#i feel love is the kind of song that probably transports you to a different universe when high

[island-in-the-shadows]

Sometimes I'm fine and sometimes I'm deep into imagining human Daniel high on Armand's blood while they dance together to Donna Summer's "I Feel Love" at some club during the late 70s.

[sadesluvr]

By Your Side

Sometimes you don't realise how much Bruce needs you.

A/N: Title based off the song by Sade! The Sade/Nirvana song choice is just to show your different personalities...We love needy, loverboy Bruce :3 Minors/Ageless blogs DNI!

Word count: 2.6K

“Master Bruce is in his usual spot, I’m sure you’re aware.” 

“I know... Thank you, Alfred. Take care of him for me. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” 

“I’ve been doing this for years. You go and have fun...And might I say you look stunning as ever, Miss.” 

You flashed Alfred another smile, kissing his cheek before you left in search of your boyfriend – Bruce Wayne, and The Batman himself. From the moment you’d began dating, Alfred had been nothing but kind to you, to the point that you saw him as a father in-law rather than your boyfriend's butler. Granted, it was easy for him to trust you; you’d been in all the same circles as the Wayne’s growing up and had even gone to school with the boy himself, hence a mutual understanding of what each other needed. 

Bruce wasn’t that much of a public figure; you kept your relationship hidden (as much as possible). Wayne Enterprises sometimes needed good PR; you were more than happy to step in. Yes, there was a business side, but there was also a lot of love, and it was perhaps that innate trust and understanding that propelled the man to reveal his identity to you. You hadn’t run, screamed, questioned or cried: merely accepted and moved on. 

Tonight was one of those nights; a charity gala was to be held, and somebody needed to make a public appearance.  

You’d been into the Batcave many times. It wasn’t your favourite place in the building; it was a little cold and lacked the classic feel of the Gothic architecture in the main tower, but you found yourself strangely comfortable in it. Probably because it was Bruce’s space, and you felt like you knew him on a deeper level. 

Goosebumps peppered your skin as you entered the floor, heels making a distinct clicking sound as you walked in, stopping halfway. As always, the man was glued to his screen, and you thought it best not to disturb him. No matter how nice you looked. 

“I’m heading out. The chauffeur’s going to be here in twenty.” 

Bruce pursed his lips, slowly withdrawing his gaze from the screen to glance up at you, his brows furrowing slightly as he gave you a once over. Even with the hair in his face, you could tell that there was a flurry of emotions within his wet blue eyes; disappointment, annoyance...intrigue.  

“...Tonight? Why?” he said, his voice soft and shaky. 

“Because I have to,” you sighed, a small smile on your face as you shifted your weight. Bruce was far from being a child, but sometimes he walked the line between being an eight-year-old, and an angsty teenager, something that you were more than understanding about given his life circumstances. “It’s for charity. I’m also going on your behalf.” 

He seemed uncomfortable at this; blinking as he diverted his gaze back to his screen, eyes roaming the pixelated words and images absentmindedly before turning back to you, jaw tight and ticking. 

“It’s not safe.” 

“Alfred took care of all the transport,” you said matter-of-factly. “There’ll be lots of people there. I couldn’t get kidnapped if I tried.” 

Bruce didn’t laugh. You should’ve anticipated that. 

Sighing, there was a distant smile on your face as you got closer, placing your hand on his own and giving it a small squeeze. His hands were a little cold and slightly calloused, and you tenderly rubbed his knuckles with your thumb, careful not to agitate him with your rings.  

“Would you feel better if you drove me?”  

“I know what you’re doing,” he said, his voice stern, but his. “Not tonight. If people know you’re with me it only makes you more of a target.” 

Removing your hands from his own, you took a deep breath and sighed, swiping your tongue over your bottom lip in frustration. God knew you loved Bruce, but God also knew he was stubborn; way too stubborn for his own good. The rational side of you knew that it was because of his trauma, but in the moment you didn’t feel like coddling him. 

Great, now you’d ruined your makeup.  

You were going to fix it, and then you were going to the gala.  

“That’s too bad, Bruce.”  Was all you said before you disappeared, spinning on your heels as you strutted out of the room without as much as giving him a second glance.

You could feel his impenetrable gaze on your back as you did, either cursing you out in his mind, fantasising about you, or somewhere in between. The lighting of the Batcave was perhaps a little too dim to see the entirety of your dress anyway. 

Strolling into the bathroom, you switched on the light before taking a glimpse at yourself in the mirror. There were hints of condensation along the mirror and bath tiles from the shower you'd taken earlier, the faint smell of your oils and body lotions sticking to the fibres of the hand towel.  

You picked up a cloth and hastily wiped at the glass, just enough so that you could see your face and the outline of your body. Gently, you ran your fingers over your hips and waist, trying desperately to smooth out the material before you rummaged in your makeup bag, pulling out the liner and running it over your lips. The precision in which you performed the ritual told you that you were perhaps more interested in the aesthetics of it all, rather than the actual charity itself.  

It was a transaction really – and in truth you had the same mindset as all the other rich Gothamites. You may have been dating the heir to the Wayne throne, but were an ambassador first, and that meant appearances had to be made. It kept the business happy, and Bruce too, leaving him free to do his vigilante shit as much as he pleased. 

Once you were happy with how you looked, you gave yourself a once over, contemplating whether you should go for another spritz of perfume, only to be interrupted by Bruce himself. He’d poked his head inside the doorway, watching your motions from behind.  

Catching his eye in the mirror, you relaxed your shoulders and spun to lean against the edge of the sink. He took that as a sign to come in, closing the door behind him with two fingers as he did, glassy eyes roaming your body before focusing on your face. The muggy air of the bathroom seemed to catch up with him instantly; his black strands frizzy and unbridled, some clinging to his forehead in the process.  

To an outsider, one would’ve never been able to tell that this was a happy, healthy couple – friends from the same tax bracket – let alone Bruce Wayne, one of the richest men in the city. He was wearing one of his muted t-shirts with sweatpants to match, and looked a little spent, stubble around his chin and bags under his eyes; whilst you were dressed as if you were ready to walk a fashion show in Milan. 

But you were fine with it. In fact, you rather liked it. 

“Are you here to apologise?” you said matter-of-factly, smirking as you folded your arms over your chest. 

“That’s a nice dress,” Bruce said, ignoring your statement. “Where’d you get it?” 

“I bought it. It was on auction.” 

“Why didn’t you let me pay for it?” 

“Because if I told you what it was for, I wouldn’t be wearing it now.” 

Bruce hummed, nodding his head as he diverted his gaze before looking back at you. He took a step, outstretching his hand to run his fingers along the fabric, tracing the shape of your body as he did. The act, though small, sent a chill down your spine, as if you were being touched by him for the first time.

He always seemed to have a way with his actions; they were gentle and somewhat apprehensive, but they always had intent. Your eyes fluttered shut as he buried his face in your neck, his hairs tickling your bare skin as he eventually pulled you into a hug. Momentarily, you remained still, listening as his breaths steadied before you touched him back, wrapping your hands around his waist. 

There was a soft whistle that came from his nose as he embraced the scent of your perfume, and soon his pout became an imperceptible smile – to you, at least, who was faced away from the mirror. You always managed to bring him a sense of comfort; a grounding reality to the mania of his double life. 

His grip on the small of your back tightened as he spoke into your ear, voice somewhat muffled. 

“I need you...” he crooned. “Stay.” 

“Bruce...” you sighed. “The driver --” 

“Forget about him,” Bruce insisted, maintaining his grip on you as he angled his head to look at you. His pink lips were wet and parted, and his eyes were wide. “Stay with me. Please.” 

Perhaps it was the lighting, but he seemed less grumpy and instead soft, almost like a boy who didn’t want to be left on his first day of school. Sighing, you scanned his features as you cupped his cheek in your hand, feeling the eagerness to step out in front of the cameras and into a grand hall filled with socialites indescribably slip away.

Admittedly, even though you spent a lot of time in the tower, you’d hardly seen Bruce over the past few weeks – whilst you worked tirelessly through the day with PR reps and funders, he did the same at night; in his own way, of course.  

You were used to it, and it was a relatively peaceful routine, but sometimes you wondered if tonight was your chance to switch roles; for you to be the woman in black, and for him to ponder about what was happening outside. 

You didn’t want to hurt him. That was never the intention. 

Rubbing your thumb over his skin, you pursed your lips before pulling him into a gentle kiss, with the man holding your waist in place with his hands, legs and pelvis trapping you between the sink and his body.

Despite your mini dispute, you were immediately in sync, lips intertwined as they danced against each other whilst Bruce’s hands made their way up to the zipper behind you. Skilfully, he tugged at the material, watching as the fabric slowly split apart, undressing you until you were left in your underwear; chest practically bare other than some pasties glued to your nipples. 

You cast your gaze to the floor as the dress pooled around your ankles, unable to have a chance at mourning the night you were supposed to have as Bruce cupped your chin between his index finger and thumb, angling your head to look at him. 

“Beautiful.”  

He said simply, his blue eyes scanning your features before he began to kiss you again, his lips making their way down your neck and along your collarbone. You laced your fingers in his dark strands, biting your lip as you felt his erection against your bare thigh before tugging at his shirt. He twitched, his resistance coming from the scars that adorned his back; some from your own doing, but most from his nights of vigilante work.  

“It’s ok, Bruce,” you said sweetly, squirming against the ceramic. “I want to see you too.” 

He cast his gaze to the floor before softly exhaling, peeling off his shirt and discarding it on the floor next to your dress.

Running your fingertips up his spine, you let out a soft moan as he cupped your breasts, his hands uncontrolled as he felt his way along your body, eventually sliding down to your folds and slipping a finger in. He prodded and poked, gently pulling you apart as you coated his fingers with your juices, his lips still on your skin as he began to jerk against you, grinding his erection on your lower torso. 

Instinctively, you snaked your hand inside of his sweatpants, giving his clothed cock a few languid strokes before pulling them down by the waistband. Groping at your ass, Bruce lifted you off the sink and onto the adjoining counter, hastily aligning himself with your entrance.  

“Bruce...I’m sorry. Forgive me?” you whispered, shutting your eyes as his wet tip prodded at your entrance. It was a rather misplaced, emotional message for such a sexually charged moment, but you found it necessary. Here; with his face in your hands and your bodies just about to become one, there wasn’t a better moment. Coherent words seemed to evade the both of you, but the message was clear – you were by each other's side, always. He knew you were one of the few people who got him, understood him; really, and you knew that deep down, he was just scared. 

You were willing to work through that. 

It was bliss when he entered you. He’d gone in raw, cock stretching you so perfectly and making you feel whole. He let out a heavy sigh as he savoured the feeling before beginning to roll his hips, murmuring into your neck as he held onto your legs, making sure they stayed apart.  

Jostling about, your calves struck the cabinets below ever so slightly as he found a comfortable pace. His breath was hot against your own clammy skin, and he smelt faintly of leather and sweat…which only turned you on more. 

Bruce groaned your name, his breaths laboured and ragged as he motioned his hips in and out of you, pelvis colliding with your thighs and producing an obscene slapping sound. He gripped onto your waist, angling your hips so that he could take more of you, desperate to consume you in any way he could. He didn’t want to let go – he couldn’t – your love was just too strong, too womanly to lose hold of. 

To some it made him weak, but he felt it gave him balance. 

