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penroseparticle · 2 months

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Penrose Song of the Day, Day 36: Lazy Bone by Greg Aram

Alright, let's get into the DJ set/Phish Jam/Lost Media/Media Preservation episode. It's not anything you haven't heard before but like. I hope this is a gentle, kind reminder to you to find ways to preserve the things you love. Or they will die.

Greg Aram made a relaxed, lo-fi, island time, chill jam, bad boyfriend anthem. When girls are like "BUT I LOVE HIM" I picture the guy singing this song, but like, in sweatpants, and he's still on NFTs even though annoying people are well into AI by now.

And like. I know that this song is trash ok. It is perfect confection but there is no substance. It's well produced for how small it is, it's got the big fuzzy synths in the back of the soundscape propping up the, frankly, bizarre duo of ukulele loop and trap drums. This song is absolutely 5 tracks in LMMS titled "Uke1.ogg", "TrapDrumLoop1", "Synthline", "Backvocal(1)(FINAL)", and "Mainvocal". Maybe an additional snare, and the synthline is split in two. Maximum.

But it's kinda slay? Somehow the song features every single cheat code to make me like something that is not actually that great. The sadsack boyfriend. The whistling as part of the song. The phone number gag. The "Kiss you through the phone" gag once again vindicating Soulja Boy (And don't even get me started on the yassification that Megan Thee Stallion gave Anime Swag. Soulja Boy vindicated big time, Megan Thee Stallion did THAT for the weebs, we stan).

This song was on heavy rotation in my spotify for a long, long time. It was just easy to listen to, easy to loop, easy to be the lazy bone and relax. And then about 4 years ago? Longer? It vanished. Gone from Spotify. The single was up on youtube, so I thought perhaps it was a license dispute? Smaller artists especially don't always keep their music on streaming because they're making peanuts. It's enough to get on spotify, get a bit of exposure, and do the rest off of local gigs, merch, etc. For every Still Woozy making music in his garage and getting enough exposure to play at Coachella, there's like 500 The Excellent Man From Minneapolis-es. Making music for like. 5000 people tops. Which is still huge! That's not a knock. But people don't make it to mega stardom and they pack it in.

But then the youtube song went down too? And I was left with this ghost of an idea of what this song was. I listened to it a LOT. It literally, no joke, helped shape my tastes (Spotify algorithm ignoring a song on your wrapped? Yeah right). And not only is it gone but I had no idea where to find it.

Greg Aram sold CDs!!! He was on bandcamp! I could have downloaded this song a billion times over, but it was just one song, and it was on Spotify, and I could find it anytime I wanted it. Until I couldn't.

He's still doing music, btw. Greg Aram is doing fine- arguably better than ever. He's in a group called Junior Varsity, which is doing less... shall we say polished, and definitely much more interesting things, with production. It's like he did his minimalist experiment of "How little do you need for a good pop song" and then immediately abandoned it for more fun projects. And good for him! His music is getting further than silly sunny Greg Aram's did, with a lot more critical attention. And the shiny slick single I love doesn't really fit the whole schtick they go for now, so I guess it was a purge for like, brand reasons? Sucks but I get that too. But what a bummer to have something I thought I had ripped away from me because I streamed it and didn't own it.

We have heard the physical media argument over and over and over. Unfortunately, it's still true, and we still have to eat our vegetables and get good rest and exercise. If you want to own something, own it. Buy it and make sure you're not renting it. The CD is not dead no matter what anyone says. Vinyl has survived decades at this point. And it's not quite as good, but absolutely buying your MP3 is much, much better than just streaming on Spotify, no matter how convenient it is.

The song that sparked this was Bip Ling's Bip Burger though. Arguably a better song, arguably a more interesting song, arguably a much, much stupider song. The song Bip Burger is quintessential "End of the night, let's get burgers before we uber home". It is messy, it's a little trashed, but it's that drunk girl in the mirror saying she loves you so much. It's Blingee if Blingee was a song.

It is also no longer on Spotify. Bipping is on Spotify though too, give that a listen "YOU HAVE A BLOG???" Classic.

The reason I don't include Bip Burger as today's song is simple- Bip Burger, by the very nature of the song, is more resilient to being lost forever. Because it's a DJ set song. It was created for and by people who handle songs more as ingredients, and are thus more likely to preserve them- It's literally made for remixing and bootlegging and soundclouding and hearing... drunk at the club. Just. Fucking look: https://soundcloud.com/search?q=bip%20ling

There are a BILLION versions of this song. You can find it if you want it. You can even still probably find the original.

This is something that always brings me back to a good friend of mine and his relationship with Phish. For those of you who aren't up on every bad, fear not, I know the barest, baseline version of Phish. Phish is a jam band! The play really long, meandering, ever changing sets where they jam out on stage and it's different every time. Like Jazz! Sometimes they cover other artists too. A lot of people will record Phish sets, especially back in the day, and would trade them around like rare pokemon cards. Make rerecordings of it to give to other Phish fans when they all met up and, idk, got high tailgating, presumably (No judgement that sounds fucking awesome actually)

Now Phish is not the only band that a. did this, or that b. has a thriving bootleg economy based on the fact that they did this, but it IS the one I'm most familiar with. What matters is that these guys. LOVE this band. They love this music. They love it to the point of preservation. Each Phish set is ephemera, right? It's a one time event that somehow can be preserved now. And so many people want to preserve those moments.

I kind of had a point meandering around in there. But I think what I want to leave you with is pretty simple.

You could be dead right now. Go listen to something that you love. And if you love it... maybe consider owning it? Just a thought.

#fresh jamz #penrose song of the day #if you want a spotify song for today it's bipping by bip ling or perhaps #JV Movie Score? It's got a fuzzy air quality that's antithetical to Lazy Bone and kinda underscores how Junior Varsity is different

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cyarskaren52 · 1 year

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In 1998, the mainstream Hip-Hop landscape was dominated by No Limit soldiers, Bad Boys, and Wu-Tang killer bees. There was a preoccupiation with floss and, in the wake of the high-profile murders of 2Pac and the Notorious B.I.G., the industry seemed to want to shine as much as possible. Understandable — but out of Yonkers, N.Y., there came a crew.

With a production wizard, a brash beauty, a trio bred from the streets, and a tortured superstar who was taking the rap game by storm, the Ruff Ryders put the streets squarely on the late 90s pop charts. In doing so, they helped usher in the new millennium of East Coast hardcore: grimy enough for the hood; polished enough for the charts. They owned the streets and the radio.

Here's 25 of their best bangers.

#26

"JENNY FROM THE BLOCK" - JENNIFER LOPEZ FEAT. JADAKISS, STYLES P [BONUS SONG]

Our BONUS SONG pick is a celebrated classic guest spot! J. Lo got to reconnect with some of that Uptown swag and Yonkers connection when she hooked up w/two-thirds of the LOX.

#25

"THEY AIN'T READY" - RUFF RYDERS W/JADAKISS, TIMBALAND, BUBBA SPARXXX

They crew from Yonkers made it clear that they had love for that Dirty South swag. VA superproducer Timbaland laced the track, which also features Athens, GA's own: Bubba Sparxxx.

#24

"WW III" - RUFF RYDERS W/SNOOP DOGG, YUNG WUN, SCARFACE, JADAKISS

Swizz Beatz pulled together a who's-who of legendary emcees for this track from RYDE OR DIE VOL. 2. The song also served as the album opener for the hit compilation.

#23

"NIGGAZ DIE 4 ME" - DRAG-ON FEAT. DMX

X was Ruff Ryders' biggest star, and he had underrated chemistry with the young gun from The Bronx. The lead single from Drag-On's gold-selling 2000 debut album, OPPOSITE OF H2O, is one of the best from Y2K.

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#22

"WHO'S THAT GIRL" - EVE

The single from Eve’s sophomore album, SCORPION, is one of her most memorable, mostly due to the catchy hook. She’s clearing up any confusion about who she is as a woman and what she brings to the table artistically, carving out space to shine completely on her own.

#21

"KNOCK YOURSELF OUT" - JADAKISS

Never sleep on Jada's ability to craft radio tracks. From his solo debut KISS THA GAME GOODBYE, Jada's second single wasn't a Swizz beat; it was actually produced by The Neptunes.

#20

"GOT IT ALL" RUFF RYDERS W/EVE AND JADAKISS

Jada and Eve pull off the classic "Battle of the Sexes" with this stellar back-and-forth over a steel drum-driven beat from Teflon. Released a single from Ryde Or Die, Vol. 2, it revived a classic pop music formula (seriously, everybody from Otis Redding and Carla Thomas to Ice Cube and Yo-Yo have done it) for the hardcore bling era.

#19

"WHO WE BE" - DMX

The surging beat is one of the most anthemic X ever rhymed over, and his aggression belies a tour-de-force performance that caps the tail end of DMX's most classic run. The kiddie chorus is the right kind of foreboding: both a warning and a call-to-arms.

#18

"MY NAME IS KISS" - JADAKISS

Kiss and The LOX had been well-established by the time he released this declaration of self. It's a showcase for his particular brand of pensive street rap and lyricism, a pronouncement more than an announcement. And proof positive that Kiss has a lane all his own.

#17

"WHAT'S MY NAME" - DMX

By 1999, the whole world knew who this guy was. But X's hunger was still palatable in every single. Even as the vids got glossier and the collabos got Sisqo-ier, X managed to bring grittiness to hip-hop's surging mainstream over a skittering backdrop by Irv Gotti & Co.

#16

"LET ME BLOW YA MIND" - EVE FEAT. GWEN STEFANI

She'd begun her career on Dr. Dre's Aftermath, but we didn't really get to hear what E-V-E could do with the Good Doctor (and Scott Storch) until this monster hit from the early 00s. Paired with soon-to-be-solo superstar Gwen Stefani, the Philly rhymer delivered a bouncy single that still seems to capture the best of its era.

#15

"SLIPPIN'" - DMX

One of the best examples of DMX's tortured brilliance, the autumnal sadness of this classic perfectly conveys the hopelessness and vulnerability in X's verses. He's an artist who came to embody "write your pain," and this single from his second album is proof positive that few wore angst better.

#14

"LOVE IS BLIND" - EVE

An examination of domestic violence that lingers long after that first listen, Eve's heartfelt single was dedicated to her high school best friend. The Ruff Ryders' First Lady struck back for victims everywhere — and struck a chord with anyone who'd endured, known someone who'd survived, or had lost someone to the pain of abuse.

#13

"WHAT THEY REALLY WANT" - DMX FEAT. SISQÓ

DMX was on quite the singles run, Sisqó was at his post-"Thong Song" peak and over a slinky beat that could only come from Nokio, X rattles off his frustrations as a gruff ladies' man. The infamous name-dropping of "Brenda, LaTisha, Linda, Felicia..." made it one of the most quotable tracks in X's oeuvre and birthed a viral internet challenge almost 20 years after its release.

#12

"GOOD TIMES (I GET HIGH)" - STYLES P

Swizz's inspired flip of Freda Payne is the perfect backdrop for Styles P's ode to herbal refreshment. The hit leadoff single from his A GANGSTER AND A GENTLEMAN album, the track was close to inescapable in 2002; turning up everywhere from Swizz's own compilation to the Kevin Hart comedy SOUL PLANE.

#11

"STOP BEING GREEDY" - DMX

It sounded like a warning, issued from a newcomer ready to take on the flossy chart-toppers dominating the rap game. DMX had a few major hits under his arm when he unleashed this anthem, letting everybody know, regardless of where you stood in hip-hop's hierarchy, you were going to have to contend with the dark rhymer's hunger.

#10

"WHY" - JADAKISS

Over soulful production from Mobb Deep's Havoc, Jadakiss poses the hood's hardest questions. It proved to be one of his most resonate tracks, and it's not hard to see why. Referencing everything from the prison industrial complex to the early 2002 Oscar race, it became a smash hit in the summer of 2004, skyrocketing all the way to No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100.

"JIGGA MY NIGGA" - RUFF RYDERS W/JAY-Z

NYC-based rap labels were enjoying a friendly competition in the commercially lucrative late 90s. Roc-A-Fella and Ruff Ryders were two of the hottest brands in Hip-Hop. Jay-Z and Roc-A-Fella understood how to walk the balance between ballerific raps and street grit. Hov pairing with Ruff Ryders made all the sense in the world circa 1998.

"RIDE OR DIE BYTCH" - THE LOX W/EVE AND TIMBALAND

It became a phrase that defined Bonnie & Clyde-esque solidarity for a generation. And it was the single that announced The LOX's second act, as the street rap trio had landed on Ruff Ryders after a highly-publicized departure from Puff Daddy's Bad Boy Records. The Timbo-produced track made it clear the trio from Yonkers could craft radio hits and keep it street.

"WE GONNA MAKE IT" - JADAKISS FEAT. EVE AND STYLES P

An epic single that served as the first solo hit from Jadakiss, this street anthem (has any song ever epitomized that phrase better?) is one of the best in Ruff Ryders' enviable oeuvre. Alchemist laced Kiss with one of his most inspired beats, and Jadakiss delivers as only he can: the kind of rabble-rousing call to arms that resonated on many a corner.

"GOTTA MAN" - EVE

There had been odes to thug love before, but none had managed to be so cute, so sweet and so street — all at the same time. Eve's brand of everygirl relatability was unique in the high glamour late 90s, but make no mistake — nobody could blend swagger and sex appeal like the Ruff Ryders First Lady. The kind of song that made many a thug wish they had this sorta girl by their side.

"GO HEAD" - THE LOX

Sometimes you just know an artist is in their element, and just enjoy watching them work. The LOX were, in many ways, the soul of Ruff Ryders. The grimy street tales from the Yonkers trio were always a better fit for Ruff Ryders than Bad Boy, and Sheek Louch, Styles P and Jadakiss do what they do best on this melancholy masterwork from TJ Beatz.

"DOWN BOTTOM" - RUFF RYDERS W/DRAG-ON, SWIZZ BEATZ, AND JUVENILE

Proof positive that nobody does synth-driven fanfare better than Swizz, this epic single gave Drag-On a huge boost leading into his solo career and was one of the few late 90s East Coast/Dirty South collaborations that didn't’ feel forced or awkward. Juvie repped for NOLA’s Cash Money and, circa 1999, this was the two hottest new labels in the rap game joining forces.

"GET AT ME DOG" - DMX FEAT. SHEEK LOUCH

Everybody knew Dark Man X was coming. He’d been making noise via underground performances and several star-making appearances on hit singles by Ma$e and LL COOL J for almost two years. But his first major label single dropped like a grimy bomb in a landscape littered with shiny suits. With his first hit, X made it clear who he was, and also made it clear that the game wasn’t going to drown in jigginess as we raced towards Y2K.

