#also the music is really good but it's hard to screenshot music

[accidentalkilljoys]

Around the World in 80 Days

Hello! Can I interest you in a miniseries where David Tennant is various levels of disheveled and/or in peril? Do you like OT3s? Let me tell you about Around the World in 80 Days.

This post DOES include spoilers up to and including the end of the show, so if you don't want to know whether they make it back in time, please just scroll past.

Phileas Fogg is a sad, rich, lovable twit who cannot button his own shirt.

Everything is not fine. He spontaneously decides to travel around the world in 80 days, a feat that has only then been estimated to be possible, given advances in British colonialism and travel technology.

He is joined by Abigail Fix (Leonie Benesch), a plucky lady journalist;

and Passepartout (Ibrahim Koma, who deserves better lighting), a working-class man who pretends to be a valet so he can get away from a sticky situation.

Phileas likes trains, and is fascinated by hot-air balloons, and loves the idea of travel.

But the man cannot undo his own cuffs.

It's an adventure that I would describe as "rollicking." The screenwriter did a good job of taking a story that was really steeped in era-typical racism and colonialism, and turning it into a story that recognizes and criticizes racism and colonialism.

But we're here for the peril.

Drugged and feverish peril.

Needs to be propped up by his companions peril.

Flogged for a crime he didn't commit peril! Peril that makes me hope the PBS video player doesn't report on how many times a user rewinds a particular scene peril!

Hypothermic and needing to be cuddled and have your legs briskly rubbed peril. This also introduces the second important part of this show: the OT3.

There's excellent character development throughout the show and the three main characters grow to like and respect each other. The real adventure is the OT3 we made along the way.

(The show is of course trying to sell you on Abigail/Passepartout, but . . . .)

ot3 ot3 OT3

Please don't try to tell me that these three end up anywhere but in Phileas' giant empty sad townhouse and make it less empty and sad.

Please join me in watching this! It's a good show! It deserves more than 105 works on AO3! It's cheap to watch--PBS is five bucks a month, and if you sign up at the right time you might get a free water bottle.

In conclusion:

[yzzart]

Love your Tom blyth fics an unhealthy amount!!! I’m picturing reader and Tom being all lovey dovey at the premiers but playing it off as really good bestfriends UNTIL she goes to kiss him on the cheek and in instinct he turns his head to kiss her on the lips so they just say fuck it and hard launch there and then x

"An unplanned situation."

pairing: tom blyth x actress!reader

summary: a small gesture, with a sweet intention, revealed a promising secret.

word count: 1.359!

notes: i started this request in the morning and only had the opportunity to finish it a few minutes ago, forgive me for that, anon! — i hope you like it and of course, feel free to share ideas with me!

"Y/N, look here!"

Another request, among others, screams and countless flashes, was directed to you; being, theoretically, almost impossible to identify who had demanded your image. — There were so many voices mixing, not to mention the music in the background, but, you tried your best to pay attention to most of the cameras.

However, it wasn't anything you weren't used to; something that has already been normalized in your life.— And during the premiere of The ballad of songbirds and snake it was no different, and it was splendid; simply perfect. — Not to mention, the feeling of gratitude that grew in your chest.

Cameras and cell phones captured your every movement, your poses and the way your perfectly chosen dress was valued and highlighted on your body. — And how it matched the color palette of the film. — Everything was being recorded, at the exact moment, posted and commented on all social networks.

You had the opportunity to meet, talk and take photos with some of the cast. — It was so pleasant, the company and unity that everyone developed during the filming of the film was inexplicable and so adorable; you were grateful to have worked with so many talented people. — There were some people who were absent, until now, in your eyes, but you would definitely meet them again on the carpet.

And, of course, your eyes roamed the decorated room, matching the elements of the film, and crowded in search of a specific person. — It wasn't exaggerated words to say that you were starting to feel uncomfortable because he was missed; and the cameras recorded it. — Silent questions, which would be written, formed in the minds of the presenters and photographers.

Your boyfriend had yet to appear on the red carpet; perhaps he is giving a quick and curious interview or greeting someone. — That's what was going on in your head.

You and Tom had a secret relationship, ever since you met behind the scenes, in front of the world and all the cameras that may exist in it; something that was so risky and at the same time adventurous. — And that, as incredible as it might seem, you knew how to disguise it in front of your fans; even though they gradually became suspicious with comments, interactions and behind-the-scenes photos.

They were either smart or you and Tom were too far over the line. — This question was not important or essential for the moment. — And you considered each other best friends for interviews or responses to comments; you tried your best.

And so, Rachel sent countless screenshots of tweets, which talked about or mentioned the relationship between you and Tom, to you. — It's impossible to deny how funny it was.

Persisting in continuing to look for him and for a few seconds, your eyes meet his blue and so charming irises. — Its shade of blue was a magnificent and beautiful combination; something you would never get tired of admiring. —And there was no other thing, or anyone, that could take his eyes off you.

As if the only thing that mattered at that moment was you. — And everything around him simply disappeared.

"There you are!" — Tom walked towards you, easily as there weren't so many people on the carpet, and an enthusiastic smile forming on his lips; also accompanied by cameras and intense flashes. — "And so beautiful!"

Holding a part of your long and dazzling dress so as not to hinder your steps, you met him, and without wasting any time, hugged him. — A common gesture, and not so different or strange, for the spectators; so, you thought. — Tom's arms went around your waist, holding your protectively for a little while, while your arms positioned themselves around his neck.

Tom's fragrance, which you liked so much, filled your nose; it felt so good, and you felt your eyes weaken, contaminated by it. — And the british man was aware of that.

"You look perfect, always." — The older man distanced himself, just a little, and brought his face closer to your ear, wanting only you to hear. — "The most beautiful woman that has ever crossed my eyes." — The lenses probably captured a reddish pigmentation on your cheeks and it was not part of your makeup.

You placed one of your hands on his chest, and looking directly into his eyes; that shone at you, and it wasn't just because of the influence of the lights in your direction. — Tom's gaze was sincere, and passionate, intensely fascinating you. — He conveyed what he felt most with just his eyes.

And that was one of the facts about him that you were passionate about and recognized very well.

"Oh, shut up!" — Raising your hand and resting it a little away from your mouth, you laughed a little embarrassed and looked back at the cameras; remembering that they remained there and you knew that later you would see your interaction with Tom on some social media.

Again, a thing and situation you were used to.

"Look at that camera!" — A voice mingled among others, which requested the same request, asking you to take some photos together; something that would feed news, fans and press.

At no point, minute or second, did you and Tom remain distant or apart from each other; always a few steps close, hugging each other for photos and certain looks, completely indiscreet. — Even during brief interviews, as Blyth mentioned you or your character's work, you were silently watching. — One of the interviewers even commented on how cute she thought it was.

Tom's hand was on your waist, holding and almost covering you, making a quick caress in a few seconds and one of your hands was still resting on his chest; and you continued, of course, to be the focus of the cameras.

Quickly, with the intention of changing your pose and trying something new and also to take advantage of the fact that Blyth's face was almost close to yours, you decide to place your pigmented lips on his cheeks. — Such a cute and friendly gesture, and so common. —But, automatically and hastily, Tom turned his face away at the same time, without having in mind what you were, in fact, planning. — God, it was a shock; an absurd and completely intense shock.

For the first time that night, in that place and on those cameras, your lips touched Tom's lips. — It was very quick, good and surprising; and that definitely left a cold, freezing air in your belly accompanied by a desperate feeling in your mind. — Rumor has it that smoke was coming out of his head. — It was a peck, a quick and simple kiss.

When you separated, hurriedly, your eyes met Tom's once again; who were a little wide-eyed, expressing surprise. — Looking for something to say or do, just like you. — And you watched his lips curve into an almost smile, as if he was trapping him.

Shouts of enthusiasm and some possible whistles echoed throughout the immense place, along with some looks and expressions of surprise at what had happened. — And some people were worried if they had recorded the exact moment, of course. — Your fans were probably commenting frantically about what happened.

You really didn't know what to do but at no point did you move away from your boyfriend — now, official to the public — and keep your hand on his chest; as if it were, in fact, planned.

"A nice way to reveal it, huh?" — Tom laughed, relaxed and without a feeling of discomfort or uneasiness, he still had his hand on your waist; and he still squeezed you, then leaving you with another caress. — "I think." — He didn't look at the cameras, his orbits focused only on you.

They have always focused on you, regardless of what is actually happening; and that will never change.

"A nice way to reveal." — You repeated your words, but, as an affirmation and certainty; maybe, seeing how relieved Tom was, and not showing some kind of distress, your chest calmed down and you felt safe.

And soon, you and Tom became one of the most talked about topics on social media.

[aldisobey]

OC Tag/Mood Game

Thanks for taaaags I’m in love with all your Rooks and will expound on it all later!!! @emmg @holdingontojupiter @ollypopwrites @thequeenofthewinter

I don’t have screenshots, enjoy this piece of Worne with his beloved necromancer by @qwiqwiaqwi instead. I’m combining two games and using ‘mood’ gifs because I've got a Foolproof chapter out coming later today that needs a little more work and gotta focus and I'm not gonna worry about it. Meet my rat. He loves Emmrich and also you. I'm answering these for the bodyguard AU Worne

General…

Name: Rook Worne Thorne

Alias: None really. Thorne is what the Kirkwall templars called him. Rook was given by Varric and he considers that his first real name. Worne was given by the Grey Wardens, drabble explanation here.

Gender: Male

Age: 32-34 he isn’t sure of his birthday

Spoken Language: Trade/Common, Dwarvish (He had a lot of Deep Roads duty)

Sexual Orientation: Bisexual - are you a consenting adult? He is keen.

Occupation: He’s been pickpocket, thief, mugger, prisoner and unwilling Grey Warden. He’ll tell you his real occupation is lover and he makes a great bodyguard.

Favorites…

Color: Greens, browns, if Emmrich makes him choose just one at dinner he’s pointing at those eyes.

Entertainment: Reading. Oral story telling, music, board games. Naps. He’d like and be good at offbeat sports like, disc golf, hacky sack, or yo-yo.

Pastime: Gardening. He has a greener thumb than Emmrich. Davrin says it’s because he’s part dirt. Also running. Loves to go on marathon type journeys for the feel of it.

Food: Literally anything. But he has a fondness for beer nuts and crab cakes you’d find at The Hanged Man, no one makes the crab cakes quite the same.

Drink: He’s a water man. Not much of a wine guy makes him sleepy. Enjoys his shitty beer. Polite about tea. Does not need coffee or care of it. And do not give him hard liquors it’s not a fun time for anyone.

Have they…

Passed University: He did not pass kindergarten. Never had a chance for schooling. But he is literate.

Had Sex: Yes. Plenty and more. He loves intimacy, loves pleasure, and he enjoys getting to know people. Enjoys discovering what they might like, slut for anyone that returns such favor.

Had Sex in Public: Weisshaupt is well aware of his ass. Minrathous has seen plenty. And the Necropolis doesn’t know what it’s in for.

Got Tattoos: Yep. He’s got the Kirkwall sigil high mid back between shoulder blades, and a rook chess piece somewhere he’s not telling.

Got Piercings: NO. He would end up hurt, they’re getting torn off somehow and it’s not his fault. A small wip showing why

Got Scarred: Yes. To a ridiculous degree. He’s been through a lot and uses his body as tool when he knows he has a healing mage around. Shivs, arrows, claws, teeth, spears, once a spoon, that was his fault. Those and more of all types have left marks on the scar latticed skin.

Had a Broken Heart: Maybe once. I think the Joining tried crushing it by taking a longtime friend he was warming to. But life has been so fast and violent he never had a chance to experience romance, never had an opportunity to give his heart to be broken. Honestly his heart is probably the strongest muscle in him. But has it been truly vulnerable yet?

Are they…

A Cuddler: One hundred percent yes, he’ll cuddle friends, he’ll sidle up to acquaintances that seem keen. He loves touch. Be it platonic or more sensual. He’d hold a hand forever, would never need encouragement to lean his head on a shoulder or pull someone into a hug.

Scared Easily: Conditional. Majority of the time no. Absolutely not. But he does have a fear of drowning and water. And necromancy. That’s a complicated affair. He kinda likes whatever that ‘fear’ is.

Jealous Easily: Conditional. He’s never had much, and doesn’t desire much. He doesn’t see people as ‘owning’ things how could he be jealous? If he needs it he’ll get it. Before Emmrich he never experienced relationship jealousy. Everything was surface level fwb, one night stand stuff. Once romantically involved with Emmrich he’s realized he’d be veeeeeery jealous if someone tried to take his place. He’s cool with consensual sharing but needs to know he’s foremost or he’s gonna look like a hurt puppy.

Trustworthy: Conditional. Around cheese? No. Sharp objects? Fire? Glass? Also no. But secrets and gossip and having your back? You won’t find better.

Family…

Sibling(s): None. But the Grey Wardens are his siblings. Every warden is considered family to him.

Parents: Dead before he could walk.

Children: Only if we’re counting Manfred. He’s a better uncle than primary parent, way too lenient.