“God…” you whispered, clasping his face in your hands, forcing him to watch you come undone. “Don’t stop…” Bruce’s eyes were half lidded, occasionally flickering down to the small gap that joined the two of you, hypnotised by the way you covered his pink cock in a shiny sheen, with the sex organ virtually disappearing in you. 

He nodded, lips wet and parted as you pushed hair from his face, allowing for you to take in his features at his most vulnerable. Even though the room had become steamy, and the lights were slightly obscured, Bruce was as handsome as ever. His usually clenched jaw hung free, and the dark circles around his eyes didn’t look so depressing. 

There was just something about intimacy that changed the way you see people. 

“B-Bruce…” you crooned, locking your legs around him as you noticed his thrusts becoming sloppier. “Cum inside me…Please.” 

He wasn’t going to say no to you, nor was he planning to pull out anyway, especially not tonight. He called your name once more before he began to pant, blue eyes locking with your own as he came inside of you, ropes of his seed filling your pussy to the brim. He was pent up, so desperate that you wondered if his protectiveness earlier on in the night had just been because he was horny. 

“I love you…” he whispered, twitching as he came down from his high. “You know that?” 

“I do.” You nodded sincerely, words evading you as your chests fell against the others’, still entangled in each-others arms as your eyelids fluttered shut, momentarily focusing on the others’ breaths and gentle caresses on bare skin. 

You didn’t care about the dress, or the gala, or the fact that you were going to have to run out for Plan B in the morning – simply the fact that it had been the first time he’d directly said ‘I love you’. 

Bruce knew he meant it with all his heart.

[theetherealbloom]

UNEVEN ODDS - CH. 9 (Epilogue)

Chapter 9 (Epilogue): There’s Some Kind Of Heaven Just Around The Corner

Summary: The Reader is dragged into the Last of Us universe and has no choice but to watch the events unfold or will she be able to change what was already written?

Paring: Joel Miller x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Age-gap Romance, Violence, ANGST, Swearing, Suicide, FLUFF, PTSD, Depression, Anxiety, Crying, Suggestive content, the pandemic, character death, INFECTED, MY SCIENCE IS WONKY, probable plot holes, rusty writing, TLOU is dark please read at your own risk!

Word Count: 2k

A/N:  After many months of not writing, I present to you the epilogue of S1 for TLOU. Thank you for sticking by me with my silly little stories, I can never express how grateful I am to have you all. I’m horrified and excited at the thought of S2, maybe the reader could change the important ending… who knows. Stay safe everyone <3

Song: Intermission by Sleeping At Last

Previous Chapter -> Season 2 | Series Masterlist

TLOU WORLD 2023

SILVER LAKE, COLORADO TO SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – A FEW WEEKS LATER…

The cool breeze of the evening brushes against your face as you sit on the porch of the farmhouse, strumming the strings of the guitar Joel now treasures. The people of Jackson have embraced you warmly, welcoming you back into their community. The topic of the Fireflies remains unspoken, a shared understanding between you and Joel. It lingers in the background, a memory that only surfaces when necessary.

Life in Jackson has brought a sense of normalcy, a semblance of the life you had before the chaos consumed the world. But this time, it's different. This time, you feel like you belong, like you are loved. The little family you've formed with Joel and Ellie has found solace within the walls of this farmhouse. As the seasons pass by, a routine settles in, and the farmhouse pulses with life, as if it has its own heartbeat.

The bugs begin to retreat once again, signaling the transition from summer to autumn. You find yourself on the porch, the guitar resting gently on your lap. It was a gift for Joel, a token of appreciation and love, but it also earned you a playful scolding. Joel made it clear that you should never leave Jackson without informing him first. It was a testament to his protectiveness, a reminder of the bond that has grown between you.

At this moment, the world seems so simple. The rush of blood through your veins transports you back to your youth, when fear and uncertainty were distant notions. Seventeen again, you find yourself unafraid of death, daring to dream once more. The curve of the valley before you holds a profound meaning. Happiness emanates from within as you gaze at the serene surroundings.

As the words echo in your mind, they bring a smile to your face. Joel's voice resounds in your memory, "I'll never let you go." Those five words hold a depth of emotion, a promise that transcends the hardships you've endured. In this tranquil moment, you realize that you have found a home, a place where love and safety intertwine. You are content, knowing that Joel is by your side, ready to face whatever challenges may come.

The future may hold uncertainties, but for now, you bask in the stillness, cherishing the connection that binds you and Joel together. The world may be broken, but within the embrace of this farmhouse, you have found solace, love, and a renewed sense of purpose. And as you continue to strum the guitar, the notes reverberate through the air, carrying the harmony of your newfound happiness into the world.

Lost in the nostalgic melody, you find yourself humming a tune that holds a special place in your heart. The tranquility of the moment is interrupted by the gentle reminder that you're wearing one of Joel's shirts, two sizes too big. It's a simple gesture, a symbol of the closeness you share, but it also serves as a reminder that nothing is certain in this world. Doubts linger, even as you begin to feel at home.

The passing year has been arduous, and its weight lingers in your mind. The slow progress makes you question if you're truly moving forward. Trust is a scarce commodity, earned by only a select few. The scars etched upon your bodies, remnants of battles fought in your youth, serve as a constant reminder of the dangers that persist. And yet, the revelation of a collapsing sun and rising seas, of crumbling buildings, brought about a new understanding of the fragility of existence.

As you continue strumming and humming, Joel stands by the door, captivated by the beauty that radiates from you. The sun begins its descent on the southern horizon, casting a warm glow on the scene. Unable to resist any longer, Joel quietly approaches, his footsteps barely audible. He wraps his arms around your waist, his presence causing you to giggle. His lips press against the side of your neck, the scruff of his chin tickling your skin.

"Joel!" you playfully chide, a mixture of surprise and delight in your voice. He responds with a hum, his voice filled with affection, "My sweet Birdie..."

You quickly place the guitar on the side, and in that tender moment, you realize that despite the uncertainties and doubts that surround you, you have found a sanctuary in each other. Joel's embrace offers a sense of security, a refuge from the storms that rage outside. You feel a rush of gratitude for the love you've found amidst the chaos, and a renewed determination to protect what you hold dear.

Basking in the warmth of Joel's affection, you turn your head to meet his gaze, curiosity tugging at your thoughts. "How was the patrol today?" you inquire, wanting to know about the world beyond the safety of Jackson's walls. 

Joel plants gentle kisses on the side of your head, your cheek, and finally on your lips, his love conveyed through each tender touch. His gaze locks with yours, his southern accent subtly peeking through as he responds, "Today was good, darlin'. Nothin' for your pretty head to worry about."

A sense of relief washes over you, knowing that for at least one day, the dangers that loom outside haven't posed a threat. But your thoughts naturally drift to Ellie, the young woman who has become an integral part of your lives. You can't help but bring her up, knowing that Joel's bond with her is unbreakable.

"What about Ellie? How's she doing?" you ask, genuine concern lacing your words. Ellie's resilience and determination have become a source of inspiration, even amidst the darkest of times.

A soft smile tugs at the corners of Joel's lips as he replies, his voice filled with fondness, "Ellie's holdin' up. Been keepin' busy, learnin' new skills, and takin' care of herself. She's got that fire in her, just like you."

The mention of Ellie's fiery spirit brings a wave of admiration. You can't help but feel proud of her growth, of the strength she embodies. In this broken world, the relationships you've forged hold immense importance, anchoring you to hope and reminding you of the enduring power of love.

Nestling closer to Joel, you rest your head against his chest, the steady beat of his heart a soothing lullaby. "I'm glad she's finding her way," you murmur softly, your voice filled with genuine affection. "We're lucky to have her in our lives."

Joel's arms tighten around you, his voice brimming with tenderness as he responds, "Ain't that the truth, darlin'. We're blessed to have each other, and no matter what comes our way, we'll face it together."

Feeling a surge of love for Joel, you lift your head from his chest to meet his gaze. The twinkle in his eyes tells a story of unwavering devotion, and a mischievous grin plays upon his lips. You can't help but become enveloped in his warmth, finding solace in his presence.

"I don't tell you enough, Joel," you begin, your voice filled with sincerity, "but you mean the world to me. I love you.”

Joel's expression softens, his gaze locked with yours. He brushes a strand of hair away from your face, his touch gentle yet purposeful. "You know, darlin'," he replies, his voice slightly husky, "you mean the world to me too. There ain't a day that goes by where I don't thank my lucky stars for bringin' you into my life."

The vulnerability in Joel's words tugs at your heartstrings, and you lean in, pressing a tender kiss against his lips. It's a gentle affirmation of the love that binds you together, a silent promise of forever.

As you pull back, a playful glimmer dances in Joel's eyes. "You know," he says, a mischievous grin spreading across his face, "I reckon I'm the luckiest man alive. Not only do I have the most beautiful person by my side, but I've also got a hell of a good kisser."

His words elicit a giggle from you, the sound filling the air with pure joy. Wrapping your arms around his neck, you whisper, "Flattery will get you everywhere, Mr. Miller."

The two of you settle into a comfortable silence, relishing the closeness and the unspoken language of love that flows between you. With each passing moment, the world outside fades into insignificance, leaving only the warmth and tenderness of this intimate connection.

A gentle breeze rustles the leaves overhead, the delicate dance of foliage creating a symphony of nature. Your fingers entwined with Joel's, each touch a testament to the warmth and tenderness that envelops you in this serene moment.

In the ambient glow of the evening, the air pulses with an almost tangible affection. The space between you and Joel becomes a canvas painted with an unspoken promise that transcends the limitations of words. In the delicate interplay of shared vulnerabilities and profound love, you find a sanctuary where the concept of time fades, replaced by the eternal embrace of this connection.

In this fleeting instance, bathed in the gentle twilight, you take solace in the richness of your conversation. Despite the shadows that loom from past events and the uncertainties that await, the presence of Joel beside you becomes a steadfast beacon, guiding you through the dimly lit corridors of life.

The embrace continues, a dance of shared whispers and laughter, a rhythmic exchange that weaves together the tapestry of your lives. Amidst the harshness of the world, the cocoon of your love becomes a refuge, a source of strength, and a testament to the formidable power of unity.

Yet, beneath the surface of this idyllic scene, a quiet ache persists, a shadow that lingers in the corners of your consciousness. There are nights when Joel lies peacefully asleep beside you, unaware of the storm that rages within your mind. In those quiet hours, memories materialize, hazy and elusive, casting a spectral glow on the canvas of your thoughts.

You can see him on the porch, the soft strains of a guitar accompanying the melancholic melody of your recollections. The air is charged with the bittersweet echoes of a past that refuses to be forgotten. There are nights when tears silently trace the contours of your face, the weight of remembered endings pressing upon your heart.

Joel, the silent guardian at your side, remains oblivious to the tempest within. His presence is a comfort, but the specter of a different ending, an alternate narrative, leaves you restless in the quiet hours of the night. The story, once written in ink, now seems to bleed into the realm of what-ifs and what-could-have-beens.

And so, in the embrace of the night, you grapple with the dichotomy of love and loss, finding solace in the tangible warmth of Joel's presence, even as the ghosts of untold stories linger in the shadows.

