#and i will go back to writing and curating a soundtrack :)

[funkin-news]

ninjamuffin newgrounds post!

tl;dr

fuck ads!! use adblocker whenever you can!!

the crew tries to make fnf as ad-free as possible, not just the game but where you download it- it's why it's on itch/newgrounds and not anywhere that offers ad revenue

that being said, fnf mobile will likely have a free version which... will have ads. they will try not to make the ads too obnoxious

(there will be an ad-free paid version too!)

extra note from me, not the post: if you're an android user you totally shouldn't use youtube revanced and purpletv or anything for mobile youtube and twitch adblockers. it would be such a hindrance to the advertisers. ha ha

full post copied below ⬇️

greetings and merry xmas newgrounds

on my brain for a very long time has been advertisements. Something about ads that stick in my brain ever since I came across this little thing from Lichess.

In due time, unfortunately this post will become a bit hypocritical, as we will eventually publish FNF onto mobile, and that will very likely have a free ad supported version. Hopefully that doesn't undermine my thoughts too much, however FNF is more than just me and my brain! Not everything I say goes in terms of FNF decisions! So with all that being said, let me begin shouting about everything I hate about ads.

I use adblocker on everything, and you should too. UBlock Origin has been my reliable go to. Online ads are especially an insidious breed. I'll try not to be some tinfoil hat, but I do often wonder what the internet would look like if the online ad model *wasn't* fruitful back in the early days of the internet. Would Facebook, Google, etc. have an arms race to the bottom to get infinite amounts of data on every single person ever? Would social media algorithms optimize for a different experience other than *spend as much time as possible on our site*? Ads have existed before Youtube, Google, internet though. They exist on TV, on subways and buses, on radio, in newspapers. I think for the most part my deep hatred of ads is for online kind, I do think there can be "irl" ads that I find very unpleasant. Going on a subway or sitting at a bus stop, I think people deserve more dignity from their city public transit than to have something sold to them! I don't think an ad free life should be only reserved for those who can pay for spotify premium, youtube red, etc. I think everyone should be entitled to that DIGNITY.

X (the everything app, formerly Twitter ) has a Premium subscription that costs 10$/month (CAD), and they will only give you *half* the ads in your feed. How generous of them. I will be dramatic, and say that I look at ads with disgust. I hope to think I'm somewhat justified, as most ads look like dogshit, and are pretty worthless.

For a very long time (and currently, as of writing/posting) FNF has been entirely ad free. We did stand up to putting it on other web portals that offer ads and ad payments/rev share, because we do somewhat want to be part of the change we'd like to see in the world. We want to believe in a world where someone can put out a free game on itch/newgrounds, and have the development be supported purely off donations (which FNF was supported by that in the early days / first 6 months of development!). We definitely could have made much MUCH more money if we put FNF on websites that offer ad rev share, but we didn't, and I hope that doesn't fall on deaf ears.

However we do promote our own things from within the game, Kickstarter, merch, etc. I suppose I'm less upset or even thinking about that, I think there's a big difference if we had a lil Kickstarter trailer in-game that played, opposed to having an in-game advertisement for some fuckass mobile game or some cosmetics or somethin. We specifically are still curating what we are putting in the game with our lil links to merch, kickstarter, etc.

We also provide the soundtrack on Spotify / streaming services, which do indeed get money from ads. I think I'm so detatched from Spotify ads and being angry at them, since I've been spotify premium user even at the brokest poorest in my life... i need them album downloads!!! I do think that's an aspect where there is an adfree alternative, which is Bandcmap, where you can listen to the FNF OST as much as you want, and if you pay some coin, you can download it in high quality!

My thoughts on FNF mobile with ads is that they will make me very unhappy and deeply sad. I do sincerely apologize to those of you who would be unable to play FNF on anything other than a mobile device, and aren't able to get the full mobile version, so you become punished with ads. We do hope to not be obnoxious with mobile ads. If you have a computer, even a shitty busted one that runs slow, I personally hope you end up compiling the mobile version yourself to get past ads. The thought of that lets me rest easier just a little bit. The FNF will be proudly open source forever.

There will also be a paid version of FNF mobile, that will have no ads. Pay for that one if you please.

[plutoccult]

BEAUTIFUL STRANGER

pairing: hwang hyunjin x gender neutral reader

description: a beautiful stranger shakes up your once boring and repetitive morning commute on the train.

word count: 3.4k

also available to read on my ao3 here

author’s note: hello! i’m no stranger to writing, but i’m definitely a stranger when it comes to writing for idols. this is the first time i’ve ever done so, and who better to write for than my ultimate bias hyunjin? stray kids is my favorite group, so i’d like to write more content for them in the future. thank you to my pookie wookie lills (YES, we unironically call each other pookie, it’s our thing) for beta reading, and i hope you enjoy <3

soundtrack: beautiful stranger, enchanted

tags: @solefleurs @heavenfilm @5sos-wdw @todorokiskitten @rylea08 @br3anna-nels0n @hyunjinloverrrr

taglist form here

you always found an array of characters during your morning commute on the paris metro. there’d always be locals, some on their way to work or home just like you. amongst the locals were tourists decked out in overpriced souvenirs specifically curated for suckers like them. at night, there were drunks who thankfully were smart enough not to drive. the reek of alcohol on them wasn’t that amusing, you must admit.

despite the variety of people you could see passing by on your commutes, it grew boring. always the same thing every single day. not even the music playing in your headphones or the book you brought with you that day could make time go faster. it’s not like it would be any better once you got off the train either. your life was incredibly dull and repetitive. if only something could serve as a change of pace.

to think that your life had become boring in a place like paris of all places. it’s the city of love, is it not? even if you were created out of love and born in a city all about that concept, you had none of it. maybe that’s why you felt this way. no matter how many times you pass the same streets or enter the same train station, you had yet to find the one thing everyone seemed to look for so easily here.

you had basically given up at this point, committed to living an empty life where all you did was work, eat, sleep, then repeat. it’s what most people do in other countries anyway, might as well join the party. the second you had fully lost all hope, however, was when you saw the most beautiful stranger on the train. you almost wanted to slap yourself for being so pessimistic before.

you walked onto the train with the expectation of just sitting around until you got to your stop. as you walked to your usual seat, that’s where you found your beautiful stranger, sitting in the seat right across from the one you sat in every single day without fail.

you knew you had never seen him before. you take this train almost every damn day, so who was he? had he just moved here? was he a tourist? where’s the “i love paris” shirt and the eiffel tower keychain made of shitty plastic? instead, he was dressed like someone meant to be on billboards and magazines. surely had the face to fit the bill too. he was undoubtedly breathtaking, and he ultimately captivated you upon first sight.

it was pathetic how you hesitated to sit down. he didn’t seem to waver, looking down at his phone. from the reflection of his sunglasses—yes, you were that curious—he seemed to be swiping through photos. you assumed they were ones he had taken around the city. paris was definitely filled with photo opportunities, so you couldn’t blame him for that one. it’ll look good on anyone’s instagram feed.

you try your best to make yourself look occupied. shuffling through your bag to find a book, the rummaging sounds catch the attention of your beautiful stranger. your eyes meet for a brief moment when you turn your body to lean back in your seat with a book in hand. despite how quick the moment was, you swore your heart dropped the second you caught his gaze.

oh god, was this the excitement you had been waiting for? you couldn’t mistake it as anything else. leave it up to you to fall for a stranger upon first sight, but who cares? finally, finally, your life had begun to be painted in color. even if it was just for a moment, you’d savor this one train ride that actually seemed worthwhile for once in your life.

you steal glances at him every so often, praying he wouldn’t catch you and make you feel embarrassed for staring. you just couldn’t help yourself, he was like a walking renaissance painting. actually, you don’t even think da vinci would be capable of capturing the essence of someone who looked like a real-life prince.

the moment you knew you had reached your stop, you wished you could glue yourself to your seat so you had no choice but to stay on the train with your beautiful stranger a little longer. as much as you wanted to, you simply couldn’t, having no choice but to say goodbye without actually saying a word at all.

it was silly to think a stranger on the train could change your life in an instant. still, you were grateful for the temporary change of pace. if only you could thank him somehow, but alas, you knew you had no chance of seeing him again.

•••

the next day, you found your beautiful stranger again, this time sketching down something in a sketchbook. you caught him looking at everyone who walked onto the train, and when it was finally your turn to step on, he actually smiled once he laid eyes on you. it all felt like you were dreaming. if this was cloud nine, then you had finally reached it.

when you walked over to your seat across from his, you noticed he clutched the sketchbook close to his chest, almost like he didn’t want you to see what he was drawing. you were too shy to speak up and spark a conversation with him anyway, so it wasn’t like you would pry. still, you were curious to know what was on the page.

it pained you knowing you lacked any courage. you found you were better off acting like you were interested in your book, on a random page as you were too in your head to actually start from where you left off and completely ignored the folded page that indicated that. what would happen if you said hello? would he say hi back? ask if you’d like to see what he’s drawing or ask about what you’re reading? the possibilities seemed to be endless, but the possibilities seemed safer as thoughts in your head rather than facing reality if you were to take a chance.

you can’t help but watch intently as his face scrunched from focusing on his sketch, his only tool a wooden pencil. did he plan to color it later? you can imagine trying to avoid rattling colored pencils leaving his possession due to the bumpiness of the train. he was quite brave for trying to draw in a place like this, you thought.

unnoticed by you, your beautiful stranger’s cheeks flushed and ears burned red as he could feel you watching him draw. the subject of his drawing still remained a mystery to you, however. tempting to spark up a conversation, yet so debilitatingly scary at the same time.

it seemed rude to stare for so long, so you put a stop to it immediately and busied yourself with your phone, catching up with texts you had missed since getting up for work. your phone was always blown up with texts from your friends, today being no different. if you didn’t silence your phone at night, you would never get any sleep.

they had been informed about your current saga, and the update would certainly excite them. it was hard to resist a smile as you texted them about the latest scoop, especially as the subject of said scoop was only a few meters away from you. maybe this should wait until later, otherwise they’d trying forcing you out of your comfort zone by talking to who was still a total stranger at the end of the day.

who knows though? for all you know, he could be a murderer. a stinking gorgeous one too. as if you need to be on the evening news. even so, those were just silly thoughts, all just an excuse to stop yourself from taking a chance at something for once in your life out of fear.

the second you reached your stop, you instantly regretted being so silent. would it have killed you to try? it felt like it would’ve, but you figured this morning was the last chance you’d have. if only you weren’t such a scaredy cat.

