#competing to become god is tricky

[lightofunova]

💞 for reshi and my ho oh boi? Just based off what you know of him so far, I know he's still got a lot of development lmao

I think based off what I know, she would be supportive of him trying to earn the position!! She would want to offer aid, but knows it isnt her place to get involved in another region’s dilemmas, especially one as touchy as that. She would be curious as to who made his robes and love to have a chat or let him roost at the tower! Fire types are always welcone of course.

[angelofthemornings]

What is it about holding a gun that turns ordinary people evil and insane? I know many normal Russian citizens, and because my old college is known for being VERY buddy-buddy with Israel (I have written some sternly worded emails about that) tons of Israelis come to study and I've met plenty. (The Hillel house was right next to my dorm so I'd come hang out in the open-to-everyone sukkah and that sort of thing, so I met like all of them, in fact.) Can't remember meeting anybody who wasn't a nice, cool person.

Yet all I hear about on the news is Russians and Israelis taking potshots at little kids...I can't possibly imagine practically any of the people I've really known doing that, but I don't think they've hidden all "evil" Russians and Israelis from my eyes. (Especially because I am a Russian speaker and can talk to Russians on their own terms, I'm not solely meeting Western-friendly queers.) (Well, you do have to be at least a *little* friendly to put up with an accent and occasional mistakes though, the worst kind of Russian fucking hates it if you don't speak their language flawlessly.) So what happens?

You know what those two nations have in common? Conscription. You get yoinked away from your normal life and any warmth and kindness to go through training to mold you into a literal military environment where you get punished for one toe out of line and usually hazed SEVERELY. In Russia and Ukraine this is especially bad because there are whole brigades of neo-Nazis. "I identify as a neo-Nazi" level neo-Nazis, they're not even hemming and hawing about it. (Probably the hardest choice Ukraine ever had to make during this war was whether they should incorporate the large, well-equipped, and better-trained Nazi brigades into the general army.) As for Israel, I saw somebody in a news article explain "In Israel, we are the IDF" and that lack of distance from the violent arm of the state seems sinister to me.

Conscription is not a tool to get more soldiers. That's a happy side effect. It's a tool to indoctrinate young people when they're at their most rebellious just as they've gained the power to be politically active as adults. I myself don't know if I'd be able to come out the other side of a couple years in that environment with the same political opinions, although I hope so, or at least I hope I'd return to basic humanity as soon as I'm back in an environment fit for human beings.

Gun control is a tricky topic for me because I used to live in Alaska and will be moving back soon. Many many people in Alaska need to use those to eat because communities - and here I'm talking Indigenous communities - are so isolated, you can't get anything except by the occasional bush plane. Buying groceries is next to impossible. I can even say that during the Festival of Native Arts they hold at Fairbanks, where folks from waaaay out there come to perform, people from the university organizing the celebration will go out and hunt a wild moose or something to feed the performers even though there are two Fred Meyers in the city. Because the folks from way out there and not like Anchorage, they can't digest factory farm meat, it's crammed with antibiotics and God knows what else, they do get sick if they try, it can be an issue with University of Alaska freshmen until their bodies adjust. Native Alaskans also need some pretty dangerous and complex weapons like exploding-head harpoons to hunt whales. (I mean, they're not out there with assault rifles, but legislation would have to allow for big and weird weapons in order to encompass whale hunting tools.) I also, as a kid, once looked into becoming a competing target shooter. I like guns. But... man. Nowadays...

Of course, it's not actually the fault of the guns. A gun can't hold itself up to your head and make you do anything. Down With Conscription. (And I have another, secondary rant here about how the only way to really get rid of American mass murders is to get rid of rampant male entitlement in this society - especially white male entitlement; I know of, for example, exactly one Asian guy who's done a school shooting in this country - but that's beyond the scope of this post. I do also question whether or not strict gun control just drives the trade underground under American conditions - IIRC I've read evidence suggesting that it doesn't actually *accomplish* control, which I was surprised to learn, although I'm going to have to look up those figures and the conclusions drawn by smarter people again - and, look, I'd just be a lot happier if like, non-suicidal trans women open carried. For obvious reasons.)

(Of course, I can't argue with the stats here, troubled people in other countries who just can't get ahold of guns don't use them. But whenever I think about gun control I immediately wonder how to implement it in a way that won't screw over Indigenous Alaskans. Surely some politician or activist has a brilliant idea about that and I'm just not well-read enough to have seen it or understood it, though. I should see if any Indigenous activists are fighting for gun control and have explained somewhere how to implement it properly because they know this subject better than I do.)

[bubuli-3110]

Can I request a part 2 for the douma and dio duo.

But the star dust crusaders reacting to the couple of death. And the power increased dio. Jonathan his body whoud no longer reject dio because of the demon blood.

(imagine her coming in between the last fight talking all the damage in laughing about it because douma is built different. )

(for some reason I believe they would marry to mege their cults together ruening some poor people to be wed wedding day and using their guest as a all you can eat buffet probably leaving the bride or groom alive because that's something they whoud do. And I see dio sending their wedding invite to the star dust crusaders just to piss them of. )

How would dio introduce her to his followers and pucci.

Join Me (pt.2)

Dio x Fem! Douma

Synopsis: Continuation of Join Me. Find part 1 here.

CW: blood, gore, death, violence.

Requests as of this post are: Open! Please find the rules link here. (JJBA, AOT, JJK, KNY, and N (Akatsuki Only))

• The long awaited day had finally come where Dio would be able to end the Joestar bloodline once and for all. The Crusaders had finally shown themselves.

• Now taking up residence in Egypt, growing their cult, Dio and Douma now had the world at their finger tips. Jonathan’s body now under Dio’s complete control thanks to the demon blood and Douma at her peak form with her new vampire powers.

• Originally Dio wanted the pleasure of finishing off the crusaders himself, but with the newly realized ability of Jotaro Kujo being able to stop time, things began to get a little more tricky.

"Now now, I don't take to kindly to people trying to take what is mine~" Douma would purr.

• Douma, however, was not about to let her one true love and obsession be humiliated further, therefore she joined the battle and was able to take any amount of damage that star platinum threw at her, regenerating at a speed that not even Jotaro’s stand could compete with. It was through this partnership that they were able to beat back the crusaders.

"Fools all of you if you thought you could win against gods." Dio would say.

• Even new followers like a young Enrico Pucci were amazed that such powerful beings existed on this earth. They had to be gods. There was no other explanation.

• Dio found such pride in the possession of Douma, showing her off and spoiling her. He especially loved to flaunt her to his followers, having them worship her.

• To settle any possible unrest between their two cults, the two would marry, but this would be no normal marriage for sure.

• Unfortunately for a nearby wedding ceremony, the gods of death decided that the best way to marry was staying true to their natures.

• Causing carnage.

• The wedding was crashed, guests becoming food or blood bags. Chaos and panic everywhere, however, the two would happily indulge in this spectacular and seal their own vows to one another with a bloody kiss, along side the corpses of the former bride adn groom.

"My equal, my masterpeice." Dio would praise.

"To our eternity." Douma would toast to.

• Let us not forget the blood stained wedding invite addressed to the Joestars that was promptly rejected. 😂

[lordascapelion]

Why do you worship your god YHWH as the only one? This is a legitimate question? What good does it do for you? Everything your god has done for you shouldn't have anything to do with his status, or uniqueness. I've seen the power of gods alien to your own, from Hel (the goddess I'm closest to, though I do worship others), I've seen her stop animals from moving, protect the sick and wounded, and cause a blind preacher to see her and flee. And I've felt her love, felt her comfort (I probably wouldn't even identify as agender if it wasn't for her help). But because she is not your god you would call this demonic? And say my soul is bound for damnation? Why not admit the existence of other gods, and keep to your own if you wish. How can your relationship with your god even be safe if you can't leave for another? How can it be called anything but bigotry to deny another god's divinity while you worship one yourself?

Is this a response to a post I made over a week ago? Have my words really been bothering you that much?

First, monotheism is one of the belief systems that makes the most sense. Ironically I think animism is probably similarly logical, but also has holes in it. Monotheism arises from the idea of a supreme ideal. If you could do everything absolutely perfectly- make the right choice in every instance, would that not be following a path that would go towards the highest good? Monotheism is a desire to realize the thing that towers above all things. Polytheism splits the ideal into parts that have strengths and weaknesses and even compete against each other. So why worship such things when you can prostrate yourself before the thing higher than all of them? If you, truly, want to become the best creature you can possibly be, why shoot for anything less than absolute, incontrovertible perfection? That's why I reject polytheism. I think the ideas are cool and are sophisticated ways to understand a very complicated world, but they fall short.

Isn't Hel, like... the god of the underworld? Why would she love you? This really is taking the concepts of Christianity and applying them to unrelated belief systems. The Christian ethos is so saturated in our culture that even people like you, who want to flee from it entirely, just end up crimping the elements that felt good and relabeling them in a way that appeals to you personally.

You will have to forgive me but I really do not believe that you were able to invoke powers of illusion and animal paralysis. I have never seen any occurrences that would lead me to believe that anyone can perform thaumaturgy, magic or miracles. I'm even a little skeptical that reports of modern day Christian miracles are authentic. Though for trivia's sake, I do think I've seen an apparition once and experienced what might be called a "miracle", though it took place entirely in my mind so it's plausibly deniable.

While labels are a tricky thing and I'm hesitant to embrace any, I think it would be pretty accurate to say that I'm conservative. Do you have any idea just how absurd (and dare I say, pretty fucking hilarious) it is to me for some goofy pagan to tell me that they're only agender because of the Norse goddess of the underworld? How am I even supposed to respond to that? Did becoming agender make your life better? What do you have now that you didn't have before? Whatever, it's not important. But I can tell you that Hel is not the reason why you chose to identify that way: it was the culture around you. Others impressed that idea onto you and you chose to embrace it in an effort to reinvent yourself.