TAGLIST:

@memento-mora @elijahssuit @tartiflvtte @lillylilly2 @kyuupidwrites @amethystwonder11 @syd-vixious @kidkrow666 @soulofapatrick @ponyboys-sunsets @superflymaterial @chaotic-imposter @vainbimbo @eva-stark @loki-an-idiot @littleshadow17 @undermoonlightwalk @afternoon-evening @notmysunnydale  @slurmp69 @gyllord @aerangi @mac5323 @friskynotebook @earth-to-lottie @chaotic-imposter @kodzuvk @hawkins-2000 @reallysparklychaos @trust-dreamcatcher @darkened-writer @memeorydotcom @welcomebackfelicia @rainbowpitofdoom @omg-its-typical-aesthetics-fan @marvelsimpcz @dorck26 @evienorville @munsons-queen @little-miss-bi @mxltifxnd0m @ohjoelmiller @coalix @taestrwbrry @avengersheart @gyllord @valentine-babe@missdragon-1 @ponyboys-sunsets @ipadkidsworld @otternanamilolo @issybee0611 @technicallysassyfox @cupcakemachete @manuchyy @darkened-writer @andyrazzledazzle @glossythor @virtueassassin @witchy-jadda @imonmykneessir @norr1e @mando-bix @thicficbich1 @adoringanakin @lalla-04p @reallysparklychaos @hollywoodmariposa @mando-bix @lunatic1012 @davosmymaster

[eurofanamongotherthings]

Review: Live From Arena Stožice

can you tell i’m on winter break and have nothing better to do?

1) Sunny Side of London

• What can I sayyyyy! we’ve had this live version out for a while now and it’s probably the only JO song that I 100% prefer live. It’s MADE for a live performance, for an audience that will have fun with it and participate. Great opening choice too! 9/10

2) Gola

• Felt much more energetic than the studio version! Gola isn’t my fave but I definitely like it more now that we have this live version! 8/10

3) Bele Sanje

• I think the best part about Bele Sanje are the little nuanced things like the “lalalala” and some of the electronics which I can’t really hear in the live version BUT I can’t complain….I loved it, especially the extended guitar part at the end (which im assuming is Jan lol) and the boys going absolutely CRAZY on backing vocals!

4) Plastika

• THE TRANSITION FROM BELE SANJE TO THIS?!?! HELLO?!?? MY SOUL ASCENDED!!! I can hear all of the electronics and all of the energy! I love that you can obviously tell that Plastika is a fan favorite! Bojan’s emotion in this live version (especially on “ne morem se odločit al se jočem al smejim) just took it to the next level imo. 10/10

5) Proti Toku

•Not much to say about it, I think it’s definitely more fun than the studio version but it just seems quiet to me??? idk?? 8/10 tho, it’s still a banger

6) Dopamin

• THIS!!!! I LOVE LOVE LOOOOOOOOVE THIS!!! I see clips of Dopamine on tiktok or something and it sounds more aggressive than in the studio, and im SOOOOO glad it sounds that way here! It’s such a cute, happy song but it’s so…HARD! Guitars were going CRAAAAAAAAZY, but we could still hear some of the little electronic bits. Byfar some of the best sounds of the album. 20/10

7) Padam

• I cry, I cry every time. Love the audience in this one and Bojan’s voice?!?? angelic. 9/10

8) Demoni

• WE FINALLY HAVE THE DEMONI SCREAM ON STREAMING PLATFORMS! The ONLY thing I think you have been better was just volume, i don’t feel the impact as much in this song as i do in some of the others (which is not the case for the studio albums). Loved how they kind of slightly played around instrumentally with the beginning and the end. All my homies love Demoni. 10/10

9) Katrina

• Ok so…..Katrina is by far my favorite Joker Out song so by default, I think this version is great. There was a lot more tension this go around which, in my mind, fits nicely with the lyrics. HOWEVER…… I think I hyped this up too much in my mind. It was still very very VERY good (and the sheer quality of Jan’s solo was just impeccable, which is what I was hoping for), just missing something that I can’t really put my finger on. 10/10 tho, stream Katrina for clear skin.

10) A sem ti povedal

Ok ok ok hear me out . I am an A sem ti povedal binge streamer, the studio version is what I think musical perfection is. Every time i see a live performance of it, it’s always tweaked in some way, which hurts my little studio-loving heart. I’m not gonna lie and say the trumpet solo was bad or anything, in fact I thought it was quite beautiful, but I don’t think it should have taken the place of the heart-melting intro in the studio version. HOWEVER, I got over that pretty quickly, with the acapella introduction and the buildup into the A-MA-ZING bridge. Personally I think Bojan’s little changes to how sings this one really made a difference, especially since they went ahead and changed like….most of the song anyways. Still, i was transported to another dimension with this one even though I am still a pretty strict A sem ti povedal purist. 9/10

11) Omamljeno telo

Fun, Fun, Fun! One of my favorite JO songs! It almost felt too short! 9/10

12) Kot Srce, Ki Kri Poganja

Martin girlies WYA?!?! EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS WAS PERFECT! from ACTUALLY performing Kot Scre, to releasing it in the album, to the evergy, and ESPECIALLY to having Matic and Martin, who absolutely ATE THIS UP!!! Did anyone else become a Kot Srce, Ki Kri Poganja girlie after this? because I certainly did! 15/10

13) Metulji

• Upon seeing a 6 minute version of Metulji i was very excited. Figuring out that most of it was straight up guitar was definitely something that grew on me after a few listens. One of my favorite things about the studio version of this song is just HOW Bojan sings (it just scratches my brain) and it still does that in this album, and it’s even MORE emotional! Instrumentally, I LOOOOOVED the little tiny changes they made, it really was so beautiful, and also tense, and a little scary! it’s crazy what you can do with sounds. 10/10

14) Vse Kar Vem

•ALSKDSKDKFJ I LOVE THIS SONG!!!! I dont speak Slovene but I FELT EVERY SINGLE WORD!!! Ofc knowing the lyrics helps, and all of that just made me …FEEL! I WAS FEELING FEELINGS! I could feel the audience feeling feelings!!!! What I don’t see talked about enough is how Jure SLAYED that drum break like LORD HAVE MERCYYYYY. 10/10

15) Barve Oceana

• BRAVE Oceana absolutely killed me…but speaking of Jure absolutely eating the girlies up, the drum break in this was just PERFECT. Also I loooooved being able to hear Nace during the first few verses, I never realized the bass part was so fun! AND THE BACKING VOCALS? THE AAAAAAAA’s? PERFECTION! 10/10

mr. maček i love you

16) Ngvot

• KRIS GUŠTIN YOU WILL ALWAYS BE FAMOUS! ALWAYS! We all knew he could throw down with the songwriting, and it’s just so nice to be able to hear him sing it too! Ngvot is a classic, nothing much to say about this live version! 8.5/10

17) Vem Da Greš

• also another OP fave here and another beautiful transition into this from Ngvot! Also not too much to say about this one other than I felt it wasn’t as impactful as the studio version, like the buildups were just for nothing because the actual hits were lacking power. Also the faint children’s choir-esque sound was throwing me off? I heard it it Metulji too and idk what it is! 8/10

18) Ne Bi Smel

• part 3 of Jure absolutely killing it. Now THIS was powerful! So much energy, especially compared to the already super-fast studio version. Bojan’s voice was definitely one of the highlights (it is in every song, but especially here!)!

19) Ona

• to be honest, i’m not rocking with this jazz band version of it. The sultry sax intro was a great addition, setting up the plot of the song and everything, but this big brass thing throughout the song was not it for me. I think what I love about the studio version is the angry electronic things we hear, and we do hear it here, but it’s almost cancelled out by the brass? idk man, it’s a song about crying your eyes out every night because of a girl and it just wasn’t feeling like that! 7/10, I still love Ona

20) Tokio

• The audience did their part in this one! Another great one, I have no complaints. 10/19

21) Umazane Misli

• God i love this one! I think this had the perfect amount of experimentation in it for the song to sound like itself while also feeling fresh. Personally i would have preferred if there were no mics or instruments on during the part with the girl’s voice and just had the whole audience sing the whole thing, but that’s just a stylistic, nitpicky thing lmao. 9.5/10

22) Novi Val

• I cried, i’m still crying. 15/10

23) Carpe Diem

• Carpe Diem NEVER fails! This was the absolute best song to close out with in EVERY way! It’s fun with a sappy ending that wraps up the album and the show perfectly. I would have sold all of my limbs to be there during that. 20/10

[xserenemeadowsx]

Unconditional Love (Chapter 5)

By xSereneMeadowsx

Link for Chapter 4: https://www.tumblr.com/xserenemeadowsx/719178293244493824/unconditional-love-chapter-4?source=share

A/N: Thank you everyone for the likes and follows! I really appreciate it! :) This past week was a little hard on me which is why I didn’t update for a week. This chapter is a little shorter than the others. I hope you all enjoy it!

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Chapter 5

The sun spread its rays out, greeting the world before it. The light shone down on all who slept beneath it, stirring the slumber each guest had. Eyes slowly opened and took in the scenery. Peach was the first to awaken. She got up and stretched her limbs. Soon, her companions joined her.

“Good morning,” Peach spoke in a sleepy voice.

“Morning,” the brothers and mushroom man replied.

“Did all of you sleep well?” the princess asked.

“As well as I could,” Luigi answered.

“It was alright,” Mario said.

“I slept well,” Toad replied.

“I slept well too,” Peach answered. “We best get breakfast together and get a move on. We aren’t too far from the Yoshi Kingdom now, but we still have a long road ahead of us.”

“I got you covered!” Toad exclaimed as he whipped out his skillet and various items of food.

“Great!” Peach said. She did enjoy Toad’s cooking a lot and she looked forward to what he would prepare for them.

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Y/N sighed as she sat in the cage eating her food. It really was not the most pleasant being held up in a cage. Not that the cage was too small, but it was exhausting. She wanted space to walk around in, a nice bed to sleep in, and a wardrobe of different clothes. She’d been stuck in the same outfit for about two days now. She wondered how people at home were reacting to her absence. She was sure she was going to be fired from her job at this point. She mentally groaned at the thought of losing her job.

She didn’t have her cellphone with her either. She felt stupid not bringing it with her. Then again, service probably wouldn’t work out here either. She finished her breakfast and curled her legs into herself, knees propped up. She rested her arms across her knees, setting her chin down on top of her wrists.

‘It’s fun writing a song, but…what is the point in writing this song? He knows Peach doesn’t like him and this song probably won’t make a difference to her. No matter how much heart and soul you put into it, it seems pointless in the end…’ Y/N couldn’t help having these thoughts swarm through her mind. She’d been hurt before and as much as she wasn’t enjoying Bowser’s presence for the most part, she didn’t want to see him hurt. She felt that everyone deserved to find love with a special someone where the feelings are reciprocated amongst the two people involved in said relationship.

Just as she was going to continue pondering more, the doors of the throne room opened and in walked Bowser with Kamek.

“Songwriter! Ready to start the day?” Bowser asked as he stared up at Y/N.

“Sure,” Y/N replied softly.

Kamek worked his magic at getting Y/N out of the cage and transporting all of them to the music room. He immediately left the king and human alone in the music room. Bowser and Y/N made their way to the piano bench and sat down.

“I was thinking that we could start off the song with, ‘Peaches, I have a song just for you. Please lend me your ear to hear these words.’” Bowser said.

Y/N was slightly dazed out, “Oh! Uh, sure...that works.”

