#another song recommendation oh joy

[fenkizard]

i hope i'm not annoying you with these but i think i found another good song for your PI playlist: "In a Radio Song" by Okkervil River. all the lyrics in it make me think of Pi Chris but especially the last stanza

I rose from a dream; I had just destroyed everything With one crushing blow, And I woke up and watched it go, And I woke up and wagged my tongue. So long, so long, so long

Oh my god I just listening to it and it’s so insanely perfect???? Like those end lines HIT ME theyre so so fitting for pi Chris and genuinely capture the feeling I’m trying to convey in the story so well!!!!

This is absolutely never annoying! I love song recommendations so much and this is the second time now at least you’ve introduced me to a crazy good artist. tysmmm frrr

[kaiijo]

DATES WITH HIM — [WIND BREAKER]

characters: suo hayato, kiryu mitsuki, umemiya hajime, hiragi toma, kaji ren, togame jo content: gn! reader notes: i did not come up with the date idea in suo's! also i recommend reading the mentioned works in suo’s part and listening to the song in kaji’s! obvious togame bias i’m sorry (but i’m also not)

suo hayato ✶ bookstore date

you saw the idea of a bookstore scavenger hunt date and it was too cute to resist. with your list in hand, you and suo make your way to your favorite neighborhood bookstore. the old lady who runs it greets the two of you before attending to other customers. suo leans over your shoulder to look at the first item. “find a joke to make your partner laugh.”

you make your way to the joke book shelf, where suo picks up a paperback titled 100 dad jokes to make anyone bust a side! he flips through it and lands on a page. “which days are the strongest?”

“i don’t know, which ones?”

he stares at you dead in the eye as he answers, “saturday and sunday. the rest are weekdays.”

you can’t help but snort and roll your eyes, and suo says, “we’re counting that!” and you check it off the list because you don’t know if you can take another cheesy dad joke. 

you read out the next bullet point: “find a puzzle to conquer together.”

you find and complete a crossword puzzle in a magazine (you kept the magazine with you to buy later). your scavenger hunt list leads you through the travel section to talk about your dream vacation spots; the children’s section where you find your favorite childhood books; and the cookbook aisle where you find a recipe you both want to cook together. finally, the last task challenges you to find a poem that describes your partner.

you and suo split up in the poetry section for that. you thumb through pages and pages but nothing is able to capture just how you feel for suo. you find one finally just as he walks over to you, a poetry anthology in hand. you read to him kevin varrone’s “poem i wrote sitting across the table from you” and he recites joy harjo’s poem “for keeps.” 

your heart feels like its about to burst as he finishes and you take his hand in yours, bring it to your lips for a kiss. his gaze is soft as he leans forward and presses a kiss to your forehead.

kiryu mitsuki ✶ arcade date

you pout as you watch the final pac-man score flash on the screen in big, pixelated numbers: 150 to 170. kiryu ruffles your hair affectionately. “we’re all tied up again,” he says. “two to two. what do you want for the tie-breaker?”

you peer around the arcade, glancing at the flashing screens of various games. there’s street fighter, space invaders, and other classics but it’s the air hockey table that catches your eye. you nod at it. “settle the score over good old-fashioned air hockey?”

“sounds good,” he says and you two make your way over to it.

just as you arrive, another couple shows up. “oh, shit,” the other guy says when he and his girlfriend approach at the same time. 

“sorry,” you say. “you guys can have it if you want.”

“no, no, you two came first,” the girlfriend says.

“it’s seriously fine!”

“no, really, it’s cool!”

you’re all at a standstill, neither party willing to takeover the table. instead, kiryu pipes up, “there are four pushers, why don’t we play on teams? a friendly competition.”

“i’m down!” the girl smiles and turns to her boyfriend. “what do you think?”

“i say we crush ‘em!”

“ooh, those are fighting words!” you call, looping you arm through kiryu’s. “ready to kick some ass, mitsuki?”

“always.”

the competition is fierce — the other couple is a lot better than you thought and you’re playing best of seven rounds. it’s the tie breaker and you narrowly manage to block a shot from the other guy. the puck bounces off the sides, hurtling across the board towards kiryu, who easily deflects it back. the volley goes back and forth and there are far too many times it almost sinks into their goal.

the other couple just blocks a shot again and the puck is heading for you. you hit it at the right angle and it just ekes past the defense, sliding into the goal to end the game 4 to 3. you congratulate each other on a good game and kiryu sighs, “i guess that settled the score between us too, huh?”

“what do you mean?”

“you made the winning goal.” he holds out the tickets he’s won. “let’s go get you a prize.”

umemiya hajime ✶ farmer’s market date

“whoa! these squash look so good! how did you grow them? did you plant them in may or june?” umemiya’s eyes are wide and bright as he listens intently to the farmer’s answer. you don’t think you’ve seen him this excited before, which is saying a lot given his enthusiasm for almost anything. 

she smiles warmly at the two of you, asking, “how many would you like?”

“three,” you reply, reaching for your wallet, but umemiya is holding out the money for her before you can even open your bag. 

the farmer shakes her head, gently pushing his hand back. “it’s on the house,” she says, plucking a packet of seeds from a small wooden crate at the edge of the stall. “and i’ll throw these in too, all free of charge!”

“oh, please, we insist,” you begin to protest but she just shakes her head again. 

“it’s been a long time since someone has been this curious about my produce,” she chuckles, “and i’m not about to make a lovely young couple pay for this! all i ask is that you two raise the squash lovingly.”

“we will, i promise,” umemiya says, taking the bag of squash from her. as you two continue through the farmer’s market, umemiya interlocks your fingers, using his other hand to motion to the other stalls you pass. 

he says, “we have tomatoes and cucumbers already but we need mushrooms! oh, those look good!” he already leading you to another vendor, surveying the cartons of wood-ear mushrooms. you raise a brow in amusement as he buys five cartons, humming a cheery song. 

“what’s all this for, again?”

he beams at you. “the summer barbeque!”

“ahh, right!” you smile. “the infamous summer barbeque.” you glance around the market, pointing out a stall selling sausages and other meats. “i think we’ll want to get some protein, then, since your boys eat enough for a hundred men.”

“babe, you’re a genius!”

hiragi toma ✶ cooking date

make dinner at home for date night, they said. it’ll be fun, they said. you think anyone who said this is a fun, stress-free date is a total liar.

“alright,” you sigh as you clean the frying pan of egg residue for the third time. “well, fourth time’s a charm!”

hiragi pops a stomach tablet out of its packaging and chomps down on it. “you said that the last two times.”

“this one’s going to be the one!” you chirp, reaching for the egg carton. “it has to be, since these are our last four eggs.”

hiragi lets out a long, heavy breath before slipping his apron back on. “okay, one more time.” 

hiragi throws a large tablespoon of butter down the pan, tilting the pan from side to side as the melting butter coats the surface. you crack the four eggs into the measuring cup and beat them with a whisk, tipping a little drop of it onto the butter. it sizzles promisingly and you and hiragi share a glance and nod, then you pour the eggs in.

you stir the eggs quickly with a pair of chopsticks, stopping as you see the omelet beginning to smooth. hiragi tilts the pan to let the uncooked egg mixture start to cook, doing his best to keep the curds even and level. 

the new portion of eggs scramble and you spoon your chicken rice mix into the center of the omlet, roughly shaping it into an football-shape as hiragi kills the heat. “good?” you ask him, motioning with your chopsticks at the pile of rice.

“good.” he lifts the pan. “hot pan, coming through!” he places it on the damp rag on your counter. you slide the omlet to the edge of the pan, carefully wrapping the rice with egg on both sides. hiragi’s already moved to get a plate and you hold your breath as he slides it carefully onto the plate.

success.

you let out collective sighs of relief. 

kaji ren ✶ concert date

you had spent hours in an online queue to get kaji tickets to see his favorite band for his birthday. luckily, the venue isn’t too long a train ride from makochi but when you severely undersold how many people can cram themselves into the venue.

kaji’s grip is firm as you weave your way through the crowd, pushing closer to the stage. some guy jostles you, grumbling under his breath, only to apologize when he faced kaji’s cold glare. your boyfriend manages to get the two of you to a decent spot near the front, just off right of the center. 

“what song are you most excited for?” you ask him, speaking as close to his ear as possible. the din around you is getting louder and the crowd more electrified, so you know it’s starting soon.

“wasted nights,” he replies easily. 

you hum, “that sounds familiar. it’s on the playlist you made for me, right?”

his mouth lifts into a small smile. “yeah, i think it’s number eleven or twelve.” just as he is about to add something, the lights around you begin to flash and pulse as the ambient music dies down. the band comes out to thunderous cheers as they take up their instruments. 

even though you don’t know the band well, you can’t help but jump and dance with the crowd, and you sing along to parts you can remember. kaji’s not one for rowdiness himself but he thrives off the energy from it — you can see it in the way he bobs his head in rhythm, the way he seems completely in his element. as the fourth songs in the set transitions into the fifth one, a slower ballad this time, he wraps an arm around your shoulder and pecks your cheek. “thank you again,” he says. “i’m glad i’m here with you.”

you burrow further into his side, swaying to the music. “happy birthday, ren.” 

togame jo ✶ pottery class date

you tilt your head as the pottery wheel slows to a stop, examining the mug you were instructed to make. the rim is uneven and it’s leaning towards the left. togame’s isn’t any better given that his mug looks shorter and stouter than the rest of the class and the handle is fully too long. when the pottery teacher walks over, she offers a sweet smile. “beautiful work,” she says. “they both have a unique charm to them.”

“thanks, we totally meant to make them this way,” you say and she carefully brings them to the shelf where the other attendees’ mugs sit waiting for the kiln. 

oddly enough, seeing your mugs together makes them look somewhat normal, almost like an eclectic set, and when you glance at togame, he meets your eyes and you two try to suppress your laughter, togame’s broad shoulders shaking with effort. as you stand side by side, washing your hands in the classroom’s sink, togame smirks. he reaches over and claps a hand on your shoulder, leaving a large, damp terracotta-colored handprint on your shirt. 

you narrow your eyes and do the same, this time on the side of his own t-shirt. his hand touches your back and yours grazes his chest. you could probably do this forever but someone clears their throat behind you and you apologize as you actually finish cleaning up, stepping aside for another couple to wash themselves off. 

togame drapes an arm around your shoulder as you leave the building, saying, “i think i won, babe.” 

you know he’s talking about the stains all over both of your clothes but all you do is smirk at him. “i think i won, actually, since this is your shirt.”

he shrugs. “i wish i could be mad, but you look too good in my clothes to complain.”

bonus!

you return two weeks later when your “unique” mugs are primed for glazing. you two agreed to keep the final designs on your pottery a surprise so you sit as far away from each other with your backs turned. in the end, you two had similar ideas — he chose your favorite color as a background and painted on a pattern of your favorite flowers while you glazed your mug in orange and black with an attempt at a the lion face on the shishitoren jackets, albeit yours is way less threatening and much cuter. 

your mugs sit in each of your cabinets at your homes in all their uniquely beautiful glory, your new favorites — well-used and well-loved. one day, they’ll be together again, side-by-side in a cabinet that you two shared together.

