#and it feels like he doesn’t fully respect the artist but maybe I just don’t like him lol

[cloudsourcing]

Feel however you want about their music and art, the idea of some man like Anthony Fantano rating Sza’s music makes me murderous... I cannot think of a more vile thing than a man criticizing a piece of art that he will never have the depth to fully understand but THINKS he understands it enough to engage with it and sincerely criticize it

[mr-president]

if sean and yun met would they explode i neeed to know

TLDR; i think they meet, maybe get into a fight, realize their mental illnesses are compatible, and then explode into a fire of pure bromance.

i really don’t know how i’d describe their dynamic the moment they meet—yun, for one, is waaaaaaaaaay stronger than sean, considering that everyone kind of is. yun’s kind of a huge narcissistic asshole sometimes, so if they had met through a fight (perhaps gill’s tournament or just being like ‘yo are those the twin dragons? let’s fight!’), then he’d probably just clown on and torment sean with taunts. or, based on yun’s win quotes, pity him and not try at all in the fight and still win. not a great start (i have my own headcanons about that tournament, and i like to think sean faced alex).

either way, it’d be interesting to explore on sean’s part: how do you forgive/bear with someone like that? how can you consolidate being friends having also been hurt quite deeply with regards to something you’ve tried so hard with? it would be interesting for yun, who’s used to being superior and holding it over people’s head, to try and not be an asshole, be a good friend that recognizes sean’s worth. i think this goes for sean’s relationships in general, and part of why i include him in my art is to show that he has other elements and skills that are valuable.

like, sure i think the 3rd strike kiddos all fight each other and spar for fun, but most people aren’t friends with each other to do one thing. elena and yun complain about shitty customers at their part time jobs over ice cream, makoto and sean ramble about their respective masters and martial arts movies they’ve watched, and ibuki and yang (i’ve already drawn) swap daydreams and go to pet cafés. there is more to sean than being ass at fighting—he is worth more than that, and though the series itself can’t explore that by the nature of being “street fighter,” guess what, i’m a fan artist, and i can explore that.

i like to think they either met through elena, but they probably jsut met at gill’s tournament or the classic “yo you’re that guy? let’s fight” plot. when they first meet though, they definitely click personality-wise, and yes, they explode.

what’s important about sean is that he’s the one who doesn’t just tolerate yun’s mischievous bullshit, he fully understands and bounces it back. it’s like, jock-to-jock communication (yang’s tired of living with his brother’s bullshit for the entirety of his existence, makoto gets pissed and kicks the shit outta him, ibuki tolerates it to an extent when their goals match up but also jsut punches him when she gets annoyed, and elena’s autism isn’t on the same wavelength and yun feels bad teasing her).

yun says something weird and sean just nods and it becomes a whole bit between them, growing more and more absurd that the others are like “we don’t know these people.” pure bro-i-ness, and i’m sure it’s nice for sean to be involved in things, and yun enjoys a willing accomplice in his bullshit.

that being said, they balance each other out really nicely. sean’s a loser younger sibling, neglected by a shitty mentor, and what skills he does have are understated and belittled. he’s trying to carve out his own path, but despite trying so hard, it isn’t enough to impress anyone much less win.

yun’s an older sibling, and i’m sure he’s handled yang and jamie’s feelings of inadequacy quite well (yang hasn’t dumped yun onto the street yet, and jamie’s…like that now). hence, i think he’s really good at boosting sean’s confidence when they’re not fighting, and he has the balls to be like “ken masters is a bitch for doing that to you, man.”

meanwhile, yun’s never taken seriously, so he doesn’t try at anything. at the same time, he’s the eldest sibling in an asian “family,” and though they don’t have parents, there’s still that expectation that he is the best, that he is the role model his brothers should look up to and try to become. not to mention, he’s the beloved protector/peacekeeper of hong kong—that’s a lot of pressure, but he’s the chill, swag party boy he always is anyway.

i think yun would have a hard time talking about anything emotional—he’s the role model to yang and jamie, so he can’t falter there. hoimei is seemingly hostile to him, and though i could see ibuki and elena lending a helpful ear, i don’t think yun would be comfortable talking to them (partly due to internalized misogyny, but also he’s not as close with them) beyond everyday issues. sean’s just a good friend for him in this regard, and they could learn a lot from each other by sharing their upbringings and experiences.

it’s a comfortable role/dynamic they’re accustomed to—teasing, older brother and teased, younger sibling—but because they’re not actually siblings, the “sibling dynamic” and the expectations that come with isnt so rigid. sean can tell yun when his teasing gets too harsh without fear of being electrocuted, and yun can seem “weak” without the fear that he’s not living up to the expectations of his brothers. additionally, yun build’s sean’s confidence while sean keeps yun grounded, not becoming too cocky.

but of course, that’s later into their friendship! i think they meet, maybe get into a fight, realize their mental illnesses are compatible, and then become close friends. close bros, even.

early in their friendship, i think both kind of “test the waters” with jokes, saying something weird and then seeing if the other will continue the joke. when it becomes clear they’re on the same wavelength all the time somehow, yun starts hanging out with sean without yang (very significant), and keeps doing that. it helps they have similar interests—the skate park is pretty close to the basketball court, infinite—the guy who does the third strike opening and select—is the greatest rapper of all time, the arcade’s the absolute shit, and a quick spar’s always welcome.

you probably did notice that i “paired up” the third strike kiddos, but i hope to mix and match them more! i kinda didn’t have much yun and sean drawn, mostly because their dynamic feels very obvious to me, and i usually draw to “make a statement.”

thanks for reading, if you got this far! here’s some seanyun yaoi as a reward.

maybe i’ll write a bit about that; haven’t thought about it very much

[pojofi96]

General Headcanons about Bi-han (SFW but kind of long!)

His thoughts: When he’s not mulling over clan business, plotting, or committing crimes, Bi-han often thinks about his mother or wanting to be alone isolated in nature. (More under the cut!)

He’s always felt more at peace away from most people than with them. Clan business comes first and foremost though.

What he loves: Shaved ice. Most of the time he won’t even put syrup in it, he’s happy enough just eating it raw - bonus points if it’s shaped like food. There is a certain artistic value to his powers that he greatly admires and he likes creating things (ice sculptures, random shapes, etc) more than he likes to admit. He also loves it when he goes outside and there’s tell-tale signs of winter - an animal’s tracks in the snow, icicles dangling, breath becoming visible in the air. He loves the biting, bitter chill of harsh cold. While most people would find it unpleasant, it’s refreshing to him and helps to make him feel more invigorated and alive.

What he really thinks about his brothers: He gives up a lot for them. It was something he’s always done without complaint, as he was always dutiful like that. This sense of responsibility runs so deep that he doesn’t even see it as an option to not take care of them - he just knows that he was born into it, so he has to. Their father was a man of many secrets, and Bi-Han bore the weight of these so that his brothers don’t have to. It’s because of this that he feels like they’re obligated to show him respect. Problem is though, the brothers don’t really know what they’re supposed to be thankful for. They don’t know exactly what Bi-Han has gone through for him to feel like he’s entitled to unquestionable loyalty from them, and this frustrates Bi-Han to the point of near resentment.

Additional note about Tomas: Part of his treatment of Tomas might be because he feels in part guilty for what the Lin Kuei did to his family. He will forever resent the blunders his father pulled (because Bi-Han would never have committed a mistake so grave if he was grandmaster) but something about the way Tomas doesn’t seem to be bothered that he’s living with his family’s killers bothers him. It always has. Because Bi-Han knows that if it was him he would be enraged. He should be! Bi-Han has no doubts in his mind that he’d kill all of his oppressors once he had the chance - if the roles were reversed. That’s why he could never bring himself to fully trust Tomas despite the time they’ve spent together. Or maybe Bi-Han even sees him as lesser for not avenging his family as a way to cope with guilt and frustration with his father’s actions. Since Tomas is so clearly unbothered (from Bi-Han’s POV) he feels obligated to deal with the anger that he feels like Smoke should be feeling on his behalf.

His parents: His mother’s loss hit him hard. She was a rock in his life and he was never quite the same without her.

He’s never really gotten along with his father. They disagreed on many things and Bi-Han can’t say that he’s at all sad that he’s gone. This general feeling probably doesn’t change much even during his possible future redemption arc. Even if it did, it’d be more like him regretting the actual action and intent, rather than Bi-Han actually missing his father. Although I could see a redeemed Bi-Han trying to atone for it regardless.

What he secretly worries about: There’s always a nagging voice deep inside him that what he’s doing is wrong - that he’s made a grave mistake and that he needs to turn back. It’s faint, but unmistakable and still there. It tells him lots of things, like that he won’t really be happy even if he achieves his dreams. It’s a slight, silent nagging that Bi-Han shoves down deep. Whatever regrets he has left are overshadowed by his constant self-affirmation and denial.

[starsinkpop]

ATEEZ Jeong Yunho Tarot Reading - Future Spouse

Disclaimer: I do tarot readings for fun, so please read them with a grain of salt. Don’t take my words too seriously and just keep an open mind. Tarot is a divination tool that can’t predict the future, as every single individual has their own will and makes their own decisions. Tarot should be seen as a guidance and a good friend that just has your best interest and gives you advice when needed. I’m not putting anyone in my readings on a pedestal nor am I trying to harm anyone. One last side note, I’m not a native speaker, so please excuse any wrong spellings or poor grammar.

Date of Reading: October 10th 2023

Decks: Ethereal Visions Tarot, Wild Mystic Oracle, Dreamscape Oracle, Romance Angel Oracle, Love Oracle, island time wellness love Oracle, Angel Answers Oracle Cards

Six of Cups, XXII The Well, Eight of Wands, XVI The Tower, Eight of Cups, Six of Wands

his fs could be someone he knows from the past, maybe they’ve been friends in kindergarten or early school days

could also be just someone he had a connection with in a past life

definitely someone who has a pure, almost innocent side to them

very playful and carefree aura most of the time

they bring a lot of joy into Yunho’s life

pretty artistic, could even be famous for their art

they maybe work as an architect or have some type of obsession with buildings

definitely well known and well respected in their working field but also amongst friends and family because they’re extremely ambitious

success always finds a way to his fs

they’re a very nurturing personality who love to take care of others as well

a natural leader

hard to say if they’re introverted or extroverted - maybe somewhere in between

it’s someone who constantly seeks new knowledge in a way

because their brain needs permanent stimulation to be happy and satisfied

great communicators

but will know when to keep quiet

I also feel like this is someone you can sit together with in silence without it being weird

they are very well balanced, can be chaotic when they want to but also very collected and calm when needed

probably avoid conflict

they maybe reject Yunho a few times before properly dating him

but not necessarily because they don’t like him or anything, it’s more like they want to enjoy the single life first and really want to focus themself and on having fun

they respect boundaries and will always make sure that their loved have boundaries and don’t just get run over by others

they’re very emotional and empathic

but they sometimes have emotional outbursts, this mainly happens when they’re very stressed

they’re generous with their love and time

it’s someone with a genuine heart

they love changes since they could get easily bored

will constantly reconstruct their life until they’re fully satisfied (which is never tbh)

they have no problem leaving behind what doesn’t serve them anymore

they love to workout and are very active

could maybe be into extreme stuff like bungee jumping or something like that

at times they’re easily confused

daydreamers, they need to let their mind drift away from reality sometimes

they have a hard time settling down in one place

loves to travel

they don’t like to ask others for help, a very independent individual

could have dark hair and there’s something about shoulders, like they have very pretty shoulders

have a confident aura, which is attracting many people

I see a lot of passion in this connection, but they’re generally someone very passionate

they’re very sensual

Yunho and his fs actually have an insane chemistry

lots of romantic feelings in this connection and they most likely will have kids together (probably two)

they’re tall but smaller than him and maybe on the slimmer side

Love,

~Nicky 🫧

Masterlist

[j0kers-light]

Hii! If requests are open could I request Heath ledger’s joker with a digital artist s/o? They’re constantly ranting about their OCs and showing him drawings/animations of them, etc?

