#if music be the food of love play the banjo

[pegglefan69]

next petsitting gig I GOTTA bring my banjo. Animals love when I sing them sea shanties or cowboy songs I gotta provide some accompaniment

[mrsjellymunson]

🥁Drummer!Eddie headcanons thanks entirely to THIS by @littlexdeaths and THIS by @somnambulic-thing 🥁

Because of course I have to give him a backstory…

- He was always hyper as a kid and hitting things with pencils and rulers and branches - himself, furniture, bushes, other children…

- He’d frustrate his mother (affectionately) by stealing her wooden mixing spoons and smashing them against cupboard doors, his toys, empty food boxes, and any pans he could steal from the kitchen

- She eventually started collecting things for him, like plastic tubs, paint cans, wooden boxes, and encouraged him to play them outside

- Al, unsurprisingly, wasn’t a fan, so she tried to get Eddie interested in other instruments too. It kind of worked. He’d spend hours wandering the woods near his home with a secondhand harmonica one of his mom’s friend’s husbands gave him, and a thrifted tin whistle, but he always drifted back to the feral, manic energy of bashing objects with sticks

- His middle school teachers never let him have free reign in music class, sometimes excluding him from it entirely. They wanted him to be ‘good at school stuff’ first, and saw music time as a reward. But, if they’d just let him engage in the way he needed to, they would’ve seen that he was ‘good at’ that to a level far beyond his peers. Plus, it would’ve had the added benefits of helping him manage his energy levels, and concentrate better in his other classes

- Eventually he moves in with Wayne, who finds an old acoustic guitar at a yard sale that Eddie absolutely loves. But his passion for rhythm remains, and he collects old containers, cans and pots and arranges them outside the trailer, tinkering away with them of an evening as a way of unwinding before bed

- The neighbours initially hate it, but when they notice that this kid actually has a decent sense of rhythm they start bringing him stuff to add to his set, like plastic barrels and metal oil drums

- He inadvertently becomes the locus of entertainment for the ‘park parties’ that start to happen. People join in with guitars, banjos, at least two residents have violins and someone’s friend even brings a clarinet one time. When some of the old geezers discover he plays harmonica, just like they do, they have ‘hoedown showdowns’ where they duel, and there’s much cheering from the other residents. Eddie even learns to play the spoons (he’s an annoying natural) from the old codger four trailers down, who’d barely been seen outside of his home for months at this point

- One night he and some other disaffected friends break into the High School music room, intending to do some damage, maybe even steal a few things. But when Eddie steps in, after strumming his fingers over the strings of a few instruments and plonking away on the piano as he walks past it, he spots an old, tattered drum kit at the far end. It’s red, with peeling decals, the supports are corroding and at least two of the skins have been mended with duct tape, but to Eddie’s eyes it’s the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen. It seems to emit its own light, and levitates above the ground, calling to him. He sits behind it, picking up the first decent pair of sticks he’s ever held, and starts to experimentally tap out a rhythm. He finds the foot pedal, and adds it in. Tentatively, he makes contact with the cymbals, revelling in the variety of sounds he can make. After only a matter of moments he’s practically playing a tune, and his cohorts stop their fiddling and pause to listen. One walks over, aghast, and nods his head to the beat for while before remarking, “You’re a fucking drummer, dude!”

Final quote shamelessly stolen from the documentary ‘Count Me In’ where Taylor Hawkins describes how he discovered his future vocation (if you're a drumming fan I highly recommend it).

Visual references: HERE from @eddiemunsons-missingnipple and THIS by @jqmunson

Adding my usuals, my series are coming along, I promise 😁🤭 @joejoequinnquinn @jamdoughnutmagician @guiltyasquinn @madaboutmunson @airen256 @sunshinepeachx @the-unforgivenn @skrzydlak @comeonatmebruh @jamiecb66 @80s-addict @abellmunsonmovie @definitionwanderlust @sheneedsrocknroll92 @munson-blurbs @wonderlanddreamer @daisy-munson @maedesculpaeusoubi @kurdtbean @mediocredreams @in2tswft @micheledawn1975 @littlebebebunny @12thatsanumber @alastorssimp @the-baby-angel @eddie-is-a-god @wolfqueenxxx @losingmygrasponreality @richter-raccoon @1deverland

[thirdtidemouse]

i have to do more bc she isnt rly brought to life yet.. she will change a LOT... but this is dylan :-] (hammarlund? underhill?) i couldn't not do a hilda oc and i couldnt not make it a nervous werewolf. she stresses herself out but is surprisingly organised about cooking, one of the famously stressful activities. she spends a full day planning out a meal, cooking for herself and kaisa (thank god. that nerd cannot cook) and then asks for detailed reviews.

she is very stressed out about being a werewolf though. she has just finished being a teenager and this is kind of that all over again. she does not want ANYONE to find out and confides reluctantly only in kaisa. what she fears is people fearing her, and she feels like the moment her life has been pieced back together again, she's losing grip, again. it's almost a black hound situation when the people of trolberg hear about a werewolf sneaking around. some episode centred around the mystery ensues.

she likes food + music! although she's more of an amateur at music, she owns + plays a guitar, a mandolin, a banjo, and a harmonica. very folksy. she has a swedish-welsh accent. try and imagine it please.

the default sister dynamic is kaisa getting home from work late (she probably lives in a flat in/around the library), and dylan being in the midst of homemade ravioli or something with a sauce that took 6 hours. kaisa asks about her day to be polite. dylan tells her about the sauce that took 6 hours, a long hike, 3 different invasive plant species, a lot of butter, and the use of powertools. kaisa has been re-shelving niche history of magic books but got so caught up re-reading them that it also took up 6 hours. when they have eaten dylan asks for her opinion and scribes the whole thing down in her notebook as kaisa voices her 5 star yelp review. they do not ask anything else about each others days and interact mainly through dylan slow-motion fake-punching kaisa while she is trying to just hang out in the living room or do her work and is ignored. only when she is in a very good mood will kaisa fake-punch back. dylan has a lethal case of younger-sister-that-is-taller syndrome.

sorry for my handwriting but the vague outline of her backstory WHICH MAY PROBABLY CHANGE is:

from the time she was 8 and kaisa was 21, they lived alone together. kaisa became a full-fledged witch between then and age 25, when suspicion against witches was on the rise for a short while - dylan never became a witch, but the only trusted adults in her life (basically kaisa and tildy) were, and they decided it would be best for her to grow up somewhere less troublesome. they were both pretty messed up about her having to move away, dylan holding some kind of spite toward her sister for a while, and kaisa feeling incapable, guilty and ill-equipped to take care of her.