For the record, I do think that other gods and demons exist, though I define them differently than most. A demon is an idea that executes itself across time, using human minds and actions as a medium. It's similar to Dawkins' meme theory, though I do think that extramaterial intelligences have a role in the propagation of these ideas. A god might be one such idea that has gotten so impossibly huge that it's fully out of the control of the humans that originally spawned it. A war might be called a god. Systems that bind human activity develop wills of their own and greatly resemble organisms.

As for why I reject the worship of other gods- see paragraph 2, above. Something that does not stand as supreme over everything is not worthy of worship. That and I have never seen a reason to any other god as legitimate, least of all your fanfic version of the Norse god of the underworld. You're also doing that thing that leftoids do where they make exercising your judgment and considering one thing as better than another to be "bigotry." Disagreeing with someone else's beliefs is not bigotry. I can deny or accept anyone's claims to divinity as I please, in accordance to my own conscience. Get that shit outta here.

Now I think you're a total goofball and I do not expect you to accept any argument I've laid out here, but you did manage to bring up some concepts that I've devoted some level of thought to, so cheers for that.

For science's sake, you might want to try this: pray to Hel that I see a very specific sign that's undeniable- I dunno, maybe a headless deer walking around. Seems like it should be easy for the god of the underworld, no? It would be an interesting experiment, at least.

[kissingcullens]

I wanna talk about the Fandom idea of Izzy Hands as a “manipulator,” and common ideas around Ed “performing” Blackbeard. I’ve just been kicking around a lot of thoughts about the topic after seeing a lot of meta that feels not-quite-right to me.

First; I admire the writing in Our Flag Means Death SO MUCH. I think that it stands up really well to endless different analyses and has a lot of nuance!  So I’m not trying to say like, “all XYZ meta is wrong.” But I’m REALLY starting to balk at the popular fandom notion that Izzy is a devious manipulator and that Ed is just “performing” depending on who he’s with in order to have love and acceptance--- in a way that I feel needlessly victimizes Ed and discounts his agency and power as a character.   First of all, Izzy isn’t manipulative; he’s a blunt fucking instrument.

Which imo, is a WAY more unique angle for a character like this; we’ve all seen manipulative and ambitious "power behind the throne” characters like Jafar, Wormtongue, etc. a thousand times in media... That’s NOT Izzy and Blackbeard’s dynamic! Before Ed even meets Stede, and all throughout episode 4, it’s crystal clear that Izzy answers to Blackbeard: NEVER the other way around. Ed is clearly not intimidated or swayed by Izzy’s opinion, and he knows EXACTLY who Izzy is and how far to trust his judgement. Moreover, I don’t think we ever see Izzy even trying to be subtle or tricky, except for maybe the “Go suck eggs in Hell” scene. (and even that small attempt to “manipulate” Ed completely falls flat and backfires!) He could have tried to do away with Stede in a million different ways, but instead he challenged him outright to a duel, and screamed that Edward would “rue this day!!” as he rowed away... I think Izzy’s violent outburst and resignation in Ep. 4 show us a perfect snapshot of his and Edward’s relationship: Izzy describes how Ed has become increasingly erratic and withdrawn; ��An unpleasant shell of a man POSING as Blackbeard,” who has increasingly left Izzy to do the lion’s share of leadership as a kind of over-burdened middle-manager... “But I did all that because I was HONORED to work for the legendary Blackbeard.” Think about Ed’s fake-sympathetic, mocking tone when he replies, “Sounds stressful, Izzy.” Izzy, shaking with the rage of a tiny dog, SCREAMS his resignation in Blackbeard’s face and flips him off.  And what happens? Ed looks unimpressed. He’s not threatened, or uncertain, or even angry... he doesn’t even FLINCH, for God’s sake. This is not a guy who feels he has to prove himself to anyone, LEAST of all Izzy.   At the same time, Ed is a shrewd and brilliant strategist.  He is very aware that as Blackbeard, he is on a dangerously high pedestal, and that he needs to play his cards right to keep his power... part of which is having a competent and undyingly loyal right-hand man like Izzy--- -and we see Ed play to Izzy’s pride and ambition to keep him by his side. “The crew would need a new captain of course... I need you here.” (but Ed isn’t manipulative or domineering with Izzy either... He apologizes when he’s wrong and listens to the crew’s concerns.) And on the topic of Edward: Ed is the co-lead of the show, and his entire arc is about yearning for “something more.” ”Is THIS all there is??” “...Do you ever feel trapped?” “We’re just not those kind of people, and we never will be.”  So who IS Ed? Undoubtedly he’s going through a crisis, and he’s TIRED of “being Blackbeard...” but I think it’s doing his character a disservice to act like he’s just simply “playing pretend” as Blackbeard. Ed IS Blackbeard. It’s an identity of his own making which has begun to stifle him... but it’s also not quite an “act” in the way some people talk about it. you know? Like... when we first meet Ed in Episode 4, I’m so struck by how EASY and natural he is... He’s relaxed, friendly, charming, and playful. ...this guy OWNS the room, wherever he is. If he thinks something’s cool, he doesn’t give a SHIT who sees him playing with a model ship, or admiring frilly shirts, or wearing foppish clothing. (This is nuanced too of course!! He is VERY self conscious about things that counter his “coolest, most badass guy in the room” self-image, and he LOVES to show off and to “win” social interactions) But consider how TOTALLY un-self-conscious he is playing the “switching clothes” prank in front of the entire crew.  He prances and twirls around in a frilly shirt and fancy leggings while performing a “character” and being silly and playful... and he still expects absolute respect and obedience as a matter of course.  The level of confidence is fucking unimaginable.  This is NOT a man who is insecure in his masculinity or authority.  He’s that Super Popular Guy in High School who could like, wear nail polish or like an “uncool” band, and suddenly all the super-macho, “no-homo”-yelling bullies would say “OMG me too, I think painted nails and ABBA are BADASS!!” Ed in Episode 4 is Jack Skellington; he’s unquestionably the best at what he does; a LEGEND, the real fucking deal... ...but he’s bored, disillusioned, burnt out. He wants something MORE, but he has no idea what it is, or even if it’s possible. I think the important thing here is that Ed is struggling because he CAN’T just stop being a pirate and retire, as Stede naively suggested... and he knows that he’s losing his grip, and that ONE mistake could ruin him... and almost does. He miscalculates his Fog/Full Moon gambit and nearly gets them all killed, to his shame and despair.  ”You wanted to be Blackbeard, this is what it’s like!” That is why he devises the plan to murder Stede and steal his identity. That’s why, even once he’s decided against killing Stede, he keeps trying to leave; because he KNOWS this little vacation with Stede can’t last.  Izzy is not a manipulator; he’s the voice of reality.  An incomplete and biased reality, yes, but Izzy IS telling the truth about their world, at least as he understands it.  Blackbeard CAN’T stay with Stede forever as pirates. The piece of red silk represents Ed’s lifelong yearning to break free of things that constrain him, and his hope for some unknown SOMETHING better. His mother gave him the silk to teach him that there was a natural Status Quo to the world, and that he would never break free of their life of poverty and paternal abuse... but he DID. He killed his father and became an outlaw, stealing from the rich, rejecting authority, and becoming a power unto himself.  I imagine that for a long time the power and acclaim of being Blackbeard was FREEING, exciting, and empowering... perhaps he even kept the red silk to remember: “A different life IS possible, and I’m living it!”   But now?  Blackbeard is just another box. So he tries to escape- gives up EVERYTHING... and he fails. When Ed comes back to the Revenge after his plans to run away with Stede fall through, he clothes himself entirely in red silk and continues to TRY to make his dream come true, and to find meaning and freedom... “Why are we even being pirates??? We should have a talent show!!”  Izzy’s confrontation with Edward is threatening and violent, but Edward is in charge of the interaction and easily overpowers him. Ed clearly doesn't value Izzy’s opinion or friendship for its OWN sake... ...what Izzy makes Ed realize in this scene is that his situation is hopeless. When Ed hears the crew chanting “Give us another song, Eddie!!” and stamping on the deck, it becomes clear to him that he can’t continue like this. He can’t command the crew’s respect like this, he’s in danger of losing his second-in-command, and he can’t just “stop being a pirate,” or he would have done so long ago.  The entire first season is Ed’s journey to find MEANING and meaningful change in his life... he plunges into a brave, breathless dive into the unknown, and he is broken on the rocks.  His arc ends as a tragedy.  He realizes that his dreams of “something better than this” are futile, and he lets the square of red silk float out to sea... accepting that his hopes and dreams were futile all along, and accepting that he is trapped. Izzy both pressures and threatens Ed when he gets too close to shedding the Blackbeard identity, but I think it’s important to understand that Izzy is not the CAUSE or creator of any of this.  Even Stede’s abandonment is not at the HEART of what is going on with Ed; Stede broke Ed’s heart, but JUST as much of his heartbreak is realizing that he was a fool to ever believe that he could be truly free, or that he could truly change his life... Ed’s crisis of identity and meaning is SO much bigger than any of the people in his life, and UGH, AGAIN, I’m just SO in love with the writing on this show.

[corvase]

workplace romance prompts

feel free to use :)

character a starts at a new firm and lo and behold the person in the office (character b) over is a childhood friend/high school ex

them racing each other to the office every morning

them walking in together and splitting up reluctantly to start their work day (esp if they work in diff departments or are keeping the relationship a secret)

them eating lunch together in the cafeteria

“have you eaten?” “no.” “be there in two.”

one leaving roses and lilies at the others desk every morning

office enemies to lovers !!! must i even say anything i have like a million enemies to lovers posts

rather than competing to make the other fail, challenging each other to work harder and become better at their job

“do you think we should tell anyone?” “i’m okay with whatever you want. i’m just glad you’re mine.”

them sending little sticky notes to each other during work

both of them sick of the job, huddled together in a corner, faces inches apart like “no, don’t quit. if you quit, then i’ll quit.” “if we both quit then our full time job can be loving each other.” “God you’re corny. i love it.”

