#excel i love u forever

[uwuspaceboy]

hello, i am insane and decided to graph out how many times the South Side is mentioned in every season of shameless here you go

[fisheito]

WOOOUUGHGHHHHH HI ITS ME. THE ANON WHO SENT YOU SO MANY WORDS ABOUT BABY YAK AND THE AAAARRRRTTTTT!!!!!!! THE ART!!!!!!! oh my god the big baby cheeks the silly gulp GRANDPAS FACE!!!!!!! WAAAIIILLLSSS!!!!!! god i am bouncing off the walls, i have been poking at a longfic of the Baby Yakumo Acquisition that essentially would be the album full of from mostly snake to less snake more human but i am very easily distracted LOL. i almost sent you some in the initial enthusiasm burst but it was 1) pretty decently body horror heavy and I am not about to just send someone i don't know potentially squicky and/or triggering asks and 2) absolutely got tired and distracted and then forgot completely to do anything lmao. BUT BUT BUT!!!!! WAUGHH!!!!!! absolutely absolutely floored you did art, zooming with inspiration that i will try and unleash upon The Word Document ;w; also i know it's a little bit of many hoops to jump through w me being anon all the time, i'm mega shy and really appreciate the interaction and the sillies and THE WHOLE BEAUTIFUL ART......... going to get it printed as wallpaper and spend the rest of my life staring at the egg wall

truly, a very Considerate Etiquette nod to you for being mindful of what an internet stranger may be squicked by but 1) LUCKILY, I'M INTO THAT SHIT i meannN. i do not know what counts as body HORROR? like, waht would it take to horrify me? the body is already quite freaky in its mundane operations. what's a lil contortion and species mixing and differing structural anatomy between yokai :^).............

2) we tired out here. absolutely understandable. i will always support creators creatin' at their own wild whims

gotta say !!the way you wrote all those yaku snippets felt like . what my brain wants to see. BUT, written more concisely?? as in... if i tried to write out what u did, i feel like my words end up full of fillers and ermahuummmmms so idk i liked the way u formed ur words even tho they were in Casualish Ask mode. can't imagine how powerful they'd be in Edited Fic form 🤔

[potatoesandsunshine]

when i finish a season of friends at the table it's like i need to just sit for a good few days w that. no new media can be experienced i just had a big meal i need to digest

[whimsywinter-2]

finally got around to read agatha christie's "the murder of roger ackroyd" and like Man they did not lie that book really is brilliant. i liked it more than "murder on the orient express" and honestly im so surprised that i managed to avoid spoilers. i had a really solid guess about who the murderer was and the ending just made me lose my mind LOL

[creeperthescamp]

i have finally watched the last of us ep 3. FUCK

[dannyricsmirrorball]

3 peas in a pod • dr3 part 1 ੈ✩‧₊˚

ੈ✩‧₊˚ pairing || daniel ricciardo x ln4 best friend!reader

ੈ✩‧₊˚ genre || social media au

ੈ✩‧₊˚ summary || y/n, danny, and lando are best friends, three peas in a pod. lando and y/n grew up together, surely if any of them are dating it's them... right?

ੈ✩‧₊˚ warning || slight age gap, slut shaming

ੈ✩‧₊˚ a/n || i have realised that i have a habit of making the reader best friends with lily and alex, i'd apologise but I think it really just reflects my obsession w them... like who wouldn't wanna be best friends with them?! also sorry if it seems rushed but p2 will be out semi soonish- i’m gonna finish some other works first!

liked by jackdoohan, carlossainz5, and others 463,828 others

yourusername rahhhh 🇬🇧 ln4 home race!

tagged mclaren, danielricciardo, landonorris

username7 my fave mclaren girly 🧡

username81 y/n being the biggest ln4 fan - y/n lando truthers we win!

landonorris my biggest fan 🧡

⤷ username37 awww

⤷ username4 never beating the dating allegations

lilymhe bae

⤷ yourusername forever

maxfewtrell slide 5: live footage of y/n during the race

⤷ username16 yk it’s real when his best friend ships them as well

danielricciardo papaya princess

⤷ username18 best friends my ass

⤷ username71 awww he’s like a big brother to her 🥰

⤷ username6 girl-

username66 i love when y/n goes to races!

carmenmmundt me encanta

mclaren our fave girl in orange!

⤷ yourusername love u admin

username11 slutting out for mclaren 🙄

maxverstappen1 cheering for me? thanku y/n/n!

⤷ yourusername ofc, og orange army maxxie

⤷ danielricciardo 🤨

⤷ landonorris 🤨

⤷ mclaren 🤨

landonorris u always capture my features best 😍

⤷ yourusername yk it 😉😫

username27 y/n is landos biggest fan it’s so cute

username16 she was made for the colour orange 🧡🧡

alex_albon no feature? rip

⤷ yourusername soz albono, papaya boys only today!

lissiemackintosh my girl ❤️‍🔥

⤷ yourusername ILY

martingarrix 🧡

adam_norris_pure_electric Very nice y/n 🤩

⤷ username17 father-in-law 🤨

username13 just y/n supporting her boyfriend at his home race 🤭

liked francisca.cgomes, mclaren, and 237,926 others

yourusername papaya on film while we wait for 🇭🇺

tagged mclaren, danielricciardo, landonorris

username17 y/n always coming through w the content

username92 daniel looks majestic

username81 they both look soooo gooodddd

mclaren papaya princess doing papaya things 🧡

⤷ yourusername papaya 4 life 🧡🧡

username16 can she like just pick one of them?

⤷ username51 just bc ur bitter that she’s friends w them 🙄

landonorris baller ⛹️‍♂️🏀

⤷ yourusername we won’t talk abt how u missed then? ok!

⤷ username4 whack him again queen!

⤷ username52 best couple things

danielricciardo 🧡

⤷ username72 farkkk just admit youse are dating!

⤷ username18 why would they do that when she’s obv dating lando??

⤷ username16 he could be her grandpa wtf

liked by landonorris, pierregasly, and 89,755 others

yourusername summy time☀️

tagged landonorris, danielricciardo

username1 y/n feeding us that summer break content

username45 ahhh she’s w lan + dan

alex_albon why is lando giving u the bird

⤷ yourusername he’s a brat

⤷ landonorris ME?

⤷ danielricciardo can confirm. he’s a brat.

⤷ username68 he was probs sick of third wheeling 😭

⤷ username4 *daniel was sick of third wheeling

isahernaez guapasíma 😍

⤷ yourusername miss u isaaa 💘

username96 she’s literally living the dream

mclaren Thank you for the content queen!

⤷ yourusername papaya fan doing papaya things 🧡

username52 mclaren whore

⤷ username18 shut up

danielricciardo cute

⤷ username18 absolutely zero game i’m crying

username72 y/n and her boyfriends

⤷ username7 no but fr i’m so confused is she dating dan? is she dating lando?

⤷ username72 idk if she’s dating either but pretty sure if she is it’s defs lando

⤷ username7 they’d be so cute 😍 childhood friends to lover excellence

username64 sorry but how is she so pretty

chloestroll stunning babes

⤷ yourusername 😘😘

riabish stunnn

liked by carlossainz55, lilymhe, and 198,293 others

lando.jpg clicks 📸

tagged yourusername, lilymhe, alex_albon, danielricciardo

username02 omf mans is in love

username8 u honestly want me to believe that they aren’t dating? LOOK AT THIS

username92 the way he captures her 😫

yourusername yummy juicy watermelon

⤷ danielricciardo hell yea

⤷ lando.jpg what?

⤷ danielricciardo what?

⤷ yourusername what…?

⤷ username73 what 😵‍💫

username5 omgomgomg lando danny y/n lily and alex all on break together THEY DID THIS FOR ME

username92 so we aren’t gonna talk abt that last pic…

⤷ username6 is that danny and y/n?

⤷ username92 yuppp

⤷ username6 y/n danny nation W

⤷ username72 he’s just taking photos of her lol

alex_albon ✌️✌️

username16 soft launch fr

username72 finally we can shut up those crazy y/n daniel shippers - that man could be her father 🤢

⤷ username4 REALLLL childhood friends to lovers always prevails

liked by chloestroll, yourusername, and 188,737 others

daniel3.jpg summer was cute.

tagged lando.jpg, yourusername

username3 that 3 following him everywhere

username47 omg that 4th slide of y/n…

⤷ username8 and we were going crazy abt the one lando took 😳

username99 the difference in the pics lando and daniel took… platonic vs romantic 🤷‍♀️

username17 he saw all y’all running ur mouths abt y/n and lando, and set the record straight

yourusername very cute ☺️

⤷ landonorris ew who are u?

⤷ lilymhe lay off my wife 👹

⤷ alex_albon yea ok not surprised

⤷ username36 lando being grossed out by danny and y/n being soft for eachother - fork found in kitchen

lilymhe THREE pics of y/n and ZERO of me and alex… ok. 🫵

⤷ username17 lily is a y/n daniel truther

username17 he should feel ashamed- posting photos of y/n like that… what a creep

⤷ username3 i’m sure being her best friend he got her consent. also she’s literally 24 - she can make her own decisions

liked by ausgp, zbrownceo, and 1,508,929 others

f1 BREAKING: Daniel Ricciardo will leave McLaren at the end of the 2022 season.

username17 NO FUCKING WAY.

view 11,992 comments

liked by danielricciardo, lilymhe, and 109,082 others

yourusername doing just fine 🙃🌷

tagged danielricciardo, landonorris, alex_albon, lilymhe

username17 glad to see our bffs are all still bffs

username2 y/n the woman that u are.

username62 this is kinda the equivalent of y/n flipping of mclaren

username71 daniel w baby content AHHHH

lilymhe oh!

⤷ yourusername you look cute babe 🥺

username28 y/n said zak brown u will not ruin our summer

danielricciardo 🤍

alex_albon why does lando look in love with daniel?

