out to him (idk man), and he just reciprocated my enthusiasm and took my hands and then held them and looked me in the eye while i rambled at him about how incredible i thought the show and he himself were, and he was just completely lovely, as always 🥺 such an angel

oh and finally, maxie is apparently staying with miles's mum while miles is on tour 🥺

i'm sure i'm forgetting things but this is already long enough 🙈 going to catch some zzz's now, i need them after this weekend