"WHAT Y'ALL WANT" - EVE FEAT. NOKIO OF DRU HILL

She finally had her moment. The "Illest Pitbull In A Skirt" had been waiting in the wings for almost three years, but it was this catchy, salsa-inflected single from the RYDE OR DIE, VOL. 1 compilation that not only let the world know the Philly firebrand had arrived, but made it clear the RR was taking over the radio.

"RUFF RYDERS ANTHEM" - DMX

Could there be any doubt? The song that all but announced the genius of Swizz Beatz, its an anthem in every sense: instantly memorable; a call to arms for the crew; and a song that transcends its time and era. It's the label's theme song, and captures a moment in time that feels immediate and fresh every time you hear that infectious chorus -- but it never feels stuck in 1998. It's a street rap masterpiece. And to think, X didn’t even like the beat when he first heard it

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#hip hop 50 #today in hip hop history #todayinhiphophistory #hiphop #hip-hop #hip hop #hip hop music #hip hop history #hip hop culture #music #history #music history #television #rap #rapper #emcee #mc

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litgwritersroom · 2 years

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I am in love with Bruno. Please.

Snog, Marry, and F*** My Life

S4 | Bruno/MC | 2900+ words | @i-boop-you

The morning after Dylangate, the Islanders get a text telling them it's time for a game of Snog, Marry, Pie. How is this going to go down for MC and Bruno considering they've not even spoken about what happened?

Bruno sucked in a deep breath, gearing himself up for what was to come.

He and India had yet to speak, not since they fell out last night and she had slept out on the daybed. ‘Fell out’ was a bit inaccurate though, since he hadn’t even let her speak, he’d basically just told her to get lost and called it a night, leaving her to fend for herself.

The deep seated regret and embarrassment that had invaded him all night made his whole body sag like it was physically weighing on him. He could barely look her in the eye, he didn’t even know how to start a conversation off, so he’d lingered as long as he could in the empty bed that had never felt so fucking big before, all until he felt too musty. He showered for double the allotted time they each got, his mind a mess of thoughts and whole lot of nothing, his feelings too heavy and solid to let him think straight. By the time he made it outside to face her and the rest of the Villa was when the text came through.

“Islanders, it’s time for Snog, Marry, Pie. Boys are up first, so get those rings polished, the lippy on, and the pies handy. Hashtag, I think I wanna marry you, hashtag, pie time.”

Bruno’s already bloated heart felt fit to burst, his mind saying nothing, but finding enough strength to make his eyes well up.

He had yet to even apologise and now … now this? Of all the challenges, too. He gathered himself up, telling himself to be thankful it wasn’t a vote about the strongest couples. Whatever chance he and India had of winning that was blown out the park thanks to him.

Honestly, Bruno had no idea why he had reacted like he had. It was so unlike him, and everything he had heard was so unlike her. There was no logic to his reaction, it was like someone had flicked a switch in him he never knew he had and the setting was ‘prick’.

Speaking of pricks…

The new boys were up first, and Dylan barged before Oliver to pick up the ring box before the big guy had a chance to offer. Bruno was just joining the lads by the bar where the props were kept while the seven girls lined themselves up along the grass.

There was India. The fresh sight of her sent a lump in his throat, dried out his mouth, and heaped the anxiety on top of him like he was under a rain cloud and each drop was an invasive thought reminding him of how badly he’d fucked up. For the life of him he couldn’t look away.

Like that first moment he saw her up-close, fully realised, in person, there was no way he could tear himself away. One look at her and it was meant to feel like all was right in the world, but he didn’t feel that anymore. All he wanted to do was reach out to her, to take her hand in his, and steal one small smile from her. That’s all. One touch, one smile, that’s all he needed to know that they would be okay, that he hadn’t completely screwed everything up.

But she never looked at him. Never even glanced his way. Instead she stood, head held high - like she should - and had Angie’s hand clasped in her own where Bruno’s should have been. She wasn’t smiling, but she didn’t look that glum. Last night was a whole nother story. Her eyes had been welling up their whole conversation, the tears leaking out before he’d even turned his back on her.

Why had he felt so self-righteous? Why was he so indignant? When did India ever ever make him doubt her or their relationship? Who even was this douchebag Dylan to even get in Bruno’s head like this? There was no reason for Bruno to act the way he had done, none at all.

And this game was going to bring the consequences of that down on his head. Probably covered in a very creamy pie.

Fuck my life.

“All right, I’m snogging this girl because I know she’s not had enough of me yet,” Dylan said, swaggering down the line of girls, walking up and down them, flexing like he’s some prize, oblivious to the way each and every one of them turned their nose up at him. Then he stopped in front of India.

Bruno sucked a breath in between his teeth again. Youcef patted him on the shoulder.

“Well, mon vieux, if that face she’s pulling right now doesn’t tell you everything you need to know…” Youced whispered, pulling back from Bruno, his eyes alight as he watched Dylan and India.

If Bruno didn’t know any better, he would say that the look in Youcef’s eye was a tad triumphant, like a part of him was enjoying this. Well, it wouldn’t shock Bruno too much. Youcef does like a touch of drama that doesn’t involve him. There probably isn’t more to it than any of that.

Dylan went to grab India’s face, intending to entrap and control the kiss, not giving her a way out of it … Bruno’s heart skipped a beat. The rhythmic thudding intensified as India dodged the kiss, giving herself a triple chin in her efforts to fall back from him. If Bruno’s heart wasn’t in his butt he might have chuckled.

“Think again, sleaze,” Angie told him as India burrowed into her.

Bruno appreciated the way Angie held India close, kept her huddled away from Dylan, and knew he had more than that to be thankful to her for. She was the one who stayed out all night on the daybed with India. There’s nothing Angie wouldn’t do for India, and right now Bruno was so grateful, though he knew he’d have to get back in Angie’s good books as much as he would India’s. Maybe even moreso. That woman was fiercely protective of India.

Dylan went off pouting as the girls cheered which ended in the boys clapping and whooping too. Bruno nearly smiled seeing the red blushing up Dylan’s face, couldn’t help but revel in the shared delight they all had at Dylan’s humiliation. Bruno knew he was just as deserving, but right now, he was just happy to have someone to throw all his anger and bitterness and resentment at.

The fire burned because of Bruno, but it was lit and stoked by Dylan, and each hard and thunderous clap of Bruno’s was a representation of how hard Bruno wanted to use his hands against Dylan’s dumb face.

After Thabi refused his marriage proposal and India had pied his kiss, it left Dylan in a fine little sulk. His strut only returned after furiously pieing Angie. He packed a proper wallop into it, really using his volleyball arm. It was a proper Ben Stiller as White Goodman throw. Petty, vengeful, harder than necessary, meant to punish.

She took it like a champ, even standing a step forward in the line, like she was stopping Dylan from even thinking of picking India to pie, shielding her from everything she could. It must have been her comment to Dylan that granted her that wallop.

Despite the booing from the girls, Dylan lorded his way back to the boys. India turned Angie to face her and busied herself by helping Angie remove all that cream, returning a percentage of the care back to her friend.

Bruno just wanted to go over and hug them both.

He stayed where he was as Youcef went next. To no one’s surprise, Youcef snogged Najuma who was all over it in return. Yup, they’d both had plenty of practice doing that. When it came to his proposal, Youcef got down on one knee before India.

Holding open the little blue box, Youcef said Frenchly, “Mon amor, something, something oh so beautiful and very Francoise.”

India swooned along with the other girls. For some reason this burned even hotter within Bruno. On a normal day, Bruno wouldn’t have minded, would have laughed it off, because of course the other guys would be all over her.

Today, though, it was a look at what could happen, a reminder of how badly he’d screwed everything up.

With Youcef’s ring sitting prettily on her ring finger of her right hand, India took Angie’s hand as Will’s turn came. After snogging his new partner TIffany, Will also got down on one knee in front of India. Bruno wondered how many more of these he’d have to suffer through before he finally got to have his say. Though the longer this game went on, the more bottle he lost.

Every. Single. One. Nearly every single one of the guys besides Dylan and James proposed to India. Bruno stood there, the bile in the pit of his stomach frothing away, boiling within him, sinking him further and further into his hole, making him wonder what the point of it all was.

“India, would you do me the honour…” Will said once he was on one knee.

“Of making me the happiest man…” Oliver’s speech went.

“You’re so unbelievably funny and sweet…” Tom purred, flashing a ring that probably wouldn’t even make it past the gilded gates of his estate it was so cheap.

On and on it went, the other guys reciting their lines, professing to India all the things Bruno should have said last night, showering her in the love and appreciation she deserved.

“In a garden of flowers, you are the most beautiful…” “No one else in here like you…” “Only a madman would let you go…” “With everything else going on lately, you deserve this the most…”

Each proposal was like a knife in the chest. How was Bruno’s proposal supposed to stand out and make things even a smidgen better after she had the other guys falling all over themselves to cheer her up. He wasn’t against them cheering her up, she obviously needed her friends rallying around her, but how was Bruno supposed to make it up to her if he … if really wasn’t good enough?

All his insecurities were coming up again, smacking him harder than they had the night before when they led him to believe everything he had heard about India. Maybe it would just be better if he didn’t bother, if he just let her go … She’d probably be happier with one of the millions of guys waiting to propose to her now, be better off

Maybe it was time to call it all off.

But then it was Bruno’s turn in the game. The other lads threw out encouraging hoots for him, did what they could to big him up and show him they were rooting for him, but Bruno had to wonder if there was a small part in each of them hoping that this was it, that Bruno would fail India once again, just so that they could shoot their shot with a clearer conscious?

No, no, that was too cynical, too mean. They were his friends, they wouldn’t think like that.

Bruno took the ring, ready to propose right afterwards. He went to Angie and she stiffened at once. Out of the corner of his eye, Bruno saw India stiffen, too.

They had yet to make eye contact even once and Bruno wasn’t about to have it happen for the first time as he went in to kiss her best friend. Bruno reached out for Angie’s hand and brought it up to his lips with an exaggerated ‘mwah’.

“That was for being there for my girl India and looking after her when it should have been me,” Bruno said, letting go of his grip on her. He looked at a spot between the pair of them, wanting to speak to them both, but too afraid right now to look either of them in the eye. “It’s fair to say that I never should have reacted like how I did last night, so I’m really thankful that India had such a good friend in you Angie, and I hope that you two will have each other for a long time because while I don’t plan on losing my head like I did last night, chances are high that I’ll do something stupid again in the future. Something to make India roll her eyes and call you up and say ‘hey, guess what stupid thing Bruno did this time’. But hopefully your answer will be more along the lines of ‘let me guess, he’s booked a holiday for the both of you without getting me a ticket’ rather than ‘he didn’t believe you over some creep he just met that day and kicked you out of your bed’.”

And Bruno looked at India. She was looking at him. The nervous tinkling of uncertain laughter died off. Bruno got down on one knee, eyes only for India.

“India, I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry. I will never, ever do something like that again. I’ve never been more mad at myself than I am now for what I did to you. I’ve got no excuse, I just let my own head and insecurities get the better of me, but I promise you I will never act like that again. One night away from you has made it clear to me that nothing in this world compares to you, nothing ever will. It’s been, what, a month? And yet you’ve become the most important person in my life. I don’t know what I’d do without you, and I don’t want to find out. I know how hard it might be to believe after last night, but, India, I care about you so much. There isn’t anyone else for me, and if you give me another chance and forgive me, I am going to spend every day from here on out making up for yesterday, proving to you that you’re the most special, beautiful, and funny girl in the world, and that I’m never about to take you for granted again. India, will you take this symbolic gesture,” he holds the ring up higher, “and give me another chance?”

Her expression was soft, but not with forgiveness. It showed only the deep pain he had put her through, showing how much she cared about him by giving away how much this one incident had deeply wounded her. Bruno couldn’t bear it, but he had, too. He would never forget it, it would be seared in his mind forever, as he swore to make sure she would never look at him like that again, at least not of his own making.

As thoughts of her taking the ring, images of her throwing it back at him, filled his mind, so his eyes filled with tears. This was it. If she took the ring, it was the first step to easing his mind, and his anxieties, and his heart, showing that she was willing to not write him off from his one instance.

He loved her. He fucking loved her, and he would never forgive himself if he never got the chance to tell her that. God knows that Bruno wasn’t about to tell her for the first time after an argument, in an attempt to sway her back to him, to make her forgive him. Their first ‘I love you’ would be completely for them, in a moment of love and romance, just like she deserved.

The world took a breath, inhaled in deep, as India reached for the ring. She had eyes only for it, her current conflict clear upon her face. Bruno couldn’t move, couldn’t breath, not until -

India put it on her finger. Her left ring finger, unlike she’d done with the four other rings she’d gotten. Her gaze flickered back to him as her hand was stretched forward, the symbolic gesture of a ring hanging there in the space between them. Bruno’s heart rate doubled. India nodded.

And he was smiling. His wet eyes felt even wetter and it was taking a whole lot not to let those tears leak out. He bit back his smile, not wanting to appear too cocky or come across like a self-assured jackass, but God Bruno felt like he was on cloud nine now. The effect India had on him was dizzying. That one little nod made him feel like he could fly.

Before that, though, it was pie time. The last one of the round. Bruno loaded up the pie crust with nearly a whole bottle's worth of squirty cream as the other lads laughed. Bruno could revel in their jokes and laughter this time around, and could appreciate the sunny sky. Was it just him or had the greyness ebbed in the last few minutes?

There was a skip in his step as he prowled the line up of girls, looking for his victim, making jokes and cracking them up with his dumb pie puns.

“Truth be told, there’s only one person standing here who deserves this,” he said, grinning at India, who was trying to suppress her own smile. Bruno waited until she cracked, her cheeks slanting up to her eyes, making them crease, a snort of laughter she couldn’t help escaping as she knew what he was going to do.

And then Bruno doused himself in the cream, smacking the pie into his own face. As the shocked laughter and the hollering of the others roared in his ears, he smeared it all over his head, rolling it up into his hair and feeling it drip onto his shoulders and down his chest.

“Well,” he heard India shout, “there’s some just desserts if I’ve ever seen them.”

#litg #litg writers room #writers room #litg fanfic #litg bruno #bruno kaminski #litg prompt #prompt #i-boop-you #ask #writing prompt

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angelt0rres · 2 years

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ok i KNOW the ask game said specify a character but i think all ur pronoun/sexuality takes on all the mash guys would be very cool :3

M*x im fucking love you thank you for the precious gift youve given me…

ALRIGHT M*A*S*H BOYS NIGHT PRIDE EDITION

Hawkeye- is malewife a gender nah but weirdly enough i think Hawk is a he/him but in a “Harry Styles wearing a skirt and nail polish in 2018 while everyone on the internet collectively lost their shit” way. He is, as if I even had to say it, a disaster bisexual.

