#gabriel x splendor

[moonlit-dreamers]

after much internal debate i decided to just make this its own separate post bc i dont think i'd be able to fit my insanity in just 30 tags (for @autocat5876 bc you asked for it <3)

i feel like gabriel is just not normal about his swords in the slightest. he loves and cherishes them so much that it goes beyond just master and weapon. he trusts them with his life. every time he's needed them theyve been there. theyre reliable, sturdy, sharp, beautiful. its an honor to wield something so powerful that sometimes even he doesnt feel worthy of their assistance. but what is he without his swords? what are they without their wielder? they complete each other in every way. they give him strength and he gives them purpose.

while he does enjoy using them in battle (it shows how much they trust each other; to place their lives into the hands of another to lead them all to victory) he still doesnt like seeing them be so dirty. after every fight he cleans both of them thoroughly along with a weekly session to polish and sharpen them. despite how much he dislikes seeing them be so tainted with the gore of enemies he knows they enjoy the fight as much as he does and it'd be unfair to prevent them from having fun just because he doesn't like seeing them unclean.

splendor is more of a guiding hand whereas justice is more controlling. splendor prefers letting gabriel decide what he does while justice makes sure he stays on the right path. he appreciates both of their inputs (even if justice can be a bit more pushy than he'd like) and follows when he can.

splendor is more show-y than justice. she prioritizes how something is done rather than if. she also prioritizes how she looks so gabriel always makes sure he cleans her first. she wants perfection and gabriel will deliver it to the best of his abilities. even if he doesnt she will still guide him to achieving it.

justice is more goal oriented. they dont care how its done as long as its done in the end. they push gabriel to his limits to make sure he reaches his full potential. they focus on efficiency, unlike splendor (if you can't tell they get into arguments often and gabriel has to be a mediator </3). they dont mind being dirty (for long at least) because its proof of a job well done. it brings them their own sense of fulfillment that not only have they done well but so has gabriel.

at first gabriel was kinda weirded out by his own behavior (why is he talking to his swords and giving them personalities???) but he accepts it eventually because who cares. nobodys gonna stop him and he has 2 amazing partners that love him :>

this might?? be all??? idk man im just being a freak on main again i might come back if i have more ideas rghsgrhkj

[ap0llonian]

Embrace Him

alternate!ARCHANGEL GABRIEL x READER

sypnosis: you teeter on the edge of madness, only to find a dark solace in the tender illusions of a sinister guardian who promises unsettling affection.

disclaimers: reader is misanthropic, implied stockholm syndrome, gaslighting, horror elements, psychological manipulation

-------

“I always wondered if madness came with a manual."

The world outside your window seemed to be a canvas smeared with dreary shades of gray, punctuated only by the occasional flurry of chaos. Yet, amidst the motonamy, there was an anomaly—a shadow that stood on the edge of your vision, always lingering just beyond the glass. A dark figure, angelic in its unsettling beauty, seemed to mock the very essence of serenity that you had perfected. It was a presence that defied logic, a specter that made you question your own sanity. Perhaps it was your mind’s last cruel joke, or maybe the universe had decided that even in your indifference, it would not spare you the bitterness of its absurdity.

The whispers of the townsfolk tagged you as ruthless, as though your calm demeanor was a veneer for some intrinsic malevolence. They spoke of you as a creature driven by some dark, unquenchable thirst—a malignant force wrapped in the guise of human frailty.

Your days were spent in a monotonous ritual of existence, where each moment bled into the next with the predictability of a metronome. The only disturbances were the fleeing glances of that figure outside your window. He was always there—an angel of darkness, a haunting silhouette that seemed to feed on your isolation.

One evening, as you lay in bed staring at the ceiling, a soft knock echoed through the room.

Rising from your bed, you approached the door. The darkness of the hallway seemed to pulse with an almost palpable energy, and as you opened it, you were greeted by the very entity that had haunted your peripheral vision.

There hs was, in all his grotesque splendor—a being of celestial gracd twisted into a mockery of divine perfection. His eyes, deep and infinite, seemed to hold the weight of the countless secrets.

You instantly slammed the door in his face and locked it, fully. Whipping around, your cold hand clutched your heart, feeling how fast it beat. He was here, in your home.

“My little lamb,” He called out, his tone smooth and almost tender. “You look so lonely here. I thought I could keep you some company.”

“Who are you.” You whispered, yet your voice was loud enough for the alternate to hear.

A soft knock on your door again. “I am someone who cares about you, sweet child. You have been so isolated, so neglected. I am here to make sure you are never alone again.”

“Cares about me? I don't need—”

“Shh,” He interrupted, the sound of nails scraping on your wooden door. “You do need me. And I need you. We are bound by something far deeper than you can comprehend. Let me show you how much you are cherished.”

You heard a knock again, though this time louder.

“You are so special to me. I know the world has been cruel, and I understand you have felt abandoned. But here, with me, you are safe. You are loved. Open the door.”

Your heart pounded loudly, almost a melody for the alternate. That was the most you felt alive. “No, I don’t—”

A soft persistent banging on your door interrupted you. “Please, do not shut me out. I am here for you, lovely. You do not have to be alone anymore.” He pleaded melodically, his voice breathy yet menacing. It almost made you give in.

The pounding grew louder, more insistent. You could almost feel your body going numb, your eyes widening.

“Let me in, sweet child. You deserved to be loved. I can make all the pain disappear. Just trust me.”

Each word was punctuated with a heavy thud. Your pulse quickened, your resolve wavering. For a moment, you considered running and climbing out the window—calling for help, doing anything to escape this monster trying to break through.

But then the banging stopped.

Silence.

“Please,” came the voice once more, soft now, almost vulnerable. “I don’t want to hurt you. I only want to take care of you, precious dove. I have been with you for so long now... Have you not felt it? The comfort in the chaos? Let me in, and I will show you what love truly feels like.”

Your fingers hovered over the lock. The door felt too thin. The air seemed too heavy.

“You don’t have to be alone anymore. You don’t have to pretend to be all right.” His voice was coaxing, a subtle promise threaded through every word.

“I will be everything you need. I will take away the pain, the fear. Just open the door. Let me in.”

You swallowed thickly, your thoughts tangled into a mess. This wasn’t real. None of this was real. And yet... the loneliness, the isolation that had haunted you for years whispered back, telling you how right it sounded. How good it would feel to finally stop pretending. To let someone care.

Against every rational thought screaming in your head, you turned the lock with your eyes closed. The door clicked open.

And then he was inside.

Gabriel gently pushed your head to his chest, cradling it like it was fragile. His bony thumb stroked your hair ever so slowly, and gently. For the first time

“I will take care of you now, and you will never feel lonely again.” He cooed, his fingers the outline of your cheek, sending shivers down your spine. Your body trembled, yet you couldn't pull away.

The warmth of his voice seeped into you, and though you knew, somewhere deep down, that this wasn’t right, the illusion was too intoxicating to resist.

“Really.” You muttered, barely audible.

His smile widened, a dark glint in his eyes. “I promise.”

[rocultrakillstuff]

hi there!!! could i get general gabriel x gn!reader headcanons?

Of course you can! Here's some Gabriel x GN!Reader Headcanons all prettied up for you and finished with a homebaked gif! I really didn't expect to get a request this soon. Thank you so much for being the first one ♡♡♡

Gabriel x GN!Reader Headcanons (Gabriel x Reader) [Requested]

🐑 ♡ Thank you so much to my dearest Birch for beta'ing these headcanons ♡ 🐑

A general selection of headcanons for Gabriel x a GN!Reader.

Teen and Up Audiences, No Warnings, F/M, M/M, Other/M, Tag(s): Headcanon, Short, Flirting, Fluff, Pet Names, Blood, GN!Reader, Ambiguous Gender Reader, POV Second Person

Find it on ao3 ♡ WC: 654

Thank you @kiitiikiiwii for requesting this! It's my first time doing HCs, so I did my homework to see what sort of thing I should be doing. Hopefully this lives up to your expectations. Likewise, I decided to mark it as GN! and Ambig! due to the lack of pronouns. Insert away ♡

♡ Flirting is not something Gabriel is accustomed to. So much so, he won’t ever realise this is what he’s doing. When he’s returning your signals, it’s because he is doing it out of mutual respect and appreciation for such fine company. That’s exactly why he seeks you out you upon the thought mere thought of your smile. Of course he lets his hand rest against the side of your arm to get your attention. Why wouldn’t he? He’s matching your kind gestures with the same enthusiasm. He’s complimenting your skills as you compliment him. He is flirting with you in blissful ignorance of what he’s actually doing. To him, the bond you share is irreplaceable.

♡ He finds it exhilarating how you focus his senses like he was in battle. With Gabriel as oblivious to flirting as he is, he is no better at understanding his own feelings when it comes to you. He’s aware of every little thing you do around him, and he will often comment on things out of curiosity or interest. Touch - no matter how fleeting - leaves him restless. Your voice, however soothing it may be to him, does nothing to quell the internal chaos warring in his head. Be it through word of mouth, reflection, or your own confession, he finally realises what it all means. 

♡ When Gabriel figures out how he feels, all that smooth flirting deteriorates to confusion. Suddenly he has to think about his actions in a way he is unfamiliar with. The confident angel you know struggles to be anything more than a new creation unleashed upon Heaven. Fragile eagerness would guide his hand towards you, and his hesitancy would compel him to stop. He would ask for your permission if he ever wanted to be close to you. Your time is a resource he seems infinitely aware he is spending, and yet you reassure him you want to spend it with him. Gabriel wouldn't avoid you. Not when you felt the same way. Yet you would see a vulnerable side to him he otherwise hid behind titles and strength.

