#i have discovered some 'new to me' music to be fair

[kimmkitsuragi]

i have a huge pile of music i wanna check out honestly i dont even know what exactly i missed in the time period between february and now . i listened to so few new songs released in this time period lmao

[solarwynd]

Jimin really is the new BTS. Actually no, he's the old BTS. Jungkook is new BTS, in the sense that he's a perfect representation of everything that went wrong with BTS starting with Dynamite (and he's actually worse). But Jimin is that old BTS that made people fans in the first place. Cause no one became a fan because of the english songs. Yes, people discovered the group through those songs since they were playing everywhere, but all that did was introduce people to BTS and make them check what else they had to offer. And what they had to offer was what made people fans. If the rest of BTS's music was the same as the english trilogy people wouldn't have stuck around.

Armys have this thing where they pretend like someone liking BTS but not liking most of the members as soloists is a crazy, unfathomable thing. But as someone who likes BTS as a group and, despite being continously uninterested, continues to give the members at least a few listens whenever they released something, I can tell you that what BTS offers with their music and performances is not being offered by any other member expect Jimin. There's definitely pieces of the group in all their individual carrers, but it's either not enough or it's not the good pieces (like with Jungkook).

Cause what do people love about BTS? It's their songs, those songs that were a good balance of being people's taste (so more pop leaning or if a different genre than at least something exciting) while still being of good quality and having enough depth for fans that like thinking about and discussing the meaning of songs. It's also their performances of those songs (which, of course, first requires having those good songs), is having full intricate choreographies and a lot of energy on stage.

When you think of all of that – easy to like but not basic and shallow songs with impressive performances – then what members of the group are offering that? Go down the list, one through seven, and tell me if any other member expect for Jimin has all that? I'm not asking if any other members has something good to offer, I'm asking if they have the specific things that made fans became fans in the first place. Let's see:

Rapline: Armys aren't rap fans. Rap enjoyers? Maybe. But rap fans? No. They like rap enough to have a few verses of it every song, but not enough for it to be the whole songs, the whole album. And the attempts rapline have made with genres other than rap have somehow been even less armys's taste. Their performances are also lacking. It's fine if you wanna see someone just rap, but armys want dancing too. J-hope really could've had something here but for some reason he refuses to actually dance to his solo songs.

Jin: Now, to be fair, we haven't really seen what he has to offer as a soloist, so he could surprise me. But is he likely to? Probably not. He'll probably have an album made up of mostly ballads and no dancing.

Taehyung: His music is boring. I'm sorry, but even his fans lowkey don't care about it. Also, they can scream all they want about him being a danceline member but I have yet to see him actually make use of that position. Taehyung's appeal is his looks and that's all.

Jungkook: Mister Dynamite himself.

Continuing with the rest of my accidently sent incomplete ask. I think I was talking about Jungkook? He's doing what BTS was doing with the english songs. That stuff is definitely popular I'll admit, but does it make for a good foundation for a whole carrer? Cause BTS could get aware with it since they already had that foundation, but Jungkook doesn't. You can't have your entire discography be Dynamites, Butters and, god forbid, PTD's. Fans are gonna get sick of it eventually. I mean armys already did after PTD, three songs in and they were ready for it to be over and for BTS to go back to how they used to be before 2020. Jungkook is currently getting away with it because it's just one solo album that gives armys the records they like while they wait for BTS (what they're actually fans of) to come back. But if he wants an actual solo carrer, he's gonna have to step up eventually. So as you can see. None of them are really offering what fans want. So why should people who became fans of BTS for those specific reasons be forced to be fans of the other members as soloists when they're not giving them what they want. I'm not a fan of people out of obligation, I'm a fan because I genuinely enjoy things. And Jimin is the only one whose solo work I genuinely enjoy. Sorry not sorry 🤷

.🎯

[linghxr]

My 2023 in Mandopop/Chinese music (update & recs)

It’s been too long since I last shared some music recommendations/updates on what I’m listening to! Admittedly, I haven’t been discovering as many new artists because I’m busy listening to 薛之谦 on repeat. But we'll focus on the new.

You can check out my Spotify playlist featuring these songs (plus bonus ones). In addition, I’ve included YouTube links below.

五月天 / Mayday 五月天 is a legendary band, so of course I knew of them and had heard a few of their songs over the years. But I never proactively sought out their music until recently. I still haven’t had time to dive into their back catalog, but I’ve already found some songs I really love.

《我又初恋了》 I actually really didn’t like this song the first time I heard it, but it wormed its way into my brain. It’s just a lot of fun! Non-serious songs can be good too.

《转眼》 My favorite 五月天 song <3. I’m probably too young to fully appreciate the lyrics, but they make me feel so nostalgic and bittersweet, like transitioning to a new chapter of life and leaving the old behind.

《因为你 所以我》 This song didn’t stand out to me at first, but it grew on me! I caught myself humming it a lot. It‘s kind of corny, but it sounds so full of hope.

陈奕迅 / Eason Chan I first started listening to 陈奕迅 a couple years ago after my Album a Day August challenge, but I’ve found that his music has grown on me over time. I believe I’ve only mentioned him once before, so I thought now was a good time to highlight my favorite of his songs.

《之外》 This is probably my favorite 陈奕迅 song. The lyrics convey a sense of hopelessness, but the overall song has a smooth, light sound.

《娱乐天空》 You know a song is good when it’s over 6 minutes long but feels like it flies by! It makes me want to get up, get moving, and be productive.

《烟味》 This song is dramatic, and I love it for that. Also has a hint of orchestral flavor.

《淘汰》 One of 陈奕迅’s most well-known songs—for a good reason. It has big Cpop ballad vibes but is definitely livelier.

白举纲 / Bai Jugang You’re going to notice several mentions of 披荆斩棘 in this post. That’s where I “met” 白举纲. I instantly liked his voice and loved seeing him with his “brother” 高瀚宇 and “dad” 张晋! You may also see his music under his English name, Pax Congo.

《被动失控》 This is the only song on the list you could headbang to.

《Shy Boy》 I love this song because it’s cute and includes a children’s rhyme that I learned as a kid: 找啊找啊找朋友 找到一个好朋友.

苏诗丁 / Su Shiding At some point last year I did a one-month free trial of Apple Music. It was an interesting experience because the recommendations were very different from what Spotify tends to show me. I’m glad Apple Music led me to 苏诗丁!

《LUCIFER（傲慢宗罪）》 All I can say is that this song exudes coolness and confidence. It also has a fair bit of English, but honestly I had to look up the lyrics to tell what some of it was.

《梦幻病》 This song is from the same album. It’s dreamlike but gets more frantic as it builds. Overall, it’s just a bit…unsettling.

队长 / Young Captain I learned about 队长 from a random post on Instagram about his concert in Malaysia. I think these songs might have gone viral on 抖音 or something. I was surprised I liked them so much because they both have some rap (I’m not a rap fan), but it was love at first listen.

《11》 I love how this song builds towards the end. I spend the whole song waiting for the crescendo, and it’s great payoff.

《楼顶上的小斑鸠》 This song is like the slightly mellower sibling of the one above. But I ended up liking this one even more.

金志文 / Jin Zhiwen 金志文 was another artist who Apple Music recommended to me. I definitely need to explore his discography more but haven’t had the chance to do so yet. But he has some good stuff so far!

《自娱自乐》 Smooth and relaxing but in a fun way. Simple and no-frills but will put a smile on your face!

《远走高飞》 This one feels like enjoying the breeze on a beautiful sunny day. I also enjoy the duet with 徐佳莹 version.

163braces 163braces started out as a YouTuber posting song covers. I have watched a couple of her covers, but they didn’t leave much of an impression on me. I was pleasantly surprised by her foray into original music. I look forward to hearing what she does next!

《控制》 The song I would want as my “soundtrack” if I were a video game character. It’s energetic and loud.

《murmur》 Honestly this song is pretty similar to the first one. Sometimes I have trouble distinguishing them. But hey, if ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

小鬼 / Lil Ghost 小鬼 did what I can best describe as “pulling an MGK” by going from more rap to kinda pop-punk? That MGK album was my guilty pleasure when in came out, so I’m all for 小鬼’s new direction.

《Last Day》 This song really gave me MGK vibes. It’s about half in English, but I often don't even notice when he switches between languages.

《不良少年》 I just know I would have loved this song so much in high school. It’s an angsty teen anthem. 

《为明天写封信》 I can totally imagine this song playing at the end of a 2000s teen movie! Maybe while showing a montage of the main characters graduating.

《无所求必满载而归》 by 陈粒 / Chen Li This is technically cheating because I have recommended 陈粒 songs before, but it was at least a couple years ago. I heard this song covered on 披荆斩棘的哥哥 and immediately looked up the original. Honestly I should have known it was a 陈粒 song because you can totally tell it’s her style.

《轻红》 by 曹杨 / Young I keep coming back to this song! It’s from a drama soundtrack. I was super surprised the first time I listened to it because I thought it was going to be a typical ballad based on the first ~45 seconds or so—it wasn’t. There is also another version by 陈雪燃 (the king of cdrama OSTs). But I actually prefer the 曹杨 version.

《时光机》 by 吴克群 / Kenji Wu I was introduced to 吴克群 via 披荆斩棘2. He was instantly one of my favorite contestants after his team’s amazing 《新地球》 performance (check it out). This song is bouncy and a little dreamy. I kinda want to hear a remix with Harry Styles’ As It Was. I just wish it were longer than 3 minutes!

My Spotify Wrapped

I have a tradition of sharing my Spotify Wrapped, and I wanted to continue the streak in some form. So here's a quick rundown.

Top genre: 华语流行音乐 Representative city: Taipei Minutes: 21,750

Top artists

薛之谦 / Xue Zhiqian

林宥嘉 / Yoga Lin

五月天 / Mayday

李荣浩 / Li Ronghao

陈奕迅 / Eason Chan 

Top songs

《木偶人》 - 薛之谦

《狐狸》 - 薛之谦

《骆驼》 - 薛之谦

《转眼》 - 五月天

《后来的我们》 - 五月天

Also, fellow Mandopop fans should check out the Mando Gap newsletter. I stumbled upon it this year, and I know it’s going to be a great resource for discovering new artists in 2024!

[redtsundere-writes]

Out Of My League | Kayn Shieda / Rhaast

Heartsteel!Kayn Shieda / Rhaast x f!reader

Part 2: Shotcalling.

Part 1. Part 3. Part 4.

Sypnosis: A chronically online girl trying to get out of the friendzone. Contents: Modern AU, High school AU. Friends to lovers. Fluff and some angst. No warnings. Word count: 6982 words. Author's Note: So... I wasn't going to post a second part but the guys in AO3 asked for it so here it is as well lol.

Two months ago, you discovered that your weird online friend, Rhaast, was the famous Kayn Shieda, one of the most popular boys in school. Luckily, this dynamic change just strengthened your friendship. Now, both talked every time you ran into each other in the hallway and played League at night while criticizing people from school on call. You were lucky to have his attention, even if it meant that your jealous classmates glared at you every time you talked too much to him. You loved this new phase, but you knew it would end soon. 

The school year was a month away and that meant two things. The first one was that the famous annual talent show was approaching. It was a farewell event your school organized for the students. It was an important event attended by students and the general public. At first, it was meant to be a one-time event, but thanks to the great reception it became a tradition. Your math teacher liked to encourage students to participate, so he always gave extra credits to those who did. Credits that you urgently needed if you didn't want to take summer classes. 

So here you were, meticulously searching for a simple song that you could play and sing at the same time on Spotify. You weren't the best singer but at least it would be better than just boringly playing guitar. You were lying on a bench in the music room. That oasis where you met Kayn. That embarrassing memory had transformed into a nostalgic one. You were still an introvert and shy, but not with Kayn. 

"Found you," you heard Kayn as he entered the room with his characteristic velvety voice. 

Your heart skipped a beat mercilessly on your chest like the first day. Your hands started to sweat, so you quickly wiped them on your pants. Your lungs were feeling out of breath with every step he took towards you, but you quickly regained your composure. 

"What are you doing here?" You asked while putting your phone aside, pretending that his presence was no big deal. Kayn threw a soda can at you which you skillfully caught. 

"I didn't see you in the cafeteria, so I thought you'd be here," he said. Kayn quickly noticed your guitar. 

He was an observant man, he almost knew your routine by just watching your behavior. The guitar caught his attention because you almost never brought it to school, unless you participated in class and you didn't have music class that day. 

"Are you going to perform at the talent show?" You nodded and sat properly on the bench to drink the soda comfortably. 

"I have to do it if I want to pass math. I'll just play an easy song," you explained before taking a sip. 

"Heartsteel will also perform. That means we are rivals now," Kayn joked as he sat down next to you. You rolled your eyes. 

"It's not fair, you guys have practically have the contest on the bag," you said while frowning. He laughed at how cute you looked when you did that. 

"Do you already have a song in mind?" Kayn asked curiously. He had never heard you sing, so this new side caught his attention. 

"Yes, it goes something like this…" You replied before picking up your guitar again. Your fingers delicately positioned on the strings and you began to play a couple of chords to create a simple melody. 