Trapper- all around red blooded american man, he/him, not exactly disaster bisexual but bisexual with a sunglasses emoji infusion 😎. he WOULD find it funny/endearing if you used she/her pronouns like yes I am that bitch hello how may I help you.

B.J. HUNNICUT IS THE WHOLE FRUIT SALAD. Idk this is just my hc but I feel like he is definitely in a lavender marriage with Peg like they definitely are best friends and they do love eachother but holy fuck Bea Jay Hunnicut is a funny little mlm he/they I want to see him in pain

Frank Burns- he fucking sucks i dislike talking about him but I really wish they fleshed out the “secret repressed homosexual that hates himself” idea so yeah he/him passably straight on the outside little fruit tart on the inside

Charles Emerson Winchester III- Secret Repressed Homosexual that Hates Himself Prime. I am a gay Charles purist and I can and absolutely will die on this hill. who the fuck is Donna He/Him and sometimes the royal “we” just cause hes my special little guy and he can.

Henry Blake- his pronouns are they/them! actually though? I feel like Henry could pretty solidly slot into the non-binary identity. Is this based on fact? No! Its based entirely on vibes (which is arguably more accurate) unrelated but they would also wear the “Women want me fish fear me” hat without a trace of irony

Sherman Potter- now THERE is a trans man who wouldve fuckin thrown down at stonewall. he/him StraightGuy tm who just loves his wife and his horses Very Much. arent there a lot of stories of AFAB ppl dressing as men to join the army? also i hc all of his buds in Old Soldiers to be trans guys too.

Radar- whats that post that goes like “I think Radar is autistic with massive amounts of t boy swag” its really funny but I would like to tweak the narrative n this one. I think Radars mom has the type of rural homegrown wisdom where she thinks the severity of her morning sickness would determine the babies gender so she assumed Radar would be a girl so everyone got her little dresses and painted the Radars room pink but after Radar was born she just. raised her as a girl anyway? you cant exactly scrap a 1-10 year female wardrobe and buy new in Ottumwa so out of convenience he was raised as a girl but recognized as a boy. so i feel by the time he gets drafted in korea and has spent plenty of time performing as both genders he really doesnt care anymore and only prefers mens clothing because he personally finds it more comfortable. i think he would accept he/she/they pronouns and be demisexual.

Klinger- said you were a lesbian girl me too I really dont know how to explain is but Klinger is both a straight man and a lesbian at the same time. definitely he/they/she and demisexual like Radar… i feel like Klinger is your dads older sibling and Radar is your moms younger sibling. same vibes for sure but different auras.

Father Mulchahy- ive been waiting for this one (and another thank you to M*x for letting me on my soapbox) FATHER! MULCHAHY! IS! NOT! ASEXUAL! HE! TOOK! A VOW! OF! CHASTITY! TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THINGS! Please dont feel like im coming for your neck specifically if this is your hc its totally valid to want ace representation and it would only feel natural to assign it to the character who doesnt have any relationships as a part of their backstory or characterization but I feel like only assigning Mulchahy with this role is not only some pretty upsetting ace tokenism but harmful to the sanctity of his faith and vows he took on as a priest. That being said! I think Mulchahy is bisexual (and would probably think Jesus was too) and I think you could address him with he/they pronouns but has a slight preference towards he.

Sidney Freedman- It seems like almost everyone in my post has come down with a case of the bisexual he/theys 🤒 but yeah besides Hawkeye I think Sidney would be the vocal about his identity? He could run circles around homophobes and transphobes who try to claim gay/transness to be a disease and I think his wife probably knows and supports his identity although they remain monogamous (Sidney is NOT a cheater >:( )

Thanks so much for the ask!! I hope I answered thouroughly enough and if I forgot anyone please let me know so I can hit myself really hard with a cast iron pan

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goldencorecrunches · 4 years

Text

@lady-of-the-lotus I’ve done it. I’ve written, G-d help me, YaoYang fanfiction. I hope you’re happy. I hope you forget about your soup on the burner and it scorches. (Also on AO3 for fancy linked footnotes)

---

Must one dread what others dread?

--Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching

What have I done? Sweet Jesus, what have I done?

--Jean Valjean, Les Misérables (Musical)

Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, hamotzi lechem min ha’aretz.[1]

--Jewish blessing said prior to eating an olive-bulk or more of bread (unless, of course, you disagree).

---------

It was a bright and balmy day, the third of the cultivation conference, and Sect Leader Yao was being insufferable. He was well outfitted for it. He had woken from his insufferable, snoring sleep and demanded an insufferable breakfast, the specifications of which made the most highly-ranked, honor-festooned cook in Jin Tower break down into tears and resign on the spot. He put on his most insufferable underpants on under his most insufferable robes, and tied back his hair in the insufferable style that he favored, the one that made him look like a badly turned rotten beet.[2] He had even spent fifty minutes manipulating his face in an insufferable series of facial expressions in the mirror, involving him at several points “losing” his own reflection only to “find” it again at the corner of the polished bronze, much to his own amusement—though not, it might be stated, to the amusement of the junior launderer he demanded watch his performance.

The hall had been surprisingly vacant of other unoccupied servants, when Sect Leader Yao had checked. All that scurrying and burrying! Well, servants should be busy, anyway: that was the way, and the way was right, HRRGNH. “That Was the Way, And The Way Was Right, HRRGNH,” was the latest of the updated mottos Sect Leader Yao had thought of for his sect. Though it was an excellent guiding principal and pure poetry upon the senses, it had two drawbacks. The first was that the tonally-important HRRGNH at the posterior end of the phrase was obtained by means of thrusting the hips forward, curling the torso, and letting the resulting force of air displaced escape through the mouth. This was, Sect Leader Yao allowed, not very dignified.

Still, all was not lost. Sect Leader Jiang had scowled upon seeing it, but he was always scowling so he didn’t count. Sect Leader Lan had looked intrigued. Sect Leader Nie had applauded, and asked whether it would be possible to pass gas from below at the same time; a very tactless comment, Sect Leader Yao had thought, considering the gastrointestinal distress he was so often plagued by, which Sect Leader Nie should know about, as Sect Leader Yao had described it to him at length, frequently. He had reminded Sect Leader Nie of this with appropriate grace. It was good to show these young sprites how to conduct oneself with the proper manners. The second problem was that Sect Leader Yao did not, and had not for several years, have a sect. It was not something Sect Leader Yao liked to think about, so he largely didn't.

On the way to the discussion hall Sect Leader Yao felt a whisper, on the back of his neck. It was the slimiest whisper anyone had ever felt, and it carried with it the vague sense that someone had been watching you, through a crack in the wall, the last time you were alone in the bathroom. It also carried the powerful scent of moldy incense. Sect Leader Yao turned and spread his arms wide. “Sect Leader Ouyang!” It was his best, insufferable, friend. His worst friend, too, being his only, but Sect Leader Ouyang took on both roles with ease. They’d stabbed each other, once, over a hunk of demonic metal. Ah, memories were truly the jewels of life. Sect Leader Ouyang grimaced like a dead cat, which was his version of a pleased smile, and bowed. Sect Leader Yao bowed back. When he rose he waggled his eyebrows. Sect Leader Ouyang snapped open his fan and wafted, with the gentle flutter of a category five hurricane, several lungfuls of moldy incense. They had totally sucked face last night. It had been swag.[3] “What’s on the docket for today?” “I believe it is something to do with that Jin boy. An honor ceremony he’s attempting to put together. If he expects my sect to pay for it, I’ll want to know why.” Sect Leader Ouyang sniffed. He did that a lot. Sect Leader Yao lovingly passed over a handkerchief.

The Jin boy’s proposal was indeed the first major case discussed, after the necessary canapés and complaints about the accommodations had been passed around.[5] It was a matter the boy had clearly put much thought into, and one dear to his heart; he presented it with an earnest timbre that would have swayed a petrified forest. Unfortunately, earnestness was outside of Sect Leader Yao’s testicular-sized sphere of understanding. “He’s grubbing for money, you’ll see,” Sect Leader Yao said, in an overtone[6] to Sect Leader Ouyang. Sect Leader Yao considered himself wise to the ways of the conniving, since he, the aforementioned, sometimes cheated at cards. His friend-now-daring-conquest nodded and glared across the room. He was aiming for the Jin boy, but missed, and caught a rather startled wine-pourer on the side. “You ought to say something,” Sect Leader Ouyang said. That was an excellent idea. It was always, in Sect Leader Yao’s opinion, the right time for him to be talking. “Hey!” he shouted, waving his arms over his head like an extremely drunk aircraft marshal. “Hey! What’s this got to do with Wei Wuxian?” “It…doesn’t,” said the Jin boy, who was in fact Sect Leader Jin, and who while admittedly young outranked Sect Leader Yao to a degree that would make you wince and say whoee it’s a scorcher if you saw it on an outdoor thermometer. “Ridiculous!” Sect Leader Yao said. “We all know it does! Stop trying to bamboozle us with dacquoise!”[7] Sect Leader Jiang had stopped scowling in approval and had begun to scowl in apparent constipation. The history between him and Wei Wuxian was somewhat rocky.[8] “Exactly as he says!” Sect Leader Ouyang, the most and least loyal of Sect Leader Yao’s comrades, cut in. He leapt to his feet; several of his neighbors checked, instinctively, to make sure their pants were still up. “You won’t catch us sleeping!” “Hear, hear!” Sect Leader Yao thundered. “Please don’t shout,” Sect Leader Nie hangovered. He had one hand clasped around his temples, the other clutching a cup of water. Sect Leader Yao was surprised he was so bad off. He’d seemed quite sober when he’d stumbled across the totally swag face-sucking betwixt Sect Leaders Yao and Ouyang. Speaking of. Sect Leader Yao turned to look sideways conspiratorially at Sect Leader Ouyang and shoot him finger-bow-and-arrows.[9] Sect Leader Ouyang mimed catching one. Damn, Sect Leader Yao was for sure going to propose marriage after this Wei Wuxian dacquoise was smoked out.

Oh yeah, it was all comin’ up Yao, baby. That was the way, and the way was right.

HRRGNH.

----------

1This blessing has no relevance to the contents of this work. “Honestly,” the author said when questioned, “I’m just trying for all the help I can get.”[return to text]

2A confusing feat, as this was China prior to the year 1000 BCE, Gregorian, and beets had not been invented yet.[return to text]

3“Swag” is neither a genre- nor period-accurate term for the emotion Sect Leader Yao was feeling. However, translation is an art rather than a science,[4] and more atmospheric words fail to communicate to modern English-speaking audiences the true depth of Sect Leader Yao’s douchebaggery. Thus: swag.[return to text]

4"An art rather than a science” is a common phrase used by people who are neither artists nor scientists to describe what they believe to be the difference between these disciplines. One might as well say “a boot rather than a canary”—that is, not the same, but having more in common than people might think.

5There was nothing wrong with the accommodations, and especially nothing any of the poorly-used common folk the attendees lorded over would have found, but if there is one unifying factor among humans it is that they love to complain.[return to text]

6Like an undertone, but the opposite.[return to text]

7A word Sect Leader Yao thought meant “deceit,” but which in fact refers to a tasty meringue-and-cream French pastry.[return to text]

8If by “somewhat rocky” you mean “a high-speed chase over deadly-fast rapids between simultaneous avalanches, and also, there are sharks.”[return to text]

9Small handheld firearms, aka “guns,” had also not been invented yet.[return to text]

#mdzs #cql #the untamed #yaoyang #sect leader yao #sect leader ouyang #my fics #*deep sigh*#*pause*#*DEEPER SIGH*

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jomiddlemarch · 4 years

Text

Climbing on rainbows

“Your care package has Tanqueray? Lemon curd and Marmite?” Mary exclaimed as Anne fanned out the contents of her parcel. “Is that a tea-cozy? We get it, you’re British.”

“That’s not a tea-cozy,” Emma said, holding the item up in a delicate pincer-grasp at arm’s length. And wished her arms were longer. “It’s a crocheted thong with the Union Jack on it.”

“It’s a bikini, luv,” Anne said comfortably. “You must know I’m body-positive by now.”

“Oh, we know,” Mary said, rifling through her own package and pulling out a chunky paperback. “Thank god, something to while away the dead afternoons in the health lodge.”

“Moby Dick?” Emma asked. It wouldn’t have been her first choice or her fiftieth, but Mary was basically the Hermione Granger of Green Wood and their library was one shelf of mildewed Hardy Boys books and one random copy of Marjorie Morningstar Mary had polished off the first week. And the health lodge hadn’t been terribly busy, which was good from a camp perspective but less so from a Mary-and-Jed sexual tension one as they were solidly in the sniping stage unless he was playing his guitar at the campfire.

“Plenty of dick around here without resorting to that,” Anne remarked.

“Anne!” Mary cried out. Emma, who ordinarily would have been the one crying out, got to enjoy the show; Mary blushed bright red and it was too bad Jed Foster had no reason to suddenly poke his nose into the women’s staff cabin and see how pretty she was when she was imaging him minus his cargo shorts.

“Sorry. Cock? Prick? What’s the problem, you’re pre-med, aren’t you?” Anne said airily.

“I just wanted something to read. That would take a while,” Mary replied, ducking her head down to peer into her care package. It seemed like she was trying to dive in.

“What’s the deal?” Charlotte said, walking in and settling herself on her bunk. “Oh, it’s care package day! Sweet. My auntie said she’d sent some real hot sauce and a big-ass jar of Nivea. Why’s Mary hiding?”

“She got Moby Dick--” Emma said.

“That’s not the dick she needs,” Charlotte interrupted.

“She’s shy,” Anne said. “Doesn’t bode well for her career aspirations. Let alone her love life.”

“I’m right here,” Mary said, emerging from the depths of her package with a jar of Coop’s hot fudge and Cards Against Humanity. “You keep it up, I’m not sharing either of these.”

“Well, you’re not playing Cards Against Humanity by yourself, so that’s an empty threat,” Charlotte said.

“Fine. See how you like it when everyone starts teasing you about Sam,” Mary said.

“I’d like it fine. I like everything about Sam,” Charlotte said. “Emma, girlfriend, what’d you get?”

“I don’t get care packages since my family runs the place,” she said. Even if she did, they’d be filled with only random camp swag her mother had found in the storage room or some kind of cream to help protect her complexion as if she were a Southern deb during the Civil War.

“Oh, that’s sad. Here, let’s all pick something out to give Emma her own,” Mary declared. In a manner of minutes, Emma had a jumbo family pack of Twizzlers, battery-operated headlamp on a tapestry headband and assortment of airplane liquor bottles in her lap.

“Thanks, you guys are the best. I promise I’ll share the candy,” Emma said.

“I wonder what the guys are getting,” Mary said, as if they didn’t all know she was wondering about Jed Foster and whether his ex had sent a letter. Emma wondered what Henry had gotten and who was sending it.