♡ Splendor would be his choice of endearment for you. Like the sword that adorns his side, so do you. It seems a fitting title for the object of his affections. When his duties take him far from you, he is able to keep a piece of you with him more tangible than a memory. And when the blood of fallen Sinners coats the blade, he feels a sense of pride about his purpose. He is following God’s will, but he is also ensuring there would never be another rebellion to threaten the life you lead. When the colour of the sword is drowned out entirely by crimson, he would consider the intensity of his feelings - feelings that bled between ideas of love and war. He adores you with the same ferocity he wields his blade. It is a high that leaves his wings unsettled against his back. There was no such thing as mercy for him; only the point of a blade embedded deep in his soul.

♡ When he returns to your side, he finds himself unable to stay away from you. Nor does he stay still. He would chase the same high he felt when you were apart, and you would be swept off of your feet. You’re sparring together regardless of your experience. You’re dancing together with full vigour. You’re listening to him as he tries to teach you all he knows when you’re busy. The few peaceful moments that sneak into your routine are filled with silence, however. While he savours your presence, he continues to think about what he’s feeling. He doesn’t know if it will ever go away. It’s a thought that makes him uneasy. So he’ll keep chasing after you - his Splendor - with the same intensity of the sun even after the fire is gone. He cannot comprehend anything else.

[avatar-of-the-scribe]

Hello! Can i request something where gabriel from ultrakill has found himself falling for a machine that loves to make art of any kind?

Anon you are spectacularly in lucky because recently (as in, a few hours ago) saw this Tumblr post that gives an idea of V1 being programmed with an understanding and appreciation for Music. That being said? I am taking this person's ideas and sprinting away with them (dear OP of that post: if you see this- I love you and you are oh so smart and inspiring)

That being said- let's get into it :D! Heads up in the beginning it talks about V1 as well, also using it/it's and they/them pronouns for Reader because they are depicted as a robot.

Gabriel x Artist Machine! Reader

Learning Something New

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *⋘ 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑑𝑎𝑡𝑎... ⋙☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Machines were cold, unfeeling robots. Their purpose is to destroy.

That's what The Angel Gabriel had initially thought as it had learned of one- V1. And subsequently it had originally appeared this was true. The first Machine he encountered seemed Deadset on destruction- But then observing it, He had made a discovery... In the way V1 Seemed drawn towards the Terminals and their off tune, Drawn towards his own Organ playing- in the way the Machine seemed to play unknown music from it's metallic hull, music Gabriel learned it was composting itself based on it's surrounding. Soon, The angel found himself with a new Predicament- a new thought to plague his full mind. It also learned it possessed curiosity, in the way it observed its surroundings, in the way it would seem out and look over points of interest.

Could Machines care for- And appreciate things like art? Did they know to enjoy? Did they have an understanding of emotions and feel them in some way, even if different than humanity once did?

He tried to dismiss it. Perhaps V1 was simply an anomaly of its own kind. It was apparently the first of it's model- perhaps it was broken, acting outside of what code would allow. As he wandered through the levels of Limbo, drenched in the blood of a recently slain council- he was trying to clear his head... And yet something caught his attention in what should be a destroyed, abandoned layer. He could hear... Music. Music being played from a worn down speaker.

'How Ironic.' He thought to himself. 'First the Infernal Machine investigates these things, and now I've fallen to as well.' Yet such a thought didn't stop him from locating the source of the sound, feet carrying him towards its source.. Turning a corner he was quick to discover a Machine in Similar make to V1, wings folded back and hull gleaming- yet it's hand was Stained Red. 'Blood' he remarked grimly in his own mind. His hands twitched, intending to draw upon Justice and Splendor... Intending to cease this Machines functions. Yet he didn't- merely observed as it crouched down and dragged it's fingers through the pooled blood of the filth and the reached up to the wall it was standing by, tracing the hand over the surface in patterns. The realization came swiftly after... This machine was drawing using the blood it found as paint.

Time stretched on as the once proud Judge of Hell watched this new Infernal device depict a scene with its found materials, listening to the song it seemed to play as their design took shape, something within its mechanical filings of 'memory' given form. The Scene of a Garden Sketched out in blood- it would have made him laugh if he weren't fascinated by the fact they were throwing him for a loop. One Machine liking Art was an Oddity... Two was a Realization. A Realization that what he had been told was another blatant lie crafted by those who used to be above him to control his actions.

Gabriel found himself walking away, but thoughts of the Painter Machine lingered, gracing his thoughts each layer he passed through with something drawn in blood as if it were ink. Scrawlings on walls, floors- even one on a ceiling which truthfully just Impressed him. Treading along he found the new Machine once more drawing on a wall and regarded it almost fondly, stepping a bit closer to see what it was drawing... this time- a step too close, a small stone sent across the ground by his foot. Within an Instant the mechanical head had swiveled 180° to stare at him and his intrusion upon their time, the typical music it would play coming to an abrupt halt. The head stretched out a bit towards him as if studying him. Gabriel found himself frozen in place, thoughts swapping between backing off quickly and drawing his blades to defend himself. Neither action was he able to do before it had approached him.

It seemed to study him and his form, stretching its neck at odd angles that had it been living it would have been very, very uncomfortable. Could he Strike? Yeah. But instead he found himself observing it back- internally chuckling at its height.. do they make these machines short on purpose? His laughter froze as it reached out to him, assuming it was meant to be a blow... But instead Gabriel watched as its hand covered in slick blood began to draw patterns on his white and gold armor as they picked back up playing the same music as it had been moments before, seemingly pleased with having a new surface to draw on. Glancing up at the wall it had been drawing earlier, he realized... It was drawing him. Seems machines can indeed feel curiosity as apparently- it went both ways.

Eventually he was seated on the ground so it could reach better, observing it- as it observed its new canvas in turn. Gabriel made a decision as his arm was lifted so the swirling pattern of blood could be drawn on the Armor's side- perhaps it's time he chose to learn more about the Machines inhabiting Hell- perhaps get answers to the rest of his Questions about them; Starting with this one.

He likes this one.

[aceofautism]

Also I am SO GLAD people on this site are as based as I am and love my Gabriel objectum ramblings. I have made some stuff for Gabe x Justice x Splendor (a fic and some art) but I am a bit uncomfortable with sharing my art at times (apologies! I will share them as soon as I feel able to!)

Anyways continue to let my musings inspire you and go create ship stuff involving them, it is the highest honor. Go my scarabs and make that angel have a crush on his swords.

[sxilor-1010]

compiled a short list of the main Ultrakill characters and what gemstones they'd be for my little Ultrakill x Houseki no Kuni AU.

Below will be me rambling a ton in depth-

For anybody wondering about the point of this au; I like gemstones and I like Ultrakill. I also love Houseki no Kuni and the concept of gem beings that are very humanoid.

In reality this AU is just Ultrakill but every being is made from gemstones rather than just blood and flesh. The V models (mostly V1) feed off of inclusions, which gemstones use to grow and crystallize back together if injured. Every enemy in this AU are made of gemstones or some form of stone, nobody is flesh and blood.

Mankind is dead.

Inclusions are fuel.

Hell is full.

Anyways, onto the characters shall we?

For this AU, I decided to make V1 a Blue Zoisite with some Yellow Zoisite (for his wings). While V2 is a Red Citrine with Yellow Citrine wings. I was trying to shoot for the idea that V1 starts off pretty weak and prone to easy damage, but the more it goes through hell the stronger it becomes. It goes more in depth after it collects' Citrines Arm (Knuckleblaster) and the Green Garnet Arm (Whiplash) later on.

Sadly there isn't any special meaning to their gemstones so I don't have anything further to say. Onto Gabriel and Minos!

Now these two, hoo boy I put a bit more effort into studying their respective gemstones and their meanings behind them so there will be a lot.

For Gabriel I thought it'd make sense to make him a gemstone that fits with not just his personality, but in general because he's an archangel. So his body is made up of Onyx (or Obsidian works too) while his armor is made up of a mix of White Diamond and Pyrite gold, his wings are made of Sea Blue Chalcedony, and finally his swords Splendor and Justice are made from Yellow and Blue Diamond respectively.

In the bible, a few holy scriptures have mentioned diamonds as well as 12 other gems in The Old Testament, with 12 sacred gemstones given to Moses for a blueprint of a sacred breastplate for his brother Aaron. It just so happens one of these other gems besides Diamond mention is Chalcedony

The real reason why I chose those specific gems for Gabriel however is because... I feel like him being a Diamond fits with his story in Act 1 of the game. He's high and mighty, prideful and gets the job done when asked to. He's a shining light to some (the ferrymen) and overall does the council's work like a shining diamond. It's also said that Diamonds represent invincibility, fearlessness, courage, and can give the wearer extra strength and stamina to be victorious.

The pyrite part of his armor symbolizes the flaws of his pride, thinking he couldn't be beaten by a mere object, V1, only to be defeated and realize how much of a fool he's been made of. After all, there's a reason why Pyrite is called Fool's gold.

As for the Chalcedony, while it's not much of a strong meaning, it's used as a talisman for protection and can even bring good fortune. It's also the only gemstone that has a similar shade of blue to Gabriel's wings.

Before I go onto Minos, I will say Gabriel's armor does change in gemstone when he's enraged. White Diamond becomes Red Jasper while his wings and armor hints become Rutilated Quartz, which often times looks like this.