Pets: He wants a griffon. Emmrich has tried explaining why that’s such a bad idea when they live in the Necropolis but the dream lives on and the flock consider him family.

Partner: I ADDED THIS ONE K Emmrich is gonna be family that's his husband right there. Okay they're not married and Emmrich might be accepting a betrothal to some young lady but that's his husband.

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

and all y'all I want to see your Rooks link me to oc tag game and mood boards if you posted already!! @heylittleriotact @caffeinatedmunchkin @lavenderprose @thepalehorsevictoria @smoreofbabylon @xiomara42 @by-ilmater @razildor @draco-illius-noctis if I'm missing you shame me pls I will be contrite and give you pleasant words.

[cinnamon-stixs]

It's time for another addition of 'A new episode of something cinna really likes just came out so now they have to rant about it!

(Spoilers for tadc episode 4)

-ragatha trying to teach gangle to pitch auughh

-"You're wasting your time raggy" SHUT UP

-yesss chew his ass out ragatha

-This episode was such a huge w for us abstradgedy shippers

-side tangent, I loooove gangle's voice

-Her signature catchphrase!!

-"The curse of the violent psychopath butcher!" Bro is trying SO hard

-No fr it's so funny that caine only has the human emotion capacity to equate 'mature' to 'scary'.

-THERE WAS A SUGGESTION BOX THIS WHOLE TIME?!

-Not the zooble pinata...

-THIS SCREENSHOT IS KILLING ME LMAOAOAO

-Why are bubble's and caine's tongues connected...

-NOOO KINGER SITS IT OUTTT QnQ we get like no content of him in this episode I'm so sad

-"You can shut up now! :D"

-"Being a shift manager was my job at one point" LORE?!

-As someone looking to go into the culinary service field, love the mention of non-slip shoes

-I'm such a sadist when it comes to Jax. (Also amy come get your man off the floor)

-GET MY WIFE OUT OF THERE?! THOSE ARE FUCKING 3RD DEGREE BURNS!! THAT'S LITERALLY BOILING OIL!!

-This zesty ass man.

-PUNISHMENT?! GANGLE WOAH.

-GANGLE PULL HER OUT!!

-"It's called a manic episode!" So true queen. I love how this episode really pushes the bpd allegory gangle's masks have

-"This is really weird" YA THINK?

-Zooble burning their hand :(

-I love orbsman. I also love that they can just understand him for some reason.

-Jax constantly checking the clock is so me

-"i'm addicted :3"

-High ass ragatha. Oh I love you high ragatha.

-I THOUGHT THIS WASNT A HORROR ADVENTURE

-abstrabbit crumbs yayyyyy!!!

-"Caine's not gonna do anything malicious, it's not in his nature" Just a line I wanna put a pin in.

-GUMMIGOO NOOO. HE DOESN'T REMEMBER HER IM GONNA KMS

-I can't even blame her for being so awkward. Like imagine watching your friend die and then they show up, no memory whatsoever, at your fucking job

-"She's flirting with the gummy guy." this one line is gonna spark so much ragapom and funnygummy art, i just know it.

-I love that ragatha's more honest in calling people out while high. Go off queen.

-"I wish someone would flirt with me.." I WILL!!! I WILL!!!

-The occasional cracking sounds when gangle is annoyed is SUCH GOOD FORESHADOWING

-"... Does this count as a bus?"

-GLOINK QUEEN!!!!!

-She named all her kiddddsss :(

-"well that doesn't really sound like a can-do attitude to me!" "it's not."

-"You're better when you're sad" KILL YOURSELF NOW!!

-Nothing to say here I just like this screenshot

-Gangle wanted to be a comic artist in life, but gave up on the dream.

-WHAT IS GOING ON

-"Huffing paint?! AND NOT WAITING UNTIL A DESIGNATED BREAK?!"

-"I miss my horses" Ragatha probably had horses of her own in life

-"No offense, but you're kind of annoying when you have your happy mask." You're sleeping on the couch tonight Ragatha.

-Someone get her a therapist, and I DON'T mean Caine.

-"Yeah that clock's broken." good job queen

-Why is there ANY information on gloink reproduction. And is that the sex joke goose was talking about?

-"I like.. hate you, but I don't want you to hate me" So real!! ow!!

-The little casual moment between jax and pomni, and all of the characters in this episode, makes me so happy.

-Me core

-Pomni has such a big heart I love her so fucking much.

-"Oh Ragatha.. I love her, but after a while it gets hard to tell how genuine she's actually being" THIS IS SUCH A GOOD LINE!!! I love how it shows how Ragatha is really trying her best, but she's been worn down so much over the years that they can tell her kindness is a mask, sort of like gangle's comedy mask.

-(Also gangle said 'i love her' in reference to ragatha, w for the gangle x ragatha shippers)

-real.

-I love how we get to see zooble's softer side in this episode.

-Gangle's not having a good time: the musical

-Again, pomni is just so sweet :(

-Ok but why does this ending sequence eat so hard

-EXCUSE ME

-I could go into a whole rant abt how this ending could possibly hint to all the cast being dead, and how this ending is a sort of recreation of Gangle's death, but I'm not sure goose would do that. It's a plausible theory after this episode, but i don't think the "They're all dead and living in a digital purgatory" theory fits the themes of the show well.

-Gangle chooses to be honest, even when faced with possible consequences.

-ROYALTEETH CRUMBS!!! I like to imagine Caine and Kinger went on their own little date adventure :3

-C&A logo on Caine's computer

-Family guy death pose and a reference to that one weird bootleg caine costume

-"and now I don't think anybody wants to talk to me anymore" My autistic ass relates to that a little too much

-"I still like talking to you" AHHHHHHHHHH <3

-"I always like seeing what you draw" CRYING

Overall, I thought episode 4 was really good. Probably my least favorite so far, really just because of the slower pacing. I can't wait to see what's next!!

[clemelntine]

Heart killers ep 5 uncohesive stray thoughts

With accompanying screeshots cuz I take too many for my own good

Oh she is so clearly emotionally manipulating them. Can somebody please tellt hese idiots

The lil sly, flirty smile. Oh JJ if you dont kiss a boy in this show were gonna have to have a fucking conversation

The way he imidiatly took that as a challenge. Heard he wasnt fully in yet, looked a lil offended and then so thrilled cuz hed get to nag Fadel some more

Fucking horn dog

How does he though, i think were gonna have to kill this guy Bison

Dont make me feel sappy now

Oh, oh my heart. Fadel just melting into Style.

Horny piece of shit

Aahhh

God they are such massive losers. Took time out of their day to design two fucking shirts

Oh oh my heart again

Fucking digging his own grave aye

That is 3 out of the four asses grabbed. I see great things jn your future Kant

Thats honestly still higher then i suspected

Omg he is all fucking talk and pretty white lies. If i was Style id be pretty pissed btw, doesnt want Bison risking himself but is a-okay including Style into his lil spy suicide mission

Fucking loser omg. Could have easily just put in a lil effort to jump over it. Yok would be disappointed

Ofcourse there is a camera. What did Kant suspect honestly

Cassually pulls out his gun. Why does he even carry that during a double bowling date.

The sweetness and slight crazy in his eyes. Khaotung you will be hearing from my therapist, this frame is burned into my brain. I cant think of anything else

I get putting your first om your legs, like i guess that place is easy to reach but also that spot must fucking hurt, like your pretty close to bone. Are we sure hes not a masochist if he chose that spot

Oh kill me

They keep making opportunities for us to be sad about them. Like every sweet scene we have to be reminded they are doomed by the narative.

Kill me

Also the lack of music in this scene really really fucking hit hard, like that made it al so much more intimate and shit.

Omg, stunning, show stopping, magnificent

Favorite scenes

All of it actually this was just a stunning episode and I already wanne rewatch it.

For anyone curious about my sc stats. I took 123 screenshots. Of which 67 were of Fadel and or Style, 52 of Kant and or Bison, 2 of James and 2 of Thanon

[elianzis]

Do you have any tips for beginner artists dealing with art block?

ah, good old art blocks...

In general, you probably need to understand what it was that drove you into this state.

Lack of inspiration, dissatisfaction with the results, exhaustion, etc.

Inspiration is unlikely to come on its own, you have to look for it. Pinterest, movies, games (someone recommended dnd and I think it can really help), music.

Sometimes it's possible that you're just exhausted and only a break from drawing and a change of activity will help you, this also applies to finding inspiration. You don't know if playing a game will give you :D (doesn't always work with burnout) If you're comparing yourself to other artists, you need to take it a little easier on yourself. Don't say to yourself “he's so great, I'll never be able to do that”, you can just analyze how the person achieved such a result, what he did and what you did. Plus we often have a tendency to compare ourselves to artists whose skills are MULTIPLE times superior to us. I know its hard, i still doing such mistake when i look at my friend's artworks.

OKAY, SORRY, SO, TIME FOR SOME TIPS i will write in text, but also will attach videos with it ( some of them in russian, but auto generated subtitles are good enough)

1. Don't draw a picture, but put it into words.

There is a few different approaches to that. The first is when you create a blank canvas or taking blank sheet of paper and just cloud draw the location of different elements and label them. Smth like that.

Another approach is my friend told me its when you collecting key words for artwork that you wanna draw. For this one like: dragon, two people hiding, caves, adventure, fantasy, gold, dim light. (at least this is how i understood that)

2. Try new things and practice in other directions

Sometimes you just getting tired from everything you drawing. So its good to try new things. For example im getting tired from my usual art, and its good when you trying smth new, like, landscapes, more realistic portrait/animated style, re-draw some screenshots from movies. Yeah, practicing and studies can help too, because you don't need to create smth, you just learning

3. Create smth from chaos (?)

Its more about traditional art, but i believe you can do it in digital too. We used to do this in college when we would paint on glass with watercolors and then put a sheet against that glass getting a chaotic print. After the sheet dried, we would take a liner and try to see some kind of image in the chaos and draw. Sometimes its funny of some sorts. this is not much, but i hope it will help you

Also a few words.

Its okay when art is bad. We are humans after all, and this is important to remember because -> Don't forget you need to rest. Don't forget to eat, drink (GO AND DRINK ON GLASS OF WATER RIGHT NOW) and sleep. (Take this advice srsly from someone who suffers from this). Take days off, you've worked hard for two days, it's time to take a day to rest.

I will attach some videos about art block in general and with some tips how to fight it below the cut for you, its have some more info that i haven include from them, because the post might be bigger... here it is ->

ARTBLOCK // Creative Crisis // 4 ways to beat non-painting

Motivation, artblock, burnout: how to keep creating

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ARTBLOCK

[wrongcaitlyn]

okay fuck so i got an anon ask for solangelo fic recs and then i made a draft on my phone but then deleted it bc i wanted to type it out on my computer but then that deleted the ask too so!! hopefully this reaches the anon i apologize deeply for losing your ask😭

but anyway. SOLANGELO FIC RECS. ALWAYS. ANYTIME. I HAVE SO MANY

so first of all if you wanna check out my ao3 i have a bunch of recs in my bookmarks (57 solangelo ones im pretty sure)

but here are some of my favs

i'm put in awe (of something so flawed and free) by CordeliaRose (@cordelia---rose)

archaeologist!Nico & trauma surgeon!Will AU. this fic is. ohmgyod. nico's internal dialogue is just absolutely perfect in this fic and i laughed so hard and god it was just so beautifully written?? but also solangelo are literally so cute. like. ahglskdf. i gotta reread this actually but anyway (also anything by this author, absolutely hilarious, such good writing)

dumb, dumb love by thegoldenappleofdiscord

five times nico and will are dumb and in love, and the one time they are totally 100% dead serious. i love a good outsider's pov, and this fic is just gorgeous. it's a bunch of different perspectives into solangelo, and it's pure fluff, and it's got some of my favorite solangelo quotes (like, when i read fanfic i screenshot parts i rlly like and i practically screenshotted this entire fic), and their characterization is just so so accurate they're so so in love

paris by ethannku (@ethannku)

Nico has a travel YouTube channel. And a crush on one Will Solace. i'm such a sucker for socmed au's and this one is done SO so well. my all time favorite. and it's sequel too!! the formatting i am in awe of, but other than that, it's just a really good time and i just love all the little details. i've reread this too many times to count and was SO excited when a sequel was published, and i can only hope that there's more to the au in the future!! (also this author writes incredible solangelo fics and even more valgrace fics which i recently just bingeread and are soo good)

Perfect Places by buoyantsaturn (@buoyantsaturn)

“My name’s Will,” he started - so far so good - but then continued, “and I guess my favorite food to cook would be, um, frozen pizza.” Was Nico only attracted to idiots? this one's fucking hilarious. i can't even put it to words like their dynamic in this fic is so funny and yet so cute and nico is honestly just like. shocked that will is somehow still alive?? will's a safety hazard. but also piper and jason in this fic are so funny too, it's honestly just such a good, fun read (and, once again, this author's incredible. read everything by them)

I Can't Help It If You Look Like an Angel by the_oncoming_stormaggedon (@lordstormageddidnt)