“I don’t wonder. Byron’s getting condoms,” Anne announced, articulating the syllables in the word condoms very precisely, like they might not otherwise understand English.

“Anne!”

“What? I didn’t send them. I just said they were non-negotiable and there’re not a lot left in the health lodge basket,” Anne said. “It really needs to be restocked, Mary.”

“There were like fifty condoms in that basket!” Mary exclaimed. Anne shrugged.

“Not all of us are prudes,” Anne replied. Mary muttered something that included sense of decorum not a prude have to work together and Emma smiled at Charlotte who winked back. Charlotte had made sure to tell Jed how much Mary liked classic 70s rock and Bread and especially “Make It With You” and Emma had planned out the seating at the next campfire like her mother organizing a dinner for the Executive Board, minus place-cards.

It was shaping up to be a very exciting Friday night.

For @broadwaybaggins who wanted more summer camp AU and got... this. Sorry? You’re welcome? I’m not sure what really suits this best!

#mercy street #mercy street pbs #summer camp AU #care packages #camp counselors #phoster #byron/anne #emma green #no alice in this #70s rock #moby dick #for our maritime aesthetic gals #cards against humanity #broadwaybaggins #careful what you wish for!#humor #naughty words #body-positive anne hastings

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captainmeowvelwrites · 4 years

Text

You Times Two (Ch.9)

Pairing: Marinette/Ladybug | Adrien/Chat Noir Words: 4345 Summary: Ladybug knew this was necessary. She was the Guardian. He had the Cat Miraculous. But when his suit evaporated in a glow of pale green, she sure hadn’t expected him to have something far more precious: her heart. Cross-posted: AO3 and FFN

Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | ...

Recap: Previously, on You Times Two… Maribug was a bit of a depresso espresso, what with the impending Adrigami date and fifth wheeling her friends. That is, until our favourite dude cheered her up with pizza, turtle talk and some good ol’ Mario Kart. Of course, her kitty-cat’s banana puns might’ve helped a smidge. But will dustings of Adrigami continue to throw her off? And when Chilluka rocks up, will Jealadrien be far behind?

---

Chapter Nine

An hour after Adrien's slippery ascent to victory, they turned to Ultimate Mecha Strike III for some more hearty butt-whooping.

With one final zap of an energy beam, the words "KAGAMI WINS" flashed across the screen, and her crimson mecha-tank launched a clawed fist in the air.

"Aw maaan!" Nino dumped his controller on the coffee table. "How could I lose to a total noob?" He froze. "Uh – No offence! You did good, dudette – I mean Kagami!"

Alya clutched her stomach, her cheeks red from laughing. "Nice one, Kagami! You – You really got him good with that – ah – that triple kick hyperstorm combo!"

"Yeah, Kagami!" Adrien nudged her shoulder with his own. "Only your third game and already you're winning!"

Marinette gave a thumbs up. "You're a natural."

Kagami threaded a strand of hair behind her ear, the slightest of blushes grazing her cheeks. "Thank you, everyone. I couldn't have won without Marinette's expert teaching." She bowed her head, her mouth curving into a smile that simply looked like it belonged there.

That small fact made Marinette's own smile double in size.

"But, dudes, I'm sick of UMS."

Alya tapped down the brim of Nino's precious cap. "You're just sick of losing, babe."

Pouting, he straightened his hat. "That's not the point, Al." He bounced to his feet, eyes on Adrien. "Why don't we fire up Just Dance instead? Let's show 'em our swagger!"

Adrien's face practically glowed as he leapt from the sofa, Kagami's hands falling from his arm to her lap. "You're on, Nino!"

"Ha!" Nino flashed his signature finger guns. "On like Donkey Kong!"

With an overly dramatic scoff, Adrien placed a hand to his chest in a decidedly Chat Noir fashion. "Excuse me? Only I have the rights to that line… especially after my ape overthrew our princess." He sent Marinette an over the shoulder wink and naturally, a flush flamed across her face.

While Nino set up Just Dance, Adrien shrugged out of his blazer in one fluid movement and flicked it over the sofa with a ridiculous amount of flair. He rolled his neck, laced his fingers and stretched his arms out before him. Pair that with the fact his polished shoes, snug jeans, and long-sleeved dress shirt were all black and wow, he was but a tail away from his alter ego. The only thing missing was a poorly timed pun. The flush across her face deepened.

Adrien strutted up to the TV. Umber drapes framed the wide balcony doors to his left, swaying with the wind that weaved through the living room to fan his golden hair. With his eyes on the screen, he raised a thoughtful hand to his chin. His fingers were soaked in sunlight, its rays catching his ring at just the right angle to inspire a shine of silver. Buzzfeed had once dubbed this particular pose The Pondering Prince. It was easy to see why on a rainy day. And even easier when sunbeams spilled across his hair like a literal crown of sunshine.

Marinette wasn't staring.

Nope, not at all.

The choruses of classic pop songs cut through the air as Nino cycled through choreographies. She knew the moment a song stood out to Adrien, by the way The Pondering Prince transformed into The Keen Cutie.

An annoyingly catchy melody sprung through the speakers:

'Take me by the tongue and I'll know you. Uh! Kiss me 'til you're drunk and I'll show you—'

The boys exchanged an eager high five, while Marinette bit back a snort. Chat Noir choosing Moves Like Jagger?

"Only you would, Adrien. Silly ca—" Her mouth snapped shut, but his merry eyes were already on her. She went ramrod straight in her seat. "Ca – Can't be used to describe you row—I mean now – no, right now." She shook her head madly. "Or – uh – any time, really. Because you're so great. At moving. With your feet!"

Adrien stared at her. She could almost see the cogwheels turning in his eyes. Hopefully those cogwheels had nothing to do with her slip up and everything to do with interpreting her word vomit. Finally, he graced her with one of his classic, heart-warming smiles. "Thank you, Marinette!"

She threw two thumbs up. "Well done! I mean, welcome!"

To her right, she could just feel concerned eyes on her.

And to her left, Alya facepalmed.

Adrien's soft smile lingered on Marinette for a moment longer, before a "Ready, bro?" brought his attention back to the TV. She sucked in a breath.

That smile. That classic Adrien smile. It was a gentle, shy sort of smile. One that made you feel special. Chat Noir's smile, on the other hand, was silly, cheeky, at times flirty—and had prompted her to groan on several occasions. Totally different, right?

But they were the same person! As classmates, she could probably count the amount of coherent conversations she'd had with him on her hands. But as partners, they were closer than ever. She'd thought of him as one of her dearest friends long before learning his civilian identity. Now, an unpleasant question reared its awful head. Were his smiles wildly different? Or just her reactions to them?

Alya's voice pulled her from her thoughts. "Daaang!" she called, flaunting a smirk. "You boys are pulling out all the stops today. Where've you been hiding those dance moves, Adrien?"

Marinette looked up at the boy in question and saw her friend, Adrien, dancing with the unbridled joy of her partner, Chat Noir.

And Alya's words must've emboldened him, for he broke away from the choreography with a suave spin on the spot. "Come on, Al. You don't actually think I spent home-school doing schoolwork, do you?" As Maroon 5 whistled on, he executed each move with a flawless flourish. To think, this was the same guy who high-fived street signs with his face.

Alya snickered. "Not bad, Blondie. Not bad at all!"

With an achingly familiar bow, he enacted the tipping of a fake top hat. A silent thank you. One with the pizzazz befitting of her partner.

His theatrics brought out a giggle. She'd seen her silly kitty cut a rug, as he liked to call it, more times than she cared to count. On quiet patrols. In the heat of battle. A few months ago, an amateur video of his dancing had even trended online (he'd reminded her for over a week). His timing was never impeccable, but as they'd grown closer, stifling a smile at his zest for interpretive movement had become increasingly tricky.

"Yes!" Nino wheezed, flinging his arm in time with the dancing avatar on the screen. "I'm catching up!" He was so out of breath. "Keep distracting him!"

"Oh Adrien," her bestie proclaimed, as he moonwalked like a professional zombie from Thriller. "Our dazzling King of Swag!" He held a hand to his ear, spurring her on. "Your flow knows no bounds. I must bow before such unrivalled finesse." True to her word, she bowed in her seat.

And boy, did he lap up the praise! He performed a ridiculously smooth body roll, and concluded it with a click of his fingers. His smile was nearly blinding.

That was all the motivation Marinette needed to pop in her own compliment. "In the not so distant future, bards shall sing of our swagtabulous leader's epic freestyling, and their song shall aptly be named Moves Like Swagdrien!"

Just when she'd thought he couldn't shine any brighter, a laugh burst from his lips. It was one she seldom heard without his mask and the fact she'd brought it out only swelled her sprinting heartbeat.

His next move involved a little hip swaying and a lot of arm swinging. Marinette had only played Fortnite a handful of times, but she had a sneaking suspicion she'd once witnessed it there.

"Keep going, ladies!" Nino implored. "I'm finally winning!"

"Yaaas!" Alya called. "Swagdrien The Suave!"

"Woo!" Marinette launched her fists in the air. "Swagdrien The Debonair!"

"Adrien," Kagami cut in, her puzzled tone stark against the laughter of her friends. "You aren't following the choreography?"

"Rules," he panted, "are made to be broken." As if to emphasise his point, he pulled a double arm wave.

Her brows scrunched. "But you're losing?"

Adrien, now mid-robot, incorporated a shrug into his dance. "This way's more fun"—he threw her a smile—"don't you think?"

His dancing didn't die down in the slightest, nor did the laughter that ensued in its wake.

---

Marinette, like most people, enjoyed bobbing along to Despacito at the best of times.

But this wasn't the best of times.

No, it was the worst. The absolute worst.

More good-natured trash-talking had led to Nino challenging Adrien to a dance-off. But not just any dance-off. No, a double couple dance off (read: everyone but her).

Furthermore, the universe was really testing her limits today—because Despacito's choreography was jam-packed with touching between partners. Sure, Kagami was rather stiff. She'd never played Just Dance before, but Adrien's skills more than made up for that. His hands nestled on her hips, their smiles broad and their bodies close as they moved to the beat.

She tried to smile. She tried to be happy for them. This was what they both wanted. Inserting herself between them – like matter between two magnets – would only be selfish. Even so, she couldn't deny the way her gut writhed at the sight of the happy almost-couple. And she couldn't help but notice Kagami's growing blush.

A distraction.

She needed a distraction.

As if some higher being had honed in on her thoughts, three knocks echoed throughout the apartment. Knuckles on wood had never sounded so wonderful!

Marinette jumped from the sofa. "I'll get it!"

Finally, she'd no longer be the fifth wheel to a quad bike. No, with Luka here, she'd instead be a part of some strange, six-wheeled hybrid. Much more appealing. She raced to the front door and swung it open.

Teal eyes smiled down at her, and their owner gave a little wave, black nail polish shining in the light of the stairwell.

"Luka!" She sprung a hug upon him and without hesitation, he returned it. The exchange only lasted two seconds – three tops – but by gosh, the rich scent of sandalwood delighted her senses long after. "So, how was your shift?"

"Oh, it couldn't end fast enough."

Truer words had never been spoken.

Marinette took his free hand in hers and guided him to the living room. The two couples were still dancing up a storm, guitar chords and Spanish lyrics echoing through the room. "Hey, I see you brought your guitar." She beamed up at him. "You'll have to play us something later. I'd really love to hear my song again!"

From the corner of her eye, Adrien stumbled mid-step.

"I saw that, Blondie!" cackled Alya, her hand in Nino's as they grooved from side to side. "You burning out?"

"Never!" He broke away from the choreography and Kagami quirked a brow as he puffed his chest out into a body roll, even more fluid than his first.

Luka slipped a guitar case off of his shoulders and against the sofa. "Hey, everyone!" He was answered by an array of breathless greetings. "Oh, right." He chuckled. "They're just dancing."

Marinetted laughed—

Until she realised the wordplay wasn't intentional.

"Wow!" Luka chimed, settling on the sofa. "Nice moves, Adrien."

Green eyes remained on the screen. "Thanks."

Marinette swiped the pizza box from the table, four pieces saved within it. "As promised, Luka!" Handing over the box, she sat beside him. "If you're not a cold pizza kinda guy, I can always heat it up for you?"

With a slice of pizza in hand, his free arm reached behind her, resting across the back of the sofa. "It's okay, Marinette. I'm perfectly fine with cold pizza." His eyes were as gentle as his smile. "The thought's appreciated though. Thank you."

A flush crept up her face as he looked at her, but she didn't mind. Not at all.

---

'We are one tonight, and we're breathing in the same air—'

With an easy smile, Marinette tapped her toes in time to the lively tempo of Turn Up The Love. To no one's surprise, Alya and Nino were nailing every move thrown their way—and fast approaching new high scores.

"Wow," Luka spoke up beside her, and her eyes flitted toward him. "They're so in tune, don't you think?"

Marinette gave a merry nod, recalling a time she'd said similar words to a certain blond.

She leant against the coffee table, smiling at the sight of her dancing friends. "They're so in sync with each other."

"You're right," Adrien said, from the other end of a FaceTime call. "Someday I hope I'll find someone I can share everything with… like they do."

In the present, she pursed her lips. Had Adrien been thinking of Ladybug then? Her eyes drifted toward the boy in question, only to catch his eyes zipping away that very second.

"Too right, Luka!" Adrien leaped into their conversation—and winced when his voice shot up an octave. Clearing his throat, he directed a smile at the dancing duo. "When's the wedding, guys?"

Alya skipped around Nino, her arms swinging to the beat. "We don't know the date just yet."

"But don't worry," Nino puffed. "You'll definitely be my best dude!"

"They're only fourteen, Adrien." Kagami tilted her head, her dark hair shifting. "How young do you plan to get married?"

Beside her, Marinette felt him tense. "Oh – I – Ye-ah." His voice cracked. "Fourteen's way too young! The legal age is – uh – eighteen, right?"

"You plan to be married at eighteen?"

"Err – Well, I don't – I don't know?" He squeezed out a laugh. "I mean, maybe. For the right girl?"

"Does that mean you'd marry the wrong girl if you were older?"

"No, I just—"

"Your indecision is troubling, Adrien."

Those words seemed to resonate with him. He shrunk into the sofa like a silent apology.

Marinette's nails dug dents into her palms—but Kagami didn't deserve her ire. She wasn't exactly well-acquainted with social cues. Heck, she probably didn't even realise what she was doing.

Flexing her paling fingers, Marinette turned to Luka, a wordless plea to fix this. She didn't trust herself to.

And he didn't disappoint.

"Hey, Marinette?" Both fencers looked his way. "Has anyone else tried your macarons yet?"

Adrien clung to those words. "I saw the carton on the bench, but I didn't want to be the first one to crack into them!" With a sheepish chuckle, he dipped a hand behind his neck. "I figured we were saving them for later in the day?"