[targaryenoceans]

GHOST TOWNS

zombie apocalypse au!aegon targaryen x fem!reader.

notes: this is a au of a zombie apocalypse aegon, reader and aegon have a complicated relationship but love each other, i recommend the song ghost towns by radical face. this is kinda set in the walking dead show but no one in the show is mentioned.

summary: you’d do anything for aegon, even give your life to save him.

warning (s): zombies, guns, knifes, gore, death, fluff, angst, idk what else?

masterlist

you looked outside, the heavy rain hit the windows of the truck. aegon was driving, a faint hum of the the song love will tear us apart by joy division played in the cd player of the truck.

its been five months since a outbreak took place, people got bit and ended up crazy. now the world was left in shambles, towns and city’s tore down in a matter of minutes.

you and aegon dated before the outbreak, despite the differences you both had you both loved each other. when the outbreak took place you were at his house, and his mother called, it felt like it was almost yesterday when it took place.

his mother called saying that his father and grandfather were in the hospital, she was going to say something else but the phone disconnected, that was last time aegon spoke to his mother. a few days later, his siblings aemond, helaena and daeron left without saying a word.

aegon and you eventually left his house, trying to find aegon’s half sister rhaenyra but the house was covered in stains of blood you both left the house quickly.

you weren’t that close to your family, but you tried to look for them. you went to your old house but ended up finding the house ransacked and empty. now it was the two of you alone in a cursed world.

aegon and you eventually learned that it was the bite that did it, or even a scratch. don’t get bit!

“what are you thinking about love?” aegon suddenly spoke out, his hands gripping onto the steering wheel.

the two of you had a complicated relationship, you both would disagree on something which led into an argument, aegon was short tempered that was for sure, but he loved you and you loved him.

“hm? oh nothing. how much do we have on gas?” you said looking away from the window to him.

“about half a tank, we’re good. i filled up another gas can in the back while you slept earlier.” aegon looked away from the road to you, his eyes were bloodshot and he had eyebags under his eyes.

“you look tired..let me drive?” you looked at him, your eyes almost pleading.

aegon looked back at the road, a yawn escaping him. “i could use some sleep.” he nodded, before pulling over to the side of the road.

.·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·.

now it was night, the rain had stopped creating a nice scent of smell in the air. the both of you laid in the bed of the truck, piles of blankets and pillows under you and him, and a blanket over your bare bodies. despite the outbreak, the both of you always found a way to be intimate, and enjoyed it.

you laid your head on aegon’s bare chest, he had his arm around your waist, playing with the strands of your hair as he looked at the stars above.

the silence between you both was comforting, it was like the zombie apocalypse never actually happened.

“i wonder how aemond, helaena and daeron are.” he suddenly spoke out. the two of you hadn’t spoke about family in four months, it was a silent rule the two of you made.

“i’m sure they are fine, maybe they are with your mother?” you spoke, but the mention of his mother made his own body tense up, despite all the things she had said to him, he still craved her attention even if she wasn’t even here.

“i’m sorry-i shoul-” you immediately apologized, and sat up, the coldness picking at your skin.

aegon sighed, running a hand though his face. he sat up the blankets pooling to his waist. “its fine.” he said, but you knew it was a lie, and you absolutely hated when he lied.

“you know i do not like it when you lie.” you looked at him, growing irritated with him.

“i said i’m fine. now leave it.” aegon sighed, laying back down.

“i know you aegon, your not fine.” you said, looking away from him. “but i don’t want to argue with you, not tonight. so i’ll just leave it like that.”you laid your head back on his chest.

“i love you.” he muttered, pulling you closer to him. “i love you so fucking much.”

you kissed his chest, “i love you too.”

.·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·.

it had been a few weeks since then, and you and him found an old hunting cabin.

now you were looking through all the canned foods you had, the two have been living off of canned soups and fruits for the past few weeks.

“damn it.” you mumbled to yourself, there was a few canned soups but it wouldn’t last the next few days. you let out a sigh before closing the cabinet.

“how are we on food?” a voice spoke out behind you, you looked over your shoulder and saw aegon leaning against the wall.

“we’re running low. we probably won’t have enough for the end of the week.” you said, standing up and dusting your hands on your dirty jeans.

aegon let out a sigh, walking over to you. “i saw a supermarket not to far from here. it looked pretty empty.”

“okay.” you nodded, “we could go in the morning, when it’s more brighter.” you put your hands on his shoulders.

“yeah.” aegon nodded. “more safer in the morning anyways.” he put his hands on your waist. “we should get some rest.”

.·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·.

the next morning, the two of you sat in the truck, infront of the supermarket not yet going inside yet.

aegons eyes scanned over the building. like he said it looked pretty empty. “okay, we need to be quick.”

“yep.” you nodded before you opened the passenger door, your knife was in your back pocket, and you had your gun in hand.

the two of them walked began to walk through the supermarket parking lot, both of you were on high alert looking around for anything.

before the two of you entered the supermarket, aegon stopped to look at you. “yell for me if anything goes wrong, okay?” he pushed a strand of your hair behind your ear, before the two of you walked into the supermarket.

the sunlight shined through the windows, all the front shelves were empty and knocked over, there was some blood spattered on the walls and floors but no bodies.

“i’ll go search in the back.” you spoke to aegon.

“okay..be careful.” he spoke, as he watched you leave him.

you walked down the isle, it was eerily silent, the only noise being your footsteps stepping on glass. the feeling of uneasiness settled in your stomach as you looked around, knowing that anything or anyone could be hiding behind the next corner.

but you breathed a sigh of relief as you saw some canned foods. you picked up a few cans of food and shoved them into your backpack. as you finished you heard a loud crash coming from infront of the store. your mind immediately drifted off to aegon.

your legs started to run as you slung your backpack over your shoulders. once you reached the front of the store you saw aegon fighting off three zombies, their mouths snapping at him.

“aegon!” you yelled, putting your gun away, and pulling out your knife.

aegon snapped his head towards you, “leave!” he yelled, but you couldn’t just leave him, you loved him too much.

“no!” you yelled, stabbing a zombie in the head, his body falling limp on the floor.

you saw a zombie about to bite aegon in the arm but you stepped infront of him, the zombie biting on your arm instead, as aegon too busy to notice stabbing the other zombie in the head, as you stabbed the zombie on your arm in the head, aegon grabbed your arm and you both left the supermarket.

.·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·.

the drive back to the cabin was silent, aegon didn’t even notice your arm bleeding from the bite and you were to busy thinking of what you were going to do, what you’d eventually turn in the next 24 hours.

the two of you walked into the cabin, aegon put yours and his backpack on the table, both filled with food.

“are you okay? you’ve been quiet since the supermarket..” aegon spoke, looking away from the food and towards you.

“i-“ you stuttered but ended up just showing him the bite mark. “i was trying to help you..but got bite in the middle of it.”

aegon’s eyes widened as he saw the bite mark. “no, no..” his eyes started to fill with tears as he stumbled to you. he looked down at the bite mark again, hoping this was just a bad dream and he’d eventually wake up, but his sadness turned to anger. “i told you to leave me!”

“how could be so careless?!” he yelled. “you were supposed to get out of there! not to get yourself bitten!”

“i couldn’t leave you!” you yelled back, you didn’t even realize tears were streaming down your face.

“well you should’ve!” aegon yelled, tears falling down his face as well. “no, i should’ve gotten bitten, not you!”

“no.” you shook your head, “i wouldn’t let that happen.”

aegon stepped away, his voice breaking “what do we do now?!”

“i cannot turn into one of them aegon.” you shake your head. “i cannot.” you pulled out your handgun, holding it out for him.

“no.” he shook his head, “i won’t-i can’t do it. no.”

you stepped closer to him, “i cannot become one of those things.”

he slowly grabbed the gun from your hands, “i can’t-i love you.” his voice was raspy and cracking, tears still streaming down both of your faces.

“i love you too.” you pressed your forehead to his, closing your eyes. “i can’t become one of those things..”

aegon closed his eyes, and with his free hand brought his hand to your cheek. “i love you so fucking much.” he leaned in and kissed you, mixing both of their salty tears.

aegon pulled back and slowly pulled the handgun to your head, breathing heavily. “i can’t do it..” he muttered, but he had too.

“i love you..” aegon spoke before pulling the trigger, the sound of the bullet filled his ears, and left a ringing sound.

the both of you fell to the floor, aegon put the gun on the floor, bringing your lifeless body and cradling it, burying his face into your neck, sobs taking over his body “i’m so sorry.” he kept muttering, rocking back and forth.

[tytarax]

I see you open Requests. So i shall ask.

No romance. But comedy. How will Alastor act when he meets gn reader who is pirate ex-overlord. Im talking pirate slang and everything. They are the captain of their ship. Having a funny crew and everything.

Thanks for this request, I really enjoyed writing it!

Also gave me a reason for reading the book my brother gifted me last year, "A General History of the Pyrates" (Recommended btw)

I wrote a "short" one-shot with some hcs at the end.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Context: You are an ex-overlord, the pirate demon to be exact. You tend to sail through hell with your trusty crew on their ship, Sapphire, a ghost ship like the Flying Dutchman. When you were an overlord that was your way of announcing yourself, ready to conquer a new territory of the pentagram. Now, you only cause panic, and all the demons flee before your presence, even though you no longer cause wars or collect more souls.

-Some years before the Hazbin Hotel opened-

The salty breeze whistled through the ethereal sails of the Sapphire, the flying ghost ship that sailed the skies with an otherworldly grace. Its crew, a spirited bunch of specters and souls, worked together under the command of their captain, a lively and charismatic demon named Captain _____, with a sense of camaraderie and mischief that echoed through the ages.

As night fell, the crew gathered on the deck, surrounded by the glow of ghostly lanterns. They raised their spectral tankards in a toast to their latest adventure, the echoes of laughter mingling with the creaking of the ship.

"Arr, me hearties!" The captain exclaimed, their voice carrying over the sound of the wind. "Another successful raid, thanks to this fine crew o' mine!"

The crew cheered, their voices filled with the thrill of the chase and the promise of plunder. They gathered around a makeshift table, laden with ghostly grog and ethereal food, and began to swap tales of past escapades.

"Do ye remember the time we outsmarted ol' Davy Jones himself?" one crewmate exclaimed, raising a tankard.

"Aye, that we did!" another replied, clapping the speaker on the back. "And what about the time we stole the moon's reflection from the sea?"

The crew erupted into laughter, the memories of their adventures bonding them together like family. They drank and sang, the joy of the moment banishing the shadows of their past lives.

Captain _____ joined in the revelry, their laughter ringing out like a bell. They regaled their crew with stories of their own, of battles won and treasures found, each tale more fantastical than the last.