•••

after your shift, an unexpected reunion occurred on the evening commute. the train was quite crowded at this time of day, majority of the aboard trying to get home after a long day’s work, including you. the surplus of people made it quite difficult to find seating, but luckily for you, your beautiful stranger had a seat occupied by his bag, perfect for you to sit.

this was the extra chance you craved the second you got off the train earlier, cursing yourself throughout the day for not even attempting to just say hello. you were so thankful to see him again, it was almost like the universe blessed you for this very purpose. you were such a wuss this morning, but you refused to allow that reputation to continue now.

once you took a deep breath, you walked to where your beautiful stranger sat, trying to keep your balance as the train moved at rapid speed. in the midst of your struggle, the sound of your footsteps thumping on the ground caught his attention. he looked up in surprise, not expecting to see you, but thrilled nonetheless.

“hi.” you miraculously manage to speak out, your accent making an appearance during your pathetic english. it was agonizing how your heart raced a mile a minute just by uttering one word, so you tried your very best to calm yourself down. “is this seat taken?”

“no, no…” he replied to your question, picking up his bag and moving it to the floor by his feet so you could sit. “here.”

“thank you.” you say before taking the seat next to him.

god, your heart was thumping like the loudest drum ever created. to sit across from his was one thing, but right next to each other, shoulders brushing due to the lack of room? if only you could put a stop to this rapid percussion inside you. at least the sounds of the train rumbling against the tracks could serve as buffer for the unspoken tension between you and your beautiful stranger.

his sketchbook rested unopened on his lap. you recognized it as the one he had earlier, previously held close to his chest as if he were hiding secrets. what could someone as dashing as him be hiding in there, you wonder?

almost as if he were reading your mind, he suddenly opened up the sketchbook, flipping the pages—which revealed beautiful drawings in the split second you saw them—until he landed on a page of a finished sketch, one that you swore looked like you sitting on the train yesterday.

you look up and catch his eye. “is that me?”

“mhm.” he nodded with a soft grin.

his art style was something to be proud of, meant to be showcased in somewhere exquisite like the louvre. could this guy be any more perfect? drop dead gorgeous and talented? to see yourself captured in such a bewitching way was truly the greatest compliment one could ever receive.

the sound of the page ripping away from the binding of the sketchbook startled you. what was he doing? it was so perfect! why mess it all up? you couldn’t help but say something about it.

“what are you—”

“you can have it.” he interrupted you, holding the page in his hands, waiting for you to take it.

“oh…” your cheeks flush as your fingers accidentally grazed over his upon grabbing the sketch. “thank you.”

you almost felt bad holding this in your hands, afraid of ruining it just by the touch of your hand. how could he just let you have this without hesitation? even if this was a drawing of you, it felt like you didn’t deserve to have it.

you examine the drawing down to the details of the clouds behind you. you look for some sort of signature, assuming every artist had one in hopes to find a name. in the bottom corner, you see the name “hyunjin” written in cursive. you had finally put a name to your beautiful stranger.

“hyunjin?” you attempt to pronounce his name. your accent did you no favors, but you tried your best regardless. he furrowed his eyebrows in confusion until you pointed to where his signature was, then receiving a nod confirming that was his name.

“hwang hyunjin.” he said slowly. you repeat his name in full, speaking slower than him to make sure you were saying it correctly as you desperately didn’t want to screw it up. hyunjin, as you’ve now learned, gave you a nod of approval once you’ve won the battle with your accent.

“i’m y/n l/n.” you tell him. it would be awfully rude if he didn’t learn your name, after all. it seemed hyunjin didn’t seem to struggle at all when it came to pronouncing your name. his english was far better than yours, which wasn’t a shock as he seemed to be so insanely perfect in every aspect possible.

“are you an artist?” you ask, making an assumption based on the clues given to you the past two days. if he were anything else, you’d be surprised.

“i sing and dance.” hyunjin replied. you couldn’t believe his perfection could get any greater, but it just did. it would shock you if you learned your once beautiful stranger was a world famous one.

“well, your art is lovely.” you say.

“thank you.” he blushed shyly. to hyunjin, it felt so nice being treated like a normal person, appreciated for his art above all else. while there was no denying you found him to be the most breathtaking person you’d ever seen, there was more beneath the surface, and hyunjin was grateful to be seen for what he loves to do.

“is this your first time in paris?” you question, a chuckle escaping hyunjin’s lips over your pronunciation of your homeland. you were trying to get as much information out of him as possible before you were tortured with reaching your stop and leaving him once more. you had to take this chance while the universe let you have it.

“this is one of my favorite places to visit.” hyunjin said. truth be told, he always loved paris for its scenery and art, but yesterday he found one more reason to love it. is there any other place to love better than a city known all about that?

a visitor’s perspective was certainly different than the perspective of someone who’s lived here their whole life. there were so many reasons to love paris when you didn’t experience the greatest things about it everyday. to you, it was the same old thing. but to hyunjin, it was like a brand new experience each time in the rare event that he visited. but meeting each other allowed the both of you the ability to find something new to appreciate about this city.

“the eiffel tower gets old after a while.” you joke. hyunjin burst into a fit laughter, one more obnoxious than his calm chuckle from before. it infected you instantly, and you craved more of his laugh now that you’ve fully heard it.

hyunjin calmed himself down, letting out a sigh as he leaned his head back with his eyes closed and a grin on his face. he was truly the most beautiful person you had ever seen. “i hope i never get sick of this place.”

“i hope you never do.” you tell him, looking at his face as if he were a sculpture in a museum. “don’t wear it out.”

“i won’t.” he opened his eyes and responded to you, his smile not going away as you gazed into each other’s eyes.

you can’t help but stare at one another, almost like magnets pulling you together. was it normal to feel like this about someone you barely know? even so, it felt like you knew hyunjin before you ever met. such a thought would seem like insanity to someone else, but not to you, at least not in the moment.

your once unwavering stare was unfortunately interrupted by the sudden thrash of the train stopping. you look out the window and recognize it as your stop. if you were crazy enough, you’d stay on the train until they kicked you out, but you weren’t all that brave enough to try your luck. maybe you were better off savoring this moment for what it was; just a moment with a beautiful man who was once a stranger to you.

“ah, that’s my stop.” you say with a frown. hyunjin’s smile from before faded too. it was clear neither of you wanted this to end.

“oh, alright.” he replied. hyunjin watched as you quickly collected your things, not forgetting the drawing he gave you when you first sat next to him. you would cherish it as long as you could, and he could only hope that’s what you’ll do.

“maybe i’ll see you on the stage here someday, yeah?” you force a smile. you were actually sad to see this end, but if you keep a grin on your face, then maybe it’ll hurt a little less.

“yeah…” hyunjin nodded. “i hope you do.”

“bye, hyunjin.” you wave goodbye, hyunjin doing the same.

“thank you for making the train less boring for me.” you get those final words out before following the line of people exiting the train. hyunjin kept his eye on you for as long as he could, even staring out the window as you disappeared into the sea of people. if only he could have went with you.

“bye, y/n.” he said to himself, clutching the sketchbook that once held his masterpiece; a drawing of you, his beautiful stranger.

•••

on the third day, hyunjin was nowhere to be seen. you saw it coming, really. you knew last night was probably your final chance to ever see him again. still, a part of you hoped he’d magically appear on the train when you went to work the next morning.

the thrill you once had was no more. the spark lit aflame in your heart all gone. you weren’t sure if anyone would make you feel the same way hyunjin did. maybe meeting him was a lesson, something to teach you what the city of love was truly about, what you’ve failed at your entire life. at least now you were able to succeed, even if such a success was temporary.

you were thankful that your once black and white world finally had some saturation in it for once. if you were to meet hyunjin once again, no matter what the circumstance may be, the world would be in full bloom. you would look for him in everything you see, down to the bakeries you’ll eat at and sceneries you’d visit, for as long your thoughts echoed his name.

while your routine became repetitive once more, at least you had hyunjin’s image in your brain and his drawing in a picture frame on your shelf. if you were as talented as him, you’d try your hand at drawing him too, but you knew you wouldn’t be able to capture him like your eyes ever did. at least you have the memories.

hyunjin dreaded watching you leave, and he hated it even more when he left for the airport in the morning. he wondered if you thought about where he went, hoping you thought about him like he did now with you. you’d remain ingrained in his mind. whenever hyunjin thought about paris, a place he loved just as much as his hometown, he would think about you too.

he couldn’t explain this sadness inside him to anyone else. hyunjin couldn’t fathom anybody understanding the feeling of love at first sight like he did. a true romantic at heart, maybe you were the only one to be just as foolish as him when it came to romance. after all, you were instantly captivated by one another.

maybe, just maybe, hyunjin could write a song about this and sing it to the thousands of people he performed for like clockwork. but no matter what the days ahead held, hwang hyunjin, your beautiful stranger, was all that he would ever remain, and you would remain as his.

•••

(bonus)

@hynjinnnn: 파리에 있는 동안 기차에서 이 사람의 모습에 반해 그려보기로 결심했습니다. 나는 그들이 그것을 좋아했기를 바랍니다. 언젠가 다시 보고 싶습니다.

i was enthralled by this person on the train while in paris and decided to draw them. i hope they liked it. i'd love to see them again someday.

© plutoccult / 310802. please do not copy, repost, modify, or translate any of my content in or outside of tumblr. reblogs are appreciated <3

[holmesianlove]

AO3 Wrapped [writer’s edition]

thank you for tagging me @lisbeth-kk

1. Biggest surprise while writing this year?

That it’s been a really shitty year for me at work and health wise and I’ve still somehow done so much writing, unexpectedly. It’s something I consistently make space for no matter what and I’m genuinely surprised that people read them and leave me such lovely comments which really keeps me going. It’s made my year bearable. So I appreciate that. From all of you 💜 And I’ve enjoyed doing it more again.

2. How many WIP’s do you have in your docs for next year?

In the midst of writing part three of our seasons of love trilogy and editing part two with @fuck-off-watson-rp

And we have a killer plan for something new after that’s complete too!

You can read part 1 here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/59341804

I’ve actually lost track but I think I may have finished most of my other WIPs! Aside from a dream plan with @strange_Johnlock

For our Sehnenfäden sequel which may come eventually…

3. Your favorite character to write this year?

I really enjoyed writing conductor/musician Sherlock living in my home town and surrounding myself in the location for my FTH prep for @lisbeth-kk

Show Me Your Flaws

https://archiveofourown.org/works/58090684

4. The character that gave you the most trouble writing this year?

Trying to put myself in 1895 Holmes was my biggest challenge.

Homecoming

https://archiveofourown.org/works/59170702

5. What’s one pairing you want to explore next year?

I don’t think I am planning on tackling any new pairings… yet, just different settings for now but you never know what will appear!

6. Did you receive any gifts this year?

Gifts this year? Working with @helloliriels

on an FTH and never having really interacted much before that, it was lovely to get to know each other better - that was a gift.

The Part of You That Stays

https://archiveofourown.org/works/58354519

I got the gift of an FTH from my angst queen companion @bluebuell33

Handbook for Unrequited Love

https://archiveofourown.org/works/60788200

And some lovely voice memo podfics which I always love from @lisbeth-kk which always cheers me up.