Will Solace is a pre-med student whose friends run a true crime podcast called "Nothing to See Here". Nico di Angelo, despite not realizing he's a missing person, is the subject of one of the episodes. They meet by chance in a random bar, and shenanigans ensue. i mean, if it's got a taylor swift title, i'm already sold. and then it's part of a series called "Hey Stephen is a solangelo song and i will die on that hill" which is the realest thing ever?? but ASIDE from that, i could honestly rec this entire series (+ the other series it's a part of, "Nothing to See Here" which is all part of the same au) and also everything by this author - it's hilarious, i just love the premise, and the writing is so good!! and hey stephen is a solangelo song, thereby reinforcing my "fearless is will's favorite album ever of all time and i will die on this hill" argument

Even When the Music's Gone by the_oncoming_stormaggedon

It's the 74th Annual Hunger Games, and Nico and Will are the last two tributes alive. haha this is pure angst. just gutwrenching angst. love a good hunger games au and some MCD!

can i handle the seasons of my life? by buoyantsaturn

“I think that most people your age finished high school, and whether they knew what they wanted to do with the rest of their life or not, they went to college. That was their version of ditching everything they knew in order to find themselves. Maybe it’s time for you to stop taking advice from other kids who grew up the same way you did, and take it from someone who used to be normal.”  FAME AU FAME AU FAME AU FAME AU i mean, not REALLY about the fame aspect of it, but i still love it so so much. will's essentially a nepo baby turned not-nepo-baby turned college student and nico's naomi's driver, and there's even... there's EVEN A VERY BRIEFLY IMPLIED POLLEN. yeah they're relationship is just so cute in this and i love the au and i love how it's written and ugh i need more fame au's in my life

so it turns out teachers don't live at school by RegretfullyRegretful (@marbleheavy)

Nico's TA and students are determined to figure out something, anything about him. Of course, it would all just be a lot easier if they asked. Either way, Professor di Angelo is decidedly a lonely hermit. (Someone should really tell his husband and baby that) this was one of the first solangelo fics i ever read, and it's just. so. funny. another outsider's pov bc i love it, and just... the assumptions abt nico, the fluff of solangelo, and then their story of how they got together is so...ahhsdlkjs this author is just a master at tooth-rotting fluff go read everything they write

my lover's the sunlight by demigodbeautiies

Figure Skater Nico di Angelo has a run in with Ice Hockey Player Will Solace. It doesn't go too smoothly, but then again - when does it ever? OLYMPICS AU. FAME(ISH) AU. IM OBSESSED THIS IS WRITTEN SO WELL and like... the very brief part where it feels a lot like a fame au like i just i'm obsessed can you tell. the writing is just beautiful in this, i love nico's internal dialogue, and... i mean, it's an olympics au. ofc its perfect

The Stolen God by TsarinaTorment (@tsarinatorment)

Python is defeated. The prophecies are restored, and Nero has fallen. Apollo has not been seen since. His trials are over; why isn’t he back on Olympus? okay so. this is a bit of a longer fic. and it's a post-toa, pjoxmcga crossover, and it's not *entirely* focused on solangelo - but when i tell you that this fic, if i weren't reading it on ao3, i would truly and full-heartedly believe was a real life published novel - i am NOT LYING. i rec'd this to my friend right after i read it bc i was just like so so obsessed with it and it's literally just. the plot?? is insane. i'm in awe of the author, bc this isn't even the only novel-length fic that they've written with an insane plot too (their fic Eclipse is also phenomenal, but it's more focused on apollo and hades so i didn't rec it here) there's some fierrochase here, lester being lester, and some very very very cute solangelo! and meg! i think sometimes you read a fic and you're like "oh, shit, that could be a novel, and i would think it's better than some actual novels i've read" and this is one of them

(Please Don't Let Me) Fade Alone by TsarinaTorment

Please. Don't let me. the summary's really short here so it's basically that will gets very very very injured and then apollo saves him (rip, i'm sorry, i suck at summaries) once again this isn't necessarily nico focused... it's much more will & apollo. this author writes the absolute best stuff for the apollo cabin, genuinely, if you love will/cabin 7/apollo PLEASE read everything they've ever written but this is just so angsty and the hurt/comfort is so real and goddd it's so good

he was seen on occasion (pacing the rocks, staring out at the midnight sea) by stargirltv

Nico di Angelo is a completely normal eighteen year old. He attends high school, has a socially acceptable amount of friends for a social outcast and has been in a relationship for the past four years with the guy he’s pretty sure he’s going to marry. He also happens to be the world's biggest bedroom pop artist, ‘Hell’s Angel’, with a fan base that will stop at nothing to uncover his true identity and a Father that continually pushes him to be better. His boyfriend freaking out under every single one of his tweets is making it a bit easier for them to figure it out. so. fame au. y'all already know the premise of this is just absolutely hilarious and the interview?? the posts?? will just being will and i absolutely love his characterization?? and the friend group?? this is one of the funniest things ever but also just written so well anddddd yes yes yes it's a fame au POPSTAR NICO RIGHTS except he's not *really* a popstar in this one but like close enough oh AND it's a taylor swift title??? like this fic was made for me basically

okay that was MUCH longer than intended but i hope you enjoy some of the fics on here!! pls let me know if y'all ever want more recs i read literally so many fics - and if you guys ever want to give me any recs, feel free to do so! as of today, i have read *checks fic tracker bc i'm obsessive and need to keep track of everything* about 7.3 million words of fanfic this year. and that's actually less than normal (for me)

also if anyone reads patrochilles please read this fic it's literally been in my head nonstop for the past few weeks since i've read it and it's one of the best things i've ever read and like holyshit if you read patrochilles read it read it read it

[forestgromlin]

intro post!!

DON’T SEND ME ASKS ASKING FOR MONEY OR HELP. I CAN’T HELP YOU, I’M A MINOR. PLEASE STOP. I WILL BLOCK YOU.

Basic Stuff

call me: bee (like this lil guy -> 🐝)

minor (nothing weird please)

pronouns: she/her mainly, they/them is good too

sexuality: aegoaroace

current hyperfixation: hermitcraft + life series

art is under #bee doodles blog where i reblog stuff: @forestgromlinreblogs

if you want to follow me on pinterest just ask, my acct is private so i’ll have to send you the link :]

Other Stuff

(may have been a hyperfixation in the past or is a general thing that just hangs around)

art (i draw on procreate mostly)

singing (i’m a mezzo soprano, in a choir (where i sing alto) and musical theater class (where i sing soprano))

fanfic (i only read it, i don’t write it)

i like coming up with ideas for books and editing, but not writing the actual story lmao

i think programming/coding is very cool, i have done some very very beginner stuff before (if anyone has heard of perchance.org, i made a warrior cats things that has like 10k views or smt at this point 😭 it’s really bad, the code is so messy)

i would like to possibly go into game development in the future bc it combines a lot of stuff that is very interesting to me, but i currently don’t even have a computer i could use, so uh.. yeah

hermitcraft

life series

language/languages (grammar, linguistics, etymology, learning new languages, etc.)

marauders (harry potter)

harry potter (i do NOT support JKR)

kotlc

the owl house

she-ra and the princesses of power

bluey

pjo, hoo, toa, mcga, etc.

good omens

hamilton

newsies

lotr

rings of power (i’ve only watched season 1)

six

i used to play violin for like 2 years

music:

maisie peters

laufey

chappell roan

conan gray

cavetown

boygenius

phoebe bridgers

taylor swift

clairo

noah kahan

plus many more!

im one of the people that saw tumblr stuff on pinterest before joining tumblr

im very friendly online and would be happy to chat!! feel free to tag me in whatever

tag system

#bee’s thoughts - random original stuff, ramblings, thoughts, questions, etc

#bee doodles - sometimes i get the motivation to art, you can find it all under this tag :D

#bee watches stuff - i’m making my way through a giant list of hermitcraft and life series series’, updates will be under this tag :]

#bee’s song of the day - i’m gonna try to do a song of the day everyday!! feel free to remind me if i haven’t posted one lol (i almost never do)

#bee does texting - screenshots of texts i or my friends sent

#bee’s ultimate quiz - i made a really hard quiz about myself and had y’all take it to see how much you know about me :]

tags for moots

(so if you want to see all of my interactions with a certain person, just filter by their tag!)

(lmk if you dont wanna be here, or if you’re my moot but you’re not on here! i’m really bad at staying on top of stuff like this lmao, trust me, i encourage you to tell me)

#my beau-dee-ful wife <3 - @twinklefwinkle <- at the top bc she is my fiancée <333 i love her sm (her name is dee she is amazing)

the rest are in alphabetical order by tag! #andie! - @ladyloss-blog

#bug!! - @musical-dash-trash

#duck! - @duckieselz

#erin! - @kitab00m101

#indi - @indecisiveness-incarnate

#jas! - @yams-and-toast

#laceyy - @theodditylacey

#lee! - @mossy-enigma

#lucy! - @chickencentaur

#patch! - @toooster

#quinn! - @quintessentially1

#rin! - @rins-batcave

#rye bread!! - @kutie106

#sam! - @just-some-loserloverboy

#stanley! - @krevelaf

#the other bee - @lyninabin

#toast! - @ghost-y-toast-y

#vie! - @thelovelyvie

also @ all of my moots, i love y’all!!

[artzytrash]

Just woke up and need to get out all my thoughts on the Backyard Sports trailer before I go to work

First of all. THAT'S MY BOY!!! MY SON!! I popped off so hard when I saw him. I LOVE that they aren't trying to "modernise" the game by any means (cus that worked so well for them last time /s) and are retaining the early 2000s feel that makes the OG games so beloved

KENNY!! MY OTHER SON!! I love that they used his hair and eyes from the atari design. Probably the best thing they could have done with him.

KIESHA!!! She's so silly. This might be nitpicky but I'm a lil unsure about them making her hair more pointy than round if that makes sense. But it's not a huge deal she still looks great!

The inclusion of the old character sprites was really cute, good way of showing some characters that didn't appear physically. (Ernie was also in that one promo image but still) (I wish Sally could have appeared in the trailer as herself but I'll take this)

Favourite screenshots from the trailer. They're stanced tf up. The silly goobers.

Look I'm not saying this is my doing by any means, but it's pretty coincidental that, like immediately after I join the fandom, it gets a revival. And since I've joined I've been imaging what it would be like if they made another game in the series. Has Apollo given me the gift of the prophecy? /j

I'm very excited for this omg. I got hyperfixated on the series from watching one of my favourite streamers (Therm) play it and never actually played the games myself (I can't emulate the old ones currently cus I don't have a working PC), so I'm excited to be able to play them. I am actually looking at getting a PC very soon so maybe I'll actually play a bit of Baseball 97' or 2001 before then.

Also the music from the trailer is gonna be stuck in my head all day now I know it.

Last thing, I WILL be making art to celebrate the occasion, but I'm gonna be pretty busy this week with work, so it might take me a few days. I can probably find some doodles to post in the meantime, and I'm still working on a ton of aged up AU designs so expect more of them soon.

OK I'm done yapping now BYE

[byllsbytch]

Carnival Date

Nicholas Alexander Chavez

Genre: Fluff

Summary: You and Nicholas are off to the state fair today, you spend your morning getting ready and then eventually drive to the carnival

A/N: I’ll make a pt 2 of them going on the rides n shi

Warnings: Bowel issues?

Me and Nicholas were off to the state fair today.

We woke up super early and got ready, while I packed our bag, Nicholas made us breakfast to start the day. In the bag I put my purse, keys, snacks and water bottles, making sure to also grab my camera. While waiting for breakfast I grabbed the camping chairs from the garage and put them in the trunk of the car.

I sat outside at the small coffee table as Nicholas brought out eggs on toast and fruit on the side.

“Mmh!” I moaned “You’re too good to me.”

I waited for Nick to sit down before I cut into the toast the egg yolk running.

“Impressive Mr Chavez, very good job handsome.”

He grinned at the praise, before swallowing hard.

“Um, how did you sleep last night babe?” He questioned.

“Yeah pretty good actually, at one point I dreamt that I was back at my daycare job and there was this one kid that kept running a muck.” I furrowed my eyebrows, “It was actually kind of a nightmare.”

He chuckled, “Well at least you woke up refreshed?”

I just smiled shaking my head.

“How about yourself? Are you ready for the drive?”

“I slept really good actually, best sleep I’ve had this week… it was so comfy and slept like a baby.”

“That’s because I was in your bed last night.” I joked.

He smiled rubbing his forehead.

“I think you’re right actually.” He slightly frowned, “But no dreams though, I guess it’s kind of a blessing, I could’ve been dreaming about naughty kids at daycare.”

We both exchanged a giggle as I drew some strawberries toward my mouth. The fruit was refreshing, the sun was shining and I was in good company.

We spoke for a while before I cleared our plates, washed them, dried them and put them back.

“I’ll get the car started!” I called to the bathroom door where nick was.

I grabbed our stuff and piled it into the car then going to the driver seat and waiting 5 minutes for Nicholas to finally get out the door.

He jumped into the car placing on his glasses.

“You ready princess?” I asked.