Hey hi anon 🖤✨

Mad respect to digital artists!! I love you each and every one of you and the work you share with the world!! Keep on keeping on!

As someone who can’t draw a straight line I be envious but I’ll stick to what I love. Which is why you’re here 🤭Let’s get into it! Please enjoy to your hearts content!

Joker is used to you bent over your drawing pad, stylus in hand (wrist brace on; carpal tunnel ain’t no joke! I know from experience 👀) that the visual of you is second nature to him when he walks through the door

He knows when you have your headphones on and your tongue is sticking a bit out of your mouth, that it’s drawing time.

Joker leaves you be until you come to him to ask for constructive criticism. J is always honest and tells you things no matter if it hurts

You shove the pad into his face and begin rambling about if the shading is off, are the lines too harsh? What about the anatomy because you HATE drawing (insert) maybe you should focus attention away from that by drawing a secondary figure?

“I could add more to the background or maybe soften the edges? What do you think? Should I just start over?”

Joker knows you’re the toughest critic regarding your own work so he genuinely tells you it’s great.

The shading is amazing and he personally likes the outline still visible through your signature style. It makes the whole piece feel more natural that way than full on illustrated (he’d hate for you to be called out for using AI) 🙄🙄 he’d probably kill someone for flaming you.

He subtly reminds you to add your watermark signature to the artwork in a unique way because you forget to when you critique your work so much.

You are constantly on your drawing pad day in and day out and it’s not the latest tech so… you run into a problem early on: it breaks.

You don’t tell Joker since you’re been saving up for a new one for a while now but…. you’re not quite at your goal. It’s all good, you take a break from drawing and focus on another skill

Rest assured Joker instantly notices you’re not drawing (how dare you; he adores your work!) and goes out and buys steals the most state of the art equipment for his bunny.

I’m talking a rig that the professionals use with all the bells and whistles. It’s already set up at your workstation the following morning and your head over heels thanking Joker with hugs and kisses

Joker fully supports your craft and knows it’s your source of income sooo he uses different accounts to commission you for the most random artwork so you stay getting paid and he helps you draw out of your comfort zone while ultimately improving as an artist

You are none the wiser and people start to notice your work with the endless flow of commissions Joker asks for.

He may or may not leave your username/digital card in the most random places across Gotham. It’s free exposure at this point.

Joker doesn’t get tired of listening to lore about your OCs and their world.

He knows so much about each character that Frost, Mac, and Neo are fully convinced they’re real people with how much J talks about them.

“OC’s name went viral the other day. I think it’s because of the new uhh, underwater.. ani-mation Y/n made. Very err crisp.”

“Is you talking about Y/n’s drawings?” Mac asked.

“It’s noT just a drAwINg!” Joker quickly defends your work.

Mac’s dumb comment prompted J to threaten ask them to pull out their phone and subscribe to your Pateron account. And it better be the highest tier or risk J’s wrath.

He pays them enough to afford a monthly subscription and it’s worth every penny

The four of them spend the rest of the night scrolling through your online portfolio. They oo and ahh over the hard work you created. You are beyond talented.

A low level goon knocked on the door and got their attention but was floored by the illustration shown up on the projector. It looked like a literal masterpiece. It was so detailed and some elements were animated, he asked for the artist’s link.

Joker was forever grateful you used a pseudonym for your work so he had no issues of your identity being compromised by association

Neo provided them your username, lith0useart, on all platforms and told them to get back to work. They did while spreading your work like wildfire amongst the others.

That same night you called J screaming in joy to tell him about all the new Paterons and commissions you got! You were on your way to being an artist full time and Joker couldn’t be more proud.

[keeperoftinyarmy]

I have two levels of thought, for JK as an individual and JK as an artist. I'm not trying to trash him but I'm just trying to get my thoughts straight and seek your opinion because I feel a bit betrayed.

Now as an artist, I've always thought JK has great potential as a soloist. However so far, all his three singles released during solo era are pretty generic. I think its fine to like them but I expected better from him. I mean I'd expect this sort of music from a BP band member, not someone from BTS. As for the payola, I personally don't care even though I'm shocked about the extent of payola he's getting. I just can't take his achievements that seriously because of them though. And other people might find it hard to digest because it goes against things BTS preached as a band.

The thing that gets is me mad is that if they have this much capacity then everything I saw during Face - forget paid radio spins but just sending the audio to radio, the splitting of the streams by Spotify, the issues with the D2C web store, the issues with Hanteo - were all wilfully ignored by Hybe. But that has nothing to do with JK.

So anyway his songs and his choice to go for payola - I think it's fair to criticize JK on that but they have nothing to do with Jimin.

But there's just one thing thats genuinely made me question what JK is doing as a friend to Jimin and as individual. And that is the extended parallels between elements of Like Crazy and Seven. I say parallels because I don't want to say the c-word but that's what it is. Why are the concept photos, outfits, styling, and dance moves so similar between two songs that have no relation to each other. When I saw the concept photos, I wrote it off as a coincidence, but now with the choreography I find it hard to do that again. And JK has seen the LC dance - he watched it right on live so I can't pretend the hybe choreographer just gave him this dance and he didn't know anything. I just can't reconcile it in my head. I feel sad.

I respect your opinion and thank you for sharing it with me. I’m going to assume this isn’t a shade attack on Kookie and respond.

I will honestly say Seven is the first JK solo song I’ve really liked….except for My You. And that’s totally fine, every song is not for every person. It doesn’t change how talented JK is or how much I want him to succeed.

Payola… that’s a loaded word and we don’t know that happened. What I see are deals and connections and different modes of marketing than BigHit has used in the past. I’ve thought since Like Crazy and PD Bang house hunting in LA that BigHit was set on fully understanding how to create a huge hit in the US market - for JK’s release but also for future BTS releases. This is a business…a business that wants to make money and expand …so figuring out how to get to the top of Billboard should be their priority. I think they had a plan for Seven and Face’s success surprised them. I don’t think they hated it because their stock rose but I do think they continued their plan for their western push. Was Jimin’s album a casualty of that? Seems like but I don’t know. I’m proud of Face still doing well despite the challenges. Jimin’s next project will probably get even more internal support because of it.

Now…the part about the concept similarities…

Going from years of evidence from video, articles and the guys’ mouths Jimin and Jungkook are really close. That means they are discussing their work with each other. That means that any similarities between Face and Seven are fully known and approved by the two of them. Because if Jimin had an issue with Seven’s concept he would have spoken up…and no way JK would have done it if Jimin were upset by it. And I’d bet all my money on that fact.

I don’t think it was copying I think it was a deliberate connection maybe even a collaboration of sorts. I feel like there’s a thread between the two purposely put there by the artists.

This should not be a surprise to anyone that follows BTS…jikook often match and have similar ideas.

[zukkaoru]

22 for mailee zukka or sokka & katara!!!

jupiter!! hello!! this is. about half as long as it would have to be if i wanted to fully capture the feeling of this song. but hopefully it's still alright since it's already uhhh kinda long

22. sincerely me - artist vs. poet + mailee

and i wish that you could see oh, what you do to me and i hope this letter covers everything i'm yours, sincerely me

word count: 1927

Mai,

Kyoshi Island is warm this time of year, but it’s still nothing compared to Caldera City. I think you’d like it here in spring, actually. All of the flowers are blooming and the snow is melting and it’s really very beautiful. One of the other warriors taught me how to press flowers, so I’ve included some with this letter. I don’t know the meanings like you do; I just picked ones I thought looked prettiest.

A group of us are leaving for Gaoling in a few days. We’ve been trying to go on more recruitment missions, because Suki wants to create different chapters of the Kyoshi Warriors - that way we aren’t limited to helping Kyoshi Island. She has big dreams, but she’s got enough determination that I don’t doubt they’re possible to achieve.

Sokka, Katara, and Aang stopped by the island for a visit last week. It was nice to see them again even if I don’t know them very well. But seeing them reunite with Suki made me miss you even more. You should come visit when you get a chance! You can even bring Zuko if he can afford a break. I’d love to see you again!!

How is Zuko, by the way? You didn’t mention him in your last letter. Are you two still doing alright? Or do I need to catch the first boat to Caldera and kick his ass for you? Because I will.

Okay, I have to go - Tuq is calling me. I look forward to your next letter, and I’ll write again once I’ve returned from Gaoling!

Yours always,

Ty Lee

— —

Ty Lee, 

Zuko is fine, but Zuko and I aren’t great. There’s too much stress with him being Fire Lord, I think. And we’re both realizing some things that make a relationship a little complicated. It’s nothing you need to worry about, though, I promise! We’re talking through it, so no need to beat Zuko up.

Besides, I’ll do it myself if I need to.

I love the flowers; they really are quite pretty. The pink ones are plum blossoms. Those mean “resilience” and “perseverance”. The yellow ones are daffodils, which mena “respect”. And the white ones are Tsutsuji, or azaleas. The white ones specifically mean either “modesty” or “first love”. It was a nice collection, you chose well.

Kyoshi Island does sound beautiful. I’m not sure when or if I’ll be able to visit, but maybe someday. Or I guess maybe if I need some distance from Zuko. I don’t know. We’ll see what happens.

I hope you enjoyed your trip to Gaoling! Zuko says Toph is from there. They didn’t like it much, but I believe that has to do with the circumstances of their upbringing. I’m sure it’s a fine place to visit. Suki’s idea about different Kyoshi Warrior chapters sounds helpful as well. Maybe you could come recruit in Caldera City sometime.

I miss you too. I hope we can see each other again soon.

Sincerely,

Mai

— —

Mai,

Gaoling was incredible! It’s so SO cool getting to travel around the Earth Kingdom and being able to really appreciate the cultures. I’ve learned a lot since I came to Kyoshi Island and we started going out on recruitment trips.

Although I do agree: A trip to Caldera would be nice. I’d love any excuse to see you! I know we’re both busy, though.

I’m sorry to hear about the complications between you and Zuko. And I know you can kick his ass yourself, but my offer still stands if you should need it. Or, like you said, you can come visit me here to get some distance from everything.

It’s hard to believe it’s nearing a year since the end of the war and me moving to Kyoshi Island. It’s still weird not having you close by, but it’s nice we can at least write letters. It doesn’t replace seeing you face-to-face, but it helps.

Spring is making me miss you more, I think. Remember when we would try to catch falling cherry blossoms, just the two of us in your backyard? I miss being that young and carefree. I miss seeing you like that. It was the one time you would let your guard down and allow yourself to smile.

I don’t think I ever told you, but you really do have the prettiest smile.

If I can ever convince Suki to take a Kyoshi Warrior trip to the Fire Nation, I’ll be sure to let you know. But until then, I’ll miss you and I’ll keep writing.

Yours always,

Ty Lee

— —

Ty Lee,

Sorry for the long break in letters. I’ve read all three you sent, but I was having trouble writing a response. Zuko and I have officially ended things. I moved out of the palace. I’m living with Aunt Mura now and working full time in the flower shop. My mom keeps trying to convince me to move home and I’m running out of ways to politely decline the offer.

I’m sorry this letter is no good. I don’t have much else to say.

I hope I’ll see you soon. I miss you.

Sincerely,

Mai

— —

Mai,

There’s no need to apologize! I’ll treasure any letter you send regardless of how long or short it is. It’s as close as I can get to having you with me.

I’m sorry to hear about you and Zuko. :( I know I’m far away, but let me know if there’s anything I can do!

I will say, I’m glad you moved in with your aunt instead of your parents. I know you don’t want to be too mean to your mom, but you’ll be much better off staying with Mura. Hopefully your mom will back off soon and understand that you don’t want to live with her anymore without you having to tell her it isn’t good for your mental health.

I hope you’re enjoying working at the flower shop! I know you always really liked that place. I used to think it was so unlike you to be happy helping out there, but I understand better now. It’s fitting, I think. You remind me of flowers sometimes; flowers don’t always recognize their beauty and worth either. But remember that you are always worthy of love and happiness.