“what do you need from me? i don’t need this job. i don’t need any of them, okay? i just want you.”

both of them just being passionate about their work together

working in the same office for years but never really running into each other until one meeting

“i am so tired i could sleep in lava.” “come, my love. i’ll carry you to the car.”

unfortunately, character a works with their ex. when they’re unwillingly arguing with them off to the side, character b happens to overhear and defends character a while pretending to be their current partner to shoo the ex off… but now the whole office thinks they’re dating

“maybe if you could do your job i wouldn’t have to correct you.” “maybe if you stopped correcting me you wouldn’t be getting fired.”

rather than working in the same office, one works in the actual office and the other works in the cafeteria, or the janitorial, or the front desk, or the print office

both of them snuck away and are hiding together, trying to keep their laughing fits as quiet as possible

^^ “stop laughing, i really have to get back to the conference in like five minutes!” “we can make it quick.” “STOP.”

“wait… you like ME??? i thought you liked (other colleague)???!!?!(“ “HELLO???? I LITERALLY SWITCHED TO YOUR DEPARTMENT FOR YOU!!!”

“i can’t believe we worked together for five years and i’ve literally never even seen you.”

both of them being able to rant about colleagues or bosses they can’t stand

“i admire you so much.” “stop.” “no, i’m serious. you do your job so damn well, i’m in awe of you.” “we have the same job.” “and you do it better!”

“race you to the cafeteria?” “always.”

disagreement on whether or not they should tell their other colleagues

i also caution everyone who wants to write a boss/colleague story! not that i’m saying it never works, those often get tricky with power dynamics and can ruin the romance aspect. otherwise happy writing :)

[pacificwaternymph]

ask game: scott smajor

I'm gonna go ahead and do this for Empires!Scott because he's my favorite of the bunch.

First Impression: Imma be honest, I didn't start watching his POV until it started becoming really lore heavy. I was more interested in the past life romance he had going on with Jimmy than the whole Xornoth stuff at first, but I liked him a lot. Thought his character was interesting, but I wasn't super sucked in and drawn to him like I was with Lizzie.

Impression Now: *Slaps roof of Scott* this baby can hold so much trauma. One of my fav characters to read hurt/comfort about, and I'm still ever in love with Flower Husbands. His character deserved better tbh :( the tragic ending was fitting but I was really hoping he and his brother could be friends again without the whole... dying thing. Still, I love him very much and I like watching him suffer.

Favorite Moment: Hmm, that's a tricky one... I have to say I really enjoyed his first interaction with Xornoth, where they both just kind of... stared at one another. That was really funny. Also the entirety of the date episode was just soooo cute! I'm not one for angst without a happy ending so that's my comfort episode.

Idea for a Story: I want more Lizzie and Scott interactions, because I think their dynamic is hilarious. Frenemy/rival siblings-in-law competing for the affection of Jimmy. I also have an idea for a very bittersweet one-shot about the two of them talking about the pain of outliving their loved ones, and how they handle their grief.

Unpopular Opinion: Scott's exile should have lasted longer. I get that with the scheduling and the way others' episodes went that may not have been possible but... I think Scott's exile should have been at least one more episode. Also Jimmy should have been the one to bring him back home, especially because of that poppy Scott had with him in his little ice palace.

Favorite Relationship: Canon-wise? Jimmy. But Fanon-wise? Xornoth. We didn't actually get to see the siblings interact all that much, and I really would have loved to see more of them together. Maybe I'm just a sucker for sibling dynamics.

Favorite Headcanon: Both Scott and Xornoth were necessary in the world to keep the world in balance. The reason the eternal winter came about was because Xornoth was sealed away, where their power was considered null and void. Without their magic keeping Scott's in check, it began to spiral and created the eternal winter. Likewise, if Scott were to be sealed away somehow, the overworld would be turned into another Nether, whether or not Xornoth was making a conscious effort to corrupt it. This is why the siblings' lives are linked: it's the gods' way of keeping the world from falling apart.

[kitsuneheartreviews]

YA Fantasy: “The Sunbearer Trials” by Aiden Thomas

Second novels are notoriously tricky, but Aiden Thomas has given us something EVEN BETTER than "Cemetery Boys."

For eons, semidioses have competed in various trials to prove their worth and be proclaimed the Sunbearer. They will bring the recharged energy of the sun, created through human sacrifice, to all the cities of the world. And the sacrifice? That's the semidios that loses the competition. Competitors are mostly children of Gold gods, but occasionally children of the minor Jade gods are selected. Our narrator, Teo, is a Jade goddess's son, and the best he can hope for is to just place second-to-last and survive. Until...he starts to win. And he begins to wonder if he might be the first Jade semidios to become the Sunbearer.

One worldbuilding thing that keeps sticking in my head: how non-human characteristics might play a role in someone's gender identity and gender dysphoria. Teo, our narrator, is a trans man. He wears a binder, but not how you'd expect. Teo has already had top surgery, but his WINGS did not transition as he did. They're plain brown, not the vibrant green and blues of a quetzal bird. But, as you can see form the book cover, that doesn't stay through the whole book.

I also love the inclusion of sign language, and while I'm just a student and not actually Deaf or a CODA, it seems like it was portrayed respectfully. Sign language seems to actually be quite common in the world Aiden built, as many high-status characters are able to sign with the Deaf semidios without a translator. Teo cannot, but there's almost always a translator nearby. And Desi isn't generally held back in the trials by his deafness, remaining a strong, sometimes even dangerous, opponent through the whole book.

The romance in the book is small, tentative, worthy of a first book in a series. Nothing overwrought, and there's childhood memories together to make it more believable. I'm way behind this ship, and I hope that fandom churns out some good fanfic to keep me sated until book 2 is released!

Pan Dulce is a delight. Best goddess.

I anticipate this being a runaway hit!

Advanced copy provided by the publisher.

[comicaurora]

What are your thought on “The Word of God”, (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/WordOfGod) in that a writer can simply tell their audiences this is how things are in my universe and you must believe it or do you think the idea has to be put into the work itself (example, how JK Rowling talks about her characters even though the books are finished

It's tricky to say. From my perspective, when it comes to my story, there's no difference between what's in my head and what's on the page, except in how competent I am at getting it from one to the other. From my angle, word of god and word of plot are drawing on the same information source - namely, me. If you ask me something and I say it's true in my world, it's true in my story whether or not I manage to get it on the page. It therefore doesn't make sense to me that you'd believe me from one outlet and not another.

But if your question is more general, I think ultimately every work of art is a conversation. The artist puts something into the world and the audience takes that and puts it into their head. What the artist conceives of, what the artist puts out into the world and what the audience absorbs from that are three very different things. The author can never really see what the audience sees and the audience can never reverse-engineer the writer's full intent, so the conversation becomes complicated if they start communicating directly - much the same way any conversation goes when neither participant really understands the other. This space of interactions is what is typically described by "Word Of God" - an artist is asked to weigh in on their art after it's already been absorbed by an audience, so the artist is discussing one thing while the audience is thinking about another thing entirely.

I think these interactions are always dicey because, again, the fundamental element of mutual misunderstanding is an inevitability. The writer is intimately familiar with one version of the story, each member of the audience is intimately familiar with their own version, which may have very little in common with the intended original work. In order for these interactions to not be complete trashfires, both parties need to understand that they're ultimately discussing two different things. The author can share their original intent and context, the audience can ask about their interpretation. If they don't realize they're not actually talking about the same thing, the author could think "they're wrong" and double down, or the audience could think "that doesn't fit" and complain, and everyone ends up yelling.

I think unfortunately this problem reduces to "whose interpretation of the story is Most Correct" which is an unanswerable question. The author knows their own intent best, but the audience can best see the story from the outside - both angles have merit in completely incompatible directions. There are creators whose opinions I don't trust at all, creators whose opinions I don't care to hear, and creators who I really want to know their behind-the-scenes thought processes. I think ultimately it's case-by-case and personal preference. I follow Neil Gaiman but could happily go the rest of my life never hearing about JKR again.

[mssirey]

More SuperReign Knights AU!! (A follow up to this)

The rains had mercifully held off for the summer games, but were not so gracious as their duel—called a draw the day before to keep them from taking the whole fairgrounds down around them—resumed in the training yard. There was no ceremonial garb to be concerned with and after the sun had been on their skin all morning, the rain was almost welcome. 

The singing of their blades was momentarily drowned out by calls to clear out—lessons abandoned around them—and the disgruntled shouts of curses at any god that might listen as hungover knights stumbled for shelter. But all it took was one glance while their swords locked to know that Kara had no interest in postponing the conclusion of their duel. 

The challenge that always managed to define them—both the tie that connected them and the bounds of what they were—reared its head in the fires she saw in Kara’s eyes, just as it had shaped her words the night before. Sam could still feel the imprint of Kara’s weight in her lap; the way her knees caught against the outsides of Sam’s legs; the way she relaxed back; the smell of her hair—it refused to leave her, but she couldn’t find a hint of its meaning, or its mirror, in Kara. 

The other knight wasn’t as graceful as Sam knew her to be capable of—her parries sloppy, her timing off by a hair—but Sam was too sluggish to press that advantage, the night’s ale lingering enough in her system to dull her reflexes. But they fell into step, following the familiar dance between them, the ring of their blades clashing joined by the patter of rain on soft soil. 

As the skies grew darker and the rain came down in sheets, they were left without witnesses—no one to judge a victor—and still they continued. Sam tried to steer Kara towards a slick stretch of mud, swinging in a wide arch—allowed herself to be predictable, easily avoidable if Kara stepped correctly—and then a turn of her grip would allow her to follow with more aggression, push the other knight back, direct her to where her footing would be compromised. 

Kara was sharper than Sam gave her credit, already noting the shift in the terrain—a lesson both J’onn and Alex had been sure to drill into her and the others in her class—and she knew to disengage, to take stock of their surroundings. “You’re going to have to do better than that,” she called as she put a few paces between them, competing with the shower to make her voice carry across the yard. 