“Hell yeah princess!” He replied smacking the dashboard.

I pulled out of the driveway and we were finally off.

“Having bowel issues honey?” I asked.

He looked at me with a smile in disbelief.

“No! I was just -“ He paused for a second. “Having bowel issues” he finished in defeat.

“I couldn’t help it, that egg just went right through me.”

I gasped throwing my hand to my mouth with a giggle.

“Well you’re all sorted now. Would it be bad if I stopped at Starbucks and got us a coffee?”

“Oof, yeah maybe not for me, I can’t trust myself… but go knock yourself out.”

-

After 30 minutes we were still driving but getting close to the fair, the music was pumping and I checked on Nick who was looking out the window. Although we weren’t talking we were completely comfortable in each others presence, we didn’t even need to talk but would still feel content together.

“What show bags are you thinking of getting?” I asked.

“Probably be safe and stick to the Kit Kat one, but I also seen one for cologne.”

I nodded in agreement. “I’d seen one for Ariana Grande.”

He rose an eyebrow, “Ariana Grande?”

“Yeah, I know I’m not her biggest fan but the makeup and perfume in it looks really promising.”

“Tell you what I AM excited for..”

“Tell me Nicholas.”

“A good old CORN DAWWG.”

I couldn’t help but lose it at the way he said corn dog and he stared at me with a pleased grin.

We finally got to the fair and I pulled into the parking lot. It was sectioned off and had cones everywhere, with workers wearing vests to help guide people to their bays.

I pulled up to a young man who had a radio and name badge “JAKE”.

“Hey-ya Guys! What was your number?”

I grabbed my phone and looked for my tickets showing him the screenshot.

“B-12, alrighty just down that way on the left.”

“Awesome thank you.” I smiled taking my foot off the brake.

“Thanks.” Echoed Nicholas.

“No worries darling” I heard the worker call.

Nick spun his head back at the worker.

“Jesus babe, don’t lose your neck.”

“Did he just call you darling?” Nicholas scoffed.

“Am I not?” I teased, “I think he was talking to you darling.”

He shook his head, “He probably says that to everyone.”

I laughed to myself at Nicks tension, still holding onto the fact that another man called me a nickname.

I hopped out the car and went to the back of the car.

“I think I’ll just leave the bag in the car for now, I’ll grab it later when the fireworks start.”

He snaked an arm around my waist, kissing me on the cheek.

“That’s a good idea honey.”

I grabbed out my purse from the bag and put the bag back.

We walked towards the fair hand in hand.

“What do you want to do first?” He asked.

“The basketball toss looks like it has the shortest line.”

He nodded in agreement, “Yeah, we’ll do games first then rides?”

“Sounds like a plan babe.”

We walked closer to the game.

“I bet I’m going to absolutely smoke you.”

“Sure you would Nick, I think you forgot me and Lebron James got almost identical stats, just look at my build.”

Nicholas, who towered over me, look me up and down.

“Hmmm” he hummed.

Ok writing part 2 now, I’ll probably post it either tonight or tomoz because I’m working late tonight. But thank u guys for ur support and hope you enjoyed.

[watchingblsnowandforever]

We Are Ep.14: Part 1/3

Hello!!! =D

Welcome back to my crack posts!

Part 2, Part 3

Ep 14 ruined me, just so y'all know. I'm honestly scared for what the next episode will do to me. Anyways, I hope you enjoy!

Warning: long, long post 😊😅 (also divided into three parts this time because I wanted to screenshot the whole damn thing, but this is next best)

I did not expect Q to be the one to stand up for Phum, but I wasn't really surprised after the last ep. Previously, he'd be the first one to go up in arms, but he's starting to understand maybe everything isn't that straightforward, and despite his friends meddling in his own relationship, he wants to leave Peem alone.

Conclusion: he's a very good friend.

Of course. I should've known something like this would come up 😭

Of course they've taken baths together.

I love this friendship so much.

You again. 😶 I swear to the gods, this guy will give me high blood pressure or something. Please please just leave Peem, alone. Learn to take a 'no' and mantain social distancing.

Peem... you're too kind for your own good. (I get it though)

You have no right to say that, especially without knowing the full story. But I'm feeling kind, so you're still a (mostly) decent human to me. Try not to ruin that impression. And never, ever again say anything to my babie Phum. Ever.

Oh my gods my heart broke for Tan 🥺 Here he was, probably never having dated after he fell for Fang, so knowing that Fang had dated even after whatever they went through must be so painful to him.

FANG KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT'S WRONG AND HOW TO FIX IT.

Just like we see Tan waving away Fang's insecurities every time, Fang does the very same for Tan.

I love them. <33

🥺🫶🏼

They're both so whipped-

Fai: I didn't see anything 👀😗 (we all know she's fangirling so hard inside)

Fai is me, I am Fai.

No but, Phum, are you sure Peem staring at you for a long time won't make your heart race?

Whipped. They're both so goddamn whipped. *sighs fondly*

The horns I'm dying 😭😂

Phum wasn't even surprised 😭👍🏼

Okay, not the best impromptu band performance/concert I've seen, but this is Thai BL, and they need some music and at least like 10 scenes with some band to pass whatever standard of approval, so I'll let it slide. Also, I'm terribly fond of these idiots. <3

HANDS.

They're besties for a reason hehe

You're asking the question, but are you ready for the answer?

I have already gone crazy over this too many times, I really don't have the energy anymore.

Peem is definitely winning Best Non-Confession Confession of the Year Award.

Are we still talking about the painting, or...?

Honestly though, when he was saying this I got actual flashbacks of Phum kicking the ball into his painting and how their relationship developed from there till where they are right now.

HE-

He named it "Happy" because it's all the things that make him happy. 😶

I had to pause here to take a deep breath so I didn't break out in tears two eps in a row.

WHAT IS THIS SERIES DOING TO ME.

Also, taken together, they are a story in 3 pics.

I'm just gonna go sob in the corner.

When faced with that smile and that "na, Peem, na" how could he ever deny Phum anything 😭

Textbook definition of a blushing boy who just became boyfriends with his crush the boy he loves. <3

No, he thinks he's a babygirl and rightfully so.

THIS HUG. That's it. That's all I have to say. I have no words for how this made me feel, and will make me feel for the rest of the forseeable future.

I end Part 1 here. Part 2 and 3 will be out tomorrow (because they are quite a bit long and I have Thoughts about them that I need to write in detail)!

If you've gotten this far, thank you so much for reading!! 😊

Here, have a taco 🌮

[ofmdrecaps]

07/13/2024 Daily OFMD Recap

TLDR; Taika Waititi; Florida Super Con: Vico & Samba; Dominic Burgess; Kristian Nairn; Christopher Corbin; Darby Family Foster Kittens; Articles; Fan Spotlight: Cast Cards/AuxilleryWardrobe Zine Reminders; Love Notes; Daily Darby / Today's Taika Gifs

Hey crew, today's a bit of short one, but I wanted to make sure there was some fun stuff up and about with everything going on.

== Taika Waititi ==

More shots of Taika directing Russell Crowe's show from a couple days back! You can buy tickets to the recorded concert and see at least a bit more Taika on the IndoorGardenParty website! Thank you to our crewmate @jimjim531969 for the screenshot!

Source: @JimJim531969's Twitter

== Florida Super Con: Vico & Samba ==

Samba and Vico are out at Florida SuperCon-- and as you can probably tell, they're having a great time! They're taking shots with all sorts of fans and other guests, including a certain set of What We Do In The Shadows TV Series friends! <3

Source: Samba & Vico's Instagram

== Dominic Burgess ==

Dominic is keeping us fed with more cat photos!

Source: Dominic Burgess Twitter

== Kristian Nairn ==

Kristian also sharing some beloved pets -- and this time, a new addition to his family, Calypso!

Source: Kristian Nairn's Instagram

== Christopher Corbin ==

Hey! We haven't seen our "Magic" man Christopher Corbin in a while! He's out giving a tour to his bro Jim at Universal Studios!

Source: Christopher Corbin's Instagram

== Darby Family Foster Kittens ==

Today really is a feast for the eyes when it comes to kitties and pups! Rosie shared more foster kittens with us! I can't tell you how tempted I am to drive to CA and adopt some!

Source: Rosie Carnahan Darby's Instagram

== Articles ==

Thank you to ShowSnob for this article on why OFMD deserved an S3! And thank you to our friends over at NeverLeftPodcast for bringing it to the crew's attention!

Source: Never Left Podcast's Twitter

== Fan Spotlight ==

= Cast Cards =

Our sweet @melvisik is keeping up the cast cards for us with another Emmy Submission! Albert Fox joins Mark and John "for Outstanding Music Composition in a Series for Mermen -AdoptOurCrew"

Source: @melvisik's Twitter

= Auxilery Wardobe Zine Reminders =

Reminder! The signups for the Stede Bonnet: Auxiliary Wardrobe Zine close in a week! You can still sign up until July 21! Sign Up Here!

Source: StedeBonnetZine Twitter

== Love Notes ==

Hey lovelies, today was a day all around the world. I hope you're all doing okay. A lot of stuff happened that could have left you feeling a lot of hard feelings. I know it's concerning, and I know it's scary, especially the unknown of it all. If you can, today, take care of YOU. Take time to breathe, take time to eat well, and shower, and drink enough water. If you can, watch something funny, cry, whatever you need to do to feel okay. When the world is uncontrollable, and feels unreachable, and the future unknown, one of the best things you can do is take care of yourself and your loved ones. This is a good article on how to ground yourself, if you're feeling out of sorts. It says it's related to triggers but it can be anything really that you need to ground yourself from. The most important thing in the world is that you're safe, and you are okay, so please take care of you. If you need support, reach out to your crew, we all care about you and your well being.

== Daily Darby / Today's Taika ==

I think today we could use a little boost. So here's Taika laughing his ass off at Rhys' ANYWHO, and Rhys having a bit of a grumble about ZADDY. I love these two so much, it's ridiculous. Gif courtesy of @ dallonismysavior <3

[idlingmoons]

the (not so) long-awaited fntd rant... i want it to be kept in mind that i do enjoy the game because of the dcas. and i have 1.11k wins in the game, so believe me when i say that it is grindy as hell. i do complain a lot, but i do come back to the game at the end of the day so keep that in mind. im also putting a keep reading cut here because i do not want to have this long ass ramble take up my entire tumblr lolol

@that-one-unknown-artist prepare yourself for the ranting ahead. i offer you sun and moon in these trying times, and dca ocs too since im neglecting them for this damn game rn haha

it's a genuinely very fun game at the beginning. the base game has 7 games to choose from, and 6 nights for each game, and each game is based off the fnaf series. they have fnaf 1-4, sister location, pizzeria sim, and (most importantly, and my favorite) security breach. security breach is genuinely the coolest one, but i love all the maps? in the game? security breach is just my favorite because theres an entire night dedicated to moondrop as the boss (night 5), and then night 6 has music man CRAWLING. ON THE CEILING>??????

doing all the nights aren't that long when you have good units, but i find that its hard to get a good starter. you do have to spend money for certain units and theres more of an incentive to because it's limited time (<- unfortunate money spender. worth it though). it's why i have my moondrop now haha. there's also the trading center which i am SCARED and socializing is NOT my peak skill so negotiating for stuff is very . HahHAHA. but thankfully you can just buy stuff without having to say anything. i bring up the trading center because the base prices for the dcas can get expensiveeee.

theres currently five dcas in game right now. you have base sundrop and moondrop (though sun is called sunshine), and you can get sunshine from the season pass! so hes not too expensive to get, you just have to grind enough xp to be able to get him (which, in a season pass, you need 4650 xp. you get 14 per game, 20 xp if you play nightmare mode) and currently it ends feb 15th. if you want to start, you might wanna start now lmao. but anyway you have sun, and moon, and then this game literally creates its own dca oc called stardrop. i am MADLY in love with the sun, moon, and star designs. stardrop looks genuinely so cool im keeping him in my pocket and yoinking that design for future ideas I REALLY LIKE THAT GUY . you also can get apollo's sun from the current event which is the greek event, but hes an apex and you get a 0.002% chance in rolling him, and 0.1% chance in getting him from a box. and then there's his evolution, apollo's moon

i'm already ranting here, but this is where i genuinely go insane from this post starts. APOLLO'S MOON. where do i start with you. so apollo's sun is the base unit and my god is he so fine. ok ? lets put it at that. he's basically greek au sun. alright? and game devs pulled it off. but HOOOOOO MY INTENSE. EMOTIONS . in regards to apollo's moon. i want to say it's hatred, but it's not. i'm just disappointed. he's the evolution from apollo's sun (and i was very lucky to get him!) and i considered referring to him as artemis throughout the rest of this rant because i want to give him a crumb, a MODICUM amount of respect. but he doesnt even deserve that after his design. I AM GOING TO GO INSANE.