I hope it doesn’t sound like I’m trying to guilt you with how much I say this, but I miss you. I don’t think I’ll ever stop missing you. A summer thunderstorm rolled through last night, and I thought of us hiding under the blankets in my bedroom. I was way more scared than you were, but you hid with me anyways. I really appreciate that. I’m not scared of thunder anymore, but I wouldn’t say no to building another blanket fort hideout.

The summer sun here is hot, but the heat of Caldera was worse. Take care of yourself. Remember to drink water and don’t stay out in the sun for too long without anything to shade you. 

Yours always,

Ty Lee

— —

Ty Lee,

I miss you too, no guilt intended.

Mura and Zuko both say I should visit you. Would that be okay? You asked if there was anything you could do to help, and all I could think was that I really miss your hugs.

Sincerely,

Mai

— —

Mai,

PLEASE come visit!!! I will give you as many hugs as you want!!!!!!!

Yours always,

Ty Lee

PS: Wait, you’re still talking to Zuko? Also you don’t have to wait for another response from me before you leave Caldera. Just come. I’ll tell Suki to expect you soon. Unless you don’t want to come, in which case, you’re free to stay! But I really really would love for you to visit.

— —

Ty Lee,

Yes, Zuko and I still talk. It’s complicated.

Next week is the last week of summer, and there’s usually a rush in the shop that week, so I’ll leave at the start of the following week.

See you soon!

Yours,

Mai

— —

“This is so much better than the letters,” Ty Lee whispers, burying her face in Mai’s shoulder. She’s clinging to Mai like her life depends on it, but Mai doesn’t mind because she’s doing the same in return. And Ty Lee is right; this is far better than the letters they’ve exchanged in the past year. Mai has kept each one, safe in a box on a shelf in her room where she can reread them whenever she’s missing Ty Lee more than usual.

But Ty Lee in person is a million times better than ink and paper and even the pressed flowers.

“I missed you,” Mai says, as if that hasn’t been stated in every letter sent between them. But it’s important, and it means more than just those three words. It means I’m glad to see you again and Times may change but our friendship remains and I’m home.

It expresses the love that the two of them spent so long pushing down and ignoring, because how could they be together in a world that would lock them up for their feelings?

“I missed you too.”

The hug breaks, but Ty Lee doesn’t let go of Mai’s arms, and Mai doesn’t want her to. Mai wants her to hold on forever, never wants to be apart from her again. She wants to throw caution to the wind and beg to stay.

But she doesn’t. Not yet.

She takes a deep breath, inhaling the clean Kyoshi Island air, tinged with the first chilled breezes of autumn. She looks around to assure no one else has come outside to check on them. She never figured out, exactly, what to say now. But she knows she needs to say something.

Zuko had convinced her, actually. Mai, I know you. You won’t do this without a push, so I’m pushing you. Go to Kyoshi Island. Tell Ty Lee how you feel. I’m almost certain she feels the same.

And once Zuko had pointed out the signs, Mai couldn’t stop seeing them either. It was written between each line in every letter Ty Lee sent her. It was in the pressed flowers and the neat creases in the paper. It was in the space between every single letter.

I LOVE YOU.

“Ty Lee,” Mai whispers. She leans in slightly on instinct, desperate to be closer. They’ve been so far apart for so long and even though Ty Lee’s hands remain firmly wrapped around her arms, Mai can hardly stand the space still lingering between them. She wants to melt into Ty Lee’s body so they can never be separated again.

“Please stay,” Ty Lee says. One hand drops Mai’s arm to cup her cheek instead. “I don’t think I can bear to say goodbye again. I know I told you I didn’t want to guilt you into coming here, and I didn’t, but— I couldn’t say everything in the letters. Some things need to be said in person.”

“You did say it,” Mai assures her. “And I think I’ve always felt the same. That’s why Zuko and I never could have worked. I always— It was always you. I’ve always been yours.”

Ty Lee smiles. “Your letters said it too. I was worried I was reading them wrong.”

Mai shakes her head. “You should know no one knows me as well as you do.”

“Mai—” Ty Lee starts, then stops abruptly. Instead of saying anymore, she lifts herself onto her tiptoes, angling Mai’s face downward.

Mai takes her cue and closes the distance between them.

[themotherofallthings]

I think the whole BMG article today is just yet another example that there is no one that can help Louis or his career quite like his fans. If a large label like BMG can’t manage to figure out, in a creative & diverse way, how to promote Louis outside of the normal, then there is simply no hope for him within the industry stable. Being an independent makes sense at this point. 

Louis signed with BMG to give “industry” one more shot. Because he clearly wasn’t prepared to be fully independent after Walls. I think that tour changed that a lot for him. And if he had had this confidence coming out of his contract with Simon, I’m hard pressed to believe he would’ve signed with another label.

So for those folks saying that Louis doesn’t want mainstream success, I say, Louis wants success. He’s ambitious and has an ego. He cares, a lot. Maybe not about being the next Ed Sheeran or Harry Styles, but he’s proud of his music and what he has to offer and it would be naive to think that it doesn’t bother him that he doesn’t get air play, especially when he’s alluded to it in a few interviews over the years.

So knowing, definitively, that Louis wasn’t (and isn’t) going to get air play and that BMG knew that going in, why on earth would they waste valuable manpower, $$ and effort to get BTM on the radio? Was that Louis asking them to try? Was it BMG thinking they could change minds? Hard to say, but all that proves is that their efforts might have been put to better used elsewhere. Perhaps capitalizing on existing fans and fandom UAs to promote Louis in original and organic ways. 

I think the most exasperating part of all of this was the mention of the Rolling Stone cover. That was the biggest ball they dropped. Saying they wanted the cover but because Harry was on the week the album dropped, they went with NME instead. As if RS only puts out one cover a year ffs. They would’ve known months in advance when the album was going to be ready and what date the album would drop. They could’ve courted RS the instant they had that date. And if cover for the week of the drop wasn’t available, they should’ve pushed for another. 

I’m not upset that they went with NME. They are a respected within the industry but they are not as well known to the general public where as Rolling Stone, less respected these days, but way better known to the general public. And landing on the cover of RS would’ve been a huge deal for Louis. And some fans can argue all they want that that might not be something Louis wants or cares about, he wouldn't be stupid enough to pass up that kind of pr coup.

So what is the take away? I don’t know. Other than what I’ve been feeling and trying to embrace for ages now. If Louis is happy, then I’m happy. If he is content with the status quo, then there is no reason for me to not be. I think a lot of fans feel like Louis’ career should look a certain way, based off of what we as his fans do to promote him and the fact that it doesn’t, makes us angry and frustrated.

But here is the thing, his career is his. It should look how he wants it to NOT necessarily how we want it to look. He said a long time ago he would not let others define success for him and would not chase radio. And I think that is a sane choice/decision given what he is up against in that area. 

Louis never fails to impress me with how grounded he is and how he trusts himself enough he’s avoided becoming cynical or bitter. Which makes his success all more astounding given everything he has had to put up with. He is  grace under fire and I for one find that both beautiful and inspirational and worthy of celebrating and supporting. 

There are plenty of artists that would kill for a career like Louis’. Who would give anything for the kind of social media engagement he has with his fans. And who would do almost anything for a sold out world tour like Louis had is first time out. So we learn to practice gratitude. Continue to bitch that he deserves better and hope that one day, the petty political behind the scenes bs holding him back finally dissipates and he gets to actualize his full potential. Until then, we keep supporting, streaming and screaming to anyone who’ll listen that Louis is indeed a superstar.

#Peace.

[deantheofficial]

I get your point and I never said he couldn’t share his concerns or anything else with us all I’m saying is Dean keeps saying he’s dropping the album for the past 6 years and morning has happened I think he doesn’t want to disappoint fans and that’s why he keeps saying he will but Dean continues to scrap the album time after time I don’t think he knows how to follow up the first album or even maybe he’s just not into this album as much as he wants to believe I want good things for Dean mentally and physically I’m not here trying to drag him or anything I hate seeing people get mad at him for no new music when he’s just busy with other things i am worried of him losing fans because he’s so talented his music deserves to be heard by many but we also can’t blame fans for leaving I just wish for Dean to do whatever he wants to if he drops the album then he does and if he doesn’t then he doesn’t I just hope he will have support

we’re going round in circles here cause what I’m saying is that it’s very condescending to say things like “I think he doesn’t know how to follow up on trbl” or “maybe he’s not into this album as much as he wants to believe” when talking abt a man you’ve never met. never talked to. like I said, not only are your assumptions substantiated by nothing at all, but they’re a direct contradiction to Dean’s own words

you think he doesn’t have the psychological agency to know what he wants to do? you think he’s been working on smth nonstop for four years just because he somehow feels forced to? and that he doesn’t know what he’s doing? that is absurd and incredibly patronizing. he is a fully capable adult who can take care of himself and make his own decisions

the fact that you can’t even conceptualize a more rational reason as to why he’s been putting off the album release is wild to me

it’s not just you though. i don't wanna write up a whole socioeconomic essay but, these days, a lot of ppl seem to perceive music as just any other commodity that can be manufactured and mass-produced on demand, and think the norm is for artists to pump out at least an album per year. so if a certain artist doesn’t deliver new material in what they deem to be a timely manner, they get bored, or frustrated, or whatvr tf else, when that is just simply not how art works

does Dean repeatingly shoot himself in the foot by commiting himself to fake deadlines and unintentionally lying to fans in the process? YES, yes absolutely. i’ve said it before, i’ll say it again. i wish he would stop, it gets irritating over time. but even then. there comes a point when you need to take step back, as a person like if you’re really getting upset over smth so inconsequential maybe reevaluate

you’re also not the first person to make the fan argument but I think you’re severely overestimating the amount of fans Dean is losing or even the impact that those supposed losses have. Dean is not some underground up-and-comer, he’s a renown and respected artist with international commercial success, him losing a couple pressed “fans” is not gonna make a dent in his career like i promise if they have nothing better to do than get mad at some guy and leave bitch ass comments because they’re 7 layers deep into their parasocial delusions then they should go ahead and drop him, no one's gonna miss them

if you’re a genuine fan you’ll be there for the music when it comes and that is it

[bbqhooligan]

hiii i’ve been collecting stupid takes about the beef and i want to share them here’s my list so far:

it was manufactured for publicity. yeah makes sense. drake had been getting FANTASTIC publicity since the beef i can see why he’d engage with something so beneficial to his career. it’s for the pr 👍

it was a distraction from palestine (if you’re able to let anything fully distract you from a genecide then oof you need to do better 😬)

kendrick / someone associated with him got a kid to artificially increase streams of not like us. as if there’s a reason,,, or a need for that. drizzy glazers stay coping POORLY.

kendrick is fake / performative because he had dre (only one of the biggest and most influential figures in west coast hip hop) up on stage with him. even though he’s a bad person.

just a moment ago while scrolling through the kendrick tag i came across a post saying that he’s dumb if he doesn’t release his most commercial / digestible album ever. to capitalize on this situation. also suggesting that the reason kendrick went after drake was because he wants to be him. or something. i um. damn. okay. i mean the op did admit to being team drizzy. so.

just the general misunderstanding of the whole thing especially the pop out. i mean there obviously is an element of hatred and hostility but if you actually listen to the lyrics and the message behind everything kendrick has done in the past couple months then it’s clear there’s much more to it. hating drake and what he stands for (or rather lack of what he stands for) seems to have become more of a rallying point and a genesis for love and unity and culture as opposed to the ENTIRE point ykwim? i don’t think it takes a lot to recognize it’s deeper than kendrick being a hashtag hater. kendrick is an incredibly deep and intelligent man and if you think he put on a show like the pop out just because Hater™️ then you’re not paying attention.

kendrick is one of those artists that just has so much substance and intellect behind his work that the general public doesn’t Get ykwim? yet there’s the dichotomy of being one of the biggest most popular hip hop stars ever. artists like that are interesting and i feel bad for them.

anywayyyyy sorry this is really long i just keep seeing tiktok ass opinions and i want to COMPLAIN 🙌

this is valid and an awesome ask cuz i HAD been bitching about moat of these lemme put my hating cap on.