⤷ landonorris bc i AM in love with daniel.

liked by maxfewtrell, carlossainz55, and 472,828 others

landonorris i ❤️ ?

username22 NO FUCKING WAY

username92 y/n and lando HARD LAUNCH BABY

username73 WE BEEN KNOWN WE BEEN WAITING

username9 third slide… do u think they got together in ny?!

username5 that man is not lando

⤷ username09 RIGHT like he’s to tall and big?

⤷ username3 yk who it could be tho…

alex_albon why r u pretending ur breaking the rules yourusername … ur well over 21 #old

⤷ yourusername woah slow ur roll albono

danielricciardo nyc… u love nyc right?

⤷ landonorris no daniel i love YOU

yourusername nyc get litty dab on them haters lfggggg in new yorkkkkkkk concrete jungles where dreams are made offfff

⤷ danielricciardo u age me

⤷ yourusername u don’t need me for that danny

⤷ lilymhe DAMN boom roasted there’s nothing u cant doooo i when ur in new yorkkkkkk

⤷ alex_albon u age me

⤷ yourusername u are old anyways

liked by landonorris, lilymhe, and 87,838 others

yourusername concrete jungle

username82 i’m so soft the way she’s still watching the race 🥹

username57 they’re her boys 🥹

username01 did she go to little italy in nyc…. bc she couldn’t be in italy for the race GOD I HAVE SEEN WHAT YOUVE DONE FOR OTHERS

danielricciardo bellissimo

⤷ yourusername 🍝🤌

lilymhe hottttt

landonorris biggest ln4 fan 😍

⤷ yourusername hmmmm more of a dr3 girly

⤷ username62 awww i love how lan and y/n tease each other 🥹

⤷ danielricciardo taste yourusername

mclaren our papaya girl even across the world 😍

alex_albon wet dream tomato 🍅

⤷ georgerussell63 are those the lyrics? i always thought it was where dreams are made of 😅 you learn something new haha

⤷ yourusername george u are too much

⤷ alex_albon george you are such a loser

liked by joshallenqb, landonorris, and 329,928 others

danielricciardo my home away from home

tagged yourusername

yourusername save a horse ride a- sorry nvm

⤷ alex_albon FERAL

⤷ username17 girl stand up 😭

username02 A WIN FOR THE Y/N DANIEL TRUTHERS

username99 this is such a coupley post

landonorris everybody watch out y/n’s on the loose

username73 oh to be in texas at a party w y/n and daniel

username18 THE HAND IN HIS HAIR?!

mclaren yeehaw 🤠

scottyjames31 looking good DR

liked by carmenmmundt, mclaren, and 120,737 others

yourusername save a horse #riccrodeo

tagged danielricciardo

username9 omg the horse rlly had its own paddock pass

username63 couples who share a weird obsession w texas together stay together

username6 pls tell me u bought him that badge

⤷ yourusername can confirm

danielricciardo 2nd pic was the best moment of my life

⤷ username12 monaco 2018 u r DUST

landonorris btw no hat and boot shopping is not fun. especially with y/n and daniel.

⤷ username73 not lando playing boyfriend for his girlfriend AND best friend 🤣

enchante 🤠

mclaren best looking cowgirl in the paddock 🫶

username62 mr and mrs texas

scottyjames31 how we feel abt the chops y/n/n?

⤷ yourusername let’s not talk abt it…

⤷ scottyjames31 🤣🤣

liked by yourusername, mclaren, and 210,938 others

lando.jpg yeehaw

username3 mans cant catch a break w danny’s shit

username8 i just know he’s wallowing in his own pain bc his girlfriend and teammate have been cosplaying cowboys the entire weekend

⤷ username26 not his girlfriend they’re just best friends

⤷ username8 okayyyyy

⤷ username72 well if she is i’m pretty sure he’s in pain bc his girlfriend and teammate look more like a couple then they do

yourusername that’s the spirit!

⤷ landonorris you have enough spirit for the both of u

⤷ alex_albon he’s right

⤷ yourusername ☹️

⤷ landonorris IN A GOOD WAY!

⤷ yourusername okkkk….

⤷ danielricciardo don’t let them dull your sparkle

maxfewtrell where’s the boots mate?

liked by christianhorner, maxvertsappen1, and 1,848,093 others

danielricciardo back home

tagged redbullracing, christianhorner

username72 DR IS BACK

username74 3rd driver but he’ll be back as soon as we know it

yourusername so proud ❤️

username2 rb golden boy is back

christianhorner 👏❤️

scottyjames31 YES DR rb athletes 🔛🔝

username01 prime time danny coming to a screen near you

liked by christianhorner, maxverstappen1, and 233,641 others

yourusername switching sides *caption edited *fun dump

username45 Y/N DONT THINK WE DIDNT SEE THAT

username81 MAXIEL CONTENT IN 2022?

danielricciardo 😁

username17 the rb can 😌 team daniel fr

username18 traitorous bitch. you’d be no where without mclaren.

maxfewtrell what did u say for lando to give u that side eye?

⤷ yourusername took this right before i showed him the post… you could say he was disappointed

username71 um are we gonna ignore that last photo?!

maxverstappen1 😅

⤷ username17 what does this mean?!

username26 y/n is fr soft launching daniel

⤷ username4 it could be anyone

redbullracing 🥶

liked by yourusername

landonorris oi what’s w the photo

⤷ yourusername which one 🙂

username72 idk if anyone’s noticed but y/n actually hasn’t tagged or responded to any mclaren comments since daniel’s contract termination was announced…

⤷ username2 wait…

username38 sensory overload… the way everyone is ignoring the soft launch

lilymhe who’s that man y/n/n…?

⤷ alex_albon i know 😇

⤷ lilymhe i know where u live 👹

⤷ alex_albon yeah… with me 😧

username28 y/n has really been distancing herself from the papaya princess image lately and now it makes so much sense

username3 daniel getting y/n in the divorce???

[tomwaterbabies]

LIVE REACTION (i was making a new dnd character when i witnessed this)

Hugo's love language is being fucking annoying, it works on Varian, somehow.

These are sketches inspired by Hugo and Varian's Cosplays made by @kristoffs-lullaby and @tomwaterbabies!

[huellitaa]

girl's guide to academic success: ep 1! ⊹˚. ♡

──★ ˙ ̟🎀 this post focuses on: actively rooting for success! ♡ part 2 -> ♡

🧸𓂃 ࣪˖ 1. organisation

first off, have something to organise ur academic life with! i personally use notion (which i'll add later) but u can use anything as long as it's cute, convenient, unique and accessible to you, your life and your schedule specifically. especially as a visual learner, i like to have somewhere i can dump literally everything regarding a singular area in my life, so i do this for almost everything along with school and i highly recommend this <3

🧸𓂃 ࣪˖ 2. recognition of talents & improvements

analyse your strengths and weaknesses. think back on tests, exams, marks, and analyse which ones you got highest and lowest on. dont beat urself up for it, obviously; it's just to check which subjects you're doing good in and which ones have room for improvement. for example i love science but im not the best at it sometimes and we had an assessment recently and i didn't get as high as i'd like so i wrote down a little list on a piece of paper in my pencilcase for the topics i got the least in for me to study on my own to practise later.

🧸𓂃 ࣪˖ 3. laying out goals

set down specific goals; i like to do this week by week accustomed to my schedule that week in my school notion page along with images and vision boards based on the term/semester, but you can do it for the week, the month, the year, anything as long as its helpful to you

🧸𓂃 ࣪˖ 4. productive planning

plan accordingly based on ur time energy. when creating any to do list or productivity plan dont pile a ridiculous amount onto it that just leaves you stressed and overwhelmed because that defeats the entire point; this works the same for academic plans and goals and lists etc.

🧸𓂃 ࣪˖ 5. extra credit

put extra work in to the subjects you know will help you in the future. for example, for my personal aspirations i need to excel in english, history and textiles so i always try my absolute hardest and put my all into those lessons and do extra studying for them in my free time where i can. school is to prepare you for the future so take advantage of that

🧸𓂃 ࣪˖ 6. asking questions

please don't be shy to ask questions! that's what teachers are there for and you won't have them forever so take advantage of it while you can! you can even do it in that little window of time just after class if ur too nervous to ask in class. for example, on my last english exam i went to my teacher after class and asked about what i needed to improve on to get the marks i missed next time, and he told me i added too much detail and some other things so i wrote it down and am keeping a note of it to remind me to improve on that next time! (i got top of my class though so i didnt mind. still kind of pissed i added too much detail though)

🧸𓂃 ࣪˖ 7. participation

participate! ok im saying this as someone who still struggles with social anxiety a fair amount but if u wanna get higher marks and get on good terms w ur teacher i 100% recommend this. i don't do this in every class but i do it where i can and when i'm confident in my answer, and it's really intimidating at first but what i did is i did it first in the classes i felt most comfortable on and continued from there. it gets easier every time i swear, and nobody's judging you; they'll forget about it after five minutes. plus, what would they be judging you for? being smarter than them?

🧸𓂃 ࣪˖ 8. prioritising ur health

this is mentioned a lot in these types of posts but if you're tired or burnt out or overworked or just feel like you need to take a break then do. do the best you can and compromise like i said earlier if you need to, just make sure u are prioritising yourself over anything. <3

──★ ˙ ̟🎀inspo

──★ ˙ ̟🎀my notion

i also really recommend this layout by @honeytonedhottie ♡

all my love 🩷✨💬🎀💗

[sparklingcid3r]

bc i like tb sad thinking about pony in college loving school and exceling but then coming home on holidays to see darry “getting old before his time” as the book says, and still working the same menial labor jobs he will forever. do u have hc for wut that was like for pony?