Just as Sam felt the water running down her neck and beneath her leathers, Kara’s short hair was getting flattened, falling over her eyes. A quick swipe pushed it back in a messy sweep and still more rain coaxed it forward again. They were both blinking, adjusting to the rivulets that streaked their faces, each testing their grips with a few easy swings, knowing that it was only a matter of time before it was hard to keep a handle on their blades. 

The rain was hard enough to distort the image of Kara, and perhaps that was for the best as her tunic clung to her abs beneath the line of where her leather chest guard cut off. It had never been quite so distracting and Sam couldn’t bring herself to examine the interest her eyes showed. 

“You can forfeit here,” she offered, a laugh forced from her lungs to cover how the words had teetered on her tongue, nearly tumbling from her lips to die in the gathering mud. “I wouldn’t hold it against you.

“Never!”

It was always the same. Kara never chose to back down, and it had been thrilling to have someone who wanted to cross blades, who took every chance to stand opposite her despite the names she had been given—Black Reign the one that had stuck, shortened eventually to Reign. Most young knights feared her, would bow out of duels or take early falls to avoid truly testing her, but not Kara. 

Kara. The golden knight of high noble birth, who could have easily chosen to be a knight in name only, but who instead stood fiercely behind the codes she upheld. The woman who was bright in spirit and wit; who could turn a room with both action and song; who was greeted by everyone, but also took the time to greet in turn—even those whose voices were lost in the crowd or those who struggled to get anyone to meet their eye. 

Kara was the one who sought Sam, relentless and insistent, and through her Sam found it easier to hold her blade proudly. She enjoyed the rivalry they shared, but somewhere along the line it had become something different… or perhaps she wanted it to and instead it remained just that. She couldn’t decipher it, couldn’t understand it. 

And so Sam leaned into what she knew. She strode forward to close the distance between them, boots already feeling the suction of fresh mud, careful to watch the turn of Kara’s grip and the shift of her weight, to check which foot was planted. 

“Come on, Sam, don’t hold back!” 

Only Kara could demand something so boldly and genuinely want it. It was foolish, brash, but also welcome. 

Sam let the fire caged in her chest bleed into her arm, dropped her grip to the one hand and swung, hard enough to crack bone through armor. She trusted Kara to know how to handle it, her heart rising with the shriek of her blade dragging down the length of Kara’s as the angle directed her momentum away from the other knight.

Kara shouldered her to the side, tried to unbalance her, to find an opening after her aggression, but her own footing made quick maneuvers tricky. They danced apart, righted their stances and then circled, each watchful for any slip. 

Sam’s blade was longer and heavier, and she knew the bones in Kara’s hands and forearms would feel the sting of each clash, until numbness reached her shoulder. If she could keep Kara at a distance, keep her on the defensive, it would only be a matter of time before she couldn’t hold her arm up. 

But Kara knew that as well as she did, knew to not let her control the pace. So to provoke Sam meant she was studying, gauging how steady her blade was in the rain and how fast her swing. She needed to know the windows of opportunity, and Sam couldn’t let her learn them. 

Sam charged, put her body behind her blade and caught the twist of Kara’s grin--a brief glimpse as she was sidestepped--the revelry at her full effort setting her heart out of rhythm. She couldn’t understand what joy Kara got out of it, but that smile made her knees unsteady. 

They continued, going even with what Kara redirected and what she avoided, each stumbling and slipping more and more as the earth soaked up the rain, until Kara found the opening she was looking for. 

Sam got too close and the pommel of Kara’s sword came down on her hand, wrenched her blade from her, and if she had been steady enough to get away, Sam would have lost. But favor turned, and Sam swept her feet out from under her, gratified by the wet impact as Kara’s back hit the ground. 

Sam kicked her sword from her grip and took advantage of the knight’s struggle for breath, getting over her and pinning her arms. 

“You look good on your back.” 

Sam said it in the spirit of competition, but the hitch of Kara’s breath and the flutter of her lashes brought the possible meaning into glaring focus, the realization painted in broad strokes across her skin. A splatter of mud touched Kara’s cheek and Sam released her wrist to gently brush it away, her gloved thumb lingering after, hovering, drawn by a yet unnamed force towards parted lips. 

Sam’s hand sank into the mud by Kara’s head, braced as she felt the pull of her own heart, the gravity that called her towards the other knight. The rain added the barest gleam to Kara’s lips, enough to keep her gaze trained and narrowed in. 

She watched as Kara’s lips moved, formed around words she didn’t speak, tried to guess what she might say—if it would be a remark about how she should move from where she straddled the other knight. She hoped that wasn't what Kara wanted, but the peek of tongue she witnessed kept her from truly considering the consequences. 

Sam leaned down, only to pause, her breath heavy as it shuddered from her lungs. Her cheeks burned hot, the rain on her neck not enough to cool her. She didn’t catch Kara’s fingers as they slipped into her leathers, at the opening for her arms, but the tug overcame the last of her hesitation, and she let herself fall into the cushion of those lips, to taste the heat that scorched its way through her skull and licked down her spine.

There was no reason to be found. No question to be answered. Sam knew how to follow instinct, how to let her body move for her, and so when her mind sought haven in the comfort of the other woman’s presence, her tongue pressed for what it wanted, drank deeply as Kara met her with just as much desire, a groan spilling into her mouth. 

A boom of thunder drew them apart, laughing and breathy. 

“This isn’t defeat,” Kara panted, and then her face pinched into that endearingly regretful expression she got when she tripped over her own tongue, her ears bright red. 

Sam exhaled a laugh. “It never is with you,” she noted with a shake of her head.

[wangxianficrecs]

Follower Recs

Stories I haven’t read yet, but clearly need to put on my ever-expanding List.

~*~

Welcome back queen [Thank you, it’s so lovely to be back!] if ur still doing follower recs I gotta recommend I would wait for a thousand years by bleuett it’s soooooooo good

[This one was actually recced to me by two different people, the other of whom said, “ Maybe I'm crying a little so I feel like a should recommend ‘I would wait for a thousand years’ by bleuett on ao3.”]... it’s def. on my List!

I would wait for a thousand years

by bleuett (T, 10k, wangxian)

Summary:  During the worst of winter, a traveler comes to stay at Lan Wangji's inn. He wears a red ribbon in his hair.

“Do you see the rabbit?” Wei Ying asks and points at the moon. “That’s the moon rabbit, he helps make Chang’e more immortality elixir. He keeps Chang’e company.”

“I do not wish the rabbit for company,” Lan Wangji says tightly. “You are the one I want by my side.”

“And I’m here, Lan Zhan. If you go to the moon, I’ll follow you, I’ll always be here now.”

~*~

I just read a great fic by aisthuu "every love story is a ghost story", didn't see it in your recs so wanted to recommend it! LWJ is a guqin composer and teacher, buys a cheap guqin off eBay which ends up being attached to WWX's spirit from canon era. It's bittersweet, LWJ deals with Lan's homophobia (implicit in a Lan way) and his feelings towards the ghost. This is author's only ao3 fic and honestly I don't remember how I stumbled upon it, but I'm happy I did and hope you will enjoy it too!  [I’ve recently read this one, and loved it!]

every love story is a ghost story

by aisthuu (M, 59k, wangxian, my bookmark)

Summary:  The man is in Lan Zhan’s bed. Did they—he begins to wonder, eyes trailing to where the man’s body lies under the blanket. Had Lan Zhan—?

Then the sleep-fog clears and Lan Zhan realizes that the young man isn’t quite opaque around the edges.

“You’re a spirit.”

The spirit narrows its eyes. “I’m so much more than that.”

(Lan Zhan buys a guqin off eBay for a suspiciously low price, only to find that it’s haunted. And now there’s a ghost in his bed.)

~*~

Ok so I absolutely have to rec "see you yesterday" by glyphic. It's a wip, but it's currently at 101k so there's a whole lot there, and it's terrible and wonderful and beautiful all at once. The way the backstory of canon events is adapted to the modern-with-cultivation setting is brilliant, and then there's the amnesia, and then there's the time loop. This fic lives permanently rent-free in my brain.

see you yesterday

by glyphic (M, 101k, wangxian, WIP)

Summary:  

Wei Ying 21:09 hey lan zhan what’s the weirdest way youve died

Lan Zhan 21:11 Falling encyclopedias.

Wei Ying 21:12 omg no way that’s so rude turning books against you???

Lan Zhan 21:13 A betrayal I will never forget.

On Halloween night, an exiled demonic cultivator and a Lan disciple get stuck in a time-loop, find each other, and try to figure it all out.

~*~

If you are looking for recs for yourself I absolutely love (the complete!) story Just as the Snow Melts by draechali on AO3. It's a canon divergence where everyone lives, even WWX! ~ @airmidcelt

Just as the Snow Melts

by draechaeli (T, 67k, wangxian)

Summary:  Like a snowy mountain top in spring the residents of the Burial Mounds trickled down the mountain and joined the flow of society.

“I went to the Burial Mounds,” Lan WangJi said.

“Ah, yeah… I’m sorry Lan Zhan,” replied Wei WuXian, “I hadn’t thought anyone would come to visit. I am still not sure how it happened; I brought A-Yuan to Yiling to play by the river and then ended up somehow teaching a bunch of children swimming and writing along with him.”

~*~

Hello! It's come to my attention that you have not as yet read Grandmaster of Meme-onic Cultivation! Please do! It's the only thing that gave me joy during 2020 😆 like proper belly laughs and disney villain style cackling. It is a wip, and it is long but so so worth it!! The author has reworked the entire canon through these message crystals and still conveys complex characters despite the tricky format. It's just so good!! Highly highly recommend it! ❤ ~ @theladypeartree  [Oh!  I’ve been subscribed to this one, and know that @swaglexander-the-great is a reliable provider of Hilarity, so I’m excited for it to be finished!]