1-this fight had been coming a long time, drake sneak dissing and kendricks possible references to drake and how back to back opposites they are on how they live, maybe drake thought itd be good pr in the first songs but it was just kendrick grabbing the chance by the balls to kill a man who is everything he stands against

2-palestine distraction stuff was weird as hell. people dont see hiphop and black artists as respectable so they cant grasp the importance of the moment, what it means for the entire entertainment industry.

3-just lies lmao kendrick doesnt move like that + that song is all natural

4-okay so dre. i talk myelf in circles about this so let me summarize it into a single sentence: I THINK, kendrick taking up the mantle, the torch, the favor of people from these men and giving it new life as the successor, better, kinder, smarter in his art, is objectively a good thing. it doesnt have to go deeper.

5&6 okay so kendrick ISNT going commercial and he ISNT the fucking dmx interview reference. you spend all your career explaining you think of your art as a tool for betterment, help for those who need it, how you were saved by community and god and self inteospection and you believe in loving yourself and your people into healing and freedom and people still say stupid shit. hes deep when hes on a radio hit and hes deep when hes on a poem. leave him aloneee

fuckkkk all these made me remember how mad i was on twitter 24/7 lmao people are addixted to being wrong about him youre so right tho, mwah

[meatmutt-sfw]

type of metal bf | slashers

none of these are canon obviously except for,, like most of the ones for vinny anyway the hcs are for michael (rz), vinny, & tommy and these are sO inspired by this post

pairing(s): none :)

warning(s): mentions of violence, bo being mean & mention of m*rilyn m*nson once on vinny’s, talk of the band mayhem’s history.

— michael : brutal death metal bf

✰ half of the genre is literally just about violence so,, fitting and would possibly dabble in black metal if he ever got the time

✰ mikey’s go-to bands are cannibal corpse, thy art is murder, maybe maybe some leviathan since he likes one or two of their songs, and one slayer album along with possibly opeth after s long week

✰ he enjoys most of cannibal corpse’s discography but his preferred/main albums are tomb of the mutilated or gore obsessed along with enjoying thy art’s infinite death EP

✰ [modern hc] he also loves volvodynia’s psychosadistic design

✰ no real inspiration from the genre since he doesn’t,, get around that often but would probably pay tribute to cannibal corpse with this basic ass shirt that he definitely had to rip the sleeves off of (it’s not a fashion statement it’s a deathwish, it’s because his arms didnt fit)

✰ always makes sure no one’s around to hear his music since it wouldn’t really make sense for someone like him to blast music while stalking a target

✰ if someone did find out that michael actually enjoyed something, it’s over on the spot <3 last thing they’ll hear is levithan’s fucking your ghost in chains of ice mixed with their screams

✰ mikey’s playlist

— vincent : nu-metal bf

✰ because of the soundtrack of the movie, clearly vincent/the sinclair brothers listen to rock music and because of the time period & the way he dresses, vincent definitely listens to more nu-metal and alternative stuff

✰ his go-to bands are koRn, slipknot, type O negative, sometimes deftones if he’s feeling good, and ofc you can’t forget mcr

✰ vinny loves all the koRn albums (up until 2005) especially follow the leader since it was the first album he heard by them and has several shirts for the band such as this

✰ [modern hc] he would LOVE slipknot’s single all out life

✰ he probably most definitely wants to be like joey jordison with the way he styles his hair and the way he dresses and has probably tried to learn the drums to a few songs off slipknot’s self-titled & iowa albums (i can’t blame him tho i have my hair dyed like he did in 1999 & learned iowa on the drums lololol can yall tell im projecting)

✰ bo always has to tell him to turn down the music while he’s working since, according to him, “the whole damn town can hear.” clearly, he’s being dramatic but if vinny doesnt turn it down bo makes him turn it off completely

✰ plus bo’s always trying to get him out of his comfort zone and listen to other bands/artists like puddle of mudd or marilyn manson (support the art not the artist <3) but he doesn’t listen since he knows what helps him work or calm him down

✰ vinny’s playlist

— thomas : black metal bf

✰ this is the one character i’m tossing the movie time period out for since obviously there wasn’t any metal music in the 60s, so, we’re setting this in the 2003-2006 era since that’s when tommy’s movies were made

✰ another thing before we get started, i’m fully aware of the history of mayhem & burzum and if you don’t i encourage you to look it up read up on it since it’s very interesting let alone important to understand the black metal genre (and to pay respects to dead & euronymus)

✰ so, because of the hectic household, tommy really needs something to drown it all out while he’s in the basement and when he was introduced to black metal and death metal, it was perfect (and yes i know some black metal bands are satanic and i don’t hc that tommy listens to it for that reason)

✰ his go-to bands are mayhem, cradle of filth, cannibal corpse, a little opeth, and possibly dying fetus

✰ honestly, he’d probably pick and choose albums he puts on his playlist if he liked one song so his playlist(s) would be long enough to listen to it at least twice in a day while he works

✰ [modern hc] tommy would probably fall asleep to something like xasthur’s screaming at forgotten tears

✰ 100% owns a mayhem tank top/muscle tee and wears it when he wants to get out of his “work” clothes plus he thinks the art on it is neat

✰ much like vincent, he’s constantly told to turn down his music. hoyt’s always yellin’ at him and callin’ him names since the music is “distracting” him from his chores when really it’s what’s keeping him going

✰ wants to meet more people that listen to metal cause he really wants recommendations (so, if you listen to metal, you get bonus points with this boy)

✰ tommy’s playlist

addition post: bo sinclair

other slasher works.

meatmutt-sfw © 2021 all rights reserved.

[uelden]

Vanity Fair interview translated

Just a side note before the actual translation; I don't know why, but instead of reporting the full questions and answers in full as she should, the journalist decided to report only summarized fragments of what Måneskin said and patch these fragments up into messy clusters. She also worded a couple phrases in a very confusing way (and yes, she's fully Italian). In short, she did quite a poor job, so the final shape of the interview is not that good. I didn't expect top-tier journalism from Vanity Fair but ffs. You'll see what I mean.

I translated it as it is, adding just a couple footnotes to give you insight on Italian pop culture references.

Translation under the cut

Måneskin: "Different from whom?"

by Lavinia Farnese, 09 June 2021

"True justice is being judged for what you do and not for what you are." The ones who are convinced of this are Damiano, Victoria, Ethan and Thomas who, by being the emblem of a generation that is finally free, refuse labels and conformism. In life, in love and on the stage. Where, maybe precisely because of this, they're winning everything

With the still unexpected (first place at Sanremo Festival) and the incredible (triumph at Eurovision) in their eyes, Måneskin are on the sofa of the house-studio they rented - to resume writing songs and rehearsing them - like you are after a won battle: lying in a calm and unreal silence, alert and a bit irreverent, happy.

In the garden there's the tennis table and the pool, the light of summer when it's starting and calming the country all around, and it filters inside from the large windows, and it goes onto the shining black of Ethan's hair, which blends with Thomas' eye shadow and the butterfly he has tattooed oh his naked forearm, which completes the picture of Victoria's golden crucifix hanging between neck and tank top and ends on the black nail polish of Damiano's stretched hands.

It's a human fresco, a Theatre of wrath [translator's note: "Teatro d'ira"] - to call it with the title of their latest album, a platinum record already - where their flaunted 20 years of age, their irregular femininity and virility are grown into proud and challenging custom, a pop glam rock generational manifesto of hard-earned liberties in a finally-unconditional expression of the self.

To watch them from any angle and from another age is to think that a great love will be born in those who'll understand: this new way of being in the world, the true and sovereign realm they hold where "diversity=exceptionality", the power of the artistic and cultural revolution of which they are healthy carriers in establishing in all lyrics and gestures the right to live according to one's own nature past the "people (who) talk, the people (who) unfortunately talk, and don't know what the fuck they're talking about." [tn: "Zitti e buoni" lyrics]

We go where we're afloat, where the air isn't gone. [tn: journalist's own variation on "Zitti e buoni" lyrics]

Miley Cyrus says hi – The numbers of a phenomenon

"The streams of Zitti e buoni are growing by the second, and they bring us above Muse, at the top of English charts, twelfth in the Spotify Global Chart. Followers almost tripled, in the post-Rotterdam period (from 1,4 to 3,3 millions, ed.) Contagious and universal folly: t-shirts and merchandising sold out in 10 minutes. Like the records, the tickets for a tour that keeps adding dates and expanding over geographic maps. They're contacting us even from some festivals were The Rolling Stones went." Thomas

"After the pretextual controversy over cocaine that France built against us, later disproven by my drug test, some graffiti popped up in Spain depicting me as a “No drugs” poster guy. Some tweets made us laugh: "Congratulations, Italy! I've never been more certain that four people have had sex with each other." Miley Cyrus started following us -You're great. -You guys are greater." Damiano

From the garage to the stars – Story of a flight

"It was only 2016, and we played in restaurants, in the streets, in via del Corso. Damiano without even a microphone, Thomas' guitar with wonky strings, Ethan was drumming on a cajón. During Rome highschools' sit-ins (Kennedy, Virgilio, Mamiani) we had our first confirmations and half-hours of celebrity, playing among those who criticized us and those who went "wow they're really cool." One of the rare times when they would have paid us – 50 euros each – we gave the money to the next band in the lineup so that they would make us play in their spot, later in the day, when there would have been more people. We had already realized how things worked. Visibility mattered more than money. And we still think that." Victoria

The intimacy of rock – Choice of a genre

"Music allows us the miracle of extending to others some very personal and private topics, sometimes even difficult and thorny ones. They are and they remain deeply your own, but at the same time they become a confession that reaches a wider audience, and in this passage that is alike a delivery, they find a place in you as well, a processing of them. You overcome them, you accept them. One second it's something aggressive, the next it's a ballad. Cathartic». Damiano

Against panic – The stage as therapy

"I've suffered a lot from anxiety and panic attacks, it's an issue I've worked on thanks to a psychotherapy course, my friends and my family. Playing helped me in not letting myself be paralyzed by my fears, not making myself limited in my private and professional life. I've learned to accept, to live with this side of myself. I don't hide it. I don't feel ashamed of it." Victoria

Analysis as necessity – Relying on someone saves you

"This belief that only madmen go to the psychologist is a widespread ignorance. No-one's born learned. [tn: common Italian saying] And it's often hard to understand the very reason why we're here, let alone the origin and direction of our desires. It's a long and legitimate journey towards lucidity, a kind of backing to become transparent." Damiano

Being out of our minds – But different from them [tn: "Zitti e buoni" lyrics]

"When you feel a strong passion towards something that is not a canonical job but an artistic language, that already puts you on a level of anomaly, which is not superior or inferior to other people, but it puts you in the position of the one who breaks the mold and also works at a loss, the one who sustains great risks while trying to do something that who knows if it will take you anywhere. "Why do it if it doesn't pay?". You want to give this dream of yours an aesthetic, but it becomes "You're dressing so weird! You must be gay!" - now that I'm 22 I laugh about it, but when I was 17 it had an effect on me, too." Damiano

The beauty of uniqueness – Of believing in it and defending it

"And I mean, at the end of the day if we're all different it's not because we want be alternative but because, really, no-one is the same. Justice is being judged on what you do and not what you are. Justice is equality, respect, beauty." Ethan

Fluid sexuality – Pride is freedom

"Heels for men that like themselves in them, kisses among ourselves, we have an open, extended mind, and we're proud of it. The horizons become vast, past the oppression of conservative families. With the information on the web knowledge becomes greater and with it the possibility that minorities will be less and less minorities, because the majority will be less of a majority. This way we'll make insults and bullying grow quieter. If social media get to a village of 50 souls and reveal to a girl who's afraid of the dark that someone has felt her same fear, then there's no reason to give a name to that fear, to mark it with labels which also limit and restrict. Definitions always had this effect on me. You shouldn't even consider the gender when judging someone, let alone their orientation." Victoria