to evolve him. let me get this screenshot

i don't have anything better and also ignore the 43k souls now because i am BROKE. this was before i got apollos moon, and now im grinding again to get apollos sun to get the original unit so yk yk. this might not make a lot of sense if you havent played the game, which is completely fair so let me explain all the statistics and insanity this game put me through to get me with apollos moon. and i WILL. talk about how i want to redesign him because he can go two routes oh my fucking god i feel so strongly about tthe dcas

the top left is souls. i used to have 43k of them until i started buying stuff but you know. theres four currencies in game—coins, souls, doubt coins or whatever they are, and the event currency (which, as of right now), is medallions. coins you get with everything and are from base game, souls you get everywhere but rarer. doubt coins you get from boss raid, and i dont rlly like boss raid so i will just ignore talking about them. and then you get event currency, which are the medallions. you only need 5k souls, which is reasonable if you play the game and youre willing to grind some, especially since you get 5 dailies that give you 500 total if you do them all, and 5 weeklies that give you 5000 total if you manage to complete them too. they take some effort in doing, but the game gives you the genuine chance to get them. theres also the 500 suns and the 100 moons, and 25 suns are 5k medallions and 10 moons are 25k medallions.

the top right corner says 350k medallions. i figured this out the hard way. im genuinely going to explode i had to grind for 700k total medallions. because suns are 100k total and moons are 250k total im NOW just realizing this holy fucking shit?? you do get 174k medallions from the event rewards if you have the greek pass with it, and theres infinite tasks you can do (one must imagine sisyphus happy...) which can give you 5k or 15k medallions so. yeah. im beginning to realize how insane i sound from a mathematical standpoint, and also a standpoint from someone who hasnt played the game before. in the middle row, theres the green presents which are the greek boxes. yes you need 250 of them. you get can 3 of them (at least for me) from said infinite tasks, or 9 of them depending on certain ones. you also get 130 from the event rewards at the very end so ayyy more incentive to play. theyre not that bad, you just have to hope that you get one certain task 14 times, and yoou can now go to endless mode and just sit there after upgrading all your units and stuff. though, i also recognize its easier for me just because ive spent an entire month playing it every single day and going insane from doing it so uh. keep that in mind

the middle of the middle is agony. yeah theres something about agony from taken from the games. idk about agony though, i literally only care about daycare attendants. anyway. AHEM. YOU NEED 50 OF THOSE???? it was genuinely awful i wanted to scream HELLO? this isnt the worst one to grind for btw. its just the one where a good bit of my souls went. i ended up having to trade for them and thankfully market price is like. 100 souls. some people charged 200, thats okay, its fine. its just hard to find people who want to sell agony because, TURNS OUT. its a 1% chance you get agony in the event games. and you can get it in the base game, which you have a 1% chance of getting (unless its a certain night, which is then 2.5x that much), or you can increase the chances but you have to play it on hell mode and even then, its a 5% chance of getting agony from hell mode. it stacks, but point still stands. but hey, i did it. so

ironically enough, agony didnt bring me agony. the gold presents, theyre corrupted presents, YES. THOSE BROUGHT ME IMMENSE PAIN AND AGONT Y I WILL SCREAm. you have a 1% chance of getting them IN THE EVENT GAMES. theyre lower in the base games, as games 1-6? all lower than 1%. only in security breach is it 1%. and you only get them in hell mode. ONLY. in hell mode. nowhere else. just hell mode. and they're so expensive in the trading plaza too ???? its genuinely where a lot of my souls went. people will charge it for like 5k? ive seen it go for 9k once. but thankfully a good bunch of em bought was only 2k, so i could buy a bunch at once and thank fukcing god. it was still so bad i had to grind for a good portion of them and i want it to be understood that i screamed in genuine joy at getting last one. I SCREAMED. IN RELIEF

the last unit is this bonnie called nymph toy bonnie or smth. i bought him early on so not much to write home about there

now. after evolving apollos sun to apollos moon. I WILL CRY. WHY DOES HE LOOK LIKE THAT. hes a recolor with a ray ripped off, two harps, and more arrows. and before you go like "isnt stardrop a recolor" (or you dont, thats fine too) AT LEAST STARDROP LOOKS GOOD. SOMEHOW??? APOLLOS MOON LOOKS REALLY BALD. AND HE HAS RAYS. the colors are atrocious, theyre the white and dark blue like og moondrop but they dont work with the scarf thing and the rays, so they look really weird, the harps are ok and the arrows are fine. i dont like the look of the white stars on it. at least with moondrop he had the yellow stars and thats fine because thats base game, and also he had his night cap which also had yellow stars. with apollos moon, the white stars just all mesh together and then its like. Huh. i do like the one broken ray though, but utilized very badly here and shouldve been brought in with a different dca design instead of apollos moon. but after evolving him, i got a unit that just looks like a mess, so i am. in fact. just disappointed. as an artist, he hurts my soul. however, as a tower-defense player, hes fucking great. he caps out at 165k damage AND THATS WITHOUT ENCHANTS. my enchant for him makes him do 403k damage like hell yeah damn right my boy get it.

now. i really want to redesign him because his design is awful and atrocious. at least i think so. there are two possible ways to redesign him, i think, though ive only thought more of one. i will call these two versions apollo's moon and artemis's moon respectively. for apollo's moon, i think he should be colored yellow instead. this seems really weird, but swap au of sun and moon have existed before, including the colors, and its been pulled off really well. so, i suggest it. not only that, but stardrop is a technically a sun who pulls off moon colors well, so why not the other way around? if we're going to call him apollo's sun, he better damn act like it. it also gives him a chance for his harps to be colored brown instead of the white and blue we see in game, and generally his color palette would be more cohesive. apollos sun pulls the red off in the pants as well, and it glows. i think the stars glowing would be a lot better, especially if theyre yellow instead of the white that blends in with everything in the original design. also, no rays. both designs arent getting rays. i do think to play up the moon part, he should get a nightcap...? but i also think that there should be a gold laurel wreath crown for his design. i think it'd work heavily, especially with the greek theme, so why not do that? i do think artemis's moon would be colored differently, maybe more grayish blue and without the red eyes? i can see a silver laurel here instead of maybe a gold one. this second route i havent thought of much because im just. not a fan of apollos moon design wise and im sort of sleep deprived and going insane from how much ive been playing this game.

h. i still do play it though. i genuinely really like the dcas, i think its super fun, and i cant wait for the next ones! sorry if this seems a bit abrupt ending but a lot of my passion within this rant has been used, and i got the points i wanted to get across i think. i would still suggest to play it. i just need to get apollos sun soon so i can go back to working on art for a video that, technically, has been worked on for over a few weeks now. </3

[niallerspayno]

Troublemaker - Part 4

Masterlist

Management has been keeping a close eye on your relationship with Liam, and they’re far from thrilled. Determined to maintain control, they step in to interfere. Can you and Liam withstand the pressure, or will the challenges of a public romance prove too much to handle?

Tags: Liam x reader, mainly angst and fluff

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

...

The tension in the meeting room is suffocating. You and Liam sit side by side, your hands clasped tightly under the table. Across from you, the management team sits with polished precision, their stern expressions unyielding. Paul, seated near the end of the table, looks slightly uncomfortable but resolute, his arms crossed.

“We need to talk about your relationship,” the woman at the head of the table begins, her voice sharp and clipped. “It’s gotten out of hand.”

Liam straightens, his jaw ticking. “Out of hand how? We’ve done nothing wrong.”

“It’s not about right or wrong, Liam,” another manager interjects. “It’s about optics. The excessive PDA, the onstage kisses, the marks—it’s unprofessional. This is a brand, not a romance novel.”

You feel your stomach drop as the accusations pile on. “We’ve had nothing but love and support from fans,” you say, trying to keep your voice steady.

“Not entirely,” the woman counters, pulling out a folder. Inside are clippings of tabloid headlines, screenshots of tweets, and candid photos of you and Liam. “There’s growing chatter about favoritism and distractions. Fans love a good romance until it threatens what they’re really here for—the music and the band’s cohesion.”

Paul clears his throat. “Let’s be fair here. The public reaction has been mostly positive. A few bad headlines don’t mean the whole ship is sinking. Liam and Y/N are good together, and you know it.”

“It’s not just about headlines,” the woman snaps. “The PDA is becoming a distraction. And if this continues, we’ll have to take measures to separate you two professionally.”

Liam bristles. “Separate us how?”

“Separate hotel rooms. Separate flights. Even staggered schedules where possible,” another manager lists coldly.

You feel Liam’s hand tighten on yours under the table. “You can’t do that,” he says, his voice hard.

“We can, and we will,” the woman says flatly. “If this continues, we’ll have no choice. And if that’s not enough to stop the chaos, we’ll explore further options, including Y/N’s position in the band.”

The air leaves your lungs as the threat lands like a physical blow.

Paul sits forward, his voice calm but firm. “Let’s not get carried away. Y/N is an integral part of this band, and everyone knows it. Removing her isn’t a solution; it’s a mistake. They’re young and in love, yes, but they’re also smart enough to know where the line is.”

“Are they?” the woman counters. “Because from where we’re sitting, it doesn’t look like it.”

Liam leans forward, his voice sharp. “We’ll tone it down in public. Fine. But you’re not separating us. And you’re definitely not threatening her place in the band.”

“Liam,” Paul says gently, trying to calm him. “No one’s saying we want that to happen. But you both need to meet us halfway here. The marks, the kisses on stage—they’re making things harder than they need to be.”

You swallow hard, meeting Paul’s steady gaze. “We’ll be more careful,” you say quietly, even as your chest tightens with anger.

The woman’s eyes narrow. “You’d better be. Consider this your final warning.”

Liam stands abruptly, pulling you to your feet. “This is ridiculous,” he mutters, his voice low but furious. “You can’t control how we feel about each other, no matter how hard you try.”

Paul gives you a small nod of encouragement as you and Liam leave the room, his hand protectively at your back. The hallway outside feels like a sanctuary after the suffocating meeting, but the weight of their words still lingers.

“They’re not separating us,” Liam says fiercely, turning to you. “I don’t care what they say. We’ll figure this out together.”

You nod, your heart swelling with determination. If they think they can break you, they have no idea who they’re dealing with.

...

You and Liam sit in the common area of the suite later that evening, the tension from the meeting still weighing heavily on you both. The rest of the band is scattered around, laughing and relaxed after dinner. Louis is sprawled out on one couch, Harry and Niall are sharing snacks on the floor, and Zayn is perched in an armchair, scrolling through his phone.

Liam clears his throat, his hand brushing over your knee for reassurance. The sound grabs everyone’s attention, and their laughter dies down as they notice the seriousness in his expression.

“What’s up?” Louis asks, tilting his head curiously.

“We need to talk to you guys about something,” Liam starts, his voice steady but firm. He glances at you, silently asking if you’re ready. You nod, and he continues. “Management pulled us into a meeting today.”

Harry raises an eyebrow. “About what?”

“About us,” you say, your voice more bitter than you intended. “Our relationship.”

Louis sits up straighter, immediately defensive. “What about it? Are they still stuck on the PDA thing?”

“More than stuck,” Liam mutters, running a hand through his hair. “They’re threatening to separate us—different hotel rooms, different flights, separate schedules. And worse, they’re threatening her spot in the band.”

The room falls silent. Even Zayn sets his phone down, his dark eyes narrowing.

“Wait, what?” Niall says, his voice tinged with disbelief. “They can’t just kick her out. She’s part of the band!”

“Exactly what I said,” Liam replies, his voice tight. “But they’re convinced the relationship is a distraction. They think the PDA is too much and that it’s affecting the band’s image.”

Louis’ face twists with anger. “That’s absolute bollocks. If anyone’s been a distraction in this band, it’s me. Should I be worried they’re kicking me out next?”

“I’d like to see them try,” Harry mutters, his tone dark as he crosses his arms.

Zayn leans forward, his expression unreadable. “So what’s the plan? Are they serious about this?”

“They are,” you admit, swallowing hard. “But we told them we’ll tone it down in public. No more hickeys or onstage kisses.”

Louis snorts. “Good luck with that.”

“Yeah, I give it two days,” Harry quips, his smirk cutting through the tension.

You can’t help but laugh softly, even as the weight of the conversation presses on you. “We’ll have to try. But honestly, the worst part was the way they made it sound like I’m disposable. Like I don’t belong here.”

“Absolute rubbish,” Louis says fiercely, his hand clenching into a fist. “You’ve been with us since day one. They’re idiots if they can’t see that.”

“You’re not going anywhere,” Zayn adds firmly, his rare show of emotion reassuring.

“Thanks, guys,” you say, your voice softer now. Liam’s arm slips around your shoulders, pulling you closer.

“Don’t worry,” Niall says, trying to lighten the mood. “If management tries anything, we’ll all show up to the next meeting covered in hickeys just to prove a point.”

The room bursts into laughter, and for a moment, the tension lifts. But as the conversation drifts to other topics, the band’s quiet determination to stand by you lingers in the air, unspoken but deeply felt.

...

A few days later the Late Late Show set is alive with energy as the band settles onto James Corden’s iconic couch. The audience cheers wildly, the buzz of excitement filling the room. You’re seated between Liam and Niall, close enough to feel Liam’s arm brushing against yours. The warmth of his presence is comforting, and when he glances your way with a soft smile, it’s impossible not to smile back.