Finally, we're onto Minos.

This AU version of Minos Prime is made from White Opal, one that is luminescent and glows a bit of rainbow (because thats what an opal does), however at some angles of shading you can see him turn blue, which is what an opal exactly does too. His circulatory system is... a bit interesting in choice, I'll tell you that.

It's made up of Cinnabar, and if anybody knows anything about cinnabar, it's that it contains a silvery poison which is Mercury. Mercury is harmful to humans whether smelt or ingested, and can lead to fatal consequences. It's not much of a connection, but with the crystal snakes coiled around his arms, and some snakes have venomous poison...

You can see where I went with that XD

Anyways, that's about all for this long little rambling post, I have yet to do Sisyphus Prime, The Ferrymen, and maybe Mirage but I'd love to hear opinions from y'all for the characters I should do next! With that, take care and thank you for reading my gemstone ultrakill au ramble post. :)

[kizhavvorsa]

@troublesomemix from here [x]

All eyes were on her all day, it was only right ( about damn time ) that it was only his eyes now. The stare was heated, and Gabriel would not tear his eyes away. He had been staring all day at his new wife in all her splendor. But even so, he had been holding back. Knowing damn well, that if he reflected some of his thoughts onto his face it was sure to be picked up. His sister Charlotte would actually be the first to notice. Gabriel had no doubts of that. His mother would no doubt pick out something to ask him to reel in. It was a royal wedding after all, there were still expectations to uphold. And the last thing he needed was for someone in the audience to make assumptions about what was going on in his brain. They probably wouldn’t be that far off, but Gabriel still didn’t want them to know. All of a sudden, the feelings he used not to care about putting on display seemed overly private, and he wanted to keep them that way. At least for tonight. On a night when it was just about the two of them. By now his pupils were widely blown, and his chest and inhaled a little sharply. Give him something to pace himself a little bit, he started to remove his tie. A slow movement that he could do without watching, which was good, because he still refused to stop looking at Dany. “ I’ve shared you all day. No more for today. ” It was their wedding night after all.

The day could not have gone any better, from the ceremony, traditional dances, food, announcements, every single moment was beyond perfect. There was barely a moment that the two of them were alone and when it was after a few minutes they were interrupted by all their friends or some celebrity they knew and a dozen photos being taken.

As happy as she was about being smothered, the only person she wanted to be smothered by was Gabriel and now the two of them were off to their penthouse suit to commence the end of their beautiful day. With a quick heated kiss he parted from him and eased herself onto the edge of the bed, her eyes roaming over every inch of his body as he pulled away his tie without breaking eye contact with her. Gabriel's gaze alone set fire to her core. "As I have shared you, husband." Dany muttered back, peeling the beautiful veil full of jewels from her head and set it aside. "All I want now is you, us.... Just us and everything that comes with it." Her eyes purposely followed the lines of his body, head to toe, drinking in every detail of him as if he would disappear if she so much as blinked. The silent air between them was full of tension, different to it had ever been before, perhaps being husband and wife made a difference. But the words he spoke to her were like poetry, I want to fill every part of you, breathe the air from your lungs and leave my handprints on your soul God the man her was... A year ago Dany never would have thought he was capable. "If this dress wasn't so important I would have you tear it from my body." Dany pulled more jewels from her hair. "Get. this. off. me."

[fashionbooksmilano]

Han Yuchen   Tibet. Splendore e Purezza

a cura di Nicolina Bianchi

Skira, Milano 2022, 96 pagine, 70 ill.a colori, 22 x 28 cm, cartonato, Italiano Inglese, ISBN 9788857248790

euro 30,00

email if you want to buy :booksinprogressmilano@yahoo.it

Mostra Palazzo Bonaparte, Roma 2022 organizzata da Arthemisia in collaborazione con Segni d’Arte e con il patrocinio di Roma, a cura di Nicolina Bianchi e Gabriele Simongini

L'arte del grande maestro della pittura a olio della Cina contemporanea Han Yuchen Il Tibet, la sua gente, i suoi paesaggi, la sua anima. Un’immersione nella bellezza naturale e spirituale del Tibet, il “Tetto del mondo”, ma anche una galleria di ritratti di chi quell’immenso altopiano lo vive. Tibet. Splendore e purezza testimonia – attraverso oltre cinquanta opere, molte delle quali di grandi dimensioni – il profondo legame morale e spirituale che unisce la famosa regione autonoma della Cina all’insigne pittore cinese Han Yuchen.Un artista molto legato ai valori tradizionali e alla qualità della pittura ma anche caratterizzato da una fortissima passione per l’arte europea dell’Ottocento, tanto da aver creato nel 2007 il Museo d’Arte Han Yuchen nella città di Handan, con opere di Millet, Corot e Goya, solo per citare tre nomi eccelsi. Ricollegandosi soprattutto all’esempio di Millet, il Maestro cinese ha fatto di una pittura limpida e poetica il suo segno di riconoscimento, una cifra stilistica diretta e semplice come la vita dei tibetani che ha scelto di immortalare, rievocando per certi aspetti un realismo di matrice ottocentesca, ricco di valori etici e ideali, che si fonde con le capacità tecniche sviluppate in Cina nell’ambito della pittura ad olio. Una volta individuati i soggetti più coinvolgenti, Han Yuchen li traduce – attraverso un’indubbia sapienza pittorica e una spiccata capacità di elaborare ampie sintesi paesaggistiche o meticolosi dettagli – in ritratti e opere dove le vesti, gli ornamenti e gli oggetti della vita quotidiana o delle cerimonie ci restituiscono un’immagine emozionante del lontano Tibet.

24/03/23

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[authorofemotion]

My Physical TBR (under the cut)

because @bookdragon1811 enabled me :)

Currently Reading:

The ‘One Thing’ is Three by Michael E Gaitley; The Power of Silence by Robert Cardinal Sarah; Daughter of Redwinter by Ed McDonald; Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

Middle-Grade

- Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier

- White Cat by Holly Black

- The Iron Trial by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

- The School for Good and Evil (and books 2 and 3) by Soman Chainani

- The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

- The Inquisitor’s Tale by Adam Gidwitz

- Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynn Jones

- KOTLC: Exile by Shannon Messenger

- KOTLC: Everblaze by Shannon Messenger

- KOTLC: Neverseen by Shannon Messenger

- The Water and the Wild by KE Ormsbee

- The Thing About Leftovers by CC Payne

- The Blackthorn Key by Kevin Sands

- Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz

- The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

- Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend

Young Adult

- The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

- Children of Blood and Bone (and Children of Virtue as Vengeance) by Tomi Adeyemi

- The Passion of Dolssa by Julie Berry

- Frostblood by Elly Blake (and Fireblood and Nightblood)

- The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

- When Wishes Bleed by Casey L Bond

- Sky Without Stars by Jessica Brody and Joanne Rendell

- A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A Brown

- Graceling (and Fire) by Kristin Cashore

- A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro

- The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli

- House of Dragons by Jessica Cluess

- A Winter’s Promise by Christelle Davis

- Ruthless Gods by Emily A Duncan

- Blessed Monsters by Emily A Duncan

- Wolf by Wolf (and Blood for Blood) by Ryan Graudin

- River Secrets by Shannon Hale

- The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alice E Harrow

- Descendant of the Crane by Joan He

- Sea Witch by Sarah Hennings

- A Thousand Nights by EK Johnston

- These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Megan Spooner

- The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller

- The Devouring Gray by Christine Lynn Herman

- Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim

- Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim

- Warcross (and Wildcard) by Marie Lu

- A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi

- People Like Us by Dana Mele

- Splinters of Scarlet by Emily Bain Murphy

- Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven

- Radio Silence by Alice Oseman

- The Beauty of Darkness by Mary E. Pearson

- Bone Crier’s Moon by Kathryn Purdie

- Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

- Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

- The Steelheart Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson

- Scythe by Neil Schusterman

- Ink in the Blood by Kim Smejkal

- Ever the Hunted by Erin Summerill

- The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud

- An Ember in the Ashes (and A Torch Against the Night) by Sabaa Tahir

- Strange the Dreamer (and Muse of Nightmares) by Laini Taylor

- The Tiger at Midnight by Swati Teerdhala

- The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

- Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

- Fable by Adrienne Young

Adult

- The Stardust Thief by Chelsea Abdullah

- Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

- The City of Brass by SA Chakraborty

- A Touch of Darkness by Scarlett st Clair

- All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

- The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory

- the curious incident of the dog in the night-time by Mark Haddon

- The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

- The Fifth Season by NK Jemisin

- The Calculating Stars by Marie Robinette Kowal

- The Poppy War by RF Kuang

- The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

- The Last Magician by Lisa Maxwell

- Daughter of Redwinter by Ed McDonald

- The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

- The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

- Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

- The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss (and A Wise Man’s Fear)

- Ariadne by Jennifer Saint

- The Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson

- Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson

- The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

- Vicious by VE Schwab

- A Darker Shade of Magic by VE Schwab

- The Near Witch by VE Schwab

- Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

- The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

- The Siren Queen by Nghi Vo

- The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

- The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks

- Shadow’s Edge by Brent Weeks

- The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams

- The Bird King by G Willow Wilson

- Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

- Four Treasures of the Sky by Jenny Tinghui Zhang

Classics

- Emma by Jane Austen

- Persuasion by Jane Austen

- Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

- Peter Pan by JM Barrie

- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

- Whuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

- And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

- Elephants Can Remember by Agatha Christie

- Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

- Crime and Punishment by Dostoyevsky

- The Count of Monte Christo by Alexandre Dumas

- The Odyssey by Homer (i’ve read parts but haven’t read it through in full)