Sexism – A culture to be dismantled

"Emma [tn: Emma Marrone, Italian singer] drops the bomb: “At Eurovision when I was there they massacred me for a pair of shorts, while they said nothing to Damiano – bare-chested and in heels.” The easy judgment against women is more fierce, constant, debasing (if I have a lot of sex I'm cool while Vic is a whore, where I show myself strong I'm a leader while Vic is despotic and a pain in the ass who reached success because she's hot.) As a male I'm privileged, the abuse I get is not comparable to those a woman has to live through, the comments over my aesthetic are centered only on my aesthetic and don't insinuate anything about my professionalism and my competence, while women are victims of this kind of thought in a systematic way. It happened though to find myself standing with a woman who while pulling me to herself to take a selfie, started licking my face out of the blue... I mean, what the hell do you want? Who asked you? Consent exists, and it's due." Damiano

Grow yourself – The only commandment

"To me conformism is the opposite of education [tn: could also mean "politeness"] and is the asphyxia of expression. I fortunately never endured heavy bullying, heavy enough for the the judgement of others to change me. But the mold of the small crumbs of bullying I got and of the kind of aggression that scars is the same. If I'm a kid who dances and likes dolls you have to let me do what I like. I was a kid who wanted to keep his hair long and played with Barbie. As a teen, my friends looked at my hair: " You have to find a girl with short hair to be at your side." My grandparents took away my dolls: "Stop it, they're not for you." Ethan

"When I was six I was already sick of them, the distinctions between masculine and feminine. I've always had strong ideas about how I wanted to be. I refused things that were typically defined as girly, and all around me they mocked me because I went skateboarding, I played soccer, I didn't wear skirts, I was giving myself the chance to be as I wished. I endured it a little, I suffered a little, but I had courage, and now thanks to that courage I know that I could have gotten even much more hurt, otherwise I would have left to others the most important choice: the one about myself." Victoria

Love in progress – Music, girlfriends

"I've been married to music for the last 20 years. I can't wait to celebrate our golden wedding anniversary." Ethan

"Everyone makes their own experiences, sometimes it goes well, sometimes it goes wrong, but it's always not anybody's business." Thomas

"When I first felt feelings and attraction towards a girl it was a bit disorienting because I had never had the courage of going beyond the limitations I had put for myself. For society being heterosexual is the norm and so you often define yourself in that way automatically, depriving yourself of the freedom to live many shades and faces of love. Once I overcame the initial insecurity of having to call into question my certainties I've lived my sexuality in a very natural and free way, as it should be for everyone." Victoria

"I had paparazzi at my door every day and night. So, after four years of relationship, I revealed her name. I still have paparazzi at my door every day and nigh, but at least I don't have to hide anything anymore." Damiano

The worth of the group – Phenomenology of protection

"The true engagement though, the true family is among ourselves, our band. We've believed in it since day zero, even before we called ourselves Måneskin (Moonlight in Danish), even before Ethan drew a giant moon on the flier for the first concert we ever did. We share everything, even the pain for the tragedy of Seid Visin, who committed suicide at 20 because of racism. [tn: I think the journalist asked them their opinion about Seid Visin's death, which was a current events topic in Italy, and then pasted it syntaxically in the middle of Thomas' answer, which was not a great move] A group is what we all should be: stay united and not back down an inch in the face of oppression that is generated by a distorted view of diversity." Thomas

I'm not of the right age – Like Gigliola [tn: Gigliola Cinquetti won Eurovision with her song "Non ho l'età", which means "I'm not of the right age"]

"Before you the only one who won both Sanremo and Eurovision on the same year was Cinquetti (1964). If there's anything I feel I'm not of the right age for? No, honestly no. Maybe having children. Regarding children I'll be honest: I'm not of the right age." Damiano

Having touched the sky – The fears that remain

"We're more than inside the dream, we're in the conquered dream. When you fly high there's the risk of plummeting and hurting yourself, but we'll work hard not to end up like Icarus, who burns his wings with the sun. Everything is in our hands. And this - a bit pretentiously - reassures us rather than scaring us." Damiano

[jeonjeonggukenergy]

May 31

summary ~ on the last day of your senior year living together, you're still fighting your feelings for your roommate jungkook. before you can fully move out and move on, he makes a pretty significant scheduling error. #and there was only one bed

genre ~ fluff, smut / roommate!au, college!au, bit of crack/fake texts

wordcount ~ 5k

warnings ~ smut (18+), blowjob (oral: m receiving), nipple play, marking, penetrative sex, cumplay (sort of oral: f receiving), jungkook just goes hard as expected BUT IT'S SOFT? this is just super cheesy and cute with some hopefully hot smut

a/n ~ surprise oneshot! and they were roommates? and there was only one bed? this is all my fave tropes wrapped into one, i had a ton of fun writing it and i hope yall enjoy :')

~ read on ao3 ~

You walked up to your apartment door just as a boy from the class below you walked out—with a wave, a "see ya, Jungkook!" and what appeared to be the last piece of your roommate's bedframe.

"You...sold...your bed?"

"Well, sort of. I borrowed it from that guy for the year while he was studying abroad. So now I'm giving it back to him. Since I'm staying in the city for my new job, though, I wish I could have just kept it. Now I have to actually buy one," Jungkook lamented.

"I mean, okay, but why didn't you just wait to give it back tomorrow when we move out?"

"What do you mean? Today's move-out day. I was just waiting for my brother to get off work to help get all my stuff out of here. I was kind of wondering why you hadn't packed up more, but you've always waited til the last minute to pack for things." Jungkook grinned, recalling your friend group’s spring break trip.

Momentarily distracted by his dig, you defended yourself quickly before returning to the subject. "Hey! At least I always get it done in the end. Better than packing too soon and accidentally giving away your bed a day early. Your new lease doesn't let you move in til the first day of June, right? It's May 31st."

Jungkook's pretty doe eyes went comically wide. "31st? There is no May 31st. It's June 1st. Because yesterday was May 30th. Right?"

"Oh my gosh. You're joking. You have to be joking," you tried not to laugh as you pulled up your Google calendar. "Here, look," you turned the phone around to him. "May 31st."

"Shit," he breathed, pushing the soft shock of hair back from his frozen face. "What did I do?"

You took your phone back, already distracted by your texts as you reassured him. "Don't worry, it’s funny but it's no big deal, I'm just messing with you. You can sleep on the couch for tonight, you'll be fine."

Jungkook grabbed your wrist, making you look up from your screen in surprise. In sitcom-esque slow motion, he swiveled his head sideways and you followed his gaze to the living room, realizing—

"The couch was his too. I gave it back."

"Oh my gosh," you muttered, shaking your head down with a smile. Feeling a little braver on your last full day as roommates, you finally gave Jungkook the warning that had almost slipped out plenty of times over the year. "Jungkookie...you're really lucky you're so cute. Otherwise you wouldn't get away with nearly as much as you do in life.”

"I..." Jungkook dropped your hand, grinning at the usual nickname but unsure how to take the half-compliment. "I'm so sorry. I can't believe I forgot about a whole day, I usually double-check my calendar. I can just take the floor for tonight, I guess? I'll go unpack my blanket again. Sorry, I don't want to be an inconvenience."

"No, no," you cut him off—against your better judgment, but determined to ignore your superficial attraction to him to be a good friend and roommate. "Don't be ridiculous, just sleep in my bed. I mean, if that's okay with you of course. It'll definitely be more comfortable than the floor." He nodded rapidly, eyes still wide but mouth perfectly flatlined like an emoji. "Okay then. No worries. Let's eat, I got us takeout for our last night but it's getting cold."

At the mention of food, Jungkook made a beeline for the plastic bags hanging on your arm, and soon you were back to normal—well, sort of. Eating slightly reheated noodles on the living room floor instead of the couch, you giggled over one last Friday night K-drama episode together and reminisced over all the best memories from your year as roommates. You missed the coziness of your couch more than you thought you might, or maybe you just missed the snuggles you'd shared in its corner on countless nights like this one.

Jungkook had always been cutely touchy with his close friends, but it had taken a while for you two to get comfortable. You had to admit you'd gotten spooked when you first met him, disappearing behind your door after a quick "hi, nice to meet you!" and furiously texting your friend and former roommate Jin in distress. He hadn't warned you the new guy he'd found for your apartment was, in your own words, "stupid hot." Jin had laughed you off, saying it hadn't even occurred to him because he just saw his former soccer teammate "JK" as a kid. To be fair, it probably truly had slipped Jin's notice—he barely believed anyone who told him how objectively attractive he was. But Jin was a good enough friend to both you and Jungkook that he took charge of dissolving the initial tension, immediately bringing y'all over for a "double housewarming" dinner party at the cute new place he now shared with his fiancée. (Thank goodness he'd finally listened when you'd told him she found him attractive. Even if it cost you a roommate of two years, you'd happily take credit for that relationship.) That first invitation had felt suspiciously like a double date, but Jin's cooking and hosting skills broke the ice nicely enough. After that, it only took a few more dinners and video game nights to initiate you into their casual rhythm of hair ruffles and backhugs.

Currently, Jungkook had his arm around you to offer a neck rub while you rested your head on his shoulder, hoping he couldn't feel your pulse beneath his fingers. "Ah, you're going so hard," you half-protested.

"I always go this hard! You never complain," he shot back with a teasing grin.

"Nah, come on, you're gonna leave a mark or something. At least check," you lifted your head, sweeping your hair aside. "Is it all red like Jin always gets?" you joked.

Facing away, you had no way of seeing it, but Jungkook's face had gone red too. "Uh...no, it's fine, it's fine." He glanced back to the TV and turned it off, noticing the episode had ended. "Sorry though, I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm gonna go shower and get ready for bed."

"Hey, no, it's okay!" You tugged on his shirt as he got up, wanting to reverse whatever you’d done to make him seem so uneasy. "I'm not actually hurt or mad at you or anything, I was just messing with you. Again." You smiled lightheartedly, and his face broke into a soft nose-scrunch at the reassurance.

"Okay, good. I was gonna shower anyway though—so uh, see you in bed I guess?"

"Yeah same, see you in bed," you laughed, trying to maintain the ease in your facial expression until the moment he left the room, upon which your internal monologue immediately turned into "aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa."

You couldn't help thinking about Jungkook in the shower. And not even in the usual way that you couldn't help thinking about Jungkook, in the shower. As much as you hated to admit it, Jin was probably right about your feelings for your sweet, dorky roommate going beyond just physical attraction, or friendship. Jungkook was kind, respectful, smart, athletic, artistic, funny, really hot, and you already got along well enough to live together: he really was the ultimate boyfriend material. You were both pleasantly moderate introverts. He shared your same favorite dramas and brand of instant ramen. Even your parents loved him—wait, did they want you to date him too? A strict follower of every social rule that dictated not dating roommates, coworkers, best friends' exes, exes' best friends, etc., you had simply never allowed yourself to consider the possibility until now. You played back your conversations with Jin over the year and considered the sheer amount of the funny stories you told him, or situations where you asked for his advice, or surprises he'd helped you plan, or simply glowing, grinning descriptions of something new you'd noticed, that all ended up being about Jungkook. He'd never even had to bring him up. Damn Jin for being such a good listener.

~

Almost an hour later, when you were already in bed, Jungkook politely knocked on your door. He always took long showers, and tonight you couldn't decide whether you were thankful for the extra time to prepare yourself or even more stressed from the extra time to overthink.

"Come in," you called quietly. Jungkook shuffled into your room, toe-socked feet making their way to the side of the bed you'd rolled over to clear for him. Cautious, he climbed in, and you stayed safely facing away from each other for a while, winding down for the night on your phones like you both normally did in your separate rooms. So spaced out that you couldn't even detect Jungkook's additional body heat, you felt the chill of the air conditioning instead and kept adjusting the blankets to try and achieve maximum insulation.