The Koopa King could read Y/N’s appearance, “You’re not focused. I need you to stay with me on this. I want to get this song out to Peaches soon.”

“Sorry…Guess I have a lot on my mind…” It wasn’t a lie. Y/N couldn’t stop pondering over if everything they were doing had any point to it or not.

“Well, get your mind out of the clouds and back on this song,” he demanded. “What line should we add after that?”

“Hmm…we could add, ‘I hope this finds you well because the sight of you makes my heart swell. Your kindness and care are like birds soaring in the air. I feel at ease and weak in my knees when I see you.’ We could add in the chorus after that where you say Peaches, I love you if that sounds good,” Y/N said.

“Yes. Following that, the descriptions of her hair and eyes could come in.” Bowser smiled, “‘Your dark blue eyes make the stars shine at night. Your hair is the sunshine of my mornings when I awake.’”

“Yeah, and then maybe after that, ‘I hope you see how much you mean to me. Peaches, your sweetness is like candy for my teeth. You make my heart sing with love for you. I want to be your right guy for all of time.’ Then, we could go back to the chorus again. Sound good?” Y/N asked.

“Yes. After the chorus, maybe a few other lines…” Bowser carefully thought over what else could be added in. He did want to emphasize his promise to love her, “How about this, ‘We may have our differences, but this I promise you. I will love you for all of time unconditionally my sweet. No matter the obstacles that come our way, I will make sure to treasure each day with you.’ Then, we go back to the chorus,” Bowser said.

“Wow, that all sounds great! Let’s hear it played out on the piano!” Y/N said. She was impressed by those lines.

Bowser, ecstatically, began the tune on the piano and sang out the words he and Y/N came up with. The scenery in the room changed once again to the scenery of the waterfall and grassy field. Y/N smiled at the scenery change. She quite enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere. She saw Bowser gaze at the picture of Peaches on the piano as he sang his heart out. She stared at him and could tell he really felt good about what was being sung out.

The piano finished its last note along with Bowser and the king turned to look at the songwriter who currently still looked at him, “Well Songwriter?”

Y/N, who had become lost in her gaze, snapped out of it, “Huh? Oh! Yes, the song. I really like it. I think the princess will too.” The song was lovely and very captivating. She truly hoped that his heart wouldn’t be too broken or broken at all.

Bowser had taken notice of how Y/N stared at him. He was a bit flustered, but he found it nice that someone was paying attention to him when he was singing his heart out. Y/N really helped him out with this song, and he was grateful for it. He couldn’t get her voice out of his mind last night for quite some time. Her voice was like a sweet lullaby and when her (eye color) looked at him, it made him feel good.

“Um…did you hear me Bowser? I said I like the song,” Y/N waved her hand in front of him to get his attention. Why was he so dazed out all the sudden?

“Hmm? Oh, yes. Glad you like it,” Bowser said, coming back to reality. “I want to show it the princess in the next couple of days. I think some practice is in order first.”

“Yeah, that’s understandable,” Y/N said.

“Now that you have helped me, I’ll have Kamek take you back to the cage,” Bowser said.

Y/N really didn’t want to go back into the cage, “Is it possible for me to…to have a room instead? Please?”

Bowser looked into her eyes and thought, ‘I suppose I could give her a room. She did well in helping me. Then again though, what is the point in keeping her still? She’s already done her part…but she could be used as leverage. Yes, I’ll keep her for that.’

“I suppose so…” he answered. “Kamek!”

The wizard in calling instantly appeared in the room, “Yes Sire?”

“Give Y/N a room. She deserves an upgrade in accommodations for helping me out,” Bowser spoke.

“Of course,” Kamek responded. “Come with me this way.” He ushered Y/N out of the room.

Y/N turned to look at the king, “Bowser, thank you.” She smiled kindly at him. She was happy at least that she was going to have a room.

Bowser only nodded and turned back to the piano, the background in the room slowly changing back to its original appearance. His heart was full of joy. This song was going to woo over the princess no problem. He began to play the tune again and sing the song as he gazed at the picture of Peaches.

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Y/N and Kamek walked all over the castle and Y/N took in all the different paintings that hung on the walls. Many of them were of lava sceneries, but there were a few of Bowser himself. He would look intimidating, cunning, and…lonely. She could understand the loneliness she saw in some of the paintings. He truly wanted a companion and he had been set on the princess for so long that he felt he had no other options.

“Over here will be your room,” Kamek said as they came upon two large red doors.

Y/N turned in the direction Kamek pointed to and followed him inside the room.

“I can design this in any way you please,” the wizard said. “Just say what you want to have in here.”

“Wow! Thanks! Um…I would like to have a queen-sized bed and a wardrobe with different clothes in it. Also, a nice size bathroom with a shower and tub please,” Y/N said as her eyes glowed in glee.

“Very well,” Kamek answered. He waved his wand and instantly, everything Y/N asked for appeared. The wardrobe was a blue color mixed with white and stood tall. Y/N immediately went to the wardrobe to peer inside it. The amount of clothes was endless and of various colors. The shoes included. Even jewelry could be found.

“It’s all so beautiful! Thank you Kamek!” Y/N said as she gave the wizard a hug. Realizing what she was doing, she bashfully let go of the wizard who was very flustered from the appreciation, “Uh, sorry…thank you.”

Kamek cleared his throat, recovering from the moment, “You’re quite welcome. Enjoy.” He walked out and closed the doors.

“This is the biggest bedroom I’ve ever had! I love it!” Y/N went toward the bed and sat down on it. It was very soft. The bed cover matched the blue of the wardrobe and the white sheets beneath it were very nice. The pillows were plush and comfortable too. She then got up to look inside the bathroom. White greeted her everywhere. The shower was a nice size, and the tub was practically like a hot tub with how large it was. She was satisfied to get an upgrade. She decided to jump into the shower and then change clothes.

The hair and body wash provided had the scent of cherry blossoms which Y/N didn’t mind. She worked on cleaning herself and used a white, fluffy towel to dry herself off. Walking to the wardrobe towel wrapped, she looked inside to see which outfit she would choose to wear.

“Hmm…how about this blue dress. I already like the shoes and jewelry that go with it,” she said to herself.

She put on a sleeveless blue dress and flat blue sandals. The dress was about knee length, and it made her think of the summer season. Blue flower earrings, bracelet, and necklace adorned her as well. The dress came to just above her chest to help show off the necklace that rested on her skin. She decided to leave her hair down since she had had it up for so long. Y/N smiled at her appearance. She was happy there was a full-length mirror in the closet too. She decided she would take a walk around the castle. Now that she wasn’t confined, she wanted to take this time to see more of the castle before her.

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Bowser played the final note in the song and sighed. He had already been practicing for a couple of hours and figured he needed a break. He got up from the bench and stretched his limbs. He walked to the doors, opening them with ease and decided to take a stroll inside his castle. Each koopa that passed by would carefully bow to him before they continued with their task or made their way to another destination. The king was happy that his koopas knew when to show him respect and always acknowledged him.

He rounded a corner and could hear a soft voice speaking.

“This food is delicious!” Y/N complemented to the koopa dressed in an apron and chef’s hat. He had given her a sample of what appeared to be a brownie to try.

“Thank you! I’m glad you like it! I hope the king will too,” chef replied.

“I think he will,” Y/N smiled. The chocolate was quite savory.

“Oh! Your majesty!” The chef bowed and Y/N curtsied.

“Songwriter, Chef,” Bowser said.

“I was just showing the human my new food. The recipe for it is easy to handle, but it takes time to bake these. I have a couple of samples left if you want to try it,” the chef explained as he held out a plate that contained a couple of other chocolate squares.

Bowser, using his claws, carefully picked up one of the brown squares and put it in his mouth. He chewed, swallowed, and smiled. The burst of chocolate hit his tongue in a pleasant way, and he was impressed, “This is very good!”

The chef smiled, “Thank you your majesty!” He bowed once again.

“Make more of these!” Bowser said.

“Right away your highness!” The chef replied as he scurried off to the kitchen.

“What exactly are you doing out here?” Bowser asked with suspicion.

“I was just taking everything in. Sightseeing. Is that alright?” Y/N asked. She hoped he wouldn’t be too mad about that.

Bowser raised a brow at her, “Fine, but you’re not going anywhere else alone. I will accompany you.”

“Uh, okay. Sure,” Y/N replied. Guess he was still a little suspicious of her. “You could show me your favorite areas! If you want to that is.”

“Hmm…” Bowser thought it over. It couldn’t hurt anything right? It was just a tour, and he would be right there to ensure she didn’t try anything like escaping on him. Even though Y/N didn’t seem like she was trying anything funny, he wanted to be weary of her. She intrigued him admittedly and he wanted to stick close to her. “Very well. This way.”

He began to lead the human down a long hallway that contained various rooms for meetings, games, and for focusing on knowledge of new worlds and new creatures. Bowser enjoyed exploring new places and thought it would be nice to have a room dedicated to storing all the knowledge he had found in some of his travels. He opened the door to the room containing all this information and Y/N’s eyes widened.

Never had Y/N seen so many books and journals in her life! It reminded her of the animated Beauty and the Beast movie with how high the shelves were, and the never-ending array of words and documents contained within.

“Wow! This library is like a history room! Historians would love a place like this if they could come here!” Y/N was impressed. She smiled as she gazed over the spines of the books lining the shelves. Various in terms of environment, people, and animals. “This all looks so interesting!”

Bowser turned to look at Y/N, “Really?”

“Yes! It really does! Do you have any books on galaxies?” she asked curiously.

“Uh…there’s very few and limited options, but yes,” Bowser replied. He was surprised at how fascinated this human was with his library. He couldn’t help but give a small smile. Her curiosity and amazement were cute.

He showed her where the galaxy section was and took out a book for her, “This book talks about the different stars and their shapes.”

“Oh! Like constellations!” Y/N beamed.

“Yes,” Bowser softly chuckled. “Here.” He handed the book to her.

She opened the book and was greeted with a constellation shaped like a heart, “Aw! That’s amazing! I don’t have any constellations like this in my world. How cool is it to see a heart shaped constellation?!”

“Very,” Bowser replied. “There’s plenty more pictures in here.”

“Great! I want to look at all of them!” Y/N said excitedly. There was a large red couch in the room which Y/N quickly sat down on. Bowser followed suit.

The king and songwriter spent a long time talking about the pictures found in the book along with what was written down about the stars themselves. Y/N felt like a kid taking in all this knowledge from Bowser. It was refreshing to see a side of Bowser that wasn’t intimidating. He seemed very mellow with everything, and Y/N enjoyed that.

“This constellation is my favorite,” Bowser pointed to the picture. The constellation was shaped like a crown.

“It is a neat one! What, makes it your favorite?” Y/N asked.

“It’s my favorite because it reminds me of me. I am a king and ruler to all before me. I am the greatest being to exist,” Bowser said with vigor.

“Ah, I see,” Y/N smiled. “You exude a lot of self-confidence.”

“That I do,” Bowser agreed. “Do you have a favorite constellation?”

Y/N wasn’t expecting him to throw that question at her, “Um…I don’t have any from my world. From this book though, I’ll say the heart.”

“Why the heart?” Bowser asked.

“Because it reminds me of the love I have from family and friends,” Y/N chuckled. “I know that sounds cheesy and very cliché, but it’s true.”

Bowser laughed, “Indeed, but it’s not bad.”