"Two sides to a story, but never tell my side. Never been the kinda guy to stay inside the guidelines..." You rapped like Kayn did in Paranoia. He laughed when he heard you. Not to mock you, he just wasn't expecting you to know the lyrics. He couldn't stop smiling as you recited his part perfectly.  

"No one can replace me, baby," he commented sarcastically while applauding at your brief presentation. 

"I know, but I am a close second," you said pretending that your ego was as high as his. 

He watched you closely as you mocked his narcissistic personality. He liked that he could be himself when you were around, but he still couldn't let himself go like he wished. 

"What will you do without me?" He suddenly asked in a serious tone, completely changing the fun atmosphere you had created. 

"We've been online friends for 2 years, I'll be fine," you responded with the same tone as you noticed his concern. Kayn shook his head at the response. 

"You know it won't be like before. When I graduate, I will dedicate myself fully to my musical career and I won't have as much time to play or talk with you as we used to," he explained with a melancholic tone. 

The school year was a month away and that meant two things. The second thing was that Kayn, a senior student, would be graduating soon. You would no longer see him singing in the hallways, eating with his friends or playing basketball. Also, he had recently debuted with his band, Heartsteel, and they had recently released their first single. That would mean he would be busier with rehearsals, fan meetings and concerts. Just thinking about it saddens you, but you knew that he was fulfilling his dream and you had to support him. You still had a month left so you had to make the most of it. 

"You worry about nothing," you told him before nudging his arm so he stopped being so tense. 

"You know that I will always be available for you," you smiled at him so he would stop thinking about the future so could focus on the present. 

It was true that you always wanted to be by his side, but he was a star and you had to give him space to shine. If Kayn was happy, you would be. Even if it meant that your delicate heart would be sad in the mornings when you couldn't see him in the sky. 

The school day ended and you were heading back to the music room to retrieve your guitar. You grabbed the sheet music you had written during the break once Kayn went back to his friends, put the notebook in your bag and hung the guitar on your back. You left the room and looked out the window at a scene you hadn't seen in a while. 

Kayn was in front of a beautiful girl. You recognized her easily given her good reputation as the captain of the school’s volleyball team. With just a glance, it was obvious how good they looked together. Did you look like that next to him? Most likely you looked like one of his eager fans. 

She handed him an envelope decorated with hearts and kisses. She was confessing her love to him and he was receiving it. One after another, Rhaast used to tell you that he dated a new girl every week because “there's Rhaast for everyone,” or that's what he always used to say on call. You had already gotten used to seeing that scene in the distance many times when it came to the out of league Kayn, but this time it was different. Because you were close to him, you now felt like you had a chance to confess your feelings with ease and that's why you were jealous of the captain. Now you understood your jealous classmates, you had become one of them. 

If your time with Kayn was limited, you had to make the most of it. You had to confess no matter the outcome. Sure, you were afraid that he would cruelly reject your feelings but you didn't care. You wanted to tell Kayn everything your heart had been locking up since you first saw him. 

If you were going to confess, you were going to do it in Kayn's style. You were going to give him the best confession he had ever seen in his life, so you could stand out among your pretty rivals. You were going to write him a song and perform it in front of the whole school at the talent show. Did you know how to write a song? No. Were you ready to sing your feelings in front of a large audience? Also no, but that would be a problem for the future you. You had to do it to make the most out of the opportunity. 

You watched tutorials on YouTube on how to compose music, you researched how to write romantic lyrics, and you asked your friends on Discord what they thought of how the song was turning out. Some showed their support while others made fun of you, but that didn't matter to you in the slightest. Your confidence was the highest it has ever been and no one could take away your motivation. 

You decided to write a song about how Kayn made you feel every time you saw him, how you couldn't take your eyes off him even if you wanted to, and how you wanted him to look at you like you were the prettiest girl in the room. You wrote him a song to show him how bad you wanted him compared to the other girls. 

One night, Kayn sent you a message while you were focused on writing. You ignored your computer because you were repeating a verse that didn't convince you how it sounded with the beat. 

Kayn was in his dark messy room. The glow of his computer dimly illuminated his pale body. He frowned when he noticed that you didn't answer him as quickly as you usually did. He sent another message to get your attention, but this one was also ignored. “She better be showering or else,” he thought, annoyed. Minutes passed by and you showed no signs of life. Kayn had no choice but to send another message... which you didn't answer. This was really rare in you. “Is she mad at me?” he thought before starting to analyze everything he had said or done to find out the reason for your strange attitude towards him. 

“Damn, what did I do?” he asked himself, starting to worry. He got up from his gaming chair to walk anxious from side to side through the gloomy room. “Maybe she's talking to someone else,” he thought, looking at your Discord chat. Out of nowhere, a shirtless K'Sante walked into the room. 

"Hey, Kayn, can I borrow some of your shampoo? I ran out of mine," he asked with a towel hanging over his broad shoulder. 

"Do you think she hates me?" Kayn asked without taking his eyes off the unread messages. “What this have to do with shampoo?” K'Sante thought, confused. 

"Why would she hate you?" he asked, unsure if he wanted to participate in the conversation. 

Kayn trusted K'Sante when it came to talking about girls because he was the one who gave the best advice out of all the members of Heartsteel. 

"I don't know! I already sent her three texts and she doesn't answer me!" Kayn cried, desperate for attention. K'Sante sighed as he shook his head. 

"You're overreacting," he said, getting fed up with his friend's nonsense before closing the door. Kayn huffed and settled back down in front of his computer. 

Eventually you were able to rewrite the verse that bothered you so much and thus you finished writing the lyrics of the song. You checked your phone and were surprised to see Rhaast's messages. 

@Rhaast: League or what? (10:30 pm)

@Rhaast: Heeeyyyyy (10:38 pm)

@Rhaast: YOU CAN'T BE BUSY, I'M YOUR ONLY FRIEND!! 😞 (10:45 PM)

You didn't hesitate to call him as soon as you read those messages. Rhaast answered you almost immediately. 

"What did I do to deserve your coldness?" he asked, annoyed at you. “What's up with him?” you asked yourself. 

"Nothing, I was just busy," You said as you searched in your room for an excuse to give him other than “I was writing a love song for you.” 

"I was doing homework, Mr. Smith left us so many problems to solve," you said as seriously as possible to lie the best you could. 

"You better, you said you would always be available for me," Kayn refuted, less angry this time. 

"I'm sorry I have a life outside of you," you responded sarcastically. 

"I will always be part of your life!" he barked. Kayn was grateful that you couldn't see his cheeks slightly blushing for saying that so boldly. You smiled and shook your head. 

"Yeah, yeah... Are we going to play or are you going to keep yapping?" You mocked him before opening the game. Kayn sighed in relief after realizing you weren't upset with him. 

The talent show was two weeks away. You were practicing the song you had written in the music room. It was 5 pm. There were almost no students in school, so you felt comfortable practicing without interruptions. Your fingers slid along the strings to play the melody that you had worked so hard to compose. You sang what your heart wanted to say to Kayn but was too of a coward to do so. You were in your element.

"It doesn't sound bad,'' a voice said behind you out of nowhere. You screamed in shock and turned around quickly to see Kayn's friend, Yone, standing in the doorway. You were relieved that at least he wasn't your crush. 

You didn't know much about Yone. He was one of the popular kids in school thanks to his height, handsome appearance, and his piano skills. He was also a very important member of Heartsteel because he was the main producer and songwriter. You only knew that because Kayn talks about him from time to time to complain about how uptight and serious he could be.

"I'm s-sorry, I was-sn't expecting anyone here," you stubbornly said when you saw the handsome boy with white hair and red highlights, a perfectly sculpted face and a great presence enter the room. He approached you while analyzing you from head to toe. 

"Did you compose that?" He asked skeptically before taking your sheet music notebook. 

"Ah y-yes, it's the firs-st one I w-write," you responded, avoiding his intense gaze as he flipped through your sheet music and notes. 

Yone knew perfectly well who you were. You were Kayn's closest friend, which is already a pretty impressive title considering Kayn has no friends. He might have many acquaintances, but he could count his true friends with one hand. He knew you were nice, funny, good at playing League and liked to play guitar. Yone didn't really care, but Kayn couldn't stop talking about you. He was surprised at your apparent interest in writing music since his friend had never mentioned it. 

"Is it for Kayn?" He asked directly about the song. Your eyes widened at how quickly he deciphered the lyrics.

"What?! Of course not!" You blurted out blushing. Yone gave you a dubious look as he handed your notebook back. 

"By the color of your face, I can determine that you are lying" Your head fell in defeat. 

"Please don't tell Kayn. It's a surprise," You begged. Yone nodded in camaraderie. As a songwriter, he understood that songs are sacred and confidential until one wishes to share them. 

"Your song has potential, is it the one you will perform in the talent show?" he inquired. You just nodded. His serious expression did not allow you to decipher his true intentions. 

"Do you think Kayn will like it?" You asked him with a light blush running down your cheeks in awkwardness. Yone thought about his answer. 

"I've never seen Kayn listening to a romantic ballad, that sounds more like Ezreal's style," Yone answered as he approached one of the storage lockers in the room. The reason he was there was to get back some amplifiers he had lent to a classmate.  

"But I can help you produce something he will like," he offered before stuffing the amps into his backpack. 

"Will you really help me?" You asked excitedly. 

"I like supporting new artists and I think I can polish the rough diamond you have in your hands," he explained, pointing to the music sheet. You smiled and thanked his kind offer. 

And like that, the days went by. Yone would invite you to his production room from time to time to work on the song. Together began to change some verses so that the lyrics flowed better. Yone changed your acoustic guitar for an electric one. You recorded your voice while he worked on uniting all the sounds to create a song so you could proclaim your love. 

Both were listening to the final version of the song. It was direct and fierce. The sound of the guitar next to the drums was made to catch anyone's attention, but it would definitely catch Kayn's. When it finished, you applauded the wonderful job Yone had done. 

"It's such a bop!" You shouted excitedly, unable to believe that you were the one singing. 

"Kayn won't know what hit him when I perform this bad boy!" You said enthusiastically. Yone smiled softly seeing you with so much energy, something that was unusual in you. 

"Can I ask you something?" Yone said. You looked at him curiously.

"Why don't you just tell him this in private? Why composing  and singing a song in front of everyone? Doesn't sound like something you'd do," Yone asked.

"Because I want him to look at me the way I look at him when he's on stage. I want him to see that I understand him and that I'm cool as well so that he wants to be with me," you explained with a smile plastered on your face thinking about his reaction. Yone nodded before saving the song file to his computer. You got up from your seat to grab your things. 

"You have something else to do?" You asked him. Yone said no. 

"I'll treat you to a coffee, it's the least I can do after tolerating me these couple weeks," You invited. Yone giggled. 

"Believe me, Kayn and the guys are lucky they're talented." He said tiredly. You just limited yourself to laugh. 

Both arrived at a coffee shop near Yone's apartment and ordered delicious drinks. You sat on a comfortable couch to enjoy your coffees while bossa nova covers played in the background. You liked Yone, he could be serious and a little bitter, but he was very kind. It was like you were hanging out with a cat. 

"Are you ready for tomorrow?" Yone asked while shaking his cold brew so that the ice would cool the coffee he was about to drink. 

Tomorrow was the talent show. Your nervous body was shaking but your mind was excited to finally show Kayn what you've been working on for him. 

"Yes, I'll practice all night and put on a nice outfit," you answered confidently. Yone sipped his drink as he watched you excitedly talking about your outfit choices. “I hope Kayn doesn't ruin it” he thought as he focused on seeing you smile. 

The bell that indicated the entry of new customers into the cafe rang. To both of your surprise, it was the other members of Heartsteel, Kayn among them. Your body froze and you looked at Yone worried but he was as calm as always. You tried telepathically telling him not to say anything about the song, but he already knew that. Sett became aware of your presence as soon as he entered. 

"Hey, Yone. I thought you said you'd be busy," Sett said as he approached you and the other members followed him. 

Kayn didn't know what to say as soon as he saw you sitting so closely to Yone. "What's going on here?" he wondered as his gaze bounced between you and his friend. You looked nervous, like you had been caught red-handed. 

"I was busy," Yone answered, pointing in your direction. 

"Doing what exactly?" Kayn questioned, placing himself in front of both of you. You were going to answer but Yone beat you to it. 

"I'm helping her with her performance for the talent show," Yone explained calmly. 

"That's true?" Kayn asked you directly with a grim expression. 

"Yes, he has helped me a lot," you responded nervously, which Kayn obviously noticed. 

He knew you were lying. You were a terrible liar. Kayn needed to know what was really going on. 

"Really? Because it seems like you lovey doveys are on a date," Ezreal stirred the pot without knowing. Aphelios whack him for saying such thing. 

Date. That was the word that broke Kayn. “Are they really on a date?” He thought as if he couldn't understand the situation when it was so obvious. Yone and you being alone, him suddenly being busy the last two weeks without telling anyone what he was doing, and that time where you took a while to answer his messages. It was as if Kayn had finally put the whole puzzle together but he was forcing pieces into the incorrect places. “They're dating” he convinced himself that what was in front of him was reality. 

"I have to go," Kayn said suddenly before quickly leaving the premises. No lame excuses, he just left. 

