#he sounds so solo. he sounds so responsible so respectable

[jrueships]

thinking about how josh always tries playing around WITH other teammates, but always interacts with diggs as if he is something extremely, extraordinarily precious to him. I'm not saying he doesn't care about everyone else, he cares about everyone, but when you're in love, the person you're in love with happens to cross your mind more times than a few.

Like. Josh throwing snow on Gabe Davis and not on stef (even tho he knows Gabe is very protective of his birkin !!) And just letting stef walk by snow-free while he and Gabe banter (in front of stef) (very important to note). Now, diggs was also wearing fancier things than Gabe in cost comparison. He had more than a birkin bag to protect.. Josh knows Stef loves living lavish, and his outfit was probably brand new bcs he also knows stef loves trying new things.. so Josh respects the boundaries that he knows and only plays around with Gabe, who's a little materialistic too but not as much as Stef.

Josh sees Stef coming, he stops talking to his teammates and does a little dance. He knows Stef finds his dancing funny, so he does some dancing!

Thinking about how they were paired during the pandemic, and had to bond literally over call of duty. Thinking about how Diggs was new to the game and how Josh never exploited him for it in the game, or complained about his skill level. Thinking about how Diggs recalls Josh always stopping to heal him as if the silly little call of duty game shenanigans were a honeymoon worthy of forever memory.

Stef keeps headbutting him in the middle of his pregame pep talk, instead of playing off that, Josh keeps his focus and doubles down on his leadership position by continuing his speech unphased. It's not ignoring, though, it's providing a stable foundation for Stef to bounce off of and keep him grounded. Stef's constant touches to allen during his speech let's him know he's doing good in what he's trying to accomplish: being inspiring while also being strong. Josh's strong composure let's Stef know that even with every headbutt, he's not budging, he'll always be right there for Stef to hold and remember who's there in his corner. There's someone stable in his corner, someone who isn't tired or intimidated by his energy, someone willing to observe the options and choose the best one without Stef having to even advise him on it

Although he's talking to everyone, he keeps his hand on STEF'S helmet to let him know He knows he's there, and He appreciates him being there. There's no joking about it. When stef pushes his way into the middle of the huddle just to be by Josh, it's not to hear how funny he can be or how serious, and while he can be either, it's just not the focus right now. The focus, the Need is simply to be By Josh.

And you don't get that kind of devotion from Diggs by playing around with his emotions, his wants, his needs. You don't get that kind of devotion by not being devoted yourself.

Josh Allen is 110% dedicated to loving his teammates, to loving football, and to loving Stefon Diggs.

Thinking about how much Diggs needs that .

[erythriina]

Crozier: Stage manager. Runs an extremely tight ship; rehearsals start and end on time, and woe betide you if you show up late. Suffers no fools, especially when it comes to safety. Fell in love with theatre as a young kid, but became jaded after years of running into educational, financial, ‘who do you know’ barriers and dealing with the kind of bigots and assholes you only get in this industry.

Fitzjames: Originally Franklin’s AD, but is officially promoted to director when Franklin has to step down for health reasons. Used to be an actor—and a pretty good one!—but moved to directing because it seemed more prestigious and respectable. In the end, he wouldn’t choose to go back, but he will twist your ear with stories of his time trodding the boards. Studied on scholarship, does everything possible to keep this a secret.

( I went back on forth on switching these two roles, with Crozier as director and Fitzjames as SM, because in canon Crozier technically outranks JFJ. In the end though I think this is more fitting, since JFJ and Franklin may have big ideas, but Crozier is the one with his head firmly in the reality of the situation; as the SM and as Franklin’s canon second, his job (whether he gets to do it or not) is to reign him in, to make sure what he wants to happen is both feasible and safe. )

Blanky: Production manager. His job is to get the things necessary for JFJ and Crozier to do their jobs. He and Crozier have worked together for years and are a tight unit.

Little: Originally the technical director, (essentially the head of the scenic department: lights, sound, set, costumes, props). Becomes official AD when JFJ becomes official director. Briefly enjoys a stint as acting stage manager in Crozier’s stead, and by ‘enjoys’ I mean he hated every moment of it.

Jopson: Wardrobe head. Woe unto anyone who eats in costume. He and Crozier have worked together before—they come as a pair—so he becomes the unofficial liaison bw Crozier and the rest of the prod team (it’s a “dad likes you best” sort of situation). Crozier eventually asks him to become acting ASM (they didn’t have one before; Franklin didn’t think it was necessary). Did some acting as a kid/teen, but prefers production; if you hound him enough when he’s in a good mood, he will, after a long sigh, perform the most perfect triple time step you’ve ever seen.

Hodgson: Dramaturg and I won’t elaborate. Is also the fight captain when it’s called for, and is extremely good at it; he’s great at teaching one-on-one and encouraging the actors while still prioritizing safety, and his flair for the dramatic lends itself incredibly well to choreographing fights. He does, however, tend to lose it and make poor decisions when given any more solo responsibility than that.

Irving: Scenographer, in charge of the overall design of the production. Stressed out 24/7. Keeps absolutely pristine and lovingly detailed piece lists, is very good with the maths for measurements. Seems too uptight for such a creative job, but in actuality is very creative, just also very shy.

Tozer: Master carpenter. He didn’t start as master carp, but his superiors kept leaving and now he has more responsibility than he expected. Outwardly seems like he doesn’t give much of a fuck, but takes pride in his work. Main operator of the power tools; will box your ears if he catches you using them without proper PPE.

Hickey: Just kind of hangs around the scene shop most of the time. Presumably he’s in charge of gluing various bits of wood together, or something. Irving once caught him hooking up with his boyfriend behind the wall of old plywood backgrounds. Later, when Irving has an ‘accident’ one night whilst working late alone in the shop, Hickey is somehow the first on the scene…

Peglar: Master electrician, head of lights and sound. Doesn’t get to do it often, but adores operating the theater’s single spotlight (getting to it involves some climbing that OSHA would not approve of). Can untangle a mass of wires faster than anyone else and knows what each and every one of them goes to. Closest he ever got to performance was dipping his toe into standup comedy (iykyk. sorry honey you fit the type)

Silna: Perennial unwilling house manager, because her family owns the place and her dad always makes her. Basically in charge of the space as a whole. Not a huge fan of her job, but finds some amusement/comfort in getting to sit in the shadows and watch the prod team bicker and make fools of themselves, bc it makes her feel competent in comparison.

[darkeralmond]

Do you write smut for conrad fisher? If you do can you do a jealous conrad x reader? thank you!!

i do now! thank you so much for requesting ILY anon ❤️❤️

WANNA BE YOURS

Conrad Fisher x fem! Reader

summary: You and Conrad were at a party for Belly’s birthday hosted by Nicole. You were stranded by Conrad and notice a guy alone on the couch. You decide to be friendly and talk to him before dancing with him. Conrad and you get into an argument over this until you say the thing he’s been waiting to hear.

warnings: 18+, smut, angry Connie, car sex, penetration, she/her pronouns, arguing, vulgar language, Conrad calling you “good girl”, dirty talk

word count: 1.9k

a/n: connie is a popular guy in my request board 😭, not complaining tho i love him!! thank you again for the request!! P.S. I LOVE ARTIC MONKEYS AND PAXTON H-Y!!!

masterlist | request info

The music was loud in your ears as you entered the crowded living room. Conrad had left you alone to go find out where Steven was, but all the people in one space triggered your claustrophobia.

You looked over and saw a guy sitting by himself on the couch with a look of defeat on his face. There were people dancing all around him while he chugged whatever substance he had in his red solo cup. Usually, you don’t feel sympathy for strangers, but something about this guy made your heart wrench.

You approached him. “You alright?” Sure, it’s weird when a stranger asks others how they’re feeling, but some people need to vent to someone they don’t know.

He looked up at you with red eyes, you couldn’t tell if he was high or if he had been crying. He sniffled, “Yeah, uh, I caught my girl cheating on me with my homeboy upstairs.”

Shit. “Oh,” you replied.

You sat down next to him while he explained, “It’s chill. She was a bitch anyway.” He brought his cart up to his lips and took a hit. He was high. “You wanna hit?” He offered it to you.

You shook your head, “I’m straight edge.”

He furrowed his eyebrows, “The fuck is straight edge?”

You laughed at his reaction. It was the same one every person had when you told them the same answer. “That means I chose to stay sober.” Your thought process was by staying sober, it helped you avoid all the drama that starts when you’re black out drunk. Drunk confessions, drunk fighting, the list goes on. “It just helps me stay out of trouble.”

He exhaled smoke from his lips and nose. “Ohhhh,” he laughed. “Respect.”

“Yeah,” you giggled. You then looked out at everyone dancing and having a good time. “Why don’t we dance?”

He smiled, “Sure.” The two of you got up from the couch and went to the middle of the living room. The Motto by Drake and Lil Wayne played over the speaker, the bass shaking the whole house. Due to all the people crammed in one room, you and the mystery guy danced fairly close to each other. “Hey, what’s your name?” he yelled over the music.

“Y/N!” you shouted back. “What’s yours?”

“Noah!” Noah yelled. You nodded your head while smiling. The two of you danced while screaming the lyrics to the song. “You’re really cool, Y/N! I think we’d make great friends!”

“What do you mean? You’re stuck with me now!” You and him laughed. That’s when you spotted someone familiar pushing through the crowd. It was your boyfriend finally coming back from his search. “Conrad, hey!” You waved. “Did you find Steven?”