And my lovely friends who keep an eye on me and make sure I look after myself. You know who you all are 💜

7. Did you do any collaborative works this year?

My RP fics with @fuck-off-watson-rp

honestly keep me going and we both missed each other terribly when it became busy and hard to keep it going for a while there. So we’re back at it!

8. What do you listen to while writing?

I listen to a lot of soundtrack music I’ve curated on Spotify into moody angsty tracks that don’t distedgt too much. A lot of Max Richter. I’m excited to be seeing him live in Feb! I may need to take a notebook in case inspo strikes mid concert!

9. Favourite line/passage you wrote this year?

Oh god. I can never remember these!

Actually, I think one of them is coming up in my December prompt posts on Tumblr:

“You’ve never needed this.”

You’ll have to wait until the end of December to see what that’s about…!

I can’t think of any other specific lines but I do love when readers put them in their comments to tell me what has resonated with them.

Tagging @khorazir @bluebuell33 @helloliriels @peanitbear @fuck-off-watson-rp @totallysilvergirl

No pressure to join in 💜

[notasapleasure]

tag games

tagged by @colleybri in a couple of these, so firing this off before I get eaten by my starving dogs! Thanks, colley!

In turn no-pressure tagging @stripedroseandsketchpads @boatcats @batri-jopa @weirdsociology @elwenyere and anyone else who wants!

Last song: Beyoncé – Bodyguard. Having been tipped off by colley to @winterwyrd’s brassian rec (Radical Face – Always Gold) I’m on the collaborative agonies playlist curated by me and @distressednoise today. This was one of my adds, I thought it was a good ‘hot season in Ferrix’ vibe when writing the last chapter of Counting on You: ‘They couldn't have me / And they never will / And sometimes I hold you closer / Just to know you're real / Wheels in the gravel / Davis in my bones / Sometimes I take the day off / Just to turn you on’.

Favorite colour: shades of green, mossy, forest, grass, etc.

Last book: Look I could have finished Olive Murray Chapman’s ‘Across Lapland’ any day in ten minutes I just…haven’t (writing agonies have taken priority). Last one I finished was The Snow Leopard by Matthiessen, but I need a break from travelogues and have some James Baldwin essays up next.

Last movie: Still John Wick tbh? Though I did also watch about two thirds of The Heat. The former was great, the latter less fun than it should have been.

Last tv show: Poker Face rewatch (so goooood, when is season 2 already??). Also watching the Great British Pottery Throw Down, No Taste Like Home, UndeadUnluck, Leverage, and planning to start Moon Knight.

Sweet/Savory/Spicy: I’ve much more of a savoury tooth than a sweet tooth. Spice is good.

Last thing I searched online: bibliographic info for work. People always forget to include the series titles of books they cite.

Current Obsession: ahhh….the rock garden I’ve been building. Also the current WIPs.

Looking forward to: new season of Gardener’s World! Spring! Andor S2! The last two weeks of the Six Nations!

WIP last line game:

From at standstill and overwhelm (title from one of the tracks on Patrick Wolf’s Night Safari EP, which is the writing soundtrack), a horrible little gremlin of a mission fic daily growing out of hand.

It’s brassian still though, of course. Here is a misleadingly wholesome extract from the most recent chapter I’ve been working on. Yes, the fact that Brasso doesn't feature by name in it is a clue if you want it to be:

There's a deep-space encrypted comm aerial buried in here, and after a few minutes waiting, listening to the air recycler and three sets of lungs breathing shallow and deep, Cassian reaches past Baze to toggle it on and call Kay.

"Cassian! You should know that General Draven is monitoring encrypted channels from the Imperial core and is concerned things have gone off mission."

Cassian has to smile - it's always a relief to hear that arch voice. "Kay, don't tell him anything. I'll make it work in the report. I'm bringing home some old...some friends. But we're going to need to lie low before we can get out of here."

The line is silent for a minute, and Cassian can picture Kay's photoreceptors pulsing as he considers this. "You have instructed me on 4737 separate occasions that you don't have 'friends'. The most common reason you give is that they are a liability."

Baze arches a brow. Cassian arches one back.

"Well, they are, but I'm bringing some home now anyway."

"I will schedule a head trauma assessment for your return," Kay says snippily.

"Yeah. You do that."

When the crackly connections goes dead, Baze grunts and leans his head back against the wall of the little room. "So how long do we have to stay here? Only I don't want to be facing him when he wakes up."

"They're scanning from the speeders, they'll have gone past now. I want to get us off this station and hole up somewhere quiet until things cool off."

[laurenschaenzer]

The Playlist- Spenser Agnew

You and Spenser have been dancing around your feelings for each other for what feels like forever. You both know there's something more between you, but neither of you knows how to take the first step. Maybe a carefully crafted playlist can help you both express what words can't.

You were the unofficial playlist person at Smosh. It wasn’t in your job description, but somewhere between managing call sheets and helping wrangle props for shoots, people started asking if you had a playlist “for this kind of vibe” or “for late-night writing” or “for when Angela is being unhinged on set.”

And of course, you always did.

Spencer was the only one who hadn’t asked—until he did.

He’d come up to your desk after a long shoot day, soft-spoken as always, a little flushed from laughing too hard at a bit Damien had insisted on doing six times.

“Hey,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I know you make those playlists. For everyone. I was wondering if you could… uh… make me one?”

You smiled up at him, surprised but happy. “What kind?”

“For late-night editing,” he said. “Like, when I’m the only one left in the building and my coffee’s gone cold and the footage is all starting to blur together. Something to keep me grounded.”

You grinned. “I got you.”

Later that night, you sat down at your computer, headphones on, ready to curate the perfect soundtrack to help Spenser power through those long, solitary editing sessions. You wanted something that would keep him focused, yet calm — songs that could settle his mind while still providing the energy to get through the grind.

You dove deep into Spotify , pulling out tracks that had the perfect balance of introspective and uplifting. It had to have a certain vibe — mellow, yet engaging, something that would make Spenser feel like he wasn’t entirely alone in the empty office. You wanted to give him a playlist that would feel like an emotional companion, a gentle push during the late-night slog.

The first few tracks came easily. “Iris” by The Goo Goo Dolls. “Tongue Tied” by GROUPLOVE. “The Reason” by Hoobastank. All had that bittersweet, nostalgic feel that was both grounding and comforting.

As you kept going, you added “Still Into You” by Paramore. hoping that Spenser would catch the subtle hint—it was your way of letting him know you liked him, of slipping in something more than just a playlist for late-night editing. You smiled to yourself as you added it, wondering if he would pick up on it.

You also threw in “Somewhere Only We Know” by Keane, which felt like the perfect addition — calm, yet deeply reflective.

You add some more songs to the playlist. When you were happy with it, you titled it “Late Night Edits” and sent it over to him. You smiled at the playlist title, knowing it was the perfect mix to help him survive those grueling hours alone in the office.

Weeks passed, and you didn’t think much about it. But one day, while you were taking a break at your desk, you decided to check in on the playlist. What you didn’t expect was that it had been… altered.

The familiar opening notes of “Iris” echoed in your ears, followed by the sound of “Tongue Tied”. But then, you noticed the track order had shifted. And there were new additions. Spenser’s additions.

The next song was “Kiss Me” by Sixpence None the Richer — a classic. You smiled softly. But as the next track started, “Fall in Love with a Girl” by Cavetown, your smile faded into something more thoughtful. You kept listening: “Chasing Cars” by Snow Patrol, “A Million Little Reasons” by Oscar Lang, and “UR So Pretty” by Wasia Project.

And then, you caught it. The subtle story unfolding in the selection. There was a narrative behind those song choices. It felt like he was telling you something, a quiet confession wrapped in music.

The playlist wasn’t just about editing anymore. It was about him — about the way he felt, about the unspoken things he might be too shy to say.

You couldn’t help but feel a flutter in your chest.

The next day, you found yourself standing near Spenser’s desk, feeling a mix of nervous excitement. You glanced at him, waiting for the right moment. Finally, you gathered your courage.

“Hey, Spenser,” you said, voice a little softer than usual. “I listened to the playlist.”

He looked up at you, his face flushed a little, like he hadn’t expected you to bring it up. “Oh, uh, yeah?”

You paused, your heartbeat a little louder than normal. “Yeah… I did. I noticed something. You added a few songs.”

He shifted in his seat, rubbing the back of his neck, clearly trying to hide the little grin tugging at his lips. “Yeah, I did. I thought it needed a little more… something.”

“Well,” you said, trying to keep your voice steady, “those songs… they’re kind of personal, aren’t they?”

Spenser met your gaze, his usual calm demeanor wavering just slightly. “I guess I was just trying to add a little extra… meaning. You know, to keep things interesting.”

You smiled softly, your heart racing. “Yeah. I get it.”

There was a beat of silence between you before Spenser added, “I hope it wasn’t too weird. I didn’t want to make things awkward…”

You shook your head, stepping closer to his desk. “No, not weird. It was actually really sweet. And… maybe a little obvious?”

His eyes widened, and a nervous laugh slipped out. “Obvious? I… didn’t think I was being obvious.”

You chuckled. “You were. But I kind of liked it.”

Spenser’s expression softened. He leaned back in his chair, his eyes meeting yours with a mix of hesitation and hope. “I’m glad. I… wasn’t sure if you’d notice or if I’d screwed it up.”

You grinned, your heart beating a little faster now. “You didn’t screw anything up, Spenser. In fact, I think I noticed more than you think.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

You leaned in just slightly, voice quieter now, but full of something you hadn’t quite been able to say before. “Yeah. I noticed. And… I feel the same way.”

Before either of you could say anything else, Spenser closed the distance, his lips brushing against yours softly but with intent, as if all the songs on the playlist were leading to this moment. The kiss deepened quickly, his hand finding its way to your waist, pulling you closer. Your breath hitched as you felt the heat of his body against yours, his lips moving with a hunger that matched your own. The world around you faded, leaving only the two of you, lost in the intensity of the moment.

His lips left yours, tracing a path down your jawline, his breath hot on your skin. You tilted your head back, giving him better access, and he took full advantage, his lips and tongue exploring every inch of your neck. You moaned softly, your fingers tangling in his curly hair, pulling him closer. The sensation of his mouth on your skin sent shivers down your spine, your body aching with need.

Spenser’s hand on your waist tightened, his thumb tracing circles on your skin, sending waves of heat through your body. You pressed closer, your chest against his, feeling the rapid beat of his heart. His other hand joined the first, both now roaming your body, exploring every curve, every line. You could feel the desire building, the tension growing with each touch, each breath.

His lips returned to yours, the kiss becoming more urgent, more passionate. Your tongues met, a dance of desire and longing, each movement sending waves of heat through your body. You could feel the tension building, the pleasure growing with each second, until you were both breathless and dizzy with want.