You noticed that something wasn't right when Kayn slammed the door of the establishment, so you got up and left after him without apologizing to anyone. You went out into the street and looked for Kayn to see which way he had taken. To your surprise, he was nowhere to be seen. “He's fast,” you thought before heading to the right… when Kayn had gone left. 

After not being able to find him, you sent him a Discord message to make sure everything was okay but he didn't reply. You decided to leave him alone and see him at the talent show. “Maybe he's just jealous that I became friends with someone else” you thought, trying to find the logic in Kayn's illogical behavior. 

The day of the long-awaited talent show had finally arrived. The school auditorium was filled with students, family members and journalists waiting to see an incredible show. Your nervousness and anxiety increased as soon as you entered backstage. Beautiful girls in pretty leotards, guys going over their lines and clowns bombarded your field of vision and you didn't know who to see. You held tightly the strap of the electric guitar case that Yone had lent you for the performance. You took a deep breath and entered the place. 

You ran into the Heartsteel members among all the contestants. Everyone was there except Kayn. “That's weird” you thought. Ezreal and K'Sante complimented your black dress when they saw you, you thanked them while stuttering because you hardly knew them. Yone asked you how you felt and you told him that you would do your best. 

"We'll go bowling after the contest, do you wanna come?" Ezreal asked excitedly. You looked around wondering if Kayn was coming. 

"Kayn is going," Yone commented to reassure you. In that case, you accepted. 

Just then, you heard Kayn's voice behind you... along with the laughter of a girl. He entered backstage holding the volleyball captain by the waist. They looked good together. Too good. Your breathing hitched and your heart broke when you saw them so close together. 

"See you later, beautiful." Kayn said goodbye to her as he released her so she could go with the girls in her group. 

Their gazes met. Kayn's heart sped up when he saw you in that pretty dress that allowed him to see your nice legs while yours felt like it was fading little by little. He approached you to look at you closely, trying not to say anything flirty.  

"First time I see you in a dress, good for you," Kayn commented, pretending he didn't care about your glow up. "That's all?" you asked yourself, remembering how indecisive you were picking out an outfit the night before. So much effort and all for nothing. At that unenthusiastic reaction, you only thanked in a whisper. 

"Hey, Kayn. You’re going bowling with us, right?" Sett asked. Kayn held his forehead dramatically. 

"Oh man! I forgot about it! I just invited a super hot chick on a date," he flexed. You couldn't keep listening to him. You needed to get out of there. 

"I'll go deliver my sound," you said before quickly leaving. You could feel everyone's eyes on you as you walked away, causing the anxiety to take over you. 

The Heartsteel members glared at Kayn. Everyone was confused by his asshole attitude. It wasn't new of him, but they had never seen him act like that with you. Yone was the one who was the most pissed off. 

"What are you doing?" Yone asked as he crossed his arms. 

“Nothing, I just said that I won't be able to go bowling tonight,” Kayn answered obviously as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. 

"Don't act oblivious." Yone scoffed, approaching him suddenly. K’Sante stepped between them to prevent the situation getting physical. 

"Guys, we just signed a contract, we can't fight now." K'Sante said trying to lighten the situation. 

"I didn’t do anything. I don't know why you care so much," Kayn said, ignoring his friend's comment.

"It's obvious you tried to hurt her," Yone said, pointing out his clear intentions. 

"Good for you. This way you'll have another excuse to go out with her," Kayn barked. Aphelios rolled his eyes when he discovered the reason for his attitude. 

"I knew it was about that," Yone said, walking away from K'Sante to make it clear that he had no intention of fighting. 

"If I had known you would act like an idiot, I wouldn't have helped her," he said seriously. Kayn was surprised to hear that. 

"What the hell are you talking about?" He asked, calmer, but still tense. 

"You'll have to listen to it yourself." Yone said before heading to one of the sound booths with Aphelios. Kayn just watched them in disbelief, still processing the information he had just heard. 

"Kayn, you must set your pride aside or it will eat you alive," K'Sante advised him before patting him on the shoulder a couple of times. Kayn felt lost. He didn't even know what he was doing or why he was doing it. 

Your mind was a mess. You hadn't stepped foot into the ring and you had already been knocked out. How had you gotten to this point? A few months ago, Kayn was just another cute boy and it was enough for you to just see him from time to time at school. Now you were here, holding back the urge to cry to avoid ruining the makeup you had done for him and that he didn't even appreciate. You were waiting for your turn to perform while you were tempted by the idea of ​​going home. “I'll just play and leave” you thought as you prepared the guitar. 

"You look nervous," someone next to you commented. It was Kayn. You dodged his gaze so he wouldn't see you sad. 

"I'm fine," you lied. He realized. “Now she is really upset?” he thought worried. You weren't just upset, you were disappointed in yourself. How could you be so stupid to think you had a chance just because you were talking to him now? 

"I like to think that I am in a place that I really like when I perform. Just think that you are practicing there and you will be fine," He advised you as he patted your head. 

Given the intimate move, you decided to take a peek at him. Kayn was smiling at you. This time it wasn't a mocking or flirtatious smile, it was a genuine and calm one. He was proud of you. Now you remembered why you had worked so hard on the performance. You wanted to see that look he was giving you in that precise moment. “Please never stop looking at me like that” you thought. 

The host brought you back to reality. Your turn had finally arrived. You took a deep breath and walked onto the stage. The applause of the audience received you warmly as you positioned yourself in the center with your guitar. You glanced at Kayn, who looked at you expectantly. “A place that I really like…” you quoted, thinking about the music room. You imagined yourself sitting on the bench with Kayn in front of you, waiting for you to play the first note. 

♫ This is the last chance. The only one where my soul overflows. ♫

Your fingers trembled as soon as you started, but you tried to maintain your composure. The drums sounded behind you so that your guitar was the center of attention and the piano accompanied your voice. The beating of your heart agitated you but the memories with Kayn calmed you. 

♫ Want to look you in the eyes. You are the lust that never managed to satisfy. ♫

Kayn watched you from the side, not believing what his ears were listening to. His eyes went up and down observing your anatomy. He wanted to tattoo your image in his mind so that he would never forget it. Kayn was speechless, but he didn't want to say anything because he just wanted to listen to you. 

 ♫ My engine revs when you're around. You set me on fire and I consume myself again. ♫

"She worked really hard on it," Yone mentioned approaching Kayn as music exploded from the speakers. Kayn looked at him stunned. 

"You knew," He said, finally completing the entire puzzle with the pieces in the correct places. 

"She composed it herself. I just helped with the instrumentalization," Yone explained without taking his eyes off you like a proud teacher. 

"We never went on a date. She's crazy for you," he continued. Kayn just smiled at that.  

♫ Give me a kiss, I’m only asking for one, my love. ♫

You sang from your heart. You no longer cared if Kayn stopped talking to you and left with the captain. You finally felt free. More than singing, you proclaimed each verse you had written with a passion that you didn't know you had inside. You loved Kayn, you loved him very much and you wouldn't stop loving him until he gave you a good reason to do so. You wanted to be always with him even if you were just friends.

♫ Stop my suffering. Stay with me. ♫

You played the last note and the applause rained down on you, but there was only one that truly mattered. You looked at Kayn applauding you, not caring if his hands were hurt from the impact. A sigh of relief escaped from your lips when you saw that he liked it.

You returned backstage to more applause coming from your classmates and Heartsteel. You smiled shyly as you placed the guitar on your back. 

"Wow, you really know how to rock!" Sett exclaimed, fascinated. 

"Thank you, I wouldn't have done it without Yone," you acknowledged him before looking at Kayn, making it clear to him that there was nothing between you. 

"You looked amazing, I knew you would do great," Kayn said before ruffling your hair in a friendly manner. You couldn't help but smile at the attention he was giving you. 

"Finally, what everyone has been waiting for! Let's welcome Heartsteel to the stage!" The host announced. 

"It's our turn!" Sett said excitedly as the members walked out onto the fierce stage. Kayn stayed back for a second.

"I want you to look at me," Kayn requested seriously before following them. You could only nod obediently. 

♫ Two sides to a story, but they never tell my side. Never been the kinda guy to stay inside the guidelines. ♫

The iconic melody began to play. The audience went crazy and people were singing excitedly. Several of your classmates crowded next to you to watch the performance. “Kayn looks great as always” you thought as you watched him rap with his cool flow. 

"I love you, Kayn!" A girl next to you shouted that you didn't see before because you were stunned by Kayn's performance. 

It was the captain. Kayn's girl. “Here we go again…” you thought before the avalanche of insecurities took over your body again. While listening to Paranoia, you realized something. “I already did what I had to do, now I can go home” you thought as you turned around and disappeared among the tsunami of students. 

♫ They prayin' for the death of the rockstar. ♫ 

The song ended. The members' ears were greeted by the roar of the public. Everyone was happy, even Kayn... until he realized that you weren't among the people applauding. You had abandoned him. A panic sensation took over his body and he needed to act immediately. He didn't hesitate to run off the stage to go after you. 

“You're so dumb, it's like you've never dealt with a woman before!” he thought, annoyed with himself before leaving the auditorium. His eyes searched for you in panic. If he let you go, he would lose you. He ran all over campus looking for you. He was grateful to have an athletic body so he could run at full speed after an energetic performance. 

He finally left campus and saw you sitting on a bench waiting for the bus that would take you home. You looked sad, as if you were holding back tears. Kayn ran over to you and pulled you out of your seat so you would get up. 

"I told you... to look… at me!" He said angrily with his voice cracking from fatigue. You were so shocked by the state he was in that you forgot you were about to cry. He was bathed in sweat, his hair was messy, and he had lost one of his piercings. 

"But I did see you, you did great," You said, confused. His hands wrapped around your wrists tightly carefully so he wouldn’t hurt you. It was like he was afraid you would run away again.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, catching his breath. 

"I'm going home. What are you doing here? The captain must be waiting for you," You asked, still confused. Kayn took a deep breath and looked into your eyes. He was ready to confess his crimes. 

"I lied. I don't have a date tonight. I was just jealous of Yone and wanted to make you feel the same. I'm sorry," He confessed heavily, feeling guilty for his actions. 

"What?" Your eyes widened at that unexpected revelation. 

"The girl is from my class and is a Heartsteel fan. She wanted help getting closer to Yone," he sounded like he regretted his actions, as if he were about to cry as well. You couldn't believe what you were hearing. 

"You look so hot. You have no idea how much I wanted to tell you," he said with a mischievous smile as if that was going to fix something when you were still more lost than a child alone in a busy mall on Christmas. 

"What?" You repeated, not knowing what to say. Kayn took your hand and pulled you to him. 

"Let's go somewhere more private." He said as he guided you. 

The school was empty because everyone was in the auditorium. Kayn ended up leading you to the music room. It was becoming a habit for both to meet there from time to time. A custom that, unfortunately, would last only a little longer. You left your guitar in the entryway as you watched Kayn trying to find the best words to start the conversation. 

"Do you know why my relationships don't last?" He asked, embarrassed. 

“Don't say it, don't say it '' you repeated to yourself in your mind. You knew perfectly well the reason. His girlfriends didn't last long because he had a mad personality. You had listened to Rhaast complain about his countless girlfriends for over two years, thinking how lucky you were to not fall into his charisma. Oh, how the tables turn, huh?

"Because you are... an idiot?" You finally responded. “Shit, I said it!” You scolded yourself. Kayn let out a malicious chuckle. 

"An idiot you wrote a song for," He finished off and destroyed you. You felt like your soul detached from your body and it didn't know how to get back. Your head hang in surrender. 

"Did Yone tell you?" You asked with a thin voice. 

"In the end, I was right. You're crazy for me," he said, still smiling to himself, but his serious expression returned when he remembered why he had brought you in the first place. It wasn't time to flirt. 

"But you're right, I'm an asshole. That's why everyone cuts me off when they realize. I'm not patient, I'm rude, I hate a lot of people, I drive like a maniac, I don't like being bombarded with attention but I also don't like not being given attention, and well, you know, a lot of other things..." He explained, still embarrassed. This caused him to recap in his mind every girlfriend he had in the past. 

"Most girls approach me because of how cool I look and am, but they break up with me when they realize who I really am," he explained. 

He also explained that this not only happened with girls, but also with ex friends. He told you that he used to be in another band before Heartsteel and that they kicked him out because he was a “troublemaker.” It was the first time you saw Kayn open up in such a way. He finally felt comfortable enough to vent to you. 

"Then I met you. We've been talking for two years and you never judged me when I thought I could never change who I am. Today you showed me that I can. I just needed motivation to do so, and that's you," he said before reaching out to take your hands. It was something he had done before, but this time felt different. It's like he was finally holding a valuable and fragile object. 

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, it's just that I couldn't bear losing you like the others. You are the most important person in my life," he said as he tenderly caressed your knuckles with his thumbs. 

The information was still being processed in your mind. You didn't know how to react, you still couldn't believe that Kayn thought that way about you. You were relieved that you at least had a special place in Kayn's mind, in his heart you didn't know, but in his mind it was obvious. 

His hands cupped your flushed cheeks. Kayn looked into your eyes, then lowered his gaze for a second to your lips and then brought it back up again. His thumbs caressed your skin with a tenderness you didn't think he was capable of. 