- Les Mis by Victor Hugo (yes i do have a death wish)

- The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo

- The Last Day of a Condemned Man by Victor Hugo

- A Minstrel in France by Harry Lauder

- The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux

- The Space Trilogy by CS Lewis

- The Call of the Cthulhu and Other Weird Stories by HP Lovecraft

- Dracula by Bram Stoker

- Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

- Death of Ivan Hych by Leo Tolstoy

- War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

- The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

- The Aeneid by Virgil

- The Epic of Gilgamesh

Theology/Church History

- An Exorcist Tells His Story by Gabriele Amorth

- Pope Francis: His Life In His Own Words

- The Little Flowers of St Clare by P. Bargellini

- Church Fathers by Pope Benedict XVI

- Jesus of Nazareth by Pope Benedict XVI

- This Tremendous Lover by M Eugene Boylan

- Orthodoxy by GK Chesterton

- Rome Sweet Home by Scott Hahn

- The First Society by Scott Hahn

- The Holy Bread of Eternal Life by Peter Kwasniewski

- The Secret of Mary by St. Louis de Montfort

- The Secret of the Rosary by St. Louis de Montfort

- A Theology of the Body by Pope John Paul II

- Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist by Brant Pitre

- Love & Responsibility by Harol Wojtyla

- How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization by Thomas Woods

Nonfiction

- Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow

- Faith and Treason by Antonia Fraser

- To Kill the Devil by Herbert Malloy, Jr.

- The Queen’s Conjurer by Benjamin Woolley

[feministkilljoysrg]

Feminist Killjoys Reading Group - October 2019

This month our feminist killjoys enjoyed some time travel, as we attempted to stop the clock and suspend time by being present in space together. 

(Image thanks to Cynthia Florek ♥)

This month we've been thinking about: the wibbly wobbly timey wimey nature of time, breakdowns/breakthroughs, Sara Ahmed asking "can we give ourselves a break?", emotions as feelings in motion/movement, not existing, feeling alive!, Indigenous futurisms, Afrofuturism, the end of capitalism, spontaneity as a suspension of time/responsibility, being led by our bodies. 

——————————————————————————————-

Readings/listenings from the session

Kristin Neff’s Guided Self Compassion Meditations (specifically the Self Compassion/Loving Kindness meditation)

Skawennati - Imagining the next seven generations

Tracy K. Smith - Us & Co (from Life on Mars)

A time travel playlist for movement (of bodies, of emotions)

Other readings

adrienne maree brown and Walidah Imarisha (eds.) - Octavia’s Brood: Science Fiction Stories for Social Justice Movements

Ambelin Kwaymullina - Reflecting on Indigenous Worlds, Indigenous Futurisms and Artificial Intelligence

Gabrielle Bellot - Octavia Butler: The Brutalities of the Past Are All Around This

Grace Dillon (ed.) - Walking the Clouds: An Anthology of Indigenous Science Fiction

Kodwo Eshun - Further Considerations on Afrofuturism

Leanne Betasamosake Simpson - Akiden Boreal (from This Accident of Being Lost)

Mary Oliver - In Blackwater Woods

Octavia Butler - Kindred 

Sara Ahmed - Feminism and Fragility

Videos, songs and recordings

a world of our own playlist by Ellen 

clipping. - Splendor & Misery

Indigenous Futurisms mixtape by RPMfm

Jamila Woods - HEAVN

Jordan Cocker - Indigenous Futurisms: Cultures of Radical Love

Leanne Betasamosake Simpson - How to Steal a Canoe 

Rhayne Fountain - parallel universes voice memo 

Skawennati - She Falls For Ages and TimeTraveller™ 

——————————————————————————————-

We love you feminist killjoys, through every iteration of space and time x 

[peachchai]

The Sun is Setting - Week 1

A/N - Week 1 for @sdavid09 ‘s 52 week challenge. I’m not sure if I like the end. Oh well. Also, fun fact if I play my cards right Week 2 will be my 200th post.

Title - The Sun is Setting

Word Count - 1013 

Pairing - Gabriel(Supernatural) x Reader

Warnings - Reader Death(nothing too gruesome), Angsty, Mentions of blood

Summary - The sun had set on their story, but there is always tomorrow where it rises again.

The sunset was always beautiful in her eyes. The way the colors all melded together and eventually let the night sky takeover with a different kind of splendor. Stars were beautiful in their own right, but sunsets were where it was at for her. Stars were there as she dug up a grave to put a ghost to rest. Sunsets were for soft kisses and gentle whispers, promises of a tomorrow they both knew would never come. 

It was a something wet hitting her cheek the made her open her eyes. Open her eyes to reality. Was it her tear that hit her cheek? Or was it the person hovering over her? Perhaps it was a mixture of both. Her head had started to loll, or at least it would have if his hands hadn’t found their place on her cheeks. She tried to take stock of where she was, what she last did. One hand was resting on her middle. The other was pushing against her leg. Why was it sticky? Why was everyone crying?

It hit her then. Eyes glazing over again as tears gathered in her eyes once again. She was dying. A hunt gone wrong. The woman the vamps had taken had thought she was one of them. She couldn’t blame her. Fight or flight isn’t exactly a flawless system. The scared woman had taken the machete she had set down, she had tried to calm her down, and drove it into her leg. Her femoral artery to be specific. It was times like these that she wished she didn’t have an expansive knowledge of the human body. Then she could believe everything would be ok. 

“(y/n)? Sweetie, can you hear me?” That voice. The voice that would tell stories of rambunctious adventures, that would whispers praises and love, that would calm the storm in her head after a nightmare. She blinked her eyes open to see tear filled hazel eyes. The corners of her lips curved up to form a small smile. “Isn’t there something you can do?” This was a different voice. Perhaps Dean? No, it was it must’ve been Sam’s? Wasn’t there a time when her hearing wasn’t so fuzzy?

“Sweetheart? Everything is going to be ok. It’ll all be over in a minute and we’ll all be heading home.” Home. Home sounded nice. But why should she be allowed to go home and be fine despite her injury when others weren’t as lucky as her. “No.” Was that her voice? It sounded broken hoarse and full of pain. It must be. No one else would object. “No?” It was a question, but they both knew it wasn’t. She wasn’t opposed to being healed when it was something small. It was just speeding up her basic human processes. But this was big. Not something you could just walk away from. 

Gabriel tried to search her eyes for a sign that perhaps she would regret this choice. But he could see she wouldn’t. She was tired. Apocalypse after apocalypse. And even though she had tried to stop, the hunting life would always find her. He knew the answer. It was written in her tear filled eyes. Gabriel used his grace to relieve any pain she might be feeling. The Winchester brothers would be upset, he knew this. She was like their sister. But when they got back and went through her things they would find the letter she wrote in case of emergency. Expressing her wishes and explains her reasons. He could feel tears gathering more and more at his eyes. Gabriel couldn’t tear his eyes from hers. “Thank you,” A ghost of a whisper left her lips followed by a quiet, inhuman breath. Her last. His eyes closed and his head hung low. She was gone. He would never see her smile again or hear her sing her favorite songs. Never share another memory with her.

--

This wasn’t the alternate world. Where were the Winchesters, where was the alternate Micheal? Had he died? Where was he? Gabriel whipped his head around to try and figure out where he was. There seemed to be a path leading further into a forest. Besides that, there was nothing but trees. So, he followed the path. Soon he found another clearing, like the first he found himself in. There was a small table and a couple of chairs. Sitting in one was Amara. He hadn’t thought about her in a while. She motioned for him to sit in the chair next to her. “Gabriel. Welcome.”

Sunsets have always been beautiful. Full of hope and promise of a brighter tomorrow. Though they have been slightly dimmed since her departure from the living world. From Gabriel. She never made it to heaven. Amara interrupting her process of going to the land of angels. She had said something along the lines of that is the angels fell then heaven would follow shortly after. Then she might lose herself to the test of time and become a vengeful ghost. So she followed the powerful entity to her new resting place. Amara had told her it was world simply for her soul only.

The world had contained beautiful vistas that made it easy to see the sunset and with forest for miles. When it had first turned to autumn the forest seemed to light up in reds and yellows, the leaves making the sunset even more sparkling. On the cliff edge where she had first come to after following Amara is where she had found a charming cottage. Vines wound all around the walls, but never covered the windows. Birds sang songs the most melodic tunes and peaceful rivers twisted all around the forest. 

But it always felt as if something, rather someone, was missing. Gabriel. Her love in life. The views dulled in comparison to living and laughing with him. So when she saw him step out of the forest, Amara in tow, she ran to him. Tears were in her eyes, and for the first time in a long while, the tears were happy.

Song Link

[chicot-premier]

Antoine Caron and studio of Master MGP,  Tournament,Valois Tapestries, c1576, wool warp, silk, silver, and gilded silver thread, 385 x 604.5 cm. Gallerie degli Uffizi (viewed at Cleveland Museum of Art).

Of the Valois tapestries commissioned by Catherine de' Medici, this one (most likely*) depicts the earliest event: the tournament in Paris in 1559 to celebrate the marriage of Princess Elisabeth de Valois to Philip II of Spain, where Henri II suffered a fatal stab in the eye while jousting with Gabriel de Montgomery. The tour guide at the museum suggested that, especially because one of the ladies watching the tournament far in the background (see the fourth photo) bears a resemblance to the queen and yet is not in widow's weeds, in contrast to the likeness of Catherine in the foreground.