“Thanks,” Y/N smiled. Her stomach decided to speak up. Bashfully, she covered it, her face reddening slightly.

“Hmm…sounds like someone is hungry,” Bowser said amused. “We can have lunch now.”

Y/N, embarrassed, chuckled, “Great!”

The two went to put the book away and walked out of the room to go to the dining room. Y/N was happy that she got to see a softer side to Bowser. She felt that it was a rare, and probably, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see such a side to him. It was unexpected but welcomed to her.

Bowser felt himself softening some in Y/N’s presence. He didn’t feel as weary of her, but still wanted to keep his guard up. He enjoyed seeing her take in all the work he and his koopas had done with the library. He was pleased that he could have such a conversation with someone about his work too.

The two of them made it to the dining room and it was large. Y/N’s mouth dropped open at the size of it. Then again, thinking about it, it would make sense for this room to be as large as it is. There were a lot of people in the castle. They all had to eat at some point, right? Y/N was going to sit down at the far end when Bowser signaled for her to keep walking with him toward the other end of the table. Y/N followed, and Bowser gestured for her to sit down on his right side, next to his seat.

“Uh, is this really alright?” Y/N felt a bit awkward sitting next to him.

“Of course, it is. Plus, I must keep my eye on you,” Bowser said smirking.

“Even with eating?” she asked slightly amused.

“Especially with eating,” he replied with a smirk. This was a nice play of banter.

The two of them laughed. Y/N, again, wasn’t expecting this side of Bowser. It was nice that he could be so playful.

Bowser liked hearing Y/N’s laugh. It was as melodious as her singing. He gave her a small smile to which Y/N blushed a little in return. He shook his head. What was he doing? He should only be acting this way with and toward Peaches. Why was he doing this with the songwriter?

“Lunch is served,” the chef from before called out as he and a few other koopas came to set plates of various food down.

Y/N smelled some of the food in front of her, “Mmm…smells good!”

Bowser picked up his silverware and began eating and Y/N followed suit. The two stayed silent, each enjoying the food before them and residing in their own thoughts.

Y/N couldn’t help noticing how Bowser behaved earlier with the shaking of his head. He had smiled at her and then she had blushed. It was just an innocent smile, right? Why did she blush then? Why was she thinking so much about this!? She had to quit thinking about that and just reminisce about her time with him in the library. It was nice to see him relaxed and not uptight.

Bowser couldn’t get Y/N’s blush out of his mind. He found it cute. He didn’t know what got into him to do the playful banter and give her the smile, but he did it. He didn’t know what was coming over him. Perhaps it was because of the nice time they had together earlier? That had to be it. That most definitely was it. He wanted to focus on doing more practice of the song for Peaches and he decided he would do just that after eating.

The king and human finished their meals and Bowser had Kamek walk Y/N back to her room. As all three exited the dining room, Y/N turned to Bowser.

“Thank you for earlier and for the meal. It was all so nice,” Y/N smiled at him. Her face was slightly reddened.

“You’re welcome,” Bowser replied rather gruffly. He found her blushing smile sweet, and he didn’t want that to distract him.

Y/N noticed his tone of voice but decided to not think so much about it now. She and Kamek walked back to her room while Bowser went to his piano room.

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“Phew! It’s hot out here!” Mario said as he took his hat off to try and fan himself.

Luigi did the same as Mario. Toad was using his hands to fan himself while Peach walked with an umbrella held in her hand. They all made it to the Yoshi Kingdom at last. The tropical like area was very humid. Thankfully, the four of them spotted some shade from some trees up ahead.

“Let’s take a breather here,” Peach said as she sat down to lean against a large palm tree trunk.

The others nodded in agreement and joined her at the tree. All of them sat with their backs against the tree trunk, breathing a little heavily. Peach closed her eyes and laid the umbrella to the side of her, hands resting in her lap. The walk took a little longer than expected, but they all had finally made it.

“Well, I hope catching the Yoshies won’t be too difficult,” Mario said.

“Same,” Luigi replied.

“I don’t think it should be too bad,” Peach said. “We have to find some of their favorite fruits, feed it to them, and then we can catch some for ourselves.”

“It should be a cinch,” Toad said confidently.

“Let’s hope so. For now, let’s rest a little longer,” Peach replied.

The four of them continued their rest as the sun shone high above them. The shade was cooling and refreshing at least.

‘Please be alright Y/N,’ Peach thought.

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Soft piano music played as the king played a different tune. He had practiced Peaches’ song for a little while, but then decided to play something else. He felt like playing a classical tune. Something that could be heard as joyful, hopeful, and fulfilling. He couldn’t remember the name of the song. Only its tune and notes. His clawed fingers hit each key with precision and many years of practice. It had been several months since last playing this song, but he remembered it fondly.

This song was shown to him by his piano teacher many years ago. The teacher was very sophisticated and took her time teaching her students how to play the piano correctly. Bowser faintly smiled, recalling the times he had messed up in front of his teacher and her scolding him to play the same notes again until he got it right. He hated that, but it was all worth it in the end. The piano provided an escape for him. It was something that would always remain the same. Something that could take in his emotions whether good or bad.

As he continued the tune, he looked at the picture of Peach and smiled. He wished she could be right here listening to him play. As he imagined her sitting on top of the piano in her signature pink dress, the image of her slowly began to change. The dress went from pink to blue. Her hair color changed from blond to (hair color). Her eyes changed from blue to (eye color). The smile changed from a small one to a grin.

Seeing the new image of Y/N sitting on the piano instead of the princess, Bowser shook his head violently and stopped playing the piano. Why did Y/N suddenly appear replacing Peaches? He sighed and closed the lid of the piano and got up. He needed to lay down and rest his eyes for a while. That was it. He was tired.

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Y/N lay in her bed and stared up at the ceiling. She really hoped to be able to explore more of the castle tomorrow. Maybe even go outside of it. If she was going to be here for a long period of time, she wanted to take in all the scenery around her. She wanted to explore more of the library again too. There was so much she could learn about the world she currently resided in. Her thoughts then went back to Peach and the others. She hoped they all were doing okay. She also hoped that Peach wouldn’t be too…disgusted at the song from Bowser. She and Bowser had worked a lot on the song.

Y/N felt that Peach probably wouldn’t like the song, but she hoped she wouldn’t be horrified by it. She just knew Peach wasn’t too keen on being with Bowser. That’s why she heavily emphasized to Bowser not to exude force onto the princess. It is never a good thing to force a love that isn’t there. She really didn’t want to see Bowser’s heart break.

The images of her own heart break came to mind. It made her want to sing the song Almost Lover by A Fine Frenzy. It was a sad song, but it expressed some of what Y/N had gone through in her past relationship. She really thought that the guy she was with was going to be her lover. A tear streamed down her face, and she quietly began to sing the song to herself.

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Bowser was heading toward his room when he could hear soft singing coming from one of the passing rooms. He instantly recognized it to be Y/N’s voice. She sounded sad and almost as if she were on the verge of tears. He quietly walked to the door and put his ear against it. He listened to her sing the obvious heartbroken words of a past lover.

He wondered what could’ve brought Y/N’s mood down so suddenly. She seemed so chipper earlier. Why is she sad now? He decided to ask her later. He figured it would be best to leave her alone for now. Plus, he wanted to rest his eyes for a while. He needed/wanted to get his priorities straight. His focus was to impress Peach with his song and make her fall in love with him, not Y/N. Y/N was not to interfere with his plans. She already completed her part. She just needed to act the part of the hostage now.

Link for Chapter 6: https://www.tumblr.com/xserenemeadowsx/723682924934873088/unconditional-love-chapter-6?source=share

[otenvs3000f23]

Hello everyone, 

I hope you are all enjoying our last few days of the beautiful autumn weather – certainly my favourite season, so I’ll be sad to see it go! 

I am not much of a musically inclined person, I never even learned how to read music in school! Nonetheless, I absolutely love listening to music, if you are anything like me, I have about a million different playlists for various moods, ‘vibes’, and activities on my Spotify. My family is in Vancouver, so I spend a good amount of time in the mountains, and I always find myself listening to ‘folky’ and rock songs that embody the whole “granola-girl” aesthetic whenever I am out there (I find it funny how I rarely listen to that playlist when I’m in Ontario). In my opinion, nature interpretation is all about gaining an appreciation for nature and being fully present and in tune with it. Listening to the music of the trees blowing in the wind, birds chirping, and the crunching of leaves beneath your feet is probably the best kind of music for being present and one with nature. Still, if I had to pick a genre of music that spoke to me most while outdoors – or elicited a feeling of being fully present – it would have to be contemporary classical music. The absence of lyrics allows my mind to take in all the beauty around me. The calming melody of the classical instruments kindles the sense of “presentness” that I find so important about being outdoors – and in any aspect of life. In the same way photos and social media can push for immediate interpretation (as stated in the textbook), I would argue that music has the ability to transport you to another realm of awareness and presence, one where you can tune out some of your incessant thoughts that consume your day, and one that can evoke feeling and emotion. I think it’s super cool that we humans aren’t the only species who communicate through music, for example, think of whales or birds, even insects have the ability to feel rhythm! There is a reason music can induce great emotion and memory, it is ingrained in our history as a species and we wouldn’t have it if it weren’t for nature and our great ancestors evolving animal vocalization into the sounds of music we hear today. If I had to pick some songs that transport me to a space where I can be fully immersed in nature – sticking with my contemporary classical genre – the following are what I would recommend: 

Sunken Dreams by Alban Claudin & Esther Abrami

Minerva by Akira Kosemura

Avril 14th by Aphex Twin, Daniel Hope, Jacques Ammon, Christoph Anacker, Jane Berthe, and Kaiser Quartett

I look forward to hearing what you have to say about this week's prompt because I sort of struggled with it haha!

All the best,

Olivia

[retiredtothebriars]

@tradedsymmetry​ was interested in hearing my thoughts on different qualities of music (thank you!!) so on these things I brought up in the tags, plz excuse the thought dump: Melody I can’t explain why melody is so important to me, I think this is a very personal thing. Maybe because my mum only had two albums, a Michael Jackson album and an ABBA compilation album. I went for the ABBA album, but idk if it was innate because from the beginning my favourite song was Chiquitita, which is probably one of their richest in melody. I like that kind of “soaring” melody - it feels like it just lifts your whole spirit with it. My fave Perfume Genius is full of it and he knows how to orchestrate it to maximise those. All my favourite artists write great melodies.. Beirut - Zach Condon has talked a lot about how melody coming first for him. You can’t understand him half the time. Cocteau Twins! You can’t understand them all the time. Sigur Ros! Even Fall Out Boy as my first favourite band - the melodies on FUCT and IOH are gorgeous and I don’t think they would have been my favourite band otherwise. MCR similarly. Death Cab’s Plans is so simple but so moving and I think it was mainly the melody (and the lyrics). Rhythm is entwined with melody but I’m not as aware of it unless I hate it (I hate a constant crotchet/half note melody, it’s like banging your head against a wall. Oddly, although my partner is a drummer, he seems not to be bothered by this at all). There are a few notable instances though. I love when everything just stops. And there’s something incredibly satisfying about triplets. That opening rhythm from Be My Baby by The Ronettes I think is one of the most striking and eternally referenced rhythms. And speaking of the Ronettes, I wish harmonies were more at the forefront these days. I have to mention the Beach Boys if I’m talking about melodies and harmonies don’t I? Anyway melody is just absolutely indispensable to me. Many people have recommended to me Beach Fossils for the vibe and the vibe is solid but the melodies are bland to me (soz). If I don’t like the melody I simply don’t fill connected to the song.