she went to school in wales at 12, living with as-yet-unspecified family members/friends, and while kaisa almost immediately regretted sending her away, dylan adjusted quickly and spent the rest of her school career there. after a few years she forgave kaisa, because she ultimately enjoys her life, but she is stilll missed at home. at 17 going on 18 she became a werewolf (whether she was bitten or it was always in her somewhere?) and four months later she finished sixth form and called kaisa out of the blue asking if she could come and move in. since they didn't live in trolberg before, she's new to the city.

i will write more cohesively about her relationships to other characters/flesh her out more later, ESPECIALLY the werewolf stuff, but now i have to go to bed. thank you for reading :-] feel free to ask/suggest anything about her!! i love discussing hilda ocs

by the way this is i think my first ever actual OC? i've made up others before but they've just been single designs i've never really thought much about their actual selves because i suck at writing. dylan is the first one thats really stuck. part of her is based off myself and people i know, most of her is not. the main similarity between us is double-denim.

this is fun though. critique is welcome

(obviously her werewolf self is a swedish elkhound. i know the design kind of just looks like a furry im working on it)

[fandomshifter]

Tim Wright & Brian Thomas in my AU

[ I know about Marble Hornets and both Tim and Brian are not proxies but in my AU + DR they are!! ]

Tim Wright!!

He owns a red truck that he stole from one of his victims when he first became a proxie

Him and Brian are dating and have been together for a few years

Tim has a strong accent when he gets angry and a lot of people can't take him seriously because of it

He has a CD collection from all different types of music but mainly what I would class as divorced dad music so; Linkin Park, Nickleback, AC/DC, Foo fighters Etc..

He can play a banjo and guitar and was in a band in college with a few of his old friends

Still has gaps in his memory from Marble Hornets and watching it is banned in the mansion, Both Brian and Tim are not allowed to access it

His room is the closest to “The Slendermans” office since he has been in contact with Slenderman for the longest out of anyone in the mansion.

Has a massive obsession with lip balm and has a stash inside one of his draws in his room

Was an Emo in his teen years and still sometimes endulges in some of the songs but not the fashion since he says ‘he's too old to dress like that’

Still has to take meds and regular mental check ups with EJ which made them have a close bond which not a lot of people know about

Brian Thomas!!

Is actually the head proxie, not Tim like a lot of people would think. He's more strategic with how he does thing such as stalking and killing victims.

Also wanted to be in a band in college so he learned how to play guitar aswell and can sing decently

Rides a motorbike and has a van that he both stole. He won't let anyone touch his motorbike and only Tim or a responsible Creep can use the van [ so not Jeff at all ].

Was the first person to be made a proxie, but has had a shorter connection with slenderman than Tim. He was made a proxie first because he was more compliant.

His music taste consists of metal and lots of it, like any genere of metal. [ I'm not much if a metal fan but you can say in the comments any specifics if you want ]

His bedroom is the cleanest in the house because he doesn't like mess in his room and many people come into his room for favours and doesn't want to seem like a messy, unkempt person. [ He cares about people view him ]

He has many scars on his face from old piercings he had in his youth, the only open piercings he has is his Lobe piercings, which he occasionally wears ear rings in.

Alot of people in the mansion look up to him and his leadership skills. He is very good at what he does and due to his reputation he always has to be better than everyone, it gave him an ego.

He loves cooking food and usually will be in the kitchen baking or cooking stress away, he never could because he was always on the move but now he found a love for it.

He was a pot head in his college days and occasionally still smokes it but usually late at night when everyone is asleep, he climbs up to the roof and looks at the stars while smoking.

MASKY & HOODIE

I don't know enough information to represent DID realistically, and I still think after doing research I would still get it wrong and I don't want to upset anyone!!

So I decided Masky & Hoodie are parts of the operator, the mark [ ⦻ ] given to a proxie makes it easier for Slenderman to use your body for his biding, like a possession. He hates getting his hands dirty so he does it through his proxies bodies. However that's a last resort since it has very bad side effects for humans.

They use the names, Hoodie & Masky when doing missions because they want to separate themselves for what they are doing. So usually it's just Tim and Brian doing the missions but if they refuse, slenderman WILL make you do it.

[ Hope this all makes sense and you enjoyed reading them!! Don't forget to ask for the discord server link and Ask for me to write something!! ]

[borathae]

↳ Index [Chapter 27 - Guilt]

Warnings: nightmares, Jimin is finally bettering himself, she keeps overthinking, Yoongi is going through it this chapter hahaha not in a bad way, this is both very sweet but also has sad moments

Wordcount: 7.1k

a/n: we stan a man wanting to do better

The kitchen is filled with the smell of food. The air dances in the music of Hoseok’s playlist. The latter is currently showing off a dance move to Yoongi, who shows him his support by nodding his head as his arms are crossed in front of his chest.

“Are you getting the peppers soon?” Seokjin calls over his shoulder.

“Yeah, yeah soon. God, I was showing off my moves”, Hoseok whines, stopping his dance, “sorry hyung, it’ll have to wait.”

“Yeah, yeah”, Yoongi dismisses him but overall he looks very content with himself.

“What did you think of it?”

“It looked good”, Yoongi praises him which makes Hoseok show off a huge grin.

“You guys seem to have fun”, you call their attention.

“Oh guys, finally you’re done. The entire house heard you”, Hoseok says.

“What do you mean?”

Hoseok rolls his hips in a sexual way, making weird faces as he does.

“Eh-hey”, he says, wiggling his brows.

“You’re so gross, will you finally get the peppers?” Seokjin hisses.

Hoseok stumbles away with a cackle, soon disappearing in the pantry.

“Did you actually…”

“No. He’s gross and listened in”, Seokjin answers you, studying you from head to toe, “how are you doing, Taehyung?”

“Good thank you for asking. And you?” he says.

“Good, yeah”, Seokjin purses his lips in preparation for what he will say, “I’m glad you’re feeling better.”

“Oh uhm”, Taehyung lowers his gaze shyly, “thank you, that means a lot to me.”

“Mhm yeah”, Seokjin turns back to the stove, stirring the onion with bright red ears.

“I’m happy too”, Emma says, giving Taehyung a sweet smile, “we have to do another dance party soon. I’ll get my Banjo then”, she adds.

“Certainly!” Taehyung nods his head vigorously, “oh, I haven’t played folk in so long, we ought to do it soon.”

“Definitely”, she says, flashing him one last smile before returning to her task of dicing the pumpkin.

Taehyung looks at you with sparkling eyes. Did you see that? He says with that look, we are finally getting along. For the first time in far too many months his eyes carried honest life in them again and you are so happy that they do, hoping that it will never die out again. 

You lean in to peck his cheek, telling him that you were happy with it.

Taehyung inches closer to Seokjin and Emma afterwards, joining their middle.