Jungkook eventually spoke his first words since he'd entered. "Am I hogging the covers? I'm sorry."

"Oh no, you're totally fine, if anything I'm taking up more than you. I'm just always cold, so I usually sleep in, like, a three-layered burrito. But it's fine! Really, no worries."

To your surprise, Jungkook rolled over, propping his head up on an elbow to look at you. "Well...I...we could..." he started, swallowing when you turned to face him. "I mean, you could wear socks! Like I do!" He pulled a foot out from under the sheets and presented it to your face, cackling.

"I think the fuck not," you snorted, shoving the foot away and falling slightly on top of him as you both lost your balance in giggles. "You couldn't catch me dead in your weird-ass socks."

"That's the secret, though!" he insisted. "That's how I stay warm."

"You are warm," you realized. One of your hands had ended up on his chest, the other arm tucked in the side of his torso, and both were burning up. You supposed you'd settled into similar positions on the couch before but you'd never noticed just how much of a human furnace he was. Maybe it was because he hadn't been wearing his toe socks.

Neither of you said anything for a second. You could feel his heart beating at a slightly elevated but respectable rate, and while you wanted to pull away, if only to spare your own nerves, you also...didn't. You were too scared to stay like this, but too scared to move too. Jungkook seemed similarly stuck, blinking down at your hand on his chest, but eventually he unfroze to reach over it and drag you fully onto him by your shoulder. You simply let him handle you, not making any additional moves but silently enjoying the heat he seemed happy to provide. His hand spread over your back to press your torso to his, radiating heat through your thin t-shirt, and you suddenly grew self-conscious that you were braless. But of course you were, who wears a bra to bed? You were fine. This was fine.

"Are you okay? Is this warmer?" Jungkook asked, as gentle as his touch.

"Yeah! Yeah, this is fine," you responded, the answer muffled by your mouth's placement all too near to his neck. You could sense the heat coming off his skin from there too, but it contrasted with the mild coolness of his still-damp hair. It smelled faintly of floral shampoo, and the scent suddenly amplified all your nerves as the implications of how close he was hit you from head to toe. Even the soft fuzz of his socks brushed your bare legs, now intertwined with his. You weren't exactly small, but the warm solidity of Jungkook’s body under you made you feel fully enveloped by him. Though he'd shared a fair amount of skin with you through the course of your friendship, the intimacy of sharing your bed took every touch to another level, and being pressed so flush against him felt unbearable. You couldn't possibly process a whole year of pure pent-up physical attraction right now, much less any other feelings that may or may not have grown with it, especially when you knew he had no reason to feel anything back. And you were roommates. You just needed to sleep it off and then you could both move, and move on, in peace. Hopefully the odds of ever being stuck in a bed with Jungkook again would go way down after tonight.

Not bothering to get up and turn off the weak string of lights above your headboard, you just slowed your breathing and attempted to drift off to sleep. Pretending the deeper breaths weren't so you could get a better whiff of his soft, flowery hair, you laid still for several minutes, successfully ignoring your body's instinctual response.

Eventually, though, it became impossible to ignore his.

~

Jungkook wasn't that hard, okay. He wasn't a teenager; he thought he could control himself around you enough by now that he could just enjoy this last night without giving anything away. He almost felt bad when you invited him into your bed, sensing your reluctance and knowing it was his own fault that you'd had to offer in the first place. But he knew you wouldn't have asked if you weren't truly okay with it, and that confidence gave him the tiniest swell of hope that maybe you were a little bit more than okay. While Jin refused to give away any real insight into what you thought of him, he'd been teasing Jungkook for six months about his crush on you, eventually convincing him to try making your friendship into more once you both graduated and moved on to different roommates. He had just been planning to bring it up in a much better way than the semi that you could definitely feel against your thigh. You had both been silent about it for over five minutes, though, long enough that he could cross his fingers that you were already asleep. He probably didn't have to worry about a thing.

~

"Jungkook?"

You had finally worked up the courage to stop pretending you’d fallen asleep. You felt him freeze up under you—the defined abs that covered his tiny waist tightening, solid chest muscles contracting, and his thighs tensing to trap yours between them, all at once. You froze too, attempting to speak again but no sound coming out.

"_____, guess what!" he blurted to cut you off. Which was good, because you had absolutely zero plans for what to say after that.

"What?"

"It's after midnight," he said, jolting up to point to the digital clock on your side table. "It really is the first day of June now. So, according to the lease, we're officially no longer roommates. Crazy!"

"I mean...yeah," you affirmed, confused. "But also, we're literally sharing a bed right now. In the same room. So until that changes, I would probably still call us roommates." A little too amused by your own clapback, you raised your head to peek into his wide eyes and smiled, a big one that scrunched up your whole face.

And his dick twitched. Yeah, there was no way you could not notice that.

Before you could even finish your gasp, Jungkook spoke again. "I like you. I'm sorry. I like you. I didn't want to say anything while we were roommates because I didn't want to make you uncomfortable, and I definitely didn't mean for this to happen, I'm sorry. You can totally not like me back and it's fine. I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to tell you like this, I just...I like you. A lot."

Shocked into silence for a second, but galvanized by his unnecessary apology, you responded without thinking for once. "Don't say sorry. You don't need to apologize, it's okay. Oh my gosh, I had no idea. I really had no idea. I, uh, I think I like you too? Shit, okay, I thought you were really hot from, like, the day you moved in, and eventually it became more than that but I didn't want to make anything weird because, yeah, we’re roommates, so I pretty much tried to ignore it all year. But then Jin made me realize that you're basically all I think about—or talk to him about, shit, I must have been so annoying—"

"Jin? JIN?" Jungkook grabbed his phone from the side table and wasted no time in blasting off the last meme in his camera roll. You propped yourself up in his arms, both giggling at Jin's quick shot back.

Looking at him now, a big cheesy smile on his face even as he stirred under you, still a little hard, you nodded as if fully understanding for the first time. "Yeah. I like you too."

As he set down his phone and brought his hand around your back again, his smile faded into a smirk. "Wow."

"Yeah...wow," you echoed, nervous and awkward again. You felt your face grow warmer as he looked slowly to your lips, then back up to meet your eyes.

"Can I kiss you?"

Blinking, you shifted your weight back down onto him, bringing your face close enough to hear his intake of breath as your hips brushed his dick. "Can you do more than that?"

"Fuck," he whispered. "Yes."

Jungkook snaked one arm down to your ass and one arm up your back to the nape of your neck, holding you close as he kissed you for the first time, fiercely. He didn't waste another minute hesitating now that he knew you had both wanted this for a year. Passionate but not aggressive, he teased the seam of your mouth with the tip of his tongue and you instantly opened for him, gliding your tongue over his smooth bottom lip as his flicked up to the sensitive roof of your mouth. Squeezing your ass to guide your hips down in small circles against him, he tensed his other hand slightly into your hair and you moaned at the competing sensations. Jungkook broke away to absorb every beautiful noise you made as he discovered you, heavy eyes finding yours before he rolled over to pin you to the bed and bury his face in your neck. He smiled into your skin when you moaned again from the satisfying pressure of his full body over you, and carefully rolled his hips into yours as he covered your jawline in tender kisses. One of your hands carved through his thick hair. As you dug the fingertips of your other hand into his prominent back muscles, you suddenly realized you were both still fully clothed and you really, really did not want him to be. Tugging his t-shirt over his head and throwing it aside, you paused before letting him do the same.

"Wait. Take off your socks. I can't believe I didn't make you do that before any of this. I really just almost had sex with someone wearing toe socks. Kill me," you whined over-dramatically.

"Come on, that would have been hilarious. What a first-time story!" Jungkook said earnestly. "Sure you don't want me to leave them on?"

"Please take them off. Please," you only half-jokingly begged.

"You wanna take 'em off for me?" he teased, wiggling a foot in front of you.

"Fine, whatever it takes!" You flung his sock across the room, reaching for his other foot below the covers to get rid of the other one.

He fell on top of you, giggling again, but as soon as you shut him up with your lips he snapped out of it, eagerly deepening the kiss while his warm hands traveled up under your shirt. Smoothing over the curves of your torso and reaching up to firmly grasp your breasts, he moaned into you and you whined back as his thumbs brushed your hardening nipples. He was incredibly physically precise, each movement graceful yet sharp and intentional. You felt deeply lucky to experience this dimension of him, the most perfect and natural expression of his contradictory nature. Equally loving, giving, overachieving, and sensual—with a side of weird socks and Gen Z meme literacy—that was your Jungkook.

"I can't believe this is happening," Jungkook murmured as he pulled your shirt over your head. "I can't believe I get to see you like this. You're so—ohhh." He trailed off, taking in the fully naked glory of your top half for the first time. His head immediately ducked to your chest, sucking dark bruises into the low-lit hollow of your breasts. You squirmed under his hold on the dip of your waist, whimpering, but the grip of your hands in his shiny black locks let him know you didn't really want him to stop. Grinding against his now rock-hard dick, you eventually couldn't take the friction anymore and reached down to try and pull off both of your pajama pants at the same time. Jungkook just laughed.

He paused to help you out, rolling off of you to take care of his own sweatpants, and you kicked off your pajama pants and underwear as Jungkook slowly let his erection spring free above his waistband. You'd never thought a dick could be pretty before, but it honestly made sense that his would be as perfect as the rest of his body. "Fuck," you swore softly, mouth watering. Jungkook raised an eyebrow at you, and you scrambled to lick the tip as if on instinct, eliciting a much more emphatic "Fuuuuuck!" from him. He spread his legs to let you crawl between them, holding tenuous eye contact as you smirked at his sensitivity. Teasing a single finger up his shaft, you followed its path with your tongue and he let out a deliciously high, shaky moan.

"Please," Jungkook choked out when you approached him, lips pursed. He praised you breathlessly as you tightened a hand around his length and began to sink down. "You feel so good already. Fuck." Closing your eyes, you hollowed your cheeks to accommodate his generous size and dipped your head, sucking him in as far as you could go. He was so responsive, you learned what he liked quickly, and savored each whimper as you stroked his balls gently or swirled your tongue over his slit. You licked all the way from his head to the base and he cried out. Bringing a hand to the back of your head, he didn't quite hold you down, leaving enough slack for you to move if you wanted to, but you submitted to his touch and stayed a second with nearly his whole length in your mouth. And then you swallowed.

"Stop! Stop, please, or I'll cum." He pulled you off by your hair, bringing your forehead to his as you realigned your bodies. "You're so good for me," he professed warmly. "I wanna be good for you."

"Then fuck me," you surprised him by answering bluntly. "Please, I want you so bad."

Jungkook groaned, arching his hips up against you and coating his dick in your wetness. Bringing himself back under control, he pinned you under his thighs and reached down to open you up with a finger. You felt so much more relaxed with him than you had with any previous boyfriend or hookup, and he slid into your entrance fairly easily. You moaned right away when he brushed his thumb over your clit, and he responded with a muttered "Fuck it, you’re so wet already," pulling his finger out and stroking it up your folds as he lined up.

"You're on the pill, right? For your periods," he confirmed.

"Yeah, of course. You really think I'd let you hit it raw otherwise?" you shot back teasingly, trying to hide how touched you were that he remembered from a few months ago, when he'd driven you to pick up your prescription since your car was in the shop. That was your Jungkook.

"No," he said sheepishly. "You're smart."

You smiled up at him fondly, ruffling his hair. "You're smart too. And sweet. And hot. And your dick is enormous. It's kind of unfair."

"Unfair!" he protested. "How can I be unfair when you're perfect?"

"Perfect? Shut up," you dismissed him. "Now I know you're lying. You cheeseball."

"I'm not lying! You're perfect for me."

"Oh, so you're just a hopeless romantic. Where did that come from? What am I getting into?" you fussed playfully.