He completely ignored your question, his eyes set on the guy who you were dancing with. “Get away from my girl.” He stepped in front of you.

“Woah, man. We weren’t doing anything.” Noah held up his hands defensively.

“Conrad, stop!” you laughed, trying to lighten the mood. “It’s fine! We’re just chilling.”

He scoffed in response, “I recommend staying away from Y/N. We’re going home.”

“Conrad-”

“We’re going home.” He cut in.

He sounded pissed, it made your guy twist as you looked back at Noah. “Sorry about him,” you said with a frown on your face.

“Don’t stress about it, maybe I’ll see you around.” He waved bye as you got dragged out of the house by Conrad.

“What the fuck is your problem?” you yelled as the two of you left the house. “Am I not allowed to make friends now? Why don’t you ever trust me?”

He rolled his eyes, “I trust you! I just don’t trust that guy!”

You yelled, “You don’t even know him!”

“Neither do you! You don’t know what his intentions were, Y/N!” His eyes were wide with anger as he looked into yours, the veins in his neck strained. “Get in the car.” The car beeped as he unlocked the doors.

You didn’t want to cause a scene in front of everyone, so you just did as he said and got in the passenger’s seat. You folded your arms over your chest and stared out the window. He got in the driver’s seat next to you and started the car before putting it into drive mode. “Just so you know, his girlfriend cheated on him and he was by himself,” you mumbled while pouting.

“Y/N,” he said. This gave you a glimpse of hope that he’d finally listen to you, but he then followed it up by, “I don’t fucking care.”

You rolled your eyes and frowned, shaking your head. “You’re a fucking child.” He didn’t say anything, he just kept driving.

The radio quietly played music, the air was tense as you refused to look at him. He stopped the car at a red light. “Y/N, I’m sorry,” he finally spoke up. “I get really insecure, babe, and I just want everyone to know that you’re mine.”

You looked over at him, your expression softened as you said, “Connie, I’m yours.” You placed your hand over his that draped over the shift stick.

He glanced over at you and saw your innocent expression. You knew something instantly changed in him as you noticed his demeanor swiftly change. “Say that again,” he breathed.

Now it clicked. It turned him on to know that you and your body was for him and him only. You batted your lashes and smiled deviously. “I’m all yours, Connie,” you teased.

He stared at you longer, his breath slightly hitched. “Fuck,” he muttered under his breath. When the light turned green, he took a turn that was the opposite way of both your guys’ homes.

“Conrad?” you said, concern present in your voice. “What are you doing?”

“I’m pulling the car over so we can fuck.” Butterflies swarmed in your stomach due to the assertiveness in his voice. He pulled the car over close to the beach where there were no lights except for the car’s headlights. “You fine with that?”

You nodded your head, “Y-Yeah.” You unbuckle your seatbelt and look up at him. Conrad’s hand reached up to the side of your neck and connected his lips with yours.

He was hungry for your kiss touch. He was desperate for his hands to be all over your delicate body. He pushed into you, his tongue slowly licking the seam of your mouth, which led to a more forceful kiss. He gripped the collar of your shirt, pulling you closer.

You broke away and smirked. The anger from the argument earlier melted into lust. He slightly leaned the seat back as you climbed over the center console. You rested on his lap, your legs straddling him. He moaned as you kissed along his jaw line, then his chin before leaning down to his neck and sucking on it.

His fingers dug into your hips and pulled you closer, making sure you could feel his hardening erection against your lower body. “My… job is to make you… mhm… feel good,” he said between moans.

You pulled away, “What? I’m not allowed to be in control?” This won a chuckle out of him. “I’m kidding, go ahead. I already said I’m yours.”

He ran his fingers through your hair while biting his bottom lip. “That’s my good girl,” he husked before locking his lips to your neck.

Your back arched off his lap as he sucked harshly on your pulse point, your breathing became heavy and erratic.

Your hands found their way onto his hair as he continued working his way down your neck. You couldn’t tell who was taking control anymore; the two of you were too busy focusing completely on each other. Your body began reacting.

One of his hands came up to your hip, gripping tightly as another hand traveled to your breast. Both of his hands were touching the fabric of your shirt and caressing the skin underneath. A gasp escaped your lips as your hand found its way to his crotch. Your fingers brushed against his sensitive member, eliciting a moan out of him.

‘You like that, huh?’ you thought to yourself.

He suddenly let go of your breasts and grabbed your face gently with his hands, pulling your lips forcefully to his own. He kissed fiercely, his tongue slipping inside your mouth. He bit your lip causing you to moan, his hands moving from your face down to your ass. He started grinding against you roughly, sending waves of pleasure coursing through your entire body.

A loud moan fell from your lips as you bit your bottom lip. “Connie, just fuck me already,” you pleaded. “Stop edging!”

He chuckled, “You’re still on the pill, right?” You nodded your head eagerly. “Good.” He reached down to his pants which caused you to back up slightly. He unzipped the zipper and pulled down his boxers slightly to reveal his erection. You got up on your knees so you could pull your panties, that were soaked, off. He helped lift your skirt up and slip your panties down your thighs. Once they were off, he threw them to the car floor on the passenger’s side.

Slowly, he inserted himself in you. A gasp escaped out from you while Conrad groaned from the feeling of your warm walls. His thrusting was slow at a steady pace, you felt yourself getting wetter and wetter by the second. He placed one hand on your thigh as his free hand gripped your ass. Your breathing grew shallow as the pressure building in your body increased.

“Oh god,” you whimpered.  “Please! Connie, I need you so bad!”

He continued to work his way into you until he slammed his pelvis against yours causing him to let out a loud grunt. He rasped, “You take me so well.”

As you continued to grind against him, he let out an animalistic growl. “God, Y/N, please,” he panted. You continued to grind against him, he was close, you knew it. You bit your lip, trying to suppress the sounds that were begging to fall from your throat.

His grip on your leg tightened, causing you to cry out as a wave of pleasure that rocked through your whole body. “Connie,” you whined. “Cum for me, baby, cum inside me!”

He pounded faster and harder. You felt your walls tighten around him, squeezing his erection. As he came, you let out the loudest scream anyone has ever heard from you. You clamped your eyes shut and squeezed your thighs around his waist even harder to keep him in you.

After a few seconds you managed to open your eyes. You looked down at him and could see his face twisted in ecstasy, sweat drenched over his forehead. You felt something hot pool in the pit of your stomach. You leaned down to kiss him again before getting off him. You reached for your panties and slid them back on. “You feel better now?”

He nodded his head as he caught his breath. Both your faces were flushed red from the heat of the orgasm. After recovering from his orgasm, he smiled softly. He grabbed your hand and brought you closer to him once more, placing his lips on yours. “We should head back. It’s almost midnight. And I wanna have some fun with you somewhere more comfortable”

You giggled and kissed his cheek.

[urhoneycombwitch]

U just haaaaad to go and make another eddie for me to be feral over didn’t you? I need to know everything about roommate eddie pls 🤲🏻

IM IN LOVE W HIM TOO. thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak on it bc I have an origin story for roommate!Eddie with nowhere to go… until now 😈 here’s my other blurb of him btw linking in case others wanna see!! 🫶

so in this nebulous roommates!au, I’m imagining you’re besties with Robin. Eddie is besties with Steve. and of course since Robin and Steve are Ultimate Besties (in every world. in every universe.) they plot to get their respective Others together somehow. like, you’re offbeat and fun and so is Eddie!! should work out great right?

wrong. u and Eddie just don’t hit it off. you think he’s too loud and brash and godforbid he gets more than one beer in him ‘cuz he’ll be pulling you to the dance floor or making his own and embarrassing the everloving shit out of you. and he thinks you need to loosen up and get out of your head, which he decides is his new job that he takes VERY seriously.

eventually Steve and Robin stop trying to force it and yours and Eddie’s relationship just turns into casual frenemies. (a la Harry Met Sally) like, ah yes, You Again. the best friend of my best friend’s best friend 😒 you’ll hang out casually at various house parties and bars but always with a buffer, otherwise you’ll be at each other’s necks with (mostly) playful arguments and hot debates.

and it seems CRAZY at first that you’re gonna live in the same space but holy shit rent is so expensive in the Big City where you all moved to and it mind as well be with someone you know. you’re really worried about the set up but Eddie turns out to be real responsible with monthly payments and has a general respect for shared spaces (his own room is a black hole and it baffles you that he manages to have so many successful one night stands in that hell pit but you’re never in there so who cares.) plus it helps to have a man around fr, to spook the landlord into doing his job 👹 and also to fix things! and to give you lifts to work! and share snack duty! you find a rhythm and it’s great.

the night that he falls for you tho? you’re at group karaoke 3-shots deep and pick a cheesy Beatles song just to piss him off. simpering over your shoulder while you croon into the microphone, giving him a one-man-show that you hope triggers an earworm and irritates for days to come 💖 but actually he’s gripping his beer for dear life on the nearby barstool getting hit with the sickening realization of being in love. like oh fuck, this is bad. I cannot be falling for my pal’s pal. whom I also live with. what a fucking mess.