"I want you to be by my side forever," He whispered so that you were the only person in the world who could hear him. Your heart began to jump with joy upon hearing that your most precious wish was being granted to you. 

His touch felt like a dream, his eyes gave you warmth and his words were full of hope. You whispered his name, letting him know that you wanted the same thing. Kayn bravely reduced the distance between you. His lips brushed against yours and you felt like your feet were no longer touching the ground. 

Kissing Kayn was like sailing through a storm. His kisses were fierce and volatile but his hands running along your waist gave you security so you could enjoy the adrenaline. You hugged him by the neck to get closer to him, melting into each other. Kayn deepened the kiss, causing you to step back until your back hit the wall behind you. 

Even though he already had experience with other girls, Kayn was enjoying every second as if it were his first time. Their lips moved in sync as if you had done this before. He didn't hesitate to stick his tongue inside your mouth which caught you off guard because you didn't have much experience, but you trusted him and just let yourself go. 

Kayn ran his hands over your body without any shame. He didn't care at all if anyone saw you, he wanted to enjoy that first kiss to the fullest. The fingers of his right hand tickled your hips while the other one grabbed your butt tightly. It was the first time Kayn felt so grateful with the gods to be with someone as cool and patient as you. 

"Kayn, don't do that... Ouch!" You scolded him as soon as he bit your neck. He coldly planned to leave you a deep purple hickey for everyone to see. You tried to stop him but the vampire didn't want to leave your neck alone. He only stopped because his phone started ringing. He reluctantly moved away from your neck to answer. It was Ezreal. 

"Hey, Kayn! Where are you?! We won the cont-!" Kayn hung up on him because he had more important matters to attend to. 

"Kayn! Don't give me a hickey! My mom can see it!" You scolded him as he looked at you tenderly. He couldn't take you seriously when your face looked like a tomato. He silenced you with another kiss that you gladly received. 

Finally, he was all yours. You have achieved it, how? You still didn't know exactly how but you were happy with the result even though you thought he was out of your league. 

Order your own fanfic! (Starting price: $5 USD)

Masterlist.

[unhetalia]

Based on this post. FACE and their skill and interest in the various arts.

VISUAL ARTS:

Arthur's skillset is in sketching and painting people exclusively. He's incredibly skilled, and some his discovered artworks (under Anon) are the subject of a lot of discussion in the art world. There's a gorgeous sketch of Alfred in a gallery that people have been obsessed with for a hundred years, titled by art critics as Beloved, because people (rightfully) believed Anon must have been in love with the subject.

Francis is an all-rounder in this area. Painting, drawing, ceramics and sculpture. Draws and/or paints beautiful men and women he meets throughout history. As a gag gift, every year, he chooses a random Nation and gifts them a giant nude painting of another Nation they've had a crush on.

Alfred prefers architecture and sketches the lead to inventions or building things. He is, however, amazing at capturing landscapes. TERRIBLE at drawing people. He's also a very skilled photographer.

Matthew has no interest in the arts, but does love it when Alfred gifts him little watercolours of the Canadian wilderness.

LITERARY ARTS:

Francis loves discussing and literature, but doesn't dabble as much in writing.

Arthur is the writer, and has published a lot of critically acclaimed works under a pseudonym. Mysteries, romances, fantasies - even poetry and a play or too. Ironically has been referred to as the modern day Shakespeare.

Alfred writes mostly research papers BUT does a great short story or general non fiction. He's also a great humourist in a very David Sedaris style sense wherein he's good at observing and writing about how people act without judging them - for example, he will recount a story about someone stripping in a New York subway and write something along the lines of "If I had decided to strip on the subway, I would have decided to do in June as opposed to December, just so I could give me fanily jewels the best chance to shine. His looked incredibly shy in the winter cold."

Matthew - once again doesn't have any interest, unless you count having a sharp tongue a type of literature.

PERFORMING ARTS:

Francis loves theatre and has acted a fair bit. He's also second only to Austria on the violin. Plays several other instruments, and taught both Canada and America how to play piano. Good at any dance you do at a ball.

Arthur goes to a lot of performances but doesn't partake (a big fat lie - he was in band and played lead guitar and wrote the lyrics. He also did backing vocals - he's decent.) Like France, good at any dance you do at a ball.

Alfred is so good at piano that Austria himself once gave him a standing ovation. He also plays the guitar and has a beautiful voice, though is weirdly stage shy. He loves going to the ballet and orchestras and musicals, and goes a lot with Francis. He loves swing dancing but can't dance anything else (refuses to learn to spite England, who started teaching America just as their relationship was souring).

Canada is an AMAZING dancer. It started as a way to prove that unlike his brother, he was NOT a troublesome student, and grew as he soaked up the attention and praise from England, but it also became something he truly loved. Was also taught piano at a young age but didnt really care for it. Good singer, but will only do it drunk or in the shower.

[warrioreowynofrohan]

Silmarillion Daily - Of the Finding of the Elves

This was one that struck me hard on the reread, because the parallels between Oromë encountering the Elves for the first time, and Finrod encountering Men for the first time in Beleriand, are so strong.

In both cases, they come upon them while hunting, on the edge of the eastern mountains, when they hear them singing:

And on a time it chanced that Oromë rode eastward in his hunting, and he turned north by the shore of Helcar and passed under the shadows of the Orocarni, the Mountains of the East. Then on a sudden Nahar set up a great neighing, and stood still. And Oromë wondered and sat silent, and it seemed to him that in the quiet of the land under the stars he heard afar off many voices singing.

Finrod Felagund lord of Nargothrond journeyed east of Sirion and went hunting with Maglor amd Maedhros…In a valley among the foothills of the mountains, below the springs of Thalos, [Finrod] saw lights in the mountains, and far off he heard the sound of song.

In both cases they see these new people and love them not in spire of, but because of, the fact that they are different from themselves:

And Oromë looking upon the Elves was filled with wonder, as though they were beings sudden and marvellous and unforeseen…And Oromë loved the Quendi, and named them in their own tongue Eldar, the people of the stars.

Then Felagund, standing silent in the night-shadow of the trees, looked down into the camp, and there he beheld a strange people…Long Felagund watched them, and love for them stirred in his heart.

Here is where things diverge - and I think this is very intentional on Finrod’s part. He grew up among the Valar. He would have heard the story of Oromë first encountering the Elves hundreds of times, and he’s suddenly found himself in a parallel situation. And he would remember from the story how so e Elves reacted when Oromë, a Vala, suddenly appeared among them:

Yet many of the Quendi were filled with dread at his coming; and this was the doing of Melkor. For by after-knowledge the Wise declare that Melkor, ever watchful, was first aware of the awakening of the Quendi, and sent shadows and evil spirits to spy upon them and waylay them. So it came to pass, some years ere the coming of Oromë, that if any of the Elves strayed far abroad, alone or few together, they would often vanish, and never return; and the Quendi said that the Hunter had caught them, and were afraid…Thus it was than when Nahar neighed and Oromë indeed came among them, some of the Quendi hid themselves, and some fled and were lost.

And some of these elves who hid or fled were captured by Melkor and turned into Orcs.

So Finrod thinks of this, and decides he doesn’t want to risk startling them and thereby endangering them. So he waits until they are all sleeping, and then goes down and plays music, and because of the beauty and the dreamlike feel of things, they are not afraid and don’t run.

Now men awoke and listened to Felagund as he harped and sang, and each thought that he was in some fair dream, until that he saw that his fellows were awake also beside him; but they did not speak or stir while Felagund still played, because of the beauty of the music and the wonder of the song.

In a way, it’s no wonder that Men at first mistake Finrod for a Vala - he’s reliving the experience of the Vala who first discovered the Elves, and he’s trying (and succeeding) to use that history to do better. And this continues in his later dealings with Men. The Valar gave the Elves a binary choice: come to Valinor and we’ll teach you and keep you safe, or stay in Middle-earth and you’re on your own. But Finrod leaves the choice up to Men: Bëor wants to come with him to Nargothrond, the others choose to stay in Estolad, later generations come to live in Dorthonion, and he does his best to look out for them and advise them whichever of those choices they make. I suspect he’s thinking of the history between the Elves and the Valar again here, and wondering what might have happened if the Valar had taken a different approach.

Now, that does not last. The Valar were not able to keep the Elves free from harm even in Valinor, and Finrod, who does not have a Vala’s power, is still less able to keep them safe in Beleriand. But he’s doing the best he can. And I think it’s the shock of that moment in the Fen of Serech, when not only is he unable to get to Dorthonion to help his little brothers and the House of Bëor, but the men of the House of Bëor are saving him and losing their lives doing it, that prompts his oath to Barahir. On the flip side, for Barahir, you can contrast this reaction to that of Fëanor and many of the Noldor at the Darkening. The Darkening is when the Noldor realize the Valar can lose; and the Bragollach is similarly when Men see that Elves can lose. But because Men’s relationship with Elves is already to some extent a collaborative one, seeing them lose just makes them seem more ‘human’ rather than prompting the sense of betrayal the Noldor seem to have felt towards the Valar.

[whitedarkmoonflower]

Your modern Sihtric fics are lovely! May I request a modern Sihtric fic (nothing serious just some fluff) where Sihtric and reader are best friends and madly in love with each other, but afraid of confessing their feelings. With some happy ending, please.

Pairing: modern!Sihtric x reader (female)

Authors note: this is the fluffiest fluff that I’m capable of 😅, but a small portion of angst is very recommended for mental health... Once more a big, warm thanks to the Anon who requested it. I know it took me a while to write this, but it was just the right thing in the right moment 💖

Credits: @arcielee you know you are awesome. Thank you for all the comments!

Warnings: fluff, fluff and only fluff, and a bit of angst 

Word Count: 4,2K

Tags: @sihtricfedaraaahvicius @hb8301 @zillahvathek

—----------------------------------------------

The old university library was something like your sanctuary. You loved its serene ambiance, which made it much easier to concentrate there than in your apartment that you shared with your best friends, Gisela and Brida. It was always buzzing with some activity. While Gisela pursued her music career, which meant spontaneous jam sessions with her band at all hours, Brida loved hosting weekly gaming nights. Consequently, moments of peace and tranquillity were rare commodities in your home.

Empty chip bags, discarded cola cans, and leftover pizza cartons were among most frequent remnants of the previous night's shenanigans that you usually found strewn across the living room making your attempts to get to the kitchen something like a hurdle-race. The energetic atmosphere was exhilarating, and you truly cherished the bond you shared with Gisela and Brida, but there were times when you just couldn’t stand the constant background noise anymore.

That's when the library became your haven. The familiar scent of ageing books, the soft rustling of pages turning, and the hush of some short whispered conversations created a stark contrast to your lively apartment. The cosy armchairs by the window were your favourite place to sink in and lose yourself in your studies, making the world outside feel miles away.

You could have never imagined that, but it was this very library – your quiet refuge– where you first met Sihtric, the heart-stoppingly handsome stranger that turned your whole world upside down. 

One late evening buried in stacks of books, you barely paid attention to the dark-haired guy who settled across from you. It was only when your laptop’s battery started to dwindle, making you search for a power outlet, that you noticed him.

"Mind if I plug in here?" you asked, pointing to the outlet under the table.

Sihtric, with his dark hair falling carelessly over his eyes, looked up, an amused smirk playing on his lips. "Only if you can tell me - why do cats purr?"

You raised an eyebrow, playing along, "Planning their next global takeover?"

He laughed, unplugging his laptop to make room for yours. "Fair enough. Go ahead and plug in."

“By the way, I'm Sihtric,” he introduced, his smile warm and inviting with a mischievous spark in his eyes. That smile made your heart race. Within a few minutes you both were lost in a conversation, permeated with giggles, snorts and muffled exclamations, inevitably earning several exasperating glances from other library visitors. 

“How about coffee? There’s a new place just around the corner,” Sihtric suggested as you both stood outside the library with your laptops and notes in hand.

“I practically run on coffee,” you chuckled. “Lead the way.” 

Hours flew by, filled with laughter and countless cups of coffee, and very soon you realised Sihtric was more than just a handsome face. He was witty, intelligent, attentive, and incredibly charming. You discovered his major was art history while yours was law—a fact that explained your paths never crossing earlier. And you both were in the last semester of your Masters preparing for final exams. Eagerly, you awaited the next day, hoping to see him again at the university.

Your friendship with Sihtric deepened effortlessly from that existential cat question. It evolved from brief coffee chats during breaks to lunches in the university's canteen and soon you found yourself spending more time with him than even with your roommates. You studied together in the library or huddled in some empty lecture halls burying yourselves in books, papers and notes. Sihtric had a rare talent to keep you grounded, when your thoughts wandered too far. It looked like he could sense when your mind started to drift, gaze becoming too cloudy. A short remark or joke, and he had brought you back into focus and to your reading material. And you tried to return the same favour to him. 

You were enamoured by the way he approached all challenges and changes in his life, always sprinkled with humour and lightness. You loved your shared study sessions. Even being completely unfamiliar with your subject Sihtric would conjure the most wild theories, debating them with the ferocity of an old learned lawyer, or try to simplify for you the trickiest concepts with a touch of humour only he possessed, making you laugh until your stomach was aching and convulsing.