“Can I help somehow? The food smells amazing already. What are we cooking?” he asks.

“Roasted pumpkin and pepper soup, it’s best for autumn days like today”, Emma tells him.

“Oh, that sounds lovely. You know, we were thinking about having a winter holiday party, perhaps we can cook it then too.”

“A winter holiday party? That sounds so much fun.”

“Definitely. I have already planned everything…”

Their conversation soon fades out into the background.

“Good morning”, you greet Yoongi, “did you sleep well?”

“I didn’t sleep.”

“Why? Are you okay? Did the conversation take so long? Are you okay? How did it go?”

“It went alright. He'll think about himself."

“And he is still alive, right?”

Yoongi scowls at you, “I told you that I wouldn’t kill him, didn’t I? Stop distrusting me.”

“Gosh, no I didn’t mean it like that. Thank you for talking to him.”

“Mhm”, Yoongi nods his head.

“So why did you stay awake all night?”

“I followed a supposed trail to Namjoon.”

“And? How did that go?”

“It lead to nothing”, he says and huffs out air.

“Gosh, that sucks. I’m sure we’ll find him soon”, you assure him.

“I hope”, he murmurs then goes to study your face, “you look…” his eyes flit to your middle then back to your face, “…well rested.”

“I am”, you pull him close to you, kissing his lips that way.

“Mhm”, Yoongi hums in acknowledgement, stepping back as inconspicuously as possible before that could happen. He ignores the confused look you send his way because of it.

Hoseok returns with the peppers.

“So guys, about this morning. I assume we are all goody good again?”

“Jesus christ Hoseok, you’re such a pervert. Can you stop talking about it?” Yoongi hisses.

“I’m just asking. They were really going at it.”

Yoongi frowns, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

“Yeah and apparently forgetting their training”, he murmurs, sending Jungkook a look.

“In my defence”, Jungkook begins, “I was only doing what you told me I could do. And Taehyung took watch.”

“I did”, Taehyung turns, looking proud.

“I know”, Yoongi answers him dryly, studying him from head to toe.

“And? What do you think of it? Did I do well?” he asks, nudging Yoongi’s chest.

“I guess.”

Taehyung grins proudly, “see? I told you, I know a thing or two about control as well. Now you don’t have to be his only teacher anymore, I can help too.”

Yoongi turns his head to the side, tightening the grip he has on his own arms, “mhm.”

“So you listened in too”, Hoseok says, wiggling his brows, “you pervert.”

“Hey, don’t call me a pervert. You did it first”, Yoongi complains.

“Did I?” Hoseok wiggles your brows.

“Whatever, I only did it to make sure Jungkook stayed in control.”

“Mhm sure and it wasn’t because you’re into it.”

Yoongi frowns again, giving Hoseok a little growl and a flash of his fangs.

Hoseok snickers.

“How about we all agree on not listening in on people having sex from now on, yeah?” you say, feeling like getting swallowed by the ground would be way more comfortable.

“I only did it to make sure you’re safe”, Yoongi murmurs, pouting which earns him one of your looks.

“In my defence, I listen in on Seokjin and Emma too”, Hoseok says.

“Yah!” Seokjin exclaims, head snapping up quickly, “what did you just say? Come here you little bastard”, he says, soon chasing Hoseok with a spatula in one hand and a dish towel in the other.

“Hoseok, Seokjin can you two behave?” Emma tells them with fondness in her eyes, “we need those peppers.”

“I’ll cut them”, Yoongi says, snatching them and a cutting board.

“Thank you hun, you are a darling”, Emma says, returning to the soup.

“I want to do something too”, Jungkook says.

“I wanted to bake bread”, Yoongi says, “the recipe’s in my book.”

“On it, bread it is. ___, Tae do you want to help me?”

“Of course!” Taehyung exclaims, hurrying to Jungkook’s side. He back hugs him, swaying their bodies from side to side with his chin resting on his shoulder.

“Just tell me what to do”, you say, staying between Jungkook and Yoongi.

You end up reading the ingredients while Taehyung is the one getting them and Jungkook is stuck with the duty of kneading. Every now and then he giggles when Taehyung decides to nibble on his neck or shoulder, telling the older vampire to stop it whilst never really fighting him off.

Yoongi in the meantime finishes the peppers and brings them to Emma, returning to your side afterwards.

“The dough is – Tae stop biting me – the dough is finished what should I do next?” Jungkook says with Taehyung nuzzled into his neck.

“Maybe start with a little less biting and more kneading?” you tease.

Taehyung lifts his head, grinning boyishly.

“I feel like you want to tell me something, darling”, he says.

“Of course not, you little sweetie just aren’t helpful”, you say, nudging his arm.

“But Kookie smells so good”, Taehyung pouts, resting his cheek on Jungkook’s shoulder, “I want to eat him.”

Jungkook gulps, staring at you and Yoongi with big eyes. His cheeks are rosy.

“Didn’t you do that enough this morning?” Yoongi throws in, eyes sparkling in unsure anticipation if his joke was funny.

Taehyung widens his eyes then snorts very ungracefully.

“Oh dear hyung, did you just joke?” he says.

“Why?” Yoongi crosses his arms in front of his chest.

“Nothing, you are simply hilarious”, Taehyung stumbles away from Jungkook to instead hug Yoongi, getting stopped by Yoongi raising his hand in a stopping motion before he can.

“Okay, don’t overstep your privilege now.”

Taehyung laughs, “come on, just one hug.”

“No, you’re making it weird. Fuck off.” 

“Okay then”, Taehyung says and falls around Yoongi’s neck instead.

Yoongi freezes up, staring at nothing with widened eyes and his arms stretched from his body. 

“What did I just tell you?”

“But I want to”, Taehyung murmurs into Yoongi’s shoulder. 

“Why?”

“Because I want to. You deserve a hug. For helping me last night and for talking to him and for being a great friend. I felt so alone lately, but now I don’t anymore. Thank you, hyung.”

“Uhm. Yeah.”

Yoongi pats Taehyung on the back twice, carrying an awkward look on his face.

“Are you done now?” he asks. 

Taehyung shakes his head, pulling Yoongi closer. 

“What are you doing? Can you”, he huffs out air, “can you not?” 

“But hyung, I love you.”

“Get off of me”, Yoongi says, wiggling in Taehyung’s hold. 

Taehyung snickers, “no.”

“Just piss off”, Yoongi hisses, pushing at Taehyung, “seriously Tae, I’ll break your arms if you don’t let go.”

Taehyung gives Yoongi a tight squeeze.

“No. Leave me alone. I don’t want this”, Yoongi complains, fighting the younger vampire vehemently. 

Not that he ever truly uses his strength. He is just weird about all of this. Weird and nervous like nothing else.