As the kiss finally broke, you found yourself shyly resting your head against his chest, trying to catch your breath. Your cheeks flushed, and you could feel the heat rising in your face. Spenser’s arms wrapped around you, his hands rubbing your back in soothing circles. You could hear his heartbeat, steady and strong, a comforting rhythm that grounded you.

“Fuck,” you murmured, your voice barely a whisper. “Did we just do that at work?”

Spenser chuckled softly, his chest vibrating against your cheek. “I guess we did,” he replied, his voice filled with a mix of amusement and wonder. “But it felt so right.”

You looked up at him, your eyes meeting his, and you couldn’t help but smile. “It did,” you agreed, your voice soft. “It really did.”

He leaned down, his lips brushing against yours in a gentle, tender kiss. “I’m glad,” he whispered. “I’m glad we finally did this.”

You smiled, your heart swelling with happiness. “Me too, Spenser. Me too

[ae-azile]

You're Invited…

Event: Tankhun Theerapanyakul's 30th Birthday Extravaganza

Theme: Roaring 20s 

Place: Hum Bar

Date: November 25th, 2022 

The digitally curated invitation arrives as a group text on Kim's phone two weeks before the date in question. When it arrives, he is strumming a tune so melancholy that it makes him feel he isn't emotionally ready to put together lyrics for it yet. Kim isn't sure why he isn't ready. Writing sad songs over the last five months has been commonplace. So common that his agent has asked him several times if he is okay. Vice is more thoughtful than his record label. His record label has only asked if he could please just write a couple of happy bops for the new album, or at least one. 

His answer to Vice?

Of course I'm okay. Why would you think otherwise?

As for his answer to his record label?

No.

Regardless, neither answer seems to please them. Not that he is used to pleasing people, at least not the people who matter to him in some capacity. It has been a habit since Ma died, likely developing as a way to rebel against and to agitate Pa, only to spread like a disease. Pa wants a guard on him? Order the guard to leave or run away if they don't obey. Pa wants him to work a mission at seventeen? Kill the shitty ally who pointed a gun to his head to make Kim comply with his demands at an event when he was thirteen, all while letting their enemy walk free. Kinn finds out the reason Kim made that decision and strongly suggests Pa add a therapist to the roster, even though Pa always said no to doing that for Khun? Make the therapist rush out of the room in tears during their first and only session, then distance himself from an extremely concerned, desperate, and apologetic Kinn.

Chay finds out Kim used him to figure out just how terrible his father is? Pretend like he isn’t bothered and leave Chay heartbroken, only to end up heartbroken himself.

While that last one left a terrible taste in his mouth, it is clearly a tactic that mostly works for him. Look at all the lonely, sad, but high-quality music he is producing. He is curating a great album for someone to play as they write a suicide note. While Kim doesn't condone that, he thinks every person should have the perfect soundtrack for any poignant life event.

Porsche: Looking forward to it! Kinn and I will go shopping for our outfits this week. 🙂

Kinn: Couple coordinated? ❤️❤️❤️

Porsche: You know it 😁❤️

Tankhun: 🤮

Kim has to agree, but keeps his own vomiting emojis to himself. 

Tay: Time and I will be there too. Happy to celebrate with you! 

Tem: I'll be there as well.

Tay: 😐

Jom: See you guys there! 

Yok: Looking forward to decorating the bar and celebrating with you, Tankhun! 🙂💜🍾🥂

Kim isn't even sure how he got Tem's, Jom's, and Yok's numbers. He probably found them and added them to his contacts when he was obsessively researching Porsche's origins on a caffeine bender. Whatever. They are in his phone now. 

Unknown Number: Okay.

Porsche: You can come, but no drinking!!!

Fuck. It's Chay's new number. 

That has Kim going from passively watching the conversation on his phone to quickly picking it up to click on the group text list and go through everyone in the chat. He has all of them saved on his phone except for two numbers and the list isn't very long. Not surprising. Tankhun went from a popular boarding school student to a traumatized, agoraphobic shut-in who cut himself off from everyone outside of the family and his bodyguards. He is only coming back to himself - or developing a new version. It is a mix of the sharp, caring, and charismatic big brother he used to have and the eccentric and over-the-top persona he put on after the kidnapping. He is both recognizable and a complete stranger, and Kim has missed him so much. 

Not that he will say that out loud. 

But maybe he can show him. He can show him that he cares and that he loves him. Kim never stopped loving either of his brothers, despite the distance he put between himself and his family. He never wanted to distance himself from Tankhun. He would have taken Tankhun with him. Kim told him they could share an apartment, even when he knew Tankhun told Kinn about why he killed one of Pa’s allies. He never blamed Tankhun for that and he still doesn't. Tankhun had just wanted Kim to get the help he was denied, even though Kim clearly doesn’t need it. Kim had wanted (and still wants) his oldest brother with him so they could get away and put all their shit behind them. 

And Tankhun wouldn't leave. So Kim left alone and he stayed that way. Alone. 

But Kim can choose not to be alone, at least for one night. He didn't realize how alone he felt, not until he came to his senses and - unfortunately - Chay came to his senses too. Maybe a party will be good for him, even though parties are never good for him. Unless he is hired to perform at one, he doesn't want to be at them. Ever. 

Apparently Chay does. Chay is going and Kim hasn't seen him in person for months. That means Kim is going too. 

Kim: Count me in. 

Tankhun: HE SPEAKS. 😱

Kim: Did you want me to ignore your invitation? 

Tankhun: Of course I didn't. I just expected you to. You better dress up in a costume.

Kim: No.

Thankhun: 🙄 Fine. Just look nice. And ACT nice. Socialize. Do not stand in a corner all night. You deserve to have fun, believe it or not. 

No. He doesn't. But he doesn't say that.

Kim: Okay.

Tankhun: …Is everything alright?

Kim stares at the text.

Kim: Why?

Tankhun: Because you are agreeing to come to a party.

Kim: I have attended parties before. It isn't that absurd of a concept.

Tankhun: Because you haven't come to the compound in months and skipped Pa's birthday dinner. 

Kim: Why would I go to that?

Tankhun: Because he faked his death so Uncle Gun would force an attack and neither of them cared if their sons were killed in their violent feud. Because our father killed his brother. Because our cousin will likely never walk again. 

Kim: Haven't you hated Vegas for years?

Tankhun: And yet I cry every time I think of how he must be feeling. Even though I hated him for years, I loved him for much longer. 

Kim: Hm.

Tankhun: Kind of like you with Pa.

Kim: It's very different, but whatever.

Tankhun: Is that why you texted me privately to accept the invite? So Pa wouldn't see your text and be more likely to come too? I seriously doubt he will come, by the way. Hum Bar doesn't seem like his thing. 

That isn't why. However, it is a plus. 

Kim: Sure. 

Tankhun: Are you actually okay? Something seems wrong.

It's a question from his agent that he regularly answers with lies. Why can't he text a lie to Tankhun? He should be able to text a one worded lie to his brother, yet his finger and thumb won't cooperate. Chay always playfully picked on him when it came to how he texted, with his left thumb and right index finger. Kim had pointed out that not all people game to the extent where using both thumbs to communicate as their go-to. Kim beat him at speed texting out the lyrics to some random song, and Chay beat him at Mortal Kombat in retaliation. 

The memory makes Kim go lie down on the couch and stare at his reflection in the dark television screen, his phone left abandoned on the coffee table. An hour later, Tankhun lets himself into his apartment and Arm makes himself scarce by going into his kitchen to make dinner for the three of them.

Kim silently wishes him luck on that front. Other than some spices in the cabinet by the stove, coffee in the pantry, and a couple of takeout containers in the fridge from who knows how many days ago, he doesn't have much else to work with. 

"Lift your head up," Tankhun says, urging him until he has enough room to sit down so that Kim's head is falling in his lap, "Let's watch a movie." 

Whatever. 

The movie in question deals with a couple gradually becoming more and more estranged. Of course it does. There is no happy ending in sight, so it is just like slowly watching tragedy unfold. Tankhun - predictably - cries his eyes out. Kim - not so predictably - cries too. But he's more subtle about it. He is actually so subtle that his brother probably doesn't even notice. 

"Kim, what's going on with you?" Tankhun murmurs sadly as Kim's shoulders shake and he soaks Tankhun's pants leg with tears.

Fine. He does notice. But Kim still doesn't respond. 

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

He needs to look good for the party. The problem is, Kim always looks good. He isn't conceited, it's just a fact. Even when he was a child, everyone talked about how beautiful he was. Ma eventually tried to redirect those types of compliments by talking about his talent and how sweet he could be. But then Ma died and Khun had to take over on that front instead. And that's a hard responsibility to hold up when you're strapped to a gurney in the infirmary and being called crazy every other month. So Kinn got to be called the new heir, Khun got to be called crazy, and Kim had been left with pretty. It's probably the most preferable out of those three possibilities anyway. 

But while Chay was likely attracted to his looks, he had been drawn in by Kim's talent. He hung off every word and piece of advice Kim gave him during their lessons. He had the courage to ask him to be his tutor. Chay looked at him with admiration and respect before he ever looked at him with hearts in his eyes, despite the pictures of Kim on his bedroom wall revealing that Chay found him at least somewhat attractive before they got close.

Chay probably tore those down. He doesn't want to look at Kim anymore. Kim knows that. If Kim were a better person, he would skip the party. It would make Chay happy, and honestly? It would be on brand for Kim. 

But maybe Kim wants to go off brand for a while. Maybe his brand of being an aloof, mysterious, and loner musician is no longer doing him or anyone else favors. Maybe he is just tired of being him. 

And maybe that's why he finds an outfit that actually complies with the roaring 20s theme. A three piece suit, complete with a stupidly expensive pocket watch. 

He feels ridiculous. He doesn't feel like himself at all. 

Good.

Except Kim got dressed too early. He doesn’t want to go back to his apartment like this. And part of him knows that once he goes back home, he may lose the gull to go back out. So maybe he will continue acting out of character. Going to Hum Bar early to help his brother decorate seems out of character. 

So that's what he does.

"Kim?" Tankhun says as soon as he comes through the doors before his eyes widen, "What are you wearing?"

Kim looks down at his clothes, "Do you want me to get clothes from my car?"

"Nope, no need," Tankhun says, then comes over to put his arms around him, "You look very nice. Handsome, actually! What do you think of my tux?"

Kim gives his oldest brother a once over. Tankhun had strayed from his own personal norm even more than Kim did. 

"It looks great," Kim tells him, causing Tankhun to beam brightly, "What do you need help with?" 

"Well," Tankhun says, glancing behind him, "Arm and I are arranging the feather bouquets. Pol and Yok are stringing the black and gold ornaments together. Why don't you put together the placemats? We'll have dinner and cake first, then the fun can really begin. Thank you for coming."