You felt an undeniable connection for him, like two puzzle pieces fitting together. It wasn’t just his tousled hair or that cheeky grin, mischievous and mysterious at the same time. It was the aura about him, pulling you in like a moth to a flame. Every word he uttered seemed layered with depth, making you keen to decipher its nuances. You found yourself entranced by the subtlest of things—how his fingers danced across the keyboard, the intent furrow of his brow while concentrating. Silly little details, but to you they were precious.

You loved the way he seemed to dominate the space, not by size, but by his sheer presence, and the way his lips curved or his eyes lit up when he talked about something he was passionate about. You loved his infectious laugh that made your heart dance along. In simple words— you were head to toe in love with Sihtric.

Yet, Sihtric seemed entirely unaware of your affections, missing your longing gazes and lingering touches. Ever cheerful, supportive, and ready to lift your spirits, he displayed nothing beyond a profound friendship.

Your friends Gisela and Brida often teased you about your 'library romance', unable to grasp why you wouldn't confess your feelings to Sihtric. But you had made them swear to keep it a secret. You just couldn’t bear the thought of ruining your friendship by revealing yourself to him in case he didn’t feel the same.

As the final exams were nearing, you contemplated looking around for your own apartment. You adored your friends, but you were tired of the chaos in your shared living space. 

“That’s it.  I can't deal with these constant disruptions, random parties, and the perpetual mess in the kitchen. I need a new place,” one day you revealed your intentions to Sihtric over burgers and fries.

"You're ditching Gisela and Brida?" Sihtric asked sceptically.

"I love them, but I need to focus if I want to pass," you retorted.

"Well, how about we team up?" Sihtric suggested, leaving you momentarily stunned. "I've been apartment hunting too. I promise, I keep my things tidy."

"You're looking too? Why didn't you mention it earlier?"

"It just never came up," Sihtric replied nonchalantly.

Your heart skipped a beat. On one hand, the idea was tantalising. Sharing a space with Sihtric would mean even more shared moments and conversations, more shared meals, and certainly more late-night coffee sessions. But, on the other hand, you couldn’t ignore your reason, whispering that this was a complete madness. How were you going to concentrate or even breathe having him around all the time, if a casual glance from him often left you breathless? Living together would definitely intensify your feelings, making the apartment a cauldron of unspoken words and suppressed emotions. Yet, that was definitely not what you wanted to listen into, as you hushed your reason with a firm shrug. You weren’t about to let this opportunity slip by. 

"As long as you don't play death metal at 3 am, we're good," you answered, wiping ketchup off your chin, watching Sihtric’s face lightening up with a bright smile.

Thus, the search for an apartment began. After weeks of exchanging memes about outrageous listings and chuckling over exorbitant rents, the two of you finally found a cosy two-bedroom apartment near the university.

It was like a dream come true. Your mornings typically started with shared coffee, often brewed by Sihtric, who had mastered the art of making it exactly the way you liked. Evenings often found you both unwinding on the couch, discussing the day or getting lost in your favourite series. Sharing a living space meant you learned more about each other's habits - from Sihtric's unique way of organising his books to your habit of humming while cooking.

However, as days turned into weeks, you found that close proximity both comforting and challenging. Just as you had feared there was an unspoken tension in the air. You were unable to shake off the constant awareness of his presence. Your shared laughs, evenings spent together on the sofa, even the discussions about chores stirred emotions you carefully tried to suppress. His simple gestures, like leaving you the last piece of pizza or ensuring the fridge was stocked with your favourite snacks, were tugging at your heart.

In an attempt to distract yourself and keep those rising emotions in check, you decided to start dating again. Somewhere deep inside you there was a hope that perhaps another relationship would free you from the emotional swamp of loving your best friend. 

Nights out with different suitors became your regular escape from the constant whirl of feelings Sihtric invoked. But each time you returned home, his familiar silhouette on the couch in the living area or the soft sounds of music from his room made your heart beat stronger.

Sihtric, for his part, seemed to take your dating in stride. Ever the understanding friend, he listened to your stories, shared in your laughter, or offered a shoulder when dates didn’t go as planned.

—--------------------------------------------------------------

From the very moment Sihtric’s gaze met yours that fateful evening in the library, he was completely enchanted. He was perplexed  as to how the two of you, having attended the same university for four years, had never crossed paths. Determined to be closer, he quickly found out about your class schedule and began appearing during breaks or at the conclusion of your lectures. What began as fleeting conversations soon blossomed into extended chats, coffee dates, and lunches. 

You were almost an addict to coffee. Recognising this, Sihtric would often surprise you with two lattes, earning your genuine appreciation and undivided attention. Over time, these coffee breaks morphed into common expeditions to different local cafes, arguing over which blend was best, or simply savouring coffee in a shared silence. 

It was in those moments, with the steam from the mugs fogging the world around, that he felt closest to you. The casual touch of your fingers brushing against his while passing the sugar, the warmth of your laughter, the shared dreams and secrets–every small thing only deepened his feelings and longing for you. He often caught himself lost in the small details of your presence, admiring the gentle curve of your lips on the edge of the mug or the way your hair fell across your face. He’d scold himself afterwards internally, it was just a friendly coffee break, after all, but next time it would all repeat again, slowly drawing him to the brink of madness.

His heart would do a silly little jump every time he made you laugh. He loved how genuine it was, how it echoed in his ears long after the sound had faded. But, he played it cool, always masking his deeper feelings with humour.

Though Sihtric held no particular knowledge or interest in law, it didn't stop him from proposing study sessions together. The hours spent in library or lecture halls, when you both got buried in books and handwritten notes, were filled with small moments of pure joy. Like the time you had an eyelash on your cheek, and he pointed it out, saying, "Make a wish, maybe for a quieter roommate?"

You had rolled your eyes at that but still played along, blowing the eyelash away. He wished silently that he'd been brave enough to brush it off himself.

He treasured the moments where you both got lost in discussions and occasionally drifted into personal stories and dreams. This was how he found out that you had no family left, with both parents gone and no siblings. Sometimes he just kept silent and listened to you, getting lost in the sound of your voice. It was soothing, familiar, and dangerously addictive. The way you'd passionately discuss a topic, your eyes lighting up with enthusiasm, was mesmerising to Sihtric. He'd always found himself drawn to passionate people, and there you were, embodying everything he admired.

There was one evening, you were stressed about an upcoming paper, your eyes red-rimmed from exhaustion. Without thinking, Sihtric had reached out, gently tucking a stray strand of hair behind your ear. The palpable spark from that brief touch had left him breathless. He had quickly retrieved his hand and masked it with a joke, trying to lighten the mood, but inside, his emotions were burning with an engulfing flame.

Sihtric had fallen for you, hard. The realisation both thrilled and terrified him. Yet the fear of ruining the beautiful friendship you both shared didn’t let him open up about his feelings to you. Sometimes he would replay your conversations in his mind, looking for the right moment to tell you how he felt. But the dread of losing what you two had, of making things awkward between you both in case you didn’t reciprocate always held him back.

His world went tumbling, when you mentioned you were looking for a new apartment. Though he hadn’t previously planned to move out of his, he impulsively proposed a joint search, secretly hoping that the closeness this would bring, would make you finally notice him in a different light, seeing him as more than just a loyal friend, learning buddy and coffee companion.

—-------------------------------------------------------------

Returning home from yet another disappointing date, you flopped onto the couch, discarding your heels. Sihtric looked up from his book, raising an eyebrow in question. "Another misadventure?" he asked.

You groaned. "Why is it so hard to find a decent guy in this city?"

He chuckled, shifting to make room for you beside him. "Perhaps it's the vastness of the city, or maybe you're just too exceptional for most."

"Very funny, Sihtric," you said, poking him in the side. But you appreciated his attempts to lighten the mood. Every time.

Sihtric had witnessed them all–the charmers, the players, the flirty ones, the arrogant idiots and the simply bizarre ones. And every time a date went awry, it was him you returned to, seeking solace, laughing it off and looking for advice on what to do next.

He loved being your confidant, the one you turned to. It was him who wrapped you then in a soft blanket next to him on the couch and picked a movie to distract you from the evening’s disappointments. He'd often watch you from the corner of his eye, taking in your every gesture, every laugh, every sigh. The way your lips curved into a smile when something amused you on-screen or how your nose would scrunch up when you didn’t like a character’s choice or disagreed with them. These simple, stolen moments were his solace even if they were bittersweet.

On the surface, he perfectly played the part of the supportive best friend, but underneath it was a pure torture. Being so close, feeling the warmth emanating from you, and not being able to articulate his feelings was driving him crazy. 

And with every failed date you had, he wished for you to see what, or rather who, was right in front of you and had always been there. Him.

He remembered one night he almost let it slip. You complained about a particularly self-obsessed idiot that had kept talking only about himself all evening. 

"Sometimes, I wish I could just find  someone who really gets me, you know?" you  had mused with a heavy sigh.

Sihtric had locked eyes with you then and choked on the words that almost tumbled out. 

"Like me?" he’d wanted to ask, but fear had prevailed and he’d opted for a simple, "You deserve the best, you know. Someone who truly understands you."

Your giggles echoed in the apartment while Sihtric's heart raced. Moments like these were becoming more frequent and he wondered how much longer he could keep up the façade.

"And you?” you inquired. “I’ve never seen you with anyone. Ever thought of, you know, trying out a dating app?" 

"Thought I'd first try my luck with the classics–libraries, cafes," Sihtric shrugged, trying to sound casual. But you didn’t get his hint. How could you, Sihtric thought to himself, when for you he was merely the steadfast university friend you never knew you needed. 

—--------------------------------------------------------

The clock seemed to mock Sihtric with its persistent ticking. It was 11:30 pm and you were nowhere to be found. This wasn't like you. You always texted if your plans changed or if you were staying elsewhere. He tried to dismiss the growing knot of worry in his stomach, reminding himself you were an adult who could take care of yourself. But deep down, he couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong.

He tried to distract himself by watching TV, but everything he turned on just passed by as a blur. Every faint noise from the corridor made his heart leap, hoping it would be the sound of your key turning in the lock.

He picked up his phone repeatedly, indecisive whether to call or text you, but he didn't want to come across as overbearing. Finally, giving into the urge, he sent you a message, "Hey, everything OK?"

Minutes dragged on torturously as he waited for a response, but it just never came. He considered calling Gisela or Brida, but hesitated, thinking it would really look somewhat weird. 

Suddenly, a series of quick knocks echoed through the apartment, jolting him. He sprinted to the door, hoping it would be you on the other side, but instead he was met by two police officers with grave expressions.

"We regret to inform you there's been an incident," one began.

Sihtric's heart plummeted as he processed the officers' words. 

"Y/N... What happened to her?" Sihtric stammered, struggling to keep his voice steady.

"She was found on a street, unconscious, seemingly a victim of a robbery. Her ID directed us here," the taller officer replied.

"And she's...?" Sihtric couldn't bring himself to complete the sentence.

"She's been taken to the city hospital," the younger officer said softly. "She was still unresponsive when we left."

Without a word, Sihtric grabbed his jacket, rushing past the officers and leaving the door ajar.

As he raced to the hospital, a hurricane of emotions swirled within him—guilt for not being there, for not having protected you, anger at the attackers, and an overwhelming concern for you.

Upon arrival, he was guided to your room. There you were, lying on the bed with an IV drip attached, bruises marrying your beautiful face. He approached, hesitantly, heart pounding in his throat.

"She's sustained a significant head injury," a voice interrupted Sihtric's thoughts.

“What does it mean?” Sihtric’s voice trembled as he turned to face the doctor.

"It's critical. We'll be monitoring her. Surgery might become necessary depending on the swelling. Are you family? A partner? We might need your consent given the risks," the doctor explained.

The words of the doctor sank slowly in, as Sihtric turned to look at you. The feeling of failure and deep pain enveloped him. Admitting that he was no relative would mean that he will not be allowed to stay, so Sihtric just nodded, feeling a mix of dread and helplessness filling his chest, threatening to suffocate him. 

“You can stay. Speaking to her could help. Even unconscious, a familiar voice can be comforting,” the doctor advised before leaving the room.

In the soft glow of the hospital room, Sihtric pulled a chair close to the side of your bed. For several long moments, he just watched you, observing every detail of your face and the gentle rise and fall of your chest beneath the pale sheet.

"Hey," he began softly, brushing a stray hair from your forehead, letting his fingers linger on your cool skin. "It's me, Sihtric."

You lay motionless, your skin pale, eyes shut, your breathing faint. Sihtric took a deep breath, his voice barely above a whisper. 

"I know you can’t hear me, but there's something I need to tell you, and I can't hold it in any longer."

Gently clasping your hand, he softly brushed his thumb over your fingers. Leaning closer, he placed tender kisses on your knuckles.

"I've fallen for you. I've been in love with you for longer than I'd like to admit. I moved in with you to be close to you, to protect you, to show you how much I loved you, but I failed and never dared to speak it out. Can you imagine what a torture it was to watch you with others, offering support when you were heartbroken, and then seeing you move on? I’m such an idiot. If only I had braved to reveal my feelings for you, you might have never landed here,” Sihtric paused to take another deep steadying breath, as he noticed his voice quivering more and more with each word he spoke.