Taehyung giggles and finally steps back, flashing Yoongi a boyish grin.

“You’re so cold-hearted hyung. Do you not love me back?” he says, earning himself a dramatic eye roll, “do you not love me, hyung?”

“You’re so weird sometimes”, Yoongi fixes his shirt, looking to the side in shyness.

Taehyung cackles. Now everything is just how it is supposed to be. Safe for you.

Taehyung forces his arms under your own arms, hugging your middle that way.

“Oh you”, you squeak before giggling loudly, “gosh, you cutie what are you doing?”

“I’m hugging you”, Taehyung smiles brightly, “have I told you today that you are beautiful?”

“Gosh Tae”, you rest against his chest, “you’re flustering me so much.”

“So are you guys all a thing now?” Hoseok asks.

“What do you mean?”

“I just mean, you four”, he gestures between you, “are you all dating? Like a foursome thing?”

“No”, Yoongi says instantly, “we’re not.”

“But you all seem really close.”

“That is because Yoongi doesn’t know what he is talking about”, Taehyung says, “of course we are dating”, he says and tries to take Yoongi into a group hug with you and Jungkook.

“Can you let off?” Yoongi hisses, fleeing instantly, “just because we agreed on getting along, doesn’t mean I wanna date you.”

“Did I say something wrong?”

“Yes, I’m not dating you. Get that out of your head.”

Taehyung grins, “I’ll get you there eventually. I got Kookie too, didn’t I?” he says and nuzzles his nose into Jungkook’s neck.

The latter giggles loudly, “god Tae, you’re tickling me.”

“Tch”, and with that Yoongi turns away, ready to leave.

“Hey hyung, don’t leave”, Hoseok says, holding his wrist, “sorry for asking.”

“It’s fine, you couldn’t have known with all the clingy shit going on”, he assures him.

“God hyung, why are you so grumpy today?” Taehyung asks with a pout.

“I’m not grumpy”, he throws back, “can you give me space?”

“Of course, that’s a given.”

“Thanks. I’m gonna leave now. I need to meet someone.”

“Who are you meeting?” Seokjin asks.

“Just someone important. See you later.”

He leaves the kitchen in big steps.

“Well, that didn’t go as planned”, Hoseok mumbles, “shouldn’t I have asked?”

“I don’t know”, Jungkook says, looking at you just like all the others do.

“What?” you ask them,

“Can you talk to him?” Taehyung asks you, “he listens to you.”

“Y-yeah sure, I’ll talk to him”, you say, hurrying after Yoongi with an irregular pulse.

Deep down you hope that he has already left and you don’t have to talk to him. What if he brings up what happened with Suzy? Maybe that is why he is so pissed off today. Because he is angry that you had fun this morning instead of being sick in guilt. What if he wants to talk about it now? After all, he is the only person who didn’t talk to you about it yet. You have no idea what you should say if he decides to make this day the day.

Yoongi however is still present, putting on his coat. He looks at you through the mirror.

“Do you need something?” he asks.

“No uhm, Tae sent me”, you tell him.

“Ah”, Yoongi looks away, fingers working quickly to close the buttons, “what does he want?”

“He just wanted to know if you are angry at him.”

“A little yeah.”

“Do you want to tell me?”

Yoongi exhales loudly, looking at you again. He shakes his head, walking away from the mirror to put on his boots. He sits down for it.

“Okay uhm. What should I tell him you told me?”

Yoongi lifts his head, “are we in middle school that you have to play messenger? Why can’t he talk to me personally?” he hisses.

“Sorry, you’re right. I’ll tell him that”, you say, turning on your heels.

“No, wait”, Yoongi stops you.

You look over your shoulder.

“Come here”, he says in a soft voice, patting his thigh.

You waddle to him and sit down on it, avoiding eye contact.

“Can you look at me?” he asks, placing his fingers under your chin to turn your head gently.

You do so with heated cheeks.

“I’m not angry at you. You know that, don’t you?” he says softly, caressing your chin.

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Good”, he lets go of your chin, placing his hand on your thigh instead. It feels warm and heavy on your lap, “is there anything else you want to talk about?”

“No!” you exclaim instantly, jumping up from his lap, “there is nothing to talk about. I just came here for Taehyung, you know?”

Yoongi studies your sudden panicked face with his brows knitted in confusion.

“Okay”, he says, looking away to finish closing his boots.

“Okay then. Then that is talked about too, I’ll tell Tae that you want him to talk to you personally and then we have nothing else to talk about.”

“Yes, okay?” Yoongi stands up, studying your face with even more confusion.

“Okay bye, we’ll see each other later.”

“Princess”, he takes your hand gently, preventing you from turning away.

“W-what?”

“Can I not get a kiss at least?” he asks, mind going haywire in sudden insecurity. Why are you literally drowning in the scent of fear? What did he do? He wonders those questions as you stare at him.

You nod your head and lean in for a kiss. Yoongi makes sure that you deepen it with his right hand holding your face and his left hand pressing you close by the small of your back.

“I’ll miss you”, he murmurs between kisses, “I’ll miss you like crazy, princess”, he whispers, sealing his words by kissing you oh so deeply. He breaks the kiss, letting your lower lip slip from between his teeth. It leaves your lips so tender, “you’ll miss me too, won’t you?” he asks as quietly as possible.

“Of course I’ll miss you”, you answer him, stubbing his nose with your own, “please be careful, my love.”

“I’m always careful”, he says and his voice carries a certain lightness to it all of a sudden, “be careful too, my princess. Don’t leave the house without the others, yeah?”

“Yes, okay.”

You open your eyes at the same time as Yoongi. He is blurry from being so close to you, but you can’t quite pull back yet.

“That’s my best girl”, he whispers, caressing your cheekbone before taking a step back.

He puts his gloves on afterwards, eyes locked on your face, “if you need anything just call me.”

“Okay.”

“You know that you can talk to me about anything, right?”

You lower your eyes, nodding your head.

“Good”, he says, slinging his arm around your waist just to pull you into him and kiss your cheek, “so is there something you want to tell me?”

“No uhm, no please just be careful my love.”

“Mhm”, he nudges your cheek with his nose, “I will.”

“Good”, you say, daring to look into his eyes and meeting fondness in them, “see you later.”

“See you later, my princess.”

Yoongi leaves after one careful look at your face. You won’t see him for the rest of the day and you’ll go to sleep alone after taking a way too long shower where your mind wandered to the most traumatic day of your life.

Lights flicker. The air smells acidic. The walls are red, the carpet on the ground is soaked in blood. The realisation of where you are is instant. You turn and run.