the night you fall for him? a second date goes sideways and you have no one else to call but Eddie. he fully leaves the solo gig he was about to play because you sounded so upset over the phone (doesn’t tell u that, tho!) and he could be a total asshole about it when he picks you up on the street corner but he absolutely isn’t. chews out your date, tho, with a viciousness that both delights and scares you. makes you a proper meal at home and wraps a strong arm around you on the couch and watches your favorite romcom and laughs at all the parts you laugh at. and you’re pressed up all close, wheels spinning in ur brain, unknowingly going through the exact same thought process Eddie had about a month earlier. Oh No. He’s My Bestie. Whom I Live With. This Cannot Possibly End Well.

aaaaand that about brings us up to canon speed, thus far! you and Eddie date around and have sex in your shared apartment but NOT with each other and if sometimes you get off to the sounds he makes when he’s fucking someone else and if sometimes he gets off to the noises of you in the shower well … no one’s business 🙂‍↔️

like why are u even asking about something soooo personal. like Robin you don’t get it it’s not like that I just wanna be near him all the time. that’s normal and what friends do. no, Steve, you’re not listening, we look at each other’s nudes as buddies. sorry you don’t understand how friendships work 🙄

(Robin and Steve have to set up weekly debriefs to compare notes and make sure they’re not going fucking crazy)

[louisupdates]

Louis Tomlinson - does it ring with this name? As a singer of the British boy group One Direction, he was successful in the years 2010-2015. Together, the band decided to take a break. It has remained so to this day. In 2016, however, Louis began to take his own path. On his solo paths, the singer-songwriter has developed a style that takes up influences from British rock, alternative and indie pop. His music is often melodic, with catchy guitar riffs and a rather down-to-earth sound reminiscent of British bands of the 2000s. Already his first single Just Hold On sold 1.8 million copies. In 2020 and 2022, he released his two albums Walls and Faith In The Future. This was followed by two incredible world tours with over 170 concerts in 47 countries on 5 continents.

For this, an idea matured - a live album should be created, but a very special one. Thus, individual songs were recorded during the tour. On the 25th In April, the result was surprisingly published digitally. 14 songs have been released. Each of them was recorded in a different city. So the listener at home can also mentally go on a small trip around the world while enjoying the individual songs. Now the physical versions of the live album also followed, which make the concert feeling in the living room perfect. These include four more, exclusive tracks. In addition to the double CD, a double picture vinyl edition is available and it has it all!

The vinyl edition contains a special tour book. Fans were able to submit personal impressions about their concert experiences. And these are now included in this extra booklet. Louis decorated the recordings with individual hearts, smileys or crosses and handwritten the first names of the respective fans. This recorded, mutual appreciation is truly a magical highlight. The 28-page, regular booklet is no less lovingly designed. In addition to the lyrics, you will encounter the London set list, high-quality backstage photos and touching recordings made during the concerts.

Louis is happy about this release: "I have been lucky enough to tour the world twice in the last 3 years. The feeling I get when sharing these live moments will accompany me forever. The opportunity to record these songs anywhere in the world and release them as an album is something very special and a real tribute to the fans, who make every single show a unique and incredible experience. Thank you! Enjoy!"

Right at the opener The Greatest, you seem to be in the middle of the action with your eyes closed. In addition to the live sound, the fans can also be heard clearly. Louis invites them to tune in with him: "Sing it with me!" And they do! The spirited mood comes across clearly. In the meantime, the fans also get the space to sing alone. You get used to the choruses and the delighted shouts from the audience very quickly. In Bigger Than Me, the British singer gives space for personal growth and self-reflection. In the song, Louis describes how he deals with the changes in his life and realizes that life is bigger than himself. He talks about taking responsibility for his actions and decisions, especially with regard to his career and the people who support him. The song contains a powerful perspective on growing up and taking responsibility.

Holding On To Heartache puts the fans in great excitement. screams welcome the gentle song. This is about how difficult it is to let go of the pain after a breakup. It's about holding on to grief because it's connected with the memories of lost love, and it's not easy to finally finish with the past. The single We Made It is powerful. In the booklet, the single was translated into Filipino - after all, the recording comes from the concert in the Philippines. Although Louis sings the title in English, this hidden greeting is really adorable. By the way, this approach can be found several times in the booklet. For example, All This Time/She Is Beauty We Are World Class, the titles played in Munich, were also translated into German, for example.

High In California, for example, can only be found on the physical editions of the album. This lightness that the song contains is clearly noticeable. This is about escaping everyday life and getting lost in a state of freedom and lightheartedness. The lifestyle and atmosphere of California make you forget your worries and problems for a moment - just as is the case with Louis' concerts. Here you feel protected and can escape all negative thoughts.

Common People is about the appreciation of ordinary people and their experiences. The song deals with life in everyday life and how important it is to connect with the "ordinary" people and understand their perspectives. Challenges and struggles that many people experience should be taken seriously instead of romanticizing them. It is his tribute to the authenticity and reality of life. It therefore becomes gently rocking with All This Time/She Is Beauty We Are World Class. Here you rock with real fun from the sofa. The groovy guitars do the rest:

In Walls, delicate strings underline the song about emotional barriers and the struggle to show themselves vulnerable. Louis addresses the need to dismantle one's own walls in order to enable real connections with other people. It is an honest and personal song about vulnerability, love and the desire for closeness, despite the difficulties that can be associated with it. Louis calls on his fans: "Here we go! Scream" and together the fans sing with their idol: "But these high walls, they came up short. Now I stand taller than them all. These high walls never broke my soul. And I, I watched them all come fallin' down. I watched them all come fallin' down for you."

Out Of My System is then reached harder into the guitar strings. The drums are also picking up speed. With the fast track, the good mood is at a peak. This is about the internal conflicts and the difficulties of freeing yourself from the emotional burdens, while at the same time trying to find yourself and your identity. Overall, it is an energetic track about the process of leaving the past behind and starting over. In Paris, Louis is impressed by his crowd: "This looks fucking amazing!" With a warm voice, he performs Saturdays - a song that clearly reminds you of Oasis.

Silver Tongues is accompanied by a lively piano playing and you can really imagine how the euphoric fans on site shine with shere joy and rock them together again. "Krakow, you have been absolutety incredible tonight. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Sing this next one with me, here we go... as loud as you can!” And the crowd settles in: "You and me until the end. Wakin' up to start again. You and me until the end. Wakin' up to start again. There's nowhere else that I would rather be."

The record ends with Kill My Mind from Santiano. Louis sings of a roller coaster of emotions in a passionate, but also chaotic relationship. It's about the challenge of letting yourself be overwhelmed by the feelings and the inner struggle that arises when you are trapped in a relationship that is both exciting and stressful.

Louis Tomlinson and his crew have succeeded in a truly remarkable work. What is actually the advantage of a live album? You are not terribly sweaty, the way home is not imminent and you do not fall into the aftershow blues like a real gig afterwards, but can simply start all over again. 🙂

Louis Tomlinson's album Live was released on 23.08.2024 as a CD and vinyl via the label BMG.

Tracklist LOUIS TOMLINSON - Live (Vinyl Edition)

A

01. The Greatest - Live from London, 17.11.2023

02. Face The Music - Live from Nashville, 07/18/2023

03. Bigger Than Me - Live from Vancouver, 26.06.2023

04. Holding On To Heartache - Live from Barcelona, 06.10.2023

05. We Made It - Live from Manila, 16.07.2022

B

06. Chicago - Live from Chicago, 15.06.2023

07. High In California , Live from Amsterdam, 15.10.2023

08. Fearless, Live from Rio, 27.05.2022

09. Common People, Live from Sheffield, 10.11.2023

C

10. All This Time/She Is Beauty We Are World Class, Live from Munich, 22.10.2023

11. Walls, Live from Buenos Aires, 21.05.2022

12. Only The Brave, Live from Milan, 03.09.2022

13. Written All Over Your Face, Live from Budapest, 15.09.2023

D

14. Out Of My System, Live from Brisbane, 30.01.2024

15. Saturdays, Live from Paris, 14.10.2023

16. Silver Tongues, Live from Krakow, 10.09.2023

17. Kill My Mind, Live from Santiago, 15.05.2022

Tracklist LOUIS TOMLINSON - Live (2CD Edition)

Disk 1

01. The Greatest, Live from London, 17.11.2023

02. Face The Music - Live from Nashville, 07/18/2023

03. Bigger Than Me - Live from Vancouver, 26.06.2023

04. Holding On To Heartache - Live from Barcelona, 06.10.2023

05. We Made It - Live from Manila, 16.07.2022

06. Chicago - Live from Chicago, 15.06.2023

07. High In California , Live from Amsterdam, 15.10.2023

08. Fearless, Live from Rio, 27.05.2022

09. Common People, Live from Sheffield, 10.11.2023

Disk 2

01. All This Time/She Is Beauty We Are World Class, Live from Munich, 22.10.2023

02. Walls, Live from Buenos Aires, 21.05.2022

03. Written All Over Your Face, Live from Budapest, 15.09.2023

04. Out Of My System, Live from Brisbane, 30.01.2024

05. Saturdays, Live from Paris, 14.10.2023

06. Where Do Broken Hearts Go, Live from Tallinn, 05.09.2023

07. Silver Tongues, Live from Krakow, 10.09.2023

[eksvaized]

Part Three [ Previous 〡 Next ]

Ghost was given an independent assignment. Initially, you were under the impression that your entire squad, yourself included, would be accompanying him. You had grown accustomed to working as a team and the idea of a solo mission was unfamiliar. However, it soon became apparent that Price had a different plan in mind for you. To your surprise, he left you with the responsibility of overseeing and training the new recruits.