THISSSS oh my god you have no idea what you’ve done

Pony visiting home from college is probably such a bittersweet thing for him. He gets to show his brothers how well he’s doing, that their sacrifices are paying off in the best way possible. Soda’s thriving as well, splitting his time between the DX and maybe investing time toward getting his GED (upon Darry’s request, but it’s better than high school for him anyway).

Pony’s only gotten more observant since getting out of Tulsa and meeting people of so many different backgrounds. The first time he came home, he was shocked by how different Darry seemed, how he’d overlooked it growing up, or if it all simply accumulated over time, so quietly that he missed it. Now Pony sees it every time: the way Darry smiles seeing his brother outside the dorms as he picks Pony up, but his happiness has been eroded by long work days and an exhaustion that’s been ground into him over the course of years. It weighs his shoulders down and makes his steps fall heavy.

Pony does small assignments at the dinner table while Darry makes dinner. Sometimes he’ll look up, catch the way Darry’s hands have the most imperceptible shake to them as he handles the spaghetti in the strainer. Darry drops the ladle for the sauce and Soda pulls Pony aside before he can say anything, explains to him that they went to the doctor while he was at college, mentions carpal tunnel, most likely caused by the excessive hours spent hauling bundles of roofing around, working drills and other tools.

Everything becomes clear right before Pony’s eyes after that. The wisps of premature grays growing out right above Darry’s ears, his rough, calloused hands that press onto the wall or the table or the backs of chairs as he takes three, four, five seconds to orient himself once again.

Pony can’t stop the waves of guilt that crash into him whenever he glimpses that look Darry gets in his face when he thinks no one’s around to see. For just a moment, he sheds all the decades he’s yet to live but that have been iron-pressed into his body, and his eyes are young again, and they’re so tired.

Guilt gnaws at Pony’s bones, because he’s the reason for it, and because the only way he can escape it is by running from Darry all the way back to college, that dream that got pulled out right from underneath him.

Darry is the only one of them who is not where he wants to be. He’s twenty-four years old, and he’ll never truly be young again.

[journey-to-the-attic]

rating all of the om songs (so far) to pass time on the train LET'S GO

i was going to split these into separate posts but Ah who CARES they're all here now. for the intents and purposes of this post i am leaning more positive to the romance aspects (usually i'm more ambivalent). looong post ahead!

(i'm considering the lyrics based on the direct unofficial translations credited to Maon_ObeyMe on twitter, rather than the official english versions)

CHARACTER SONGS

Arcadia (Lucifer) -> Sonically: 7/10 I'm oddly into that one synth that comes in after the chorus. The violin stings are cool. Fun to vibe to! Points knocked off because he kind of doesn't sound like Lucifer, though. -> Lyrically: 5/10 Points removed (derogatory) for "lady", other points removed (affectionate) for the hilarity of "I'm fall in love u baby". You can tell it was written when they were still clinging somewhat to the dominant diet Christian Grey thing, but a lot of the lines are still genuinely romantic (while also being very Lucifer.) -> Overall: 7/10 I scrunch my face when I get to That One Line but otherwise I do pick this to listen to semi-regularly.

Are You Ready? (Mammon) -> Sonically: 6/10 Banger, but repetitive. Good rhythm to walk to. Hirotaka Kobayashi's delivery makes it. -> Lyrically: 6/10 Points docked for repetitiveness, but it's cute to see this side of him verbalised. Gender neutral high heels are a serve. -> Overall: 6/10 I don't relisten to this one quite as much as Arcadia, but I think that's just a genre preference.

My Chance! (Levi) -> Sonically: 8/10 The mixing on his voice is a bit weird, but it fits in with the chiptune sound, which I adore. Really catchy chorus. I also really like that soft bell insturment that's playing along with the main melody. -> Lyrically: 8/10 Really cute! Levi's characterised really well here. I love his little spoken interjections - Satoshi Kada is one of my favourite VAs in terms of delivery. (Levi's lines are some of the best in either of the voiced pop quizzes.) -> Overall: 8/10 Cute and fun to listen to. It's really easy to imagine a music video for this one.

Read My Heart (Satan) -> Sonically: 8/10 Really pretty piano instrumental, but I feel like there could've been a bit of variation. On the one hand, layering in some strings could've sounded really nice, but on the other, it does feel more personal as a solo piano ballad. Shinya Sumi has a really nice voice. -> Lyrically: 9/10 Very sweet, almost poetic, very Satan. The reference to cats doesn't feel heavy-handed. It feels like he wrote it. -> Overall: 9/10 I really like the bridge. It has a sort of lullaby quality as well, so it's nice to fall asleep to, or listen to when you need to calm down.

Pomade (Asmo) -> Sonically: 7/10 It's better-produced than some of the songs I've given a higher sonic rating, but this is more a matter of preference - this song isn't super my style. -> Lyrically: 10/10 EXCELLENT. The journey Asmo goes on? Starting out singing about himself and tempting you, then shifting to singing about you (You are my captive -> I am your captive) - the way it basically reflects his arc in OM S1? Chef's kiss. Beautiful. -> Overall: 7/10 I don't listen to it that often but I do think about those lyrics. They're so good. This is how you write a character song.

Hungry Six-Pack (Beel) Sonically: 8/10 I'm a sucker for that 'wah' effect on the guitar. I really like the rock sound, but I think it was done better in Barbatos's song. (Sorry, Beel.) Kyohei Yaguchi also does a really good job on the performance - you really get the feeling that this is how Beel himself would perform in a band. The interval in "darou" in the chorus is to die for, as is the "forever, forever-ah-ah-ah" in the last chorus. Lyrically: 6/10 Even in songs Beel cannot escape the "they only know how to write him with one character trait" allegations (/hj). To be fair, it'd be hard to get into his deeper character without dipping into lyrics about survivor's guilt, which I feel wasn't what they were going for. Overall: 7/10 I like to imagine him performing this at a bar. Also, total aside, but I really don't like that title.

Dreamscape (Belphie) -> Sonically: 9/10 I'm not usually a lo-fi person, but the vibes are perfect for Belphie and I really like this composition. -> Lyrically: 7/10 Really cute, but pretty basic - then again any of the songs' lyrics seem so when you compare them to the Queen Pomade. I do like how much Belphie's needy little-brother nature comes through here. "Hey, come see me, please?" Makes me want to pinch his cheek. -> Overall: 9/10 The sound alone carries it. I listen to it pretty regularly.

No.1 (Diavolo) -> Sonically: 9/10 Takuhei Yamamoto is giving it so much oomph and it's fantastic and also very in-character for Diavolo himself. He would be that enthusiastic. He would throw his head back and belt like that mic was made for him. (I find the "Sā, hora!" before the chorus really cute.) -> Lyrically: 6/10 It feels a little weird that he's doing the dominant thing in the lyrics here, but his sin attribute is apparently pride, and it's interesting that they chose this characterisation for him given he's usually so affable. (It's not like it came out of nowhere, to be fair - Diavolo basically admits to it on occasion, he seems to just hold it back, usually.) -> Overall: 7/10 Solid song that I don't listen to all that often for some reason.

Crazy About You (Barbatos) -> Sonically: 10/10 Absolute banger. The guitar solo makes me want to run through walls. Masayuki Harada's performance as Barbatos is also both spot-on and pitch perfect. That "Ahh-" leading into the chorus is gorgeous. I'm not the biggest fan of the spoken lines, but I appreciate that they're there for those truly starved stans who don't get nearly enough of him in the main story. -> Lyrically: 8/10 Perhaps oddly I really like his mix of servitude and sternness here. Feels playful in a way that I think really works for his dynamic with MC. (If only they'd utilise it in the game.) -> Overall: 10/10 It's just that much of a banger. Barbatos I'm so sorry for what the NB remix did to you. You were too powerful.

My Wish (Luke) -> Sonically: 6/10 Gonna be honest I completely forgot how this song sounded after I finished listening to it for the first time. I'm not the biggest fan of Luke's voice direction and there are parts in this where I just fully see a full grown man doing the voice. I do really like the chorus (the part that mentions sweets and cream) though. -> Lyrically: 8/10 Just very cute. Pretty much exactly what you'd expect from Luke - another one of those where you can easily imagine that the character wrote it themselves. -> Overall: 6/10 I don't think I've listened to it more than five times, to be honest. I actually quite like the NB remix for this one.

Question Love (Simeon) -> Sonically: 4/10 Simeon what the hell did they do to you. The production is fine, it's just... the autotune? It isn't like Yu Hirata can't sing. Why did they do that? Presumably it's a stylistic thing, which I'm not against, it's just not executed well. (Though it's cute to imagine Simeon himself being responsible, as tech-illiterate as he is.) It's a weird genre for a character like him, too. I was expecting another ballad, maybe with a harp... -> Lyrically: 6/10 Feels quite generic - I feel like Simeon of all characters would have had a more poetically written song, and his relationship with MC could have been particularly interesting to write about. (Though I'm not sure how long ago this was released.) -> Overall: 5/10 He deserved better. I do like the instrumental on his NB remix, though. That deep bass synth in the back is great

Our Destiny (Solomon) -> Sonically: 7/10 Really like those violins on the chorus. The blend of the strings with the more lo-fi adjacent sound is actually really fitting for a character like Solomon. Kazuki Kawata has this really nice smooth voice, and his ad-libbing at the end is pretty charming. The "hey!" on the chorus sometimes veers into youtube_kids_going_yay.mp3 territory for me, though. -> Lyrically: 7/10 I really like that he calls back to one of his in-game phone calls. It's kind of funny that he sounds so sure of himself when there's an almost insecure nature to his affections in NB especially. -> Overall: 7/10 All around good song. Another one who got done dirty by his remix.