Grandmaster of Meme-onic Cultivation 

by Hades_the_Blingking (T, 49k, wangxian, WIP)

Summary:  The Untamed universe is exactly the same, except everybody has magical crystals that have a suspiciously familiar messaging system. The story is pretty much the same as the show, except everyone lives!! (so minor changes).

or in which Wei WuXian tries his darndest to date Lan Zhan, Jiang Cheng possibly has a aneurysm, Jin ZiXuan is still the most awkward human alive, and Xue Yang makes me write some VERY cursed things. Written in chatfic format! :3

~*~

Chomrafy on AO3 deserves love and encouragement; she’s written a body of compact, poetic, and eloquent shortfics each of which can stand alone, but that comprise an intricately cross-referential and mostly internally-consistent universe. They’re grouped as chapters in works according to theme; for example, “in cupped hands” focuses upon Jin Ling and his second-generation baggage; “Departure in Autumn” portrays the last years of WWX’s first life. Follow the tag “Chomrafy’s MDZS shortfics.” [I don’t see this tag?]

in cupped hands

by chomrafy (G, 2k, wangxian)

Summary:  Of secrets, of futures, of love. A Jin Ling-centric collection of 200-word fics.

Ch.1: Jin Ling repays a debt (JL, JC, & WWX). Ch.2: Jin Ling and a ghost in the mirror. (JL & JYL) Ch.3: A matter of friends (JL & the other kids) Ch.4: In this house we don't keep dogs (JC & WWX) Ch.5: In the end, he remains silent (JL & uncles) Ch.6: A first night hunt, of sorts (JL & the other kids) Ch.7: Jin Ling, forgiving, forgetting (JL & LXC & JGY) Ch.8: Jiang Cheng and Jin Ling argue (JL, JC, & WWX) Ch.9: Jin Ling and his father (JL & JC) Ch.10: Jin Ling speaks up (JL, JC, & WWX) Ch.11: Jin Ling and a piece of home (JL, JC, & WWX)

Departure in Autumn

by chomrafy (not rated, 6k)

Summary:  Four perspectives. A steady march to the end.

Ch.1: Because if anything happens to them, Wen Qing would never be able to heal with these hands again. Ch.2: As long as this is still home, Jiang Yanli will wait as long as she needs to. Ch.3: Five times Jiang Cheng reaches for Wei Wuxian, one time he turns away. Ch.4: Whether the road is broad or narrow, bright or dark, they would have to keep walking. Wei Wuxian digs Wen Qing's grave.

~*~

Hello, hope all is going well. I don't have an ask, by I do have a recommendation. I read this fic a while ago and found it again. I just wanted to recommend this for everyone. Let me know what you think please. Thank you. [Oh!  This one’s in my To Read list, but  I’d forgotten about it.  Mmmm, fox!wwx and dragon!lwj.]

Ten miles of Lotus Flowers

by Yukirin_Snow

M, 274k, wangxian

Summary:  He was a mischievous fox spirit, wreaking havoc where he went, about to depart on a journey that would span centuries.

He was a heavenly prince, a proud dragon destined to ascend the throne to become emperor.

Neither expected their paths to collide over the span of three lives.

~*~

I forgot if it was your blog 😥 that recommended “Bestseller” (when Wei Wuxian writes the Xianxia cut-sleeve equivalent of Fifty Shades of Grey, based entirely on his experiences with Lan Wangji, he doesn’t expect it to become the next big hit) (https://archiveofourown.org/works/21528316/chapters/51318766)

But OMG IT WAS HILARIOUS!!! I LOVED IT!! And if it wasn’t your blog, I’m so sorry for how weird this sounds 😭😭😭😭 I just loved this fic so much that I have to tell it to someone 😢 [It’s on my List, but I haven’t read it yet!]

Bestseller

by pupeez4eva

M, 8k, wangxian

Summary:  He had written the book to prove a point. It was never supposed to be a big thing, and he certainly never intended for everyone — Jiang Cheng, Zewu-Jun, the Juniors, literally everyone— to be reading about his sex life.

Oh God, he definitely needed to make sure Lan Zhan didn’t find out about this.

(Or, when Wei Wuxian writes the Xianxia cut-sleeve equivalent of Fifty Shades of Grey, based entirely on his experiences with Lan Wangji, he doesn’t expect it to become the next big hit).

~*~

I’d like to rec On Your Marks, Get Set, Bake! by @blackwiresgrowonherhead

It’s one of my absolute favorites and I laughed out loud so many times when reading it

on your marks, get set, bake!

by BlackWiresOnHerHead

G, 41k, wei wuxian & juniors

Summary:  Jin Ling resumes thumping on the door to room 721, and the small collection of freshmen starts chanting “Senior Wei! Senior Wei! Senior Wei!” with increasing volume until finally Wei Wuxian opens the door.

“Yes?” he says with his widest, most innocent eyes.

“Senior Wei!” demands Lan Jingyi, shoving himself to the front of the group. “Why didn’t you tell us you’re a contestant on this year’s season of The Great Gusu Bake Off?!?”

--

Several months ago, college student Wei Wuxian secretly competed in the most popular reality show in the country. The show starts airing in the fall. The freshmen in his dorm collectively lose their minds.

~*~

If you're in the mood for v. short ridiculous fun fic, may I suggest My chain hits my chest/When I'm bangin' on the radio by x_los It's 2k modern cultivators AU, featuring WWX calling LWJ's sword Bitchin' [omg I’m laughing so hard] and I think it's more fun going in blind?

My chain hits my chest/When I'm bangin' on the radio

by x_los

T, 2k, wangxian

Summary:  Lan Wangji finds he doesn't even need to call for help for Wei Wuxian to come running.

[walkswithmyfather]

“I have hidden your words in my heart that I might not sin against you.”

—Psalm 119:11 (NIV)

“Psalm 119:11” By Zecqi, (re-Ver(sing) Verses)

“Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible, and in a Bible study a couple of years back a pastor encouraged us to, if we’re able, memorize the entire chapter, for it will do us much good. (If unable, then memorize Psalm 117, the shortest chapter in the Bible, he joked). With 176 verses (8 verses in each of the 22 sections categorised by the Hebrew alphabets, which was likely written in such a format so that it was easier for the Jews to memorize it in its original language), I’ll be the first to admit that I never did memorize the chapter, and I’m sure none of us in that class did – Still, many verses in Psalm 119 are probably familiar to us – a good number of hymns and gospel songs have been based on verses from this lengthy Psalm. Verse 11 in particular – I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you – was perhaps the very verse that pushed me into the habit of memorizing verses, which ultimately spun into the re-Ver(sing) Verses project.

Analysis: Deter sin. How do we deter sin? Often, we know what is right and what is wrong – so what happened when we sin? Do we not know that we’re sinning? More often than not, we’ve forgotten. In that moment of weakness, God’s words are so far away from us that our immediate unholy desires get the better of us. Of course, there may be other more tricky situations that forces a hard decision, but knowledge isn’t enough when waging a war against sin. A constant application of God’s words is necessary.

David says the mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just. The law of his God is in his heart; his feet do not slip [Psalm 37:30-31]. I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart [Psalm 40:8]. If we keep all the laws of God in our hearts, we will naturally be strengthened and be able to stand firm against sin. Not only will we not waver (his feet do not slip); we will also have the natural desire to do God’s will.

Analysis: Hiding. We usually hide what is precious to us, what we see as important enough to attempt to prevent others from taking it away from us. How do we hide God’s words in our hearts? By memorizing, I suppose. If we memorize God’s words, they become embedded in our hearts and will appear frequently in our thoughts and feelings. When the Holy Spirit works on you, you are prepared with God’s words in your hearts to do His work. When temptation arises, by remembering the words of God, you will refrain from falling into it. Don’t just read it, don’t just hear it. Memorize it, strengthen your faith with it.

Why do you memorize Bible verses? In Sunday School children are brought up with regular memory verses, and they often compete for prizes and for acknowledgement. We’re not children anymore – we don’t memorize verses so that we can recite it to an audience and be patted on the head. We memorize them to honour God, and when that moment of action comes, we can honour God because we have not forgotten His words. Admittedly, those memory verses that I went through as a child without really knowing why I was memorizing for stuck with me through all those years, and I still find myself saved by some of them in critical moments today. Even if you memorize for the wrong reasons, at the end of the day, when you keep God’s words in your heart, you will surely benefit from it.

Conclusion: Memorizing one verse is not difficult. Memorizing a whole list of them is harder. What do you memorize in your daily lives? When I was a history student, I remember memorizing a large amount of context easily. My mother has the amazing ability to memorize her shopping lists – she never forgets what to buy. The list goes on.You may memorize a verse today, but a week later, you’re sure you’ve forgotten about it. Maybe you only have short term memory. So what’s the point of trying to memorize when you’re sure you’re going to forget? I’d like to think that the human brain is far more able than we are aware of. You may forget the verse, but when your circumstances call for it, the meaning behind the verse will probably strike a chord somewhere in your heart.

If you haven’t already started, why not start today? If you have no idea where to begin, why not begin with Psalm 119:11 as your first memory verse? Let us hide God’s words in our hearts together, so that we will not sin against Him. God bless, Z.”

[rqgnarok]

moments in between - aaron hotchner

fandom: criminal minds

words: 2618

warnings: couple of smooches and mention of private times, spoilers for season 4 through 9 ish of criminal minds, that’s about it. female!reader

summary: being an fbi agent leaves little to no moments to enjoy someone else’s company. hotch and the reader make it work. BASED ON A CONVERSATION PRENTISS AND HOTCH HAVE IN 04X09.

author’s note below

“(Y/N)?” 

“Yeah, I’m decent,” she smiles to herself when she takes her eyes off the tiny mirror in the locker assigned to her, watches her boyfriend lean against the door frame. 

It only takes one look at him for (Y/N) to know he’s stuck in that I’m-your-coworker-but-I-really-want-to-be-your-boyfriend-right-now state Hotch gets into sometimes when they’re at work but alone or hours deep into the night and still working the case.

He just stands there for a moment, admires her in silence but in the way that makes her feel appreciated from a distance, a look in his eyes which (Y/N)’s used being under the scrutiny of, makes her feel recognized and safe when there’s no possibility of physical contact. 