If he didn't get his passionfruit macaron today, Marinette would scream to high heaven. "No no, Adrien!" She waved her hands for emphasis. "Feel free to help yourself. No, actually—"

She launched to her feet.

He did the same.

"—I'll bring them over," they said in unison. Blinking at each other, they laughed at once. "Sorry," they said. "I – Uh. You go first! No, you—"

Marinette held up a hand. "I'll bring the napkins. You bring the macarons. Deal?"

"Deal!"

---

A minute later, Alya and Nino collapsed onto the sofa, their chests heaving after their dance. To his delight, Nino had come out on top, destroying his former high score along with Alya's. (Not at all suspiciously, Alya had matched him point-for-point until the last thirty seconds, when her dancing had deteriorated just enough to let him win.)

A cardboard carton, with a golden emblem adorning its lid, rattled in Marinette's palms. While Adrien shared napkins around, she plonked down beside Luka. "I hope all this dancing's worked up everyone's appetite!"

Alya accepted a napkin. "By the grin on Adrien's face, I'd say his answer is a resounding yes."

"Can't blame him, babe. Those moves were unreal."

"It must be the fencing."

"From what I saw, he was a one-man sonata."

"Or a unicorn."

"Girl, did you just call Adrien a unicorn?"

Marinette nodded, unabashed. She was trying to get over him, yes. That didn't mean he wasn't still one of a kind.

With all leftover napkins now on the coffee table, Adrien resumed his seat between Marinette and Kagami. "Full disclosure: I'd make a magnificent unicorn."

Laughter erupted.

And only as it died down did Marinette speak again. "In that case, I sure hope unicorns like macarons!" She flipped back the carton in her lap, revealing an assortment of brown and yellow treats. "We've got two flavours: Belgian chocolate and passionfruit. I would've made more, but I was a little short on time."

"I'll believe it," Alya teased.

She stuck out her tongue. "Just a heads up, everyone—"

From the corner of her eye, Kagami reached for Adrien's hand and threaded it with her own. His smile wavered. He went to pull back, but Kagami tightened her grip—without realising? Adrien's struggling stopped.

"Yike—"

Marinette glimpsed a stern look from Alya.

"I mean LIKE! Yeah. I was, like, extra clumsy this morning and – err – dropped the macarons on this side." She jabbed a finger toward the left of the carton. "So – Um. Sorry about that."

Hands reached from all sides, lightening the carton in her hands, and delighted hums soon floated through the living room.

"Girl, you've really outdone yourself this time!"

"Ditto, babe!"

"I agree." Kagami admired the yellow, half-eaten macaron between her fingers. Her other hand still gripped Adrien's. "This is really delicious."

Adrien's face inched near as he marvelled at the macarons. "You made these, Marinette?" She thought she felt herself nod. "They look delicious!" He took one from the tainted side. Passionfruit, of course. His first bite— "Wow." He gazed at the treat like it was the answer to world peace. "Marinette, this macaron. It's… It's perfect!"

She felt herself beam as he savoured a second bite. This beautiful moment was most definitely worth the many Sundays she'd spent baking a single macaron.

In or out of the suit. Chat Noir or Adrien. He was her friend. Maybe she'd never see those three kids or that hamster. Maybe she'd never have that dog or that beautiful house. At least, not with Adrien.

Because they were superheroes.

Because of apocalyptic cataclysms.

Because he said he loved Ladybug, but in the end, he chose Kagami.

But she could still make him happy.

Luka reached for a treat last. His side pressed into hers as he leaned closer and picked a chocolate macaron. Like this morning, he went for the street-sullied side. With his free arm splayed behind her, he settled back into the couch cushions and savoured the snack with his eyes shut. "This flavour's even better! You're so extraordinary, Marinette."

Cheeks aflame, Marinette brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

Extraordinary.

Luka said she was extraordinary.

And it wasn't the first time. No, the first time he'd been under Hawk Moth's cruel influence. And she tried not to take a supervillain's words to heart.

But then he'd said it again, his hand warm on her arm and his eyes warmer still.

"You're the most extraordinary girl, Marinette. As clear as a musical note and as sincere as a melody. You're the music that's been playing inside my head since the first day we met."

Was it time to tune along to his song?

Marinette swallowed, searching for a reply to the wonderful words of her friends. Instead, she caught the green gaze of another boy watching her fondly.

A lump lodged in her throat.

From the day she'd met him, her heart had been his.

But he didn't want his classmate.

From the day she'd met Luka, she'd been the song inside his head.

He made sure she knew where they stood.

He supported her every decision.

He made things simple.

The logical choice was clear.

Yet her heart throbbed at the thought.

No matter what, someone was bound to get hurt. Her friend. Her partner. Herself.

For over a year, she'd saved Paris with quick-thinking and convoluted strategies. She was the girl with a plan, the one people came to when times were tough. Yet here she was, unable to think up a single way to save her and her loved ones from heartbreak.

Why was she so useless?

Why couldn't she just keep everyone happy?

How could she possibly choose between them?

"Earth to Marinette?" Alya interrupted her thoughts. "Guys! I think we broke her with compliments!"

"No! Sorry, I just—" Marinette placed a hand to her chest and drew in a breath. "Thank you, everyone." She meant that wholeheartedly, and turned to Alya with a smile. "Wanna get back to dancing?"

"You know it!"

---

'Starships were meant to fly! Hands up and touch the sky!'

Of course, Alya had picked an old favourite of theirs: Starships by Nicki Minaj. A bop that never failed to bump up her mood. She knew the choreography well, but was still surprised by her soaring score. Her every move displayed a grace she'd never thought possible without a little latex magic, and over and over, the word "PERFECT" flashed gold on the screen. It was like the game was a one-word dictionary, but she sure wasn't complaining.

"Oh my gosh, M!" Alya puffed. "You are killing it!"

"Call me Swagrinette!"

Adrien laughed from his place on the sofa. "I don't think Swagrinette has quite the same ring to it." She threw a smile over her shoulder—just as Kagami eased her head onto his.

Marinette misstepped, but caught herself before the floor could. "Oops!" She wheezed out a laugh. "Spoke too soon, Al." Her arms circled through the air in sync with the dancing avatar.

Alya snorted. "You're still owning it!"

"She's right," Kagami added. "Your dancing's impressive, Marinette."

She glanced back at Kagami, another smile at the ready. It died on her lips at the sight she beheld. Adrien's eyes were on his hand, laced with Kagami's, and the look he wore was a resigned one. Knitted brows. A slight weight to his lips. He was unhappy—

Pain sliced through her ankle.

In a tangle of limbs, she tumbled to the floor.

Voices cried out her name.

Steps pounded.

She didn't know when, but her hand had clung to her ankle, and her face twisted as it throbbed beneath her fingertips.

"Are you okay?!"

Her eyes flew up—and what they beheld was excruciatingly familiar.

Two hands were extended before her: black nail polish painted the one on her right and an unmistakable ring adorned the one on her left. Her right hand remained around her ankle. Her other lifted off the floor. It drifted left, right, then paused dead centre.

With a composing breath, Marinette chose neither. Instead, she reached for a nearby ottoman, small and round and pastel pink, and chose to help herself off the floor. "I'm fine, guys," she said, reaching her feet.

Everyone stared, eyes rife with worry, while Starships thumped on in the background. Such upbeat music now seemed woefully out of place.

Alya propped a hand on her hip. "You sure, Marinette?"

Nino stepped to Adrien's side. "Yeah, that was one heck of a fall."

"I agree." Kagami's eyes were on Marinette's ankle. "It looked pretty serious."

Marinette fixed up a smile. "Really, I'm A-OK. See?" She shifted her weight to her right—

Another zap of pain.

Two sets of hands sprang to her shoulders, steadying her.

Marinette waved both boys away. "No no. I've got this." She hobbled over to the sofa, stifling a wince, while steps tapped behind her. "It's not as bad as it looks"—she wasn't sure if that was a lie—"but just in case, I think I'd better be a spectator for the rest of the day."

Luka seated himself to her immediate right. "First, we should really take care of your ankle." He looked to a concerned Alya, who'd seated herself on the arm of the sofa. "Do you have any ice packs?"

Adrien claimed the free spot to Marinette's left. "Plus something to act as a barrier between the ice pack and her skin." An instruction, not a suggestion. "Painkillers too. And some anti-inflammatory cream."

"On it!" Nino rushed to the freezer.

"We gotcha!" Alya's red hair whipped behind her as she dashed to the bathroom.

Marinette clung to the cushion beneath her. This was a disaster. A complete and utter disaster. But she could at least avoid dragging her friends down with her. "No need to fuss, guys." She kept her tone light. "It's really not that bad. And I don't wanna ruin the afternoon by—"

A comforting weight on her hand gave her pause. "Never." Adrien's eyes creased as he smiled, giving her hand a light squeeze. "We're just looking out for you. You'd do the same for any of us."

Luka's hand found her shoulder. "You can tell us if you're not okay, Marinette."

"Yeah, I can call you a doctor," Adrien chipped in. "Or get my driver to take you. Just say the word, Marinette."

Kagami knelt on the floor ahead of her, a cushion in hand. "I believe elevating the injury above the heart reduces swelling. Here." She placed the cushion on the coffee table and with a substantial amount of care, eased Marinette's foot upon it.

A smile flooded her face. Her friends were truly the best.

---

With a metallic whir, daylight broke upon the silhouette of a lean man, and flocks of butterflies stirred, their pale wings catching the sun.

"Ahh… An aspiring artist with a penchant for Picasso. One whose dreams have been crushed by a hard-hearted critic." Each word floated from his tongue with a delighted lilt. "What perfect prey for my akuma."

He beckoned a nearby butterfly to his awaiting palm, carefully caging it between two gloved hands. Darkness materialized, clinging to the insect and soiling its snowy wings.

"Fly away, my pretty akuma, and evilize this wounded soul!"

#ml fic #miraculous ladybug #you times two #adrinette #marichat #ladynoir #ladrien

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gohyuck · 7 years

Text

Sleepovers with NCT Dream

anon asked: Am I allowed to request sleepover/slumber parties with NCT Dream? Just somethin cute n fluffy

okay so i’m not sure if this is like each individual member or with the group as a whole so i did...both?

uh for each of them the other members aren’t present because just...assume that the specific member kicked them out for the night or they dont wanna bother member/reader haha

under the cut

mark

“fight me mark lee”

you regret the words like...as soon as they leave you because the moment you finish your sentence you get a face full of pillow

youd forgotten your clothes in the excitement of being able to sleepover at your boyfriend’s so long story short you’re decked out in one of his thinner t-shirts and a pair of his sweatpants

moments before disaster (aka The Pillow) struck you’d been chilling out on the couch and you both were pigging out just watching tv or something

then mark decided to s t e a l a c h i p f r o m y o u r b o w l

you couldn’t just TAKE THAT

so yeah you mouth off and then get pillowed in the face and after the initial shock wears off you kinda just calmly get up and walk slowly towards the kitchen counter to put your food away so it doesnt spill

all the while mark is shaking in his boots the fear is BUILDING

because hes going over the scenarios of what you might do next in his head he doesnt notice you discretely picking up a pillow

he does feel it tho when you hit him upside the head with it

W A R ensues its like... Armageddon

until you pin mark down because hes laughing way too hard to fight back

“cry uncle” “NEVER” tickles him once “uNCLE”

he calls for a truce and you give him one with a warning about stealing food and hes like ok fine ill get my own chips next time and you guys resume watching the movie

his arms around you and youre just using him as a headrest/backrest and its overall a really soft time tbh

mark is really comfortable tbh

and you guys have been dating for a while (dream’s parents) so it’s just like a normal date, practically

its just really chill like you guys dont do much other than marathon movies and pillow fight and pig out

and make small talk

and steal kisses

playing random games like ispy or something just seems like a mark thing

planning future hang outs and dates lol

“hey on our next date im taking you out to dinner” “and a movie” “you bet” “mark i was kiddi-” “its my treat”

it gets late fast though (time flies when you’re having fun) and you notice this and look over to say that maybe you guys should sleep only to find your bf knocked out on the other side of the couch

again

you cant help but smile at the sight

he’s so overworked, you don’t have the heart to wake him up

instead you turn off the tv, put up all the foodstuffs and clean the area quickly, put the pillows up and lay a pillow out on the ground by the couch and find a blanket and then turn off the lights before lying down

when mark wakes up the next morning he wakes up before you and sighs before stepping over you lightly to brush and stuff and to pour cereal for the two of you (hes not even going to TRY to cook)

once you wake up hes like “why didnt you wake me i wouldve taken the floor” and youre just like “yeah thats why i didnt wake you” and he just shakes his head because he cant argue with you and honestly hes

kinda touched, just a little

you have to leave all too soon but you dont go before getting a goodbye kiss and a promise to have another sleepover very soon

just....soft..soft times

renjun

board game central

hes just

head in the game lolol (dont kill me for that joke)

monopoly? clue? sorry? you name it he’s got it like...this boy doesn’t play when it comes to board games

no pun intended

the first half of the night is just you guys playing random board games as best you can with just two people

and then he brings out the chess board

that’s when it gets bumpin tbh

by bumpin i mean you and your boyfriend nearly wring each others throats during the match...but with your minds...because neither of you are speaking you’re THAT concentrated

it’s.....2 hours long

and in the end you guys have to call a draw and like you sit back and just stare at each other blinking and eventually renjun speaks

and his voice is hoarse because neither of you have spoken in a while and the first thing he says (very matter-of-factly, too) is “i’m going to flip the board now”

and you just go “go ahead” hoarsely as well because you’re just in mild shock that nobody won that intense ass match

he flips the board and looks up and stares at you and you stare back and suddenly the two of you are crying of laughter like

majorly uncontrollable you’re just rolling on the floor wheezing

after you both calm down renjun goes to the kitchen to find something to eat and he’s like “it’s 1 in the morning oh my god we haven’t even eaten dinner what the heck” and that sends you into another fit of laughter

“wait but we still have to have like a pillow fight and watch dumb romcoms and horrors and stuff we have so much to do and so little time” “renjun we don’t have to do all the cliche sleepover stuff” “ok but consider this: itll be fun” “its like ass thirty in the morning though/??” “are you saying we cant do it because if so now we HAVE to do it” “...you get the pillows i’ll get the popcorn put the worst movie you can find into the dvd player”

after a few movies its like 5: 30 am and the two of you are still awake

“are you still up” “no are you” “no”

neither of you wants to be the first to fall asleep

competitive couple af

you guys start a two person game of truth or dare and it ends up getting mushy because for a truth renjun asks you like how you knew you wanted to date him

and you get serious and stuff (which he didn’t foresee he expected an answer like “well you look like moomin and like....i love moomin”) and you come at him with like “when i started noticing that your eyes sparkle when you sing and just how happy you make other people and how you love what you do and how-”

he attacks you with a massive hug because oh my god you’re so sweet he’s getting a cavity