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UNIT SONGS

Choose Me (Mammon, Levi, Asmo) -> Sonically: 6/10 I like the big brass sound, but... eh. Feels like something's missing. I like Hirotaka Kobayashi's delivery on Mammon's rap lines, but the chorus in particular feels kind of lacking. -> Lyrically: 7/10 I don't know what this 'love game' is but I don't think I want to participate. I also fully hear "gay" every single time. That aside, the verses are pretty good. -> Overall: 5/10 Not really for me, but I'll listen to it on shuffle sometimes. This one's remix was criminally bad.

Telepathy (Beel, Belphie) -> Sonically: 10/10 Such a pretty instrumental. Is that "ooooooo" in the background Belphie? It does sound like Satoshi Onishi's voice. The twins both sound perfectly in character and in sync with each other (though I would've liked for them to have a verse together.) Their spoken bridge is adorable. -> Lyrically: 7/10 It's hard to gauge the vibes from the lyrics. They're definitely singing to/about each other (they say so in the bridge), and that's clear in the chorus, but there are a few parts where it's like. Is that something you say to a brother?? Did a songwriter miss a memo? Also what does "your muscles are mood" mean. -> Overall: 9/10 It's such a comforting song to listen to. I just get a bit distracted by "your muscles are mood" every time. Belphie. What does that mean. Please

Passion (Lucifer, Satan) -> Sonically: 8/10 Really big fan of the piano. The breathing sounds caught me off-guard at first, but I know to expect them now. I really like both VA's performances. Lucifer sounds like Lucifer again! -> Lyrically: 7/10 I find Lucifer's line "I said that I’d listen with patience and silence, but you've got some nerve to actually continue" kind of out-of-place - it's more consistent with his characterisation in early NB than anywhere in OM when this was released, which is interesting - but the rest is pretty good. I really couldn't imagine singing this alongside your own sibling though. -> Overall: 8/10 I don't tend to choose this one a lot, but I don't skip it if it comes on in shuffle.

Take It Easy (Satan, Belphie) -> Sonically: 8/10 Really fun bouncy instrumental. I really like the rapport between these two here. (Would you say Belphie's in falsetto? Either way, I love how he and Satan take the higher and lower registers respectively.) -> Lyrically: 10/10 God I love these lyrics. They're so funny. The brief moment of sincerity before they go right back to singing about how much they love pranking Lucifer. "Makes me happy" makes me so happy. It's so sweet. These little rascals. These absolute rapscallions. -> Overall: 9/10 I like the sound of Rock On better, but the LYRICS. They're so great.

Rock On!! (Lucifer, Mammon) -> Sonically: 9/10 This one's another banger. The VAs do a great job with the back-and-forth delivery in the spoken bridge (I especially love how Lucifer and Mammon both sound like they're pretending really hard that they don't give a shit on "Yoroshiku douzo negawakuba" together". Lucifer also sounds like he ran out of air on "...omae wa" a little earlier. Lol -> Lyrically: 8/10 It's really funny to listen to them both strut their stuff singing about themselves in the verses and then suddenly get sincere to each other on the bridge. Though I think this song could've really benefited from the "feels like it was written by the characters" approach. -> Overall: 9/10 I just really like it!

Trigger (Levi, Asmo, Beel) -> Sonically: 8/10 This used to be my favourite of these three unit songs sonically, but solely the delivery of "Trigger!" bothers me a little bit. It could use more force, is all. That aside, everyone did a fantastic job and Satoshi Kada in particular served on Levi's verse. -> Lyrically: 7/10 I'm not even entirely sure what's going on in this song, but I like it. I didn't like Asmo addressing you as "kitten", but I did really like Miura Ayme adding a sort of cutesy whining tone to "I'm the cutest demon in the world, right?" - Ayme in general does a great job with Asmo's character in songs. -> Overall: 8/10 Still good! I think my tastes have just shifted since I first listened to it.

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OPENING SONGS

Sinful Indulgence (OM!:SWD) -> Sonically: 9/10 It really is a bop. Miura Ayme's performance is great. -> Lyrically: 8/10 Pretty strong! "Oh baby, obey me!" is clever and very catchy. I only ever use the word sexy as a joke so it catches me off guard when Asmo says it, but that's not really a complaint. The dark-and-sinful nature of the lyrics is really funny when you compare it to the stuff these guys actually get up to in-story. -> Overall: 8/10 It's a good listen and a good opening to the game, even if the lyrics don't really reflect the content all that well.

Devil's Way (OM!:NB) -> Sonically: 9/10 Ohhh whatever that metallic bell sound in the intro+outro instrumental is, it is a tasty sound. Shinya Sumi is performing his heart out and he's doing fantastic. I still can't fully tell if that's Belphie or Levi on the start of the second verse, but whoever it is did a really good job of making it sound subtly unsettling. The bridge starts shifting into edgy territory, but the whole song is teetering, to be honest. Also, I've mentioned this before, but the "sekai de-eeee" just before the bridge is still so good. -> Lyrically: 8/10 I adore the use of "sweetiepie" in the chorus but it does detract a little from the dark vibe they've got going on. Lucifer using 'boku' in this song of all places is bewildering and hilarious. The darker tone definitely fits in with S1 and S2. -> Overall: 8/10 Something about that bridge bothers me. Other than that, banger.

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BROTHER ENSEMBLE SONGS

It's My Party -> Sonically: 9/10 It's a bop. -> Lyrically: 6/10 Relatively basic. From a cynical perspective, the brothers basically each tell you their One Assigned Trait that the writers fall back on when they can't be bothered to do deep characterisation, but that's not the fault of the songwriter. I take psychic damage every time I hear "haters gonna hate." -> Overall: 9/10 I've listened to this quite regularly since I had my friend edit me the version with "haters gonna hate" cut out. (It's a 7/10 with the hater line left in.)

Eternal -> Sonically: 9/10 So nice. I can't unhear the first few notes as See You Again, but the rest of the track is definitely a credit to itself. I feel like there could've been more orchestral build-up, but that might also make it feel too dramatic... as is, it feels more candid and personal. Like you could imagine this being performed to you in a small local theater. -> Lyrically: 10/10 There is definitely bias at play, but hearing this as OM's first sincere ensemble love song made a pretty big impression. The lyrics are so sweet. "My love" is one of those terms of affection that I love so much I don't even mind when it's used on me. -> Overall: 10/10 Again, biased, but this song just has a special place in my heart.

On Your Way -> Sonically: 6/10 It's.... fine? I like the instrumental, but the chorus feels a little empty. Shinya Sumi hitting that high note on "Let's get you on your way" each time is kind of inspiring, though. Belt it, girl! -> Lyrically: 7/10 The "eeny-meeny-miny-mo" is so silly but I love it. -> Overall: 6/10 Pretty standard stuff.

With You -> Sonically: 9/10 Gosh, another really pretty instrumental! I think the seven VAs are definitely more comfortable singing as an ensemble here, though it would've been nice to get some more harmonies... -> Lyrically: 10/10 They're so sappy but that's what makes it work, especially delivered in all sincerity like this. Something about that last line (and its delivery) feels so earnest. -> Overall: 9/10 I'm just a sucker for whatever genre you call this and Eternal. Also, I really like title callback to S2's play (I don't think it was necessarily intentional, but still).

Spooky Night Parade -> Sonically: 7/10 It's a really fun instrumental. I love the little "hehehee....... trick or treat?" in between choruses and verses. They're just little guys. -> Lyrically: 6/10 Just sort of standard Halloween-y lyrics that don't mean too much. -> Overall: 7/10 it feels more like a novelty song than something I'd listen to regularly.

Magic Moment -> Sonically: 9/10 Oooooh that's a nice instrumental. The swelling dynamics are so satisfying, the vocal performances are all lovely. I love that glockenspiel in the back. (At least I think that's what it is.) (I've imagined IK playing it while the brothers perform this before.) -> Lyrically: 9/10 Another "it's so sappy I love it" moment. "I'm so happy I could cry" Like GUYS!! Aw man I love you. They drop three I love yous and they're all great. -> Overall: 10/10 I know the maths doesn't add up but I just really like this song.

Anniversary -> Sonically: 8/10 Strong instrumental, but I feel like the delivery on the raps in the first verse are a little lacking? Asmo and Belphie's verses feel incredibly satisfying for whatever reason. Though Belphie(?)'s little "come on baby" at the end just makes me laugh. I feel like the chorus could've benefited from splitting the brothers up a little (at least for the first two) rather than having them all sing at once. I love hearing them all talk to each other at the beginning, like a behind-the-curtain moment. -> Lyrically: 9/10 "We can't live without you" AWWWWWWWW -> Overall: 9/10 Feels nostalgic even though it came out this year. Another one where the overall rating is based on pure vibes and feeling

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TRIWORLDS

All the Feels -> Sonically: 10/10 Certified banger. Is it something about Barbatos? (His "one more time" in the final chorus is kinda hype.) Feel like there could've been more variety in the instrumental, though. -> Lyrically: 8/10 The verses feel more personal to the characters than in e.g. It's My Party, but the chorus is still pretty basic. It's a little upsetting that one of Barbatos's lines here has more depth to it than most of his characterisation thus far. I find it really funny that they call the listener "buddy." Probably would've been too weird for Luke to say "honey". Also, the "We are dancing, we are dancing (uh, uh)" bridge is so dumb (in a cute and funny way) -> Overall: 10/10 Just a great song to listen to (and imagine choreography to.)

[qvrcll]

Hi! So I love your blog and I have a request if you're up for it!

So imagine Vendetta!Leon or ID!Leon with a younger, Rookie D.S.O agent. So the reader is learning about what it takes to be an agent and they are skilled but a little reckless. The reader and Leon end up going on a mission together and something happens to where the reader does something risky/reckless to save Leon and afterwards while Leon is patching them up he's also scolding them for putting themselves into a dangerous situation...