People depicted in the foreground: (Left side/second photo, left to right) Unknown man, Henri de Navarre (the future Henri IV), Marguerite de Valois, Catherine de' Medici, and an unknown little person. (Right side/third photo, same) Two unknown ladies, Louise de Lorraine, and an unknown man.

* This is disputed. The book accompanying this exhibition, Renaissance Splendor: Catherine de' Medici's Valois Tapestries by Elizabeth Cleland and Marjorie E. Wieseman (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2018), says that "it has often been suggested that this particular tournament represents one that took place at Bayonne in 1565 when Charles IX and Catherine met with Elisabeth of Spain," even if it more likely represents the 1559 tournament (44). It is, admittedly, a little odd that Catherine would choose to commemorate her husband's death in a tapestry meant to celebrate and glorify the French monarchy, and I must wonder if the resemblance of the woman in the background to Catherine is mere coincidence.

Sources: Elizabeth Cleland and Marjorie E. Wieseman, Renaissance Splendor: Catherine de' Medici's Valois Tapestries (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2018). Tour of Renaissance Splendor exhibit, Cleveland Museum of Art (December 4, 2018).

Photos by yours truly (chicot-premier). I know that the light in the photos is not the best, but the lights were dimmed and flash photography was not allowed to prevent light damage. Also, my phone does not take the best photos (that is an understatement).

[idabbleincrazy]

Invisible Touch Ch.5

Pairing: Gabriel x Reader

Word Count: 2614

Warnings: um...pining?, like seriously, you might end up screaming “just kiss already!” other than that none that i can think of. 

Summary: y/n and Gabriel go to a bar in town and its karaoke day. 

A/N: I know I said I might do a time skip but this happened instead (gotta follow the muse where it goes, right?) and tough as it was to write, I had fun writing it. Song is from Moulin Rouge (if u have never seen it, u should!) Quotations in italics are the lyrics. I truly hope you guys enjoy this chapter! 

Y/f/a/d= your favorite alcoholic drink

You had finished your lunch with Gabriel without incident, finally able to have a conversation that didn’t leave you fumbling for words or wanting to flee in embarrassment. He had been quiet at first, watching you eat for a few minutes, and you had started to feel self-conscious. Thankfully, just as you could feel the flush starting to rise to your cheeks, he began talking. He didn’t further explain this morning’s upset, and you were loathe to bring it up either, so you decided to just let it go. The two of you carried on, talking about this and that, every now and then Gabriel reaching across the table to take a fry from your plate, dipping it into the chocolate frosty he had snapped up.

When you had finished eating, you continued to talk for about an hour, till you got a call from Sam asking you to go look up something in the library. You excused yourself and went to go find the book Sam had named. You quickly found the book, which was just within your reach and spent the next twenty minutes flipping through the pages and relaying the information, stopping every now and then to send him pictures of symbols that you couldn’t quite interpret. After hanging up, you put the book back and went back to the war room, slightly surprised to see Gabriel was still there.

“Boys need help with their homework” Gabe questioned, an almost annoyed smirk on his face.

“Yeah, seems they came across an older nest of vamps than they’ve encountered before. Sam said they’re stronger than the others they’ve fought, even the ones that aren’t pureblood. They got half of them before the rest made their escape. It might take an extra day to track down the rest.”

You sat back down at the table, propping your feet up. You considered something for a moment before speaking again. “You know, I’m getting kinda bored just sitting around here, want to go do something?”

“Like what?” Gabriel looked at you cautiously.

“Well, it’s five o’clock, somewhere right? How about we go to a bar, there’s one in town we haven’t been to yet.” You cocked an eyebrow at him as you spoke, wanting desperately to get out of the bunker for a while.

“Uh, sure. We taking one of the cars from the garage, or would you rather I just zap us there?”

“It would probably be best if you took us there. That way I don’t have to worry about driving back”, you respond, getting up from your chair to pull your phone from your pocket.

You quickly look up the address of the bar and an inconspicuous place for Gabriel to snap you to. You hand him your phone to look at the map and make your way around the table to where he is now standing. He hands you back your phone and grabs ahold of the sleeve of your shirt, careful not to brush against your skin, lest he cause another spark from the contact. You close your eyes as you feel reality shift around, and when you open them again you are standing in the alley behind the bar. The two of you walk around to the front of the building, Gabriel’s hand lingering on your sleeve, the warmth from his touch slowly sinking through the layer of fabric.

You walk in and stand in the doorway for a few seconds as your vision adjusts to the sudden dimness. As you look around, you are surprised by the rather sizable crowd in the bar. It may be Saturday, but its barely 2:30 in the afternoon, you weren't expecting the town to have so many day-drinkers. The bar is rather large, bigger than the other two you had already gone to with the boys.

As you and Gabriel head up to the bar, you notice why the place is livelier than you thought it would be. Set up at the back of the building is a stage with a banner over it reading Karaoke Saturday. When you get to the counter, you find a flyer and quickly scan it for the start time. It started in a hour. You figure all the early birds are getting a head-start on fueling up on liquid courage.

You order a (y/f/a/d) and Gabriel orders a Purple Nurple, at which you just shake your head, having heard the story of how the boys first met Gabe over a decade ago. He slams back the shot, orders another and tells the bartender to keep them coming as you go to find an empty booth. Gabriel sits down, handing you your drink as he sets down his second shot along with the beer he ordered. You quirk an eyebrow up at him.

“You never cease to surprise me, Gabe. Beer and a drink that’s basically a cranberry-vodka? Neither of those are particularly sweet. I’d have figured you'd order something with an umbrella.”

“Nah. When it comes to drinks, the simpler the better. ‘Sides, it takes a lot more for me to even feel a buzz, remember?” He took a swig from the beer, letting out a contented sigh as he set it back down and looked at you.

You nodded at him in slight wonder and took a sip of your drink. You noted that the bartender hadn't skimped on the alcohol like most other places do. You made a note to yourself not to drink too much too fast. Didn't want to go making a fool of yourself, now did you?

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

An hour and two drinks later, you were feeling well relaxed as a man got up on the stage and announced the start of the karaoke, calling up the first person on the list. As the music started, you couldn't help but smirk as you recognized the beginning of The Offspring’s ‘You’re Gonna Go Far Kid’. It was one of the songs that never failed to make you think of Gabriel. You looked over at him to find him considering the stage with a wistful smile on his face.

You went up to the bar to get another drink, letting the music surround you. The guy singing wasn't half-bad, and it sounded nearly as good as the original. By the time you got your drink and headed back to the booth, the next person headed up to the stage. The opening guitar work of Pat Benatar’s ‘Invincible' rang out from the speakers as you sat down.

The power of the music and your third drink thrummed in your veins, making you bolder than you had thought possible at the moment. You considered yourself for a second before turning your attention to Gabriel.

“Hey, Gabe, you ever done karaoke”, you asked the archangel, a nervous flutter running through your chest.

“Of course”, he replied. “Hard to spend so many centuries down here and avoid that gem of human creation. Why do you ask?”

“Well, I was wondering if you'd like to do a duet with me”, you asked with hope in your eyes.

“Huh. Sure, cupcake. What did you have in mind?”

You flashed him a quick smile as you got up to find the sign-up sheet. “It's a surprise. If you don't know the words already, I'm sure you can just snap them into your memory.”

You signed the both of you up and went back to the booth, determined to be just buzzed enough to push back any lingering doubts and fears by the time they called your names. Over the course of the next half hour, you finished off your drink and two shots of whiskey, feeling pleasantly tipsy but still sober enough to talk without slurring. Your nervousness abated, you watched Gabriel closely as he consumed more Purple Nurples. As the current song faded, you straightened up and prepared yourself mentally, knowing you were next on the list.

The man came back on stage and called out your names. Gabriel got up first and reached a hand out to you to help you out of the booth. As your hands touched, instead of the electric shock you had experienced this morning, you felt a tickling warmth spreading from his hand to yours and up, throughout your body. You smiled up at him and the two of you made your way up to the stage.

The man in charge handed you your microphones and you waited for the song to start. As the name of the song appeared on the screen, Gabriel let out a small laugh and looked over at you. “Really, sugar?”

“What, it's one of my favorite movies! It makes a perfect duet.” You crinkled your nose and held in a giggle.

The two of you turned to face the bar patrons as the words to “Elephant Love Medley” showed up on the screen.

Hoping the crowd was buzzed enough not to care that the beginning of the song was more talking then singing, Gabriel began, taking of course, the part of Christian, while you would be his Satine.

“Love is many, splendored thing, love lifts us up where we belong. All you need is love.” His voice carried through the speakers, a voice that at the same time as being non-threatening, commanded to be listened to.

You gulped and quickly put on the British accent that you were quite proud of as you spoke out your part. “Please, don't start that again.”

Back and forth you went as the music kicked in. When the time came to actually sing, he turned to face you. You noticed he was acting just like Christian did in the movie, right down to the hand gestures, so you decided to do the same. Chuck knows, you've watched the movie enough times to have Satine’s part memorized.

You turned away from him at the line “You crazy fool, I won't give in to you” and back again at his spoken “Don't”, now fully immersed in the performance. What you hadn't expected was the way your heart clenched as you looked into his eyes as he softly sang out “dont leave me this way”. You took a breath as you quickly prepared for the next verse, praying your voice wouldn't be as shaky as you suddenly felt.