“i like you a lot, you know” “i’d hope so i just ate like 90% of your snack stash renjun” “i take that back”

you guys are still awake when mark comes back to the dorm

when he gets out of the shower, however, is a different story - you and renjun are dead asleep while sitting on the couch, awkwardly wrapped around each other

a photoshoot courtesy of mark’s phone camera ensues

(mark goes to sleep to ice cubes in his pillow that night, courtesy of you and renjun)

jeno

king of planning

like he mentally knows everything that can and will go wrong and stuff and knows where the extra pillows and blankets are and is aware of what you’re gonna wanna do and just...he Knows

the first thing you guys do when you get to the dorm is bake brownies

he makes sure to take videos of the whole process and send them to the other members

jeno: guess what yall are missing out on ;) jisung: i hate this family

the kind of bf to try to feed you the brownies and get the food literally everywhere but your mouth

for as put together as he is you guys end up having brownies and ice cream for dinner lol neither of you can be bothered to cook dinner

“babe should we order out” “i mean you can if you want to” “...but jenoooo that means getting up and getting to my phone” “that’s what i thought”

has a cache of games and movies and shows

“take your pick”

you guys end up playing random card games like ERS or blackjack for a while

it honestly is never boring tho because you and jeno are just so comfortable with each other every moment is great no matter what you’re doing

i feel like jeno’s the kind of guy to call his SO a bunch of cute nicknames like he just wants you to know how cute he thinks you are and he does that thru nicknames

“love...” “babe...” “sweetheart...”

after a while though you run out of card games to play and jeno’s about to suggest watching something on tv when he sees your expression

“...what’s on your mind” “...we could mess with your members a little...” “prank calls?” “you know me so well”

within an hour the two of you have convinced yuta that aliens are real and can use cellphones and gotten taeyong to believe that “swag” is a polish swear word and that donghyuck needs to be punished whenever he says it

and jaemin thinks he’s being relentlessly contacted by clowns from a circus in the next town over who think that he’s stolen their tiny car

you guys pass more time just talking and stuff

and putting on songs and dancing to them it’s Good Fun

he makes you take his bed and sleeps on the floor in a sleeping bag

you feel awful about it though so when you’re sure he asleep you go find the other sleeping bag and take your pillow and sleep beside him on the floor

he’s super shook when he wakes up but when he realizes that you didn’t want him to be lonely on the floor his smile is as bright as the sun

texts his friends for help on how to cook a nice breakfast

jeno: yo does anyone know how to make breakfast haechan: yeah jeno: cool what are the directions haechan: i didn’t say i’d give them to you

by this time you’re awake and just like “ok let me handle breakfast”

the two of you just end up eating plain rice and eggs (because you aren’t confident in your kitchen skills) and giggling over the crappy pictures you’re taking of each other eating

all in all the perfect date/sleepover

haechan

the moment you walk in the first thing that happens is that haechan pulls you into a hug

the second thing that happens is he holds you at an arm’s length, looks you straight in the eyes, and goes “we have to make a pillow fort”

you 100% agree it’s a necessity

after putting your bag down on the kitchen he basically drags you to the living room

the couch gets pushed back against the wall, the coffee table is moved to the side and chairs are moved back so there’s just a big floorspace directly in front of the tv

“let’s use four chairs as like pillars to hold up the blankets and bring all our food, phones, everything in so we don’t have to leave the fort the whole night” “i like the way you think.. we should go out some time, get to know each other better” “hyuck we’re dating”

i feel like haechan’s the type to be reserved with pda and stick to handholding (only sometimes, even then) because he’s embarrassed around the other members because they like teasing y’all

BUT when you guys are alone he’s totally different

like after the fort is finished and there are blankets above your heads and you’re both changed into makeshift pjs (just shorts and shirts tbh) and theres pillows around the fort’s perimeter and the tv is on he’ll like

grab whatever you’re currently eating and hold it up and whenever you lean over to reach it he’ll just lean back or move it just out of your reach again

“give it backkkk” “only if you kiss me” “...honestly i was going to do that anyways but now that you’re asking i don’t want to”

leaning into him and him closing his eyes because he expects a kiss and his arm naturally lowering lolol you grab the food and move back without even a peck on the cheek

a pouty haechan emerges

he wont talk to you again unless you kiss him and youre like ugh this big baby

but you dont wanna spend the whole night conversationless so you comply and he pulls you in

suddenly yall are rolling around in the fort laughing and having a play fight just cute af tbh

“hey hyuck we have approximately 9 hours before the other guys come back and i have to go and we have to sleep sometime so we basically have 3 hours to pull some amazing prank” “not to worry, sweetheart - i already have an idea”

and thats when you two set about to turn literally everything upside down in everyone’s rooms

it takes forever because he puts music on while you guys are working and you both end up ballroom dancing to michael jackson

once its done neither of you can breathe from laughing so hard

he makes a really quick dinner and the two of you eat it in the fort

while trading stories from the past couple weeks

“so you’re telling me she just...drank the entire cup of coffee after pouring two monster energies into it” “yeah she straight up chugged it i was in AWE”

all of this is done facing each other while holding hands on one side and eating with the other

“hey is that my shirt” “might be? i just found it in my drawers” “it’s definitely mine” “no wonder it’s so soft”

you guys fall asleep really late (or early, depending on how you look at it) because you spend so much time just TALKING

there’s 80s movies playing on the tv in the background

you fall asleep on your pillow but wake up like sideways using haechan’s chest as a footrest or something just...weird sleep position couple

the two of you wake up to confused exclamations from the other members

“hey maybe we should eat breakfast somewhere else so they don’t kill us for the upside downness” “get your keys i’ll grab money”

jaemin

buys a telescope just for your sleepover

“what’s the point of having a roof if you can’t climb on top of it and stargaze”

has you go up the stairs to the roof first so he can keep a steady hand on your back since the stairs are narrow

you guys have to make like three trips up and down from the roof before settling down

the first trip you guys set the telescope and blankets up and you go down because you need to go back and bring the food up

the second time is because you have to bring pillows up

the third time is because jaemin forgets his phone oops

its still kind of light out when you guys get up on the roof so you pass time by taking selfies and talking and stuff

its cold af outside and youre freezing despite your jacket so jaemin bundles the both of you up in a blanket (or 4)

“so the best time to watch the meteor shower is between midnight and dawn but we can just look at other cool spacey stuff before then” “why would i look at other stars when the brightest star is right in front of me” “that’s the cheesiest thing i’ve ever heard i’m breaking up with you” “aw jaemin you know you love me”

you have to stop him from trying to eat what is essentially just a whole bunch of tomatoes in rice paper in one bite

jaemin forgets to bring games up to the roof and hes too lazy to go downstairs and get anything

youre not bored anyways tho

once it gets darker you guys start pointing out some cool stars and constellations

“babe it’s orion’s belt” “nana look at that star, it looks so bright!” “almost as bright as you” “i already said that about you earlier, try again”

play fighting over the telescope

he lets you look first though

when the meteor shower starts you’re both in serious awe

“can you believe that we’re so small and just..tiny and pliable and insignificant in this universe and there are huge things like meteors just streaking through this vast space of nothingness and just wow” “i’m just glad i exist at the same time as you” “jaemin that’s...that’s not even corny or anything that’s just super cute i can’t even make fun of you for it” “it’s true, though”

both of you forget to take videos of the shower

because you’re just enthralled with the fact that the literal sky is like...on fire and shit

jaemin the type to press chaste kisses to your cheek and pull you ever closer to him at random intervals

Soft BF Alert

eating dinner while watching

he points at like every meteor and is like “look at it goooo”

“gotta go fast” “jae if it was possible to literally delete somebody i’d do that right now...blocked” “you love me”

sings under his breath and you record a vid of him doing it without him knowing because its so cute and just...hes so good at singing youre shook

once it starts getting really late and youre yawning and stuff hes like ok maybe we should go downstairs and sleep

it takes two trips to get everything back down to the dorm rip

at least jaemin doesnt forget his phone this time

once you guys get back neither of you can decide who gets the bed

“you can have it babe i sleep here everyday” “no way i cant do that to you, ill take the floor i practically live here its like home”

its wayyy too late to argue tho you both end up sharing the bed

overall an amazing date like???? meteor shower AND a sleepover with your bf in one night?

thats one successful night

chenle

theres an unspoken meme war between the two of you

like nobody really mentions it its there...looming...constantly...

meme war as in you guys constantly taken ABSOLUTELY HORRENDOUS pictures of each other and use them as reaction images

throughout the night each of you take/send pics of each other to the other dream members

“we should cuddle” “ok how do i know youre not gonna like...lick me or something for a picture of my expression” “you...well you dont but-”

you convince him to watch the ouija movies that are out

he makes it through them but like...

chenle’s either screaming throughout the whole movie or totally shell shocked and you’re just lol @ him

“this isn’t even that scary” “speak for yourself” “i am - come out from under the blanket babe i swear it’s not that scary”

after the movies he’s like “im never letting you choose what to do ever again ever” and you get him saying it on video for the Jokes

its his turn to choose

his immediate response is karaoke

chenle sets everything up for it while you order in dinner because lbr neither of you are looking up the directions to anything with cooking

he screams directly into the mic while youre on the phone to test it

(and takes a pic of your eyes going wide and you jumping a little bit)

“is everything alright on your side” “yeah just ...make that three orders of chicken im gonna be eating my woes away tonight”

chenle gets out the hoverboard and tries to teach you the dance moves to chewing gum

that quickly stops because you fall onto him

twice

within a span of four and a half minutes

nobodys there to roast though so you guys laugh as hard as you want

a lot of screaming

you love his laugh its so bright and happy just!!! wow

ngl since you started dating him his laugh kind of influenced yours so you laugh a lot louder than you did before chenle

when your food comes in youre too busy screaming lyrics to a song to get the door so chenle grabs the food

and tips the deliveryboy even more than he usually would

“you’re going to scare away the neighbors with that singing” “i’m surprised people still live here after you moved in chenle, dolphin sounding little-”

eating on the floor while facing each other

“close your mouth while chewing” “ok hon but to tell me that you spoke while eating” “listen, zhong chenle-”

having a staring contest

loser has to wash dishes

spoiler alert: you lose because he starts smiling and you cant stare straight at him when he smiles without smiling back and blinking really hard its like looking straight at the actual sun

hes super loving and cuddly so while youre washing dishes chenle backhugs you instead of cleaning up the karaoke equipment

“yah you’re sidetracking me” “we should dance instead of being boring and washing dishes like an old married couple” “you can dance while i’m being productive”

he does just that - tries to sidetrack you EVEN MORE by dancing ridiculously while you try to wash dishes

ends up in a soap and water fight

i feel like chenle would sleep a little earlier than the other guys so when youre done cleaning up your (late) dinner and hes done mopping the floor of the remnants of soap hes like maybe we should sleep

you agree because its almost like 1 am and youre tired too

pulling out a big family size sleeping bag in the middle of the living room floor and finding pillows

putting on light instrumental sleep music

waking up to chenle taking like a million pictures of your terrible bedhead and sending them to all of his friends

chenle’s just so fun to be around alfskjdk

jisung

ngl i feel like the night would start off just a little bit awk with jisung

like not awkward to where no conversation is being made awkward just more like small talk while sitting a good foot away from each other on the couch and friends is running on the tv in the background awkward

you get tired of that really fast tho

bc you and jisung have been best friends for a g e s it shouldnt be like this

so you bean him with a throw pillow

straight upside the head like hes an alarm clock that wont shut up

it takes him a second to react but once he does its chaos

he hits you back with like twice as much speed and power

suddenly both of you are on the floor fending for yourselves while trying to attack the other

you fight valiantly but hes just

so dang tall that eventually he grabs the weaponized pillow right out of your hand and holds it way high above your head

“checkmate” “...oh shut up :/”

after that though its a lot more comfortable like you settle into your usual pattern of relentlessly teasing each other

“lets put on mickey mouse cartoons jisung you’ll be able to relate” “are you even tall enough to see the tv” “not everyone can be a beansprout”

jisung pops popcorn for the movies and instead of eating it while watching the movie the two of you just throw kernels at each other and laugh at how dumb the other looks with popcorn in their hair

after a while jisung’s like “we should go out back there’s like... a singular tree and some grass and we can just chill” and you’re like well that’s new in the city so it’s a good opportunity so you agree

bringing a needle and thread outside so you can sew together flower crowns of leaves, grass, and dandelions

jisung leans against the tree while watching you make a mildly lopsided crown

he cant help but laugh when you put it on his head

“hold on im gonna take a picture” “do i look like a beautiful princess” “like a model, jisung, the prettiest princess ever” “will you be the frog to my princess?” “that’s the worst pick up line i’ve ever heard i’m considering taking back my flower crown”

you almost go inside after that but jisung’s like wait what about a flower crown for you

and you’re like oh i forgot i wasn’t really focusing on making one for myself haha

so jisung takes the needle and thread and makes you one

it’s not as pretty as the one that’s on his head but itll do

taking like 20 selfies together with the flower crowns before going back inside

after that he teaches you some of the nct dances

including stuff from the other subunits

“can you teach me taeil-ssi’s cheerleader dance from paju” “...this lesson is over”

jisung making rice and meat for dinner

you fry vegetables and try your hardest not to make anything explode

afterwards you’re lying down on the couch and he’s on the floor below you

the lights are out and its been a while since theyve been off

youre halfway asleep when

“i know youre my best friend but i think i want to date you”

aaaaand youre wide awake again

“wait, jisung, what?” “i thouGHT YOU WERE ASLEEP OH NO” “did i hear you correctly???” “im so sorry i’ll-” “i like you too you absolute idiot oh my god i cant believe neither of us said anything i-” “-move to cuba and change my name you’ll never have to hear from me again-” “-we are SO DUMB wow okay well we have to get together now its the next logical step-” “-and i’ll cut all connection off and. wait. wait, you like me back?” “-and. dude wait have you not been listening to me at all?? yes??”

and that kids is how you and jisung end up together

jisung texts all of his members before you both really do go to sleep (after an awkward hug and a massive bout of embarrassed laughter) that he finally confessed

you wake up to 89 texts and 2 missed calls

“taeyong says i have to keep you safe and make sure you eat three square meals a day” “is it disrespectful if i block my hyung and surrogate mother”