“I think I loved you from the first moment I saw you in the library. Do you still remember my silly cat’s question? It was the first thing that popped in my mind and your answer made me laugh. You always make me laugh," Sihtric’s grip on your hand tightened, as he continued. "Seeing you like this, it terrifies me. I don't want to imagine a life without you in it."

"Please, wake up. Come back to me. I can't lose you, not now, not when I've just found the courage to tell you how I truly feel," tears trickled down his cheeks as he leaned down, pressing his lips against your forehead, while his hands kept hold of your cold fingers. 

"I love you so much. Please, just don’t leave me," he whispered. 

Amidst the stillness of the room, Sihtric suddenly felt an unexpected pressure—your hand slightly squeezing his. He lifted his head, his gaze fixating to your face and eyes widening in surprise as your eyelids slowly fluttered open.

"Sihtric..." your voice, so weak, just above a whisper, broke the silence. "I... I've loved you too, for so long. We’ve been such fools …"

But before Sihtric could respond, the room was thrown into chaos. The machines connected to you began to blare alarms and the room was instantly flooded with medical staff.

"Please, step back! We need space!" a nurse demanded, trying to assess your vitals. A doctor quickly followed suit, taking command of the situation.

Before Sihtric could grasp what was happening, they unlocked the brakes on your bed and were already wheeling you out of the room. Desperate, Sihtric tried to follow, but a nurse held him back.

"Sir, you must stay," she insisted.

"Please, I need to be with her!" Sihtric's voice cracked, his plea heartrending.

The nurse gently placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "They’ll do everything they can. Please, wait."

As the door swung shut behind, leaving Sihtric in the cold silence of the now empty room, a feeling of desolation gripped him. The walls seemed to close in, and he gripped his hair with both hands slowly sinking back into the chair. 

“She loves me,” Sihtric murmured and despite having never been religious, he found himself praying. “Please, don’t take her away. Don’t take her.”

Hours later, Sihtric anxiously paced in the small waiting room outside the operating area. His world seemed to spin, every tick of the clock echoing louder in his ears, every hospital announcement amplifying his anxiety. Each time a doctor emerged through the sliding doors, his gaze lit up with expectation and dimmed as someone else in the room was addressed. One time Sihtric witnessed an elderly couple break down in tears embracing each other while listening to the doctor and a surge of guilty relief washed over him that it wasn’t his bad news. 

Then, the door opened again, revealing the surgeon who had been with you. Sihtric's heart started to race as he made a step closer, every ounce of his attention honed in. 

“How is she?” his voice, laden with dread and hope, barely made a sound.

“The surgery was complicated. Frankly, the odds weren’t in her favour, but she's resilient. Something is driving her will to survive. We halted the bleeding, and she's stable now. You can see her," the surgeon declared, breaking the stifling tension.

The weight that had been pressing down on Sihtric seemed to lift, replaced by a rush of such an intense relief that his vision blurred and he nearly collapsed, feeling his knees weakening and giving way beneath him. But before he could hit the ground, the doctor's quick reflexes caught and steadied him, preventing a fall. 

"Easy there," he cautioned, immediately signalling a pair of nurses. They rushed to Sihtric's side, supporting him and guiding him to a nearby chair. "Take a moment," the doctor added, handing Sihtric a cup of water.

Sihtric's trembling hands grasped the cup, the cool liquid grounding him. After a short moment his breathing gradually evened out and he stood up, his eyes unmistakably betraying his urge to see you. 

“I’ll show you the way,” one of the nurses offered with an understanding look on her face. Sihtric nodded and followed as they quickly navigated through the sterile corridors, until they reached your room. 

Sihtric paused a moment before the door, taking a deep breath, before gripping the handle and gently pushing the door open.

[icanseethefuture333]

A composite reading on my friendship with @sunkissedchld 🧚🏽‍♀️🦋

Happy birthday snookums :D!!! Artist cred @ifairy2

Our placements

Sagittarius Sun in the 5th house 26°

Gemini Moon in the 11th house 21°

Capricorn Mercury in the 5th house 7°

Capricorn Venus in the 5th house 8°

Aquarius Mars in the 6th house 10°

Libra Jupiter in the 2nd house 3°

Aries Saturn in the 9th house 29°

Aquarius Uranus in the 6th house 10°

Aquarius Neptune in the 6th house 0°

Sagittarius Pluto in the 4th house 8°

Leo Node in the 1st house 25°

Taurus Lilith in the 9th house 11°

Scorpio Chiron in the 4th house 21°

Virgo Alma asteroid in the 1st house 7°

Leo Ascendant 21°

Aquarius & 5th house stellium

We have an Aquarius stelllium and our Sun, Mercury, Venus, Pluto and Chiron in the 5th house. Our Aquarius stellium in composite signifies how we met through the internet and how our friendship can be unconventional. "Opposites attract". We have an understanding of each other. Sun and I both come together to express our creative desires. We also have similar musical tastes and artistic hobbies. Our inner child(s) is able to express themselves freely and feel safe (especially with our Pluto in the 4th house and our Moon at 21°. We can feel like "family" or "siblings"). We are able to heal parts of our childhood together. Sun and I also play video games or watch videos in our free time. We discover new interests by spending quality time (During our friendship we both discovered we liked to play chess. Now it is one of our favorite things to do together! Which requires the use of our Capricorn Mercury since it involves logic and skill. We also play old dress up games from the 2000's 👚💄👡, which could correspond to our Libra Jupiter in the 2nd house, it makes us feel happy and nostalgic in a good way!). Sun and I are also each other's peers and we share the same birth month / birth year! There is also security and stability with our Capricorn Venus in the 5th house 8°. In the beginning of our friendship we were both anxious and worried about whether not one of us liked each other and we were worried about being annoying (Scorpio chiron in the 4th house). The parts of ourselves we feel insecure about is what each of us appreciates.

Peace and reassurance

With our moon in Gemini 11° in the 11th house - We were meant to share wisdom with one another and find contentment in our mental rapport. Even though we are two close individuals, we still have different thoughts and feelings. I am an extrovert and Sun is more of an introvert. I can be a chatterbox around people that allow me to express myself without judgement and I feel I have been able to just listen more and wait for my turn in our friendship, I have learned a lot! Another thing is that often we have trouble putting our thoughts into words but after explaining what is bothering us, we are able to understand the underlying issue. Our Mercury being at 7° makes it a safe space for us to be fair and balanced when we have a conversation. With our Neptune and Uranus in the 6th house. Sun and I are also able to find fun in mundane tasks by tackling them together. We also understand when one or the other person is busy or wants alone time. We can find ways to spend time with each other while still keeping our independence. We are both spontaneous people and don't like to do tedious things (I remember one time we were both procrastinating at the same time and we kept telling each other we'd get to it😭??? Also we both agreed to learn a language together and we never started fr 💀 I blame Sun though, tsk tsk 😒🤧)

Conflict and weaknesses

(Bakugo was so extra in this scene and for what 💀)

With our Aries Saturn in the 9th house 29°, we are forced to push each other to pursue what we are most afraid of. To face what makes us most uncomfortable. Interesting enough is that Saturn is the planet of karma and our Saturn is at a karmic degree. Sun and I both lack assertiveness in some areas. We go to each other for advice and seem to find the strength to resolve the issue, but it could be a problem if we over rely on the other person to always give us that confidence boost. We are brave together, but we also must learn to fight our own battles. Aquarius Mars in the 6th house 10° could make us do things that are unpredictable, which makes us inconsistent in regards to projects. We are better off just sharing our thoughts and gaining creative inspiration from one another. Then achieve our goals independently rather than doing things together. We could get aggravated at the other person for not being responsible enough (when really we could just both be irresponsible lol).

Food for thought

We are literally always hungry 😭. Sun has me randomly at times pick what she eats for a meal and whenever we watch variety tv shows together, I start snacking. Our Gemini Moon typically has us eat foods that are quick and convenient. We can talk about food a lot in general. Sun and I could like to eat foods together while traveling or eat foods from a foreign country/culture.

What sets us apart

With our Leo ascendant and Aquarius stellium. We visually stand out together! It can be obvious to others that we are different but that is what makes us unique. It's like when you wear two different socks. The patterns and colors are all mixed up but it still serves it's purpose by making your feet warm and cozy! I am reminded of Katie and Sadie from Total Drama Island. They were best friends that wore the same exact outfit and hairstyle but both of them obviously looked different, yet they were still the cutest pair!

What brings us together

With our Leo north node, we have similar destinies and felt magnetically drawn to one another. After reading Sun's PAC about what my life as a celebrity would be like, I dmed her asking if we could exchange readings. Sun stated that my energy felt different from other people who approached, so she agreed. We grew close ever since that day and we have been able to find our path to success / adulthood a little easier. We are able to get past some of our insecurities and feel more confident in each other's presence. Sun and I are also both college students with similar majors as well (Communication / PR). With our North node and Alma asteroid in the first house, our souls recognized each other. It was destined for us to meet again in this lifetime. There was a inner knowing, even though we couldn't explain what it was and that we both just had a good feeling about each other. With our composite south node in the 7th house, we have a strong platonic bond. We can trust and depend on each other, but we have to be careful of creating a pattern of codependency in our friendship. Our Alma asteroid being in Virgo 7° manifests as the importance of needing a routine with one another. If we were to ever go a long time without contact, it could possibly make us feel lost. Acts of service and quality time could be a big theme in our friendship. We would be successful as work partners as well, but there is a need to achieve tasks independently and to make sure to give each other space when needed. Libra Jupiter in the 2nd house 3° is a good indication of our ability to attract abundance naturally.

[filmofhybe]

Halloween neighbor - JAKE SIM

pairing - non-idol jake x reader 986 words genre: neighbor! x neighbor fluff warning - minor stalking , swearing a/n: trying new layout cuz I hate the old ones ew

synopsis : Halloween was never your thing until this year your neighbor - Jake invited you over for his Halloween party. But discovering a truth about Jake you never wanted to find out about him.

© filmofhybe on tumblr — do not copy , translate or share.

> masterlist of my other works

Fall was one of your favorite seasons. You love how cozy and comfortable it makes you feel, how the autumn breeze will blow and the leaves will crunch when you walk in the neighborhood town. However, you really dislike the whole idea of Halloween. You don’t look forward to that certain event every year. It maybe just a normal event that happens for one singular day where kids would go around the neighborhood and knock on the doors for candies, families visiting haunted spook fairs for the Halloween spirit. But you were never that type of person to get jumpscare. You just hated the fact Halloween even existed.

You were on your way to back from college, sun already setting and you can already see families were ready for the Halloween night. You always distance yourself from them during Halloween night, never know what will happen out there. Walking pass your neighbors house, your attention was focused on the boy - Jake. He had his hair dyed blonde, wearing full black shirt and sweatpants. He was the social butterfly at college always happy to host fun parties and get to know more people. Currently He looked like he was setting up something for Halloween.

“Hey y/n!” Said Jake excitingly. Giving you his sweet smile. “Hi Jake! How are you?” You asked him as you paused the music from your phone. “I’m doing great! Just setting up for the party I’m hosting tonight! Parents out of town so you know what that means.” He had his mischievous smirk on his face. “Of course I get what you mean. I hope you have fun. Just don’t bother me tonight.” You joked. “Can’t make any promises y/n. I’ll try though. Are you doing anything tonight? Maybe you should come over?” He wanted you come so bad. But deep down he knows your not geh type of person to celebrate Halloween. “You know I don’t do Halloween Jake. Especially Parties.” You kindly rejected his offer, “Aww i was looking forward to you to come. But is okay! You are always welcome to come over later if you change you mind.” You can physically tell Jake was disappointed by your answer. “I would think about it, but for now imma go home to get change. Hope you have fun tonight!” You said as you start walking towards your house. “Alright! Take care!” He waved goodbye as he goes back to where he left off.

As the evening approaches, you were unsure about attending a Halloween party, but deep down, you knew you had a secret crush on Jake that had been brewing for quite some time. You decided to step out of your comfort zone and take a chance. Maybe tonight you would get to know him more or even something else.

Determined to make an impression, you spent hours searching for the perfect costume. After much contemplation, you settled on something bold and unexpected—a playful twist on a classic character. You dressed up as a Playboy Bunny, a stunning and confident version of yourself that you had never revealed before. Makeup looking stunning as ever, your perfume was roamed your body, the black bodysuit complimented your body shape so well that you didn’t even recognize yourself.

As you approached Jake's house, your heart raced with anticipation. You took a deep breath and knocked on the door, ready to embrace the night ahead. Jake, dressed as a vampire, swung the door open, and his jaw dropped in awe. He had never seen you like this before—radiant, beautiful, and full of confidence. He was struck by how you look.

“Yo bro close the door is getting a bit-” You were about to say until when you saw your cousin Jay swung his arms around jake, with a red cup in his hand. Fuck he’s gonna tell my mom.

“Uh excuse me young lady , why you dressed up like that?” You know your cousin was protective over you, he was particularly your other brother. “Gosh, Jay just leave her alone she’s old enough to dress up like that.” Jake felt annoyed that his close friend had to ruin this moment between you both. “Y/n come in and make yourself home.” Jake said as he focus back on you. You thanked him as you walked into the house.