“You'd think that people would've had enough of silly love songs.” You managed to squeak out, thankful that this part of the song was softly sung in the movie too.

“I look around me and I see it isn't so, oh no.” Gabriel took a step toward you as he sang.

“Some people wanna fill the world with silly love songs.” Breathe in, breathe out, don’t look him in the eye.

Another step. “Well, what’s wrong with that”, step, “I’d like to know”, step, his hand reaching out to you and caressing your chin, nudging your face up to look at him, “’cause here I go, again.”

As his verse continued, you could feel the warmth from his touch spreading through you once more, your nervousness ebbing away and your heartbeat calming again. You stared back at him, leaning in to his touch, your resolve to see this through hardening. Smirking, you sang back at him.

“Love makes us act like we are fools. Throw our lives away, for one happy day.”

“We can be heroes”, he belted out, his hand sliding away from your chin, reaching up to tuck a stray lock of hair behind your ear. “Just for one day.”

Slipping back into the scene you were playing out, you turn away from him, shaking your head. “You, you will be mean.”

“No, I won’t.”

“And I, I’ll drink all the time!” You prepared for the next few lines, reminding yourself it was just a song, he was just performing for the crowd.

“We should be lovers”, he crooned.

“We can’t do that.” You looked back at him, your head cast downward, looking up at him through your lashes.

“We should be lo-oo-overs,” Gabriel grabbed your hand, pulling you around to face him, caught up in the song just as much as you were. “And that’s a fact.”

“No, nothing would keep us together.”

“We could steal time, just for one day.” The look in his eyes sent a shiver down your spine as you continued singing to each other, forgetting that there was anyone else in the room.

“We could be heroes, forever and ever”, your voices joined together in a delicious harmony that would’ve given Nicole and Ewan a run for their money.

As the operatic crescendo built up around you, you felt your heart thumping loudly in your chest and you could feel a tingle of electricity coming from his hand again. This time, it didn’t shock either of you but instead was gentle and soothing. Neither of you noticed when the music ended. You just stared at each other until the noise of the applauding crowd broke through and you let out a breath you hadn’t even realized you were holding. You smiled at Gabriel and quickly ducked your head as you felt a blush rising to your cheeks.

“Gabriel and (y/n), everybody!” The announcer came back on stage to retrieve your mics and the two of you headed back to your booth.

“Wowzers, (y/n), I had no idea you could sing like that! You should do it more often.” Gabriel looked at you warmly as you sat down. “Let me go get you something to drink, you must be parched after that performance. Another one of those?” He gestured at your empty glass.

“No, I’ll have a beer this time, thanks Gabe.”

As he went to get the drinks, you took the moment alone to contemplate the craziness that had just occurred. You were ecstatic that nothing had gone wrong up on stage, you had gotten through it without completely embarrassing yourself. But, those looks Gabriel had given you had thrown you for a loop. You were wary not to get your hopes up that the lyrics of the song had meant the same to him as they had to you. You were glad that the two of you were able to finally get along and didn’t want to push the issue and end up ruining everything again. Unfortunately, you also had a nagging curiosity about why his touch no longer shocked you, but still emitted a type of energy you hadn’t yet encountered with other angels. It might be because he was an archangel, but you had a feeling it went deeper than that.

You were brought back from your thoughts as you saw Gabriel coming back with the beers, and you smiled at him as he handed you one of them. “You know, you were pretty awesome yourself, up there. I guess I should’ve expected it though, seeing as how you are the archangel of languages.”

“Heh. Well, someone’s done their homework, haven’t they? And, yes, singing happens to be one of my many talents.” He flashed his flirty smirk and raised his eyebrow.

The two of you drank your beers and listened to the next three performers in silence, this time just enjoying each other’s presence, no trace of the normal awkwardness you usually felt. After you finished, you asked Gabriel to snap you back home, not wanting to travel past the mellow buzz you felt into the nauseously drunk category. Gabriel went and paid the tab and you walked out and back around to the alley you had arrived in. Once again, you closed your eyes as reality bent around you, waiting till you felt ground firmly beneath your feet before opening them again.

Gabe’s Babes: @liloldlou @calamitychaos

Rich’s Bitches: @warlockwriter @archangelgabriellives @green-draws0 @waywardtricks @hankypranky @briars-glenn @thewhiterabbit42

Invisible Touch: @somewhatnatural @missihart23 @whodoesntlovefanfics @baritonechick @nobodys-baby-now @marichromatic @black-angel-bahamut  

tags are still open.

[pinwheelrecords]

BREAKING NEWS! 

Here's the list of everything we'll have on Saturday. We did our best to order everything that folks asked for, but unfortunately we didn't receive everything we requested.

Please note that quantities are *extremely* limited - in some cases, we only received one copy of a particular title. And as usual, only one copy of each release per person. 

We open at 9am Saturday. You're welcome to line up whenever you want - just be respectful of our neighbors. We’ll have free coffee and donuts for y’all.

Okay, here we go:

13th Floor Elevators: The Psychedelic Sounds of The 13th Floor Elevators

A-ha: Hunting High And Low / The Early Alternate Mixes

Allman Brothers Band: Fillmore East. Feburary 1970

Armstrong, Louis: Disney Songs the Satchmo Way

Arnalds, Olafur: RE:MEMBER + STRING QUARTETS

Art Ensemble of Chicago: The Spiritual

Badalamenti,Angelo, David Lynch: Twin Peaks: Season Two Music And More

Badu, Erykah & James Poyser: Tempted

Baker, Julien: Red Door / Conversation Piece

Bananarama:Bananarama Remixed: Vol 1

Basement: Be Here Now

Bingo Hand Job: Live At The Borderline 1991

Black, Frank: Frank Black

Black, Frank: Teenager Of The Year

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony: E. 1999 Eternal

Bowie, David: Pin Ups

Bowie, David: The World of David Bowie

Bowie, David / Marlene Dietrich: Revolutionary Song / Just A Gigolo

Broken Social Scene: Let's Try The After Vol. 1 & 2

Brown, James: Sho Is Funky Down Here

Buckley, Jeff: In Transition

Buffalo Tom: Buffalo Tom - 30th Anniversary Limited Edition

Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band: Trout Mask Replica

Cheap Trick: The Epic Archive Vol. 3 (1984-1992)

Cheech & Chong: Up In Smoke 40th Anniversary Picture Disc Vol. 2

Chic: Le Freak

Chicano Batman: Black Lipstick (EP)

Complesso Strumentale Italiano, Giulio Confalconieri: Dalí in Venice

Costello, Elvis and the Imposters: Purse EP

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young: 4 Way Street (Expanded Edition)

Curren$y, Freddie Gibbs, and The Alchemist: FETTI

Currie, Cherie: Blvds of Splendor

Czarface: Double Dose of Danger

Death Grips: Steroids (Crouching Tiger Hidden Gabber Megamix)

Devo: This Is The DEVO Box

DJ Khaled: Victory

Dorough, Bob: Multiplication Rock (Original Soundtrack)

Dr Dog: Live 2

Dr. Dre:Nuthin' But a "G" Thang

Dylan, Bob: Blood On The Tracks - Original New York Test Pressing

Emerson Lake & Palmer: Live At Pocono International Raceway

Evans, Bill: Evans In England: Live at Ronnie Scott's

Flaming Lips: Kings Mouth

Fleetwood Mac: The Alternate Fleetwood Mac

Franklin, Aretha: The Atlantic Singles 1967

Free Nationals: Beauty & Essex

Gabriel, Peter: Rated PG (Limited Edition Picture Disc)

Gibbard, Benjamin: Me And Magdalena / The Concept

Good Old Boys, The: Drink Up And Go Home: Live At Margarita's Cantina, Feb. 20 & 21, 1975

Gorillaz: The Fall

Grant, John: Remixes Are Also Magic

Grateful Dead: Sage & Spirit

Grateful Dead: The Warfield, San Francisco, CA 10/9/80 &

Green Day: Woodstock 1994 Live

Green Jellÿ: Cereal Killer Soundtrack

Green River: Live At The Tropicana 1984

Green, Al: The Hi Records Singles Box Set

Greta Van Fleet: From The Fires

Griot Galaxy: Kins

Grodeck Whipperjenny: The Grodeck Whipperjenny

Hancock, Herbie: Dedication

Hawkwind: The 1999 Party - Live At The Chicago Auditorium 21st March, 1974

Hicks, Bill: Revelations: Variations

High on Fire: Bat Salad

Joel, Billy: Live At Carnegie Hall 1977

John, Elton: Live From Moscow

Joplin, Janis: Woodstock Sunday August 17, 1969

King, Albert: Born Under A Bad Sign (Mono)

Kool Keith: Complicated Trip

Lennon, John: Imagine (Raw Studio Mixes)

Lightnin Hopkins: Strums the Blues

Lillingtons, The: Death By Television

Lord Huron: The Night We Met

Madonna: La Isla Bonita - Super Mix

Madonna: True Blue (Super Club Mix)

Mastodon: Stairway To Nick John

Menzingers, The: No Penance b/w Cemetery's Garden

Minus 5, The: Stroke Manor

Mission Of Burma: Peking Spring

Modest Mouse: Poison the Well

Montgomery, Wes: Back on Indiana Avenue: The Carroll DeCamp Recordings

Morrison, Van: Astral Weeks Alternative

Morrissey: Love-To-Be

Mumford & Sons: Delta Acoustic Sessions | Live From Electric Lady [10" Picture Disc]

My Chemical Romance: The Black Parade Is Dead-Live In Mexico

Ol' Dirty Bastard: Intoxicated

Parker, Charlie: Charlie Parker With Strings: The Alternate Takes

Pearl Jam: Live At Easy Street

Pelican: Midnight & Mesaline

Pink Floyd: A Saucerful Of Secrets (Mono)

Pinkfong: Baby Shark

Police, The: Message In A Bottle

Pop, Iggy: Hippodrome - Paris 77

Presley, Elvis: Live at the International Hotel, Las Vegas, NV August 23, 1969

Prince: His Majesty’s Pop Life

Prince: The VERSACE Experience: PRELUDE 2 GOLD

Queen: Bohemian Rhapsody Picture Disc

Queen: Bohemian Rhapsody/I'm in Love with My Car

Ramones: Live at The Palladium, New York, NY (12/31/79)

Redding, Otis with Booker T. & The M.G.'s with The Mar-Keys: Just Do It One More Time!