“No please no”, you beg, “wake up ___ wake up, you’re dreaming!” You can hear yourself but you don’t listen. Someone behind you is calling your name. A woman. She is calling you a murderer. Over and over again. You look over your shoulder. She has gotten closer than last night. Her face is still hidden. “Wake up!” you scream, reaching for the door which lies closed before you. “Fucking wake up ___!” you scream, ripping the door open.

Your eyes open. The room is dark. The air smells nothing like the stinging stench of blood. Exhaling shakily, you sit up and turn the lights on. The room appears in front of you, pulling you back to reality just enough to calm down your racing heart. You aren’t sleeping anymore. You are safe again. You are safe.

“I fucking hate this”, you press out, rubbing your own forehead to still the memory of the lasting dream, “I need air.”

You leave the lights on and leave in nothing but your pyjamas and slippers.

You regret your clothing choice once outside. The night is punishing, making you shiver within seconds and yet you don’t mind. Feeling cold means that you can at least feel something other than that awful, awful guilt in your stomach. It sits so heavy in there, reminding you each night why you shouldn’t do things like laugh or joke with the others.

The bench on which you sit down is wet under you, soaking your bottoms until even your skin is soaked. You take this sensation over the burning of blood soaking through your shoes. Each and every single night. Every single fucking night you are walking through too much blood. It’s so exhausting.

“Fuck”, you press out, lowering your head. A shiver runs through your body so aggressively that you physically have to exhale to make it easier to bear.

You are so tired.

A sound beside you makes you lift your head again.

Jimin is sitting next to you. He acknowledges you with a nod of his head, but turns it to look at the view instead.

You turn away too, locking your eyes on the one star you can see on the cloudy sky. It is almost flickering, as if it was fighting for its right on the sky. As if someone was trying to snuff it out while it screamed in order to be acknowledged as important. Flickering, flickering, flickering. Like those lights in your dreams. Endless flickering. You shake off the memory, squeezing the edge of the bench. Jimin doesn’t react.

“Are you just going to sit here?” you ask into the silence.

“Should I do a handstand instead?” he throws back.

You let out a tired chuckle, kicking a little pebble into the nothingness of the night.

“I don’t want to talk.”

“I know, I don’t want to talk either.”

“Okay, good.”

“Good.”

He settles back. You stare at your own feet. Your stomach is so tight in guilt. You hate feeling like this. You would do anything to turn it off. You sneak a glance at Jimin. Turning it all off…

“How does it feel?” you ask him.

“Didn’t you say you didn’t want to talk?”

“Yeah well…” you lower your head.

Jimin sneaks a glance at you then looks away. He thinks that you smell of fear, guilt and tiredness tonight. He wonders why you do, but doesn’t want to ask.

“How does what feel?” he probes.

“Turning off your emotions.”

Jimin is silent, which makes you sneak a glance at him to see if he hadn’t heard you. But he did, staring at you with slight shock in his eyes.

“I keep wondering”, you say.

He breathes out and looks back at the sky.

“Why do you want to know?”

“Because I want to know.”

“I see.”

“So? How does it feel?”

“Like taking a deep breath after being underwater for too long”, he answers you.

“Does it work instantly?”

“Yes, it’s instant. One moment you are hurting so much that you want to scream and kick and claw at something and then you flip it and it’s gone. All of it. All of the pain, the loss, the guilt and heartbreak. It’s as if it never even existed”, he sighs, “and that’s when you finally feel free.”

“And it really helps? You truly feel nothing?”

“Oh no, you still feel. But it’s more that all those things which really hurt, stop affecting you and all those things you enjoy feel like one endless epic acid trip. You’re there, but you’re not really there. There are consequences but they don’t affect you because they can’t hurt you. You know?”

“That must be nice.”

Jimin turns to study your features.

“It’s not”, he says coldly, “because you become an asshole. A cold, heartless asshole and once you wake up? Once you flick that switch? All those moments where you hurt strangers or the people important to you come back to you and then. Ohoho then”, he touches his chest, “then you really want to die. Because nothing hurts more than waking up from a good dream only to realise that you were the nightmare of so many others.”

“But at least you won’t feel like shit.”

“True, except when you do. Tenfolds.”

“I guess.”

“But why are you even asking? You’re human, it’s not like you can choose.”

You stay silent long enough that Jimin finds out that your fingers have been fumbling with the necklace around your neck all this time. The one carrying the vial of Taehyung’s blood.

“No”, he says, “don’t even think about it.”

“Why not? At least I could have an option.”

“An option? Now stop it”, he pulls your hand away, “you’re seriously considering throwing your life away because of what? A bad day? A random sad mood?”

“I killed someone.”

“So? We all did.”

“It hurts”, you barely get out and then your eyes fill with tears.

“I know. Your first kill always hurts the most.”

“I can’t stop thinking about it. When I, I close my eyes I, I see her face right before I killed her. It’s still so clear to me as, as if I was doing it over and over again.”

“It’s terrible isn’t it? You feel nothing in the moment, but feel like fucking shit afterwards.”

“Yes”, you croak, doing the unthinkable of letting out a sob.

Jimin watches you bury your face in your hands and then begin shaking in your sobs.

He pulls a grimace of helpless distaste.

“Don’t cry”, he says.

“I feel so awful. I, I can’t do this. Not even getting killed by you and Namjoon traumatised me as much. I, I had nightmares, but felt fine. But this is consuming me. I can’t stop thinking about it. It’s all I’m thinking about. It’s not leaving me.”

“And it probably won’t for a long time, but it’s only natural to think about it. You killed someone and that shit is awful.”

You sob miserably.

“Hell, most people live their life without ever knowing how it is to kill. But you’re not most people and if you hadn’t done what you did then we’d all be dead. All of us. Tae, me, the others. We’d all be dead.”

You lift your head from your hands to look at him.

“You saved us. What you did wasn’t murder, it was our rescue.”

Jimin scoots closer and gives your arm a soft tap. Just once and then he pulls back again.

“You’ll feel guilty for quite some time. You’ll also think of that bitch’s face for a long time. But I hope you don’t feel ashamed in front of us. Because we don’t see you as someone deserving of shame. We all killed people and what you did?” He shakes his head. “None of us even consider this a killing. You did the right thing.”

You sob.

And Jimin reaches out and taps your arm again.

“Especially Yoongi doesn’t see you differently”, he says and being called out on the one thing which has been hurting you like nothing else feels suffocating. But it feels especially suffocating because it came from Jimin.

You stare at him, “what do you mean?”

“Because Yoongi to you is what Tae’s to me and I know how I felt whenever Namjoon made me kill people in front of him.”

“Oh.”

“And I know Yoongi. He doesn’t see you any differently. Hell. Knowing him, he’s beating himself up about what happened.”

You sniffle.

You look away.

You wonder if what you are witnessing is actually real.