As the night wore on, the crew's voices grew hoarse from laughter and song. They staggered to their hammocks, spirits high and hearts full, grateful for another day of freedom on the high skies.

Suddenly, a mysterious figure appeared on the deck of the Sapphire—Alastor, the infamous Radio Demon. Despite the supernatural nature of the ship and its crew, Alastor seemed right at home, his charismatic presence filling the air with a crackling energy.

The captain greeted him with a knowing smile. "Well, well, well, look who's decided to join us on our little jaunt through the skies. What brings ye to our humble haunt, Alastor?"

Alastor chuckled, his radio-like voice blending with the wind. "I couldn't resist the allure of the legendary Sapphire and its crew of spectral scallywags, along with their powerful overlord captain. I must say, you're quite the spectacle. I was just passing by, dear."

“Oh, 'kay then, make yerself comfortable.”

The crew, intrigued by their guest, gathered around as Alastor regaled them with tales of his exploits from the land of the living and the dead. They shared ghostly grog and spectral snacks, swapping stories long into the night.

As the moon rose high in the sky, casting an eerie glow over the clouds, Alastor bid the crew farewell, disappearing into the night with a promise to return. The crew watched him go, their ghostly forms shimmering in the moonlight, filled with a newfound appreciation for the enigmatic Radio Demon.

And so, the Sapphire continued its journey through the skies.

---

Years had passed since the Sapphire last touched down on solid ground, but the flying ghost ship remained as majestic and mysterious as ever. _____ guided their crew through the skies, seeking adventure wherever the wind carried them.

One day, the Sapphire descended upon the grounds of the infamous Hazbin Hotel, its ghostly form shimmering in the light of the setting sun. The crew, eager for a change of scenery, followed their captain as they disembarked, their laughter and banter filling the air.

As they entered the hotel, the crew's antics drew curious glances from the residents.

“Oh, hello there! You must be the pirate demon! I’m Charlie-”

“Oh, yer Charlie Morningstar, aren’t ya? Nice to meet you, lady.” _____ said. Right before, an angelic spear was pointing to their head. While all the crew prepared their weapons, _____ stopped them.

“What do you want?” Said the young girl who was holding the spear.

“Don’t worry yerself, lily-livered landlubber! We’re just passing through, seeking for a place to rest for a while” _____ said as the crew laughed at the nickname. One of the crew guys, Mackra, yelled from his spot “That’s right, we're not going to fight ye, woman!”

“How can we trust you?” She answered back. “Hahaha, dead men tell no tales, lady! I’m not longa an overlord!”

Alastor watched from the shadows, initially taken aback when encountering _____, the pirate ex-overlord along with their spirited crew. He approached _____, a sly grin on his face, but maintained his aloof and mysterious demeanor.

"Ah, the captain of the Sapphire graces us with their presence," Alastor said, his voice carrying a hint of amusement. "What brings you to the Hazbin Hotel, I wonder? Seeking redemption, or just passing through?"

______ smiled, shaking their head. "No redemption for me, I'm afraid. Just a brief respite from the skies. Besides, I hear your hotel is quite the... lively place."

Alastor chuckled, nodding in agreement. "Indeed, it is. Well, enjoy your stay, dear. And should you ever tire of the skies, you're always welcome here."

As _____ settled into the Hazbin Hotel alongside their crew, they couldn't help but feel grateful for the adventures of their past and the enduring camaraderie of their spectral companions. And though the skies still called to them, for now, they were content to rest and revel in the company of their new comrades.

Some hcs:

Alastor may make a few sly comments or observations in his characteristic style, but he doesn't fully engage with pirate slang. “Avast ye!”, “Landlubber”, “Hornswaggle”, that sorta thing.

Despite being an ex-overlord, you have a rather peculiar and humorous crew. Alastor greatly enjoys the chaotic and extravagant interactions of the crew. He may offer a few dry remarks or sarcastic quips about the crew's behavior.

Alastor respects your leadership abilities but doesn't attempt to mimic them. Instead, he observes how you handle your crew and situations, perhaps offering subtle advice or commentary when asked.

You have sometimes invited Alastor to take rides on your ship, which he gladly accepts.

The adventures you and Alastor embark on are more subdued and focused, with Alastor using his skills and knowledge to help navigate challenges more seriously, albeit with a hint of dark humor.

While Alastor maintains a mere professional relationship with the reader, he may develop a begrudging respect for your abilities since he has more respect for the overlords or ex-overlords older than him and occasionally shows a more lighthearted side.

Overall, Alastor retains his mysterious and enigmatic nature while still allowing for moments of humor and camaraderie with you.

Masterpost

Hazbin Hotel Masterlist

@22carolina08

[superblysubpar]

NINE PEOPLE I WANT TO GET TO KNOW BETTER

thank you so much for the tag @crappymixtape 💛

last song: Smoke by Caroline Polacheck

favorite color: I love yellow, always, but I'm really on a white/cream/neutrals sort of kick lately

currently watching: I'm late to the game, but just finished season 2 of Bridgerton, watching True Detective & Abbott Elementary with my guy, and I've also been rewatching America's Next Top Model 😅 Also, I'm always, and I do mean always, watching Friends and Stranger Things

last movie: literally just finished Dune Part 2 like a half hour ago

currently reading: I just finished Funny Story by Emily Henry (cannot recommend her and her stories enough), and about to start The Guest List by Lucy Foley & The Book Proposal by KJ Micciche

sweet/spicy/savory: I feel like it truly depends on my mood and like, if it's a meal or not, but I'll go with snacks for each:

Sweet, I love a simple chocolate chip cookie or ice cream (don't get me started on flavors though, we'll be here all night...) spicy would have to be my favorite salt and vinegar chips with serrano pepper, and savory would be hummus and cucs/meat and cheese charcuterie sorts of things for sure.

relationship: Married for almost 4 years, but we've been together for 12!

current obsession: oh my god this is so broad, I have obsessions in all areas of my life...ummmmm I've been making these salad jars for lunch and I really love them haha. Love dumping them in a big glass bowl and pretending I'm super bougie. Also eating it with another current obsession: sanpellegrino melograno & arancina

last thing I googled: Jonathan Bailey Wicked (listen...)

currently working on:

Outside of tumblr - rewrites to my We'll Call It Love screenplay as well as starting work on my second movie - To Whom It May Concern

Inside of tumblr, the wips are too high to count, but my main joys right now are:

- Baby, I Can't Fight This Feeling (enemies to lovers coworkers steve series)

- one of my "she's seen all the classics" stories that I'm AMPED to share soon

-a secret untitled series

- You Got That Somethin' (90s Robin oneshot)

- Sweet Talk (personal trainer Steve Part 2)

no pressure tags: @rebelfell @palmtreesx3 @curiositydooropened @jo-harrington @lonelysatellites @abibliophobiaa @inklessletter @rosewaterandivy @boyfriendstevie - and of course anyone who'd like to join in!

[tireddovahkiin]

IM SORRY guys, if you'll excuse me, I need to rant my heart out about my sweetheart bc I'm just so obsessed with his whole concept and existence as a whole character and omfg I love this man SO much.

With THAT said-

Let me introduce you to soundtrack that plays upon witnessing Sephiroths new form for the first time. AKA, as said in OG FF7, Bizarro Sephiroth.

OH. MY. FUCKING. GOD.

(if you plan on listening it (PLEASE DO I BEG OF YOU), i recommend that you use headphones.)

It's starts so quietly, then it errupts into a whole triumphant-like symphony of instruments and voices, then quiets down again, into something more demonic, maybe. It's sounds out of this world, makes your skin errupt in goosebumps in both dread and awe. It REMINDS us of an angel, of something sacred, heavenly, and yet, far from such pure being. This song is a FLAWED type or ethereal.

It's supposed to trick us, into thinking, what really HAS he become? Alien? Angel? God? Spirit? Something else entirely? A mix of all those? We don't know. And THAT'S what's fucking amazing and terrifying.

Notice how the harmony is different than the usual, 'angelic' one? Now, I'm no musician or professional at that department, BUT, what I did notice, is that in order to depict something heavenly, composers use 'diatonic harmony', the harmonization of a piece of music using chords derived from the diatonic scale of a particular key.

But, what THIS melody uses, is a 'non-diatonic harmony': which is similar to diatonic harmony, when it come to the central scale of a song, but brings other notes from different scales outside of that main scale and can create tension within the overall structure of the song.

As one of descriptions of Bizarro Sephiroth say, he is "a resurrected being who now wields unimaginable might and commands the arbiters of fate. He seeks to pierce through the layers of existence, and reunite fragmented space-time. He shall rule over the planet and create eternity."

He DOES have a few attributes of an angel, but his overall form is described as 'grotesque'. A mutation of limbs, two heads, faces, pair of multiple wings, and the rest unknown. It is said that all those limbs even act independently of one another. It's origins are known to come from JENOVA, an extraterrestrial life-form from outer space, a calamity from the skies, who acts like a parasitic organism in nature. His beloved "mother". Main antagonist of the game.

His whole form is just... Colossal, which again, this song depicts PERFECTLY. You feel intimidated. But you're unsure, whether if it's positive or negative. If you should be scared for your life, or stop to gawk at whatever has appeared before you. We can recognize that it's Sephiroth, but BARELY. (Imagining you're in Clouds pants for a moment lmao)

Also, notice how his usual motives in songs that we hear in the game are COMPLETELY gone? Like, it's an ENTIRELY NEW THEME for him. No lyrics, the usual, "ESTUANS INTERIUS IRA VEHEMENTI!" or even the choir chanting his name. I don't think there's not even JENOVAS melody present. NONE of that is present. They just literally sing something original, unknown, I think it's latin? It would be even BETTER if it's not, aka if it's actual gibberish, an invented language.

And all those small effects in the background, makes it all the more creepier in a way. Because, we're not even certain if Sephiroth is himself or someone new entirely, since he evolved. (WHO'S THAT POKEMO- im joking Sephy please don't kill me PLE-)

(STOP he's so fucking beautiful...)

Perhaps he has become somehow independent of his mothers influence, that greed for power has gotten to him, got him blinded. Now he just wants to spread havoc for his own PERSONAL fulfilment and joy.

Imagine that YOUR fate is in hands of THIS motherfucker, at his complete mercy.

Not really the most reassuring feeling, now, is it, when you look at him. (speaking for YALLS behalf I love this form so much it's so underrated goddamn i would gladly sell my soul and give my fate to him i mean what who said that)

id like to kiss and hug him :3

Jokes aside, THIS SONG AWAKENS THE NASTIEST GOOSEBUMPS I'VE EVER GOTTEN IN MY LIFE EVERY DAMN TIME I LISTEN TO IT, NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I'VE PLAYED IT.

It legit makes PRIDE bloom inside my heart, even if it's NOT MY theme, LOL XD. It's just that powerful. I start smiling from ear to ear, close my eyes, soak in this whole experience of a song. Pity that is so short, I wish it was longer.