Reed, Lou: Ecstasy

Residents, The: B.S. LP pREServed Edition

Robyn: Body Talk

Rolling Stones, The: Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass) (UK)

Rolling Stones, The: Through the Past, Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2) (UK)

Rush: Hemispheres

San Fermin: Live At The Fillmore

Santana: Breaking Down The Door

Santigold: I Don't Want: The Gold Fire Sessions

Sly & The Family Stone: Woodstock Sunday August 17, 1969

Soccer Mommy: For Young Hearts

Soundtrack: Coneheads Music From the Motion Picture

Soundtrack: House Of Wax Music From The Motion Picture

Soundtrack: Howard Stern Private Parts OST

Soundtrack: IAm Sam

Soundtrack: Lost In Translation

Soundtrack: Malcom X Music

Soundtrack: New Jack City OST

Soundtrack: Office Space OST

Soundtrack: The Crow

South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut. Music From And Inspired By The Motion Picture

Spence, Alexander "Skip": AndOarAgain

Spence, Alexander "Skip": I Want A Rock & Roll Band / I Got A Lot To Say/Mary Jane

Stars: Sad Robots

Strummer, Joe: The Rockfield Studio Tracks

Sublime: NUGS: BEST OF THE BOX

Sumney, Moses: Black in Deep Red, 2014

SUNN O))): Life Metal

Tangerine Dream: Le Parc

Tangerine Dream: Machu Picchu

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Pizza Power Single

The bird and the bee: Ray Guns are not Just the Future

Thunders, Johnny: Que Sera Sera - Resurrected

Tiny Tim: Live At Royal Albert Hall

Tweedy, Jeff: WARMER

U2: The Europa EP

Van Zandt, Townes: The Best Of Townes Van Zandt

Various Artists: Ghost World Soundtrack

Various Artists: The Basketball Diaries: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Various Artists: In The Garage: Live Music from WTF with Marc Maron

Various Artist: Soul Slabs Vol. 2

Various Artists: Breaking Bad (Soundtrack)

Various Artists: Disco Not Disco

Various Artists: Folk and Pop Sounds of Sumatra Vol. 2

Various Artists: Rough Guide To A World Of Guitar

Various Artists: Rough Guide To Blind, Black & Blue

Various Artists: Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse Soundtrack

Various Artists: Stax Does The Beatles

Various Artists: Sun Records Curated by Record Store Day, Volume 6

Various Artists: Where The Action Is! Los Angeles Nuggets Highlights

Violent Femmes: Hallowed Ground

Weezer: Dusty Gems: The B-Sides

Weezer: Teal Album

Wipers: Alien Boy EP

Zappa, Frank: The Guitar World According To Frank Zappa

[ttnbooklog]

Tupac’s Book List

Monster: The Autobiography of an L.A. Gang Member Written by: Sanyika Shakur

Assata: An Autobiography Written by: Assata Shakur

Ponder on This: A Compilation From the Writings of: Alice A Bailey & the Tibetan Master, Djwhal Khul

The Phenomenon of Man Written by: Teilhard de Chardin

Kabbalah Written by: Gersham Scholem

Thoughts and Meditations Written by: Kahlil Gibran

Telepathy Written by: Alice A Bailey

The Autobiography of Malcolm X As told to: Alex Haley

Ah, This! Written by: Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh

Roots Written by: Alex Haley

The Tibetan Book of the Dead Written by: W.Y. Evans-Wentz

Black Like Me Written by: John Howard Griffin

Bhagavad-Gita As It Is Written by: A.C. Bhaktive-danta Swami Prabhupada

The Confessions of Nat Turner Written by: William Styron

The Psychedelic Experience- A Manual Based on the Tibetan Book of the Dead

Written by: Timothy Leary, Ph.D, Ralph Metzner, Ph.D., Richard Alpert, Ph.D.

James Baldwin: The Legacy Edited by: Quincy Troupe

Initiation Written by: Elisabeth Haich

The Meaning of Masonry Written by: W.L. Wilmshurst

Social Essays Written by: LeRoi Jones

The Grapes of Wrath Written by: John Steinbeck

I Shall Not Be Moved Written by: Maya Angelou

And Still I Rise Written by: Maya Angelou

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings Written by: Maya Angelou

Nature, Man and Woman Written by: Alan W. Watts

Linda Goodman’s Sun Signs Written by: Linda Goodman

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance Written by: Robert M. Pirsig

A Raisin in the Sun Written by: Lorraine Hansberry

Native Son Written by: Richard Wright

The Practical Encyclopedia Of Natural Healing Written by: Mark Bricklin

The Complete Illustrated Book of the Psychic Sciences Written by: Walter B. Gibson and Litzka R. Gibson

1984 Written by: George Orwell

One Hundred Years of Solitude Written by: Gabriel Garcia Marquez

The Destiny of the Nations Written by: Alice A. Bailey

The Visionary Poetics of Allen Ginsberg Written by: Paul Portuges

The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy Written by: E.D. Hirsch, Jr., Joseph F. Kett, James Trefil

The Diary of Anais Nin Edited and with a Preface by: Gunther Stuhlmann

The Souls of Black Folk Written by:W.E. Burghardt DuBois

The Psychic Realm Written by: Naomi A. Hintze and J. Gaither Pratt, Ph.D.

Tropic of Cancer Written by: Henry Miller

Nostradamus: The Millennium & Beyond Written by: Peter Lorie

The State of the World Atlas Written by: Michael Kidron and Ronald Segal

Catcher in the Rye Written by: J.D. Salinger

Sisterhood is Powerful: Anthology of Writings from the Women’s Liberation Movement

Written by: Robin Morgan

In Search of Our Mother’s Gardens Written by: Alice Walker

Savage Inequalities: Children in America’s Schools Written by: Jonathan Kozol

At the Bottom of the River Written by: Jamaica Kincaid

Music of Black Americans: A History Written by: Eileen Southern

Moby Dick Written by: Herman Melville

Life and Words of Martin Luther King, Jr. Written by: Ira Peck

Art of War Written by: Sun Tzu

Interesting People: Black American History Makers Written by: George L. Lee

Blues People Written by: Amiri Baraka

All You Need to Know About the Music Business Written by: Donald Passman

All God’s Children: The Boskett Family and the American Tradition of Violence

Written by: Fox Butterfield

Black Sister: Poetry by Black American Women, 1746 to 1980 Edited by Earlene Stetson

The Harder We Run: Black Workers Since the Civil War Written by: William H. Harris

Makes Me Wanna Holler Written by: Nathan McCall

Great White Lie: Slavery, Emancipation and Changing Racial Attitudes Written by: Jack Gratus

Imitation of Christ Written by: Thomas a Kempis

Teachings of the Buddha Written by: Jack Kornfield

No Man Is an Island Written by: Thomas Merton

Mysticism Written by: Evelyn Underhill

Wisdom of Insecurity Written by: A.N. Watts

Secret Splendor Written by: Charles Essert

Life as Carola Written by: Joan Grant

Serving Humanity From the writings of: Alice A. Bailey

Here and Hereafter Written by: Ruth Montgomery

The Prince Written by: Niccolo Machiavelli

[malte1mj-blog]