James dives straight into his usual playful banter, teasing Louis about his relentless pranking streak and poking fun at Zayn’s mysteriously cool demeanor. Zayn smirks, leaning back against the couch, but even he can’t hold back a chuckle when James brings up an incident involving a misplaced microphone and Harry’s impromptu stand-up routine.

The room is filled with laughter, the camaraderie between the six of you palpable. You lean into Liam slightly, enjoying the ease of the moment, when James suddenly shifts gears with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

“Now, I have to say,” James begins, addressing the crowd as much as the band, “this group has been making headlines for years, but lately, it seems like a certain pair in this band has been stealing the spotlight.”

The audience erupts into cheers and whistles, and your cheeks burn as you instinctively duck your head. Liam laughs beside you, his arm brushing yours as he shifts in his seat.

“Don’t leave us hanging, James,” Louis pipes up, grinning devilishly. “Who’s the lucky pair you’re talking about?”

“Oh, don’t play coy, Louis,” James fires back, his grin widening. “We all know it’s Liam and our fabulous Y/N. Care to comment?”

Before either of you can respond, Louis jumps in, throwing a dramatic arm across the back of the couch. “Honestly, it’s about time. These two have been making eyes at each other for years. It’s been like watching paint dry waiting for them to figure it out.”

Zayn, who had been sitting quietly, smirks and adds, “Yeah, I’d say we were more surprised it didn’t happen sooner. The tension was killing us.”

Harry chimes in, his voice dripping with faux exasperation. “I mean, how many times did we have to deal with awkward lingering looks across the room? We should get a medal for surviving it.”

“And now,” Niall says with a grin, “we get to watch the rom-com in real time. It’s great entertainment.”

James turns to Liam, clearly enjoying the moment. “So, Liam, how does it feel knowing your bandmates have been your biggest cheerleaders in this love story?”

Liam laughs, his arm slipping casually around your shoulders. “It’s... something, I’ll say that much. They’re not exactly subtle.”

Louis snorts. “Subtlety’s overrated. We’re just happy you finally got it together.”

“And what about you, Y/N?” James asks, turning his attention to you with a kind smile. “How’s it been balancing band life and, well, this?” He gestures broadly between you and Liam.

You smile, steady despite the flutter of nerves. “It’s been amazing, honestly. I think having these guys around makes it easier. They’re like family.”

“Aww,” Niall coos, clutching his chest dramatically. “We’re the best family, aren’t we?”

“Don’t let it go to your head,” you tease, earning another round of laughter.

James nods, his expression softening. “Well, I think it’s safe to say the fans love you two together. And judging by the hashtags trending right now, the support is overwhelming.”

The crowd cheers in agreement, and Liam’s arm tightens slightly around your shoulders. He leans closer, pressing a light kiss to the top of your head, and the room seems to melt away for a moment.

For the rest of the interview, Liam keeps his arm draped around you. Louis is the most vocal, constantly steering the conversation back to the two of you, while Harry, Niall, and Zayn chime in with their own teasing comments. Even James seems genuinely happy for you, adding the occasional playful quip about young love.

As the segment wraps up and the applause swells, you glance up at Liam, and he squeezes your hand under the table. Whatever challenges lie ahead, this moment—surrounded by love and support—feels unshakable.

...

The steady hum of the tour bus is soothing in its own way, the faint rattle of the wheels over asphalt lulling you toward sleep. You’re curled up in your bunk, the thin curtain drawn to shield you from the dim overhead lighting in the hall. Sleep, however, refuses to come.

It’s been a long day, the high of the Late Late Show interview fading into a bittersweet ache. The weight of management’s scrutiny has settled heavily on your shoulders, dulling your usual spark. The fun—the pranks, the chaos, the lighthearted teasing with Louis—feels stifled, like a distant memory.

A quiet rustling draws your attention, followed by the sound of your curtain sliding back slightly. Liam’s familiar silhouette appears, his features softened in the low light.

“Couldn’t sleep either,” he whispers, a soft smile tugging at his lips.

You scoot over without hesitation, making room for him. The bunk is cramped, but Liam slides in effortlessly, pulling the curtain closed behind him. His presence is warm, grounding, and you release a breath you didn’t realize you were holding as his arm wraps around your waist.

For a moment, neither of you speaks. You press your face into his chest, inhaling the comforting scent of his cologne, and he strokes your back gently.

“I miss it,” you murmur after a while, your voice barely above a whisper.

“Miss what?”

“All of it.” You sigh. “The fun. The chaos. Pulling pranks with Louis. Getting under your skin.” You glance up at him, a wry smile playing at your lips. “It feels like I can’t do anything anymore without management breathing down our necks.”

Liam’s brows furrow, his hand pausing mid-stroke. “You still get under my skin,” he says softly, tilting your chin up so you’re looking directly at him. “You always do.”

There’s something in his gaze—tenderness mixed with an undeniable heat—that sends a shiver down your spine.

“Yeah?” you whisper, your voice catching slightly.

“Yeah.” His lips brush against yours, a slow, deliberate kiss that leaves you breathless. “But maybe I need to remind you just how much.”

Before you can respond, his hand trails down your side, slipping beneath the waistband of your sleep shorts. Your breath hitches, and your fingers clutch at his shirt instinctively.

“Liam,” you whisper, your voice barely audible.

“Shh,” he murmurs, his lips grazing the shell of your ear. “You’ve got to stay quiet, love.”

The soft glide of his fingers against you sends a jolt of pleasure through your body, and you bite down on your lip to stifle a gasp. The bunk feels impossibly small now, every inch of him pressed against you as his hand works its magic.

“You drive me crazy, you know that?” he whispers, his voice low and rough. “Every single day.”

Your reply is a muffled whimper, your head tipping back as he quickens his pace. The rhythm of the bus beneath you matches the pounding of your heartbeat, and it takes every ounce of willpower not to let your voice slip.

Liam’s lips are everywhere—your neck, your jaw, your shoulder—as he murmurs soft, encouraging words that only heighten the tension coiling in your stomach. When you finally break, your body trembling against his, he kisses you deeply, swallowing your quiet cries.

As you catch your breath, his hand withdraws, and he pulls you closer, tucking you against his chest.

“Feel better?” he murmurs, his voice tinged with amusement.

You nod, a small smile tugging at your lips. “Yeah. Thanks to you.”

“Good.” He presses a kiss to your temple, his hand stroking your back again. “And don’t worry. Management won’t stop us from being us. We’ll figure it out.”

His words, paired with the steady beat of his heart beneath your ear, are enough to soothe the lingering unease. For now, in the safety of Liam’s arms, everything feels right.

...

The smell of coffee fills the air as you step into the lounge area of the tour bus the next morning. It’s a cozy chaos of mismatched pajamas, messy hair, and the quiet murmur of early conversations. The boys are sprawled across the couches and chairs, mugs in hand, and Louis is already mid-rant about something that has Harry shaking his head with a grin.

Liam is close behind you, his hand briefly brushing the small of your back as he moves to grab a mug from the counter. He’s been like that all morning—quietly attentive, his touch lingering just a second longer than necessary, his eyes soft whenever they meet yours.

You plop down next to Louis, stealing a bite of his toast before he can protest. “Morning, sunshine,” you tease, grinning as he swats at you halfheartedly.

“Oi! Get your own breakfast!” he exclaims, but there’s no heat to his words.

“Why bother when yours is right here?” you reply cheekily, taking another bite.

“Unbelievable,” he mutters, but there’s a glint of mischief in his eyes that’s impossible to miss.

Liam settles on the couch across from you, his eyes flicking between you and Louis with a bemused expression. He shakes his head slightly, muttering something about “starting too early.”

It’s Zayn who breaks the peaceful morning with a question. “So, what’s the plan for today?” he asks, leaning back in his seat.

Louis perks up immediately. “Funny you should ask, mate.” He turns to you, his grin widening. “Y/N and I were just saying how much we miss causing chaos. Management might be watching, but that just means we need to get creative.”

You raise an eyebrow, a playful smirk tugging at your lips. “What’re you thinking?”

Louis leans in conspiratorially, his voice dropping to a mock whisper. “Pranks. Big ones. I’m talking legendary.”

The suggestion earns a few groans from the others, but you’re already grinning, your mind racing with possibilities.

“I’m in,” you say, sitting up straighter. “What’s the target?”

“Who’s the target,” Harry corrects, eyeing Louis warily.

“Why limit ourselves?” Louis counters, spreading his arms. “The world is our oyster.”

“We’re on a bus,” Niall points out, deadpan.

“Details,” Louis replies dismissively.

“Okay, okay,” you cut in, laughing. “What about something harmless but memorable? We could...” You pause, looking at Louis for inspiration.

“Saran wrap on the toilet?” Louis suggests.

“Classic, but predictable,” you reply, waving a hand.

“Switching sugar for salt?” Zayn offers, earning a chuckle from the group.

Liam clears his throat, giving you both a pointed look. “Whatever it is, just don’t drag me into it this time.”

“Oh, come on,” you say, leaning forward with a smirk. “You love it.”

Liam arches an eyebrow. “Do I?”

Louis nudges you. “I say we do something epic during soundcheck. Sneak silly string onto the stage or swap Harry’s mic for a kazoo.”

The mental image makes you burst into laughter, and even Liam’s lips twitch into a reluctant smile.

“You’re both a nightmare,” Liam says, shaking his head, but there’s no mistaking the warmth in his gaze as he looks at you.

“Maybe,” you reply, grinning. “But we’re your nightmare.”

The planning continues, a mix of wild ideas and hysterical laughter filling the lounge. For the first time in days, the weight of management’s interference feels like a distant memory. You catch Liam’s eye from across the room, and the small, knowing smile he gives you sends a flutter through your chest.

Chaos may be brewing, but at least you’re in it together.

...

The arena is electric, a sea of glowing phone lights and deafening cheers as the band takes the stage. You’ve always loved this—being part of the magic, the energy, and the sheer joy of performing. Tonight, though, there’s a spark of mischief buzzing under the surface.

You glance at Louis as he adjusts his earpiece, a sly grin creeping across his face. He catches your eye and wiggles his eyebrows, mouthing, “Ready?”

You nod, barely suppressing your laugh. This is going to be fun.

The show starts like any other, the boys nailing their harmonies and playful banter between songs keeping the crowd engaged. But as you transition into the third song of the set, Louis leans into your microphone, his voice ringing through the arena.

“Alright, everyone,” he says, his tone dripping with mischief. “We’re spicing things up tonight. On three, the game is tag, and Y/N is it!”

The crowd erupts into laughter and cheers as you gape at him in mock outrage.

“Louis!” you exclaim, your mic catching your voice as he darts away with a cackle.

“You better run!” he calls over his shoulder, weaving through the stage props.

You don’t hesitate. The music continues in the background, the band adjusting their positions as you chase Louis across the stage. Niall is the first to join in, sprinting past you with a teasing grin.

“Tag me if you can!” he shouts.

Before long, Zayn, Harry, and even Liam are caught up in the chaos, dodging and weaving as you try to catch one of them. The crowd is loving it, their cheers and laughter nearly drowning out the music.

“Get back here, Payne!” you yell, zeroing in on Liam as he slows just enough to tease you.

“Not a chance!” he calls back, his voice warm with amusement.

Louis darts past you again, but you ignore him, your sights set on Liam. He’s fast, but you’ve always been quicker, and with one last burst of energy, you grab his arm, spinning him around.

“Gotcha!” you say breathlessly, grinning up at him.

But Liam doesn’t let go. Instead, he wraps his arms around you, holding you close as the rest of the band gathers around, panting and laughing.

“Oh, come on!” Louis groans dramatically. “That’s not fair!”

“Looks like he’s been caught,” Harry says, his voice dripping with faux seriousness.

“And you know what that means,” Niall adds, a devilish grin spreading across his face.

“Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” Louis starts chanting, his hands cupped around his mouth.

The other boys quickly join in, their voices amplified by their mics. It doesn’t take long for the crowd to pick up the chant, thousands of voices echoing through the arena.

You glance up at Liam, your cheeks burning, but he’s already smiling down at you, his expression soft and adoring.

“Should we?” he asks, his voice low enough that only you can hear.

“As if we’d let them down,” you reply, grinning.

And then he kisses you—soft at first, but it deepens quickly, the cheers of the crowd swelling around you. His arms tighten around your waist, and you can’t help but smile against his lips, the moment feeling both rebellious and perfect.

When you finally pull back, the arena is roaring, the boys whooping and clapping behind you.

“Now that’s a show!” Louis shouts, throwing an arm around your shoulder as Liam reluctantly lets you go.

You glance at him, his eyes shining with pride and something deeper, and you know you’ve made your stance clear.

It’s not just a kiss. It’s a declaration—your relationship, your choice, no matter what management says.

...

The green room buzzes with post-show energy, the air filled with the smell of sweat and the faint hum of muffled music still reverberating through the venue. You’re curled up on the couch next to Liam, his arm draped around your shoulders as you rest your head against his chest. His fingers trace absent patterns along your arm, the comforting rhythm grounding you after the whirlwind of the concert.