She’s done with her make up for the undercover stunt they’re about to pull and her hair is fixed in that careless yet neat way he really, really likes, the way it was the night he kissed her for the first time after a night out with the team and he’d insisted on driving her home.

Hotch remembers that night so clearly, if he closes his eyes can picture himself back in his car, the steering wheel under his hands and the street lamps being the only source of light that catches (Y/N)’s profile when he sneaks a look or two. 

By that point he’d lost all self-restraint and after months of fighting with himself about his feelings his head finally quieted the hell up the moment she reached for the lapel of his jacket and pulled him to her, kissing him with the car’s console in the middle of their bodies and his hands on her hair, keeping her close as if she’d have any intentions of letting him go.

That was almost a year after his divorce with Haley, and though he’d been hesitant on following up with a relationship in a time Hotch felt too soon since he’d signed those divorce papers, he’d been tired of being the one who always followed the rules and did things right only to end up alone. Either in an apartment away from his family or in his office, closer to the next morning than the previous night and working on reports until the words blurred in the pages and he was too tired to drive home at all.

Hotch was tired and he wanted (Y/N) so, so badly, he figured one night of self-indulgence was more than deserved after the year he’d had. Except one night turned into a weekend and one time turned into spending time together whenever they had the time off at the same time and it wasn’t his turn to take Jack for the week. Hotch and sir and bossman turned into Aaron, babe and handsome, and in return Hotch became familiar with the feeling of (Y/N), (Y/N/N), honey and sweetheart against his tongue.

The transition between using those nicknames and thinking of Haley to his mind blanching until nothing but (Y/N) remained was easier than Hotch had expected it to be. The guilt of thinking he’d somehow replaced his ex-wife was short lived, the first weeks into his and (Y/N)’s relationship realizing that he saw them as two different women who occupied two very different portions in his life.

It wouldn’t be until after Haley died, much, much after that they would come forward and share the existence of their relationship with HR, and along with them, Strauss. It would easier by then, and the right choice to make, considering that around the first time they’d gotten together Erin seemed to be out for blood, which included Hotch’s job as unit chief and following his every move to catch him in something that could might as well signify the end of his career, if presented to his superiors correctly.

By the time they’ll decide to disclose, Erin and Rossi themselves will be somewhat involved, and after her troubles with alcoholism she would’ve become a more understanding woman of other people’s flaws along with her own. She’ll have them both under scrutiny for a couple of months until she deems them professional enough to keep working in the same unit, and that would be that.

“10 minutes and I’m ready to go,” she assures him, still working the case but smile soft when directed at him. He leaves his spot against the frame of the door to close it behind him and lock it, just in case and, if needed, under the excuse that she’d needed the privacy to change into the clothes she’ll be wearing at the club. With him in the room, well. Here’s to hoping to one saw him come in.

“Are you sure you’re okay with this?” He’s still frowning but it's more concern than the usual façade he hides behind when they’re working a case, and he’s slightly comforted by the fact that (Y/N)’s smile remains full on her face, sure and trusting.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” she reassures. Now that the door’s closed and locked she’s stripping out of her clothes, nothing sensual about her movements but Hotch can’t help but to stare anyways. He wishes they weren’t having this conversation with his girlfriend in her underwear. Aaron Hotchner is a responsible man, but he is a man, nevertheless. “Sadly, I’ve actually dated people worse than Viper.”

“Thank God that’s over,” he manages to joke. (Y/N) laughs and he quits eyeing her figure just so he can watch her do so, enchanted by the way her features accentuate her laughter lines. He’s in deep, and just for a moment he pictures her getting ready for one of their dates instead of an undercover op he didn’t want to send her to in the first place.

It’s not that he’s jealous because he isn’t, at least not of Viper, but Hotch’s seen what undercover jobs do to agents like her: smart and capable and pretty, even though this is nothing like what Elle was forced to work on before she disappeared without a trace. He also knows that (Y/N)’s lived through worse circumstances herself out of the job, and this is more of a gathering intel kind of operation instead of something more dangerous, but, still. 

Hotch’s not comfortable with sending his team into situations they do not feel prepared for, whether he’s romantically involved with them or not. He’s gotta ask. He can’t send another person he cares about into the lion’s den knowing they might not be tough enough to come back.

“Is something going on with Jordan?” (Y/N) brings him back down to earth easily, making conversation as she gets into her dress and Hotch walks the couple of steps he’s missing to reach her and give her his arm to hold onto as she works herself into it. “You, um, you asked me to keep an eye on her. And frankly, if you didn’t think we’d notice the tension going of off her in waves then you really underestimate us as profilers.”

“I… caught her in a lie,” Aaron grimaces at the recollection of their first visit to the Holden family, how Jordan had no problem to manipulate her way into the mind of the victim’s sister and her inability to realize how what she had done had been wrong, way off in how Hotch leads this team. “She cut a corner to get us in with the Holden family.”

“Did she misrepresent the Bureau?” (Y/N)’s expression sours momentarily, and she squeezes Hotch’s arm she was holding onto in thanks when she finishes fitting into her dress.

“She misinterpreted herself.”

“So, how long is she gonna be in the doghouse?” (Y/N) asks, turning around so her back is facing Hotch, who allows himself a moment to look at the skin of her shoulders and lower back before he’s slowly zipping the dress up. One hand on her semi naked shoulder holding her still and the other one working its way up her back, fingers steady and certain.

“Until she proves she’s competent,” he sighs, feeling awfully like the father of a teenage girl out of control, which, isn’t really freaking fair cause he’s got almost ten years before he has to deal with this coming from Jack. (Y/N) hums, trying to come off as indifferent, but Aaron has made himself familiar with every movement and sound of hers, he knows better than to think she’s letting the topic go. An eyebrow raises, hands on her waist when she turns around to meet his eye. “What?”

“That’s gonna be tricky if you’re scrutinizing her every move,” she challenges, and Hotch half scoffs half chuckles as he reaches her to keep himself busy, making sure the dress fits right, putting some of her hair back in place even though he knows it’s gonna come back to its spot as soon as he lets go.

“You seem to do alright, sweetheart,” he can’t help it, the nickname familiar on his mouth and, really, he’d opened that door in the first place when he came into the room asking for her and using her first name instead of her last, has been watching her and touching her ever since he came in, expecting a reaction from her just like the one she’s giving him now. (Y/N)’s arms are around his neck, their chests touching, faces close, he can smell her favorite perfume on her and almost taste the sweetness of her lipstick in his own mouth.

“Yeah, well, I’m sleeping with you, hotshot,” she disses him easily, clutching him a little tighter when his hands go from her waist to her hips, big enough to hold her completely and in place, her heart fluttering against her ribcage with affection for this hunk of a man. He smirks, almost knowing of the effect Hotch has on her and soon enough it’ll soften into a soft, fond grin that she’ll get cavities from just looking at it. “I hope you aren’t planning on using the same methods on her as you did on me, cause if you do then we might just have some disagreement on our hands.”

“Methods?” Hotch has to laugh, albeit quickly before he reels himself in. They’re in a private room but just barely, he’s smart enough to lock the door but also to not get too comfortable, forcing himself to remember there’s a reason she’s so well dressed up and its not just for him to undress her slowly later in the privacy of his room. “You make it sound like it’s my fault we ended up in bed together while really you were too busy pursuing me to notice any kind of ‘methods’ I might’ve tried to use on you.”

“Oh, I pursued you?” (Y/N) asks, mouth open in faux shock and embarrassment as she takes one arm off his neck to hit him in the chest, fighting him off a little when he places his own hand on top of hers but gives up quickly enough, fingers toying with his shirt and resting on top of his heart. “You are out of your mind, Aaron Hotchner.”

“You did kiss me first,” he recalls, which, yeah, it’s true, but that doesn’t mean Aaron gets to use it against her. He looks awfully smug when she gives him a deadpan look. It takes years off his face like not many things do, and (Y/N). (Y/N) loves him always, she loves him dark and broody, and sharp and focused but this, this is her favorite. A goof and a tease (Y/N) would give everything so he’s this happy, all the time. “Don’t think I forgot, I didn’t take a single drop of alcohol that night.”

“It’s not like I was drunk, either, you ass,” she reprimands, and if she weren’t almost ready to go, looking perfectly composed, Hotch would kiss the pout off of her face with little to no finesse. “Some of us need some liquid courage to do what others wouldn’t do at all, so. If anything, you’ve got me to thank that your methods actually ended up working like you meant them to.”

“Thank you,” he acknowledges, dropping a kiss to the apple of her cheek and another one to her forehead, making sure he doesn’t get in the way of any of her make up. She grins at him, opens her eyes after she’d closed them to soak up his affections and keep the memory of his touch for when she’s out there in the field, flirting with some guy she can barely stand. “I’d kiss you myself right now if you weren’t meant to be on your way, no liquid courage needed.”

“I’ll hold you up on that when we’re back home,” she bites her lip, risking having to reapply her lipstick all over again but worth it when Hotch’s eyes drop from her own and set on her mouth, suddenly darker with something else she really, really likes. “And, I think in order for Jordan to prove she’s good at this job, it’s not gonna happen under a magnifying glass. You’re gonna have to give her the opportunity.”

“You have something in mind?”

Her lips turn up in that satisfied way (Y/N) gets when she’s drop dead sure about something, whether it’s a lead on a case or that she has him wrapped around her finger. Hotch can’t wait for this case to be over, for them to be on the plane back home making eyes at each other and itching for the relief that comes to him when they’re finally alone.

He watches her walk away, out of the room with a sway on her hips, heels accentuating her legs and one last flirty look thrown his way as she turns her head back before she leaves the room for good, softening into a fond curve of the lips and, God. He loves her so, so much, he’s gotta wipe this whipped look off his face before Dave calls him out on it, tries to figure out who’s it for.