This task was a thorn in your side. The young, inexperienced soldiers were like newborn chicks, naïve and full of misplaced confidence. Their audacious belief that you had to earn their respect felt like a slap in the face that left a bitter taste in your mouth. However, you quickly put an end to that mindset. You demonstrated your skills, experience, and the fact that you were not one to be trifled with. This proved to be an effective approach, as it ensured smooth sailing for the remainder of the week, following a somewhat rocky first day. 

Despite the fact that Ghost wasn’t physically present, he was a constant presence in your mind, an unshakeable echo that replayed over and over again. The memory of your last interaction with him played like a movie in your mind, and you chastised yourself for not seizing the moment when you had the chance. You should have been more daring, more assertive, more courageous. Perhaps if you had mustered up the courage to break through your own inhibitions, you would have had an answer to the question that haunted you: were you and he meant to be more than just friends?

As time passed, the seeds of doubt started to sprout in your mind, infesting your thoughts and making you question your own feelings. What if you were making misguided assumptions? What if you were setting your hopes too high, only to be disappointed? What if he didn’t share the same feelings, the same interest in you? The more you thought about it, the more convinced you were that he didn’t. After all, he had ignored all the indications, all the signs you thought were glaringly obvious. You believed that your attraction towards him was so apparent that anyone could notice it. In your quest for another explanation, another reason as to why he continued to overlook you, you could find only one - your attraction was one-sided.

All this relentless overthinking, this mental gymnastics, was not a soothing balm to your mind. It was more of a poison, seeping into your thoughts and spreading doubts like an insidious weed. You found yourself spiraling into a pit of self-doubt and self-criticism. And in this self-created darkness, you painted an image of yourself through Ghost’s eyes, a mere shadow, a friend, and nothing more.

In the solitude of the hideaway that you and Ghost had once shared, you found yourself attempting to light a cigarette. It was a task that Ghost had always done for you, making it a struggle now as the wild winds of the outdoors persistently extinguished the tiny, flickering flame. A sigh escaped your lips as frustration grew. 

You didn’t want to give up your new bad habit just because you felt you needed to give up Ghost.

Your addiction to nicotine had developed in a strikingly similar way to your attachment to Ghost: quick, seamless, and completely blind to its occurrence until you were in too deep.

“Do you need a hand?” Behind you, a voice asked.

At the sound, you dropped your arms, leaving the unlit cigarette hanging from your lips. Spinning around on your heels, you were met with the sight of one of the new recruits. He stood there, hands tucked casually in his pockets and a friendly smile on his face. His name seemed to be just out of memory’s reach, but you distinctly remembered his disciplined behaviour and his adherence to your commands.

There was also no denying his attractiveness. The man in front of you wasn’t Ghost, but there was a certain air of confidence about him that made your interest pique. Tall, lean and muscular, with disheveled black hair that gave him a roguish charm, and eyes that shone with a bright intensity.

In response to his raised brows, an echo of his question hung in the air between you, like a note waiting for its key. You found yourself nodding, causing a flicker of satisfaction to cross his face as he smiled. As if drawn by a magnetic pull, he took a step forward, erasing the already minimal distance separating the two of you. 

From his pocket, he retrieved a cigarette and a small brass lighter. With a swift flick of his thumb, the lighter sparked into life, dancing in the slight breeze before being used to ignite his cigarette. He then held it between the firm grip of his lips, the end glowing red and orange. As you observed him, a sense of curiosity stirred within you, your eyes following his every move. He seemed to sense this, as he moved even closer, his body leaning in towards yours. The air between you filled with a smoky haze as he reached the end of his cigarette towards yours, lighting it with the burning ember of his own.

Unlike when you were with Ghost, where you had always shied away from direct eye contact, an unexplained boldness surged within you when you met eyes with the recruit. From up close, you noticed a small detail about him that you hadn’t seen before; a lip ring that subtly reflected the surrounding light.

You stood still, only a breath away from him, for a few more heartbeats, each second stretching into an eternity. It wasn’t until he finally broke the proximity, taking a step back, that you were released from the trance. The sudden rush of air filled your lungs, and you became aware of the thunderous pounding of your heart. It hammered loud and fast, like the thunderous beating of a war drum, threatening to leap out of your chest.

The swirling smoke and the familiar scent brought back a rush of memories. Everything about this situation reminded you so much of Ghost. His presence seemed to be lingering in the air, making you feel a pang of guilt for standing there with someone else who wasn’t him. Yet, there was a stark contrast between Ghost and this recruit, a difference as distinct as day and night.

Unlike Ghost, who kept you at arm’s length, the guy in front of you took the initiative to strike up a conversation, trying to coax words out of you, making witty remarks that occasionally caught you off guard. He wasn’t merely filling the silence; if your instincts served you right, he was flirting. The situation was new and different, but not necessarily unpleasant.

“You should really consider joining us,” he suggested, his voice filled with anticipation, right after he had elaborately outlined his plans of visiting the local bar along with a few of his friends this weekend.

“I’m afraid I’ll have to decline,” you replied, shaking your head and offering a warm, apologetic smile. You couldn’t shake off the suspicion that this was his subtle yet unmistakable attempt to ask you out on a date.

“Oh, come on. Don’t be like that. I won’t take a no for an answer.” He grinned back at you, the corners of his eyes crinkling in amusement. He drew in a long, last puff of his cigarette before casually tossing it to the ground and stamping it out lazily with the tip of his leather boot. “I’ll be expecting you at the bar on Saturday. In exchange for your effort to show up, I promise to buy you your favourite drink. Maybe two, if you ask nicely.”

Before you could even gather your words, let alone a counter-argument, the charming yet persistent recruit waved his hand in a casual farewell and sauntered off. You were left to finish your smoking session alone, your gaze lingering on his retreating figure as it gradually disappeared into the distance.

You were well aware that this was a bad idea, a suggestion that, under normal circumstances, you would dismiss as swiftly as a feather is carried off by the wind. But you were also losing your mind. Ghost, true to his nature, was persisting in his obstinacy, and you came to the stark realization that if you wished to maintain your friendship with him, you needed to evict him from the recesses of your thoughts—you needed to get over him. And what could possibly be a better antidote than to allow yourself a night out, indulge in a few drinks, let loose, and engage in light-hearted banter with someone who showers you with attention?

It dawned on you that this is what you yearned for. You attempted to convince yourself that it would be just an evening brimming with amusement, an intoxicating mix of consuming sweet cocktails, swaying to the rhythm of the music, and perhaps even a sprinkle of harmless flirtation.

You were planning on doing precisely that, right?

Nothing more, nothing less. Just that.

[enoe-of-noen]

Back?

Part 1

Mc laid in their bed, curled up in their demon form as their blanket was cast aside. They squinted their eyes, glaring into their newly formed claws. Clenching. It pierced their skin. It hurt. “Ow..” they mumbled, holding their tummy, curling into themselves further.

The clocked ticked. Seconds. Minutes.

Footsteps.

Knocking was heard, Mc gritting their teeth. “Mc..?” His voice softly spoke, that damn old man. “…may I please come in?”

He stood at the door for what felt like forever, until he heard a grunt of confirmation. He sighed, slowly opening the door, cringing as it creaked. “Mc?” He spoke again, desperate for a response. A spoken response. He needed to hear their voice.

“Please?” He practically begged, he felt incredibly vulnerable in his current position. Standing at the end of Mc’s bed, hands clammy and kept close to his chest. His throat felt dry and, for the first time in…a while, he could feel tears starting to form. “Mc please…I..”

“Do���” Solomon perked up at their voice, listening attentively. “…do we have to go back?”

Chills ran up the wizard’s spine. “W-what?” Mc sat up, still holding their tummy as they raised their head. Their eyes cold and melancholic. “Do we have to go back?” They repeated. Solomon furrowed his brows angrily, simmering.

“Why would you ask that Mc? Don’t you want to go back to when these brothers knew you? Don’t you want their familiarity? The familiarity you worked so hard for? The life you worked so hard for that made you the most respected human in the Devildom?! Here, you’re just another demon!”

“Another demon that is allowed to be by your side! Do you want me to go back to spending all of my time with the brothers, not able to even see you for days?! Maybe even weeks?! Here, I can be respected without fighting for it. Here, I can walk knowing I have the power to protect myself. Here, I can be with you!”

“I don’t want to go back to a life where I died! You were there for me this time..I knew what to expect…I knew…” Mc shakily exhaled. Solomon grit his teeth, clenching his fists.

“Mc—“

“I’m alive, Solomon. I…I didn’t have to feel the pain. The agony, the blood in my throat, the desperation.”

The two heaved, Solomon leaning on his back foot as Mc’s head hung from their position. Solomon swallowed, still glaring at his apprentice. “You have all of this because of the life you came from. Without your prior experience, you wouldn’t have the confidence you’re taking advantage of!”

“That—”

“And yet you decide that it’s better to stay in the timeline where you are known as the demon attendant that looks after the seven demon brothers and lives with some immortal sorcerer. Where your existence means close to nothing to these demons. Rather than the one where your life actually mattered to them.”

Mc was at a loss for words, clutching their shirt in silence. It made Solomon seethe.

“And what about your family?”

“Don’t you dare.”

“Are you as able to go to the human world to greet them? To spend your time with them?”

“Bastard,” Mc scowled.

“You have become exactly like those demons, losing your connection with humans like you!”