“That was insane,” Niall says, collapsing onto the armchair opposite. “The crowd tonight? Absolute legends.”

“Legends who love a bit of drama,” Harry teases, holding up his phone. “Look at this—#TeamY/NandLiam is trending. Fans are losing it over the kiss.”

Louis leans over Harry’s shoulder, his grin widening. “Oh, mate, they’re obsessed. ‘Finally, the power couple we deserve.’ ‘Liam and Y/N giving us main character energy.’ This is gold.”

Your cheeks heat up as you glance at Liam, who chuckles softly, pulling you a little closer. “Told you they’d love us,” he says, his voice warm with pride.

Zayn, lounging on another couch, smirks. “Management’s gonna flip, though. Between the kiss and the trending hashtag? They’ll have steam coming out of their ears.”

You stiffen slightly at his words, a pang of worry settling in your chest. It’s not like you don’t know he’s right. Management had already been breathing down your neck about the public nature of your relationship, and tonight was practically a giant middle finger to their warnings.

“They can’t actually do anything about it, though, can they?” Niall asks, frowning.

“They can try,” Louis mutters darkly, his usual humor replaced with a rare seriousness. “They’re good at trying to control everything.”

Liam notices the tension in your posture and presses a kiss to your temple. “Hey,” he murmurs, low enough that only you can hear. “They’re not gonna touch you. I won’t let them.”

You tilt your head to look up at him, his eyes filled with quiet determination. “I just... I don’t want them to have a reason to push me out,” you admit, your voice barely above a whisper.

Liam’s jaw tightens, his grip on your hand tightening in response. “If they try, I’ll quit. All of us. We stick together.” His gaze shifts to the rest of the boys, unspoken words hanging in the air between you. “We’ve been through too much together. I won’t let them force you out.”

Louis immediately stands, his stance firm. “Same here. If they push you, they’re pushing me too. No way I’m sticking around without you.”

Niall raises his hand in agreement, leaning forward from his seat. “I’m with you guys. Doesn’t matter what management says. We’re a team.”

Harry and Zayn follow suit, both nodding resolutely. “We’ve got your back, Y/N,” Harry adds, his voice calm but resolute.

Zayn leans back in his chair, looking between the group with a small, proud smile. “We don’t need anyone telling us who belongs here. You’re part of this band, always have been.”

The room falls quiet for a moment, the weight of their words sinking in. You feel your chest tighten, the emotions welling up as you take in their unwavering support. They’re not just your bandmates; they’re your family.

A tear slips from your eye before you can stop it, and Liam immediately brushes it away with his thumb. “Hey, no tears. We’ve got this, all of us. We don’t let anyone break us apart.”

You manage a shaky smile, the lump in your throat hard to swallow. “I don’t deserve all of you.”

Louis grins, reaching over to give your shoulder a comforting squeeze, “You do, Y/N. You always have.”

You snuggle closer to Liam, his warmth enveloping you as he kisses the top of your head. For the first time in a long while, you feel truly at peace despite the looming threat of management. With Liam and the band standing by your side, there’s no way they can break you.

...

The tension in the air is palpable as you make your way to the meeting room, your steps hesitant, but you’re trying to keep it together. You’ve been summoned alone, a fact that makes your stomach churn. You know exactly what it’s about: management is furious about the kiss, the trending hashtag, and the blatant disregard for their rules. They’ve warned you and Liam before, and it’s clear that this time they’re not going to hold back.

You’re about to open the door when you feel a hand on your shoulder, and you turn to find Liam standing behind you, his expression set in stone.

“You’re not going in there alone,” he says firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument.

You shake your head, trying to hold back the nerves. “Liam, they’ve asked for me, not all of us.”

He doesn’t budge, and soon, Louis steps up beside him, a determined look on his face. “If they want to talk to you, they’re talking to all of us. We’ve been through this together.”

One by one, the rest of the boys join, each one making it clear that they’re not letting you face this alone. Zayn, Harry, and Niall stand side by side, and you can’t help but feel a rush of emotion at their support.

“Management can’t dictate who we are,” Harry says with a quiet defiance. “If they want to say something to you, they’ll have to say it to all of us.”

“We’re not letting them pull us apart,” Zayn adds, his gaze steely. “You’re not going in there alone. We’re a team.”

Your throat tightens as you look at each of them, gratitude and affection swelling in your chest. You know this isn’t just about the relationship—it’s about the bond you all share, the loyalty that goes beyond music and fame.

Paul arrives a moment later, having heard the commotion, and he gives you a knowing look. “They’re not getting away with this,” he mutters. “You’re all sticking together, I see that. Good. Let’s go.”

With no more words, the group makes its way to the meeting room. You feel your heart pounding in your chest, but now, with the full support of your bandmates, you can face whatever management has planned. You all stand side by side as the door opens.

Inside, the air is thick with frustration. The management team is seated around a large table, and as you enter, their eyes narrow, surprised at the sudden appearance of the entire band.

“Y/N,” the head of management says, his voice icy, “we asked for a meeting with you alone.”

“You’ll have to talk to all of us,” Liam interrupts, his voice unwavering. “We’re a package deal. No one gets to dictate how we live our lives or what we do.”

“There’s nothing to discuss here,” Louis adds, crossing his arms over his chest. “If you’ve got an issue with Y/N, you’ve got an issue with the rest of us.”

The head of management opens his mouth to protest, but Paul steps forward, giving them a pointed look. “Enough. We’re not going to play this game. If you’ve got a problem, you talk to all of us.”

The room is silent for a moment, the tension thick in the air. You stand there with the boys, and even though you can feel the discomfort of the situation, their presence gives you a strength you didn’t know you had.

The head of management finally speaks up, his voice colder than before. “You’re making this more difficult than it needs to be,” he says, his eyes scanning the group. “We’re not here to break you up, Y/N, but we need to consider the bigger picture. This... relationship is drawing too much attention. We can’t risk it damaging the band's image if it ends badly.”

Liam stands even straighter, his jaw clenching. “So what do you want, exactly?” he asks, his voice clipped, but unwavering.

The manager leans forward, his fingers tapping rhythmically against the table. “What we want is simple. You two are obviously serious, and we’ve seen the fan support—it’s undeniable. But that’s the issue. Fans don’t want to see a couple fall apart. They need security, stability. If you’re truly committed, we need to solidify this relationship for the public eye. We need an engagement, marriage, maybe even talk about starting a family.”

The words hit you like a brick to the chest. You glance at Liam, trying to gauge his reaction. His grip tightens on your hand, but you can see the shock in his eyes as he processes what’s just been said.

“You’re asking us to... get engaged?” you ask, your voice incredulous. “Married? Have kids?”

The manager nods, his expression firm. “Yes, exactly. Make the relationship official in the public’s eyes, make it real. You’ve already got the attention—use it. Turn it into something lasting and undeniable. We’re talking about making the relationship as public as possible to keep the fans invested. If they see you both tied down, committed, no one will question the legitimacy of your relationship again. They’ll back off.”

You can feel your heart racing in your chest. This is a level of manipulation you didn’t expect. It’s not about love. It’s not even about you and Liam. It’s about control—about using your relationship for the sake of image and brand.

“I won’t do that,” you say, shaking your head. “This isn’t about what you want. This is about Liam and me. We’re not going to get married just to make a point to the public. That’s not what we’re about.”

Louis steps up beside you, his eyes sharp and protective. “She’s right. This whole thing has always been about us, not about some corporate agenda. We’re not going to give you a fake wedding or engagement just to appease fans and make you feel better about your plans.”

The manager’s eyes narrow, frustration creeping into his voice. “Do you really think you can go on like this, without any kind of commitment? You two need to be an example to the rest of the band, to your fans. This... public spectacle can’t continue with no clear direction. You need to make a choice. Either you solidify this relationship, or we’ll have no choice but to end it and have Y/N leave the band. If the relationship is a distraction, it’s not worth it. We can’t keep her here while you two play games. This is the only way forward.”

You feel the room spin for a second. The words hang in the air, heavy and suffocating. “What?” you gasp, your eyes darting from the manager to the rest of the boys. “You’re asking me to leave the band if I don’t go along with this?”

The manager doesn’t flinch, his tone final. “We need stability. The band can’t keep up the uncertainty. If this relationship is going to be a problem, one of you has to go. If you’re not going to give us what we want in terms of solidifying things—engagement, marriage, whatever—it’s best to move forward without the distraction. We’ve tried to be lenient, but this has gone too far.”

Louis, Niall, Harry, and Zayn all speak up at once, their voices laced with frustration and disbelief.

“Are you really saying she should leave the band over this?” Niall asks, his tone incredulous.

Zayn shakes his head. “This is outrageous. Y/N’s been part of this band for years. We’re not going to let management throw her out just because they can’t control her relationship with Liam.”

Paul, who’s been silent up until now, speaks up, his voice quiet but firm. “This is ridiculous. You’re asking them to make a decision that isn’t theirs to make. It’s not about your control, it’s about what’s right for them.”

The manager stands his ground, his eyes cold. “You can argue all you want, but if they’re not willing to make this work for the band, there’s no place for Y/N here. We can’t afford to let personal drama tear the group apart.”

You feel the weight of the words settle in your chest, but Liam’s hand on yours anchors you. He squeezes gently before speaking, his voice low but filled with resolve. “We’ll think about it,” he says, his eyes meeting yours with a mixture of defiance and uncertainty. “But there’s no way we’re going to rush into something just because you’re pressuring us. This isn’t about you. This is about us.”

You nod, your heart racing in your chest, but the boys’ unwavering support makes you feel a little more certain. This is your relationship, your decision, and no matter what management tries to throw at you, you’ll face it together.

...

The hum of the tour bus fills the air, the gentle rocking of the vehicle as it moves down the road almost soothing. It’s late, and most of the band members are either in their bunks or chatting quietly in the lounge area, but you and Liam have retreated to the back, away from the chaos of the day. The stress of the meeting with management still lingers in the air, but here, in this moment, it’s just the two of you.

You’re curled up against him on the leather couch, his arm around you, and his warmth is a comfort. His hand idly traces soft patterns on your arm as the two of you sit in the quiet, letting the weight of the world outside fall away, if only for a few moments.

“I hate that they’re trying to control us like this,” you mumble, resting your head against his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath your ear. The silence that settles around you feels different than it did earlier. There’s no pressure now, no looming threat. Just the two of you. You’ve always loved how you feel when you’re with him like this—safe, calm, and completely at peace, even with the storm raging around you.

“I know,” Liam replies softly, his fingers continuing to trace lazy circles on your skin. His voice carries the weight of his own frustration, but there’s an underlying sense of determination in it. “But I’ll never let them tear us apart, Y/N. Whatever they want to do, however they want to control us... I won’t let you go. Not for anything.”

You feel his words sink deep into your chest, and a small sigh escapes your lips. His support, his unwavering belief in you, has always been a source of strength. But this—this commitment, this promise—feels different. You know he means it with everything in him.

Liam shifts slightly, turning to face you more, his eyes locking with yours. The intensity of his gaze makes your heart skip, and you feel your breath catch in your throat. His hand gently cups your cheek, his thumb brushing over your skin as he holds you close.

“Y/N,” he starts, his voice low, almost hesitant, “I need to know something.” He pauses, his eyes searching yours for any sign of discomfort, any hint that he’s pushing too far, but you just nod, silently urging him to continue.

“How would you feel about taking that next step?” His words are deliberate, his gaze never leaving yours. “I’ve told you before, I’m in love with you. I’ve loved you for years. And I want to be with you, however that looks. I don’t care if it’s tomorrow, or ten years from now. I’ll wait. But I want you to know that I’m ready to marry you, whenever you are. I don’t need a huge ceremony or a fancy wedding, I just need you by my side.”

His words hit you like a wave, and for a moment, you can’t find your voice. The sheer sincerity in his eyes, the depth of emotion behind every word he’s spoken, takes your breath away. You can’t help but feel your heart swell with love for him—love that’s been there all along, just waiting to be acknowledged.

“You mean that?” you whisper, your voice trembling slightly. The vulnerability in his eyes, the openness, makes your chest tighten. “You really mean that?”

Liam smiles softly, his thumb continuing to caress your cheek as he leans in, his forehead resting gently against yours. “More than anything in the world,” he murmurs. “I want to build a life with you, no matter what happens. If we need to wait for it, I’ll wait. I’ll wait as long as you need, Y/N. But just know, I’m ready when you are.”

Tears well up in your eyes, and you close the gap between you, pressing your lips softly against his. The kiss is slow, tender, as though he’s offering you the entire world with it. When you pull away, you rest your forehead against his, your hand finding his and intertwining your fingers.

“I’m ready too,” you admit quietly, your voice barely a whisper. “I don’t know when it’ll happen, but I know I want to spend my life with you, Liam. I just... I don’t want anything to change us. Not now, not ever.”

Liam’s smile is soft, filled with so much love that it nearly overwhelms you. “Nothing will change us, Y/N,” he promises, his voice steady and sure. “You and me, we’re unstoppable. We’ve already been through so much together. Nothing’s gonna tear us apart.”