I just thought it was a cute idea and I adore your blog so obviously no pressure and thank you regardless! :)

change

summary: training to be a d.s.o agent has its perks and its fair share of dangers, and who would know that best other than the acclaimed leon s. kennedy? former rookie cop turned myth, you’re troubled as you try to not question your worth to your duty — to him.

warnings: intense violent imagery, d.s.o. agent reader, talk of death / loss, talk of wounds / stabbing, weapons mentioned, angst (comfort i swear!!!!!!!), written with infinite darkness ! leon in mind

a/n: bam stop using deftones songs as titles FAILED. and hello??? ur mind??? revolutionary. but thank u so much for the request!! i did make it more angsty than intended 😭 but happy ending i swear !! this is just a general disclaimer, but i’m trying my best to get as many requests done as possible, but finding myself easily burnt out, so please bare with me if i take some time to get these pieces out!! enjoy :-)

word count: 3.5k+ (help)

You’re well put together — inundated at the seams and bursting in the areas that made you an excelling recruit, something of a common place practice when one gets appointed to a station as alpine as the D.S.O.

It’s gruelling at first. The training, not the people — the people here offer you awkward but veritable grins, cloying pats on the head when you’d surpassed a notable fix in your inculcation, maybe even conversation in places you’d expect hard worn expressions, bumps of the shoulders, a lack of acquiescence for a new comer such as you.

“Turns out, there’s a new donut place opening in the city” someone speaks through a mouthful of food, grinning when admonished by their peer. They look at you with tired yet cordial won eyes, something like a respite in comparison to the gruelling training and pains you endure in staple hours.

You laugh, craning backwards, replying “Really? Wanna go sometime?”

And they teem, sheen with surety as you set a date. The date passes and you’ve got your fridge brimmed with donuts — pastel, sugar coated and chockfull of profuse fillings.

You’re home. You’re staring at your laptop. The device whirrs with effort, the screen fulgent with simulated light as block words stare back at you — MULTIPLE KILLED IN GOVERNMENT ORDAINED PROJECT. SEVERAL INJURED.

The next day, you press your lips together and wait for the space ahead to be filled with a familiar face, some day old blistering talk about donut shops and parties and mandated leaves.

No one comes. You chew your bread in wanton silence.

And your days blur as usual — your attitude is unparalleled. You give yourself the credit for coarsening against such losses, of confidants who offered you their time and remaining nuance of sentience. You don’t, however, congeal like they do. You do not die or recoup.

You move senselessly and so do the days.

It’s several months later, when you’ve gathered yourself in the training room, greased with sweat and vigour, when you meet him.

Leon S. Kennedy, in the flesh.

There’s talk of him in the corridors, rumours of his barely capricious resolve and even more so of his loyalty to the D.S.O. Of his habitual reclusiveness, ordained leaves and near blank appearances.

He’s almost a myth.

Still, you’re real and working and need to cavort around your training till your muscles bleed and chalk up with pain that marks enough effort for the night — you do not want to stay a rookie forever. There’s a insecurity underscored in your brain somewhere, in bright red lines and despite the sweat of your skill in your hands, but you decide to delineate it for tonight. Try to focus on the knotty feel of the compress against your knuckles as you strengthen your feet, begin to get into a stance most up to par, a gracing thought of ‘please don’t break my bones’ pressed into the bean bag before—

“Hello?”

The addition of another voice, besides the earsplitting one in your mind, makes you falter. Makes you lose your footing and touch the target in front of you, rather than skirting it with a hard worn touch — the sight would’ve made you chuckle on a normal day. But today was not normal, it was marked with a accent of irresolutions. So you swivel on your feet, baring your teeth like the caitiff the D.S.O had disillusioned everyone into being. The pretence doesn’t fool anyone, not even yourself, but you give it a try.

And maybe you give yourself some credit, for stoking it up to the myth, the caricature of duty himself, Leon Kennedy. In the flesh, complexion enervated in his well earned stack of muscle, that seemed to be garbed with a leather jacket. Jeans.

How… normal.

You lose tension in your muscles. Ditch the shout in your brows. Abandon the faux, heavy lined bellicosity in your belly for curiosity. Some guilt and embarrassment, too.

“Leon S. Kennedy?” you gasp, feel the air hit your tongue. The room grows a faltering few degrees hotter, and some part of you is convinced you’ll sink into the floor in a matter of minutes.

But Leon offers you one of his complimentary smiles that scream business. His hands are discarded in the wide sinews of his jeans, where they are distracted and nonplussed with the goal of hurting the material with diverted fingers. Yet you linger ahead of him, visibly sweaty and awkward, and it blunders his heart with some peace that you’re biding that same level of awkwardness.

“In the flesh,” he jokes, but the room is too small, too dark to determine tone. To determine the weight of his words or his presence. You still find sentience in you to laugh, snort even, and it makes the air between a lot more genuine, “I’ve come to discuss something here with you.”

“With me?” you croak, not wanting to sound delirious but inevitably falling for the trap — what did the Leon Kennedy want to do with a single recruit that is you? Skilled, yes, but sharing the innumerable roster of missions as him? Not a chance. Still, you grab a towel and a bottle of water, finding rhythm in your step as you talk alongside him to the exit.

Slogging be damned.

He offers a small nod, resigned in a way that made sense to the both of you, “We’re to be assigned in a collaborative project. A mission, if you will,” he opens the door, allows you to step past the threshold first and doesn’t miss the way you flesh out with a terrible blush as you skitter ahead, “Nothing too out of the ordinary for agents like you and me. Just a simple clear up.”

But we are nothing alike, you want to ink the air with the words. And some part of you stiffens as you hear the intractable comparison. Still, you’re curious above all things else and hear him out — not that I can refuse, you add mentally. Scribble out with imaginable red ink.

“When will it be?” you ask, feet jittery and muscles still sheening.

“A month from now” he confirmes. You work to notice the exigent lines of wear and tear on his face, the follow of a stubble beginning to thread against his chin and jaw. The sharpness giving way to kindness in his eyes as he looks at you.

Oh god, he’s looking at you.

“I see,” you say, gaze falling to the gravel and spit of stone as you corner the exit. As the wind hits your skin, you’re pathetically assuming a shiver. You hope Leon isn’t as perceptive as the rumours pin him to be, but you never truly get anywhere with that wish — he places a warm, kind hand on your shoulder, “You’re freezing.”

“Yeah I should probably—“

“Get back?”

“Home, yeah.”

And an awkward, painfully annoying silence courses the space between you two — between you and this acclaimed proxy you barely knew prior to these graceless seconds. The better part of you ushers the thought away and the worse part of you is antsy to prove something — anything.

“Get home safe…” he offers some semblance of a tight lipped smile, again as reclusive as he can get. His back is turned to you, departing, and you’re pulled in the other direction by your feet, when you suddenly turn around.

He’s gone already.

The month beneath his guidance is as you expect it — resilient and tough on the flesh. He manoeuvres you in ways you’d never have begun to correct yourself (“Lift the end of your arms here, instead of down here.”)

He presses feeling and rigour to his praise (“That’s it — you got it. Good job — now give me 20 more.”)

He holds you back from splintering push forwards, from the bridge between you and your apex. Holds a hand against your wet shoulder to shoulder your eagerness (“Woah, woah — don’t get too ahead of yourself.”)

You make it known of your gratefulness. You buy takeout and share it on the stairs. You communicate your worries and walk out free of them.

You also hate him for rubbing raw of your potential. You hate him for the wounded look in his eyes when you falter. You hate him for the itch in his fingers when you push yourself some more.

But you keep that one for the shadows. Don’t make it known. Hide it behind falsity.

You share takeout on the stairs again.

The night before the assignment couldn’t be more gruelling.

You’re welcome by the sheets, yet find no recluse in them, as you twist and turn as the hours come. Your feet are stretched and throbbing with hurt from the range of pushing exercises from the day before, your fingers curling with effort only.

And your head is plagued. Swimming, bathed, with those reticent thoughts. Those same block letters that spoke back to you, flagged the death of thousands you knew from passing glances to remembered conversations.

You turn on your side, try to flush the thought away. But they come back with vigour, with spit.

You knew them.

You’d eaten with them.

You’ll die just the same.

Fuck this.

Your feet find the cold, hard-wood floors immediately. They’re a ridged comparison to the heat of the sheets, but a blistering reminder of what’s to come tomorrow. You pace your apartment, crowd your brain with tasks, busy your hands, till the sun flits past the clouds like routine.

And with your heart in your throat, you ready yourself to the chin, gripping yourself with the promise of doing what you must to euchre death on its own doorstep — both for you and Leon.

The day arrives with a quick start. You’re deployed in a vehicular that is smaller than anticipated, holding your fears in your hands with cupped palms. Leon sits beside you, eyes vacant of anything palpable. You’d talked once, but that’s all of what either of you offered each other up till now — now, it’s you and your fears, cut-throat and fusty, ahead of you.

A thought of your friend passes your mind.

A thought of the donut shop.

A thought of the bottom of your coffee cup.

A thought of the post-mortem images. Of the flesh. The blood. The time. The place.

“Remember,” Leon cards you out of your worst, thoughts crumbling against themselves as you swivel to glance at him, “on me at all times. No sudden moves. Got it?”

He is far more profound here, the spitting image of the rumours materialised into the skin of a battle worn agent — his tone is pebbly, no semblance of that night’s patience in it anymore.

He’s in it for good. And you should be too.

“Got it,” you reply when the seconds flow too far. He nods back, curt and sharp and you want to talk him up. Want to offer your share of strategies. Want to card through the wounds on your arm and how to avoid the bloody things. Want to loop your fingers through half of his experience and not want to set him back.

But it was never that simple. And the ride is just as silent.