“You have no room to speak! Everybody thinks you’re worse off than them!”

“Perhaps I am! But I came in here to comfort you, to apologize. But you’re too hardheaded and stubborn to listen to me! You’re the reason I’ve felt so human, felt that warmth of another, felt..like myself. Without the facade. Without my power. Without feeling inadequate.”

“…”

“And here you are, sulking that being human was never enough for you!” His voice shook the house. The anger that had built up finally releasing. The sounds of the pair’s breathing filling the room.

“I’m sorry, Solo.” Mc sighed, breaking the tension.

“Huh?” He blinked, his posture relaxing. “I-I mean, I’m sorry too, Mc.” He walked over to their side, sitting on their bed. Mc hummed, leaning their head on Solomon’s shoulder.

“Life is hard. It was weird to adapt, it was odd being brought back so far. But, I managed. We managed. I am grateful. For you, for them. Including for what I learned. I wouldn’t be who I am now if it wasn’t for that.”

“Mm, and I shouldn’t have brought up such sensitive topics. I know you shared that with me wholeheartedly, and I shamed you for it. I am terribly sorry.”

“It…helped.” Mc cuddled closer, making Solomon slightly chuckle. “But for future notice, please don’t.”

“I promise.” They shared a soft smile.

“Thank you.”

Idk how I got here but yay

[slugtranslation-hypmic]

Hello,

Is there any way you could translate Samatoki's newest solo, Rinka/Blue Flame? I've been looking for a translation everywhere, but cannot seem to find one.

Best regards and thank you very much.

Oh my God I am desperate slug-san, please please pleaaasee tell me you know where to find a translation of Samatoki's Rinka/Blue Flame!! OTL I was so surprised a translator wasn't already linked in the wiki which is where I usually look first & then I couldn't find anything by searching on twitter or google or tumblr and I just really wanna know what his song is about!! T°T I can't believe I found a translation of Honobono's song but not of Samatoki's song?? I must be doing sth wrong.. Help :')

Hey slug-san! A follow-up of the Rinka/Blue Flame message. I've searched some more, and I think there's actually no translation of it so far anywhere.. T~T Would you be willing to translate it? A standard/literal translation with a lil clean-up like you did with Akuma no Hana would be totally alright!! Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to engage with Hypmic in a way the official creators haven't made possible yet! :D <3

Sure. Under a cut for length.

I'm running at a speed faster than grief, going so fast I leave even the smallest bad feelings behind me. I spit on my dead-end future, spit in the dirty puddles. Now I'm clinging to the guardrail, tears tracing scribbled lines down my cheeks. I bet it looks pretty comical. C'mon, laugh at me, why don't you? Let's start somewhere around the unhappy ending. Why not? Works for me. The clear, blue sky waits for sunset; but to hell with that. I don't need that crap! Let's do whatever we damn well please, here in this vacant city. Just the thought of them makes me light up a cigarette. Look, I don't wanna tell people we gotta fight each other to get what we want. I just think we have to, because there's things out there that're worth keeping safe. There's a stray dog baying at the rain streaking down the glass, and that SOB won't shut up. Hey, fuck your umbrella. Who needs that kinda crap? Throw it away and let the rain drench you too. The beat's entrenched in my soul, a stupid requiem for this unfair world we live in, lying on its sickbed. C'mon, get in there and pay your respects to it. You don't have the time to sit around feeling sorry for yourself. You know lashing out's the answer, right? You'll be okay. And I'm not gonna tell you you're running from your responsibilities. So c'mon. Quit your sniveling and come ride with me. The brakes don't work; those emotions never get any slower. And we're burning ourselves out, but don't let that stop you from coming along with me for the ride. Ride with me through thick and thin. Ride with me all the way to the grave.

A few final notes:

Sunset is a metaphor for melancholy. When Samatoki rejects that in the third verse, he's rejecting sitting through his feelings of loss. He uses this image again later in the line I wrote as "sit around feeling sorry for yourself."

The gender and plurality of the "them" Samatoki thinks about isn't specified. While it's most likely referring to his family, the verse immediately afterward sounds like a direct reference to Ichirou and Samatoki battling to save their siblings in the TDD breakup.

"We're burning ourselves out" could also be written like "We're burning ourselves down to ash" which connects with the cigarette image.

Given the prevalence of stray dogs in hardboiled/yakuza fiction and their recurrence as an image in Samatoki's other raps, the stray dog should be understood to be Samatoki himself.

[chaifootsteps]

My explanation of what happened: They put in as little writing effort as possible, couldn’t stick to one idea, were too under confident in their own abilities and relied on fandom and the work of other people to make a jumbled messy story.

Viv and Brandon were writing helluva with only random pitches like harvest moon, but not a overarching narrative, she was also focussed on Hazbin. Maybe there came a time where she got less leadership with that project and decided to dive into writing helluva totally solo. So—I say all these based on the fact that stolas personality does a massive shift between the pilot and murder family vs LooLoo land, and an even bigger dramatic 180 turn between truth seekers and Ozzies. Then he was just a brand new character in The Circus.

Pilot and Murder Family stolas, were his original character before anything else. But at some point. She saw how popular the kind Instagram stolas was and said “shit. Let’s do that instead” It was also said that she wrote season 2 while LooLoo Land was airing. Maybe after seeing the positive response to You Will Be Okay she became enamoured with Broadway star Pinkham and decided to rewrite the character for season 2 with him as the new glorified protagonist. With most of the Instagram account artists work being used by her as a “free script” for his new character (she is known for ‘adopting’ ideas) This was also the time she saw Erin Frosts childhood friends fanart. And said “let’s do that” Then for whatever reason started projecting on this character way too much in a ‘he is literally me’ sense. In this new direction—Keeping the characters soft side reserved only for his daughter, and now transplanting that loving behaviour onto his imp toy. Not seeing that a soft side exclusively for his child contrasting with his cruelty to everyone else, makes him a more interesting character.

Problem is. It was too late. Season one was already fully written storyboarded and voiced, the ashtray scenes, face grabbing scenes, sexual harassment, the chain illusion, all ready to go.

What an insane disaster. Broadway fanaticism strikes again. I can’t help but see a parallel between the instagrams and pilot VAs/hunicast. Just throw the owl in a deep fryer and start over at this point. Maybe stolas was just a social experiment! Love him or hate him man he is fun to analyse and pick apart cause he represents all the drama and the mess of the project.

This all sounds pretty plausible to me, and if we ever do learn what the story behind this trainwreck was, I wouldn't be surprised to discover it went something close to this.

There's only two things I'd point out.

Stolas's character shift into a softer character predated Bryce; in this leaked storyboard of Harvest Moon, Brock's still voicing him, and he's actually a whole lot more respectful of Blitzo than he is in the final cut. This is one of those mysteries that gnaws on my brain, just how in the world he ended up becoming worse.

The childhood fanart that started this all wasn't, to the best of my knowledge, drawn by Erin.

[not-goldy]

Different anon from whomever sent you asks before. I don't care who ships whom but your ask was on my fyp and I wanted to say that from your response it's obvious what everyone's priorities are. In general shippers care more about their ship than either individual members. Case in point is calling letter a duet. Nobody outside of jikookers would ever say that even if they have absolutely no issue with jikook. Its not a joint song, JK is not even featuring. He's doing background vocals. And jikookers can talk about the significance of that as they wish but this persistence in calling letter a duet shows once again that ship >> actual members of your ship. Jimin wanted background vocals for his song so he called JK. Ok sweet enough. And if he wanted to do a duet with someone, he would do an actual duet with someone. Which again letter isn't.

Tbh I'm not sure why shippers get hung up on that anyway. Jimin and Tae had a subunit, JK featured in Hobis song, Namjoon wrote some lyrics in Face. Didn't mean anything for them but when it's your ship it's suddenly significant?

Well you guys can do what you want. It's just we already have one group of batshit insane shippers in this fandom. It would be nice if you guys didn't become the next version of that

With utmost respect don't you think you sound a bit patronizing and hypocritical👀

You don't know why shippers get hung on something you are equally hung on??? Like c'mon you walked right into that one😭😭😭😭😭

You're giving it's their not they're 😹😹😹😹

Like chill it's really not that deep as u say 💀

I want you to trust that shippers know the difference between jikook songs such as Who are you, we don't talk anymore, and letter.

Words can be used loosely or generically or technically and duet is often used loosely in ship parlance to mean any performance involving jimin and Jungkook be it dance performances, or singing performances or harmonies, covers or when they do back up vocals.

So, in the future while you browse these fandoms or shipping streets- I don't know how I landed on your FYP I don't tag my posts to make it hard to find me. My user name doesn't mention jikook directly nor do my blog title just to ensure I'm buried further down in searches- try to bare that in mind.

It's giving Jk solos during the jimin back up vocals on Euphoria debate. One of these days yall solos will pop a vein from the high blood pressure you give yourselves over jikook and shippers.

I'm sure when you search up jikook duets letters come up. Even algorithms get it and they are machines🥲

If it pleases your ladyship can I refer to Jikook's cover of Homme as a duet too???

Cos it's such a great duet🥲

[posttexasstressdisorder]

Wednesday, 11-20-24, 2pm Pacific

'Afternoon, all...it's Mr. Baggins, back with your Afternoon Stack of Classic Wax! I thought today might be a good day for Part Two of our ongoing series about Herb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass. Let's grab that Tijuana Taxi and head south!