Square Enix, the company you are. You fucking deserve that award for the best game soundtrack of the year.

Because, god damn. I ascend to heaven when I listen to this.

IM SO IMPATIENT... When will they upload Rebirth soundtrack on Spotify I need it it's not normal😭

[lifeiskentastic]

Ken plays Cowboy, and gn!Reader helps him with it

Gif by @makoto-shinkai

A/N: This is probably the silliest thing I've ever written.

Summary: Ken, deeply immersed in the cowboy theme, decides to drag gn!Reader into his silly game. Well, it's not like Reader too much in the way…

Word count: 807 words;

Incpired: This Gorgeous Fanart by @thapunqueen;

Song I recommend: Of course, it's Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy) by Big & Rich;

Hope this makes you smile!

Almost immediately after the patriarchal period, Ken moved on to another. To the cowboy one. It seems that, having realised that he had nothing to catch on the beach (literally and figuratively), he decided to find himself in a radically different profession. So, from now on, this Ken is a cowboy! Which means walking around Barbieland in a cowboy carnival costume, swinging a Sporty Ken's rope lasso and at any moment (usually the most inappropriate) shouting random exclamations that only Ken considered cowboyish.

However, everyone just turned a blind eye to the ridiculousness of the situation, because Ken was happy. He had never smiled so happily as when he learnt to spin the Sporty Ken's rope lasso.

The problems only started when Ken got too much into the role. If at first he was just whining to every passerby that he wanted a gun, now he was shouting to every passerby that he wanted a gun. Everything seemed to work out when he got his wooden gun, but that was just the start of a crazy race called "Calm the Mad Ken Cowboy".

You've often wondered how things would have turned out if one day Ken hadn't just burst into your home with the words:

“You've been abducted! Piff-puff!!”

You were having a peaceful breakfast in your home in Barbieland, well, before you were abducted, of course.

“Why would you want to abduct me?”

Surely you would have been scared to be kidnap. And you probably would have been if Ken hadn't been your kidnapper.

“Because that's what real cowboys do!”

You didn't know much about cowboys, but something told you that they didn't kidnap random people (or dolls) in the middle of their breakfast.

Ken was smiling excitedly, looking back at the door and licking his lips as if he was expecting to see the sheriffs of the wild west on the porch. You really haven't seen him so excited about something in a long time... Maybe you should play along a little bit? What could happen but that you would only make your friend laugh more? Isn't that a good thing?

You take a deep breath before you start the most ridiculous game of your life.

"Uh-oh!" You put your hands up as if a real gun was pointed at you (although hardly anyone says 'uh-oh' when a deadly weapon is glowing in front of them). "I think I've really been kidnapped!"

Ken's eyes lit up with childlike joy as he looked at you with gratitude. You could barely keep your expression in character, hiding a playful smile. Apparently, you were infected with someone else's carefree spirit.

“When will the noble sheriffs come to rescue me?”

But suddenly Ken's face changed dramatically. He stared at at you in confusion, as if he had just realised that he had kidnapped someone (albeit in jest).

“Why can't I rescue you?”

“You abducted me.”

It seems that the word "noble" has put Ken in front of a difficult moral choice: either to be a kidnapping cowboy or to be a rescuing cowboy, but a noble one. After all, how could anyone but him be noble?

“Uh, wait here a minute.”

Ken ran out of the house, leaving you with your hands up in the middle of the kidnapping scene. And you could have sworn you heard a mysterious whispering coming from behind your door.

Later, you were uninvited to your home. For the second time in one day.

“You are saved!”

You exhaled and gave up. Well, it was definitely an unexpected turn of events, but not the worst. You'd managed to make Ken happy, so you could cross one thing off your to-do list! Oh, you were so naive...

“Now I have to kiss you!”

“What?”

Ken was radiating joyful levity even as he declared that it was his duty as a sheriff to kiss the rescued.

“That's what they do in the films.”

When you decided to have fun with Ken, you didn't mean it! You'd be lying if you said you were totally against it, but it did seem a little wrong to kiss in the circumstances. The problem was also that you were intimately familiar with Ken's stubbornness, and especially with the stubbornness of Ken the Cowboy Sheriff. And you had to do something about it immediately...

You hesitantly walked closer to him, quickly, until the cowboy took control of the situation. You reached for his face and lightly touched his soft cheek with your lips.

When you pulled away, you were greeted by a confused Ken, with his hand firmly pressed to his kissed cheek, his cowboy hat tilted back, his eyes shocked and a deep blush all over his face. You could hardly imagine his reaction if you had dared to kis- Thank you for saving me, officer! Ken could only nod

[fertilize-my-eggs]

My online friend. Part 1

A03

A/n: this story will be up to 40 ch, I couldn't resist making this story, I'll get back into writing again, I've been dealing with my mental health so don't worry!! I'll get back into writing my fanfic very soon!!

I sigh heavily from my work, it is exhausting working as a business woman. My coworker has given me hell since day one except for one coworker… his name is Elliot. He is a sweet and helpful man but he is also a huge nerd. He recommended that I play league of legends.

At first, I didn't know how to play the game and I wasn't really into video games as much but he insisted that I would enjoy it.

I head into my room to get clean clothes to shower and then go to my desk to play the game.

I stretch a bit as I grab the clothes, I head to my pc to start it, I watch the screen turn bright as I click the download button for the game.

While it's downloading, it was time for me to get into the shower. I pull my phone out of my pocket to message Elliot.

(Me:) How do you play League of legends??

I click send to him as I walk into the bathroom, I put my favorite music to listen to as I begin to take my clothes off.

The shower will definitely help me from the stress, I hear a bing coming from my phone.

(Elliot:) It's pretty easy. All you gotta do is pick a character and it's a clicking type of game.

I narrowed my eyes as I huffed out, I began to type back.

(Me:) Easier for you .. I have no clue what to do.

(Elliot:) You'll be fine just watch some YouTube video of the game, I gotta get going. my wife will be upset at me for our date.

I sigh softly as I turn the water on, step inside the warm water hit my skin as I sigh in relief, ahh it feels so nice.

Watch a video of the game but it wouldn't be fun…. But then again, it's easier to know what you're doing.

I put my head on the wall as I sigh heavily, this is stupid… I shouldn't be overthinking this, it's a game, it's supposed to be fun.

I scrubbed my hair with soap, I hum quietly to the music, dancing as I shake my hips to the song.

Once I finish my hair, I begin to clean my body with soapy sponge. I scrubbed every inch until I finished with the shower.

I get out to dry myself and put a towel over my head, I dress in my comfy outfit, I put my dirty work clothes into the basket, I need to do laundry but that's another time when I have my day off.

I removed the towel as I threw it into the basket as well.

I head into my room as I sit down on my desk to see the game playing.

I smile, it looks cool.

It's telling me to start the username…. Create a username like.. I'm not great with names.

I pout as I think of names, maybe something simple and funny.

Maybe… I don't know. I typed a few names, none of them were available, I sighed heavily.

I type it pinkcloudkitty, it was available, my smile wide in joy. This is gonna be amazing, the characters show up on my screen as I feel clueless on who to pick, I pick random girl characters.

It was loading as I clapped my hands together, this is exciting.

I noticed it was online multiplayer, getting curious about who will play with me, I saw the chatroom typing away.

My character was in the middle, me being dumbfounded by this game, I started to click random things.

I saw the chat going crazy.

(Magiklord:) U suck at this game

(Mrstealurkill:) R u a girl?!?

(Kingslayer:) Shut up, play the game.

I narrowed my eyes as I continued to play, I tried my best to continue but I saw the text flying in.

(Magiklord:) Ofc it a girl, she's suck at this game lol.

I want to scream at this person, I begin to type feelings a bit hurt by this.

(Pinkcloudkitty:) Screw you magiklord, I'm new to the game jerk.

I got killed by a character as I sighed, this is ass.

Until I read the chat.

(Magiklord:) You're only good at being in the kitchen and being a wife.

Oh he is one of those…. I bite my lips, feeling angry boiling my skin, I begin to type but I pause to read the message.

(Kingslayer:) Dude, that is not cool of u. piss off with that.

(Magiklord:) Oh you're gonna be her white knight, you want her? Don't u king slayer?

Who is this king slayer, I feel flattered that this person is helping me.

(Kingslayer:) Why does it matter, u shouldn't treat others like that.

(Kingslayer:) If you keep this up, u will get blocked.

My character responds as I continue to play the game, I see king slayer’s character coming near me.

(Kingslayer:) I can help u if u want, pinkcloudkitty.

I smile at this, this is helpful then I see the asshole comment.

(Magiklord:) R u trying to get her as your gf lol.

(Kingslayer:) Shut up, you're getting a warning.

(Pinkcloudkitty:) You're annoying magiklord, had your mom taught you manners??

(Magiklord:) No, I'm not a sensitive woman like u lol u should quit the game.

(Magiklord:) Get back into the kitchen n make me sandwich lmao.

I slam my fist on the desk, feeling pretty irritated by this username, I started to type back only for them to disappear, huh what happened? The match already ended as I saw the menu as if it was just me and kingslayer.

He messaged me.

(Kingslayer:) Hey u alright over here? He's not gonna bother us anymore, he got banned lol.

I smile at this, this is great good riddance, I type back.

(Pinkcloudkitty:) Yeah I'm fine, thank u for the help, I appreciate it.

(Kingslayer:) Yeah no prob. u can ask me anything, I'll help u out :)

Is this a new friend? I'm getting excited but I check the time to see it is getting late, so I type back.

(Pinkcloudkitty:) Hey it's getting pretty late for me, do you want to play games together?

(Kingslayer:) Yeah sure.

I smile as I giggle with joy, I type back.

(Pinkcloudkitty:) Great!! I'm _____ !! It's nice meeting you friend! ^.^

I see him pausing for a moment as he types back.

(Kingslayer:) Oh.. you're not Japanese?? 

(Pinkcloudkitty:) Huh? No, I'm from the usa.

(Kingslayer:) Ohhh ok. That's pretty cool.. I'm Tomura, I'll teach you how to play the game.

Tomura… it's a nice name, I begin to blush as I type back.

(Pinkcloudkitty:) You have a pretty name, we'll continue this tomorrow goodnight tomura~!!!

I smile grow big as I lean back to see him typing…. Pausing, then typing again.

(Kingslayer:).... Thank you, sleep well _____ goodnight.

I quickly added him as a friend, and I turned off the laptop.

Make a new friend.

My online friend tomura.