Two hours in and you’re stationed against crumbling brick, jagged stone, MK-45 gripped tightly in your hands. The smell of rot, mycelium, abused your lungs. Makes you stagger forward and hold yourself by the seams like flesh on plying bone.

But when you look at Leon, he’s everything but as discomposed as you — his eyebrows are tightly drawn, a shadow to his eyes that wasn’t there prior. There’s a bite in his step, in the way he holds his weapon, in the way he surveys the area.

Get yourself together, you think.

Within minutes, you force yourself to straighten your back, swallow back the burdensome bile stretching against your mouth and prime yourself to the futile smell of the dead at every carrefour you cross.

“Ahead,” Leon speaks and clings to your attention.

You look ahead, noticing an array of groaning zombies clawing at a car that seemed to have initiated its alarm. The smell is amplified by the rub of petrol curdling out of the car (from the repeated clash of the zombies, you’re sure) and you frustrate yourself into not gagging — think ‘fucking hell, I really hate these things.’

“You go to the left, I’ll take the right,” Leon whispers and you realise his motive.

Mutual accomplishment built on the precipice of trust.

Still, he looks at you like he’ll splinter without a response.

Like he relies on this circulation, no matter how damning, how short. His eyes scream ‘don’t you dare do anything stupid’ and you choose to blur it into something nonsensical, a thought of ‘it’s common procedure, a set of instructions he needs to hand feed me’, choosing to ignore the obvious side of things, the bleeding flush of his words, the trepidation nailing every withering seam of his body.

He’d grown to interpret you as more than just a rookie, someone capable of vigour and strength of the winning.

He needed you alive.

You needed him to look at you other than a wounded animal.

You offer him some little nod, feet hurrying up to the fluster of zombies against the few cars gathered there — as you get close, you can see the vegetation cram against the side walk, the stink of flesh against the windshield.

But you’re skilled, not stupid.

Your weapon purrs with warmth in your hand as you pin down the first vier, working your second round of bullets with the other five you’ve attracted— their fractured groans are animalistic, orotund where human capability shouldn’t be.

But you’re twice the work than they ever are.

“Fuck,” you whisper, realising close proximity doesn’t hold up with your choice of weapon — so, working against better judgement, you retrieve your knife by the hilt, scoring it against the reeking flesh of the first two. You quickly gain footing and stab the other two point black in the skull, feeling the vibrating collusion fill the blade.

And you’re close — you feel it. With another plow, the last of them falters to the floor with a wet thump. Blood pools at your feet, curdles against the material of your boot as you curl a hand against your hip in weariness.

And yet, you have half the nerve to concern yourself with Leon.

As you turn, you quickly see that he is struggling. He’s cornered, stuck between a stretch of the building that allows a swift gateway of those creatures to buckle within arm’s reach. And there’s little solace as you learn the fact, as you ready your weapon — you’re aiming before you can think, firing before you can feel.

Leon spots you, as his jaw goes slack.

His voice is swollen with disbelief and you’re sure you catch the words “get out of here!” but you’re moving on the pure pump of your blood, of the stretch of muscle and skill in your body. Two, three, four enemies crumble at the bite of your bullet and your fingers sink against the sting of gunmetal.

Memorise the step of their movements.

Formulate an opening.

Ignore Leon’s snare and his warnings and the way his arms curl around his weapon and the look in his eye and the fickle hope in them and the way they look at you like you’re something wounded.

Ignore the way a grunt sounds in your ear, a pale and cleft palm clinching your shoulder like an orifice — and finally, you realise, Leon had been right.

The zombie is quick to remind you of your mortality — it swings you to the side with it’s astounding asperity, frightens you with the dexterity of its bones as it makes quick work of the distance between you. It’s teeth stitch against cold bone, blood and meat between the gaps.

You gasp out a hoarse cry — your weapon is out of reach and your arm stings with a burn, a swelter. Your leg feels numb and you’re sure you’ve caught it on something, and you’re convinced you’ll be half mauled to death, when suddenly,

“Shit!”

Leon rattles through the zombie towering you, sears it with a knife — it falls atop you like meat and you shove it off with awfully numb hands. You’re barely catching respite as Leon hauls you above his shoulder as he runs to some place else, and the world quickly melts beneath your eyelids.

The next time you’re conscious, it’s much quieter.

There’s a dripping noise from your right — you try to play with that recurring sound till you’ve figured your bearings, but the throb in your head is searing. Your leg jumps with a pain so awful you choke a cry when you’re all opened eyed and slack jaw, and you catch sight of Leon in front of you, balancing your leg atop his lap for inspection.

“L-Leon?” you gasp, feel the burn of your throat. You’ve said nothing but he quickly hands you a water bottle, and you allow yourself the contents almost immediately — “Where are we…?”

“A few ways off the target location. Recuperating,” he answers, too quick, too harsh. You wince, both from his demeanour and the growing image of your maimed leg — the skin is dented with much blood, the flesh peeling apart with ease and the pain hits you like a train. His fingers are trembling and spat with your blood, moseying around the quiver of the wound.

And you can’t figure out where your pain ends and where his anger begins.

For one, there’s some grip to his movement, in the way he bandages the broken flesh of your leg. The way he swats your hand away when you go to dictate the amount of hurt it would bring.

Only then does he look up and your breath hitches — his eyes are red rimmed, mouth set like hard stone in a frown and his jaw sharp, blistering to a furious degree.

“I’m sorry—“

“Are you? Because you would’ve been dead without me having been there” he spits out, lashing against your apologetic words. You press your lips together, a bitter feeling fermenting in every space your framework can produce.

“I said I’m sorry Leon.”

“Will that fix your wound?” He grates and his voice sounds like a threat. It worries you. It angers you. Its rends you like glass, cuts you like a skiver.

“Maybe if you didn’t look at me like a fucking wounded animal, I would quit taking my chances at dying” you force out, tone through clattering teeth when his fingers pause over that delicate and awfully repulsive spot on your leg.

“What?”

“Oh, please don’t play pretend with me Leon,” it’s your turn to hit the brakes, “It’s that look you give me — like I’m some backwater D.S.O rookie here to drag you through glass. Like—Like I’m here to get myself killed.”

You pause, breath cut short with an unsatisfactory cry as you throw your head back from the gushing pain from the wound. You crack open a weary eye to spot his movements have resumed, but his jaw is quivering, jagged, his eyes unfocused and his hair in his face.

Shit, shit, shit — I’ve really done it now.

“Wait, Leon—“

“Is that what you think this is?”

You blink — his fingers are on the ground beside your hips, his eyes flooded with disbelief. Much like earlier, only this time, it’s counterpart being woe instead of anger of disappointment. He lifts his head, cradles the anguish in his eyes with a tattered sigh and you realise, oh. You had it all wrong.

“That you’re just some agent I don’t care about?” he’s close, somehow, “that—that I care for you out of duty?” closer, now, with his breath on your neck, on your face, in your ear, “That I don’t want you gone so soon because I only tolerate you? Not because—I like you?”

Your anger drops its futile act.

“What?” you whisper, because you’re so beguiled that it’s a trick. A trick from the pump of adrenaline in you, from the fear. The sweat. But he’s looking into you, at you, and his stare is not sympathetic. It stinks of love and admiration and truth and some close call of fear.

“I’m saying that I like you.”

There’s a few moments of clouded breath. You’ve never done this before — never held this song and dance of emotion between another and certainly not at a time like this, but god, Leon looks at you like you’re something to be worshipped, not admonished like the wounded thing that you are.

He looks at you like hope.

Like love and love and love.

And you’ve never appreciated the stench of rot on you or another, and you’ve never appreciated distractions. But the burn of his lips against yours is delicious and swirling with something addictive when you meet him with nothing but rigour — he kisses you back like he’s meant to, like he’s going to run out of you if he doesn’t.

And when you pull away, groaning as your leg spasms with hurt, you smile at him gently, curve a laugh from your overworked lungs.

“Buy me dinner first, Kennedy.”

“Kennedy?”

“Would you prefer Scott?”

“God, you’re awful.”

© 2023 qvrcll ! do not repost any of my works on any platform.

[classiccowboy]

instagram j.b.

Summary: follow along with joe and his wife evie as they go through his football career.

*face claim is yasmin quintana*

series masterlist

joeyb_9

liked by evie, bengals, and 607,427 others

joeyb_9: my first dump

view all 7,629 comments…

sam_hubbard_: excellent

charmin: First dump huh, we got you covered. 🤝

> evie: ohhh. this is crazyyyy! 🤣

user: I LOVE THIS POST

evie: big dumps only. make sure you wash your hands after.

> joeyb_9: if there’s one thing i’m good at it’s post dump hygiene.

user: the arms?????

user: chess king

evie

liked by millyg, joeyb_9, and 910,003 others

evie: like we were in paris..

view all 3,201 comments…

user: i’m obsessed with you guys

millyg: i double tapped every pic bc well i love you

> evie: not the triple double tap!!! 💗💗

user: do you follow him everywhere

> evie: he typically goes to football practice alone.. so nope.

joeyb_9: i was taken by the view..

> evie: careful jb your swiftie is showing.

> user: it’s okay ev, we already know he secretly loves her.

> joeyb_9: i only know the words because evangeline has listened to it no less than 500 times since we landed..

user: does joe always have to make an appearance in your posts?

> evie: i mean.. he’s like.. idk.. my husband??

user: yes yes yes

> evie: xoxo

joeyb_9

liked by evie, lahjay10_, and 690,720 others

joeyb_9: with @voguemagazine doing some new things

view all 6,829 comments…

nfl: 🔥🔥🔥

user: gosh i love u

evie: babe literally who gave you the right

obj: Brrrrrrrddddd

user: @evie tell us the tea.. did he have the bracelets on under the suit?