Let's go back to the beginning, all the way back to 1962! Here is the very first Tijuana Brass record. It's Alpert solo, with his trumpet part overdubbed and a touch out of sync. It's also the very first record issued on A & M Records, which Alpert formed with business partner Jerry Moss; they also formed their own publishing company "Almo Music, Inc." A & M went on to be the largest independent record label in the world. The distinctive "gold" version of the label (like the one above) came later that next year. Here is The Lonely Bull.

With all the airplay on TV and commercials, there was no shortage of demand for new TJB music. For the next seven years, they would have hit after hit after hit, until Alpert disbanded them in 1969. Let's hear another big hit from '66, his version of "What Now My Love?"

The drummer, Nick Ceroli, was a well-respected jazz drummer, boisterous enough to hold his own in Stan Kenton's big band, a guy who must have cut his teeth playing for strippers! Here is the TJB's stripper-ready version of the old '50s hit "Love Potion #9".

In '68, Herb sang the Bacharach/David tune "This Guy's In Love With You", which became a number one smash. The album it was taken from, "The Beat of The Brass", included this great tune, which was co-written by Alpert and TJB guitarist John Pisano. Pisano, btw, was an astoundingly talented jazz guitarist. Here is "Slick".

Now this next one is an absolute gem. It came from the album "Herb Alpert's Ninth", and was one of the biggest singles from that album. It's a pop-musical tour-de-force of the main themes from Bizet's Carmen. Each little sub-section is self-reflexively done in the style of one of the TJB's EARLIER hits...you'll recognize the "What Now My Love" section, etc. It's really a piece of pop musical genius. I've played you Vladimir Horowitz' "Carmen Variations", which he played at the end of his Television Concert. Alpert must have seen it and composed this arrangement as a response. Here is the TJB's "Carmen"!

Here's a tune composed by TJB guitarist John Pisano for Peggy Lee. Pisano was her guitarist as well! Her vocal version became a hit, as did the TJB's version, in '66. Here's "So What's New?"

As I've said before, I learned how to make an arrangement by listening to these guys obsessively as a kid growing up. They fascinated me with how they layered and constructed the arrangement and built the sound. And the playfulness and freedom with which they re-arranged old hits was just a kick, like this one. Taken from the "Sounds like..." album in '67, here is their total re-work of Gene Pitney's "Town Without Pity". And that's drummer Nick Ceroli doing the honors on the whoops and shouts throughout.

The same playfulness is evident in their version of The Supremes' "The Happening", from the same album in '67.

And I thought I'd wrap up this Afternoon Stack of Classic Wax with the 45 version of their re-work of "Zorba The Greek", from late '65. It's actually quite different from the LP version that's on the "Going Places" album. Enjoy!

That wraps up another Afternoon Stack of Classic Wax! Hope you've enjoyed today's installment in our series on Herb Alpert and The TJB! Mr. Baggins signing off for now, I'll return at 7pm Pacific with a set sure to soothe your achin' nerves and help ease us all into a good night.

Until then, be kind, babies, be kind.

Baggins out.

[drmaddict]

Gray Hair

Summery: Napoleon reveals his biggest fear

Trigger warning: mention of Alzheimer's

English is not my first language so be gentle.

(gif is not mine)

Napoleon Solo is a man who paid insane attention to his appearance. He paid meticulous attention to his clothes, his hair, his shoes, the watch he wore. His hair knew its place. None would just jump out of place for no apparent reason.

His skin was well-groomed. His face always shaved.

He didn't overeat, never drank too much, and trained his body with an iron conviction to mold it to the image he deemed appropriate. Every morning without fail before the rest of the world even got out of bed.

Napoleon was a man who knew how he affected others and how to act to change that effect. He was a born manipulator. So it wasn't unusual for him to take longer in the bathroom than I did. But today it went too far even by his standards.

I sat on the bed, bored, waiting for him to come out of the bathroom. I was used to waiting. Napoleon took his missions more seriously than I would have thought possible at the beginning of our partnership. He proved me wrong. He let me into his world, into his heart. Which led to me to also opening the little locked door to my heart for him.

I had learned over time to love and respect this man. With all his quirks, but even I had my limits.

Annoyed, I stood up and walked to the bathroom door. "Napoleon?", I knocked at the door.

No response. "I know you take your appearance very seriously, but you've been in there for over an hour now. What are you doing?"

"Just... Just 5 more minutes... I'll be right there," I heard the frantic reply before a muffled clink sounded. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

He was stuttering. He never stuttered. Even when a gun was held to his head, he still had a casual line on his lips. The clink. With him, every move was spot on. He wasn't the best pickpocket in the world for nothing.

"Are you sure about this? You sound kind of... confused? Should I tell Illya and Gaby? Should we cancel the mission?"

"NO!.. No. I... I'll have it in a minute."

But after five minutes, still nothing was happening, so I grabbed the hairpin from my hairstyle, which was purely for decorative purposes, and stuck the deliberately sharpened end into the door until I heard a soft click. I pushed the door open just as quietly. What I saw was definitely not what I expected.

Napoleon clung to the sink and looked in the mirror in panic.

"Napoleon?", I asked timidly.

His head shot around to me and big eyes start at me. His right hand shot up and abruptly rested on the right side of his head, where it covered his hair.

I drew my eyebrows together in irritation. "Napoleon what's wrong? Talk to me!" I walked toward him. He stalked away from me until he bumped into the toilet behind him and sat down surrenderd on the lid. His hand still pressed to his head. I squatted in front of him and gently tried to dislodge his hand from his head. He refused at first. Did not look me in the eye. I pulled on it jerkily and I had a clear view of the covered area underneath.

My face reflected more confusion. No wound. His hair laying as it always did.

I looked irritated at his face, but he just had his eyes squeezed shut and his face turned away from me.

"Napoleon you have to talk to me. What's wrong? I don't understand? Are you hurt? What? Napoleon are you crying?"

I gently turned his face toward me and wiped away the tears.

"Napoleon what-"

"How can you not see it?" he snapped.

"See what?"

He looked at me out of wet, hysterical eyes. "The hair!" he said, as if that explained everything.

I glanced at his strands of hair. At the part he had been so panicked to cover. There it was. A delicate silver shining hair in a sea of black. THAT was the reason for this reaction?

"Leon.", I sighed. "That's just..." I stroked his cheek with my thumb. "Honey I know you... You know you're only human. An outstanding, talented, insanely good looking humanbeing, but still just a humanbeing. That's perfectly normal."

He shook his head. "I need more time. I... This can't be happening already. I still have so much to do. I still have so much to show you. I need... I need more time." He clung to my wrist hysterically. He was completely out of it. I reached for the mic on my garter and turned it on. "Illya Gaby? We can't go with you... I sprained my ankle. You'll have to go on your own."

"Understood." came the short and practical reply from Illya.

Napoleon was still in his own world. "Honey you... you're not going to die tomorrow. It's just a gray hair."

He shook his head. "I'm going to forget everything. I'm going to forget you. The paintings. Me. That's... That's how it starts. First comes the gray hair

and then..." he shook his head to stop himself.

I reached for his face again. "Look at me. Napoleon come on. Look at me. Good. Now breathe with me. In and out. In and out. Good... Good."

He was slow to calm down, but it worked. "Now, I need you to tell me what's going on."

He took a deep breath. "My father...he was the smartest man I knew. He... hell he was a janitor, but always the smartest man in the room. He was one step ahead of everybody. Until the gray hair came. Until he forgot who I was. Who he was. He was in a wrong time. He didn't know what world he was in anymore. Age took away everything he was."

I looked at our clasped hands. "Alzheimer's?", I asked. He nodded.

I stroked the top of his head. "Gray hair doesn't make you old. I know a girl who went gray at twenty-two." He rested his head against my shoulder and I continued to stroke his strands of hair. "Not every person who gets old has Alzheimer's. I can't promise you it won't affect either of us, but you have more than enough time before that could even be an issue. Leon. You still have time. For the world. Your paintings. Me."

He was silent. "If you find out, you'll have to take me away." He lifted his head and looked me straight in the eye. "I don't want anyone to see me like this. Not even you. If it starts and you notice, you'll take me away under a fake name and leave me behind. I want people to know me as a man. Not...not as a decay."

I was literally struck by his fear, but nodded bravely.

He dropped his head back against my shoulder. "What am I going to do now? I'm supossed to be the young bachelor out there. I can't have gray hair."

"I'll just get hair dye. You're in luck as usual my good man. Black is an easy color."

I scratched the back of his neck. He put an arm around me and pulled me closer. He smelled my scent. "I love you. I can't imagine ever forgetting that."

[pearlnchains]

Hi!

I’m not sure if your requests are loaded with asks but could you maybe do a John Frusciante x Female Reader where she spends a lot of time with cats and he gets jealous of the attention? Thank you for your time :333

hi, you sweet angel!! this is actually my first ask, so if you have any other ideas, send them my way! thank youuu, I hope you enjoy. 🫶🏻

john had been busy in his home studio for weeks working on his latest solo project. you were used to his love of music and the time he devoted to it. it's part of what you loved about him, his talent and drive.

your relationship with john was secure, full of love, understanding and respect. you had your own things and he had his. but lately, your time with john was becoming less. and in that time, with your shared pets in your beloved cats, they were missing john too and came to you for extra attention.

evenings were spent huddled on the couch with the cats as you watched movies, faint guitar sounds in the background. john would emerge periodically for food, placing a kiss on your head each time as he passed by you.

a few days of this routine went by, until the guitar playing became less and john appeared more. the cats became accustomed to their extra time with you, so when john landed right in the middle of them on your lap, they were surprised by his presence. john nuzzled his head into your chest as your fingers threaded through his hair, "hi baby."

you giggled out a response as he melted into you, "hi. long time no see."

john looked up to you with puppy dog eyes, "I'm sorry." He knew that you understood his life and passion for music but it would be unfair to expect you to be totally okay with it all the time, and he knew he needed to apologize for his extra absence.