He won’t, and neither will the team, for a while. They’re years away from finding out, it won’t be until Hotch ends up in the hospital after the scars from one of his many encounters against Foyet come back to haunt him, leaving him passed out in the middle of a debrief and (Y/N)’s forced to make the trip to work on the case anyways. She frets and worries and breaks the news to the team on the way back while Aaron confesses to Garcia in his hospital room after he wakes up, disoriented from the pain meds and asking where his girlfriend is.

They’ll tease and whistle at them whenever they’re together for the rest of their lives, because they’re children in disguise as full functioning profilers and Hotch and (Y/N) will take it shamelessly. He’ll press a kiss to her head and wrap an arm around her neck while they’re out drinking after a case and (Y/N) will take the hand on her shoulder, nestle closer and flip them off just cause it makes Hotch laugh.

Right now, Aaron shakes his head, smiles to himself and towards the ground, a last couple of moments of bliss before he straightens his posture, leaves the room and meets Rossi in the corner of the precinct that was given to them for the duration of the case.

A couple more hours, he hopes, before they get to go home and he would make true of the promise he’d made.

-

special thanks to @writefasttalkevenfaster, @venusbarnes and @winterscaptain​ for providing so much hotch content that i felt the need to rewatch the show and write this in the matter of like,,, two hours. even if it’s a mess, oop, i always write a shit ton of description and feelings and shit and end up with big ass paragraphs that hurt my eyes. i SWEAR i’m working on that!!!!!

as always, i’d love to hear you guys’ opinions on this and i really hope you liked it, i’m working on a teen wolf work and a legends of tomorrow request next but i’m always open for suggestions or requests :)  

thank you so much for reading! stay home and stay safe,

- e.  

[maranello]

2 part question

Part1: I think it’s pretty obvious that Charles is completely devoted to Ferrari but in another universe, what team do you ever imagine him moving too?

Part 2: with Redbull and even McLaren becoming clearly very dominant do you think that Ferrari will be able to compete? I want Charles to win sooooo badly but at the rate Ferrari is going I’m worried he’s blinded by his devotion to them and will forgo winning races and the championship with another team who are more likely to win just to stick with Ferrari. How long will he stick with them and keep losing before he hits a point where he doesn’t want to do it anymore? I don’t want him to be a midfield driver, it would just be such a waste and he deserves so much more.

Part 1: Terrible question to answer, really, for someone just as devoted to Ferrari as Charles is. 

Realistically, any top team would have to consider him. It’s just tricky when they all have their chosen ones in the same generation, and I don’t think any teams have a good time dealing with two No. 1 drivers at the same time, nor do I personally want Charles to be in a situation where he can be at a disadvantage. (I also don’t think he’d enjoy not having that kind of confidence from the team and vice versa either.) 

However, if you’re putting a gun to my head, I would say Mercedes > Red Bull > McLaren. Just based on personal preference. Especially since McLaren is Ferrari’s age-old nemesis - I would hate to see him go there. (And I think the orange is not a good look for him.) Plus I would say out of these teams, Mercedes actually gets on best with Ferrari (Have you seen Toto with Maurizio Arrivabene? Have you seen how Merc admin Tweets about Ferrari? Would you come into my garage with a sledgehammer to help me with a stuck wheel nut? Merc x Ferrari propaganda xo). And also just, I think Charles would get on a lot better with Lewis as a teammate compared to, say, Max in Red Bull perhaps. Lore from 2020 or something I think said Charles would welcome Lewis as a Ferrari teammate if it came down to it. They already have a decent relationship, we saw that consistently since Bahrain 2019, they even play Call of Duty and Euro Truck simulator together in the year of our lord 2021.

Part 2: I’d hesitate to say that McLaren is becoming “dominant” after a few races. I believe that their car is simply very strong overall and very consistent with a good Mercedes engine. I won’t deny that it’s probably a better car than the Ferrari of this year (which, lest we forget, is still largely based on the shitbox of last year). While Red Bull does seem to be doing better than Mercedes in the past few races, I wouldn’t write Mercedes off or put them behind McLaren by any means. More importantly, it’s hard to say what teams will be “dominant” after the new regulations hit in 2022. So there’s that! 

In the long run, I doubt fighting for P3 in Constructors’ or just beating the McLaren drivers’ in the Drivers’ Championship this year really matters to Charles or Ferrari, for that matter. They want race wins and championships. Ferrari is probably aware that they have a great talent and know that if they don’t turn it around soon, they do risk losing him. (And also the masses of tifosi and Italian media who are in love with him.) I think they know that they have been less of a prestigious team in F1/a national pride than they have been a national embarrassment since 2020. So, I have a weird negative-energy faith in Ferrari to do everything they can to give Charles a championship-winning car because, by God, if they can’t do it with Charles, I wouldn’t believe they could do it with someone else. It’s not only just humiliating, but it is also terrible for the brand. If Ferrari’s car doesn’t work out in 2022, then we will see. Charles’ contract with them runs until 2024. 

I think he is aware that career choices are important, but unfortunately, I think it really depends on his internal goals. He said as recent as April 2021 that he already wants to renew his contract with Ferrari. He joked about it in the Ferrari video a week ago during the Styrian Grand Prix. I think he is a stubborn person who will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. If his goal is to win a championship with Ferrari specifically, then I think he would have to be dragged out of there kicking and screaming. Or like, if Ferrari can’t get it together after two regulation changes, then I would think it’s impossible for him to not see that it’s not working out. 

We can’t really tell the future because people change and circumstances change, and this is quite a few years we’re looking at. The 2022 stint will be really important for Ferrari if they want to keep him. I would (hopefully) give it a maximum of two regulation changes, given that his goal to win with Ferrari specifically doesn’t change throughout the next five years. I think earliest, it would be if the 2022 car turns out to be shit and he suffers another year or two of having a bad car, he may decide that his drive to win races and championship is stronger than his wish to win them with Ferrari. 

For now, we should take a page out of his own book and be patient. 💜

[tiesandtea]

Sixty Seconds with Mat Osman, Metro News, 4 August 2021. (x)

The Suede bassist, 53, talks book festivals, his brother’s love of mainstream TV and his debut novel The Ruins

By Gabriel Tate.

Full interview under the cut.

You’re discussing how to write a first novel at the Essex Book Festival. Any tips for Metro readers?

You have to recognise stories — what interests you and makes you think ‘what if?’ Then it’s like exercise — you have to do it every day. Write 500 words a day and you’ve got a first-draft novel in about seven months.

Do book festivals and music festivals have anything in common?

Book festivals serve full meals, not cheese sandwiches in graffitied dressing rooms! And they tend to be in cities, whereas music festivals tend to mean you’re stuck in some grim industrial estate on the outskirts of Dortmund for a couple of days.

Why did you decide to write The Ruins?

Being the bass player in Suede gives you a lot of free time. Lots of it was written in hotels, dressing rooms, planes or buses… I’d been writing short stories for a long time and one of them just stuck, so I expanded it to the point where it was 30,000 words and a novel stopped looking so terrifying. I love the band and I’m proud of the records but I wanted to do something that stood or fell on me alone.

What’s it about?

Two very different twin brothers. Brandon is a failed musician, Adam is a geeky, shut-in model maker. One of them dies and the other has to find out what happened, and is faced with the option of taking over his brother’s life.

If I was being lazy, I might think you were Brandon and your brother Richard was Adam…

No, they’re both me. Brandon is the self-centred pretentious d***head I would have become if I was a lead singer. Adam is the side of me who wrote the book.

Richard’s whodunnit, The Thursday Murder Club, topped the bestseller charts. Did you compare notes while writing?

We did. There’s a lot of self-doubt in being a first-time writer, so having someone to commiserate with was great. I’d often get a text saying he’d wasted a day down some rabbit hole and I thought, thank God it’s not just me!

Your novels are very different. Do they reflect your different personalities?

I think so. I’m glad they are because it would have been tricky had we been competing for the same audience. Richard has a love of mainstream entertainment, Saturday night telly, pop music, detective novels. None of it is put on, he was that way as a kid. He had a column in a golf magazine when he was 15! I knew he’d write something that would connect with people and he’s a fantastic writer as well. You know you’re in safe hands from page one.

You and Brett Anderson are the only founder members still in Suede. How have you stuck it out?

We like the same things. We started the band because we both like theatrical, emotional, violent music and that hasn’t changed. We bicker and disagree but we want to be in the same kind of band and that’s bigger than anything else.

Did you think that was it when the band split up in 2003?

Absolutely. I didn’t want any part of the music business any more. I was convinced it was a money-grubbing, venal, backstabbing industry and it was only when I got real jobs that I realised that’s just work! Then, about halfway through our one-off gig for the Teenage Cancer Trust in 2010, we looked at each other and knew we had to do it again. I’d forgotten what it was like having 5,000 people singing your songs back to you.

Did your new workmates ask about Suede?

It was strange. When I was in an office people felt sorry for me, so no one talked about it, but it was good to do — part of the book is about changing your life entirely at 45.

Have you enjoyed success more second time around?

I treasure it more. First time around, you’re so young that you think it’ll last forever but now I’m aware these things are fragile and it could end tomorrow. It’s an amazing thing to do with your life.

How much of a relief will it be to tour again?

In November we’re doing the 25th anniversary shows for Coming Up and I cannot wait. It’s such a celebratory record. I don’t mind playing the old stuff at all, as long as that’s not all I’m doing. I won’t ever get tired of the feeling Trash or Beautiful Ones bring to people — that shared history is lovely. We also spent lockdown writing a new album, a gnarly, punky, fast record made to be played in sweaty little clubs. The writer in me has loved having all this time but the musician in me is champing at the bit.

■ Mat Osman is appearing at the Essex Book Festival on August 22. essexbookfestival.org.uk

[kishimoto-did-us-dirty]

Naruto Arts School AU

Reposting bc I love this post and bc I can lol

Character

- major

description

Naruto

-Drums

okie nobody can deny that our main boy over here is a loud soul, however, he can also carry a damn good beat that compliments his band mates’ music really well. Tbh, he sucked at music to begin with and had trouble matching rhythms and listening to his band mates when they played, however he eventually became a really good rhythm maker.