"Okay, we can make fun of each other later, like always, but right now can I just get into you?" Jungkook pleaded, directing you back to the task at hand.

"Oh my gosh. I can't believe this, you're worse than Jin. That was actually pretty impressive—" Surprised, you half-laughed, half-admired his wordplay, but were silenced by both his lips and his first few inches gliding into you.

Not yet breaking your kiss, just absorbing your moans into his mouth as he stretched you out, Jungkook eased himself all the way in. He drank in every detail of your body's response to keep careful track of your comfort. You tilted your ass up against him, absorbing the fullness of his big dick immersed in your walls, and he froze. "Pretty impressive?" he whispered.

"Jungkook," you breathed back in pure pleasure, too overwhelmed to sass back.

"Can I move?" he asked sweetly.

"Fuck. Yes."

Jungkook's brows narrowed as his eyes turned darker, and he snapped his hips up into yours once, twice, before setting a fierce pace that had you crying out with each stroke. He hadn't lost touch on your clit the whole time, and he began to circle his fingers to pleasure you there too, building up an almost unbearable tension throughout your whole body.

"Fuck...fuck! Jungkook!" you chanted. His eyes overcame their fluttering to meet yours. Jungkook stilled, then ground down on you in one big, slow, circle, drinking in your blissed-out expression.

"Harder?" he whispered. Jungkook loved a challenge.

"Sure, harder. Why the fuck not," you keened, high-pitched and desperate. He could split you in half at this point, leave you unable to walk for days, and you'd love it.

Jungkook made a small, delighted noise at your eagerness, kissing you quickly before flipping you over and positioning you on all fours, sheathing himself in you again. He ran his hands along your torso to clutch your breasts from underneath, holding himself up against you with solely the strength of his thighs and his core. Pulsing his hips into you carefully, slowly, to let you get used to the deeper angle, his fingertips skimmed your nipples tantalizingly, warming you further. He dropped one hand to prop himself up and slowly traveled the other down to your center. The lustful, elated exhale you let out when he rubbed your clit made him snap his hips forward, tilting you into the bed before you could engage your thighs to push back against his. Your continuous moans encouraged him that you were enjoying this just as much as him, loving how he remained fully attentive to your pleasure while pounding into you to pursue his own high. He fucked you like a high-intensity workout, pushing his unreasonably built body to its limits of speed and strength. You couldn't help wishing you'd taken him up on more of his offers to hit the gym together, but he seemed to get off on your breathlessness, wanting to give you his all and push you past your limits too. His fingers working as quickly as his hips, heat swelled up inside you, and when you felt sure that the tension in your core was about to break, you turned your head to cry out to him.

"Jungkookie, Jungkook—nhngh, I'm gonna cum."

"Ahhhh," he moaned. "Me too, _____. You feel so amazing, ahh—you're so perfect for me." The praise warmed your heart and your core, and soon you came around him with a long, drawn-out whine. He fucked you deep through each spasm, sending you into hot, heady overstimulation as he shuddered and emptied himself into you. When you finally collapsed under him, legs sore and shaking, he pulled out of you gently and lowered his lips to your lower lips with great care. Jungkook meticulously kissed from your swollen clit to your entrance, soft as a whisper, and you breathed out in overwhelmed bliss as his tongue emerged to tenderly nudge every drop of his cum into your opening. The gesture of aftercare, just as soothing as it was inexplicably hot, bloomed an affection within you that almost made your heart hurt. You rolled over, stretching your legs out, and he looked up at you from between them. His hair was a beautifully sweaty mess, and he smiled in sweet satisfaction with your wetness adorning his chin. That was your Jungkook.

"Don't go anywhere," he said softly, kneading your thighs with his hands.

"Well, I have to do the whole pee-after-sex thing. But after that, where would I go? There's only one bed in this apartment now," you couldn't help teasing.

"Hey! If I hadn't given away my bed, none of this would have happened," he complained cutely, pulling himself up to big-spoon you. “Just stay with me.”

"I will. I know," you murmured back. "And I'm so happy you did." You shifted back, closer against him, and he buried his face in your neck.

"You know, I was gonna miss being roommates so much," he said thoughtfully. "But I'm so okay with not being your roommate now if I get to be your...your..." He grinned into your shoulder, suddenly too shy to say it.

You turned to face him, holding his pink cheeks in both of your hands and kissing his nose. Knowing this would be just the first intimate moment of many made you both flush with an easy, sweet joy.

"My Jungkook. You're my Jungkook."

[gb-patch]

Ask Answers: May 15th Part 1

It’s been longer than usual since our last answer session, so I’m answering a ton of questions today! It’s so big I split it into two parts. Thank you for the patience on getting a response to these.

Thanks for reaching out to us with your questions and kind words ^^!

Sorry if this has been asked before or isn't something you can say but is there anyway for Cove to confess in step 4? I wanted him to confess in step 3 and followed all the steps to make him do it but ended up texting my family instead of Cove at the end.

Yeah, Cove can confess in Step 4!

Hello! I heard that Cove is on the spectrum, albeit undiagnosed. As someone who is ND, this makes me UNBELIEVABLY happy. I literally was brought to tears! Thank you for that!

Out of curiosity, will Cove be diagnosed in Step 4? I have a strong feeling y���all won’t make it a HUGE deal/make it out to be negative, so I’m not worried about that whatsoever! I’m just curious just he’ll off handedly mention it? Or will it just not be touched upon at all (which is ok!)?

Either way is ok, I’m just curious!

I’m happy it made you happy! Admittedly, Cove simply being someone with autism that grew up not being diagnosed was something I included for myself. I didn’t really think anyone would notice or ask about it, aha. But players did start to have questions about his traits, so I started to talk about it outside of the game. It’s great to see it get such a positive response and now I do feel like having it be a non-topic may have been the wrong choice and bringing it up would’ve been good in terms of having positive representation for that. I don’t know if I’ll find a way to mention it in Step 4 now, with how far along the game is, but I am at least thinking about it when originally it wasn’t something I really even considered.

Hey!  Just wanted to say thank you for Our Life.  It's been a bright spot and a needed escape in what's otherwise been a crummy year.  I know you just did a Q&A post but I figured I'd ask anyway.  Was just curious about Step 4.  Will it be similar to the other Steps in that it consists of several different moments or will it just be one long sequence?

Step 4 is shorter than the prior Steps because it’s just an epilogue rather than a full arc of a story. It’ll consist of scenes that all happen in a set row one after the other. There won’t be a collection of Moments to choose from. But it’ll still be very sweet and fun.

¡hola!, you see, first I want to say that I love Our Life! (°◡°♡) and I have 2 important questions, would Cove cry watching titanic? and what is the saddest part according to him? (sorry for my english) 

Titanic would make him cry. He’d probably think the parts showing people who aren’t able to make it to the life boats/are choosing to stay and go down with the ship were the saddest.

Hello, I wanted to ask how much you earn with creating games? Like is it possible to make a living? Thank you >< <3 

How much I earn varies a lot month to month based on Steam sales, Patreon backers, and how many projects are in full production at the time. It’s also hard to say how much I make historically, since that also changes dramatically year by year. But I do earn enough to work on these games full time! I really appreciate all the support that allows me to do that.

Hey!! I was wondering for the 18+ Our Life moment, will there be an emphasis on safety/comfort for all involved? I feel like there  would be just going off of what the rest of the game is like, but I wanted to ask 

Yes! Cove is a nervous boy himself and also super cautious about doing anything the MC doesn’t like, so clear consent from both is absolutely needed for anything to happen. It’s a conversational sexy times Moment with stops/starts so the two can talk about how they’re feeling, rather than a heat of the moment just going for it kind of thing.

Hey!! I was wondering how long the wedding dlc would be? Will it be broken up into moments, or just one big event? 

It’s one long series of scenes all in a row rather than a collection of Moments to pick from. It’s the shortest and the least expensive of all the DLCs. It’s not super crucial to get and those who aren’t into big weddings can totally skip it without worry.

HELLO AMAZING DEVS 👋 i am hopelessly in love with the worst guy ever (jeremy king) and because of this i have a really stupid question: does he really hate people who are nice to him? TvT he’s too cute to be mean to istg it’s a miracle JB held the urge to be consistently nice to him bc just look at his FACE he is so cute! thank you for jeremy’s route it’s so lovely (and awful bc he’s scum 11/10) it gave me so much laughs LMAO i hope you guys have a good day!! 

Haha, thank you. He doesn’t hate them but he’s certainly not pleased with them. Jeremy is either uncomfortable with or annoyed by people being sweet on him, depending on how they approach it. He’s far more comfortable with jerkiness. It lets him relax and he can be himself without it being a problem, since he’s also a jerk. He feels a level of guilt being such a little punk to kind people, not enough to be a better person but still.

Has Cove dated or been interested in someone other than MC? 

Nope! He stays single over the course of the game if he’s not with the MC.

Is Step 4 more mature? Or it's gonna be set in similar atmosphere as Step 3? 

Step 4 is a similar atmosphere as Step 3. Though, it’s actually kind of less mature-topic heavy than Step 3 since it’s just a ‘hey, let’s check in on the gang to see what they’re up to’ style epilogue rather than a story arc with serious issues.

will there be new music for now and forever?? or will the old our life music be reused? 

It’s gonna be a brand new soundtrack. We’ll be opening up a job position for that soon.

Hi, is it okay if we use the assets in Our Life (like the sprites) for fanworks or fan content content, like edits? 

Sure! Just as long as you don’t use the assets made by those artists to make money.

Quick clarification on Step 3 choices: I hope I didn't come off rude (because I LOVE the game, really!!), I was just curious because the intro threw me off at times. For example, you could choose how you felt about Elizabeth in Step 2 (Dinner), but during the Step 3 intro, it says that you got closer to Liz and I didn't get a choice in it. 

For the example, it can’t be helped that you’re closer to Liz in Step 3 than you were in Step 2 because she’s inherently closer to the MC regardless of whether you liked her or not in Step 2. Her feelings are out of your control and the game isn’t so dramatic that you can push her affection away and not let her bond with you, haha. But ‘being closer’ can still be relative. For some people maybe that means you’re best buds now and for others it might just mean you’re not fighting all the time any more. If there’s other parts you want to mention, feel free to let us know.

Did the illustrator for Our Life change? 

We have many OL artists! The main artists who set the game’s style haven’t changed, but there’s multiple other artists who help finish assets.

So Miranda's type is confident and outgoing, huh? So...does that mean Terri's her type?? 👀 

Haha, sorry for the late reply on this. As you might’ve seen in our post yesterday- yeah that is her type.

Hey! First, I just want to say I've really enjoyed how detailed OL got with gender identity and sexuality and how respectful the topics were handled! It's been so wonderful to play since the experiences could be close to my own (I'd be lying if I said I didn't tear up at parts). Second, I was wondering, would future games explore the topic of polyamory? I'd love to see more visual novels allow room for that and I saw you've explored the topic before.

Keep up the amazing work! ♡

Thank you! We do want to include polyamory in at least some of our future projects. Floret Bond, which might be what you’re referring to when mentioning how we’ve explored the topic before, is on hold unfortunately. So right now I’m not sure when something might release or what will be the first game of ours to come out with poly relationships (we might do something else before FB is done). We’ll have see how things ends up coming together.

Hey um. I feel like im not allowed to ask this on the private discord cuz people will yell at me but why is there so much focus on OL2 and not finishing OL1 stuff? I like the new people but i kind of want to finish cove's story and get derek and baxter stuff first. didn't people pay for it? 

I’m sorry, I don’t understand entirely what’s making that situation a concern. There’s a channel in the discord for critique where no one is allowed to comment back. People can voice things they’re worried about without any way for others to push back on it. And the two teams working on the OL games are different. We try to post pretty often about how we’re hiring brand new people to start on Our Life: Now & Forever. The OL1 team is all still working on OL1 like normal. There’s only more updates on the Patreon for OL2 because the expansions to the first game are mostly script-based at this point while OL2 is just starting to get all its art, which means there’s a lot more to show off as previews.