Tonality and chord progressions

Now here I really wish I knew more about chords but I only have the knowledge of a music school dropout. There are some chord progressions that are SO beautiful, and I wish I could identify them. I will happily eat up that 1-4-5-1. But a beautiful chord progression can really make a moment. The Libertines/Peter Doherty’s bands have gorgeous traditional chord progressions...I feel like there’s something bluesy about them that makes them so but I’m not sure. Mitski REALLY opened my mind with her unusual - I don’t know if these are  chord progressions or just dissonances - on Geyser and A Pearl. It’s so powerful. I’ve always leaned towards the minor keys. I find something kind of sickly about the major keys and a complete lack of dissonance. I hate Mozart. I find it childish. Too much dissonance is intimidating and alienating, and requires work. I (affectionately) hate Bartok. Debussy is that beautiful middle ground for me. So for contemporary artists I name Owen Pallett and Bjork. I’m on my 5th listen of Fossora and I feel as though my ears are finally accepting it. In addition to dissonance, there is plain singing and playing off key. PAVEMENT - how do they do it and sound so good? Going back to melody - I want to mention Dirty Projectors here because they have some of the weirdest and most dissonant melodies and harmonies I have ever heard, in addition to being incredibly sparsely textured. I am constantly in awe of how it works together. Vibe - timbre, texture These three things really give an artist their unique sound. I think for me that the vibe of a song is a very transporting thing. There are artists I listen to with the intention of being taken somewhere, or some time - Hawk and A Hacksaw, Beach House, The Cure, New Order, Wavves.

I remember being completely taken by Not Sure by Hatchie feeling like I was in a Lizzie McGuire movie, in a more compelling way than any of the actual songs in Lizzie McGuire movies - I think this is a notable song because those other aspects like melody and rhythm aren’t so strong on this song but the vibe is SO strong (and I am SO disappointed by the rest of that album). But I will happily listen to a song that doesn’t have a strong vibe. Vocals This is mostly timbre but I’ve also been thinking about this lately since someone posted about it - I appreciate when artists aren’t afraid to not sound pretty. Screaming, crying, etc. makes me scream, cry, etc. I refer to my fever dream obsession with Pulp. Honorable mention - Conor Oberst/Bright eyes. Dashboard Confessional. Actually, yeah a lot of emo bands hahaa I feel like most bands will Go For It live though. Production On thinking more about this, I think production may be one of those aspects you don’t appreciate unless it’s really really bad (unless you make music yourself). When it’s so terrible you can’t hear any of the other qualities of the song properly or it’s so clean and squeaky it’s cloying. Absolutely absolutely hate when a heavy band has clean production. Why does your distortion sound manufactured. wtf Lyrics Now I appreciate lyrics but it’s completely dispensable to me. I’ve noticed this lately - there are some lyrics I hold so highly eg, Paterson & Leo by Pinegrove - but when I go to look at them, I’m surprised at how simple and un-evocative they are on the page. I still think these are great lyrics - but they need the melody to bring them to life. Another one of my favourite songs goes here - Waterloo Sunset by The Kinks. would love to hear your thoughts too. anyway this just makes me so excited to listen to new music!!!!

[katiemparks]

Letters I'll Never Send

Dear The Boy,

I don't know why but for years you have been an invisible passenger in my head. I say passenger because most of the time you show up is when I am driving around our home town (which we both still live in) alone listening to songs that somehow remind me of you even when I don't want them to.

I don't know why you're still here. I know i've thought about you a lot over the years and the thought of you and the talking through things with imaginary you has helped me learn a lot. Like... you triggered something dark in me. I though it was all your fault but the truth is that the darkness had always been there, but you made me feel so much, so deeply, that it brought it all to the surface. I know that now. I know it's not really your fault that I was crying every night, even though it was over you, I know you're not at fault for the self harm I inflicted upon myself all those years in high school.

I can see now after all these years removed that you were fighting that same darkness. I can see why you were hurtful to me sometimes. I can see now you probably thought you were saving me when you told me we could no longer be friends and to forget about you on graduation day. I can see your side but can you see mine?

Did you ever notice just how in love with you I was? Did you ever notice that you broke my heart more than once. You broke my heart so thoroughly when you said that on graduation day, right before the ceremony, in that music room, which was my safe place, in that soft voice. I didn't realize what had happened until it was over and you were gone. I had told myself I wouldn't cry over you again. I still did after that moment. I was happy. I was in a good, healthy relationship with the man I would eventually marry and love more deeply than I could have known in that moment. I had told myself that we were never meant to have that kind of relationship and that I was learning so much about life because of you even in that weird almost a thing but never a thing situationship we had. All of that is true.

I learned a lot about life, love, loss, relationships, myself, and more through those years and experiences you put me through. I don't regret them. I wouldn't take them back. Did it hurt? Like hell. Would I willingly bring that pain back into my life. Hell no. Would I do it again if I was magically transported back into my younger self with my memories still intact? Probably a bit differently, but yeah I'd live through it again. It made me who I am and I like who I am. It started me down a path that lead to the life I have now and I like the life I have now. I met my husband and true love of my life because my friend was worried about me, because of you, and got me away from you for a day and I met someone new and made a friend that has never broken my heart and has been a constant supportive love for me from that day on.

So, I wanted to say thank you for being a part of my life. Some parts of me still wish you were willing to be my friend. I want to show you I care. I want to show you that I still have a love for you that means I will always hope for the best for you. I want you to know that yes you broke me and my heart but I am ok now. I forgive you.

I think that is why you are my invisible passenger. This is a way I can show you i'm doing ok. The damage wasn't so severe that I can't move on. I'm not stuck in the past. I'm not stuck in the pain. This is a way I can safely show you my concern. This is a way I can safely show you my platonic love. This is a way we can coexist together as friends.

However, I do think it is time for you to move out. That moment we shared at our class reunion wasn't much. Just silently looking at each other for a few uninterrupted seconds. However, It helped me see that we had both moved on and this was the new normal. You've become somebody that I used to be friends with. You've slid all the way into that territory. I didn't fully accept that fact even though I was at peace with it. Now it is time.

This is a farewell to the invisible passenger. I want to move you out of my head to the state of being some guy I may write to when I feel like it.

Farewell Trevor. I am saying goodbye because it is time to move on and grow up. It is time to let the teenage moments that have long since healed move on so I can find my adult form. I've healed the inner child, I've healed my inner teenager. I want to step into the rest of my life as an adult.

Saying goodby makes me nervous. I worry that the moment I leave you alone you will fade from me forever, you tried that once already in the real world and it scared the crap out of me. Not the time you left me at graduation... the time you tried to leave the earth permanently and luckily your mother found you. I worry you will go through life thinking I hate you. I don't.

I remember a time when we were still close, maybe a bit too close. we were outside at a social gathering and talking about shooting stars. I had never seen one, you had seen loads that summer. We were laying on the ground hoping to see one. I was so happy in that moment. I felt a true connection and deep love for you. You were describing all the times you had seen these wonderful stars and I just listened. I loved the fact that most of all you would talk to me about something you loved. I loved that you listened to me. All those times in class when we should have been working but weren't because we were sitting across from each other and just wanted to talk. Those times we almost went deaf sitting in from of the drum set in the band section at football games and just creating nonsense conversations. I do not remember what we talked about other than Dr. Pepper, Oreos, our friends... but I will always remember how when you were focused on me I felt special.

You taught me so much. I know I said this before but I can not thank you enough. You taught me about love when I was so young I didn't even know what I was feeling. You taught me about pain before I had to experience the worst pain of my life. That was a benefit to me. I had some skills that kept me functioning in that time of loss because I had already practiced them with the loss of your friendship. You taught me about my inner darkness and how it lashes out sometimes and sometimes it reaches deep inside of me. I can manage it better now with the help of your memory and my fandoms.

With those lessons you helped me realize how lucky I am to have gone through so much so young. If I didn't have you, The Boy before The Husband, I probably wouldn't have trusted myself enough to be sure what I felt for him was love and if I hadn't married him I wouldn't be as happy as I am now because I wouldn't have a spouse who would have known my father and how great he was. I needed someone who would understand the level of grief I feel every day at losing such a powerful influence and source of light and love in my life. I needed him and you gave him to me and you gave me the confidence to know it was a true and good love I felt because I had loved you for so long so young. You helped me get the life and love I need. You helped me recognize it and not be afraid of it.

Something I want you to know, Lavon, is if you ever want to switch territories and become a friend again I will allow it and welcome you back with open arms and only love and understanding. I will respect your boundaries and stay out of your way, but if you find this... and you miss our friendship... just know I still love you, platonically, I still miss you. I do not hate you. I forgive you. I hope only the best for you. You deserve goodness and love and comfort. You have been through a lot, too much, and I understand that. Just know you are loved. Just know you deserve so much out of life and I hope you don't let your darkness and your cynicism of this world rob you from pure joy and love. Let those who love you love you. Let yourself love them in return. Don't be afraid to show those kinder emotions. You have a good heart. You have a kind spirit. You have a sweet smile. Let yourself be happy. Even when it is hard let yourself want love and joy and happiness. Be the best version of yourself. Be happy. Be content. Be yourself.

I will always remember our time together, the good and the bad, and everything that came from it. I will always remember you as you were in a happy light. I will remember Trevor and respect Lavon.

With love and hope,

-"Katie" M.....

[the-jellydex]

So generally, I have difficulties listening to jellyfish-related music if it is specifically about jellyfish or features a story about jellyfish.

I think I'm just too harsh, but I always end up judging the way jellyfish are portrayed (if I ever decide to cover the Octonauts' jellyfish episodes, you'll see what I mean)

Anyways, today I bring you Blu-Swing's Kurage (クラゲ) music video, a chill jazz fusion song about... well idk tbh (I even tried looking at the translated lyrics and they only confuse me more haha)

After watching the music video a few times, I gather that it's about a guy's pet jellyfish that becomes a human girl and I guess just does human things... anyways, here's my commentary:

I've actually... never seen jellyfish tanks like that in the video. They're really quite interesting ^-^! I love how they manage to get rid of the corners while still ultimately being square (using the space to add substrate that would most certainly kill/maim a jellyfish if it wasn't divided by glass haha)

That guy??? Tapped on the glass???? Like, jellyfish probably aren't as affected by glass tapping as other fish are BUT YOU'RE STILL SCARING THE POOR BABY ;(... have some respect pleaseee

Moon jellyfish are not bioluminescent, but anything is possible with magic I guess

I think the jellyfish girl's outfit is cute ;), it's wonderfully puffy and flowy.

It's clear her touch is venomous, which is... AMAZING :)! I mean, that guy must be a total wuss if her moon jellyfish venom was enough to hurt him but STILL. No physical contact.... that's like, the dream.

This isn't jellyfish related but I just think blu-swing brand water is great. She should be drinking a lot more of it though because as a former jellyfish she should have a higher standard of hydration...