You let out a soft laugh, the weight of everything starting to lift, if just for a moment. “You really believe that, don’t you?”

“Always,” he responds, his thumb gently brushing away the stray tear that’s fallen down your cheek. “Always.”

Liam’s hand gently brushes a strand of hair from your face as you both sit in comfortable silence. You feel the weight of everything that’s been said, but there’s something calming about his presence. His fingers trace the outline of your jaw, a soft smile tugging at his lips as he looks down at you with affection.

"Are you okay?" he asks, his voice low, the concern in his eyes evident. He still doesn’t want to let you go, doesn’t want anything to change. But he’ll do whatever it takes to make sure you feel secure.

You nod, the soft smile on your face not quite reaching your eyes as you replay the conversation in your head. "I’ll be okay," you whisper, but the uncertainty lingers.

Without saying anything more, Liam leans in, his lips brushing against yours in a slow, tender kiss. It’s a kiss filled with warmth and understanding, a promise that you’re not alone in this. His hand gently cups your face, his thumb sweeping over your skin as if memorizing every detail.

As the kiss deepens, it’s as if time slows down around you both. The pressure of everything, the expectations, the scrutiny, fades into the background. His lips move against yours, soft and insistent, as though he’s trying to reassure you that no matter what happens, he’s here, and he’s not going anywhere.

You pull him closer, your hands threading through his hair, your fingers tugging him toward you. The world outside this small space feels distant, irrelevant. All that matters is him, the warmth of his body against yours, the way he makes you feel seen, heard, loved.

His lips move down to your neck, trailing soft, slow kisses down your skin, and you gasp softly, the sensation sending a shiver down your spine. He lingers near your pulse point, his lips grazing the delicate skin there before he presses a kiss that turns into a mark—a reminder of this moment, of him.

You can’t help the smile that tugs at the corners of your lips as you feel the mark, the subtle possessiveness that comes with it. It’s his way of saying that you’re his, and he’s yours. And in this moment, it feels right.

Liam pulls back slightly, looking down at you with a playful glint in his eyes. "Screw them," he murmurs, his thumb brushing over the mark on your neck, his voice filled with a quiet defiance. "You’re mine, and nothing’s changing that."

You smile up at him, your fingers tracing the marks on his skin, your heart swelling with love. No matter what management throws at you, you know this—what you have with Liam is real, and nothing can take that away.

And for the first time in a while, you feel truly at peace.

...

The day feels like any other on tour—rehearsals, sound check, and Louis being his usual chaotic self. He drags you around with exaggerated urgency, claiming he needs your input for a prank that, according to him, must be executed perfectly. You roll your eyes but go along with it, thinking it’s just another day of Louis causing mayhem while you egg him on.

What you don’t know is that behind the scenes, Liam is a bundle of nerves. The boys, the stage crew, and even Paul are all in on his plan, their quiet collaboration pulling everything together. Every moment, every detail has been meticulously chosen—the photos, the transitions, the timing—all leading up to this.

The concert begins, and everything feels normal. The energy from the crowd is electric, the music flows seamlessly, and you’re in your element. Then the familiar intro to "Once in a Lifetime" fills the arena, and you smile as the lights dim, casting the stage in soft blues and whites.

You take your place on one of the stools, the song beginning like it always does. But as you sing, something catches your eye. The giant screens behind you light up, and instead of the usual visuals, a photo appears—a grainy snapshot from the X Factor days.

Your heart skips a beat, your voice faltering for a moment as you take it in. The photo fades, transitioning to another: you and Liam backstage during one of the early tours, laughing like you don’t have a care in the world.

More photos follow, each one hitting you harder than the last. There’s one of you and Liam in matching onesies, another of him kissing your cheek as you blush, and a candid shot of the two of you sitting shoulder-to-shoulder, lost in conversation. Memories flood your mind, and your chest tightens as realization dawns.

Your breath catches. This isn’t just a montage. This is about you and Liam.

You turn to him, your heart racing. He’s already looking at you, his eyes locked on yours, his expression a mix of adoration and vulnerability. The crowd roars, catching on to what’s happening, but it’s all background noise now.

By the time the final chords of the song fade, the arena is vibrating with anticipation. Liam stands, holding up a hand to quiet the cheers. The other boys step back, giving him space, and your pulse quickens as he moves toward you.

“Y/N,” he begins, his voice steady despite the raw emotion in his eyes. “From the moment I met you, you turned my world upside down in the best possible way. You’ve been my partner in every sense of the word—my best friend, my muse, my anchor.”

You feel tears welling up, your hands trembling as you press them to your mouth.

“You’ve seen me at my best and at my worst, and somehow, you’ve loved me through it all,” he continues. “I don’t want another day to go by without making this official.”

The crowd gasps as Liam drops to one knee, pulling a small velvet box from his pocket. Your breath catches, tears spilling over as he opens it, revealing the most beautiful ring you’ve ever seen.

“Will you marry me?”

For a split second, the world seems to stop. All you can do is stare at him, overwhelmed by the weight of the moment—the love in his eyes, the cheers of the crowd, the way everything else has faded into the background.

Then you’re nodding, your voice shaky but sure as you blurt, “Yes. Yes, of course!”

The crowd erupts, their cheers deafening, but all you can focus on is Liam. You barely wait for him to slide the ring onto your finger before you throw yourself at him, knocking him flat onto the stage. He laughs as you bury your face in his chest, his arms wrapping tightly around you as the audience goes wild.

The boys rush in, hooting and hollering as they help you both up. Louis slings an arm around your shoulders, grinning. “It’s about bloody time! I was starting to think I’d have to propose for you, mate.”

Harry smirks, leaning into his mic. “Ladies and gentlemen, the future Mr. and Mrs. Payne!”

The audience screams, the energy in the arena reaching new heights. Liam pulls you close, his lips brushing your ear as he whispers, “Forever, yeah?”

“Forever,” you whisper back, your heart full to bursting.

As the concert continues, you’re on cloud nine. The boys tease you relentlessly backstage, Zayn joking that he hopes he gets to officiate, and Niall declaring himself in charge of the bachelor party. But every time you glance at Liam, the chaos fades, leaving only one thing clear: this is the start of forever, and you wouldn’t have it any other way.

...

Author's note: I hope you enjoyed this mini series! If you'd like drabbles based on this series or have me rewrite it as a proper series - let me know!

[aeolianblues]

Oh look, the nepo baby singer who has nothing consequential to say also has empty fans who haven’t had a thought in their lifetimes. Sky’s blue, water wets, empty vessels make noise.

It is simple gig etiquette, you don’t control the choice of opener, and you can just come late if you really don’t want to see them. Even if you’re on the barricade and she can see you, you think an opener doesn’t understand that the people at the show aren’t always familiar with their work? They come with the mindset that they want to warm up the crowd, and if possible create new fans by exposing them to their music.

If you don’t like it, that’s also fine! Goodness me, I had more chats with Pulp fans about what they thought of the opener (people thought they were Weird and cringey) than I talked to them about Pulp. But did anyone do this? No! You let the openers do their thing! You can listen and either appreciate it or know that you have the choice to never listen to it again once you leave the venue.

It’s so self-centred to try and get the opener removed just because you don’t know them. What a stupid thing to say. Also ‘we don’t know her music’ but also ‘her music is so slow’? Make up your mind, do you know her or do you not?

People wonder why it’s hard for new musicians to draw huge crowds? It’s because over the last decade, we’ve all been conditioned so hard to know everything in advance.

Reruns, remakes, 20th anniversary remaster tops the charts, 30th anniversary reunion tour is the only show you’ve been to all year (it’s expensive so now you won’t spend $15 at a local show), as an audience, not only has our maturity been forgotten, but producers (and particularly financiers) of media have been so obsessed with coddling audiences for familiarity, we’ve been such huge losers for it.

The same radio stations that once boasted they playing the ‘hottest new names in music’ and magazines that proudly printed ‘We were the first to discover and ‘break’ them into the mainstream’ have spent the last year fishing for Oasis reunion stories. The name sells, familiarity is a business strategy and idiots will go into a frenzy doubling down on misinformation because they don’t like new and unfamiliar information (be it on bigotry, false biology or fantasy about ‘immigrants’).

And I guess sometimes it manifests itself like this: in people who are going to see an artist who has released 2 albums, and who herself was discovered by many fans in opening for Olivia Rodrigo and Taylor Swift, and those fans are complaining about a new artist they don’t yet know who has potentially got the biggest career boosting opportunity of her life, because they’re not ‘familiarized with her work’.

Ignoring the fact that anyone else who replaces her at short notice will also not be familiar, what the hell? Skill issue. Dora Jar has ONE album out. How fucking hard is it to listen to ONE album. A friend of mine is challenging herself to do one new album a day this month. How fucking hard is it.

(I should say, screenshots from Stereogum)

[verdicloud]

pouncival ideas

before, i never really paid close attention to the ending of the show “the ad-dressing of cats”, there wasn’t much dancing or plot, and i just listened to ken page’s legendary singing. but i recently noticed something. pouncival. he’s front and centre of all the cats, and he even does slightly different poses/choreo than the rest of them. pouncival is also one of those cats that i never paid too much attention to, but he’s been nagging me ever since this discovery.

the more i thought about it, the more i realised that he doesn’t really have a proper “role” in the tribe other than being a troublemaker, which doesn’t help anyone. when i searched for inspiration on tumblr, there were hardly any pouncival hcs that were exclusively him. and even then, it was just things we already know about him.

i NEEDED to know him better. he would not let go of my brain for the past three days. but i’d like to thank him for giving me something to think real hard about. here’s my ideas for him!

this next part is a review of pouncival. feel free to skip to “finally, my ideas” below the screenshot of pounce —

what we know :

- pouncival is the youngest tom cat in the tribe

- he’s a mischievous and childish kitten with a knack for troublemaking

- he’s carefree and playful, just a happy kitten, sometimes callously so

- his alternate is carbucketty, a name invented by t.s. eliot for a “knockabout” cat

what we can infer :

- he loves his friends! (he pranks grizabella at tumble and plato’s idea, and he lets victoria snuggle up to him at the start of “mister mistoffelees”)

- he’s a comedic kitten who loves making people laugh, even at his own expense

- he’s the type of kid to roll in the mud and eat dirt (affectionate)

- he’s the class clown who’s lowkey an icon

• in my personal list of the cats and their three words (or more specifically “three adjectives describing their personality”), i gave him childish, blithe, and puckish.

his main character moments :

- causing trouble, and being the first “cockroach” to appear, during “the old gumbie cat”

- pranking grizabella twice

- getting reprimanded by jellylorum and electra during the jellicle ball “chant”

- being the pollicle who leads the march (it goes wrong, naturally)

- falling over a bunch, the little rascal (he’s very good at it too. top job, karl morgan /srs)

finally, my ideas :

other than the “boys group”, pouncival is also close friends with electra (and therefore etcetera). electra is something of a fussy and uptight kitten, like the type of girl who always wants to be the “boss” of the friend group and twist the story so she wins during roleplays. pouncival gives her the perfect excuse for someone to yell at as a frustration outlet. his carefree and playful attitude means that, not only does he not mind, he plays along and sometimes does cheeky things on purpose to rile her up or lift her spirits (electra is secretly very grateful).

pouncival’s childishness also means that he has a vivid imagination, and this lead to him being very inventive. also, as previously established, he has no qualms with being unhygienic, so he is very resourceful in digging through the trash, no matter for food, supplies or props for electra’s roleplays. as such, he was actually the one to make the costumes and props during jennyanydots’s number and for munkustrap’s play…

once, electra got really upset during a group roleplay, so as an apology and also to cheer her up, pouncival made mice and cockroach costumes, and along with the rest of the kittens, they performed a hilarious, modified to comedic version of the nutcracker for her. the costumes ended up being reused for jenny’s number.

another version of this could be: once, electra was scolded by jenny, and being especially sensitive to the disapproval of the older cats, especially one she admired, she got really upset. so pouncival and etcetera “took revenge” for her by sneakily asking demeter and bombalurina to help them write a musical number about jenny. pouncival made the costumes and they secretly performed it for electra, twisting the meaning to make fun of the old gumbie cat instead. normally electra wouldn’t be too happy about this, but she was still upset at jenny at the time and it gave her the catharsis she needed.

both were more than successful.

pouncival also made the notorious candy cane bagpipes. plato, being tugger’s other biggest fan, begged pounce to help him create a special birthday gift for him to give to tugger. pounce isn’t sure what tugger’s response was, but it left plato smiling for days.

during the production of “the pekes and the pollicles”, an extremely stressed out munkustrap gave pouncival the job of costume design, collaborating with mungojerrie and rumpleteazer. with the help of their smart looting skills, the three made exceptional costumes for all four breeds of dog as well as rumpus cat, earning them lead roles (though munkustrap might have regretted that) and a pat on the head.

pouncival the knockabout cat lives!!! or maybe pouncival the invention cat?

(also why are his eyes lowkey so beautiful)