"Wouldn't miss it," Kim says, even though that would normally be a lie. Tankhun hugs him again regardless, "Happy birthday, by the way." 

Tankhun gives him a small smile, then takes a step back, "I hope it is. Now, come on! Let me introduce you to Yok."

Kim has a weird urge to let Tankhun know he knows a lot about Yok, both from Chay's fond comments about her and Kim's own research (disowned by her family, knows four languages, and has a childhood sweetheart who pointedly left the country with their son once Yok came to terms with her gender and decided to transition, which explains why she is so protective over Porsche and Chay and mothers them).

Instead, he just nods and tries to smile warmly. She seems like a nice person. She deserves warmth. She is kind to Tankhun and a very welcoming presence. Going by her interactions with his brother, Arm, and Pol, she has made friends with them. Right now, she's laughing at some joke Pol made that Kim doesn't really get but she clearly does. 

Going by how closely Khun and Arm are talking, they seem closer too. 

Weird. Although, Arm is now Khun's head guard, so maybe it isn't. Yet for some reason, watching them makes Kim feel out of place. But he snaps himself out of even attempting to analyze the situation further. Tankhun has often befriended his guards, a habit that could be heartbreaking for his brother, but beneficial because it is hard to make friends when you don’t leave the house. Maybe he is just closer to Arm than he has been to any other guard.

He feels alone. 

When Pete walks through the door, Kim is actually relieved. Because as misplaced as Kim feels, Pete has to be feeling ten times worse. 

"Pete?" Tankhun says hopefully, only having eyes for his ex-head guard as Pete cautiously walks into the bar, "You never texted back. I thought…We didn't know if…"

Pete breathes in and gives Tankhun a sad smile, "I just wanted to stop by to give you your gift and tell you happy birthday."

Tankhun nods, then glances down at the wrapped gift and cards once Pete hands them over, "You could stay, you know."

Pete just shrugs, keeping the sad smile on his face, causing Arm to step in. 

"We miss you, Pete. So much," Arm tells him, coming to stand next to Tankhun, "Why don't you just stay for dinner?"

"...I can't," Pete says eventually, "Vegas and Macau are waiting in the car." 

"...Oh," Arm says quietly, then says nothing else. What else could he say? Kim wouldn't know how to handle it. Vegas has been a sensitive topic for Tankhun for years. And after what happened, there is no way-

Tankhun lets out an unbothered sound, "That's fine! If you're worried about Macau being underage, Chay is coming too! Chay is just a year older than Macau and he needs a friend with everything going on. I am sure Macau is in a similar situation. They can chat. Get to know each other."

It's a shocking offer to hear coming out of Tankhun's mouth, even by Kim's standards. Going by Pol's and Arm's expressions, they are flabbergasted by it. But despite the thoughtfulness of the offer, Kim doesn't like it. He doesn't like the idea of competing with Macau for Chay's attention. He needs to figure out a way to talk to him, and Macau being there will give Chay a reason to ignore Kim in favor of pointedly focusing on a new potential friend. Because Chay is really great at that now. Ignoring Kim. 

It is a selfish and stupid thought. Toxic too, because Tankhun is right. Chay deserves to have friends who understand what he is going through. But Kim is tired of trying to earn Chay's attention and he doesn't want to compete with Macau. He never did. 

"Vegas is still in the car," Pete says, looking away from Tankhun. 

Tankhun purses his lips, "This place is very accessible. No steps, wide doorways. Vegas should be fine to join us."

It's an even more shocking offer than inviting Macau. But it does show how desperate Tankhun is to have Pete here.

"He…" Pete starts, still looking off to the side, "Vegas is still getting used to things. He doesn't…The wheelchair is a sensitive topic for him. It is hard enough to get him to leave the house for appointments. I was lucky to get him to agree to his therapy intake this afternoon."

"Therapy intake?" Tankhun asks, his voice a murmur, "Porsche said Vegas has been in physical therapy since waking up from his coma. He said you told him Vegas goes on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays."

Pete nods, then clears his throat, "Not that kind of therapy."

Tankhun stares at him, then nods too, "Oh. That…That's good. He has probably needed that for a long time. And he probably especially needs it now."

"Probably so," Pete vaguely agrees, then glances down at the gifts, "One of those cards is from him. He…wanted to tell you happy birthday. Apologize. Get some things off his chest, I think. He had me read it to make sure it sounded okay. It's respectful. Heartfelt. Just…Make sure you read it with an open mind and when you are ready. Don't feel like you need to open it tonight. Enjoy your birthday. I know me showing up is probably stressful enough-" 

“It’s not stressful, Pete,” Tankhun says, his voice strained, “It’s appreciated. I invited you because I wanted you here. Almost everyone I invited is someone I want in attendance. Almost. But believe me, you are not the exception.”

If anyone else in the room knows who it is, they don’t comment on it. 

“Please stay?” Tankhun says, but Pete is already shaking his head, “Please?”

“...I’m sorry,” Pete tells him, his expression pained and guilty, “Maybe…Maybe I can call you soon? We can…We’ll catch up.”

Tankhun looks at Pete with teary eyes, then finally nods silently in agreement and accepts one last hug from him before Pete takes his leave.

“I just need a minute,” Tankhun mutters, then quickly walks to one of the bathrooms. Kim isn’t sure what to think when Arm only gives him two minutes before following him. A part of Kim wants to chew him out and tell him that his brother has a right to be alone if he needs it. But when Kim goes to the door to do just that, he overhears them. 

“I know,” he hears Arm murmur as Tankhun cries, “I know you wanted him to come.”

“He doesn’t even answer my texts!” Tankhun sobs, “I thought he was my friend. He was my o-only friend for so long! And he won’t even TALK to me!”

“Khun, a lot has happened,” Arm says gently, weirdly referring to his brother personally, “It’s only been a few months. We’re all still raw from everything. That includes Pete. Give him some time. I know you miss him. I miss him too.”

“This is Pa’s fault! Pa did this! I just…I don’t…”

“I know,” Arm says again when Tankhun trails off.

And as much as he wants to see if his brother is okay, Kim lets Arm handle him and goes to pull out his phone.

Kim: How are you doing?

Macau: Why?

Kim: Idk.

Macau only responds thirty minutes later.

Macau: Horrible. Better than ever. I don’t know, man. P’Pete is a fucking saint though. I don’t care if we’re Buddhists. He has earned sainthood because he is a miracle worker who is somehow making Hia happy despite the circumstances.

A minute later.

Macau: How are you doing?

Kim just presses down on Macau’s message and reacts to it with an abacus emoji. It’s the most random one he can find. He expects Macau to be confused or tell him he’s the weirdest person he has ever known. Like he did before, back when their mothers were alive and their brothers liked each other. 

Macau: That bad, huh?

Kim leaves him on read.

To read the rest of this one-shot, go to:

[lambilegs]

hello hello hello!! this is the yap session anon again (maybe i should like give myself a name or something haha) but thank you for the response!! i hope you feel better soon <3 and i love the long rambles!! uhm i did also yap a lot so be prepared hahaha (you 100% don't have to read all of this!!) yap session: it's really hard to explain why i love criminology but i love the sort of puzzle solving that criminology involves? like it gets me using parts of my brain and searching for clues and etc and that just makes my brain go brrr. learning everything about cases and investigations and also the whole detective thing has always been so interesting to me. i've always wanted to help people in some sort of way and criminology was perfect in my eyes. i guess if i had to explain why i love criminology i would just have to say that it makes my brain go brrr HAHAHA. and omg for your criminology-related classes that final project is such a good one!! cause that stuff (looks, personality, etc) definitely has and still affects the justice system. back to your english major stuff, i will definitely let you know if i find any classes similar to the ones you discussed :) and i wasn't able to find "i'm afraid of men" in my local bookstores sadly :( but i did order it!!! i'm also south asian (mixed though) so it will be interesting to read!! and finally, the writing zone is so real because i literally cannot write unless i'm in a certain mood :') i annoy my friends so much complaining about that hahah does it happen in a season?: sunburn is actually on my wish list!! hearing that being one of the inspirations for "does it happen in a season?" is so cool i might order it right now haha. seeing lee in the growing stage of her life was so interesting to read and it was sort of like an explanation for why she is like she is (as an adult)!! i also LOVE your exploration of lee and ruth's relationship it was so fascinating to read. "does it happen in a season?" felt so tender and intimate and i loved how you showed that alongside the complexities of life. i felt like each chapter was organized so well and it was super easy to read and understand and it all flowed really well! plus the soundtrack was so perfectly chosen it was like a curated playlist for the fic (i love it when authors put songs that they listened to while writing or relate to the story and stuff). also THE PARALLELS MWAH I LOVE <3 i definitely didn't notice a few of them but now that you talked about them i see them and oh my gosh i love that so much. parallels in romance are literally the best things ever i love seeing those. the ending felt so perfect and the little notes you added at the end had me literally kicking my feet and giggling it made me so happy. gosh this is probably organized so horribly because i just kept on yapping HAHAH but once again thank you for responding again and i hope you feel better soon!! - criminology anon 📕(maybe this will be what i call myself?? feel free to pick something honestly hahah)

[sternleer]

✦ 𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐒 & 𝐆𝐔𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒 ✦

Welcome to my little corner of the RP world! I’m so happy you’re here. This blog is a space for creative storytelling, slow-burn dynamics, and exploring deep character connections. To keep things fun and comfortable, here are a few guidelines before we dive in.

✦ 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐄 & 𝐌𝐔𝐍 ✦

☾ 𝐌𝐮𝐧: Hi, I’m Winnie, your local lover of dark academia, morally grey characters, and emotionally charged storytelling. I’m 25+, based in CET, and I speak German (L1), English (L2), and French (L2) — so feel free to write in any of them, though German and English is my go-to for RP. I’ve been writing and roleplaying for years. I’m a sucker for slow burns, intricate worldbuilding, and well-developed character dynamics. When I’m not writing, you’ll probably find me buried in books, listening to dramatic soundtracks, or drinking an unreasonable amount of coffee. My OOC tag is ⭒☽ ink & shadows – winnie writes, so that’s where you’ll find my ramblings. Let’s weave some stories together! ✶

☾ 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐞: Zorya Solmiran — spy, survivor, and shadow-walker. She was born under a prophecy but learned to carve her own fate. She’s sharp-witted, fiercely independent, and maybe just a little too reckless for her own good.

☾ 𝐌𝐃𝐍𝐈: This blog is strictly 18+ due to mature themes, complex character interactions, and darker storytelling elements.

✦ 𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐋 𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄𝐒 ✦

☾ 𝐌𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲 – I write with mutuals only, just to keep things organized. If I don’t follow back, please don’t take it personally! I curate my dash based on writing style and shared interests.

☾ 𝐏𝐚𝐜𝐞 & 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 – Life happens! I write at my own speed, and I’ll never rush anyone for replies.