You come to the conclusion that it is and look back at Jimin.

“How do you do it?” you ask him.

“Do what?”

“Live with blood on your hands? How do you do it so you don’t see yourself differently?”

He laughs with pain in his voice, “honey, it’s a little too late to ask me that”, he says but furrows his brows in seriousness when he sees how nervous you look because of it. He takes a deep breath and releases it by exhaling through his nose. “By covering it in more blood?” he is only partially joking but it makes you laugh nonetheless.

Jimin allows a tiny chuckle to slip past his lips as well, giving your arm a soothing pat. “And by pretending that what I did was the right thing? Or that it wasn’t my fault in the first place”, he says, staring at the night with lifeless eyes, “all those massacres? Just because I needed to sustain my body. All the torture? I did because Namjoon wanted me to. My wife?” He lowers his head.“I haven’t found an excuse for that one yet”, he confesses in a whisper.

“It was Namjoon’s fault”, you say.

Jimin turns his head, locking eyes with you. It feels as if this right here is the moment he truly looked into your eyes for the first time. That this right here was the moment where he allowed your connection to be real.

“Tae told me how you got turned. It was Namjoon’s fault.”

“You know my story?”

“Yes, Tae told me. He wanted the world to know the real you.”

“And you listened?”

“Of course I did. It meant a lot to him. You deserved it too. I feel like you were really trying to be better in those last few weeks before your death. “

Jimin pulls his arm away and scoots back. He seems flustered.

“I’m sorry by the way. I tried running as fast as possible, but I couldn’t get there in time”, you tell him.

“Don’t”, Jimin says, “I died for a good cause. Besides, I’m still here am I not?”

You nod your head.

“Do you know how it is?”

“What?”

“Afterlife.”

“Peaceful.”

“So you were there?”

“Mhm-hm for a while. It was a meadow. It was endless and the sun never set. I kept running because I could smell my favourite food in the distance. So I ran and ran and realised that I was so incredibly slow because I was human again. And then I cried and ran faster because I finally understood what happened and it made me so incredibly happy and excited to finally find my peace.”

He exhales shakily.

“I fell then and someone dragged me back. And I screamed and cried and begged those hands to let me go. And the smell became lesser and lesser again until suddenly I saw nothing and felt as if I was being burned alive.”

He lowers his eyes.

“Then I woke up again and looked into Thea’s face and I knew that I was back on earth again”, he whispers, carrying heartbreak in his voice.

“I’m sorry, this must have been awful.”

“It was.”

“But you have Tae back.”

“Yes”, Jimin smiles honestly, “I have him back.”

“I’m happy that you do, because Taehyung is happy when you’re with him.”

Jimin sneaks a glance your way. For just a second he seems honest in his emotions. Gratefulness and maybe just the slightest bit of fondness. But then he flusters and the honesty disappears.

“When you’re not being a complete and utter manipulative asshole that is”, you add, “you were being a really shitty person when you told Tae that I was the one forcing you to bite me.”

“I know”, Jimin says, lowering his eyes, “I’m sorry. I was scared that he’ll hate me otherwise.”

“Yeah well, if you keep being a dick to anyone he cares about, maybe one day he will.”

Jimin snorts, lifting his brows in agreement, “I heard this quite a lot those past few days.”

“Yeah ‘cause it’s true. I know you have good in you. All those great stories Tae told me about you are proof enough.”

“Tae’s a dreamer.”

“So why did you sit with me right now and listen to me be sad?”

“You’re sitting on my thinking bench”, he answers you, making you snort.

“I don’t think that’s it. I think you actually want to be good, but don’t know how to start.”

“You sound like Yoongi”, Jimin murmurs, looking to the side with a tense jaw.

“I mean, at least now you know that two people think that way.”

Jimin shakes his head.

You study his face long enough that he sends you a look. 

“What?” he asks, lifting his brows in a challenge. 

“I just don’t know what to make of you.”

“The fuck do you mean by that?”

“You’re acting like a dick most of the time and yet somehow I never really...I don’t know, you’re not a dick to me.”

He scoffs, “and why should I be?”

“I don’t know. Maybe because you’re a dick to everyone?”

“That’s not true. I’m just a dick to people who deserve it.”

“Yeah? Like Yoongi?” you ask in a scoff. 

“We talked about that shit. You don’t gotta dwell on it anymore”, he hisses.

“You did?”

“Yeah.”

“That explains why you seem chill tonight.”

“I guess.”

He looks away and seems embarrassed by the conversation.

“I still gotta ask though. Why were you never mean to me? Except the one time you lied about the club, but even there you listened once I sat you down. Why do you even listen to me in the first place?”

“I don’t know what you want me to say. I’m not a total dick all the time you know?” he says and clicks his tongue.

“I like you when you aren’t. You know?”

“Ew, please don’t.”

“Mean.”

“Sorry.” 

“Was that an apology?”

“No? The fuck’s you on about?”

You scoff and chuckle.

“You’re so weird sometimes.”

“You’re weird.”

You laugh and to your surprise, Jimin lets out a little chuckle as well. 

You and he exchange a look. 

“Why is it so hard for you to be good all the time and not just sometimes?”

“It’s not hard, I’m just not a good person.”

“Didn’t you just say that you aren’t a dick all the time?”

“Not being a dick all the time and being a good person isn’t the same thing.”

“I guess”, you nudge his arm, “so why can’t you be good? Is it because of Namjoon?”

He turns his head quickly, looking at you with widened eyes.

“Why are you always asking me that?” he hisses.

“Because I want to know.”

Jimin grinds his teeth, lowering his eyes in anger.

“So what if it is because of him?” he spits, “what good does it to you to know that it’s because of him? It won’t change the fact that I’m still an asshole.”

You study his features long enough that Jimin feels the need to turn his head away again, shifting in embarrassment.

“Your days are going to be peaceful from now on”, you whisper.

Jimin glances at you with disbelief deep in his eyes.

“I’m positive that they will be.”

“Tzt.”

You look at Jimin. He is picking at the skin on his fingers, staring at the ground with fearful eyes. Perhaps he is wondering when those days will end again. Like they always did in the past when he thought himself safe only to be reminded that chaos exists. Taehyung told you about those days. There was a farm, apple trees and a woman named Ava, who sometimes loved to dress up as a man. And that chaos came after one year of tranquillity and that they lost everything again. There were many stories like that. Many stories that felt like hope, but ended in chaos. You think that Jimin feels just like this right now. That he wonders when those days of hope will be shattered by the cruel hands of chaos again.

“Should we hug each other?” you ask quietly.

Jimin turns his head to you, “what kind of request is that?”

You shrug your shoulders, “I don’t know. I just figured that maybe we both need a hug tonight.”