> evie: 👀

user: joey you know exactly what you’re doing

> evie: yes, he does.

user: this is great on so many levels

user: very chic joe!

user: MY MY MY WHAT DO WE HAVE HERE

> evie: a major hottie

user: ev how do you handle the epic levels of thirst under joes posts?

> evie: i just can’t really blame anyone.. i mean 🥵

evie

liked by joeyb_9, lahjay10_, and 890,826 others

evie: pasta 10/10

view all 703 comments…

user: you are perfect

millyg: MRS worldwide

> evie: angel face.. come see me soon.

user: eating good huh?

> evie: eating GREAT actually

joeyb_9: 😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨

> evie: lovie 💗

user: i remember when you used to do lives eating mcdonald’s in bed, now you’re eating pasta in paris!!

> evie: dreams really do come true..

> user: don’t act like you got yourself here, you’ve been piggy backing off joe for years.

> evie: yes, i’ve been using my HUSBAND for years to get rich and famous (even though when we started dating he was a backup qb). go to therapy.

> user: eat them up bby.

evie

liked by joeyb_9, bengals, and 567,129 others

evie: i’m so in love that i might stop breathing

view all 5,829 comments…

millyg: damn near 10 years together and you’re sooo obsessed with each other. it’s sick.. and precious.

> evie: quit being so jealous mills. you know i love you too.

user: i am SOBBING

> evie: me. too.

user: i want to be you when i grow up

user: happy sunday, you deserve this love.

> evie: i’ll do everything in my power to make sure i keep deserving it.

joeyb_9: forever and ever x

> evie: never gonna change. 💗

lahjay10_: oh burrow is going to be obsessing over this

> user: @ all the people who complain about her posting him too much. he loves it shut up.

> evie: you said it 😅

evie’s stories:

*tell a friend to tell a friend…. she’s baaaaack!!! i just couldn’t stay away from evie for long, idk how often i’ll update these throughout the season but they will be coming sporadically. meanwhile, send requests!

[19871997]

i would LOVE recs please and thank you 🫶🏽

OKAY ! so. these to me are like 2997 required reading:

cover to cover and unbound by lighthousetowers (M, 24k) this is like The connorleon fic to me getting together whole figuring out who they are as players and people and to the oilers and to the nhl as a whole and how they built their legacy and write their story and how they’ll fit in to other legacies and stories it is spectacularly written the themes are so consistent and connor and leon’s voices and actions are so freaking realistic like even if you dgaf abt them u should read this and then gaf about them

he’s no jacob from the bible (but damn he made me pray) by softnoirr (M, 8.5k) easily the most devastating and crushing fic ive maybe ever read, definitely at least in the connorleon tag, postcareer and intimately exploring the effects of career ending head injuries and how to love one another when one of u barely remembers half the hours of the day. one of the tags is ‘connor mcdavid isnt a robot but probably wishes he was’ and i think that succinctly summarises the fic. one of those ones u read once and think about forever

a brief, unauthorised guide to tending an exit wound by stridents (no rating, 10k) getting back together fic of my personal dreams quite frankly. just a very very good concept delivered in an excellent manner with perfect execution every action they take feels incredibly in character. something something sometimes it isnt about how u get there but thr fact that you did get there in the end

take me back to the places i feel loved in by fishfoods (T, two works 1.6k total) THE. married connorleon series by my ride or die @bboes about loving and being loved so so freaking soft and fluffy and so quintessentially connorleon in that they love eachother above and beyond quite possibly everything else

bones in the foundation by cuprun (M, 8.6k) directly taken from the tags: this is NOT about wanting to escape the oilers, this is about how you can feel trapped somewhere even if its somewhere you don’t want to leave. sososo good gives u exactly what you come for really conveys connor and leon’s whole ‘best players in the world don’t want to win anywhere else but everything else is making it damn hard’ thing

be the one to set me free by notthequiettype (E, 31k) getting togetehr and learning about eachother and eachother’s bodies cannot recommend it enough also one of THE connorleon fics to me the way connor is written genuinely hits like a freaking line every single time and the way he interacts w leon and others is soooooo. oughhhhh

not strictly connorleon but something about us by lemonfractals (E, 19k) is connor/leon/dylan holloway but also the way connor and leon are in this like that is Them through and through truly truly such an incredible fic and made me a dholloway frontliner

goes without sayibg really but the rest of the fics by these authors are also an always recommend so i heartily suggest u check them out too!!!

[scarletttries]

Forever Mine (Kendall Roy Succession Request)

Pairing: Kendall Roy (Succession) x F! Reader

Rating: Explicit (Breeding Kink/ Jealous Kendall)

Word Count: 2.1k

Request: "Hiii Scarlett!!! I LOVE to read your kendall roy writings💜 can you write something about kendall trying to get you pregnant( bc I LOVED breeding kink) ?? Or having rough sex bc getting jealous of one of his friends' attention to u??"

Author's note: Thank you so much for this excellent request, I kind of combined the two ideas into the below fic for you 🥰💕

Forever Mine

"How can a company that makes more money than really exists in the world still need more investors?" You sighed into your fizzing glass of champagne as you continued to circulate through the crowd, Gerri stifling a laugh at your side.

"How'd you think the rich stay rich? They never use their own money for anything." She feigned a smile as a group of men shuffled past, their metaphorical wallets straining against the fabric of their designer suits as they moved. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've gotta go make them all feel important, so I can keep my job." You could see her eyes roll as she plastered on a fake smile and left you stood by the bar, hoping that Kendall would get bored soon enough and call it a night for the both of you. You never minded being his plus one to events like this, the chance to see him in his charming element not one you'd pass up, Ken stealing glances your way all night with a smile on his face that he only wore for you. But after a few hours the conversations always wore a little thin, and you usually found one of the old guard hovering beside you to make sure you weren't doing anything that might get people commenting.

"Are you waiting for a drink?" An strangely familiar voice snapped you back to reality, spinning on your heels to find a tall, well-built man in his fifties smiling at you like a lion spying a gazelle.

"No, I'm all set thank you, just pausing here for a moment." You replied with a courteous smile, taking a small step backwards as if you were blocking the bar that spanned the length of the decadent hall.

"Would you mind if I 'pause' with you for a moment?" It was then that you placed his suave voice in your mind, the man an up-and-coming congressman that couldn't stop appearing on ATN news shows, repeating whatever lines Logan's team had written from him that day. As he leaned over the bar to ask for a whiskey you took the opportunity to glance around for an exit plan, but with groups of investors all deep in conversation on every side of you, you swallowed the acid in your throat and resigned yourself to an uncomfortable conversation with the awful man in front of you.

"Of course, it's a pleasure to meet you congressman." Kendall would've been able to tell your polite tone was entirely fake, but the man in front of you smirked proudly at the title, pleased you knew who he was and hoping to score more than financial backing from you this evening.

"The pleasure's all mine." He stretched out the hand that wasn't holding an ornate crystal glass, taking what should have been a courteous handshake way too far as he leant forward to bring his lips to the top of your hand, still curled in a stomach curdling smirk as they pressed against your skin. "Now tell me, exactly how much would I have to invest in Waystar for you to leave this shindig with me tonight?"

"You might have better luck if you don't hit on the date of the richest man in here." Before you could spit out your own retort, you heard the dark drawl of Kendall appearing beside you, face twisted in stoney discontent as the political pawn tried to save face a little.

"Fair enough, I know when I'm beat." He raised his hands in fake surrender as he backed away, but not before throwing a final uncomfortable wink your way, "You know who I am, if you change your mind." You could feel Kendall's hand fall to your lower back in response, trying to keep you in the palm of his hand, as if this disgusting character could actually pull you away from him. Hoping to lighten the tension between the two men before Kendall pulled some strings and ended this man's career, you let out an uneasy laugh,

"Well you've got my vote." You cringed at the hollow chuckle from Kendall beside you as your politician smiled again and stepped off into the crowd, looking for easier prey, leaving you to try and reassure the embodiment of jealousy beside you.

"Kendall, you know-"

"You ready to get out of here?" He cut you off before you could start, the unsettling smile on his face difficult to read as he threaded his fingers through yours and scouted out the nearest lift to take you out of the events hall and up to the hotel suites the Roy family had booked out for the night.

"Yeah, of course, let's go love." You said the final word extra softly, watching the corners of his mouth twitch slightly, unable to contain his warmth at the affectionate pet name, your love the truest thing he'd known in his complex life.

You felt his hand squeeze yours as he led you through the crowd until finally the two of you were alone, the chirpy elevator music cutting through an otherwise tense silence.

"You know I was trying to be polite Ken." You offered reassuringly, Kendall keeping his gaze fixed to the floor numbers illuminating on the touch screen beside you.

"I know honey, it's not your fault men can't fucking stay away from you." His tone was almost vindicative as the doors finally opened on your floor, a sprawling penthouse for just the two of you, another exquisite home away from home for the night.

The moment the doors behind you slid shut, Kendall was on top of you, his teeth clashing against yours with the sheer force of his passion. The crash of his lips took your breath away as his hands found your hips, gripping them tight enough that the silky fabric of your dress bunched in handfuls as he guided your back to the chaise longue that stood at the opening of the suite, the bedroom far too great a distance to travel.

As your lower back met the antique fabric, Kendall's hands skimmed up your the length of your spine, sending shivers through your body as his lips moved hungrily to your neck, a devouring the soft flesh there enough to leave a trail of deep purple lovebites,

"Why is it so fucking hard for everyone to see that you're mine?" Kendall panted into your neck as he pulled the straps of your dress down your shoulders, handling you with rough, frantic movements, his chest heaving against yours as he worked to free you from the satin that came between you.

"I'm all yours Kendall." You breathed out as your dress hit the floor, relishing in the guttural growl the words drew from the still fully-dressed man, drinking in the sight of you as he cupped your cheek in his hand and drew you in for another hungry kiss.