☾ 𝐆𝐨𝐝-𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 & 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥 – As long as you understand Zorya’s personality, I don’t mind a little creative liberty in interactions! Just keep things organic and respectful to both our characters.

☾ 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐭𝐲𝐥𝐞 – I write multi-para/novella but love all lengths! Shorter threads, asks, and drabbles are always welcome.

☾ 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 – Feel free to send memes, IC asks, or plotting ideas! I love organic dynamics, unexpected friendships, and deep character development.

✦ 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓 & 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐒 ✦

☾ 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬 – Zorya’s world includes espionage, war, betrayal, trauma, and survival. These elements exist to explore character growth, not for shock value.

☾ 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 – I tag common triggers as tw: [trigger] (e.g., tw: blood, tw: violence). If you need something specific tagged, just let me know!

☾ 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 – All ships are chemistry-based! I love slow-burn, layered relationships, and character-driven romance. Zorya is not an easy person to love, but when she does, it’s fiercely.

✦ 𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 ✦

☾ 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐬 – This is a drama-free space. No vague posts, no negativity, no unnecessary discourse.

☾ 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 & 𝐀𝐔𝐬 – Always open to creative crossovers or AU ideas! Let’s build something cool together.

☾ 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐬 – Please don’t reblog my RP threads unless you’re part of them. Liking them is totally fine!

☾ 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲 – I write at my own pace, so if I take a while to respond, don’t worry — I’ll always return to our thread!

[spacebuck]

Fic Writer Q & A!

tagged by @voxofthevoid, took me a while i'm sorry ;;;

How many wips do you have currently?

a surprising amount!! four actively on the go at the moment, including one collab piece, and a solid 8 more besides that i am going to be trying to crack out over the next couple of weeks even if they're short and sweet. on top of that i have another 7 things planned for my main ship and another 2 or 3 from others!!

aka i am busy and my wips list is huge r i p

Which one are you finding the hardest to finish?

there's something i keep writing and flittering away from then coming back then flittering away from, and it's frustrating because it's a concept i adore and i've put a lot of worldbuilding thought into it, but it's also not my main ship so my brain is tripping a little bit on it because the brainrot is r e a l

What does it usually look like when inspiration strikes for you?

uh. sometimes it's a 2k fic in 2hrs. somethings it's 25k over 3 weeks and a 7 page planning doc. it really depends on what the inspo is jhgfghj

Do you curate playlists for each fic or is your process different?

i honestly.... don't really write to music? there's been one exception really, but if i do need something on i will either play a specific soundtrack-only playlist i have, or a heavy phonk playlist. i'm not really a music person, if i'm honest!

Do you go balls to the wall and write as you go or are you more organized?

it genuinely depends on the fic. like i said above, i have wips that have absolutely nothing planned (like most f my argenthill week prep, i've literally just got the prompt name lmao) and then i have a fic that has a literal 7 page (and running) planning doc mapping relationships, roles, chapters, and a hit-list of unordered scenes that me n my collab partner are ordering as we go

i don't know who's super active anymore hhh so if you see this and you write consider this me tagging you and tell me about your stuff (feel free to link me to your answers to i'd love to read em!!!)

[bitbybitwrites]

🍓🧃📚

🍓 ⇢ how did you get into writing fanfiction? 

I was a reader long before I was a writer - obsessed with reading fic for so many fandoms - Marvel, Doctor Who, Sherlock, Harry Potter, Kingsman . . . but it wasn't until I discovered the Glee/Klaine fandom that I started writing. I ended up meeting a few lovely people through that fandom who were as addicted to fan fiction as I was and we'd get together to read fics and dissect/discuss them. And on a whim one day I wanted to give them a gift so I tried writing my first one. They assured me it was good, encouraged me to share it with others and that fic ended up being the first ever fic I posted on A03. And I've kept up with the writing - and here we are :)

🧃 ⇢ share some personal lore you never posted about before

I'm not sure if they mean personal like about me . . or do they mean personal , like private stuff I've thought about any of my fics that I've never shared? 😂 I'll talk about the fics, because I'm not all that interesting myself ( and I can't really remember what I have or haven't shared about myself anyway - long term memory be damned) Not so much personal lore, but personal feelings . . . I really am enjoying hearing that folks have love the music I've been curating for If I Can Make Your Heart My Home. (You can hear the current playlist here - and it's still evolving ). This is the first time I've done this, had so much music (and recipes) tied in with a story. I hope it brings an added layer to the story for readers. It honestly feels very much like I'm scoring or selecting a soundtrack to the fic itself. I have to say I always loved classical music myself in the past, but have really discovered some exceptional cello players while doing this and cello covers. Thanks to my fic partner, @datshitrandom for introducing me to Nicholas Yee ( you'll see him and a number of talented cellists appear repeatedly in the play list). And who knew so many of Sara Bareliiles songs could go so well with a big angsty fic? 😂 ( I do love her work as well)

📚 ⇢ what's the last thing you wrote down in your notes app? 

I actually don't use my notes app on my phone as much as I do write on Scrivener . . and I think the last thing I wrote on there was for the next chapter of Puppy Love:

“Done, and done, sweetheart, “ Alex said, as he deftly flicked the door locked.  He turned back to Henry with a naughty glint in his eye. “Now . . where were we?”

****

Thanks for the ask, @tinyarmedtrex!💖

Writers Truth & Ask Game - To play click here

[strandnreyes]

Hi Jen!

First, I've been wanting to tell you that I think you were one of the first kudos I ever got on my first chaptered story come and take a walk on the wild side and that really made my day when it happened.

I was so new to the fandom at the time and it was so cool to see someone was interested in a story that was far out of my own writing comfort zone at the time.

Now, for Nice Ask Day, I have to ask:

If you could have a soundtrack made for any of your stories; which would it be, who's five artist that would be on it, and if you want, what would their songs be called?

omg really? I didn’t know that! I remember being super intrigued by the premise!

I’ll go with the universe that I have the most extensive playlist for which is the vampire universe (I’d link my playlist when I post the sequel, but I’d be revealing my whole name and I don’t want to go through the effort of making a new spotify account lol). Embarrassed to admit that yes, some of the twilight soundtrack is on this playlist.

I actually have so many scenes that when I write, I think about how awesome it would be to watch this scene play out with a particular song in the background, so I’ll give you an artist and then what song of theirs would play during which scene! (Side note: I had to take a theater appreciation class in college and I was in charge of sound design for our final project and I actually loved it! My professor recommended me to take more classes, but it was so far from my degree that those class didn’t fit into my carefully curated schedule. I will channel that energy here instead)

1. Noah Kahan

Maine (specifically the intro) would play in the beginning of as if you were a mythical thing. I’m picturing an overview of the town before zooming into Carlos on his run because duh, look at the title of the song.

2. Taylor Swift (the folklore/evermore type music)

Peace would play on the drive back from camping after Carlos finds out about TK. Picture the scenic backroads with both of them looking out the windows wondering what happens next

3. Bon Iver

Roslyn (hello twilight soundtrack) would play during the scene on the beach when TK tells Carlos about his parents

4. Hozier

I’m thinking Work Song would be a nice slow yet powerful, meaningful song for either tarlos’ first time or their last time with Carlos as a human (coming soon!)

5. Lord Huron

The Night We Met would play during the final scene of the sequel, which will make a lot more sense eventually!

As you can tell, the soundtrack for this very much matches the gloomy autumn woodsy mood of this universe!

I appreciate the creativity of the final part of the ask, but that is not my strong suit AJDHJA I already struggle to title my own work

[platypusundercover]

Fic Writer QnA

Took this from @spacebuck. Check out theirs here :)

How many wips do you have currently?

OK so if we take the definition of WIP to be "all the ideas I have a started something with but never finished" and include the ones i think i'm neevr going to do anything with, here's what we have: - 12 for BG3 with my Tav. Ranging across all 3 acts, just little scenarios and shenanigans. - 1 for Cyberpunk 2077, about the epilogue. - 10 for Genshin. Including, Aebedo, Kazuther, Yunluc, Kavetham, Diluc and the Mondstadt kids. - 1 for Hades 2. Icarus/Melinoe where Icarus goes back to the crossroads. Which makes a grand total of 24 ! Oh my fucking gods, I had never counted before gsdlfuih BONUS: if we also count the ideas where I created a word document but never actually wrote anything, we have 2 more, and they're both Genshin (xiaomiya, kazubedo).

Which one are you finding the hardest to finish?

WELL a lot of them were abandoned very early on and I will probably never come back to them,, ever. So I won't be counting those. From the ones I intend to come back to though, I'd say Diluc and the Mondstadt kids. It's been sitting for months, I just have a mental block somewhere. I love them dearly but I can't find the right way to portray what I want. (I'm not even sure what I want ;-;)

What does it usually look like when inspiration strikes for you?

I write non-stop, I just let it all out and don't even reread it or whatever I just pour it all out and will make it make sense later. I love those moments, I'm usually so hyped up when that happens. Ad if I'm not able to write, I just send myself a message to keep the ideas somewhere but it probably won't leave my mind until i come back home to my PC to write.

Do you curate playlists for each fic or is your process different?

Absolutely not, I just put on whatever. Or no music, that works best if I can't find something that fits the headspace I'm in. OR in specific cases, it's the same song on loop. For the first part of my fic Daisy, I actually listened to the HSR soundtrack Deep Within on loop for a few hours kdjfghs

Do you go balls to the wall and write as you go or are you more organized?

lmao balls to the wall! I generally have an idea of what I want to happen and then I let the keyboard do the talking. I'm not usually a long fic type of guy, so I can make it work. For my original novel tho, I have character sheets, I have folders full of references, pictures, charts, maps, relationship trees, fictional language dictionaries, lore dumps and outline of each region of the world the main crew's going to visit with what events occur there, etc. World building my beloved <3

[rainydawgradioblog]

Rainy Dawg's Favorite Smash Hits

Our tireless Blawg team recently put their heads together and parsed out their favorite radio smash hits ever.

DJ Willem Dafoe and Chat GPT 

Katy Perry - “California Gurls”

In the trenches of the great recession, Katy Perry knew what she had to do when she dropped California Gurls off her album Teenage Dream. With 84,000 downloads and 14.9 million plays on American radio, she single handedly stimulated the American economy back to greatness. The catchy chorus, integral Snoop Dogg feature, and shiny synthetic wig changed the course of pop stardom. 

California Gurls is pop at its finest. Right off the bat, Katy shines with her vocals. The whole song is so iconic from start to finish that in her 2016 Super Bowl performance she goes “I know a place..SING IT” and the audience sings back “Where the grass is really greener.” Who else can command a crowd like that???? There is no other time and song where there would be shark mascots dancing offbeat. Left shark, I will never forget about you. Katy has such mastery over creating catchy songs and summer vibes. The song captures the essence of summer with its lyrics about California, beaches, sunshine, and carefree fun. It evokes a sense of warmth, relaxation, and freedom, making it a popular choice for summer playlists. The Snoop Dogg verse also elevates the song to great heights. His line “toned, tan, fit, and ready. Turn it up 'cause it's gettin' heavy.” Those are my nightly prayers I recite before bed to be honest. Katy Kat Forever!