!! youre dating park jisung congr a t s

ALL OF NCT DREAM

you open the door immediately to hug bombardment by chenle and jaemin

mark closes it behind you (and shrugs apologetically) considering you cant because youre sandwiched in between the two other members

the first thing all of you do is eat because haechan’s made dinner (with, as jeno keeps reminding everyone, jeno’s help)

hc: all he did was heat the water jn: but it was necessary and helpful, wasn’t it

the second order of business is to push everything out of the way in the living room so the floorspace is entirely open

there are, after all, eight people there and its getting tight on the chairs

everyones just like eliminate the seating options and thats best - then everyone will just have to sit on the floor

you: so whats next rj: lets play monopoly everyone, collectively: NO mk: i still have nightmares from last time

jisung suggests twister and everyone (foolishly) agrees

jaemin calls out the colors and limbs and soon you find your left arm reaching over chenle’s right leg and your legs trapped under jisung’s torso

hc, monotonously but muffled as his face is somewhere under renjun’s right armpit: wow this is so wild

after that ends badly (mark nearly suffocates from jeno’s left foot being literally in his mouth) everyone agrees on never taking a suggestion from jisung again (including jisung)

you suggest a movie marathon and everyone throws pillows at you because that’s “basic”

jm: what about truth or dare jn: wow nana that’s actually a good idea jm: im going to ignore your tone and take it as a compliment anyways

truth or dare quickly causes everyone to become absolute messes because stuff like this happens -

you: renjun, truth or dare rj: truth you: so if you had to gently caress anyone here’s bellybutton, whose bellybutton would it be rj: i

mark and haechan and chenle can each barely breathe because theyre laughing too hard

meanwhile renjun’s mentally going through his brain files of everyone’s bellybuttons and ruing the day he was born, not necessarily in that order

jeno’s videotaping the entire game for future blackmail

hc: jisung if everyone here was a redwood tree who would you set on fire js: you hc: you..you couldnt have hesitated? for even just a secon d

jn: chenle go out in the street and yodel cl: you didnt even ask me truth or d- jn: do it

by the time truth or dare ends its pretty late but youre all way too hopped up on each others embarrassment and general having fun with friends to sleep

cl: karaoke? hc: karaoke. you: maybe karaoke will be our always

the noise level grows like exponentially once karaoke comes on

and it was already pretty freaking loud to start out with

mark’s halfway through a particularly soulful rendition of eminem’s lose yourself when you take a look at the clock

you: guys its almost 3 in the morning jm: sleep is for the WEAK js: chenle’s been knocked out for at least a half hour jm: exactly

mark and jeno move chenle onto the couch and put a blanket over him while you, haechan, and renjun set up sleeping bags and pillow and blankets on the living room floor

jaemin and jisung turn the music off and make sure the kitchen and everything is clean (and twister is put away)

you turn off the lights and lie down in the bag between mark and renjun

you: we should do this another time jm: minus the twister everyone: minus the twister

jeno wakes you up by stepping on your stomach the next morning while trying to escape renjun and his Pillow of Wrath

the pillow fight’s a little late but hey

8 am is better late than never

a quick breakfast is had while everyone takes turns brushing/showering/changing and it hits 10 am quicker than expected

everyones sad when you have to go back home but!! you all had fun and thats what counts

youre not surprised when mark texts the group chat later about hanging out again soon

921 notes · View notes

mastcomm · 5 years

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Songs? Nah. 10k.Caash Is Making Whatever Comes Next.

DALLAS — On the January day that 10k.Caash released his latest mixtape, “Planet Swajjur,” he skipped throwing a big party and instead holed up at Legacy Music Group, a recording studio in Dallas’s Deep Ellum neighborhood.

His hair, styled in the mullet-adjacent local style known as the shag, was two tones of green — aquarium-chemical aqua at the top, nuclear neon at the tail — and he wore a Kanye West “Jesus Is King” sweatshirt.

In between snacking on Sour Patch Kids and Fritos Flavor Twists, he repeatedly headed into the recording booth and asked his small circle of producers to run through an increasingly odd collection of plinks and bloops. When he heard one he liked, 10k.Caash, 18, began spitting out loose splurts of words — “Pixie sticks!” “Move your muscles!” “Everything geeked up, I’m saying Urkel!” He hurled words against the beat, rapping as if he was learning to rap without knowing that rap music already existed.

After one particularly squelchy number, his friend and mentor, the rapper G.U.N., shouted, “This beat making me want to slam my head into the wall. It’s a 10k beat for sure!”

What 10k.Caash was working toward making wasn’t quite a song, at least not as they’ve been made for dozens of years. It was a pastiche — part rap song, part sound effect, part comic sketch. It felt like an evolutionary step forward: the post-song.

“Every song should have its own twist, every song should be different,” he said the following afternoon at Geekletes, an e-sports facility in DeSoto, about a half-hour south of Dallas, where he’d come to play Fortnite. On the wild, 16-minute roller coaster that is “Planet Swajjur,” his inputs are video-game circus chirps, vertiginous alarm peals, flatulent bass slaps that sound like they’re stuck to the ground and so on. It’s a more polished take on the slapstick demolition-derby energy of his debut, “The Creator,” one of last year’s most preposterously engaging albums, full of quasi-nonsensical, punk space-rap redolent of the early, rowdy Beastie Boys.

This is the sound of modern virality — the soundtrack to it, really. 10k.Caash’s music exists somewhere near the intersection of songcraft, dance clips, buzzy video and Foley art. The results are, technically speaking, songs, but they don’t function like songs typically do. They’re exceedingly short, jolting, humorous and designed for interaction: The perfect set of noises to accompany a video of someone who looks like they’re trying to dance their way out of a box. Which is to say, viral videos on apps like TikTok and Triller (also Instagram and, to a lesser degree, YouTube), where his music is most at home.

Rapping isn’t his motivation; dance is. When 10k.Caash is in the booth listening to sounds and barking out words, “I think about how I would dance to it,” he said. “What dance I would do to this, what dance I would do to this lyric?”

The rapper Rico Nasty, one of 10k.Caash’s close friends, said she sees him as a multifaceted performer. “I never look at him as just an artist. He does so much,” she said. “He can come up with a different dance every month if he wants.”

These days on the global viral song charts, you’ll find conventionally successful hip-hop and pop songs, and also obscurities and spoken sketches. But the social internet is like one long interwoven dance challenge. It is its own medium, and the music being made specifically for it is becoming its own style, breaking down the traditional song format into components and amplifying the loudest and stickiest parts.

G.U.N. is frequently in the studio with 10k.Caash, and said he initially found his approach confounding. “I’d be like, ‘Yo, you got to make it more like a song.’ He’d be like, ‘Nah G.U.N., watch this.’ And at the end product, I’m just like, damnnnnnn — he taught me something new: Everything doesn’t have to make sense for it to be good.”

10k.Caash, born Treyvon Britt, said he doesn’t listen to much contemporary hip-hop (“I don’t even listen to Drake”) but is drawn to distinctive voices, citing Little Richard and Sir Mix-A-Lot, and distinctive sounds: “cartoons, gaming sounds, anything that sounds out of the ordinary” or just “Instagram snippets people send me.”

The optimal sound of TikTok or Triller is also shaped by the strictures of the medium — it requires immediate shock, catchiness and lighthearted inclusivity. “Think of the deliberateness behind a video that would be played on MTV in the beginning of MTV,” said Justin Duran, Def Jam’s senior director of marketing and 10k.Caash’s project manager. 10k.Caash and his peers are “consciously making music that’s built for a platform,” he said. “They know what the sensibility is for that — it’s deliberate but almost intuitive.”

Viral hip-hop dance videos are what catapulted 10k.Caash from a teenage time-killer into a formidable member of hip-hop’s rookie class. Built like a stack of gumdrops, he dances in concise, herky-jerk movements, slithering and then stopping as if he suddenly had his plug pulled. A couple of years ago, he honed a dance that had been circulating around Dallas and added a hard locking motion. It became the Woah, one of the most widespread and easiest-to-emulate viral dances of recent years. (As with most viral phenomena, the exact origin point is contested.)

But even before that, 10k.Caash, who hails from the Oak Cliff neighborhood, had been a dancer in a city that had always found overlap between dance and hip-hop — the Dougie, the Ricky Bobby, the Stanky Legg. A few years ago, however, when he and his friends were making dance videos, “Nobody thought it was cool to be a dancer,” he said. “Everybody stopped, everybody felt like we should be hood.”

Still, he danced, and people began to take note. He was one of the dancers in the viral video that catapulted Ugly God’s “I Beat My Meat” to broad attention. And he and his friends steadily made Woah videos, dancing along to local rap hits. Through dancing, he met Lil Uzi Vert — now an idiosyncratic Garbo-like superstar, but then a more accessible aspirant. Uzi appeared in some Woah videos with 10k.Caash, and eventually suggested that 10k.Caash try rapping, making songs of his own rather than, in essence, using his popularity to promote other people’s music.

10k.Caash released his first song, “Dip Swag Dip,” in the summer of 2018. That November, he self-released “The Creator.” Soon after, he signed to Def Jam, the foundational hip-hop label, which rereleased “The Creator” last May. (“He’s an overall internet sensation who just happens to make music,” Duran said.)

Many of his early stage performances were at festivals, coming out for a song during other people’s sets. His ubiquity online also created opportunities to film dance videos with more established artists like Trippie Redd or Chance the Rapper who, Duran said, treated 10k.Caash like a kind of muse: “He was bull-horning his music through 10k.” A hallmark of those clips is their evident joy, as if 10k.Caash had allowed those performers to reach something childlike inside themselves.

“A lot of people hit me up when they’re going through things,” 10k.Caash said. “I naturally make people happy.”

Rico Nasty said his open-hearted disposition is a rarity: “He genuinely wants to build friendship. Most people in the industry just do that when they need you for something.”

For an artist from Dallas, a city with a long hip-hop history but not many breakthrough successes, 10k.Caash has had a rapid, unlikely ascent, bypassing the local rap hierarchy. But he still has a devoted following in the city’s underground scene, which was clear the night after the studio session, when he appeared at a hybrid rap/wrestling event at a dingy banquet space in an industrial strip mall on the city’s northwest side.

It was a loosely hinged scene, a gathering of the subcultures. A disco ball dangled over the squared circle as 10k.Caash rapped and danced his way through an abbreviated set. When he was done, he didn’t speed off, but stuck around, sitting on the top turnbuckle to watch his friends perform.

“I really don’t care for music at all,” he’d said earlier that day. “I kind of got drained from caring. In the beginning I actually cared, but once you actually see what actually goes on, it’s like OK, it’s no reason for me to actually care.”

His earliest engagement with music was through promoting parties and dancing with friends, but the music business is less communal than that. Artists have invited him to collaborate, and then removed him from songs, he said. He’s released snippets on Instagram, only to have the sound or words copied by others.

“A lot of people that make songs like me, they don’t even have the confidence to put me on the song,” he said. “I outrap them.” Though he’s recorded approximately 500 songs, and hopes to release a third project in April, “I might be done after that,” he said.

So he has backup plans. He’s a freshman at Texas A&M University-Commerce, majoring in accounting. He knows how to code in Python. He’s made friends in FaZe Clan, the powerhouse e-sports collective. “Sometimes his heart’s not in the music,” G.U.N. said. “He’s happiest when he’s playing a game.”

Which is maybe where 10k.Caash will end up, after moving on from the way station of the record business. Now, he’s a successful rapper, dancer and social media savant. Tomorrow — who can say? “I hope it all transfers,” he said, “and I just can play games all day.”

from WordPress https://mastcomm.com/songs-nah-10k-caash-is-making-whatever-comes-next/

#Entertainment

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thehautegoddess · 6 years

Text

goddess mother...instilling confidence in your kids...and yourself!

confidence is everything. i have seen confidence take people to extraordinary heights. there is something to be said about owning your power and fabulousness. if you don’t believe your own hype, no one else will. conversely, i have seen people with so much to offer live very limited lives because of their lack of confidence – at times, myself included. i started reading “the confidence code: the science and art of self-assurance - what women should know” by katty kay and claire shipman, which is AWESOME. i highly recommend to every woman, especially those with daughters, as it discusses the impact of how we were socialized as girls regarding confidence. i have always known that socialization in childhood affects almost all aspects of who we are as adults, but the book gets into the weeds of exactly how our confidence is affected. it also talks about the possible existence of a “confidence gene” – there is evidence that some people are naturally predisposed to higher levels of confidence than others because of their genetic makeup.

i believe that confidence is one of the most important things that you can instill in your children. telling your child that they have the tools to do and be anything they can imagine is invaluable and i am so grateful i had parents who nurtured by confidence at every turn. i have seen evidence that a parent’s words can obliterate a child’s confidence, and have lifelong effects, so i am dedicated to building confidence in my amazing son. when life happens sometimes we need gentle reminders to get back on track and remember who we are, so check out this list of principles that we should teach our kids, as well as practice ourselves:

stand up straight – my son is pretty good about this, but my mother has constantly reminded me about my posture my entire life…it’s not great, but i do try to remind myself that i feel better and more regal when i literally stand tall

look people in the eye – so important! i am pretty good at this, but every time my son meets a man, in particular, i tell him to shake his hand firmly and look him in the eye. this is very, very important for him as a young man.

voice your opinion – i do this more tactfully now than in the past, and i am trying to teach my son to do this in a respectful manner – especially when dealing with adults.

speak clearly (articulate your speech; no slang; proper pronunciation) – lawd, i correct my son every day regarding his use of slang (pop culture is ruining proper grammar as we know it…but that is another post). he needs to understand that not only is there a time and place for everything, but there is also an appropriate audience. i am not your friend, sir…speak to me like a young man. i have also noticed recently, i am more confident when i slow down, and really concentrate on what i am saying. My mind moves at a million miles/minute, so choosing my words carefully helps me avoid “foot in mouth moments” or misspeaking.

write clearly (clean & clear; don’t write like a text message — unless it is a text message) – again, with my son, i noticed that on his essays for school he injects too much humor and informal language. while i love that he is such a creative and funny little guy, there is a time and place for that, and schoolwork is for learning how to do things properly. i try to keep my professional correspondence clear and concise – i can be cheeky, but don’t get it twisted…mother can put together a firm, grammatically sound sentence.

give compliments – my son is the sweetest thing and always says such loving things to me. but I am his mother, so of course he thinks i am great, but i need to make sure he does that with others. everyone loves to hear good things about themselves, and its amazing karma. i definitely give compliments, but i want to make it a daily priority. making others feel good is important.

learn to take a compliment (don’t play it off… smile and say “thank you”) – neither of us have an issue with this, lol! he is too young to be a party to the nasty habit of self-deprecation that most of us have picked up along the way. dnd within the last few years, i have consciously made an effort to graciously receive compliments given to me. i did a post a while back on this HILARIOUS comedy central video on this topic - check it out.

get dressed (looking good = feeling good) – my son cares has just starting caring about his clothes and looks, which has been a fun transition to watch. for me, i have noticed a direct correlation between confidence and how cute i am looking that day! and i don’t mean my looks, per se, but how much effort i put into myself - are my hair and polish neat? is my dress cute? are my heels high? keeping it together makes me feel like a goddess!

walk with purpose (don’t doddle or slouch. head up, eyes forward, good pace.) – my son is already incredibly swagged out and i love watching his little gait…he walks with purpose and authority and i am so proud of that. i have always walked FAST and with purpose…i’ve got sh*t to do…

ask. (if you want something, don’t be afraid to ask for it) – of course, children have no problem with this, because again, they have yet to be tainted. since i was a child, in my head i have always felt like i was royalty. thus, i too, have no problem with this J

know where you’re going. (if you don’t know where you’re headed, no one else will.) – it’s a little early for the boy to master this one, but i am definitely spending more time with myself to understand exactly what i want from my life, and how i am going to get there. i realize that if my vision is unclear, and i cannot confidently articulate what i want out of life, the universe cannot deliver...

push forward. (failure doesn’t mean the end. it means try again or try something else.) – i try really hard to help my son move past disappointment and hurt. i tell him that things happen in life, and to hold his head high, and keep it moving. my spiritual work helps me stay grounded…the universe is on my side and it knows what it’s doing… keep it moving!

remain positive. (when something negative happens, try to find the positive in it.) – my little angel often corrects me when I get down! he will say, “mommy, don’t say that because words are powerful, and words create your life…” it’s a great feeling to know that he is growing up with these principles, as i just discovered this mindset within the last 10 years, or so, of my life. one thing that i know is that you are divinely protected, so when things don’t work out in any way, KNOW that the universe has your best interest at heart. you know from what you are being protected. #fact

you are goddess…and when you remember who you are, confidence flows naturally!

meditation moment: which principle does your child need the most help with? which principle do you need the most help with?

let’s discuss - login to disqus to comment! you are a goddess – love yourself! now go do your work 😊 until next time…

0 notes

symbianosgames · 7 years

Link

The following blog post, unless otherwise noted, was written by a member of Gamasutra’s community. The thoughts and opinions expressed are those of the writer and not Gamasutra or its parent company.