Sasuke

-Guitar (lead)

He’d be assigned to the same band as Naruto, and that’s how they met. This boy is a damn good guitarist y’all, but has attitude problems™, and used to not be able to deal with Naruto’s haphazard beat making, thus perpetuating a rivalry between the two. He constantly feels overshadowed by his elder brother Itachi, a piano major.

Sakura

- Dance

Ya girl fucking demolishes every single dance routine. Initially starting out with a focus on ballet (pre-shippuden in canon), our pink headed queen soon realized that she wasn’t getting the full experience of what it meant to dance. Her point shoes were her loves, however they hurt and nipped in places not just physical. She realized that she didn’t want to be pigeonholed into a genre of which she would be inhibited by standard, and rather to dance so as to forget technical perfection. Thus, what would partner with post-shippuden Sakura in canon, Art School AU Sakura got into hip-hop. And bitch, she goes hard. A lot of the other girls who she used to dance ballet with admire her for her absolutely BODYING her dance routines, but also for never sacrificing her femininity to dance and not taking BS for being a girl who goes so hard in a male-dominated genre. (Some people believe that hip-hop is heavy hitting and a little metaphorically “dark” so to speak, which Sakura is not. So obviously I expect a little disagreement regarding this, however if you look at people like Delaney Glazer or Kaycee Rice, that is how Sakura would dance).

Hinata

- Creative Writing

Shy and bookworm-like, Hinata can write the best poetry, romance and adventure pieces out of all the creative-writing majors. She’s especially good at writing character relationships and development, and has such a subtle sense of intelligent wit in her writing, that if you blinked you would miss it. However should you catch it, you’re sure to chuckle. Her only struggle is that she tends to drag on in important scenes, stretching them against the regular flow of the rest of her writing. Needs validation for her writing through an IV drip.

Kiba

- Drums OR Photography

Drums for obvious reasons (loud and obnoxious), although ruff boi looks good with a camera, too. Great at landscapes and street photography.

Shino

- Creative Writing OR Photography

I could definitely see Shino having fucking beautiful handwriting, and being a beast at writing anything within the sci-fi realm. I could also see him doing some journalism, and writing for the school paper. He’s very good at the logic of his sci-fi books and coming up with logical but enrapturing stories, that intermingle knowledge and mystery. He’s a very specific type of read, however, and may not appeal to all, however if you enjoy anything similar to Star Wars or Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy, then Shino is your author. If this doesn’t float your boat, though, try photography-major Shino. He can get the best angles of bugs he sees, and has an extensive portfolio with entomology-related snapshots.

Ino

- Dance

Like Sakura, she, too, began with a focus on ballet, however began to branch out into contemporary ballet a little later than Sakura. This is another reason why Sakura switched her focuses, as she and Ino had always had a fierce rivalry for dieting (ballet dancers are pressured to be as thin as possible) as well as battling for technical perfection when they were ballet focused. As the two grew, Ino focused more so on contemporary, but can certainly do some hip-hop with Sakura every now and then, just as Sakura occasionally takes a contemporary class with her. The two still have a rivalry, however, just not to the previous extent as when they were actively competing against each other. They’re more like sisters.

Shikamaru

- Guitar (bass) OR Creative Writing OR Architecture

Smart boy’s a tricky one. He would either be a bassist, a mystery and historical fiction writer, or, of his school offers it, be great at architecture. Idrk.

Choji

- ermmmmm….. maybe graphic design? Tech theatre (props)? Vocal???

Choji is hARD dwnccnpc (that’s what she said). I could see him behind a computer screen, animating and designing games/covers/posters or whatever. He could also do something in theatre, but I don’t think he would do anything up on stage. Something like props would suit him. He might do something in music, tho???? Can he sing???? Help???

UPDATE: Choji is a band kid. He plays tuba or some shit. Big boy got big lungs.

Tenten

- Dance

Always has been, and always will be a hip-hop dancer. She wanted to be like Tsunade, a legendary dancer and followed in her footsteps, taking up hip-hop. (that’s why Sakura focused on hip-hop, too, because Tsunade mentored her and taught a few of her classes, too). Tenten is fast and can keep up with any beat. Not only is she a great dancer, but she’s also athletic, and does track and field (cross country), football, and softball at another school too, since the arts schools doesn’t offer it. Overall great dancer with styl. She’s really looked up to by some of her underclassmen for her cheery, but badass style and skill.

Lee

- DANCE (hip-hop, too)

It’s sweat. It’s burn. It’s energy. It’s Lee.

Neji

- Violin

First chair violinist in his freshman year for the school’s philharmonic orchestra. He be extra like that.

Gaara

- Guitar (bass)

He had a lonely childhood with neglectful/abusive parents, and rock music really helped him with that. Emo music is emo and often made fun of, but the songs have messages and Gaara related, so self-taught himself the bass guitar to help cope, and bring him closer to the music that salvaged him.

Kankuro

-Art

Specifically sculpting. For obvious reasons.

Temari

- Acting

Girl can make you cry with some of her monologues. Total lead. Has a seriousness in her acting that makes her believable, however can falter on the less-serious roles. She may also double-major in whatever Shikamaru does. And she’s better at it than him.

Itachi

-Piano

Boy could play any etude at age 7. Performed at Carnegie Hall when he was 10. And no, he didn’t pay to play there. The hall invited him. Began composing at 9. Has perfect pitch. Owns international awards. If he’s not at school it’s because he’s traveling to play for crowds. He excels at classical and baroque, however has an ear for romantic, and enjoys playing/composing pieces either written or inspired by romantic pieces. Enjoys Schumann, Debussy, and Tchaikovsky. Hates modern classical music, though. Can only take cinematic pieces composed by people like Williams, however can’t stand Prokofiev at all. He does like modern music, though, so long as it’s outside of the orchestral/classical music realm. He likes R&B. He would have liked to do film with Shisui, particularly producing, however his parents pressure him with piano, so he helps Shisui with student films and projects outside of school (will probably pursue film after graduating, tho).

Shisui

- FILM / VIDEO PRODUCTION

Fight me on this!!! THIS BOY IS SO GOOD AT CINEMATOGRAPHY MY FILMMAKING ASS CAN’T EVEN. AS SOMEONE WHO IS IN LOVE WITH FILMOGRAPHY, TRUST ME, SHISUI HAS IT™. THE IT™. HE’S GOOD AT EVERYTHING. CINEMATOGRAPHY. DIRECTING. SCREENWRITING. GRIP-WORK. EDITING. PRODUCING. HE’S SUCH A FILM NERD TOO, AND WATCHES OLD FILMS ALL THE TIME. HE’S JUST TOO GOOD AT IT. DOES STREET PHOTOGRAPHY TOO. HE’S OVERALL A GENIUS WITH CAMERAS. Does film with Itachi outside of school and teaches him, and the two are overall geniuses at filmography. They want to start their own studio together (they do, and it becomes huge). He becomes a leading director, while Itachi becomes a producer and directs sometimes too.

Sasori, Deidara, and Sai

Guess.

Kakashi

- Saxophone

It’s the only thing that suits him and it suits him so well. Has suave.

Obito (omfg his arms y'all)

- Not to say drums or anything, but…. drums.

Narutard 2.0. But he also dabbles in other areas of music. Like, he can also play guitar and sing. He’s also pretty good at music production. Makes R&B sometimes. He wasn’t always the best musician but proved to be a late bloomer, and really harnessed his potential. Tries to be as suave as Kakashi and his saxophone. He isn’t.

Hashirama

- Vocal

OkaYYYYYY. VOCAL GOD. CAN DO RIFFS AND RUNS AND HAS PERFECT PITCH. ALSO THE SWEETEST GUY??? WAS A CHAMBER SINGER AS A FRESHMAN. EVERYONE LOVES HIM, GOOD BOY ENERGY.

Likes to belt.

Madara

- Piano

Total prodigy, but hates classical music. Once was accompanist to Hashirama for a solo vocal performance and hasn’t been left alone since.

Tobirama

- Viola or Cello

Some sort of string instrument and takes it very seriously. Probably plays cello because violas are violas and that’s lame (if you know, you know). Has almost as many awards as Itachi and Madara, but hates his usual piano accompanist, Izuna.

Izuna

- Piano

Also a piano god. The uchihas breed them. Hates being accompanist for Tobirama. They’re secretly best friends though, don’t tell anyone.

Karin

- Tech Theatre.

Idk why. Probably started out with props and made her way up to TD (technical director) in senior year.

Suigetsu

- Tech Theatre

Fucking hates theatre kids. Assistant TD. Karin hates him.

Jugo

- Visual Art

Paints landscapes and nature. Really good with oils and gouache respectively.

Yamato

- lmao Trumpet.

Met Kakashi since they both play brass, but boy he ain’t got that suave. That’s why he plays trumpet. Lmao he plays the fucking trumpet anjdwcnojdnn.

Rin

- Vocal

Sweetest voice and could also play the acoustic guitar when she sang. Died in a car accident junior year. Kakashi was at the wheel when they got hit by a drunk driver. Obito saw the whole thing.

Kurenai

- Visual Art

Can create dream like paintings that almost seem like illusions.

Asuma

- Cello / guitar

Used to play cello because of his parents, but loves to play guitar. Can sing but his voice is raspy from smoking.

Gai

Who the fuck do you think teaches dance?

Jiraiya

- Guitar (lead)

Used to major in lead guitar. Sucked at first. Probably has a couple, casual Grammy Awards (they’re actually not that hard to be awarded with, The Recording Academy award many people outside of mainstream media. My school has a few). Now teachers as head of the Band department at this school.

Tsunade

-Dance

Legendary dancer. Probably toured with a few famous people. Now teaches. Mentored Sakura, and mentored Ino but for a shorter time.

Orochimaru

- Idk, didgeridoo, or some shit

Definitely a wood wind. Flute maybe??? Teaches now but no one knows what he does. Pedophile. Has a thing for Sasuke.