Other considerations why California Gurls is The Mega Hit of All Time. 

I ordered a sex on the beach at the bar because of this song and it was pretty good. 

The Glee Cast Performance 

The Candy Land visuals 

Kira

“Jessie’s Girl” - Rick Springfield

There are quite a few things I have inherited from my father, among them: light hair, affinity for chocolate, and a love of 80s music. One of my earliest memories of music was downloading the song “Jessie’s Girl” on the iPod classic my parents let me use at the tender age of 5. While my other musical escapades at the time were limited to the pop songs on the radio, “Jessie’s Girl” introduced me to the rock genre and its powerful guitar riffs and infectious drum rhythms. The dog on the album cover was a plus too. Though this song and its stellar reception was probably a nightmare for poor Jessie, it will always sound sweet and youthful to me. This song will always remind me of my dad jamming in the late evening while washing dishes. Also as a society we need to bring back little guitar solo bridges.  

Steven

Sade - “Smooth Operator"

After 3 bars of the most memorable percussive intro you have ever heard in your entire life, it is mandatory to audibly sing the bass fill going into the intro saxophone riff. Sade’s voice immediately swells and fills absolutely so much space over the simplistic and smooth bossa-nova-esque beat, with backup secondary backing harmonies filling even more space. The first verse finally cuts into a beat of silence before going back into the initial groove  of the song with the song’s hook. This song is an absolute song-writing clinic. “License to love, insurance to hold” is an insane line to throw into a song. My favorite part about the music video was the intermittent cutting between the main antagonist cheating on the protagonist (Sade) and a dude ripping a saxophone solo.

Ben

Snoop Dogg, Pharell Williams - “Drop It Like It’s Hot"

It is the summer of 2015 and you and your brother have recently been given a PS4 and a copy of 2K15. The soundtrack has been curated by Pharell. It is the peak of his power hat phase. You will spend countless hours being blown out by those using Steph Curry and wired internet connections. You will grip the controllers so tightly that you can still smell the sweat on them (sorry). “Drop It Like It’s Hot” will come up on the shuffle more often than any other song and you and your brother will end up memorizing the lyrics through pure rote exposure. You will imitate the instrumental with tongue clicks and lackluster hand drumming. And watch the music video many many times. You will lose to Steph Curry again. 

Emi

Blondie - “One Way Or Another” off Parallel Lines (1978) 

I’ve had this Blondie poster hanging in my room since my freshman year of high school; its moved with me through about 4 bedrooms. Moms everywhere love Blondie and mine is no exception. She was still pissed when I bleached my hair to copy Debbie Harry, though. 

I think Debbie Harry is one of my favorite icons ever. So I kind of have to pick one of my favorite Blondie signs for this post. “One Way Or Another'' is about an ex-boyfriend-turned-stalker that Debbie Harry had while living in New Jersey, reaching number 24 in 1978 on the Billboard Hot 100. While most all of Blondie songs are fun, this one seems especially whacky, with its guitar and bass doing weird riffs going down by half-steps and threatening vocals that’ll make anyone wish Debbie Harry would stalk them. I want to sing this song so badly right now really really loud but I can’t, so I’m going to leave and go somewhere else where I can. You should do the same!

Zola

Nelly Furtado, Timbaland - "Promiscuous"

There's a clip of Timbaland in the studio playing Jay Z the beat for what would become ‘Dirt off your shoulder”, where you can just tell Timbaland knows he has a hit on his hands. He’s got a gallon of water, and a smash hit. Timbaland ran the music industry in the 2000’s like nobody else. Cranking out hit after hit. The songs he had a hand in making would go on to become huge successes. Think Sexyback, Cry me a river, Apologize . In 2006, Nelly Furtado, and Timbaland came together to create promiscuous. The song which features a back and forth between two individuals’ both insisting on the promiscuity of the other. The song would go on to be a smash hit. In the United States, it went 7x platinum, and hit #1 on the Billboard hot 100, where it stayed for six weeks, until it was eventually dethroned by Fergie’s “London Bridge”. The song even inspired a line in the song “Give it to me”, another Timbaland song, featuring both Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake, in which Furtado takes a swing at Fergie (I seen you to try switch it up, but girl, you ain't that dope), after a line in Fergalicious that she interpreted as a diss towards her (Fergalicious (So delicious) But, I ain't promiscuous) (I'm pretty sure Fergie just needed a word that would rhyme with fergalicious). Promiscuous continues to stay relevant, various remixes and sections of the song continue to trend on tiktok. I continue to listen to it weekly. It continues to be played at 70% of the parties I attend. Might be one of the best songs ever cooked up by Timbaland, which is saying alot, considering hes also responsible for Big pimpin’ and 4 minutes.

Sofia

Dexys Midnight Runners - “Come On Eileen," Too Rye Ay I mean, has there ever been a better song to dance to! Kevin Rowland’s desperate vocals with the violin and accordion that were far from the norm at the time plus the slow-to-fast chant give this song its folksy charm. This song had the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in the U.S. during a week in April 1983, and it was Britain’s best-selling single of 1982; despite all that acclaim, hardly anyone knows who the artist is or that this song is about Rowland’s feelings of Catholic guilt and shame about feeling “dirty” after growing up religious. This song���s been following me my whole life, and nothing beats hearing “Come On Eileen” at a party and forcing your friends to get up.

Thank you for reading. Check back for more Official Rainy Dawg Blawg Posts™.

[thenomadinside]

Soundtrack of My Life: 2020 (Mid-Year)

In my junior year of high school, I enrolled in a honors creative writing course called ‘Search for Self.’ The class helped students discover personal identity, meaning and purpose through a series of creative writing prompts and literature. A few solid reads that I recall from this class include A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, The Snows of Kilimanjaro and The Pearl. My favorite assignment that came out of this class was one called ‘Soundtrack of My Life.’ Each student was asked to curate a music album composed of 10 select songs and write a paragraph for each song about its context to your life. It was an assignment that really complemented my “ikigai” and I’ve made a conscious effort to continue doing this assignment periodically over the years. Music is one of the few constants in my life and best illustrates my mental health and headspace in that time and moment. After nearly a decade, it is refreshing to go back and review the different genres of songs I was feeling during that time in my life, as well as which songs have truly stayed with me and still remain in my ‘top 10.’

Bullet Train Fantasy by Ibrahim and Luvbird Considered as part of the “chillhop” lofi family, this song is perfect for one of those days when your head is in the clouds. It is very much a song that I can imagine myself listening to while riding the Shinkansen bullet train while casually eating a bento box and sipping an iced green tea. The past few months have all blurred together and sort of feels like riding a bullet train with no destination in sight (think Snowpiercer). The question in all of our minds is just when will the train stop and we’ll be finally let out to breathe?

“From Now On (앞으로)” by Kim Min Seung (김민승) When shelter-in-place first took place, it had me (along with many others I’m sure) spiral down into a dark rabbit hole of binge watching K-dramas. The first drama I binged was ‘Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo,’ which stars Lee Syung-Kung and Nam Joo Hyuk. Highly recommend this one to anybody looking for a lightweight drama as it is an innocently adorable, quirky and easily consumable slice of life series. “From Now On” was one of the drama’s main theme song that brought an upbeat and optimistic energy whatever scene it was overlaid over. I can confirm that my mood definitely perks whenever I hear it playing!

“Heartburn (Jarami Remix)” by Wafia Very few people know this about me but I actually suffered from constant heartburn during my adolescent years. I never had it diagnosed but my assumption was that the pulses were triggered by a poor diet and lack of exercise. It has since disappeared but was always a mystery to me growing up and I’d always ask myself, “Tell me, why does my heart burn this way?” That being said this time around the relapse is a different sort of heartburn.

“Yummy (Summer Walker Remix)” by Justin Bieber Seriously, don’t even bother asking. I am ashamed to say how weirdly obsessed I am with this song because it’s just so…damn… catchy. And yes, I am well aware that the lyrics are horrendous and the meaning behind the song is pretty disturbing. I do think I gain a few redemption points since I prefer the Summer Walker Remix over the original. Summer’s voice adds just a touch of sophistication and balances an otherwise repetitive song.

“Airplane Mode” by Younha I first heard this song in 2019 but it has since resurfaced. This song helped me build a deeper connection with a person who had a completely different taste in literally everything than me. It was truly a monumental moment to be able to identify commonality. I truly value the importance of turning on airplane mode both literally and figuratively. The song reminds me to disconnect from my phone which seems to be spewing nothing but bad news across the world recently as well as investing in self-care time. A minute detail, but I love how the intro to the song starts with the raw shutter sound of a DSLR camera.

“Crashin” by Saint Wknd & Dirty Radio If there was a song that gives me all the “start of summer” feels, it would be this one. This song had already convinced me that this summer was going to be an amazing one and surprisingly, it was! When I listen to this song, I feel as if I’m ready to go somewhere and gives me the confidence and swagger to go about my everyday routine. If you see me walking around with a bit more pep to my stride, chances are I’m probably listening to this song.

“Paper Hearts” by Tori Kelly I first heard of Tori Kelly from her “Rocketeer” cover with AJ Rafael way back in the day before her rise to fame. From that cover alone, I was sold and convinced that she would eventually blow up. I love Tori’s angelic voice and she’s one of the few artists that sound just as good live (if not better) as online. Last year, I organized at a dance series workshop and the choreographer chose this song which made me fall in love with it. The choreography felt very fitting with the lyrics and definitely challenged the class to “feel” the song more and be more interpretive with the movements.

“If You Were Here I’d be Okay” by David Choi This was one of those songs that I distinctly remember binge listening to in the car during my adolescent years. It would give me the energy to get me through the morning grind (clearly this was before I discovered coffee). I’ve recently been on a mission to clean out my files and just happened to stumble across this song amongst my old journal entries. To this day, I’m still shocked that this song didn’t blow and gain the recognition it deserved. The only live video I could find of David performing this song is here – check it out. (skip to 1:18)

“Less of You” by Keshi Yes, yet another lofi song has made my top 10 list! I love all of Keshi’s songs but this one in particular really captures the rawness of his voice which is complimented with the guitar instrumental. There is a sentimental quality to the undertones that really add to the “pain” of the song that is very relatable. I would also like to call out the looping gif on Spotify of this song because it’s truly a mood.

“The Space Between” by Cleopold I find myself more often than I’d like to admit “dancing in the space between” in my everyday life. It can be difficult to get out of and I find it a major blocker when it comes to decision making. Sometimes it works in my favor but other times it doesn’t. This song was perhaps one of the first songs that I started listening to towards the beginning of the year and it gets my juices flowing which is perfect for a good run outside of home workout.