[legallybrunettedotcom]

hi! can I ask you for crime movie recommendations, or just a list of your personal favorites? I've been getting super into crime fiction recently (books and movies), and I'm making a watchlist of movies I want to check out next. heist movies, gangster films, thrillers, anything involving criminals is interesting to me, and I'd really love to hear about your faves! have a nice day <3

hiii, Estelle! oh I love a good crime movie! I grew up on gangster and mob movies tbh so there's some obvious choices like the godfather and goodfellas. continuing with Scorsese, I love casino. I think it's somewhat underrated Scorsese, idk i just don't see it mentioned that often, but it's super fun. the departed as well, people talked shit about it, but it's great. then mean streets, serpico, taxi driver, dog day afternoon, heat, collateral, thief, chinatown. pretty much every Tarantino ever, obviously reservoir dogs and pulp fiction, jackie brown is my favourite and the sort of song of the movie is across 110th street from the movie of the same name, so I'd def recommend that one, it's an underrated flick. heist movie-wise, ocean's eleven kind of the king here. then set it off, bound, inside man, widows, the italian job (the original), topkapi and rififi are underrated ones, the asphalt jungle, the friends of eddie coyle, the taking of pelham 123, the thomas crown affair (the remake), dead presidents, out of sight, point break, the driver, hustlers, a fish called wanda is sooo funny. sexy beast is such a great and intense movie.

if you'd enjoy something criminal and psychosexual, I'd recommend two 60s movies the housemaid and who killed teddy bear? the cook, the thief, the wife and her lover is an insane sexy one. blue velvet fits here as well. Guy Ritchie made the same movie like 4 times tbh, but I love snatch and lock, stock and two smoking barrels, I think the man from uncle is also a fun one. Brian De Palma is good at corny and sleazy and I kinda love his scarface. body double is silly but I love a good voyeuristic movie. along those lines you obviously have rear window and peeping tom, and then to continue with Hitchcock, I love rope, psycho, and think dial m for murder is quite overlooked. natural born killers, true romance and the doom generation for something stupid and bloody. mandatory Fincher recs like se7en and zodiac. I love the usual suspects, it has that twist at the end that for me personally works even upon rewatches. another underrated movie is joy house with beautiful Jane Fonda and Alain Delon in his prime. faster pussycat kill kill is just pure fun and sleaze and gorgeous ladies. I love lady snowblood and scorpion with Meiko Kaji but I know you've seen those. tokyo drifter is a stylish one as well. some obvi french new wave recs like breathless and pierrot le fou. I'd say there's nothing quite like the atmospheric the night of the hunter. I love drive too, it's all style and the only substance is blood. uncut gems and good time are quite good too. out of something extra new, I enjoyed love lies bleeding more than I expected. seven psychopaths and in bruges for something cynical and silly. then fargo, no country for old men, the big lebowski. filth and trainspotting for something utterly dirty and disgusting. not to forget Hannibal Lecter, we can't not mention the silence of the lambs and manhunter. also badlands, dirty harry, carlito's way, eastern promises, the third man, the big sleep, double indemnity, gun crazy, bonnie and clyde, foxy brown, american psycho, the talented mr ripley, prisoners. something more along crime drama strange days, fallen angels, the city of the rising sun and made in hong kong.

[ppenguinpperson]

cardiomyocytes and connective tissue @nopanamaman

I’ve wanted to do a fic like this for some time now, a ‘thank you’ letter to PAFL and its community of sorts. I’m happy I finally got around to writing it:) 

I wasn’t sure whether I should do this or not, but, hey! It might make someone feel a bit better!! Or, reading the fic will. That’s enough reason, I think, and you don’t have to read this, of course, no matter who you are.

First of all, I want to talk about PAFL a bit.

The first PAFL song I listened to was PiP. I saw its thumbnail when listening to some other music youtube, and so, I listened to it. Oh boy am I glad I did:) I remember thinking how cool it is that someone's making songs for their OCs and that people are interested in them. I could see so much love for the characters in it. I was so happy when I discovered there were more songs like that!! This was around when Comfort Zone had first come out, a week or two after at most. That was two years ago. I’ve been obsessed ever since.

I love PAFL. I genuinely love that songs haven’t been coming out much lately. Like, there’s media that comes out weekly and sucks shit. I’m glad Ferry is taking their time with this!!! Even if all we get each year is one song, that’s cool, because the community is wonderful and we also get doodles and art and now patreon stuff.. yippee yay… !!! And even if we didn’t. who the fuck caressss!!!!! I love coming up with AUs and OCs and theorizing with my friends!!! the time between songs gives us time to do all that:)

The characters are so charming. Every member of the cast has been a fave of mine at some point or another. They’re all so, real! I love them! I love how they fuck up and I love how they get fucked over and I love how they get exploded and killed and shot and hugged and saved and helped!!! They’re human… might not make sense, but i rlly do like them…

It’s so neat looking back at older songs and seeing how stuff’s changed. The art style, the music, it’s all so nice to look back on. Even if I wasn’t there for it.

And don’t even get me started on the worldbuilding..  Everyone say thank you to Boris Strugackij and Arkadij Strugackij for making roadside picnic and inspiring Ferry to make this… so lovely and neat. wonderful. I have not read it myself, but I might, just to be able to make my own pafl OCs more swagger..

So. This fic.

I can’t mention two years ago without at least mentioning my depression.

I can’t remember most of last year, speaking truthfully. Parts of 2021 are also fuzzy. Depression and anxiety are terrible, would not recommend. This feels cheesy to say, but it does get better!!! Slowly, unsteadily, it gets better!!! I don’t mean for this part of the post to be a ‘feel bad for me’ thing at all. Do not. I am safe and healthy now and I couldn’t be happier to be here right now.

Is life good now?? Sorta, but what matters to me right now is, I’m happy!!! It feels so surreal. I never thought I’d be like this. A part of me wants to be angry, to get depressed again about how I could have been happy all this time. But I won’t!!! Because then I’d spiral and forget another year, and, I don’t want that!

Which is so cool!!! I can like, fucking, do stuff now!! I can throw away the bad thoughts, embrace the good ones, encourage myself!!! I do things!!! I go outside and goddd dude that’s so good!! I go outside!!!

I’m doing stuff! I’m drawing, writing, cleaning my room, taking care of myself!!! If I didn’t stay alive to enjoy these small joys, what am I even here for?? 

And I’m alive!!! I’m here!!! I made it, I’m here, writing this on 10th november, 2023, and I’m ALIVE!!!! How cool is that??? 

And yea, the world is shitty, it sucks ass, but, my friends don’t!!!:3 and that’s more than enough for me… SHOUT OUT TO MY FRIENDS!!! I LOVE YOU DUDES!!!

Moving on:

It doesn’t feel right to say that I’m here now only to PAFL. But, what I can say is that it’s been a wonderful crutch for me!! It’s been something to focus on, something silly, but also something I can relate to, and something that inspires me to make my own stuff! I’d most likely still be here, were it not for these silly songs.. but, not sure I’d be as alive as I am now! Unsure if my heart would feel right in my chest! And I wouldn’t have met my amazing friends!!!! Everyone here is so nice.

Dima may be a bit OOC in this fic, and that's because! This fic is based on my own experiences, which, i don’t think is bad…

I could talk here forever about how it gets better. Butttt to be quite honest I don’t wanna lol. I just wanna say, Thank you! to Parties are for Losers, for being cool. 

(Though I also wanna say, don’t put Ferry on a pedestal, they’re human, we all make mistakes, all that stuff.)

Ok time to go back to my manly Sergei ways and never talk about emotions ever again. or as anya would say: FUCK IT WE BALL!!!!!

[omegalomania]

some kind soul uploaded the full q&a that fall out boy did the other night! here is a highlights reel of things that grabbed me while i was watching for those who don't have time to watch:

they have a rapport with the interviewer and have hung out with him a bunch. patrick says they spent like 30 minutes making fun of couches last they hung out lmao

pete describes working with neal avron as being held like an enchanted forest creature with him standing inches from pete's face and saying "what. are. the songs. about." and pete going "oh my god he's looking into my fucking soul rn"

when asked what their favorite meal is, andy says "mom's spaghetti" and doesn't elaborate, patrick says "sushi" and doesn't elaborate. pete says that he's like the joker and he's a simple man and today he had a full english breakfast and he didn't know what to do with half the stuff that showed up.

pete talks about discussing the name of "the beatles" with elliot ingham (their photographer) and says he finally understood that their name was a pun. he says about this "i'm not the sharpest tool in the shed" and doesn't realize he's referencing a meme. the crowd immediately fills him in that it's a lyric by smash mouth. andy clowns on him for this right after: "he's NOT the sharpest tool in the shed"

the host says that pete seems very intellectual. pete says "i PROMISE you that's not true."

when asked about formative musical influences andy and patrick both cite familiar names (andy namedrops drummers for bands like slayer and metallica, patrick says his dad being a folk singer was a huge influence and the 1989 danny elfman batman score). pete says joy division but says he's a visual person and most of his influences are movies.

there's a moment where patrick and pete banter and pete points at the host and says "he just told me i'm smart, i'm trying to live up to it!!" and patrick says in this very small high pitched voice "please be nice to pete!"

anyway pete says his biggest influences are "all the twilight movies except for the one where they introduce [i have no idea what he says here because the crowd promptly goes apeshit]" and also lego batman.

for newer artists patrick says he really likes the new zulu record and the new incendiary song. he says he also likes MSPAINT, alvvays, and another band i couldn't catch the name of

pete says he likes all of patrick's recommendations and says he also likes games we play. andy doesn't give any artists but says patrick gave a "great list" because he's VERY jet-lagged. he's keeping it together as best as he can tho lmao

when asked about if they would ever do a fashion runway show like they did in 2013, patrick says he was embarrassingly short for the whole thing. "i'm at like, bellybutton level." so he says he doubts they would ever be invited back to do something similar "unless they want a bunch of hobbits"

someone asks about producing and patrick gets really in depth with what producing is like and uses "from under the cork tree" as an example - "nobody puts baby in the corner" was barely adjusted from demo form but "sugar we're goin down" had totally different verses at first until they got better direction from the producer.

when asked about what their favorite video to film was, pete says youngblood chronicles WASN'T a lot of fun to make because it was like 9 months with fake blood in your hair and clothes that haven't been washed oNCE. he also didn't love doing the prosthetics for "love from the other side"

the host asks if they've seen the last of us and pete says yes but points at andy and says "he hasn't seen the last episode though so no spoilers!!!" which i thought was very sweet. he then follows that up with "just watch the fuckin episode so we can talk about it!"

patrick and andy said they shot a music video recently that was a "blast" but it's not out yet. pete calls it "very fun, very funny." the crowd starts cheering and patrick hastily says "YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT! you're under NO obligation to like it! but if you do then that's good :)"

patrick says one of the best parts of being in a band is that they all have imposter syndrome but in different ways so they can build up each other's ideas even if they don't believe in their own.....

pete's very nervous about the lyrics to this album cause he's not sure they'll be relatable since he has a lot of "insane fears day to day about not existing." he went to a lot of places that were terrifying to him and he was like "should i talk about this to my therapist" but his therapist said "put this in your lyrics"

"heaven, iowa" was the song that took the longest to come together on this record. this is followed by a rly long anecdote from patrick that im putting in another post cause it honestly made me howl.