He falters, punching his own palm repeatedly as his eyes run over your features. Then he exhales, straightening up. He scoots closer, placing his arms around you in complete silence. You wrap your arms around him as well, resting your chin on his shoulder.

He shudders in an almost angry exhale. His face falls against your neck, lips brushing against your skin in the process.

You bury your hand in his hair, making sure he stays close, “now let’s stay like this for a bit.”

Jimin doesn’t have his eyes closed because quite frankly he would hate himself if he gave in to his urges. He looks outside at the endless night and the painting of light and shadow the moon cast onto the earth. He doesn’t like the hug while at the same time hoping that it would never end. Namjoon took everything from him. He thinks of it. His life, his people, his lovers, his bond with Taehyung, his carelessness, his restful nights and his feelings. Namjoon ruined him. There is no person in his life who hurt him as much as he did.

Jimin closes his arms around your waist as tightly as possible.

There is no night where he doesn’t have trouble falling asleep, let alone sleep longer than an hour for nightmares of all the torture he was put through pull him awake again. Jimin hasn’t slept well ever since he was turned and he is so exhausted.

So, so exhausted.

He closes his eyes for he felt so terribly tired. He closes his eyes and lets those shadows on the ground disappear from his vision.

You thought that you wouldn’t enjoy the hug but you do. He feels good. His arms are strong but his hands are gentle and there is something in the way he holds you that lets you know that he understands way more than he may tell you. You can’t explain why, but it feels good to be understood by Jimin. The others may have killed a few people, but Jimin actually enjoyed it at times. So to be understood by him feels comforting. He, who wants to be better, tells you that you, who did something so awful, can be forgiven too. The thought comforts you greatly.

And so you close your eyes, pulling him closer until you have his scent in your nose. Orange blossoms. Just like Taehyung told you all those months ago.

“Thank you”, you whisper.

“For what?” 

“The hug.”

“I’ll kill you if you tell anyone about this”, he murmurs.

“Don’t worry”, you let out a little scoff, “I’m not telling anyone. Idiot, just accept the hug.”

“Hah”, Jimin lets out a deep breath, “fuck, now you made it weird.”

He breaks away from you, putting distance between you and him while his eyes are looking to the side in embarrassment. He touches the side of his neck.

“You uhm”, he clears his throat, “you don’t stink.”

“Thank you?” you have to chuckle, “what a sweet compliment.”

“God, shut up”, he groans, “you’re so annoying.”

And with that he stands up, stomping off in an almost childish manner. You snicker to yourself. Poor boy, he is so obviously flustered. It is almost adorable.

You follow him.

“What?” he hisses, looking at you through the corners of his eyes.

“Nothing, I’m just walking.”

“Yeah? Do you have to walk next to me?”

“Oh come on, Jimin. Our titties just touched in a deep hug, stop being so stuck up.”

“Hah!” he rolls his eyes, “you’re stuck up”, he murmurs, making you grin.

Childish baby.

Soon you arrive by your door. He is avoiding eye contact at all cost.

“You uhm”, he says, reaches out to tap your shoulder only to pull back before he can touch you, “sleep tight.”

“You too.”

“Sure.”

Jimin turns and struts down the hallway.

“Jimin?”

He stops, looks over his shoulder.

“Yeah?”

“Thank you for listening to me. I really needed it tonight.”

“Sure, uhm..thanks too”, he says and turns.

You sneak back into your room afterwards, closing the door on the world. You won’t be plagued by another nightmare that night.

Jimin stops when he is in front of Taehyung’s room. He touches the doorknob, hesitating to turn it. In the end he does.

“___?” Taehyung’s voice is small and weak in sleep. 

“She’s not here.”

“Jimin? You are back? I, I thought you left”, Taehyung sits up and locks eyes with Jimin. Despite the darkness surrounding them, they can see each other clearly. The darkness never bothered them anyways.

“No, I’m back. I just left to think for a while.”

“I see. What are you doing here?” Taehyung asks, “are you here for sex? Please just give me a moment to find my strength.”

Jimin feels a twinge of guilt in his chest for he finally sees his own faults. He really treated Taehyung as nothing more than his willing sexdoll, didn’t he?

“I’m not here for sex. I was wondering if I could sleep here with you tonight”, he answers him, watching how Taehyung is struggling for words.

“S-sure”, he stutters out in the end, pulling the blanket to his chest in nervousness.

Jimin rids himself of his clothes until only his briefs are covering him. Taehyung looks at his bared body then at his face. There was unsure curiosity in his eyes, but also fear.

Jimin can see it so clearly now and it hurts him because he sees so much of himself in Taehyung’s eyes. Oh it hurts even more because while Namjoon never promised Jimin love, he did. He promised Taehyung love and yet Taehyung still looks at him with the same fear Jimin felt when Namjoon would undress in front of him.

“Open the blanket”, Jimin says, “you are not hogging all of it.”

Taehyung does so willingly but with nervousness in his scent.

Jimin lies down on the right side of Taehyung’s pillow and after a second of hesitation Taehyung places his head on its left side. He is gawking at him with his balled fists pressed to his chest.

Jimin reaches out and cups Taehyung’s cheek, aching when this makes the latter flinch.

“Can you remember the last time we fell asleep together naked?” he asks him.

“No”, Taehyung whispers.

“I can. It was after the hunt we went on and we shared a bath and drank wine and talked about the play you were planning on writing”, Jimin caresses Taehyung’s cheek, “and then we talked in bed for hours without bothering to get dressed. We talked until we fell asleep.”

“You remember?” Taehyung whispers.

Jimin nods his head, “the twenty ninth of December 1765, it snowed so much the next day and you insisted on staying in bed. It was your birthday that day and I gave you new paints. Remember?”

Taehyung opens his balled fists, placing his relaxed hands on the pillow between their faces. He nods his head with his lower lip trembling sadly.

“I think of those days a lot. Sometimes when Namjoon hurt me, I turned my consciousness off and lost myself in the memory of them. I didn’t mind the pain then”, Jimin confesses, “they’re the only detailed memories I have. Next to the one of our days on the farm.”

“Why are you telling me all of this?” Taehyung’s voice is barely audible.

“Because”, Jimin scoots closer, making Taehyung’s breath hitch, “I have never loved someone as deeply as I love you, Taehyung”, he says in a language the two vampires haven’t spoken in centuries. Jimin thought that he had already forgotten it, but he was wrong. It came so easy to him now that he can talk to Taehyung.

“Oh”, Taehyung gets out and sobs. He trembles as he sobs, contorting his face into a grimace of painful relief.

Jimin pulls him close, kissing his forehead before letting him hide his face in his chest.

“I love you too, Jimin”, Taehyung answers him in their mother language. He sobs afterwards. He sobs and sobs and sobs.