2003 Movie Awards

Best Picture: Capturing the Friedmans City of God Elephant The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Lost in Translation HONORABLE MENTION: In America, Kill Bill: Vol. 1, The Triplets of Belleville, The Station Agent, Shattered Glass, 21 Grams, Love Actually, American Splendor, Girl with a Pearl Earring, Whale Rider, A Mighty Wind Best Director: Sofia Coppola, Lost in Translation Peter Jackson, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Andrew Jarecki, Capturing the Friedmans Fernando Meirelles, City of God Gus Van Sant, Elephant HONORABLE MENTION: Shari Springer Berman & Robert Pulcini, American Splendor; Niki Caro, Whale Rider; Sylvain Chomet, The Triplets of Belleville; Richard Curtis, Love Actually; Christopher Guest, A Mighty Wind; Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, 21 Grams; Thomas McCarthy, The Station Agent; Billy Ray, Shattered Glass; Jim Sheridan, In America; Quentin Tarantino, Kill Bill: Vol. 1; Peter Webber, Girl with a Pearl Earring Best Actor: Paddy Considine, In America Peter Dinklage, The Station Agent Paul Giamatti, American Splendor Bill Murray, Lost in Translation Sean Penn, 21 Grams HONORABLE MENTION: Hayden Christensen, Shattered Glass; Johnny Depp, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl; Ben Kingsley, House of Sand and Fog; Anthony LaPaglia, The Guys; Jude Law, Cold Mountain; Ewan McGregor, Big Fish; Sean Penn, Mystic River; Victor Rasuk, Raising Victor Vargas; Jean Rochefort, Man on the Train; Alexandre Rodrigues, City of God Best Actress: Keisha Castle-Hughes, Whale Rider Scarlett Johansson, Lost in Translation Samantha Morton, In America Charlize Theron, Monster Uma Thurman, Kill Bill: Vol. 1 HONORABLE MENTION: Cate Blanchett, Veronica Guerin; Toni Collette, Japanese Story; Jamie Lee Curtis, Freaky Friday; Scarlett Johansson, Girl with a Pearl Earring; Diane Keaton, Something's Gotta Give; Sarah Polley, My Life Without Me; Naomi Watts, 21 Grams; Sigourney Weaver, The Guys Best Supporting Actor: Kevin Bacon, Mystic River Albert Finney, Big Fish Phellipe Haagensen, City of God Bill Nighy, Love Actually Peter Sarsgaard, Shattered Glass HONORABLE MENTION: Sean Astin, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King; Alec Baldwin, The Cooler; Paul Bettany, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World; Bobby Cannavale, The Station Agent; Benicio Del Toro, 21 Grams; Djimon Hounsou, In America; Eugene Levy, A Mighty Wind; Ian McKellen, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King; Alan Rickman, Love Actually; Tim Robbins, Mystic River Best Supporting Actress: Maria Bello, The Cooler Patricia Clarkson, The Station Agent Hope Davis, American Splendor Charlotte Gainsbourg, 21 Grams Emma Thompson, Love Actually HONORABLE MENTION: Shohreh Aghdashloo, House of Sand and Fog; Sarah Bolger, In America; Patricia Clarkson, Pieces of April; Ellen DeGeneres, Finding Nemo; Marcia Gay Harden, Mystic River; Allison Janney, How to Deal; Anna Kendrick, Camp; Keira Knightley, Love Actually; Laura Linney, Mystic River; Alison Lohman, Matchstick Men; Judy Marte, Raising Victor Vargas; Catherine O'Hara, A Mighty Wind; Miranda Otto, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Best Original Screenplay: In America - Jim Sheridan, Kirsten Sheridan & Naomi Sheridan Kill Bill: Vol. 1 - Quentin Tarantino & Uma Thurman Lost in Translation - Sofia Coppola Love Actually - Richard Curtis The Station Agent - Thomas McCarthy HONORABLE MENTION: Camp, The Company, Elephant, Finding Nemo, Man on the Train, A Mighty Wind, Raising Victor Vargas, The Triplets of Belleville, 21 Grams Best Adapted Screenplay: American Splendor - Shari Springer Berman & Robert Pulcini City of God - Braulio Mantovani Girl with a Pearl Earring - Olivia Hetreed The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - Philippa Boyens, Peter Jackson & Fran Walsh Shattered Glass - Billy Ray HONORABLE MENTION: Big Fish, Cold Mountain, The Guys, My Life Without Me, Mystic River, Whale Rider, X2: X-Men United Best Ensemble: City of God The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Love Actually A Mighty Wind Mystic River HONORABLE MENTION: Big Fish, Camp, Cold Mountain, The Company, Elephant, In America, Kill Bill: Vol. 1, Pieces of April, Raising Victor Vargas, Shattered Glass, The Station Agent, 21 Grams, X2: X-Men United Best Limited Performance - Male: John Doman, Mystic River Judah Friedlander, American Splendor Denis O'Hare, 21 Grams Donald Sutherland, Cold Mountain Fred Willard, A Mighty Wind HONORABLE MENTION: Hank Azaria, Shattered Glass; William H. Macy, Seabiscuit; Giovanni Ribisi, Lost in Translation; Geoffrey Rush, Intolerable Cruelty Best Limited Performance - Female: Clea DuVall, 21 Grams Anna Faris, Lost in Translation Vivica A. Fox, Kill Bill: Vol. 1 Anna Kendrick, Camp Natalie Portman, Cold Mountain HONORABLE MENTION: Gladys Austin, Raising Victor Vargas; Gloria Foster, The Matrix Reloaded; Jena Malone, Cold Mountain; Graziella Moretto, City of God; Bebe Neuwirth, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days; Emmy Rossum, Mystic River Breakthrough Performance: Sarah Bolger, In America Keisha Castle-Hughes, Whale Rider Phellipe Haagensen, City of God Victor Rasuk, Raising Victor Vargas Alexandre Rodrigues, City of God HONORABLE MENTION: Sasha Allen, Camp; Emma Bolger, In America; Robin de Jesus, Camp; Anna Kendrick, Camp; Shia LeBeouf, Holes; Daniel Letterle, Camp; Judy Marte, Raising Victor Vargas; Max Pirkis, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World; Thomas Sangster, Love Actually; Tiffany Taylor, Camp Best Film Editing: Capturing the Friedmans - Richard Hankin City of God - Daniel Rezende Kill Bill: Vol. 1 - Sally Menke Lost in Translation - Sarah Flack 21 Grams - Stephen Mirrione HONORABLE MENTION: American Splendor, The Company, Elephant, Girl with a Pearl Earring, In America, The Last Samurai, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Love Acutally, Mystic River, Seabiscuit, Shattered Glass, Whale Rider, X2: X-Men United Best Cinematography: City of God - Cesar Charlone Elephant - Harris Savides Girl with a Pearl Earring - Eduardo Serra The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - Andrew Lesnie Lost in Translation - Lance Acord HONORABLE MENTION: Cold Mountain, The Company, Kill Bill: Vol. 1, The Last Samurai, Mystic River, Shattered Glass, 21 Grams, 28 Days Later, Whale Rider Best Original Score: Cold Mountain - Gabriel Yared Finding Nemo - Thomas Newman Girl with a Pearl Earring - Alexandre Desplat Shattered Glass - Mychael Danna The Triplets of Belleville - Benoit Charest HONORABLE MENTION: Big Fish, City of God, Down with Love, The Fog of War, House of Sand and Fog, The Last Samurai, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, 21 Grams Best Original Song: Camp - "Here's Where I Stand" - Lynn Ahrens & Michael Gore Cold Mountain - "The Scarlet Tide" - T-Bone Burnett & Elvis Costello The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - "Into the West" - Annie Lennox, Howard Shore & Fran Walsh A Mighty Wind - "A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow" - Michael McKean & Annette O'Toole The Triplets of Belleville - "Belleville Rendez-vous" - Benoit Charest & Sylvain Chomet HONORABLE MENTION: Big Fish - "Man of the Hour"; Camp - "Century Plant"; Cold Mountain - "You Will Be My Ain True Love"; Down with Love - "Here's to Love"; In America - "Time Enough for Tears"; A Mighty Wind - "A Mighty Wind"; A Mighty Wind - "Potato's in the Paddy Wagon" Best Art Direction: Big Fish - Dennis Gassner & Nancy Haigh Girl with a Pearl Earring - Cecile Heideman & Ben van Os Kill Bill: Vol. 1 - Yoshihito Akatsuka, Sandy Reynolds-Wasco, Yohei Taneda & David Wasco The Last Samurai - Lily Kilvert & Gretchen Rau The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - Dan Hennah, Alan Lee & Grant Major HONORABLE MENTION: Cold Mountain, The Company, Down with Love, Elf, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, The Matrix Reloaded, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Seabiscuit, X2: X-Men United Best Costume Design: Cold Mountain - Carlo Poggioli & Ann Roth The Company - Susan Kaufmann Down with Love - Daniel Orlandi Girl with a Pearl Earring - Dien van Straalen The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - Ngila Dickson & Richard Taylor HONORABLE MENTION: American Splendor, Big Fish, Elf, Kill Bill: Vol. 1, The Last Samurai, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, The Matrix Reloaded, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Seabiscuit, X2: X-Men United Best Makeup: Kill Bill: Vol. 1 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Monster Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl X2: X-Men United HONORABLE MENTION: Big Fish, Cold Mountain, Down with Love, Girl with a Pearl Earring, Hulk, The Last Samurai, The Matrix Reloaded, 28 Days Later Best Sound Mixing: City of God Kill Bill: Vol. 1 The Last Samurai The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King The Triplets of Belleville HONORABLE MENTION: Camp, Cold Mountain, The Company, Elephant, Finding Nemo, Hulk, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, A Mighty Wind, Mystic River, Seabiscuit, 21 Grams, Whale Rider, X2: X-Men United Best Sound Editing: City of God Cold Mountain The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World X2: X-Men United HONORABLE MENTION: Elephant, Finding Nemo, Hulk, Kill Bill: Vol. 1, The Last Samurai, The Matrix Reloaded, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, The Triplets of Belleville, 28 Days Later Best Visual Effects: Hulk The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King The Matrix Reloaded Pirates of the Caribbean: The Cure of the Black Pearl X2: X-Men United HONORABLE MENTION: Big Fish, Kill Bill: Vol. 1, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, 28 Days Later Best Foreign-Language Film: City of God - Fernando Meirelles Man on the Train - Patrice Leconte The Triplets of Belleville - Sylvain Chomet Best Documentary: Capturing the Friedmans - Andrew Jarecki The Fog of War - Errol Morris Lost in La Mancha - Keith Fulton & Louis Pepe My Architect: A Son's Journey - Nathaniel Kahn Spellbound - Jeffrey Blitz HONORABLE MENTION: The Weather Underground Best Animated Film: Finding Nemo - Andrew Stanton The Triplets of Belleville - Sylvain Chomet Every 2003 Film I've Seen: Ranked