Also, there was a Kickstarter for the first Our Life, if that’s what you mean by people paying for it. But one of the stretch goals was to start Our Life 2 early, before fully completing Our Life 1, so that the new game could be out sooner. It wouldn’t make sense to stop doing OL2 work because that would be going against what backers were promised. Maybe you didn’t get the full story before and hopefully this clears it up!

Hello! I know it's up to every player but.. What is your recommendation for playing order? Did you ever had any timeline  events planned? 

I didn’t make the events with a planned timeline. The events got made simply as I had ideas for them and then I just kind of organized them from left to right on the screen in an order to space out more dramatic ones between more lighthearted ones. Any order the player wants to go with is totally valid!

Hi! It's Step 4 a paid dlc or update? And how long it's planned to be? Ps. Love the game! 

The Step 4 epilogue is free! The Cove Wedding DLC does cost money, though. Those are planned to be shorter than the usual Steps/DLCs.

Will we have options for what sort of job the MC might have by the time step 4 takes place? 

Yeah, you can. It’s not super exact or detailed, but there are options about it.

Is there a pandemic in Our Life world, or is it just in a better timeline with no pestilence? 

Our Life is pandemic-free! That didn’t exist when we began working on the project and it’s not something we’d like to feature in this story now that it has unfortunately come along, aha.

Hi, you said that you can play tic-tac-toe or hangman with Cove in Boating if you're sick/scared but I keep getting tic-tac-toe. Am I doing something wrong?

After being sick/scared you have to continue to be upset/unwell. If you calm down and decide to just chill you’ll end up playing tic-tac-toe.

Hi, GB Patch! Since Lee was initially commissioned to only appear in two Steps does this mean she won't appear in the Wedding DLC? I really like her character so it'll be a little weird to not have our cousin at our wedding, aha.

She is gonna be in Step 4/the wedding DLC after all! We’re still working with her creator to make sure it fits with what they wanted.

Is Sunset Bird based on a real place? Asking for a friend, not trying to move there or anything. 👀

It’s based on small beach towns in So-Cal, but not one specific town you could go see in real life, I’m afraid. It’d be nice if it was real, though.

—– —– —– —–

We released a new FAQ! It answers common questions and we’ll keep adding more to it. Please check there before sending an ask. FAQ   Also, if you prefer to just see the main posts without all the asks/reblogs, feel free to follow our side account instead: GB Patch Updates Blog

[theinkymystery]

Hey so I've been looking at your post about half breeds in the story, I've noticed that it's mostly about half demons and that got me thinking about your average toons (human and animal toons specifically) half breeds.

So firstly I want to ask about Oswald's race. I've personally interpreted him as half rabbit, half mouse but like rabbit passing? (Like how someone can be half black, half white and be white passing so you wouldn't know they are half black unless you asked) since he's often referred as Mickey's half brother in the source material or are you taking the approach that he's adopted and full rabbit?

Further on that thought would Oswald's kids be triracial or just biracial? I know that the kids look very bunny passing now but the artwork from thebbros older versions of the kids has some of the kids tails grow out into a cat's tail. And I think some of them have fangs if I remember correctly.

I also wanted to touch on the possible discrimination around half breeds in IM if you're taking that route. On that, did Oswald and Ortensia ever get any rude or backhanded comments about being a cat-rabbit couple? Also would kids with parents of different races be picked on or discriminated against for it especially the ones who don't pass as one race? Again with my example of Oswald and Ortensia would their kids that develop more cat-like physical traits be discriminated against?

Also since appearance plays quite a big factor on the surface would it be a factor in the way half breeds are discriminated against, like maybe for example some half breeds that are seen as attractive being sexualised and fetishized?

(Sorry for the lengthy ask, I'm just curious on the take IM has on half breeds since it can be seen as an allegory for people of mixed races)

Okay! There’s a lot to answer. First, I’m gonna address Oswald. For IM they are full brothers. I’m not playing the half brother/adopted junk. Oswald already gets so much flack in the Disney company, I am determined he receives all the respect of a fully developed character in my story (I have similar feelings for Fanny Cottontail). 

Though there are some parallels between race and species in Inky Mystery and they share important themes, I wouldn’t say they are interchangeable or a perfect parallel. After some research I had to make some choices and I went with the logical ones. The bunny kids will stay bunnies despite thegreatrouge’s art. The reason for this is because most, if not all, the animal toons’ families are mixed. Donald has some geese as blood relatives. Minnie has a few rat relatives. Mickey has some rabbits. But they are all distinctly those species. If I made the bunny kids half-cat, part-bunny, and part-mouse with physical traits reflecting that, it’d break the continuity of the rest of the cartoon world I’m working with. The one Disney and a number of other studios built up over the decades. Since I’m working from so many sources that have this in common I will go with their information and not the webcomic artist’s because it would break that. If the bunny kids have cat features, why doesn’t Oswald have a mouse tail? Why doesn’t Minnie have rat traits? If it was just Oswald, maybe, but I have too many mixed species characters that don’t reflect that mix physically. That’s where the parallel between race and speices breaks in the story and in cartoons in general. 

That being said there are still similar themes. Wolves and other predators are seen as threatening. Rabbits are seen as cute. Raccoons are seen as untrustworthy. People are unfairly judged for what they are instead of who they are. 

Regardless of toons not reflecting physical traits, I still think there would be people that would take issues of certain couples and families. There would be some that would find Ortensia and Oswald’s relationship as a problem. Same with Holly and Finley or Fanny and Brute (not for the obvious problems there but them being a wolf and a rabbit) and so on and so forth. 

For the halflings and the demiangels and others, they do have those sort of mixed traits. Demon halfings have traits that show. Demiangels too. Half gorgons and so on. Mostly in terms of magic. But the other parent can be a human or a cat or wolf or a bear and they’ll have those physical traits. Like Cala Maria or Demencia or Leila’s wolf nieces and nephews. But not every magical species does that. Dishes at more like animal toons. Either the child is born a dish or they aren’t. 

I hope that clarifies some things. It isn’t perfect and doesn’t reflect the world and it’s issues perfectly, but it’s what I’m working with to tell a story with consistent rules.

[honeybrulee]

With you by my side

Requested by @empty-noggin ! ♡ Hope you like it!

Erwin Smith x Reader

Prompt - "The straps of your gear aren't tight enough, come here"

~ This one's a little on the shorter side but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless! Just some silliness bc we all know that Erwin's secretly a huge softie ~

You still had about two hours before you were to depart on an expedition with the scouts, but Erwin being Erwin decided that it would be appropriate as Commander for him to get up in advance. Despite him insisting that there was no need for you to get up alongside him you knew that you had no chance getting back to sleep without the feeling of him tucked in by your side.

The morning sun was barely rising outside, a deep orange sinking in through the window. You sat on the edge of the bed, distracted from dressing by the sight of your handsome commander doing up the last few buttons on his crisp white shirt.

"There's no point in getting up early with me if you're just going to sit and watch me, you know," Erwin's rich voice, still slightly grumbly from the grasps of sleep, teased.

"Maybe I'm just admiring the view?" you quipped, leaning back slightly and tilting the corner of your mouth in a smirk.

"Oh? And would the view be to your liking?"

"Mm," you pretended to consider his words, raising a hand to pinch your chin comically, "I suppose it's not bad."

Erwin spun to face you fully, mock horror on his face.

"Not bad? That's all I get?"

"Eh, maybe decent at a push but-"

Before you could finish your teasing Erwin had lunged at you, scooping you up and taking you down to the bed with him. You squealed, digging your fingers into the flesh of his arms through his shirt.

You threw your head back in laughter as he nuzzled his face into the spot on your neck that he knew was sensitive, sending ticklish shivers straight down your spine.

"Erwin!" you cried, feeling the man grin against the skin of your neck.

"I'm not stopping until you apologise. And maybe suck up to me a little."

"No please-"

Again Erwin buried his face into the crease of your neck, his brassy chuckle vibrating against it.

"Okay, okay! You're better than not bad, I promise!"

"Yeah? What would you describe me as then, hmm? Sexy perhaps, maybe the most attractive man you've ever seen? I'd venture to say even the personification of perfection?"

"Sure yeah, all of that, whatever helps you sleep at night-"

You cackled as Erwin only doubled down in his efforts, arms and legs flailing in a fruitless attempt to free yourself from his weight pressing you down.

"So horrible to me. Truly. Doesn't your commander deserve even a modicum of respect from his love?"

"Not after that training you put us through yesterday. Even my aches have aches. It's almost impressive."

Erwin laughed, turning from nuzzling to just pressing kisses against the column of your neck.

"My sincerest apologies, soldier. Allow me to make it up to you later tonight," he grumbled against you, a breathy sigh leaving your throat at the feeling.

"That is if we make it to tonight. I don't know about this expedition, Erwin. Something isn't sitting right with me," you spoke quietly, hating to ruin the mood but needing to get your worries out there.

"Hey, none of that now. I won't let a thing happen to you, my love. You understand? I'll be right by your side from the moment we ride out the gates until we come back in."

You sighed, mind still troubled but ease sinking in at the thought of Erwin looking out for you.

"M'kay. I trust you, but this does go two ways Erwin. I need you to not do anything stupid, nothing self-sacrificial, alright?"

"You have my word, love. We'll be back home safe and sound in a few hours. Not a scratch."

"Not a scratch," you echoed, following Erwin's actions in sitting upright.

He took your hand in his much larger one, encompassing it as he brought it to his lips and stamped a reassuring kiss on its back.

"Now come on," he smiled gently, "you do actually need to get ready at some point. You'll be no good out there without your harness on."

Erwin stood, reaching a hand out to you and pulling you to your feet. You walked over to your closet, taking the harness of your ODM gear from the top shelf. Erwin sat back on the end of the bed and observed you as you fastened the intricate straps, sliding the thick leather over your thighs, waist, chest. A slight looseness on the strap around your chest caught his attention, eyebrows furrowing.

"The straps of your gear aren't tight enough, come here," he spoke calmly, a large palm tapping against his thigh in indication for you to sit on his lap.

You obeyed, making your way over to him. As you straddled his legs, Erwin pulled you closer by your hips, getting you so that he could get a close look at your gear.

Erwin raised his hands to the strap at your chest, sliding across the smooth leather to the silver buckle in the centre. With slight fingers he unclasped the buckle, sliding the leather through the loop to tighten it until it was pulled straight.

You felt your face grow hot at his closeness, despite the fact that he had been lying on you with his face in your neck mere moments ago.

"There. Perfect," he concluded, sliding two fingers under the strap for good measure.

"Thank you, 'Win," you spoke breathily, finding yourself feeling shy regardless of the length of time you'd been together.

"Of course," his tone of voice mirrored your own, his gaze rising to study your face. "Anything you need. Anything for you."

You met his eyes as he lifted a hand to stroke his thumb across your cheek, subconsciously leaning into the touch. Erwin felt his heart pounding at the way you leaned into his hand, the way your eyes fluttered shut in momentary peace. Remaining still, you felt as Erwin traced your features lovingly, as though he were observing a sculpture made by the most elite of artists. His fingers travelled across your forehead, tracing your eyebrow before sliding to your cheek, finally ending up at the peak of your chin. He pinched it lightly between his thumb and forefinger, tilting your head up.

With a sigh Erwin leaned in, pressing his lips to yours. He moved his mouth precisely to fit against yours, deepening the kiss then pulling away with a subtle suction sound.

"The same applies to you, remember. Don't put yourself unneccessarily in harm's way. No needless sacrifices."

You nodded in response to his orders, not daring to speak at the risk of stopping the way the pad of his thumb was caressing your lower lip.

"Good. That's what I like to hear. Now, shall we head out? It would probably be beneficial to see what's available for breakfast before Hange tears through it."

After one final kiss, for good luck of course, you made your way hand-in-hand into another day. Erwin would always have your back, and you would aways have his. And that was all you needed for everything to work out just fine.