"It's okay, baby. you were doing your thing, I had the cats to keep me company."

john snorted a laugh, turning to glare at the nearest feline, "Yeah, looks like it. every time I came out here, they were snuggled with you. and when I carried you to bed the other night, they hissed at me and took my spot in bed. taking you away from me."

laughter erupted from your chest, jostling the both of you, "john, you can't possibly be jealous of the cats. they missed you too. I'm all yours."

john leaned up, arms caging around your head until he leaned down, lips hovering over yours, "you better be. I love you."

"I love you too, john. "

[astromechs]

rebelcaptain 💙 / 💖 / or both?

for you, my dear anon, the tipsy prompt 💙 that's what immediately grabbed me from this list; also on ao3!

In retrospect, maybe Cassian should have intervened somehow before things had gotten to this point. Or, well, tried to intervene, at least; there isn’t much anyone can do to change Jyn’s mind after she’s made it up this definitively, and once Solo had said, “Bet you 500 credits that you can’t outdrink me and Chewie,” it’d all been over. It hadn’t even taken the fire sparking in her eyes, or her slow, determined lean over the table, to see that coming.

Jyn is incapable of backing away once she’s been challenged, even if the challenge is impossible. It’s one of the many things Cassian loves about her; it’s also what now has him forcing to stop every ten or fifteen steps to catch his breath, forcing to readjust her weight in his arms so he doesn’t aggravate his back before he can get to their quarters and set her down in the bunk to sleep this off.

The thing is — Wookiees have extraordinarily high alcohol tolerance, and the game had been rigged from the start. He knows Jyn had known that, too; knowing that had probably just made trying to win all the more appealing to her, if he’s honest. For a while, though, she’d put up a hell of a fight, and had even had him considering the possibility, not for the first time, that she might actually manage to pull off the impossible.

She’d certainly lasted much longer than Solo had, at any rate; Cassian had been the first in the crowd that had gathered around the table in the mess to snort his laughter at how wide the man’s eyes had gotten in the moment just before he’d slumped over — and at the smile that had tugged on Jyn’s mouth in response, the one that brightens the fire in her eyes and that he’s come to know appears whenever she feels particularly satisfied about something she’s accomplished.

Any fool could be distracted and lose their sense in the face of that — himself included.

In the end, it’s clear the Wookiee had provided her mercy without making it obvious to her that he had; when she’d started to sway in her seat, even while gripping the edge of the table with one hand, he’d started to take his present drink much more slowly, only downing the last of it just before Jyn’s eyes had closed. Cassian supposes that’s a skill anyone who’s formed a long-term friendship with someone like Solo has to have well-honed, and he respects it. Especially tonight, appreciates it.

One day, he’ll figure out how to repay that debt.

Now, though, it’s taking every effort he has just to make it down the corridor with precious cargo that’s doing him absolutely no favors.

Against his shoulder, Jyn groans softly; it’s the first sound she’s made at all since forfeiting the challenge, and his exhale is long and relieved. Her arms, which had, up until now, been flopping uselessly by her sides, wrap around his neck — and he can feel a noticeable difference in how that helps to distribute her weight. His back, at least, isn’t screaming at him quite as loudly as he starts walking again, rounding the final corner that takes him toward their destination.

She’s fully stirred by the time they’re inside, her head lifting from his shoulder, and one of her hands lifting to his face, as the door slides closed behind them. There’s no anger, irritation, or indignation in her eyes at the realization that she’s been carried off her battlefield she’d been determined not to leave without her knowledge — which he’d expect at least a little of, and the surprise has him pausing, searching her gaze with a raised brow. And even then, it doesn’t come; no, instead, there’s only a dopey sort of smile lighting up her features.

This, more than any glimpse he’d caught of the bottle that had passed back and forth across the table, tells him that it had been the Corellian stuff.

Her thumb grazes idly over the rise of his cheek for a time, before she brings him closer and presses a kiss to his mouth. She stays close, whispering like it’s a serious secret, when she says:

“I like your face.”

“You’re drunk,” he tells her, matter of fact, because it is a fact.

Jyn shrugs. “A little.”

“Very.”

“Still like it, though.”

That’s when he can’t help but laugh, a brief, soft thing that still manages a grip on him before ebbing. Only Jyn would try to continue to argue something so stupid, even in her current state.

Fondness warms in his chest as he finally walks over and sets her down onto the bunk, leaning in to brush his lips against her forehead as he does.

“I’ll make you some tea. You’ll feel better.”

The more she can hydrate now, the less severe her headache will be tomorrow. He’ll keep an eye on her to make sure she does just that, then grab his datapad and catch up on some paperwork for a while after she falls asleep.

Only that isn’t at all in Jyn’s plan.

Her hand clasps around his arm, firmly enough for him to know she means it; her eyes find his, all hints of amusement gone, and she asks, “Stay with me?”

It’s not a question she’s put to words more than once or twice, even after all this time, and as she does now, her voice sounds so small, so uncertain, that it almost breaks his heart in two. He has doubts himself that will always linger at the back of his mind, doubts that hands covered in blood deserve to hold someone as good as her in them, and he knows these are hers; there’s the way that she grips him just a little more tightly than usual before releasing when they’re going to be separated for a significant amount of time, and there’s the way that he can feel her shake in his embrace whenever they’re reunited after that. And —

There’s no hesitation before he climbs into the bunk beside her, wrapping his arms around her from behind and pulling her close to his chest, tucking his face into her hair.

The paperwork can definitely wait.

[cirilla-fiona-riannon]

Ikemen Vampire - Vlad's Sequel

These translations are not intended as a replacement for the game. Please support Cybird by buying their stories. Spoilers under the cut. Expect mistakes.

The next day, I went to the city in the morning to help Vlad.

Vlad: “I see a lot of people buying red flowers, probably because Christmas is coming.”

Mitsuki: “Holly and mistletoe are also popular.”

Vlad: “Both are essential for Christmas.”

While we were talking, a customer asked if we had a mistletoe, and we looked at each other, laughing.

After seeing off a few customers in this way, the crowd suddenly died down.

Vlad: “Everything’s settled. Mitsuki, are you tired?”

Mitsuki: “I’m fine. Seeing the smiles on the customers’ faces energizes me.”

As I replied to the concerned Vlad, I heard small footsteps approaching.

Marcel: “Hello! Big bro, big sis.”

Vlad: “Marcel, welcome.”

Marcel ran up to us.

I first met Marcel when I had just started helping Vlad, and he became one of his regular customers after that.

Marcel: “I want a bouquet of the most beautiful flowers in the world. I want to give it to a special someone.”

Marcel wanted to tell that girl he liked her, but was hesitant to express his feelings because of his status.

Seeing this, I couldn’t help but cheer him on.

(I saw him before holding hands with a pretty girl about his age.)

Mitsuki: "Is that girl doing well?"

Marcel: "Yes! And Emily gave me this."

He took out a bookmark from his pocket and showed it to me.

Marcel: "I gave her a bouquet for her birthday, and she gave me a pressed flower from the bouquet as a bookmark."

Mitsuki: "Wow, it looks nice!"

Marcel: "Yes. I thought flowers die when they wither, but when I see this, I remember Emily's smile, and it cheers me up."

Marcel: "Thank you for making me a beautiful bouquet!"

Vlad gently narrowed his eyes at the smiling Marcel.

Vlad: "We just helped a little."

Vlad: "Your feelings paid off because you believed in her and moved forward with hope in your heart."

(Hope and moving forward is the language of the gerbera he gave to Marcel back then.)

Marcel smiled shyly and quietly tucked the precious bookmark into his pocket.

Marcel: "I'll come back to buy more flowers for Emily."

Vlad: "Yeah, I'll make you the most beautiful bouquet then."

The figure of Marcel waving his hand blended into the cityscape.

(Marcel looks so happy.)

(And the cause of this happy future was because...)

Mitsuki: “Marcel showed courage, so they became friends.”

Vlad: “Yeah. Let’s continue to support their love, just like watching over a blooming flower.”

(Just as Marcel walks into the future, I want to walk together with Vlad.)

We smiled at each other, seeing our future in Marcel and Emily’s image.

Then, suddenly, the sound of footsteps approached the wagon.

Theo: “Looks like you’re working hard, hondje.”

Vincent: “Please give us some flowers too.”

Mitsuki: “Theo! Vincent!”

Vlad: "You guys are here. What kind of flowers do you want?"

Vlad smiled at Vincent, who also smiled back angelically.

Vincent: "I'm holding a solo exhibition, and I need some flowers for the gallery."

Theo: "Hondje, you probably know everything about flowers since you always help here, so you choose them. Make sure it shows off my broer’s painting."

Mitsuki: "That's a lot of responsibility. Okay, leave it to me!"

(Since Christmas is almost here, and if it's a bouquet for the two of them...)