when asked about who they'd most like to collaborate with, andy without hesitation says "ourselves" and nothing else. pete says he wanted a kid cudi feature on the album but it didn't work out since he was either busy or ghosted them fldjflkdf

when asked what song are they tired of playing that they can't cut from the setlist and they DON'T want to answer. patrick says some songs have really high notes that are demanding physically for him but that's as specific as he gets lol

pete's like "well we've got this punk song we end all our shows with from one of our earlier albums and it gets very chaotic and sometimes it's a bit of a fancy crowd of people who are like 'i like centuries, i like some of their other songs....i write sins...' and before we start the song i'm like. oh god this is gonna be bad."

when asked about the songwriting process, patrick says: "pete sends me lyrics, i mine them for stuff i like, and....i hate starting answers like this i feel like i've been saying this all MONTH. so i have ADHD - " [crowd fucking goes wild]

when asked about which projects they're proudest of outside of fall out boy, patrick turns to andy and says "andy is very quiet about being in like thirty bands" but andy says he's proud of "all of it"

patrick remarks that he's heard some love for soul punk but is also super grateful he gets to do film and tv scoring now too! he says he likes that when he's talking to people and they ask what he does and if they don't know bands or anything he can say he likes scoring for film and tv and their eyes glaze over and there are no follow-up questions LMAO??

pete is proudest of the bands on his record label!

for favorite songs on the new record, patrick says he likes "what a time to be alive" and says the lyrics are "so tremendously pete"

pete likes "baby annihilation"

when asked about the most difficult song to play live, patrick said headfirst slide wasn't really that difficult even though he expected it to be. he says a lot of songs on mania were very challenging to play live, like young and menace. pete says "what a catch, donnie" was very hard for his "little brain" to play

at the end pete shouts out the host for being fantastic since they've hung out like 3 times now and he thinks he's a great dude to hang out with. andy inexplicably follows this up with "you look like a DAMN fine cup of coffee" and doesn't elaborate but patrick thinks that's his way of saying thank you too

[bengiyo]

Ossan's Love Returns Ep 9 (Finale) Stray Thoughts

Last week, everyone sensed that something was up with Kurosawa, and so the squad rallied to host a home party to cheer him up. Kurosawa spent much of the episode working on saying goodbye, and even left instructions for Maki with some household tips before teaching him how to make his version of miso soup. He left goodbye videos that completely destroyed me, and his final scene in the park with Haruta brought me back to the In the Sky goodbye in ways I was not ready for. I don't want to mourn him, but I feel like I already am.

I can't drink those smoothies that just taste like grass.

NOT THIS GOOFY ASS MAN MISHEARING THE DOCTOR AND JUST WALKING OUT OF THE HOSPITAL!!

He kicked the doctor!!!

All this drama over red food!?!

Oh lord his home sold. Where is he going to go??

I hope the entire cast comes to visit him a little bit at a time. This is great.

"Give me back my tears, geezer!" Yes, Maki! Fight him again!!!

I'm with Haruta. I think about my parents getting older. I've been making slow preparations for the future.

Good job, Chizu. I'm glad you're still here to keep Haruta from spinning out.

Oh, thank you for the shower scene. Tanaka Kei has a great body.

Natflax real estate???? I'm gonna lose it.

This recruiter looks familiar. I'm going to need to look them up later.

STYLER JIBS!!!!!!!!!

Oh no Haruta is having nightmares now.

Whoa, is that Tabasco hot sauce???

I really do love the way Kurosawa and Maki moments have evolved over time.

I love that the whole crew is here for a surprise party, and glad Kurosawa is back to tormenting Maki.

Haruta bursting into tears whenever he feels too much love is one of my favorite things about him. He always appreciates every earnest gesture from Maki.

This is beautiful. I would love to be surrounded by all the people I love telling me all the things I did that made them feel supported and appreciated.

Takegawa got a cat! That feels so correct.

This whole sequence is incredible. It's an ongoing group hug, a party, and a talent show.

Maika is always eavesdropping and she is correct. Not all queer relationships need names that fit neatly into other expectations.

It does feel like a family photo. I have quite a few with my wider digital families.

Wow, the cherry blossoms scene was beautiful. I really appreciate how explicit this season has been about the complex nature of family and that finding community and joy in it is possible in any number of configurations.

Maro is such a dude I love him. He would absolutely get into a fandom just to be closer to his mom and wife.

Kiku and Izumi made it! Can't believe that they've grown on me a little bit.

Teppei, Chizu, and Maika having dinner with their kids as Teppei sings another song is perfect for them.

Maki stay trying to slam the door on Kurosawa.

Another almost brawl!!

"WE ARE FAMILY!!" I got all my sisters with me!! Okay, I cried.

Final Verdict: 9, Highly Recommended. I think, even if you bounced off or didn't watch Ossan's Love (2018), you should absolutely check this show out. There's so much to be had in this show about adults navigating what they want for their lives as they try to take care of the people they love. Maki and Haruta figuring out what their romance is going to Iook like when it's not just an idea landed so well for me. I like that Maki is still able to be a little bit terse or reserved, but he's finally able to say clearly to Haruta how important he is to him and he's also better able to be around others. Izumi is right that Haruta is this beacon of love that others seem inevitably drawn to. Kurosawa is such a huge presence, and he reminds me of some of my favorite gay elders. I hope to be as powerful and loved as him when I get older. I'm so glad I went back and watched Ossan's Love properly. I can't believe I denied myself this incredible experience for years.

[thatscarletflycatcher]

Joy

So many to pick for this! you'll forgive me if I do another one in Spanish, but every Advent I'm reminded and mourn the fact that when the Mass was translated, the word used for gospel was evangelio from the Greek root, rather than the Hispanic-Arabic albricias (which has the same meaning), and there's this one very old carol from the Uppsala song book which includes it and also has the classic call-and-response of Spanish Christmas carols:

One: give me joy, children of Eve! All: Tell us, why should we? One: 'Cause the new Adam is born! All: oh, the Son of God, what great news! Ones: give me joy and rejoice yourselves Others: Because tonight is born Ones: the promised Messiah Others: God and man of woman begotten.

Ones: And his birth releases us Others: From sin and its toil Ones: 'Cause the new Adam is born!

All: oh, the Son of God, what great news!

Send me an ask with a Christmas vibe word (loosely understood), and I'll recommend you a Christmas carol.

[greetingfromthedead]

Shepherd Story 3 (God!Knives x GN!Reader)

Plot: In a world where fallen gods live among you, there is the god of winter and death who is also eternally bound to you with body and soul. A sense of routine has arrived as you fulfill your duties and wait for his return.

Series: Shepherd. Check out Story 1 and Story 2 (smut)!

Pairing: God!Knives x GN!Reader

Raiting: Teen and up

Tags: fantasy!AU, god!AU, no use of "y/n", established relationship, gods, feathery plant, fated love, romance, legends, nature magic, reunion, intimacy, possessive behavior, tenderness, some fluff, angst, death, reincarnation

Word count: 4.6k

Author's Note: We had a blizzard here after a day of sunshine and 17 degrees so it made me think of this story again. Wrote this mostly while listening to Rachmaninoff, I highly recommend their dramatic pieces to accompany this little story. This AU is inspired by @triplesilverstar's god!AU.

His sister's presence has retreated again, opening the gates for the northern winds to howl across the lands beyond the god's domain. Tesla had brought summer and filled the hearts of all with joy and love. All but the god of winter and death, for his heart beats for only one person and one person alone. He has waited patiently for another cycle of this world and to be released from the confines of his demon infested home and reunite with his beloved. He makes it out of his shadow realm, passing the first human settlements. He is followed by a dark cloud of despair and winter's chill. His steps freeze the earth beneath, and his presence seizes the sway of grass as the moisture in them turns to ice. The drinking water for the horses forms jagged crystals on its surface as the god passes by a farm. The animals are whining restlessly, his presence unsettling them. The forests are silent, the ancient trees muffled by a blanket of snow, as the heartless man continues on his path, leaving destruction in his wake.

It is so cold. His fingertips have gone beyond pain, and he can barely feel them anymore. His body wants to seize up, but he pushes on. He will never give up; he will never stop moving. The darkness radiates from his chest; it is so heavy and empty, the vacuum left in his center yearns to be filled with your love. It is the only thing that will save him. The only thing that gives him meaning. It is the only thing that gives him hope. The thought of your warm touch lingers in his mind. Oh, to see your smile again. It would make everything else fade away. The color of your eyes would relieve his pain and bring him back to life. In every iteration, you are gorgeous to him. No matter what body you inhabit, he will always be captivated by your beauty. But still, he can look past the external appearance and see the true splendor within you. The breathtaking and captivating presence of your soul has tied him to you for eternity. The strings of faith will never be severed, no matter how many curses are placed upon you. He will always remain by your side, unwavering in his devotion.

He moves south, with blizzards and frost as his faithful followers, spelling death for those unprepared. Nature has gone so very quiet as he walks through the meadows and fields. The air grows colder and darker with every step he takes, and the little lifeforms hold their steaming breath as he passes by in fear that they will be reaped by the god of death himself. But he is not here for them. As he slowly approaches the southern lands, where he knows he will find you, a melody strokes his ear, soothing the despair that has been building up inside him. He stops for a moment, the brilliant light of the moon reflecting on the glimmering snow. He recognizes the siren song, which draws him closer. Two hearts singing as one in the stillness of the night. It is very far, a quiet melody to daunt his soul. But he knows you can feel it too; your soul is drawn to him to close the distance between you.

The souls of the dead sound like little bells to you, beckoning you closer. Their crystal clear chimes ring out, guiding you towards them. Tonight, as you fulfill your duties, you hear one calling out from the village over the pasture. Being met by the souls of the dead is never pleasant; knowing they lived a life and had hopes and dreams beyond what they had achieved fills you with sadness. They were people who leave behind mourners and heartbreak. But to hear a ghost call from so close to home stings you more sharply than any other encounter. Your body is asleep in your little cottage as your spirit crosses the green, grassy field as a fox. Your presence doesn't disturb the grass or the cattle. You drift to the house where an old woman has lived for all your life. You know her well; you gave her your dried herbs when she got ill, and you played catch with her grandson when you were both little. She moves through her yard with a slow shuffle, checking that the door of her chicken coop is closed before going to count the goats in the barn. She looks concerned while she performs her nightly routine. You take your human form to use your voice.

"Mrs. Claire," you say calmly and quietly as you watch her. She looks up, her eyes filled with worry.

"It's you," the old woman blurts with a shaking voice. "I knew the rumors were true!"

She backs away, expecting to be met by the little gate separating her little yard from the rest of the world, but instead just passes through it.

"Oh!" she exclaims with a shrill voice, befitting an old crone. She looks at her surroundings and herself.

"Yes, Mrs. Claire, I am afraid you have passed on." You answer her unspoken question, and she looks at you without responding. You make no attempt to go closer to her as you look at her beautifully maintained garden and the memories it must hold.