[angstandhappiness]

INTERESTING

OP's tags @imminent-danger-came #THINK OF THE TRADGEDY#Wukong seeing MK act a little bit evil in 1x09: uh hold up no stop that#When he realizes it was just MK trying to be good enough: :0

@mythicalmagical-monkeyman #THINK OF THE TRADGEDY#< prev tags#to good to leave out#Yes!#exactly#thank you for putting my tiny strains of thoughts into actual word

@imminent-danger-came #wish I could be normal about anything ever#instead I write an in-depth theory post on why I think MK was fucked up in his past life#COME ON s4 SPECIAL. PROVE ME RIGHT#GIVE ME CRUMBS#THIS WOULD SLAP SO HARD#DO IT FOR ME#this ain't even mentioning the god damn curse#Cause like bro. The curse reacting to MK (being a part of MK?) the way it does is so fucking weird#Why did MK get a flash of it in 4x03. Why#''harbinger of chaos'' WELL MAYBE HE WAS ONE. MAYBE HE WAS.#eamk theory

@imminent-danger-came #YEAH ELDRITCH HORROR MK IS SYNONYMOUS WITH MONKEY DEMON MK#Tis the same thing. MK is a Monkey Demon and nothing can change that#Some good points here teehee#I think I'm on team ''pre-stone MK was a complete force of utter chaos'' but like.#A pre-stone MK being controlled and curated as a weapon is a really fun idea#Would have great Samadhi fire Mei parallels too#''Don't use the flame Mei...be the flame!'' ''You don't use a weapon! You are a weapon!''#''What if I fail everyone? What if I...lose control?'' ''Actually no no—the chaos and destruction that we'll bring upon the world will make#Wukong's past look like nothing''#Like at the VERY least MK was someone in a past life right. Like#It would be weird if he didn't. Literally every other member of the gang does#And everyone in this show is living past the end of their myth one way or another#anyways I'm so sorry tumblr ate your post#I've lost good men in tumblr drafts

@its-leethee #ok so i had this rb window open since yesterday cause i needed to sleep on it but nope time did not calm me down#my brain soundtrack stuck on eeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEE#always wondering where did mk's power come from & what they put in the baby monkey stone and like y'all are so smart eight steps ahead of m#sealed monkey demon/eldritch horror mk alright alright i'm in 100%

@mythicalmagical-monkeyman #...#what if he's the thing that killed the pilgrims#he would have been powerful enough to#and it would help explain why Wukong was involved#and why mk would be friends with their “reincarnations”#/descendant#because parallels

@ghostenluvs #prev#OH MY GOD#ur brain#but omg that would be so angsty #THIS WHOLE THEORY IS CRAZY BUT IN LIKE AN OMG WAY#LIKE MAN I'M HAVING THOUGHTS NOW#i love these long theory posts they get hte brain thoughts going#IT KEEPS GETTING BETTER

@i-am-a-fan #Do you think that’s why Mk is only part monkey demon? Because i can two schools of thought on that#one. he’s part SWK and part something else (probably celestial if i’m honest) but that would explain why he’s able to wield the staff#it also makes sense since the staff is has been said to only be wielded by swk himself#there’s no trials or anything of being worthy like thors hammer. you either are swk or you aren’t#Or TWO. MK WAS another celestial monkey#i say WAS because he might have been defeated and the put back together as seen in the frames shown above#Mostly because i really do think MK when broken down is actually really evil#I WILL ONCE AGAIN USE THE CLONE EPISODE AS EVIDENCE#you’re telling me that every clone made of the guy#that are supposed to be perfect imitations of the creator (mind you)#all of them. turned evil?#yeah that kid is fucked up#wow i had wayyyy more to say than i thought i did#welcome to my ted talk

@void-multimuse #stuff like this makes my brain go brrr so I wanna add it to my MK portrayal

@mythicalmagical-monkeyman #saw this on twitter#but this goes with inky going#"your friends will turn on you. seeing you for the monster you will become. they will DESTROY you#harbinger of chaos.”#because if MK killed them in their past lives#why would they keep him around if he could do it again#(I know they wouldn't though)

@wilyzombie #yall i just wanted to watch a cartoon with fun animation#it’s been only 2 weeks since i first started watching monkie kid#and now im obsessed

@newcyber-demonslayer#YO#WAIT#THIS IS ACTUALLY SUCH A GREAT THEORY#probably cause I’m a sucker for eldritch beings cause it fascinates me#especially the possible design options out there

@demigod-of-the-agni #op this was a DELICIOUS READ#i will now retreat to my cave and wallow#monkerkidd#SO MANY THOUGHTS.... SO MANY.......

@shiwinu #SOMEONE SAID#“CRAZY THEORY”#???#I'M IN#AHHAHAHAJAJA

Eldritch Abomination MK Theory

OKAY. @the-punning-ubus

I just want to say reading these tags are SO validating, because I have my little "MK was an eldritch abomination thing pre-hatching from stone" theory and seeing someone else come to pretty much the same conclusion feels good.

I've been meaning to write a proper theory post on this for a while, so now is as good of a time as any!

Obviously we have Wukong's "Not just anyone can wield my staff, but you did" from A Hero is Born and "The staff's just a big 'ol stick bud! It takes someone special to wield it" from 3x03, but there's also something in 1x09 Macaque:

Macaque: "Your staff kinda gives you away dude, not just anyone can wield that thing."

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Macaque: "Ohohoh no, can't you hold the magic staff anymore? Well, you know what that means—there really isn't anything special about you. You're just a kid with a heavy stick."

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The sweet irony of "There really isn't anything special about you. You're just a kid with a heavy stick!" followed immediately by MK lifting the staff again is not lost on me.

So, from s1 it was pretty obvious that Wukong didn't "give" MK any form of power, but we knew that already with MK being a monkey demon and all. I just think it's particularly intriguing that all of this was laid out in the same episode where MK proclaims "I am the weapon!". In all honestly, he probably was/is.

One of the main questions coming out of s4 is "why was MK created?"—Monkey King's stone was used to form another, but for what purpose? To what end? What reason was MK at the center of all these stories?

Well, here's my current theory:

MK was something in a past life, and that something needed to be contained—and so, to put a stop to past life eldritch abomination MK, he was then sealed away in the stone.

I think this scene in particular raises some alarm bells:

The stone cracks open, bursts with light, and then it closes—like something was put inside it. The scene could of course just be an aesthetic choice, or chosen to be this way for another reason we don't know yet, but it just feels so deliberate. A ball of light appearing from the stone, then another ball of light in the mystery woman's hands being revealed to hold a monkey, and then the stone reforming around the ball of light. I just can't help but feel there's something there.

Next I want to discuss the two key things that make me feel this theory has merit:

1.) MK has made a habit of breaking out of things he shouldn't be able to (the calabash in 1x05, the trigram furnace in 2x00, the scroll in 4x07, Destiny itself in 3x14) and the stone would be no exception.

2.) Every antagonist in this show has been sealed away in some form, then being released to resume their plans from before being sealed. Here's a list:

DBK was sealed under the mountain, and after being released continued his plan of world domination.

Spider Queen was metaphorically trapped in her fallen empire, and after being given the chance to rule the above world once again, immediately takes it.

The Lady Bone Demon was imprisoned in her tomb, and after being released prematurely (before learning the error of her ways), she continued her plan to destroy the world and create a new one.

Azure Lion was imprisoned in the scroll, and upon being released (by an unknown 3rd party), immediately worked to free his friends and then end the Jade Emperor's reign.

Now, I love foils, so MK breaking out of the stone he was sealed in, yet coming out an actually changed being unlike everyone else in this show, would be DELICIOUS:

Lady Bone Demon: ”No backup and no weapon? So, you’re plan is to fist fight a child?” Sun Wukong: “We both know that’s not what you are.”

(3x11 This Imperfect World)

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Lady Bone Demon: "STOP! Have you forgotten? Destroy me and you destroy the host! Have you become so desperate to end me that you would sacrifice this blameless innocent child?" Sun Wukong: "You're giving me no choice! All the time you spent locked away, and you haven't changed a bit! I'm going to finish you, like I should have done a long time ago! I told you—you should have stayed buried."

(3x11 This Imperfect World)

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Subodhi: "I have not brought you to your master. Although this is the stone from which Sun Wukong once sprung, it appears overtime, it was used to form another. A simple creature, with no past, no family, and no name. There is a reason you were at the center of these stories—a reason you can harness the power of the Monkey King himself!"

(4x06 Show Me the Monster)

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(If you want extra fodder for this, please see this parallels post :3)

So, if MK were to hatch out of the stone—where *he* was sealed away—and he actually came out of it a "blameless innocent child" with "no past, no family, and no name", it would work exceedingly well. Wukong's not above giving people second chances, but if you use that second chance to try and destroy the world, you force his hand.

(Side note: it could also be the case that the stone was used to "reset" whatever MK was in his past life, and Wukong was originally meant to destroy whatever came out of the stone—which could be the reason he stayed at Flower Fruit Mountain for hundreds of years. However, when an child came out, a new being without a past or the memories of what it was before—Wukong choose to let it go. He choose to let it live a normal life—or even ensuring it could live a normal life—and it then found it's way to Pigsy. This definitely gets into real crack theory territory, but I did want to bring it up.)

Now, none of this is even mentioning the suspiciously MK shaped figure in the mural from 3x13:

Now, the figure in this mural is only shown when MK is also on screen, which is framing that drives me insane. Perhaps this is when they first caught MK's past life, then finally able to subdue him and seal him in the stone.

And so, if MK really was this terrible chaos driven abomination in his past life, what does that mean ✨thematically✨?

Well,

Sun Wukong: “Point is, mistakes happen, but so long as you leave the world in better shape than you found it, then it’s all good. Right?”

(4x01 Familiar Tales)

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SWK: “ENOUGH! I’ve never let anyone dictate my destiny in the past, and I’m not about to start now. None of us are! We can’t change who we were yesterday or in a past life, or a hundred life times ago! We live with the choices we’ve made, for what matter is the choices we make RIGHT NOW! Only we decide who we are and what we do with the power we have.”

(4x07 Pitiful Creatures)

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MK can't change who he was in a past life. He can't change that the roads all lead to pain. But you know what he can do? He can try. He can try and get a little bit better every day. He can try and help people. He can try and make the world better than he found it.

Maybe in a past life, MK caused just as must chaos and destruction as Wukong did in his past. Maybe he caused even more problems than he has as the Monkie Kid. But that also doesn't undo the good he's doing now.

Anyways, that's my "MK was an eldritch abomination thing pre-hatching from stone" theory. Hope you enjoyed

[infiniteiram]

sad because it’s been awhile since i’ve written my fic (which i’m so excited for) but i never feel like i have enough time to actually write