Jake wished what he just saw was real. You. The y/n y/l/n is wearing a playboy bunny costume. In his house? Fuck he probably needs CPR and a huge slap on his face to make sure he isn’t in some stupid fantasy world. You were like a walking goddess, he was about to worship the floor you walked on in his whole house.

“Brother, keep your eyes up here and not on my cousins ass.” Jay whispered causing Jake to push him slightly as a joke before both of them walked back to the ping pong table, chattering and bickering.

The party was in full swing, with laughter, music, and the flickering lights of Jack-o'-lanterns creating a vibrant atmosphere. You were kind of lonely in the party, since either your friends you were chatting to left with a boy around them or they were wasted as fuck. Silently minding your business and leaning against the kitchen counter sipping on the beverage you have in your hand. You where bored out of your mind until Jake appeared. “Y/n! Oh my god I’ve been trying to find you for ages.” His blonde hair was now messy, probably from the amount of dancing and running around, yet he still smelt like the cologne he was using. “Oh yeah haha I’m just minding my business you know.” You shrugged your shoulders as you continue to sip on your drink. “How about you hang out with me? Even though is my party im getting kind of bored.” He offered you hoping you would say yes. You accepted his offer with a nod as you grab his hand and dragged him to the dance floor in his huge living room.

As the night wore on, y/n and Jake was dancing and singing their hearts out. Until y/n found herself needing to use the restroom. She asked Jake for directions, and he pointed her in the direction of his bedroom. Curiosity piqued, y/n couldn't help but glance around the room as she entered. To her surprise, she noticed five framed pictures of herself displayed on Jake's dresser. She was taken aback, not knowing how to react.

what the fuck..is that me? You were confused. But yet you feel a bit of relief that probably Jake has a possible crush on you. I mean at the end of the day, only your crush will stalk you right?

Feeling a mix of emotions, y/n returned to the sofa Jake was sat and confronted Jake about the pictures. She questioned him about his intentions and the meaning behind them. Jake's face flushed with embarrassment as he confessed that he had secretly admired her for a long time, collecting the pictures as a way to cherish the moments they had shared as neighbors.

“I promise you it isn’t what you think it is.” Jake was now scared you will think he’s being the biggest creep out there, stalking his beautiful, jaw dropping neighbor and her finding out afterwards. Rather than being upset, you found yourself touched by Jake's honesty and vulnerability. You realized that his actions came from a place of genuine affection. You smiled and reassured Jake that you didn't mind his collection; in fact, you found it endearing. “Is okay jake i understand. Just hope you can remove those pictures cuz i look horrible in them.” You laughed as you flopped yourself in his arms. “Shut up you don’t look horrible in any of them babe.”

From that moment, their connection deepened, and their friendship blossomed into something more. Yn and Jake embraced their feelings for each other, and their relationship grew stronger with each passing day. They continued to attend parties, celebrate holidays together, and create new memories as a couple.

As for Halloween, y/n’s perception of the holiday changed forever. It became a symbol of stepping out of her comfort zone, embracing and meeting the Halloween neighbor.

taglist : @surefornext @spilled-coffee-cup @skepvids

To be on my taglist, comment or reblog to be added.

[bienditt]

-- study tips!

this'll be a bit of a longer post. during my time working at my learning center, we were taught to help students implement these strategies to have more effective study sessions. below the cut i explain all of them in a little bit more detail so hopefully you all will be able to try some of them out as the school year takes off!

music

how easy is it to remember the lyrics to a catchy song you hear all the time on the radio? even if it's not a song you particularly like, the chorus can wiggle its way into your memory. try transforming the concept you're learning into the lyrics to a song you already know.

visualization

everything happens twice: once in your mind and once in reality. try to visualize the concepts you're learning.

metaphor, analogy, simile

this method can be used to connect the unfamiliar with the familiar. (blank) is like (blank).

reciprocal teaching

this method is my favorite. grab a classmate, friend, family member (anyone that will listen really) and explain the concepts you're learning to them. encourage them to ask you questions to get yourself doing some critical thinking. we remember 90% of what we teach to someone else.

roleplay

motivate yourself to more actively participate in your learning. put yourself in the shoes of your professor and make practice tests, or in the mind of whoever discovered the concepts you're learning.

writing

we remember what we write much more than things that we simply read or even type. writing connects the brain and the body.

story telling

it is easy for the brain to remember stories with a beginning, middle, and end. this method works great for concepts that are processes. turn your concept into a little story.

mnemonic devices

mnemonic devices include acronyms and acrostics. these are great for remembering lists.

visuals

there's a reason textbooks these days have so many pictures! images help the brain remember and connect new information with something you may have seen before.

movement

motion connects the brain and the body. make easy to remember motions to go along with the concepts you're learning.

graphic organizers

graphic organizers are another one of my favorite study methods. mind mapping helps to better organize the concepts you're learning and makes it easier to connect key points.

drawing

drawing and making diagrams helps to further visualize and organize information.

games

games help lower stress and increase retention. things like kahoots, quizlet live, matching games (etc.) can help you enjoy studying a little more.

projects

project based learning is a very active learning strategy. think of things like science fair projects. when professors assign projects try your best to put your all into it.

field trips

field trips are another way to lower stress and increase retention. visiting museums dedicated to what you're learning is a great way to boost your interest and morale.

work study

getting more intimately involved in your field of study greatly increases your critical thinking skills surrounding it. for many fields this looks like getting involved in research, TA'ing, or becoming a tutor.

humor

what's more memorable than a good joke?

discussion

this method is a lot like reciprocal teaching. find a classmate, or someone else how has about the same level of understanding and talk about the concepts you're leaning.

manipulatives

there's a strong connection between what our hands hold and brains comprehend. manipulatives includes anything that can be touched and handled, like science models or interactive kits.

technology

using technology can look like a million different things, such as using apps to facilitate learning (like quizlet or duolingo).

i hope someone can find even one of these things useful as they continue with their academic journey. feel free to leave me any questions comments or concerns!

[dearweirdme]

Responding to some of the comments from my last mole anon ask I'm not new to the group but I am new to the ship. I first started listening to the group around 2018 but watching stuff like Run and the festas a few yrs later and from that, I wouldn't have guessed taekook were dating or even one of the closest friendship. They seemed touchy yeah but i think that for the whole group tbh. It wasn't really until solo era that I started focusing more on fan stuff. I'd say before that I was more fo a casual fan who enjoyed watching the content but wasn't really desperate to see everything bts. Like I knew the basics and the memes but never really was inclined to delve any further and my knowledge of shipping was mostly critical. I did see some of the narratives in the backlash to shipping such as taekook being less close than other members and with (what I now know is edited) official content reinforcing that, it was much easier to believe that than a secret taekook love affair.

But Layover turned out to be one of my favorite albums because it was closest to my musical tastes and culture of music i grew up with and so I started hitting up twitter and specifically searching stuff up to discuss more about tae and his musical influences coz I thought he did such a great job with that album and had some real soul in it despite not being raised in that culture or country of that kind of music. And I think because of the algorithms and how popular taekook is that's when I started seeing my taekook posts pop up on my timeline and from a ship critical perspective, I brushed most of as delulu coz wlmy first exposure of ships being discussed in fandom was that it was weird and inappropriate to ship.

And the stuff that I did see out of morbid curiosity (and I admit it wasn't a lot at that time) just really validated the 'fake' accusations because it was all slow mo'd edits and taekook seemed to have 7 different anniversary dates according to the taekook stuff I read so it was seeming more like shippers were just trying to fit a circle onto a square hole or something. Plus I'd see people responding to those slo mo edits with the real time links and that made it seem even faker.

The I recently saw the mole video on twitter that brought me here and that was the first thing were I couldn't really rationalise it with a platonicary answer because one of the first things I can remember doing in a relationship is laying in bed counting and mapping each others marks and freckles.

So that to me seemed just highly romantic for a couple of bros.

Except I lost the video on twitter so I tried YouTube to find it, nothing. Searched the Internet on general, nothing and I ended up stumbling across this blog. I think I discovered while browsing after seeing a response to an ask that I thought sounded fair enough a d really kinda middle ground for a shipper. It was framed as like 'idnk for sure but here's what I think' and after looking for the link and coming across people who were more definitive in their theories and stuff, I thought somewhere like here would be the best place to ask for the info.

Because at that point, shipping didn't have any good associations to me and I wasn't really comfortable with my own speculation that the mole vid was leaving me with but I also couldn't stop second guessing my own first reaction to deny, deny, deny and make an excuse for it.

So my intentions really were to post here, get a link to the vid, watch it again and be like 'oh yeah, that's been blown out of proportion. No ships sailing here' like I had when people sent those real time links in response to ship edit videos.

(Except we all know what happened next)

While waiting for a response which came pretty quickly, I was looking up for more info on taekook in general and was coming up with mostly horse shit but I was also noticing the more reasoned stuff now that I was actively looking for it.

And in the response, DWM mentioned and tagged the taekook timeline which really topped off me taking a second look at the ship because again it was presented as kinda 'this is what I think, beware, I could be just high on delusional and this whole post could be wish fulfilment but here's what happened and what I think' and angles like that I can appreciate because I find it way more trustworthy than someone presenting a theory as fact which is what it felt like taekook lyves was doing a lot of, imo.

The timeline really sealed the deal for me, tbh, because seeing all their interactions in one place and running on concurrent really blew the hinges off the 'distance' narrative.

Which lead me to the ultimate question which I think is the fossil fuel that taekook sails on; what's with all the fucking secrecy and what's bighit hiding??

Because to me and with the timeline on front of me there was no distance on their distant relationship.

And so I've recently started a rewatch of some of their biggest hits. Like I started with bon voyage and I'm kicking myself and wondering why I didn't consider stuff like the room choosing situation in Bon Voyage Morrocoo or Malta wherever they were, more closely. I can't even explain why I just took it at face value as a joke because looking back JK made it so damn obvious.

And I started noticing the subtleties of their touching and the lack of space. I think part of me started reqatching the BV and Run episodes to be kinda proven right that there was nothing more to the ship and I was being delulu but the more I watch, the more Im starting to notice and those fossil fuel questions keep popping up in my mind.

And as a logical creature who said taekook isn't real when I couldn't see anything proving it, I can't then refuse to consider the possibility that it might be real now that I'm seeing stuff that I consider legit proof or support of a relationship.

As for theories, I don't want it to come across like I'm acting smarter or more superior than anyone else because I think everyone is working off theories even the people who don't believe in it because none of us know these guys or their lives but I don't like when theories are pushed as fact or manipulated or framed as the only possible conclusion to a question. Like could I make another theory as to why taekook ate mapping out each others moles, yeah, course I could but based on my own experience perception and no real clear arguement otherwise etc---the romantic reason is still the strongest supported to me.

So I don't have anything against theories just the way they're framed.

So yeah I guess that's my looong (sorry) story about how I accidently became a taekook shipper.

Hi again mole anon!

It’s really nice to hear your story actually. I think skepticism is definitely a good way to get into this. Also, props to Kayla @taekooktimeline for documenting so well 💜.

[kaaaaaaarf]

hello karfy i want to know what kind of music you listened to as a teenager pls 🫶🏼

Hiii Cat! Honestly I listened to a little bit of everything. There was of course the midwest emo, a lot of punk, some soft indie rock that I discovered through Dawson's Creek. I also listened to a ton of classic rock and famous guitarists cause the boy I was into loved them (were talking like Stevie Ray Vaughn and Chris Isaak).

My favourite radio station played "new rock alternative" which would now probably be called dad rock. I have a whole playlist of this in particular if you're curious haha

I used to have a discman and would listen to CDs on the way to school cause I had a long bus journey. (mp3 players weren't a thing until I was in university). I remember one day an older girl asked me what I was listening to and was in shock when I said Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals. She was like ????? but to be fair, the day before it was the Pokemon movie soundtrack, soooo.....

Inbox me (1) thing you want to know about me.

[flanaganfilm]

Hey there!

I’m a new writer-director finishing up film school and I keep getting into little spats with some of my instructors over my characters talking too much/for too long.

My stock response at this point has basically become “Well, it works just fine when Mike Flanagan does it.”

I don’t know if it’s because I come from a theatre background or what, but I really don’t like the seemingly common wisdom that characters talking—actors orating—is boring for audiences. That you have to have Something Happening all the time, and that characters “just” conversing or telling a story doesn’t count, as though “to speak” isn’t a verb.

Since you tend to have characters speak at length and it turns out riveting—I’m thinking specifically of the confetti speech from Hill House and Hassan’s speech about being a Muslim cop in NYC from Midnight Mass—I was hoping you could share some of your thoughts on balancing action with conversation, giving actors room to “just” talk, and keeping lengthy oration engaging.

Thanks!

I also come from a theater background. I wouldn't be too hard on your instructors - in fact, they sound like they're pretty in sync with a lot of executives in the industry.

I received similar feedback when I was a film student. My first few student features were very talky. We were studying the breakthrough work of Kevin Smith, Spike Lee, and Jim Jarmusch. The indie movies that were selling at Sundance and hitting theaters were The Brothers McMullen and Chuck and Buck. Tarantino had hit the scene and his characters were dropping pages and pages and pages of thick, unhurried dialogue. Reservoir Dogs posters were hanging on every dorm room wall on campus, and that movie was essentially just a long conversation. We watched My Dinner With Andre in class. So yeah, most of our student films were emulating that.