"I know love, I just think we need to make that more obvious." His tongue danced against yours as his eye fluttered shut, shrugging off his jacket as you pushed it from his shoulders. His lips trailed over your chin and down your throat as he sunk to his knees. He sucked and nipped at your exposed skin, his hands running along your sides as his head sank between your breasts before settling at your stomach, peppering the soft curves with kisses as his fingers tugged your panties down your thighs, helping you step out of them so nothing obstructed his perfect view of your body.

"How are we gonna do that?" You questioned absentmindedly as you let the sensation flooding from his sinking kisses run through your veins, his lips inching closer and closer to your tingling centre. You didn't miss the devilish glint in his eye as he paused and looked up at you, face hovering so close to your entrance you could feel his hot breath against your sensitive skin.

"I can think of two ways." He nuzzled his nose softly against your clit and watched the way your body reacted so desperately to his touch, your hips twitching forward and your chest rising as you gasped at the contact. His tongue darted forward to add to the sensation, lapping at the bundle of nerves while one hand snaked up your inner thigh. The moan you let out as he hummed against you only made him happier as his fingers toyed with your slit, now wet with your slick from the way he'd manhandled you. "It's so easy for me to tell you're all mine when you get this wet for me." His fingers dipped inside your entrance as he spoke, you knees all but buckling at the relief in your throbbing core at the contact, the arm of the sofa behind you the only thing keeping you upright.

"All for you Kendall." His name came out entirely in moan as he plunged two of his fingers into you with a frantic rhythm, wanting to get you more than ready to feel the rest of him deep inside you.

"Maybe I should let everyone know just how much you like my fingers inside you by putting a fucking enormous diamond on yours." He watched, enamoured by the way you eyes shot open at his words before clenching shut as his lips found your clit again, bringing you so close to the edge of your pleasure that all you could do was smile and hum in agreement at his words. As he started to feel the familiar tremble of your thighs he pulled his hand away, groaning at the needy whimper that left your lips as he did.

"Ken?" Your eyes were as pleading as your words as you watched him unbuckle his belt, rubbing your thighs together to try and ease some of the frustration that was pulsing in your centre.

"I think the second way is much more fun though." His eyes were dark with desire as he kicked off his dress pants, letting you see his hard length leaking excitedly as he grabbed your hips and helped you fall backwards onto the long loveseat behind you, quickly following suit, kneeling in between your thighs to keep your legs spread for him. He ran his tip through your dripping folds, watching you whine and flinch at the sensation, trying to drive him into action,

"What's the second way to let people know I'm all yours?" Kendall watched your chest rise and fall as you panted out the words, so sensitive from being brought to the edge that his teasing had you writhing around underneath him. Grinning like a devil he finally lined himself up with your entrance, waiting until he spoke to buck his hips harshly into you.

"To get you pregnant. Fuck!" He cried out as slammed his hips against yours, hitting the spot deep inside you that had you arching your back and crying out in agreement. "You'd like that wouldn't you. For everyone to know how well you take my dick. How full I get you."

"Yes daddy," You moaned, overwhelmed by his relentless pace as he fucked hard and fast into you, his hands running over your stomach until they reach your bouncing chest. His hands cupped your breasts, fingertips teasing your nipples as he stared down at you, completely dominating your body.

"Everyone would be able to see these get bigger, and I bet they'd get so sensitive I could have you in tears just playing with your nipples. We can practice you having my lips on them all day until you've soaked through every set of fucking lingerie I've ever bought you." He could see the wide desperation in your eyes as your pleasure climbed again, every pinch and thrust setting every cell in your body alight.

"I'm so close, please." You cried out, volume almost a scream as you begged for your release, Kendall's own thrusts losing rhythm as he fought to make this moment last forever.

"You want me to cum in you? You want me to fill you up and make you lie here until your carrying my seed? Until it's clear to everyone that you're mine forever?" His questions were all but drowned out by the chanting yeses that spill from your lips as your walls clenched around him and your body started to shake with your release.

"Yes Ken, I'm yours forever." You managed to breathe out as the waves of pleasure washed over you, amplified by the incredibly feeling of him spilling inside you, the warmth deep in your abdomen somehow more intense than usual knowing that Kendall's breeding kink had been fully awakened, and he wouldn't satisfied until he'd filled you with as much of him as you could take.

Leaning forward his elbows settled either side of your head, lips meeting yours for a sweet kiss as he repeated the words, "Mine. Forever."

"All yours love." You echoed softly, the devotion in his eye clear as his lips returned to yours again and again, drinking in the sweet taste of your affections.

"You know we're not leaving this room until you're so full of my cum, it's dripping out of you, right?"

[thelovelybitten]

HOLD UP I GOT THINGS TO SAY-

plot twist: stan is an assassin/mafia boss who's target is killing darwin when really it's wendy pulling all the strings for personal reasons (idk what reasons, but they'd be valid) and he's forced to kill her to save the world. tragic ending, Stan saves the world but Wendy dies by his hand. OR

cartman (mafia boss leader) kills wendy to save the universe when stan finds out she was just a pawn in darwin's master plan and watches her die (could darwin and gregory have some sort of illegal drug chain or something?? with damien??? PIP???)

randy could also be involved due to his biochemistry knowledge (making mutations/mods to the drug and helping the boys sell it on the black market) PLUS HE FUCKING OWNS A weed farm and that becomes darwin's motive to marry wendy to get intel from stan as he and the rest of the core 5 (kyle, cartman, kenny and butters) are trying to bring down this empire of cross-state drug selling hubs before someone? maybe the president is killed by the drug. idk. someone of value.

little does stan know that his father is one of the main sellers and the one person he wasn't planning to be on his hitlist. he just had to get to the boss. darwin. that also fucks up stan bc not only does he find out that wendy was used as a decoy and a placeholder while darwin injects something into the president and cartman kills her without knowledge of her loyalty, but his dad nearly kills him to save his boss's business.

before all this, stan and wendy rekindle their relationship and she helps him get a slice of life back but they grow distant as he's trying to kill her husband but she has no god damn clue so she assumes it's bc he still can't take her seriously and they stop being friends...wendy gets a tad (extremely) pissed at stan and wants to ruin his life which darwin is like: okay perfect I'll turn his ex-gf on him and have her kill him, no blood on his hands, she goes to jail and darwin is victimized, leaving him with his chain still going with no trace. wendy just wanted some simple petty ass revenge like slashing his car tires but she gets wrapped into all of this and--

i'm so lost and overtired rn but i had to comment on this bc WOW the possibilities the ask was immaculate

it's late but i hope this h/c added a little. s p i c e if u will.

good night.

I kinda come up with an idea that Wendy's husband Darwin is actually a spy from an enemy country if I ever write a fic. He married her just to get intel from what she is working on or planning an attack. And obviously Stan has to stop him before he can harm her and his country. What do you think of this h/c?

I would absolutely love that. DUDE THATS ACTUALLY GOOD, WAAAAAAAAHHHHH

[leveragehunters]

You are carrying the entire urban fantasy genre on your back. I just need you to know that your mind-blowing settings and worldbuilding in your fics have changed my brain chemistry, and have been formative in how I read fiction in the past few years

That’s all, I just wanted u to know how truly transformative and poignant ur work is 💕

Aww, my zesty lil rat, that is such an amazing thing to say! Thank you so much <3 I’m so glad you like what I write and that it’s had an impact on the way you read.

The truth is, whatever measure of excellence I’ve achieved is owed to the urban fantasy giants on whose shoulders I stand (or, more accurately, at whose feet I prostrate myself) to wave my little fic flag. If you enjoy my stories there’s a pretty good chance you’ll enjoy them even more, since they’re why I love it and why I write it.

So! In no particular order (but roughly older to newer) I give you a list:

The David Sullivan series by Tom Dietz – I think these were my first true urban fantasy. I haven’t read them for a few years (err, decades?) but they are indelibly etched on my brain.

Charles deLint – I have, and have read, everything by him, but my first was Moonheart. His Newford series in particular is grand.

The Bordelands series, edited by Terri Windling– Borderlands is a series of shared world anthologies (as was the style at the time) and a few full length novels, including Finder by Emma Bull and Elsewhere and Nevernever by Will Shetterly. If David Sullivan lured me in, Borderlands was the food I ate that doomed me to dwell here forever.

The Last Hot Time by John M Ford – is this part of the Borderlands series? No. Could it be? Hell yes!

War for the Oaks by Emma Bull (hot damn, this is still one of my faves).

The Book of Night with Moon and its sequels by Dianne Duane

Tanya Huff - The Vicki Nelson series, its follow up Smoke series (vampires in Toronto and Vancouver, respectively), the Keeper’s Chronicles, and the Enchantment Emporium series (again, all her stuff is incredible, just not all urban fantasy)

Christopher Moore - anything set in our current world, particularly Practical Demonkeeping (my first! Got it for two bucks in the bargain bin; it has since cost me several thousand dollars), the Death Merchant Chronicles, Pine Cove series, and Vampires in San Francisco (I mean, it’s all good, but some of it’s not Urban Fantasy.

A Lee Martinez - anything set in our current world (ditto the above, it's all good). Helen and Troy’s Epic Road Quest is my fave.

Tentatively adding David Prill and Bradley Denton, although they're more urban weirdness (maybe magical realism?) than urban fantasy. They were formative, however.  

The John Dies at the End series by Jason Pargin (aka David Wong) (maybe more horrorish than urban fantasy)

TJ Klune – The House in the Cerulean Sea, its sequel Somewhere Beyond the Sea, Under the Whispering Door, In the Lives of Puppets

Anything by Seanan McGuire, but her main series are: October Daye, InCryptid, and Wayward Children. Also, MIDDLEGAME and its sequels. (She also writes as Mira Grant if you want smart scary – start with Feed. So good.)