What's the part with the lemon??? Does it have something to do with the misconception that jellyfish stings are electric...? :(. I'm sad. Instant points off. I'm not really rating this song or anything but maybe I should be having a jellyfish accuracy index

also physical contact sucks why would a former jellyfish of all organisms desire it? I mean... I guess they are a swarming species, but contact with things other than other moon jellyfish is usually an undesirable sensation, especially for an organism that's 95% water and something as small as a bubble is potentially fatal

It's cute that the jellyfish girl wanted to support her friend at his gig, but I'm curious... what exactly did happen at 9pm? Did she turn back into a jellyfish? Did she become a human forever? What???

Idk what the magic was on that guy but it was blue AND HE MADE A WHALE I THINK?? DID YOU KNOW BALEEN WHALES EAT JELLYFISH???? That's just insensitive smh

ok last point and that's... I don't think jellyfish would be happy to be turned into a human like we kind of suck. We only have 2 eyes at the front of our body (instead of 8 rhopalia surrounding the bell), our standard of hydration is a LOT lower (like, 75% i think as opposed to 95%?) so they'd feel like a desert lol, our mode of transportation is more accurate yes but it's a far cry from the natural swimming behaviours of a real jellyfish, how would they deal with sentience? Skin? Hair???? Fingernails? Limbs? A mouth AND an butt? If jellyfish are turned into humans I think we should seriously consider how different our biologies are because a jellyfish would NOT have a good time being human.

And um... Yeah :)! That's it ^-^. Next up on this series of Kurageru I'll either cover the Octonauts' portrayal of jellyfish or Amatsuki's song 海月 ("Kurage")

[gr1evance]

7, 11, 19, 20, 22, 26, 34, 37, 41, and H for Overlord :]

7. What triggers nostalgia for them, most often? Do they enjoy that feeling?

hmmm. not much honestly? he's completely changed himself and the world and the situation he's in so there's not a lot that reminds him of the past- which he already struggles to remember. though i think he finds the reminder of his wedding pretty nostalgic. but sometimes that comes with a dread he doesn't understand (not about the wedding itself)

11. What lie do they most frequently remember telling? Does it haunt them?

he tries not? to lie at least as much as he can avoid it? i'd say he's lying about being happy but he also genuinely thinks he is and i don't know if i'd consider it a lie if he thinks he's being honest. but anything he would have to lie about he does in pursuit of.. keeping himself or other people safe so i don't think it'd haunt him that much

19. What is their favorite number?

7 or 13 because they're my favorites. but he feels like a 13 kind of guy. but in actuality i think he'd say they're all his favorite

20. If they were asked to explain the difference between romantic and platonic or familial love, how would they do so?

something along the lines of uhhh "well, romantic love is when you like someone in a way where you wanna date them or kiss them or maybe even marry them!!! and familial love is when you like someone because maybe they raised you or they're your kid or you're siblings or you just have some kind of bond with them that's similar to any of those things!!!! and then sometimes you just like people!!! and that can mean you're friends or it can mean whatever you want really!!! it's different for everyone i think!!!!" yes he talks like that with the exclamation marks its important

22. How does jealousy manifest itself in them (they become possessive, they become aloof, etc)? 

i honestly genuinely don't think he really gets jealous of anything? to him where he is is perfect and he doesn't want anything more. and when he's possessive it's usually out of fear or just because that's how he is

26. What is their preferred mode of transportation? 

uhh. well. airplane but that's because he's gay. but that's definitely not how he gets around the most just when he has to travel. cause of the ruler of the world stuff

34. How hard is it for them to shake a sense of guilt? 

oh he has guilt over things he can't even really remember anymore. that boy's gonna be guilty until he dies that's just the nature of a starb au. but he's convinced himself that he's not because again he thinks he's happy

37. Do they have a system for remembering names, long lists of numbers, things that need to go in a certain order (like anagrams, putting things to melodies, etc)? 

i think he generally writes most things down and remembers that way but he does feel like the kind of guy to come up with a little song about it. he probably has some songs for remembering stuff

41. How do they feel about children? 

he would love to be a father but he knows himself enough to know that he shouldn't be.

H) What trait do you admire most?

uhm uhhh. well i feel like a lot of him Shouldn't be admired even though he's like a life fantasy for me LOL but. i mean it's impressive that he gets as much done as he does

[denimbex1986]

'Andrew Haigh began getting a sense of the knockout power of his new film, "All of Us Strangers," a few days after it premiered at the Telluride Film Festival.

"I'd run into people who had seen the film three days before. I'd be talking to them and they'd just start crying," Haigh says, laughing. "And I'm sort of both apologetic and quite glad that it shook them to their core."

Haigh, the 50-year-old British filmmaker of "45 Years" and "Lean on Pete," is accustomed to strong responses from his films. His 2011 breakthrough, "Weekend," about a tender but brief romance, is considered a landmark of queer cinema.

"That that film has had an effect will probably always be the thing that I'm most proud of," Haigh said in an interview earlier this fall when "All of Us Strangers" was playing at the New York Film Festival.

Yet Haigh's latest, which opens in limited release Friday, may be his most shattering. Andrew Scott stars as Adam, a lonely screenwriter who, while toiling on a script, is transported back to his childhood home where he finds his long-dead parents (Claire Foy, Jamie Bell) as they were when Adam was 12. At the same time, Adam is hesitantly exploring a relationship with a neighbor named Henry (Paul Mescal).

The result is something magical and mournful that draws profound connections between familial love and romantic love, between gay life and estrangement, and between a pair of strangers nursing shared wounds. For Haigh, who shot the childhood scenes in the home he grew up in, it was also highly personal.

"I was entering my past as Adam was entering his," Haigh says. "The whole process felt like a slightly expensive therapy session."

Here are edited excerpts from the conversation.

Q: This is the first time you've attempted something in a metaphysical realm. Was it daunting?

HAIGH: It was really daunting. When you set a film, everyone's like, "What's it like? What can you compare it to?" And I knew I was going to be in for a tricky ride because I couldn't think of anything to compare it to. I'm obviously trying to do something different that is not really a traditional ghost story. It's a metaphysical realm, but I still wanted it to feel grounded.

Q: You depart from the Japanese novel by Taichi Yamada the film is based on, adding the romantic storyline. What lead you in that direction?

HAIGH: I loved the central idea in the novel about the parents but wanted to add this layer of this relationship and how that relates to the grief of losing his parents, wrapped up in the trauma, as he sees it, of growing up an outsider, growing up gay. I felt they meshed in a really interesting way. Those kind of traumas and pains and struggles can be linked. And I always wanted to tell a story about the pain that we carry around with us, and how easily it can come to the surface again.

Q: That was also the case in your "45 Years," where a longtime married couple is rocked when the husband's long-ago lover is found in a melting glacier. Both films have a frozen-in-time element.

HAIGH: I think all of my films are concerned with time. "Weekend" is set over 48 hours. "45 Years" is set over a week, yet it seems to go back in time. Time feels really unstable to me. You can be transported back 40 years just by hearing a song. And you can feel what it felt like when you were 12, you can literally feel it in your whole body. We're constantly haunted. The love that you feel for people that have been lost is as intense years and years later. It's exactly the same intensity of feeling. Nothing else is like that, that intensity.

Q: There's a scene when Adam tells Henry about his parents' death but says it was a long time ago. Henry replies, "I don't think that matters."

HAIGH: That to me is such a key line. I think for lots of things, we're convinced that we've gotten over them. We're told, "Time heals all wounds." But it doesn't. You feel it in your body, physically. You remember the pain you used to feel. We pretend we're OK but, of course, most of the time we're not. And we're still children. I'm 50 now and sometimes I feel like, "My God, I'm 10." How is that even possible? You're supposed to become an adult. When does this happen that I become an adult?

Q: One of the movie's most lovely moments is when Adam puts on his childhood pajamas.

HAIGH: Exactly. It's so absurd, that moment. We all still want our Christmases to be like we remember even if those Christmases were miserable at the time. We kind of have this strange nostalgic sense of what childhood should have been. I think for a lot of queer kids, there's a sense of grief that they feel that their childhood wasn't the childhood that they wished they could have had. There's a sort of mourning that queer people can go through wishing desperately for a thing that didn't exist.

Q: Did you feel that way?

HAIGH: Absolutely. I felt like an outsider for a very long time as a kid. It took me a long, long, long time to come to terms with my sexuality. I didn't come out until my mid- to late-20s. It took me a long time. And my childhood had some complications. I always felt on edge. And I think that's how a lot of people feel, whether you're gay or not. Lots of kids feel slightly estranged from their family.

Q: The way you introduce Jamie Bell's character — he seems almost like a potential lover — seems to immediately draw a connection between his relationship with Adam and Adam's relationship with Henry.

HAIGH: I feel really strongly that parental love is how you understand love in general. So it's bound to feed into romantic love. I always found that the feeling of romantic love is so similar to the feeling of love you have for your family. There's a difference, but they're so connected, which is is why it's so hard to forge relationships unless you felt huge amounts of love and protection when you're younger.

Q: I wouldn't want to give away the film's gorgeous ending, but I have to ask what pushed you to conclude it in such a cosmic way?

HAIGH: I do want it to have some kind of cosmic feeling to it. Someone said to me, "Stars can be dead for millions of years but you still see their light." A little bit cheesy, I guess, but, still, it's sort of true. Also as a kid, I never thought growing up in the '80s that I would be able to be gay and have a relationship and be in love. I thought it was an impossibility. When I was making the film, I was like: You know what? I'm going to make the sense of love massive. I want to go into the stars.'

[le-souriant]

#MusicMonday Review - April 2023

#MusicMonday is the hashtag I've been using for quite a while to share music recommendations from up-and-coming artists. Always fresh, and always different, trying to look for trends before they become one. You can check March's review for more music.

Welcome to our moody edition, where this month's music may transport you to a different state, temper, place, or era, all with a word from the artists themselves. 🎧

asia – Twenty twenty

I never thought that you would want to fall for me til you did

Now I don't know where you are Doesn't matter now So I don't know where I am

Sometimes you only need a guitar, and inspiration, to set a mood like no other, like this Sad Indie track, coming from Brussels, Belgium:

"I wrote it during Covid so it was largely inspired by the feeling of being stranded hahaha"

The Lonely Together – City Lights

Some men will never find love They're chasing all the wrong kind of city girls And it's true that there are many But for me, there was only ever one

I've never been so worried and I've never felt so scared in the knowledge that I cannot be there

From Edinburgh, Scotland, another dreamy mood piece, where the city air feels warm, floodlit by the sun, hanging over the absence of that special someone:

"I wrote it while apart from someone I cared about… the feeling of distance - different cities/views/surroundings and the emotions that stirred up. It’s a real love song."

Delta – En Mi Lugar

Siete copas tras la barra son algunas de las farras Que hace tiempo no me pego Solo puedo dar las gracias peinarme las cuatro canas Por lo bien que lo hemos hecho

En mi lugar, mirar atrás Sentir que todo pasa y nada está de más Un chaval, que no da más Al fin entiende que todo llega al final

Moving now to Barcelona, this Spanish Pop track offers a nostalgic mood in which time often puts us in our place:

"Well that’s an easy one! Since En mi Lugar is probably the first song with a common ground to share between all our band mates. A bittersweet feeling we all share when we take a look back into our lives only to realize how wonderful our past experiences have been, and at the same time facing the truth of knowing that most of those experiences are never to be repeated again."