I have always loved a monologue. Going back to Robert Shaw's hypnotic story in Jaws, to Harry Dean Stanton's jaw-dropping monologue in Paris, Texas. It's an art form. Giving actors room to speak, to find music in dialogue, to transport a viewer just with mere words... that's an incredible feat, I think. It's some of the oldest magic left.

That said, I've always tried to balance that out. It's a visual medium, after all, and whenever I've found myself leaning too hard on the words, I've tried to counterbalance that was a very ambitions visual sequence, a long unbroken camera maneuver, or something else that honors the difference between filmed entertainment and theatre.

One of the reasons I made Hush was to challenge myself to eliminate words from my arsenal and focus on visual storytelling.

I take a fair amount of flack for my monologues and dialogue, first from studio executives and then from a small percentage of viewers whose attention spans are being challenged. The most common note I get on any project is to take out talking. It can be disheartening, but I'm always trying to be fair about it, and to be sympathetic to the fact that a lot of movies and television have actively tried to shorten viewers' attention spans for decades now. Audiences are being trained for things to happen faster, louder, shorter. What good is your amazing 6-minute monologue if people changed the channel two episodes ago?

There are times when it is more important to me than others. I dug in hard on Midnight Mass, where the words and ideas in those soliloquies are a big part of the point of the show... but on The Midnight Club, I didn't push for it. I kept scenes relatively short, and there isn't a monologue to be found.

But my overarching feeling is that an artfully written and well performed monologue is a gift, and a dying art. It celebrates great acting, it requires great trust of the performer and of the viewer, and it has the power to transport us with one of the oldest magics human beings ever discovered - the spoken word.

Storytelling began that way: monologues around a campfire. Over the millennia, we've harnessed that campfire light, we've even learned to paint with it, to pull our dreams out of our minds and put them onto giant screens, so the whole world can dream together... but the real magic still starts with the words.

Which is my long-winded way of trying to encourage you to make your films the way you want to make them. Make the films you want to see. And if you love words... that's a great thing. Try to find a balance, never lose sight of the visual medium, and if you're going to drop a big chunk of words in there, try to earn it with something visually challenging as well.

Or, just tell your instructors you'll make it shorter, and then cut out ten frames of air. ;)

[borisbubbles]

Eurovision 2024: #27

27. FRANCE Slimane - "Mon amour" 4th place

Decade ranking: 103/153 [Above The Black Mamba, below Marco Mengoni]

Slimane has a very powerrful voice. 🙂

THE RANKING

Okay, FINE. I suppose I can't leave it like that. 🙄 Although I'd much rather would.

So *SLIME*-MANE. There's a lot to unpack and a lot I know most people will disagree with my takes, but oh well. I've ranked Joost low, and Mustii low, so it's only fair the Slimane fans get some scalding hot truth tea splashed in the face from this deluded overthinker. Disliking men is a much more productive way to run away from my problems than simpling them is.

So remember how I spoke about songs designed to Make People Cry? You know I hold emotional extortion in contempt. "Pity" is just a slightly more charitable way of looking down at others, and shouldn't be strived for. These anthems are inherently designed to manipulate the undiscerning into uglycrying while offering very little sustainance. Yep, we're here yet again. Another song that doesn't pass even a tiny bit of scrutiny, except in a language most viewers do not speak.

In fact, I'm pretty sure that "Mon Amour"'s francophoneness is what made many people sleep on the fact that it's not exactly narratively sound. Most people that I've spoken about ESC to that understand French haven't responded well to "Mon Amour" (lol one of my French friends bursting into chat all "SLIMANE REPS US? EW. HIS MUSIC IS SO BORING AND CORNY 😣" hours after Mon Amour's release passed without comment from any of us ♥).

The indifference makes sense when you read the lyrics. It's filled with cliche's that scream "I YEM ZE FR0NCH~", a little bit too much on the nose. If I thought "Évidemment" was bad, this is worse. Lines such as "reviens à Paris" and ''Es-ce-que tu-m'aimes où pas?" are such clichés they feel thoughtless and expected, like someone writing out the monologue on autopilot.

But what sets me off is the overal narrative. Slimane and France have attempted to retcon "Mon amour" as "the story of an artist reaching out to his fans, seeking validation" but that is not what the lyrics read out. Instead, speak of the aftermath of a broken romance, where SHE has had her heart shattered to a degree that she LEFT THE PROTAGONIST'S HOMETOWN FOR AN UNKNOWN DESTINATION AND BROKE OFF ALL CONTACT. Instead of giving her, you know, personal space or time to reflect, or even lick his wounds, he keeps desperately asking her whether she still loves him or not. Dude, I don't know her, and I know the answer is "no". Give it a rest, and move on. Sadly, Slimane didn't move on and spends a full three minutes wailing on about it. "I want her, I need her only her, why doesn't she love me". We know where this ends - with a restraining order and either her or him dead and dismembered inside a dumpster six months later. (Australia's jury of snarky yet emotionally intelligent gays picking up on this and ranking him dead last ♥ bless them ♥)

As you can perhaps tell, the above realizations completely KILL the romantic aspect of the song for me. I cannot, and WILL NOT get into its grief and sadness. All the parties involved should be GLAD it's over.

Instrumentally, the song's just... generic piano ballad, nothing new or innovative here. Dime a dozen, we've heard it before, bla bla bla. "Mon amour" is a nothingburger, an empty vessel for Slimane's vocal chops.

Which brings me to another problem I have with it - I personally don't really care much about technical skill? Eurovision is an audio-visual SONG contest, not a SINGING contest. It is cool that you can nail those masturbatory vocal projections. You're a singer who can sing. "Loud" however is a pitch, not an emotion. It would have been more impressive if you've also discovered the cure of cancer alongside it. (Curing tumors with vocal vibrations. Medical students reading this, get on it so I can be impressed by Slimane.)

Focusing exclusively on that though, is annoying to me. Good Eurovision entrants start with a SONG. "Mon amour" barely classifies as one. End off.

That isn't to say I cannot respect Slimane's vocal for what it was. I mean THIS:

is a feat only a few vocalists can successfully pull off. It is MORE impressive the first time you witness it before the laws of Diminishing Returns kicks in. But it was immensely clever to trial it at Dora and then include it into the song itself - it gives the performance stakes and gravitas, so why not?

However that brought the song's weakness even more to the forefront to me. My logic is the following: if you can pull off such a stunt, then why aren't you the immediate fave to win? Eurovision 2024 was the most open year perhaps of all times, and I'm supposed to believe a voice THIS strong cannot win it by itself? There are enough examples of strong vocals POWERING through merely decent songs (Céline and Corinne Hermès for instance) into a first place. If you can pull that off and still lose doesn't that prove your song is fucking shite?

Going into the contest I was HOPING to get something out of the live besides Big Vocals and also that France wouldn't morph into a direct contender to win (You would HOPE that 2024's varied and exciting line-up was competitive enough as to not crown a vocal projection exercise as its winner), and ultimately, I got both of my wishes because Eurovision 2024 was BORISVISION. I was the meta this year, bitches, and I think fourth place is a perfectly reasonable result for a vocal that strong on a song that nonexistent.

But more importantly, Slimane managed to inject his performance with EMOTIONS and good god I really needed that.

It took a LOT of effort from Slimane for me to recognize that yes, this man is cooking with gas, and his expertise elevates the whole package. "Seductive" is the incorrect emotion for the subject matter but whatever. Ignoring the subject matter is the only way you can enjoy the song, so if that's what one must to do end the night on a high note, so be it. I let it pass, with few regrets.

Like Nutsa, he served enough for me to respect him ~as a performer~ who deserved the result he got. Like "Firefighter", I still have some contempt for the song itself, and there's a strict limit for how Im i'm willing to place it.

Turns out that boundary lies at Marco Mengoni. "Mon amour" always felt like a lazy, soulless answer to "Due vite" for me, and I'm not willing put it ahead, nor to re-examine my stance on DV so quickly after my 2023 ranking. "Due vite" was a song that ultimately wasn't my cup of tea, but it was the superior composition, and deserves a higher mark.

So ultimately, I end with Slimane a bittersweet note. A man with the capability to win the Eurovision Song Contest, yes and who manifested his impending loss with below average penmanship. If the French are looking for someone to blame for not winning once since 1977, they can start with their failure to recognize their 2024 song needed a revamp.

THE RANKING (again)

[jerzwriter]

My daughter and I just completed our 3rd concert in a series of 5 that we’re seeing together in a 6 week period (lunacy). (5th of 7 we will see together this year.) Some are acts that are popular now, and some are older acts. Like tonight… we saw The Eagles at Madison Square Garden.

When she went to get drinks between acts, the dude behind me dragged me into a conversation with his wife. He was like: "You see, you're here with your daughter, and she's happy to be here. Because our music was good, not the crap they listen to today."

I was like: "First, the Eagles are more my mother's generation than mine; I just happen to love them. Second, I was with my daughter at Noah Kahan's show just last week."

"Noah, who?"

"Exactly. He's a freaking amazing, talented musician that I think you'd honestly love if you kept an open mind. See, we don't do that generational bullshit in our house."

I don't think it was the answer he was looking for, but it's the correct answer, nevertheless. And in fairness, he took down Noah's name and said he'd listen to it tomorrow.

Don't ever stop discovering new things, and those new things can be from the past or the present. Great music didn't start the year you were born, and it will live on after you die. For those of us who are parents or have other young people in our lives, the bonds and connections you'll share are just magic. I know the memories my daughter and I have made this year will live with us always.

[silviakundera]

The Spirealm Ep 6 Reaction

fair warning: in these episode reactions I'm not gonna pretend I haven't read the novel. in fact, I purposely finished the novel before viewing, to get The Full Experience. thus novel spoilers, including twist end, included.

🙌 client sleeps on the floor time 🙌 (LQ: I can sleep on the floor. RN: NO.)

Creepy X agent listening at their door and setting up the newbie.

Spikes stabbed through the wall while they sleep! Not ok!!!!!

This is why in a survival game you sleep fully clothed!

"Are we really going to treat the kids this way?"

"There's no room for mercy."

I fucking love how creepy the whole forced holding an egg in your mouth thing is.

Lock picking skills and THE DOOR \o/

lmao after RN snarks at agent X, "so that's your new partner" and makes a face at her, he turns and flashes this little smile at LQ as he says, "let's go." The bias is so strong.

yaaaaaaaaassssss the newbie is losing it. Things are falling apart. RN looks as enthralled as me.

LB is supposed to be standing guard while RN sleeps (as they all take turns), but does he sit in the chair? no. He sits on the bed next to RN, and talks out loud to him so there's no way he'll sleep either lol.

Nevermind, they're just gonna go to sleep together and hope no monsters try to kill them overnight.

.... that lasts about 15 seconds 👍

ah, LQ discovers that RN tried switching their eggs so the monster will target only RN. He's so low key about it. I like how understated it is, though of course LQ understands the significance of every time RN protects him.

"Here's yours."

You just know those crossed hands were blocked that way on purpose.

The way that RN then just matter of factly drops his on the floor, completely crushed. "My hand slipped. I must have been delirious."

Look at that lying uwu face

LQ doesn't even bother to buy what those eyes are selling and he once again probes, tests, why are you taking such good care of me?

He suggests maybe it's about recruiting him to join Obsidian, but imo I don't think he actually believes it's mercenary. It's that... it all feels too good to be true. (His repeated questioning reminds me a little about how Cha Yeowoon in 'Love for Love's Sake' finally laments, in distress, that he doesn't understand why Tae Myungha is treating him this way. And he's told, why can't someone just decide to be good to you? In both dramas, Ruan Nanzhu & Tae Myungha are indeed hiding some critical context but that doesn't mean the care is false.)

In this case, RN tells him: "I think you're talented. I want to be friends with you."

"You came through this door just to help me, didn't you?" RN spins a story, but neither LQ or the audience buy his bluster. Plus, there's delicate piano music again ;)

"I believe in you. .. Because I see a light in you that others don't have."

(this is VERY INTERESTING in lieu of the fact that in the novel, 12th Door God!RN apparently saw something so special in Actual Leader of Obsidian!LQ such that he falls in love and creates this entire long game for them both to lose their memories & develop a relationship asdfghjk)

awwwwwwwwwwwww LQ gives a tiny smile with, 'ok' and agrees they'll escape the door and then he'll go PICK UP CHESTNUT THE CAT AND COME FIND HIM 💕💕💕

Clasped hands! Heart eyes! RN: "Agreed."

LMAOOOOO the way they're still romantically holding hands while our leading lady jolts up sleep-talking about accepting a Best Actress award. Nice bit of comedy to break the mood, so it doesn't cross over into cheesy.

lol next morning, RN: whose sleeping posture looks better, mine or Xu Xiaocheng?

LQ, a savvy husband-in-training, "Both look good." Nice save, sir! Couldn't have done it better myself.

Yaaaaaaasssss the bloody cake!

🕵🕵🕵 room 720 timelines 🕵🕵🕵

Next Episode