"What are you doing here, you witch?" She nearly spits out the last word.

"I am here to send you to the other realm so you can be born again with the flowers of spring," you say almost absentmindedly before turning a sharper gaze onto her. "Or I could leave you to roam the grounds for a while longer as a ghost."

"I do not trust you! You practice witchcraft!" she exclaims, her voice trembling with fear. "You even lured the god of death here to advance your own power! We saw it! You let him bring destruction to our land!"

"What will it be, Mrs. Claire? Will you come with me, or do you need more time to say goodbye?" You reach out your hand to her, ignoring her accusations. "The outcome will be the same."

"I shall not go with a creature of darkness! You are trying to lure me into a trap! You shall not capture me!" She clutches the scarf around her neck and backs away from you.

"Very well. I shall come back later." You give her a little nod with your head as a slight smile dances on your lips before turning and walking away.

"Your wickedness shall be punished!" The old woman calls after you, but you don't dignify her with a response as you follow the chime of a different soul, much further away. The black wings of a raven carry you to a little town further in the north. You perch on top of the church tower and look over the streets to see some spirits wandering the empty sidewalks below. The snow has covered everything in a thick layer of cold, shimmering white. The coughing echoing from the windows tells you your beloved god has been here before you. He must be close; you have felt his call for weeks now, urging you to find him. You look over the souls—some of them going about their business like they haven't realized their mortal coil is over, and others sounding out their prayers to whatever god they have devoted themselves to. The wind howls through the narrow alleyways, carrying with it the whispers of lost souls seeking redemption. Your purpose settles heavily on your shoulders, and you take flight again. You soar between the high building walls, letting the gust rip through your wings and scatter dark feathers into the abyss below.

Some of the dead watch in awe as you pass, their eyes filled with hope and longing for the freedom you possess. They reach out to touch your feathers and grasp the key you have provided. With tears streaming down their faces, they whisper their gratitude and prayers for your safe journey. With a glimmer of stardust, they disappear to return to the circle of reincarnation. You move on, knowing that their souls will now be reborn with a newfound sense of hope and purpose.

You spend the night shepherding the souls of the reaped into the afterlife, knowing that they are in good hands and will be born again soon. You followed the pull of your being as a roe deer through the forest, feeling the ancient magic guiding you towards the man you love most in all of your lives. You walk alongside him, but only the dead can see you, so you just blend in as one of his many shadows. Spirits, both neutral and malicious, follow him everywhere he goes, but you are there only to steal a glimpse. He moves so silently, his eyes trained on the path ahead. His face doesn't let on any emotion; he looks cold and calm. Almost dutiful. You know you will see him soon, but as dawn creeps over the horizon, you hurry back home to your sleeping body as a white rabbit, running across the fields and pastures.

He arrives again with frosted flowers covering your windows and gracing the surface of the puddles outside. The leaves of a creeping vine by your house collect jagged crystals on their edges. The air is still and the world is blanketed in a serene silence, the quiet crackle of the fire in the hearth providing the only sound. A wide smile graces your lips as you look at the approach of the god from your open door. Your heart is so full of joy and anticipation that it feels like it might burst. You have your arm outstretched as he gets closer, and he wordlessly takes your fingers into his cold hand. The chill of his touch sends a shiver down your spine. His lips press against the back of your hand, his freezing breath tingling your flesh. He cherishes the warmth of your skin and the way your free hand cups his cheek and lifts his chin. It makes life creep into him again to soothe the pain of frost in his chest. Your gorgeous eyes look at him so tenderly, no words need to be spoken to understand the mutual longing for each other. From the thousands of meetings you have had in the past, all the meaningful words have already been spoken in a hundred different languages, but none have ever felt as powerful as the silent exchange between your eyes in this moment. He lifts his head to step closer, your soft breath exiting as a white cloud from your lips. He moves the hand he still softly holds to his chest, his fingers wrapping around it as he presses it to where his heart used to be. He closes his eyes and whispers, "I miss you more than words can express, sweet Shepherd."

He feels the shadow of his heart start to beat again; it fills him with warmth and chases out the cold longing that births the northern winds. His whole body is enveloped in a sense of love and warmth. The blue marks grace his skin and leave you in awe, like they always do. You straighten up and reach to kiss his jaw line. This makes him open his steely eyes again and turn them on you. You can see the love and adoration in his gaze. The god of winter and death is gorgeous, with or without the marks, and you are overjoyed to call him yours. You can't help but smile as he pulls you into a warm embrace, melting away the coldness that usually surrounds him.

His lips find yours, capturing them in a tender dance, speaking of his longing and spilling the devotion he holds for you. Your hearts sing as one, and your souls are entangled for a single night before he must leave your side. Words don't need to be spoken at this moment. His skin feels warm again, and his embrace could be mistaken for human, just like all those thousands of years ago. He holds you tight, knowing that this fleeting moment is all you have.

You guide your lover inside your formerly warm house, but his presence grows the shadows and brings a chill no fire can warm. Yet you feel no cold . You are consumed by the passion of his touch, lost in the intensity of his gaze, and you realize that you would endure any darkness for just another fleeting moment with him. You would follow him into the depths of despair, knowing that his love is worth any sacrifice.

You stop as you reach the shaft of light that streams through the window, the remnants of daylight creeping into the shadow infested room. You turn towards him, your fingertips grazing the palm of his hand, teasing the promise of being entangled with his digits. You slowly trail them up along the veins of his arms, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath your touch. Your fingers linger on the soft feathers growing from his collarbones, feeling the gentle rise and fall of his chest with each breath he takes. You pause as you caress his features, admiring the peaceful expression on his face. You touch his birthmark and nose, your thumb tracing the curve of his lips. He leans into your touch, a hand covering yours as it rests on his cheek. His lips part, and a hum of enjoyment escapes his throat.

You look at his eyes, and they are all you can think about; his face is etched into your soul like it's your mirror. He is there in your heart and mind, forever present in whatever body you are born in. As you speak his name, it is the softest word you know, it leaves a sweet taste on your tongue. It's a name you'll never forget, no matter how cursed you are. Life after life after life, you will speak it again and see these beautiful eyes gazing back at you.

His other hand goes to your lower back to pull you closer until you are pressed against his chest, feeling his heartbeat against your own. His lips kiss your eyes and trace along your nose before they meet yours. His love is a force of nature—unyielding and unwavering. It's a love that transcends time and space, binding your souls together in an eternal dance of passion and devotion.

He holds your face tenderly in his hands, his thumb trailing over the curve of your lips before he leans down to kiss you softly. His warm hands are so tender against your skin, and you melt into his touch. Your heart races as you hold on to him, wishing with all your heart that he didn't have to go. The moment feels fleeting, but you know that the memory of his touch will stay with you.

"This unearthly love is yours alone. It is merciless and suffocating. But for you, my sweetling, I would die a thousand times over." His lips brush over your cheek, leaving behind a trail of tingling warmth as he speaks.

He pulls away, revealing a smile on his lips that makes your heart ache with longing. The feelings in your chest swell, and you struggle to find the words to express the depth of your emotions. As he walks away, you are left standing there, feeling both grateful for the time you shared and devastated by his departure.

"Wait!" you call out and follow him along the path leading away from your house. You know the rays of sunshine creep over the roof of your house, starting to paint your frosted yard in a golden shimmer. You catch up to him, and he looks down gently as you grab his hand and squeeze it tightly.

"I love you. With everything I have. I love you. I always will. And this isn't fair. What they did to you… to us. It is cruel and unjust. And yet, here we are, standing together. I wish you could stay, but this is already proof that even though we fell, they lost." You look into his icy eyes and see the determination and resilience that will carry you both through the challenges until you see each other again. You caress his cheek and gently pull him closer to place another kiss on his lips. The warmth of his embrace envelops you, and you feel grateful for every moment spent with him.

"There they are! So it is true!" A murmur of different voices skips across the grass, and you look to see some men coming around the corner of your cottage. Your eyes glance over them to see that they carry weapons, mostly hand axes and spears, but a few have their swords drawn.

"So they are a witch! Conspiring with gods and demons!" An outroar ripples through the group of men, and you can assume there are more of them behind the corner.

"You have lured winter to our doors! You brought hunger and death to our land! Prepare to face the consequences of your treachery!" A different voice speaks up; it belongs to a man with crude leather armor and a sword.

You look wide eyed at the people you have known for your entire life. Among them are youngsters you used to play with, men who would greet you on the streets, and neighbors you have brought back from death's door. And now they all stand before you, ready to seek justice for the suffering brought to this land. The god shifts to stand in front of you, hiding you behind his mass of feathers reaching from his back. He doesn't speak a word as he glares at the mob, who has come with a thirst for blood.

This feels familiar. Glimpses of ancient times flash before your eyes. The way you prepared for battle against the gods of war. The way you wielded your gleaming sword with fierce determination and a heart full of rage. Your trusty extension is no longer with you; it has been replaced by a weak and mortal body not fit for fighting. You now stand among other mortals, stripped of your former strength and power.

You reach out your hand to touch your lover's back as a sign to stand down, but as your fingertips touch the feathers of his wings, you feel a surge of pain run through your body. You realize he has lingered by your side for too long; you are out of time. You pull back before he can rip at the threads holding your body and soul together.

"Go. Hide in the forest." His cold voice speaks without turning his head toward you. "I will take care of them."

You look around the broad back to see the mob move closer; it looks like every man from the nearby villages has gathered together to hunt you down. You back away from your lover to head to the dark wall of trees beyond your yard, hoping to find safety and escape the angry mob. It gets colder as you distance yourself from the god. The flimsy shawl doesn't offer you much protection against the biting wind that seems to be raising around you, picking up the light dusting of snow.

You hear more shouts and yells behind you, but the blood rushing in your head drowns out the rest. Where will you go now? Where can you run to and survive? The answers are not clear, but you know one thing for sure: You must keep moving. You need to get away from it all. As you can nearly duck into the shadows of the forest, you barely manage to pull away from the swing of an axe. You fall backwards into the crunching moss covering the forest floor. The frost underneath your fingers feels painful as it creeps beneath your nails. You see a few men coming towards you, including the one with the axe, and you scramble to your feet again.

The usually comforting forest is now filled with a sense of impending danger. It is filled with more than just shadows and your lover's demons. It reeks of hatred and blood lust. You run as fast as you can back towards your little yard and see your beloved look back at you with fear in his eyes. As the people close in on him, their weapons leave no marks on his skin. The god knows you are being cornered, and while he is immortal, you can be snatched away with ease. The candle of your life is flickering due to his presence alone as you run towards him. He needs to act fast. His fingers grab the neck of the man closest to him, and while usually the cold grasp of winter would be enough to snuff out a life like his, this time the puny mortal keeps fighting for his last breath in a desperate attempt to survive.

The god of winter and death realizes the warmth in his chest. It is you. Your presence has ignited spring within him as it should, his heart beating within his chest, robbing his shadowy powers. His presence alone isn't enough to protect you from these savages this time. Your love hinders him from laying waste to what threatens you.