[Video Game Deep Cuts is a weekly newsletter from curator/video game industry veteran Simon Carless, rounding up the best longread & standout articles & videos about games, every weekend. This week's highlights include behind-the-scenes on Hidden Folks, an interview about the Coin-Operated Americans book, interviews from E3, and much more.

Well, am back from Los Angeles, attending E3, which was - well - not that different that anyone might expect. Lots of hype and excitement for large AAA games, most of which do have guns all over them (looking forward to more Tim Rogers dispatches like this from Kotaku!), a somewhat overcrowded E3 itself thanks to the consumer influx, and enough games for everyone to be excited about at least one.

For me, that Super Mario Odyssey trailer was enough for me to pre-order the game to play with my son - and finally work out how to get a Switch, which is coming in a couple of weeks. [Sidebar: it's actually a bit crazy how much Nintendo was being counted out by many - including perhaps me. Then, whomp, two games later (new Zelda, new Mario) they're the belle of the ball again.]

But that's why E3 works as high drama, soap opera, and metacommentary hub of the year for video games - we've all got a hot take, and hot takes are king. (Also why there's not a GREAT deal of E3 coverage in this week's VGDC, heh. Not that we're 'hot take allergic', but you can get that on YouTube & Twitch right now in real-time if you'd like.) Anyway, 'til next time...

- Simon, curator.]

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

Developer Q&A: Balancing storytelling and player choice in Prey (Alex Wiltshire / Gamasutra) "Talos-1 runs on eels. This large space station, setting to Arkane Studios’ recently released emergent sim Prey, deals with its residents’ effluent by sending it to large vats where it’s consumed by the things."

Nintendo of America Boss Fils-Aimé On Comebacks, the Future of the DS and Surviving the Wii U (John Davison / Simon Cox / Glixel) "It's almost exactly a year since we last spoke with Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé at E3 2016. On that occasion he was standing fifteen feet above that Disney-like Nintendo E3 booth, which was dedicated solely to the forthcoming The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild."

Why 'Super Mario Maker' Didn’t Kill the Mario Hacking Community (Jess Joho / Motherboard) "Yet, playing hyper-polished feats of design like Super Mario Maker leave some longtime fans of the franchise nostalgic for the days of janky programming, kill screens, and brutal challenge. That's why the heroes of the Super Mario World (SMW) ROM hacking community remain stubbornly alive, even long after the release of an official Nintendo Mario level creator."

Coin-Operated Boys: An Interview with Carly Kocurek (Dan Royles / Nursing Clio) "Carly Kocurek’s Coin-Operated Americans: Rebooting Boyhood at the Video Game Arcade (Minnesota, 2015) examines the origins of modern video game culture in the “classic” arcade era, spanning the release of Pong in 1972 and the industry’s first major collapse in 1983. She traces the formation of the “technomasculine” during that period, as the arcade became increasingly defined as the province of young men."

How we make a game called Hidden Folks (Adriaan de Jongh / Imgur) "Hey there! I'm Adriaan, one of the two developers behind Hidden Folks, a game for smartphones and computers in which you search for hidden folks in hand-drawn, interactive, miniature landscapes by unfurling tent flaps, cutting through bushes, slamming doors, and poking crocodiles!"

Offworld Trading Company: An RTS Without Guns (Soren Johnson / GDC / YouTube) "In this 2017 Game Developers Conference talk, Mohawk Games' Soren Johnson dives into strategy game history to explain how he and his team developed Offworld Trading Company, a strategy game with little combat."

These Maps Reveal the Hidden Structures of ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ Books (Sarah Laskow / Atlas Obscura) "Reading a “Choose Your Own Adventure” book can feel like being lost in a maze and running through twists and turns only to find dead ends, switchbacks, and disappointment. In the books—for those not familiar with them—you read until you come to a decision point, which prompts you to flip to another page, backward or forward."

A Falconer Enters the World of Video Games (Simon Parkin / New Yorker) "The story of how Nricco Iseppi, a master falconer, came to Riot Games has, among the company’s staff, acquired the malleability of myth. According to one scriptwriter, it began when Riot had an orange grove planted on its multimillion-dollar campus, in Los Angeles, a place already bristling with perks and mod cons."

Interview: “Rez” creator Tetsuya Mizuguchi’s unusual life evolves humanity (Staff / Denfaminicogamer) "One midnight, during an internal office chat at the Denfaminicogamer editorial department were the words “They’re crazy.” This was right at the end of 2016 after PS VR was released. As it were, the editorial departments odd excitement resulted in an impulsive interview about VR Contents “Rez Infinite” at the end of last year. This article is a written version of that insane seven hours interview. [SIMON'S NOTE: the translation isn't perfect, but this interview is AMAZING - you rarely see Japanese creators asked historical questions in this kind of depth.]"

The Garden Ages | Myst series (Sam Zucchi / Heterotopias) "How do the linking books in Myst read? These books are, in-universe, written out in the alphabet and language of a dead civilization. The text details the world that the writer wishes to visit: an island is described, its qualities delineated in some detail, and a linking pane appears on the first page, ready to literally transport the reader to the object described."

The RPG Scrollbars: In search of urban fantasy (Richard Cobbett / RockPaperShotgun) "There’s a real urban fantasy gap in the gaming industry, and it’s never made much sense. We see a thousand Tolkienesque fantasy games a minute (rough napkin calculation) and the future’s typically so bright, even the lens flares need shades. Yet when it comes to that line where the mundane meets the magical, mostly what we’ve had for the last few years is false hope."

E3 Was Different This Year, And It Wasn’t Just The Crowds (Nathan Grayson / Kotaku) "It’s the first day of E3. I’m walking the show floor—or more accurately, oozing across it, slug-like, followed by a trail of my own sweat. I’m shoulder-to-shoulder with swathes of people. Across the way, crowds of people whoop and holler, each of them hoping to win swag they can stuff in their floor-length swag bags. 15,000 new people are in attendance this year. [SIMON'S NOTE: one of the most considered of the 'what's up with E3 this year?' articles.]"

7 examples of accessibility design that developers should study (Richard Moss / Gamasutra) "Games are for everyone. And in recognizing this, ever-increasing numbers of developers are making a point to incorporate more accessibility features and options like remappable controls, configurable subtitles, resizable HUDs, and more."

The big interview: Xbox boss Phil Spencer (Wesley Yin-Poole / Eurogamer) "It was with all this in mind that I sat down with Xbox boss Phil Spencer at the Galen Center in Los Angeles to talk Xbox One X. At £449, I'm not sure who the console is for ("there is a customer out there who's looking for the premium experience"). I fear for Microsoft's first-party studio setup ("I do think we have an opportunity to get better in first-party")."

The State Of Virtual Reality (Brian Crecente / Polygon) "One could argue that the age of virtual reality kicked-off during last year's Game Developers Conference, an event that nearly coincided with the launch of two of the technology's most important head-mounted displays in recent history: the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive."

EA Boss Andrew Wilson's Vision of Gaming's Future Will Blow Your Mind (John Davison / Glixel) "The intervening years were tumultuous and challenging. Changing the company to deliver on that vision was a bumpy ride, but now 10 years later, Wilson is eager to convey what the new Electronic Arts stands for, and its vision for the future of games. [SIMON'S NOTE: Much snark online for some of the 'vision' in this interview, particularly the Emily Dickinson bit.]"

Ex-Puyo Puyo producer reveals some of the classic puzzler’s earliest prototypes (Kishi / Retronauts) "Last week, Compile founder Moo Niitani announced two previously unreleased works from the defunct developer’s glory days on MSX2 computers. Later this month, Dominon and Dominon X are both coming to Project EGG, D4 Enterprise’s prolific download service for old Japanese computer games."

Don't Change a Thing! The Challenges of Evolving Solitaire (Russell Carroll / GDC / YouTube) "In this 2017 GDC session, MobilityWare's Russell Carroll shares the experience of updating Solitaire for a modern mobile audience, and what features they were able to update while grappling with intense resistance to any changes made to the core game. [SIMON'S NOTE: I've known Russell - who used to run indie site GameTunnel - for a LONG time, and this talk is as much about management philosophy as it is solitaire - it's super well-considered.]"

Young Men Are Playing Video Games Instead of Getting Jobs. That's OK. (For Now.) (Peter Suderman / Reason) "Video games, like work, are basically a series of quests comprised of mundane and repetitive tasks: Receive an assignment, travel to a location, overcome some obstacles, perform some sort of search, pick up an item, and then deliver it in exchange for a reward—and, usually, another quest, which starts the cycle all over again. You are not playing the game so much as following its orders. The game is your boss; to succeed, you have to do what it says."

7 roguelikes that every developer should study (Stefanie Fogel / Gamasutra) "With that in mind, we asked developers to name some of their favorite roguelikes - or games in other genres influenced by roguelike mechanics - and the lessons they can teach people today. And, many of these games are free and/or open source, which makes them easy to download, play, and study!"

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thehautegoddess · 6 years

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goddessmother: instilling confidence in your kids...and yourself!

i have always known that socialization in childhood affects almost all aspects of who we are as adults, but the book gets into the weeds of exactly how our confidence is affected. it also talks about the possible existence of a “confidence gene” – there is evidence that some people are naturally predisposed to higher levels of confidence than others because of their genetic makeup. i believe that confidence is one of the most important things that you can instill in your children. telling your child that they have the tools to do and be anything they can imagine is invaluable and i am so grateful i had parents who nurtured by confidence at every turn. i have seen evidence that a parent’s words can obliterate a child’s confidence, and have lifelong effects, so i am dedicated to building confidence in my amazing son.

i saw the following list on Facebook, and i realized that not only are these things i try to teach my son, but i also need to remember them! when life happens sometimes we just need gentle reminders to get back on track and remember who we are! so, while teaching these principles to your little ones, remember to practice what you preach, my loves!

stand up straight – my son is pretty good about this, but my mother has constantly reminded me about my posture my entire life…it’s not great, but i do try to remind myself that i feel regal and more confident when i literally stand tall!

voice your opinion – i definitely don’t have a problem with this, lol…but i am trying to teach my son to do this in a respectful manner – especially when dealing with adults.

speak clearly (articulate your speech; no slang; proper pronunciation) – lawd, i correct my son every day regarding his use of slang (pop culture is ruining proper grammar as we know it…but that is another post). he needs to understand that not only is there a time and place for everything, but there is also an appropriate audience. i am not your friend, sir…speak to me like a young man. i have also noticed recently, i am more confident when i slow down, and really concentrate on what i am saying. choosing your words carefully helps you to avoid “foot in mouth moments” or misspeaking.

write clearly (clean & clear; don’t write like a text message — unless it is a text message) – again, with my son, i noticed that on his essays for school he injects too much humor and informal language. while i love that he is such a creative and funny little guy, there is a time and place for that, and schoolwork is for learning how to do things properly. i definitely try to keep my professional correspondence clear and concise – i can be cheeky, but don’t get it twisted…mother can put together a firm, grammatically strong sentence.

give compliments – my son is the sweetest thing and always says such loving things to me. but i am his mother, and of course he thinks i am great, but i need to make sure he does that with others. everyone loves to hear good things about themselves, and it is amazing energy to put out into the world. i definitely give compliments, but i want to make it a daily priority. making others feel good is important.

learn to take a compliment (don’t play it off… smile and say “thank you”) – neither of us have an issue with this, lol! he is too young to be a party to the nasty habit of self-deprecation that most of us have picked up along the way. and within the last few years, i have consciously tried to graciously receive compliments given to me.

get dressed (looking good = feeling good) – my son has recently started to become quite interesting in his clothes and looks, and i suspect that is because he has started liking girls. i have noticed a direct correlation between my confidence and how cute i am looking that day! and i don’t mean my looks, per se, but how much effort i put into myself - is my hair done? is my polish neat? did i actually plan an outfit to wear to work, or did i just grab whatever was clean?

push forward. (failure doesn’t mean the end. it means try again or try something else.) — i try really hard to help my son move past disappointment and hurt. i tell him that things happen in life, and to hold his head high, and keep it moving. my spiritual work helps me stay grounded…the universe is on my side and it knows what it’s doing… keep it moving!

remain positive. (when something negative happens, try to find the positive in it.) – my little angel often corrects me when i get down! he will say, “mommy, don’t say that because words are powerful, and words create your life…” it’s a great feeling to know that he is growing up with these principles, as i just discovered this mindset within the last 10 years, or so, of my life. one thing that i know is that you are divinely protected, so when things don’t work out in any way, KNOW that the universe has your best interest at heart. you know from what you are being protected. #fact

you are goddess…and when you remember who you are, confidence flows naturally!

meditation moment: think about one thing you can improve daily that can model confidence to your child. try to think of a fun game the two of you can play to practice getting better together.

let’s discuss in the comments. you are a goddess – love yourself! now go do your work 😊 until next time…

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symbianosgames · 7 years

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- Simon, curator.]

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symbianosgames · 7 years

Link

- Simon, curator.]

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#IFTTT #Blogger

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