Mitsuki: "Vlad, can you make me a bouquet with the flowers I'm about to mention?"

Vlad: "Sure. As you wish."

Vlad arranged the flowers I chose, and in no time at all, he had created a beautiful bouquet.

Mitsuki: "Here you go. I added poinsettias, white roses, and hollies to make it more Christmassy."

Vincent: "Wow, they're beautiful!"

Vlad: "Poinsettia symbolizes blessings and good luck, while white roses symbolize respect and innocence."

Mitsuki: "Yup. Respect for you who inspire the viewers through your paintings, and respect for the hard work of the two of you in holding the exhibition."

Mitsuki: "I wish you good luck using the language of flowers. What do you think?"

Theo stared at the bouquet and grinned.

Theo: "I have no complaints. And the word "innocent" is also very much like broer."

Vincent: "It's a beautiful bouquet. I'm glad to see you express your feelings in this."

Vlad: "Then, I'm going to give this to you as a gift to celebrate the opening of your exhibition."

Vincent: "Are you sure? Dankje. The exhibition will stay open until Christmas Eve, so you should both come."

Mitsuki: "I'll definitely be there."

Vincent happily stared at the bouquet.

Vincent: "Fufu, I feel like I got an early Christmas present."

Vincent: "Like these flowers, I hope my painting will bring joy and hope to those who see it."

Vlad: "Art heals the heart. I'm sure your paintings will save some of them."

Vlad: "I'm looking forward to seeing your exhibition."

Theo: "Everyone in the mansion will be there since we're having a Christmas party that night, broer."

???: "A party at the mansion?"

Another voice joined the conversation, and I turned my gaze in that direction.

Mitsuki: "Charles, Faust!"

Charles: "I thought for sure Mitsuki would come to the castle on Christmas Eve."

Faust: "There was no way the mansion's residents wouldn't hold a party."

Charles: "Ehhh, but I was so excited to get Mitsuki to eat my food."

Vincent: "I see. Vlad and Mitsuki are lovers. Then why don't you attend the party?"

Mitsuki: "Huh? Umm..."

As Vincent and Charles slumped their shoulders, they simultaneously shot sharp glances at each other.

Theo: "Hondje, you wouldn't make broer sad, would you?"

Faust: "No, come to the castle. Without you, the old geezer will be unreasonably stubborn."

(Yikes. What should I do?)

I looked around me as a depressed-looking angel, a little devil, a sadistic devil, and a demon priest surrounded me.

Vlad: "Ahahaha! Hey, you four, you're making her confused."

Vlad: "Don't take my Mitsuki away without my permission."

His light yet undeniably powerful laugh changed the atmosphere.

I blinked at the four of them, who instantly stopped arguing, and at Vlad, who was smiling at me.

In the end, we agreed to invite Vlad and the others to the mansion for a party on Christmas Eve.

(I'll tell everyone in the mansion when I get back.)

(Actually, I'm glad because I was hoping we could all have a party together.)

Vincent and Theo went to the art gallery, while Faust and Charles went to the church. As soon as we were alone, Vlad spoke up.

Vlad: "A party with the mansion's residents, huh? This is going to be an unexpected Christmas."

Vlad: "A year ago, I never would've imagined this."

(A year ago, huh?)

Mitsuki: "It's already been that long since then."

December 24th, one year ago

That day when a rose-like crimson dyed the pure white snow一

The people of Paris rushed to the theater to attack the aristocrats holding a Christmas party.

The riots were due to frustration with the difference between the rich and the poor, but some of the rioters took up arms just to vent their sorrows.

It was Vlad who stopped it.

He was all alone until everyone in the mansion rushed to him, and they all stopped them, so they wouldn't hurt each other, and create a chain of suffering.

As a result, he got wounded by a sharp blade and bled.

------------Flashback------------

Vlad: "Even if I only protect what I can reach out and touch like this, I know nothing will change in the future."

Vlad: "Since the day I saw that world with my own eyes, I vowed to change the future, no matter what I have to leave behind."

Vlad: "And yet..."

Vlad: "I wanted to believe in the true nature of the human heart. I didn't want to hurt anyone. Just like what you wished for, Mitsuki."

---------Flashback Ends---------

Vlad chose the human heart over his ambitions.

At that moment, Vlad's self-righteous ambition became a dream that he wanted to fulfill by trusting people.

(It's already been a year since then.)

Feeling the passage of time as the cityscape changed to the Christmas colors, a soothing voice reached my ears.

Vlad: "Hey, Mitsuki. Remember that place?"

I looked, and Vlad was pointing to a flower bed facing the street.

(That place...)

Mitsuki: "That's where you planted the flowers with the city folks."

I remember wishing for the trampled flowers to bloom again.

Vlad: "Everyone has been tending to the flowers ever since."

Vlad: "It's like nurturing hope."

The sprouted seed blossoms in spring survive the summer sun and autumn winds and sleep under the soil in the winter cold.

Vlad: "The future of that moment continues into today."

Vlad: "The flowers that people poured their hearts into will bloom beautifully again next spring."

Mitsuki: "Yeah, you're right."

His eyes had a gentle light in them as he thought about the time that was to come.

(Vlad truly believes that day will come.)

He had once traveled through time to see a devastated world far into the future and had grand ambitions to change it, but his sad-looking eyes were now gazing into the future.

(We can move forward, little by little.)

There's a seed of hope in every person's heart, just as there is now, thus sprouting a brighter today.

Mitsuki: "Hey, Vlad. I'm sure this Christmas will be a lively one. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone at the party."

Vlad: "I'm fine with anything as long as you're here, but..."

Vlad: "Christmas Eve is also the night we got together. We'll have some alone time, won't we?"

His seductive whisper made me blush, and I nodded, his chuckle grazing my ears.

Vlad: "Christmas Eve just got a lot more fun."

I smiled, my heart pounding wildly in my chest.

But in the middle of exchanging smiles, Vlad's lips tighten, and the air takes a different turn.

(Vlad?)

Vlad: "Mitsuki, I have a place I want us to go on Christmas Eve."

Previous Part╏Side Story 1╏Next Part

[askbensolo]

From: Leia Organa-Solo <leiaorganasolo.personalacct> Date: Thu, Jul 11, 29 ABY at 3:41 PM Subject: Happy Thursday! To: Ben Solo <benquadinaros99>

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

Hi sweetie,

Thank you so much for visiting last weekend! It was really so wonderful to have you home. I'm sorry Rey wasn't nicer to you—I've spoken with her, but she's going through a phase, so please try to be patient with her. Maybe you can remember what it was like to be her age. With all due respect, my beloved firstborn, you were much worse. 😉

I'm also grateful for the conversations you and I had on the Falcon, both on the way home and on the way back to Naboo. Thank you for understanding why it's important to me to know that you're safe. But you're right, that I can trust you to let me know if anything is ever wrong, without me asking all the time. You'll have to forgive an old woman's pestering, as I am irrevocably your mother, but I'll do my best to ask about the other things in your life, and not just about your wellbeing.

Ben, I wanted to share something with you. Feel free to completely ignore it. But for some reason, I was lying awake last night next to Dad, and I felt like this was something that might be useful for you to hear:

I didn't want to admit I'd fallen in love with your father, at first. Those were the Rebellion days. I'd just lost my planet. The galaxy was at stake, and every day I woke up and fought for a dying chance at hope. Han seemed to be everything I disdained: cocky, individualistic, hardhearted, motivated by money. (I know—it doesn't sound like Dad now, does it?) I liked nice men. Respectable. Noble. Responsible. But your father was a rogue, and I hated that.

What I hated most of all was that I loved him. Your father was smitten with me, and made so many advances, he probably would have seemed like a bit of a creep by today's standards. 😛 Even though I liked him in spite of myself, I rejected him every time. I had a job to do and a vision for my life, and Han was not part of it.

Then, one day, we were captured on Bespin, and I watched as Darth Vader lowered your father into a carbon-freezing chamber. Vader intended to freeze Luke in carbonite and bring him to the Emperor, and was testing the technology on Han to see whether a sentient could survive the carbon-freezing process. We didn't know whether Han would live, or be killed instantly. And I decided in that moment there was no more time left to waste.

"I love you," I told him as they lowered him in, worried that if I didn't tell him then, he would never know.

"I know," Dad said, showing me he already did.

And that's the origin of our little family phrase. 😊

These are different times. There's no more war, on a galactic scale at least, and I hope there never is again in your lifetime. Life is peaceful, relatively speaking, and I still spend every day working to keep it that way (despite the endless useless politics over nothing). But even so, we will never know how much more time we have. I'm glad I let go of my pride, and said yes to your father.

In many ways, he did turn out to be the kind of man I wanted: principled, loyal, affectionate. In other ways, he's still a bit of a scoundrel, and absolutely still a half-witted, scruffy-looking nerfherder. I had a lot of doubts going into our marriage, and I'd be lying if I said I never doubted things now (no marriage is perfect). But when I look at all of us, at my beautiful family: my handsome grown-up son, my spunky Rey of sunshine, and yes, the snoring nerfherder at my side, I know I've made the right decision.

I don't know what decisions you're facing in your life right now. But I know you, Ben, and I know that you're smart and thoughtful. I'm confident that one day, you will look back on your life and be thankful for the choices you've made. Like how I feel when I think of Dad...and whenever I think of you. 🤍

I love you Ben-Ben!

Love, Mom