He breaks the neck of the man he is holding and moves on with a speed unmatched by any human. The god tears through the immediate danger surrounding him before charging at the attackers on your heels. His wrath grows with every life he takes. He is determined to protect you at all costs. His feathers brush your cheek as he passes you, and you fall to your knees. You feel the fragile bond between yourself and this form fraying. He loves you to death. The god knows he is killing you. But he cannot stop, for your safety is his top priority. He has to secure you before he can leave your side. He must protect you from the hands of these fiends. He has failed you once before; he cannot allow it to happen again. He has to get away from you. Destiny and fate tease him with the dilemma of death as he rips through the mortal flesh of a man with a raised spear. His chest and feathers are covered in splatters of blood as he moves on to the next one. The symphony of violence plays in his ears, drowning out any thoughts of mercy or remorse. The only thing driving him forward is the primal instinct to keep you safe, no matter the cost.

The world is shut out as you hear a pair of footsteps approach. You raise your eyes to see a young man with his sword drawn. You want to run away; you need to scream or escape, but your strength has been torn from your weak body by the god of death. You kneel in front of him, your eyes begging for mercy, hoping that he will spare your life. In his gaze, you see fear and hatred. The curse you bear has been long forgotten by any mortal being. You cannot blame him for the dread he feels. The god of winter and death came for you; his presence introduces a bone-chilling cold that ruins crops and brings darkness to the southern land. The man before you demands your soul as payment for what he believes you have done to this world. You will find no mercy in his heart. He raises his sword and plunges it down into your chest.

Your hand grabs the blade as pain sears through your body. The man disappears from your sight, replaced by a display of beautiful feathers. You fall backwards, the tip of the weapon digging into the frozen ground below as blood paints the grass in vivid crimson. As your vision blurs, an arm wraps around your back, pulling you into a warm embrace. Your eyes look up towards the heavens, and a fleeting thought of cursing the other gods crosses your mind before the blue sky is replaced by eyes of the same color. Your hand, that's not bleeding around the blade, reaches up to gently touch his face.

The god grabs the hilt of the sword with his free hand as he watches the life quickly drain out of you. Is it the blade or the touch of his skin that does it? He does not know. Your being is unraveled as he leans closer, your vision fading to black. You wish to leave some words to him, but the breath escaping your lungs carries nothing but silence.

You are gone before his lips reach yours, so he hovers above them. He will not steal a last kiss from this body; you aren't there anymore. It is little more than a prison for the soul. He leans his forehead against yours, still clutching the sword and pressing you into his embrace. You are gone, leaving just a shell behind. You took his heart with him, and all the warmth you had filled him with seeps out of him with the tears he sheds, leaving only cold emptiness. The outstretched mess of wings that served to protect you start to grow blades of ice in-between the long feathers. Shadows gather around the god as hatred fills his mind. The down on his collarbones and neck grows into larger feathers, forming more wings as he lifts his enraged gaze up towards the few remaining people brave enough to face down the god of death. The people cower in fear, knowing that their fate now lies in the hands of a vengeful deity. His face turns monstrous, the eyes dark as the night, and feathers start to cover his face. He bares his elongating fangs at them. Shadows start to bubble up from between the wings, forming faces and clawed hands. The creatures of darkness escape the god and slither to the ground. They slink along the frosted ground, leaving a trail of ice in their wake. The sky darkens as the shadows grow longer until they reach the mortals. They freeze in terror as the creatures surround them, reaching out their hands to grab at them. Their souls are ripped from their meek bodies and consumed by the icy demons.

With a roar that shakes the earth, the god unleashes his full power, engulfing the land in darkness and merciless blizzards. The beastly deity bellows a deafening cry of grief that echoes through the meadows and forests. It skips over rivers and lakes. It shakes the mountains and leaves a sense of dread in the hearts of everyone across the lands. A chilling reminder of his immense power and wrath. The storm rages around him, spreading snow and demons in its wake. In the middle of the deathly horror is your latest body, frozen in time forevermore.

The beast stands up from the cold cradle he has created and chooses to move on, leaving destruction and chaos in his path. The grief robbing him of his human form, transforming him into a monster of pure rage and darkness. His empty chest bleeds with the longing of a heart that will never beat without you, consumed by the grasp of vengeance and hatred. Every step leaves frost and shadows behind; anything touched by the feathers gets ripped to shreds by the hidden blades of ice. He is searching again. Waiting for you to be reborn, to hear the siren song of your soul. It is so cold again.

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[sunshines-child]

*spins dramatically in chair* god im so tired. sunny ur children have taken over my prefrontal cortex its not funny anymore.

partner in crime - madilyn mei: screams luc to me thinking of his little dove, but also from theos angsty teen perspective. the song fits them both almost like a back and forth conversation (i might make a post actually this is genius lmao). actually now that i think of it it fits u too lol (it has that vintage circus vibe if u will)

why good people become monsters: video essay of sorts exploring the lucifer effect (nuff said lol), but i recommend reading the comments for more insight and perspective. the art and presentation is slightly unsettling and i love it.

random quotes i from the top of my desktop notes: (long read sorry)

"he had all his mother's vivid imagination and passionate love of beauty. Frost of winter, invitation of spring, dream of summer and glamour of autumn, all meant much to Walter." - rainbow valley, l.m montgomery

-> luc and mercy change my mind (u cant hehe)

He said: “Only God can Judge a monster like that… I just set up the appointment”

-> my boi armund snaps (and snaps someones neck oop-)

“hell is empty, all the devils are here” - the tempest, shakespeare

-> this is definately written somewhere on altis lol

… as John [Lennon] told Rolling Stone magazine in 1970, “When it gets down to it, when you’re drowning, you don’t say, ‘I would be incredibly pleased if someone would have the foresight to notice me drowning and come and help me,’ you just scream.”

-> theo fighting his demons and losing :') eventually leading to some fall out with daddy dearest.

"It brings me so much joy to watch someone else get staggered by the full range of human degeneracy. We really do be wildin." - a yt comment lol

->i like to think that while both luc and altis kill in cold blood, for titi its another day job or whatever but for luc he thinks a lot about life and death and morality and corruption and thats what leads him to insanity later on.

classic case of living long enough to see urself as the villain but also a favourite trope of mine where people join the dark side for the cookies out of deep empathy for the wronged victims as opposed to say the violence and injustices they themselves may have experienced.

but also post armunds death luc lets all hell loose because how *dare* anyone lay a finger on his beloved boy?! the angst potential my dear is frankly off the charts and i love them all so much it hurts

anyhows this is for fun & i wanted to share some pebbles with ya

i couldnt resist >:D

I have not a single regret taking over your prefrontal cortex. ITS MINE NOW MWAHAHHAHAHAHA Partners in Crime by Madilyn Mei recognition YAYYYYYYY it’s so fit for their characters I’m in tears RAAAAAAAAAAAA Im not changing your mind you’re cooking. “he had all his mother's vivid imagination and passionate love of beauty. Frost of winter, invitation of spring, dream of summer and glamour of autumn, all meant much to Walter." You’re hurting me it’s so fucking beautiful oh my poor heart and soul he is the very bring of his mother, those calloused hands still flying, desperate to cling onto Mercy’s hands, still desperate to cling upon the hands of his mother who rested his head upon her breast. Armund doesn’t exactly ever…snap. His rage is there, and everyone knows it’s there. He’s the only one getting rid of his rage instead of bottling it down. He’s constantly shrouded by rage. “hell is empty the devils are here” is my knew favorite quote. I’m one of the devils LMAO also yes it is very much inked on Altis (probably his hip) Luc and Altis kill like all hell. And you’re very right on what they feel. Altis feels nothing. It’s just another thing he has to do. No rush, no nothing. He’s just… doing it. Luc in the other hand feels everything. Even when it’s someone he is killing more as a task, he’ll feel a rush of everything, all the thoughts, everything. He knows, oh he knows the mortality of everything, including his own soul. (Also he’s constantly bringing the edge of “what if I just died”. It’s. It’s worrying.) Luc. Luc BREAKS when Armund dies. He loves his son, but in the end there’s no tru nurture still left in it. His son turns away from him, and he draws back his hand and cries. And his little angel, his Armind is there, to give him a true taste of joy despite the life all of them live. And what happens to man without joy?

[mending-up-your-fences]

My annual round up of BC/BCB performance highlights of the year. Sometimes your favorite band is on a touring hiatus, aka they still do concerts but with a smaller band and less frequently (but often enough to “keep the harmonies tight”). Lol.

Oh Dear - Brandi Carlile

Remember at Mothership when they randomly did a show with seven songs from GUTG? Specifically, I started crying when I found out they performed this song.

Have You Ever - Brandi Carlile

Another throwback! I love the joy and goofiness of this performance. One of those songs that really highlights just how much she’s grown vocally. Watching her play with the textures in her voice is so fun.

The Story - Brandi Carlile

Just a casual performance of The Story in front of 65,000 people, as one does… (I love this band. A lot.)

Fall Apart Again - Brandi Carlile

We are four songs in and haven’t made it past a GUTG song, so really emphasizing how much of a throwback year it was. I don’t know what it is about this orchestral arrangement but I love it. Thankful that MHB live-streamed the concert.

That Wasn’t Me - Brandi Carlile

One of her most underrated songs. Truly a song that only she could have written, and this is one of her best performances of it. Also shout out to the cover the singer from Red Clay Strays did of it.

The Stranger At My Door - Brandi Carlile

The year is 2024, and we are reviving The Stranger At My Door, lol.

Hiding My Heart - Brandi Carlile

Shut up shut up shut up, I can’t believe they actually played this request. Her voice is stupid, this song is so good, sad Tim songs for forever.

Whatever You Do - Brandi Carlile

I wasn’t tired enough of crying, so here’s one of her best ever performances of this song. Also recommend her symphony performance at Red Rocks.

I Can’t Make You Love Me - Bonnie Raitt

This is the best new cover she’s done in a hot minute dear god. Her voice is absolutely stunning. Sheryl’s accompaniment is fantastic.

———

Honorable mentions:

Any video from the Red Rocks performances, any video from Drury Lane, Skyline Pigeon, Madman Across the Water comeback cover, continued commitment to Fat Bottomed Girls, the entire “I’m gonna look at you/don’t look at me” YAMOTR performance, the 1 second clip of her and Catherine staring at Tracy Chapman, take 2 of lesbian She Used to be Mine, annual performance of Total Eclipse of the Heart, Creep cover (dear god, they kind of took the year off and yet???)

———

This Time Tomorrow - Brandi Carlile

I don’t know who is responsible but this is one of the most beautiful songs they’ve ever released and I’d like to take this time to thank whoever decided to go back to performing the ITSD version, which they briefly did in 2021 and had not done since until this year. What a beautiful concert closer. Also recommend the Mothership performance with the kids, which Tim cries through. And also the Easy Street performance which is an essential *them* moment.