Storm the Palace – Some of the Beasts and Birds We Saw

You and I found this In a moment, a pause for thought A faulty rhyme of two straight lines One pushes back, the other forth

One day you will grow into yourself And then you will blossom for all to see And no one will take your for any less Than you were meant to be

We go back to Edinburgh for a taste of Pagan Pop, complete with its own medieval mood that can make a new adventure from your daily dog walk:

"It started with a bit of graffiti on the river path near my house, which read "some of the beasts and birds we saw". WillaDavie took this and turned it into lyrics, which I then turned into the song.

I think the song is about the time she and I spent together throughout lockdown, going for walks, drinking in graveyards, talking about life and art and all things in between."

Pan Arcadia – Deja Vu

We’ve been left to instinct Left an imprint on my brain Often it's been different But it didn’t feel that way yesterday

I remember on the lawn How you used to sing along And I know you remember too You say you still get satisfaction From that fast and easy action I know I still get it too

For our last mood of the month, let's go to Williamsburg, Brooklyn for an Indie Rock track about that good ‘ole deja vu that gets us through the night in the city:

"The song was inspired by being in quarantine and thinking about summer days in New York City."

Listen to them and much more on the complete Playlist:

[leatherbookmark]

one thing i really love about atz is that

the songs have different soundscapes in each series.

they started with treasure, with its title tracks almost cinematic in how they can transport you to a particular setting, immediately set off a Brain Music Video in your head, and b-sides that do the same but to a lesser, more tame extent -- this series is all about painting scenarios and emotions in your head, making you feel like a character about to embark on a great adventure!

then we've got fever, and just as the mvs change from almost fantasy-like locations to scenery closer to the modern life, so does the music -- the tracks are more polished and defined in their concepts, and the sound overall is less detailed and more modern.

and now the world is more electric, almost... industrial, sort of? the sound, especially the vocal processing, has this kind of... dark and busy dystopic city vibe, with a constant anxious undercurrent that doesn't let you fully relax into a song. during the fever era we had bright, sunny and hopeful songs like celebrate, eternal sunshine, good lil boy, and these just... don't fit at all into the world's climate.

idk if it's because of the number of tracks (on average i think atz have more tracks per album than deukae) or something else, but deukae's tracklists are -- or were? i don't know how it's going to be now -- fairly predictable, with one title track, one obligatory ballad, and two b-sides experimenting with genres. that sort of made the album contents interchangeable, especially the ballads, because recently i just lost patience and started skipping them lol. it's not that they don't have albums approaching a specific sound color -- road to utopia or summer holiday come to mind here -- but i kind of wish it was a more common occurrence. it probably won't be! photoshoot-wise, they set a couple of different concepts and match them song-photoshoot, so their style is "diversity within one album", but. yknow. (i'm still mourning a whole series called apocalypse only having darker, rockier songs in the very last album :'))

[rottenbrainstuff]

I’m working through the second half of Jojo part 5.

I’m actually kind of liking the characters now, more than I thought I would. Funnily enough, the character I’m the least interested in is probably Giorno himself. He just doesn’t really seem to have much personality. And he’s got an interesting backstory that just… doesn’t have to do with anything. It doesn’t really directly inform his choices in the same way the other characters’ pasts continue to affect them. Trish and Giorno are both kind of dealing with similar fallout from having a shitty and dangerous dad that abandoned them, but this parallel doesn’t seem to really ever matter, at least not yet. Trish gets to express her complicated feelings about her father and have an arc about discovering things about herself that is interesting. Narancia is the one who gets a dramatic scene realizing how he and Trish are dealing with similar trauma. Does it even matter who Giorno’s dad is? It’s an interesting way to stick him in the narrative and make him a Jojo, but it seems like that’s the only way it’s relevant at all. Seems like a missed opportunity.

Of course it’s a great big meme how it’s hard to understand exactly how King Crimson works. All these memes about how you are galaxy brained if you can figure it out. There’s nothing to figure out. It’s not that it’s so complicated and smart you need to be a genius to understand it, it’s that it’s vague and doesn’t make sense, just like how nothing else in this part makes sense if you get down to the details. Just like Giorno wanting to run the drug-selling-organization because he doesn’t want it to be selling drugs, just like Bruno deciding it’s a great idea to go along with this plan after having one conversation with a total stranger, just like the amount of iron that Metallica takes out of a human body vs how much iron is actually in a human body, plus the idea that someone wouldn’t just instantly die if their blood couldn’t transport oxygen anymore, etc etc etc etc etc.

This is the doesn’t-make-sense show (and that’s ok) based on the I-just-write-whatever-I-think-sounds-cool comic (and that’s ok!!!! That’s why we like it!!) and King Crimson does time stuff and that’s really as much as anyone needs to understand it. I’m surprised anyone talks about how confusing King Crimson is when Gold Experience is clearly the most confusing. Seems like GE can basically do anything depending on what the situation calls for, as long as Araki can figure out a way to explain it.

I was trying to think about why I feel like part 5 is a bit different from the other parts and why I feel like it’s missing something that I couldn’t quite put my finger on, and I think I’ve realized why - it’s the first part without a loveable himbo. The Jojo himbos are always my favs so maybe that’s why it took me a while to get into part five lol.

So anyways. It’s going. Doppio is finally doing stuff and had his fight with Risotto which is probably my favourite thing so far. I’m really enjoying the second opening, that song is a banger, actually almost every single Jojo opening is super super cool and that’s one of the things I love about this show. Polnaref is going to show up very soon and I’m excited.

[wickedcriminal]

Pspsppspspsppspspps scriminal bestie what's your favorite zelink in any of the zelda games 👀

AHSJSJFOGOGLXJUSFJVK I HAVE TO CHOOSE,??? impossible, all the zelink flavors are so magnificent in their own ways. There's so many ways to interpret them, they're all so good in their own contexts, different in every incarnation of Goddess and Chosen Hero.

There's no POSSIBLE WAY I could--

Who am I kidding.

Okay, maybe it's the nostalgia factor; or maybe it's because this is probably the real-est, sweetest, cutest, most GENUINE relationship I've seen develop between Link and Zelda in any Zelda game I can think of-- even Skyward Sword and Breath of the Wild, which all but confirmed a romantic relationship, just doesn't hit the same. Not for me. I don't think anything can top Spirit Tracks zelink.

Maybe it's because they start out barely knowing each other- but then again, most zeldas do. At most she sees him as a means of transportation and he sees her as the high class VIP passenger that she is, but after the plot kicks off and suddenly they're stuck with each other, you see their walls finally fall. Zelda is distinguished and composed; that is, until she's a ghost. It falls away, showing a sassy, naive, jumpy young girl who at first didn't even want to get involved in her own rescue mission-- though eventually, she starts to shoulder that responsibility, there with Link every step of the way until she eventually saves herself. And Link-- he's a typical young guy, sleeps in late, loves his vehicle, gets flustered over the pretty girl inviting him to sneak into her room where no one would see them-- still, he doesn't automatically try to save her when she's attacked the first time (she has to yell at him) and he suffers and sighs at her dramatics; clearly he's bitten off more than he can chew.

But they work together, and Zelda is learning new things, and Link is guiding her through the Tower of Spirits in a suit of armor. What do you know, they make a good team! And then Zelda is dancing to Link's flute music, and cheering "ALLL ABOOAARD" when Link boards the train, and excitedly rushing to tell him all the new cool things she can do in a suit of armor. And then they're genuinely hanging out, catching bunnies, complaining about Linebeck, even making plans to come back to Papuchia Village after they get Zelda's body back so that they can go swimming together. So on and so on and so on you watch them interact, getting more and more friendly and causal and kind, until at the top of the Tower of Spirits, Link and Zelda get so caught up in the crescendo of their friendship that they nearly let the bad guy sneak away. They goof off, they high five, they smile and laugh and there even comes a point at the end where Link does step in front of Zelda protectively, even though he doesn't even need to, because she's a ghost, but it doesn't even seem to occur to him.

When Zelda finally gets back into her body, Link jumps to catch her, and when they hug, it feels so earned. She doesn't even wait for him to get up.

And that entire ending. There's just too much to say about it-- it's OVERFLOWING with the genuine affection of two now best friends, singing the prettiest song in the ost together in the most beautiful cinematic cutscene, then fighting and defeating the final boss together, THE HAND HOLDING SCENE AT THE END,,

LOOK AT THE WAY HE SQUEEZES HER HAND. Gets me every single time.

Even the credits. Zelda has a picture of him and her and the train FRAMED on her desk and she's looking at it with the sweetest smile before she hears him outside the window and RUSHES to go see him. Either he's riding his train and blowing the horn for her to hear as he passes by, or he's in the courtyard training with the other knights, getting knocked over because he wanted to stop for a minute just to smile back at her.

It's. Positively. Precious.

All in all, as much as I love and WORSHIP the complete adoration of Skyward Sword zelink, and the humble loyalty of Breath of the Wild zelink, and the fated destiny of the Skyward Sword manga's hylink, and the playful energy of Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass's telink, and the utter tragedy of Ocarina of Time's zelink... gosh, you just don't see any of them grow and evolve in real time the way Spirit Tracks zelink does. The way it doesn't even have to try, feeling natural and developed because it was allowed to stretch throughout the whole game, and it didn't straight up tell you they were in love, it simply let you watch it happen.

[intothewiiild]

Last night I finally saw Mark perform solo after having waited nearly 16 years to do so and I have many Feelings. Some highlights/random thoughts:

I initially had a really bad spot (in the very back of the theatre next to the toilets; charming) until two very kind British ladies convinced me to rudely squeeze deeper into the crowd by pretending my sister was there. I followed the two ladies like a duckling and by the end of the concert I was only several metres away from Mark. Sometimes being rude helps.

Speaking of going to hell, I’m sure that when I die, my life will be played back to me with Rule The World playing in the background. It wasn’t the first time I’d heard Rule The World, far from it, but it still made me tear up for reasons that I can’t really put into words. It transported me to previous tours; previous times hearing Rule The World into different contexts and it will stick with me for a long time.

Incidentally, I want “Stars” played at my funeral. What a song. It and “Us And Ours” sounded like number 1 hits that got away.

“Green Man” sounded so good??

“Hold Up A Light” sounded phenomenal live and I’m now convinced it’s one of TT’s best songs. Why do TT not perform it anymore? 

London is a really fucking warm city. Why was the heating turned on to max everywhere I went? I was sweating. 

Mark mentioned doing more shows “in Europe” next year and I’m taking it with a bag of salt but it’s nice that he’s been thinking of us I suppose.

“My Love” with the photos of him and Emma on the screen? Amazing.

I stuck around by the stage door after the gig and I loved the two women who were doing a running commentary of the stage door opening and closing. Highlights of those comments were: “Do you think Mark was in the suitcase we just saw being carried outside? He’s only little.” and “I think I can see Mark! Oh, no, it’s a lady with long hair.” and (after we’d waited for 45 minutes) “Surely it doesn’t take that long for Mark to take a shower and wash? His body isn’t that big.”

(Even though I waited over an hour at the stage door along with some other fans, all we got was a little wave and Mark looking at us like we were being ridiculous before heading the other way. Long story short: we were stood in the wrong place. Was it worth it? Probably???)

Anyway. It was such a good gig and there was so much love for him in the room and it’s hard to believe that outside of this tour so few people love his solo music as much as I do because you’d think he was a world-famous, super successful solo superstar based on that gig. I wish the rest of the world would catch on.