And Jimin pulls him as close as possible. He feels guilty for Taehyung should have never been pushed so low that confessions of love make him cry so miserably. But he also feels happy for he realises that hugging Taehyung feels like paradise.

He feels his own tears roll down his cheeks just seconds later. He realised that you were right. He is safe from Namjoon and he can finally be tender to Taehyung. He felt like crying in relief afterwards and so he did and Taehyung kissed him and held him and cried with him until they fell asleep in each others’ arms.

Jimin has no trouble falling asleep. He holds Taehyung and Taehyung holds him and all those demons lurking in the shadows can’t hurt him anymore.

[illarian-rambling]

Your writeblr bakery order is ready!

Cake: How does your character celebrate? Could be for holidays, special events, or general celebration when they are excited/happy?

I'll answer for each cast :)

The Outcasts are not a formal bunch. Whoever the celebration is for typically takes the reins on what the agenda is, but usually, they all go out to a bar and dance til the wee hours of the morning. None of these delinquents see any problem with taking Twenari, their middle schooler of the bunch, into a bar, so she gets to hang out too. Izjik usually ends up dancing with every woman in a mile radius by the time the night is done, Sepo and Twenari compare notes on how good the band is, and Djek likes to play a game of slipping candy into people's pockets instead of pick-pocketing them.

The Mortal God crew is a little fancier. Astra loves dressing up for parties and designing everyone else cute outfits to wear. A jazz club is her and Mashal's venue of choice, and Ivander is down for anywhere with comfy seats and alcohol. Avymere gets a little anxious going to parties that aren't meant for political maneuvering, and when they're anxious, that means they come across as super weird. Elsind is their designated driver who can't drive. Astra and Mashal spend the whole night dancing, Elsind manages to pull Avymere in for a number or two, and Ivander has fun getting white-girl wasted with fruity cocktails on the sidelines.

The crew of the Starbreaker is a little more limited in their celebrations, given that they're bound to a ship. However, they're a musical bunch, and you don't need much for music. Pash is their party guy - in charge of decorations and set lists. They don't have any food aboard, so no snacks are present. Honestly, I think it ends up as more of a jam session than anything else. Pash has his banjo, Nyda has her accordion, Kaulakri plays the reed flute, Faalgun can sing, and Anarac has a great sense of rhythm so he can tap any drum you put in his hands. Truly, these five are wasted on space exploration - they should be on tour as a bluegrass band.

I think the common denominator of music and dancing being integral parts of a party have more to do with what I find fun than anything else, but that's just the way these things go. Thanks for the ask!

[tradgays]

30 Ways Gay Couples Can Embrace a 1950s Vintage Lifestyle

1. Establish traditional gender roles. Even in same-sex relationships, couples can assign different roles to each partner, such as one partner being “the man” and the other “the wife.”

2. Utilize classic cleaning techniques from the 1950s. Polishing furniture, ironing linens and clothes washing using a hand-cranking device can be a fun project.

3. Embrace the style. A 1950s-inspired wardrobe of sweater vests, bow ties, slacks, saddle shoes and loafers can create a classic look with a modern twist. Or go the rockabilly route with denim and leather.

4. Upgrade the kitchen with mid-century wares. Invest in classic kitchenware such as Pyrex casserole dishes and Tupperware sets.

5. Learn some swing or jitterbug moves. Register for local dance classes or hold dance parties in the living room.

6. Send letters or postcards to each other. Handwrite some words of love to your partner and include a pressed flower or favorite recipe as an extra touch.

7. Relax in silk kimonos or satin robes. Vintage robes will make your partner smile when they tie it around their waist every morning.

8. Utilize mid-century magazines for decoration. Hang up Life magazines with classic covers or revel in the styles and fashions of early fashion magazines.

9. Adopt classic lifestyle habits such as a morning cup of homemade coffee, afternoon tea and a proper bedtime routine.

10. Bring back the classics. Everything from detective books to classic romance novels will make for great bedtime stories and conversation starters. Throw in some gay pulp fiction for spice.

11. Buy vintage kitchenware. Collecting mid-century cutlery and silverware will make your kitchen feel homey and inviting.

12. Spend a day gardening. Plant roses, tomatoes or other flowering plants as a fun couple’s activity and add a touch of beauty to the front yard.

13. Have picnics with cheese and fresh prepared foods from the market. Pack a box of classic treats such as apples, nuts and pickles in a wicker basket.

14. Care for your pet as if it were a child. Spend quality time together playing with your beloved pet or simply brushing their fur or petting them.

15. Play vintage board games. Connect with each other by buying classic board games such as Monopoly or Risk.

16. Cook dinner together. Whip up some classic dishes such as steak and mashed potatoes or pork chops and corn on the cob.

17. Spruce up your living room with mid-century furniture. Invest in more modern, retro-style furniture to give your living room a touch of charm.

18. Make fun activities from the 1950s such as baking, cleaning and home improvement projects. Have fun as a couple as you both reminisce about the past and create new memories.

19. Listen to classic music on vinyl records. Play nostalgic tunes from classic artists such as Elvis Presley or Frank Sinatra.

20. Collect antiques from the 1950s. Invest in classic wares such as tea sets or vintage lamps and use them as conversation starters or simply as decorative pieces.

21. Dress up for special occasions. Pull out all the stops and dress to the nines when attending special occasions such as anniversaries or holidays.

22. Have fun in the sun. Go for a vintage-style picnic near a lake or riverside to take advantage of the beautiful summer weather.

23. Get reading. Get your hands on the classics such as Walt Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass,” Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women,” and Margaret Mitchell’s “Gone With the Wind.”

24. Walk together in nature. Put on some sturdy shoes or cowboy boots and take a stroll together in a nearby wooded area.

25. Buy old movies from the 1950s. Pop some popcorn and cuddle up on the couch as you watch the great films of the era.

26. Join a local vintage car club. Spend some time together admiring classic cars and seeing how the vintage lifestyle is still alive.

27. Learn to play instruments of the era. Take a banjo or ukulele lesson and you’ll have plenty of fun making music together.

28. Get lost is a classic bookstore. Lose yourself in the past as you browse through old books and share stories with each other.

29. Plant your own herbs and vegetables. Eat healthily and reduce your food bill by planting your own gardens with the help of your partner.

30. Spend some time outdoors. Go for a leisurely stroll together in a nearby

[thislovintime]

The Monkees at their New York City press conference on July 6, 1967.

“‘Goin’ Down’ was originally to be a part of Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. as well but was omitted when ‘Love Is Only Sleeping’ was added to the album’s lineup at the last minute. With ‘Goin’ Down’ secured as the flip side of ‘Daydream Believer,’ the powers that be felt no need to include this exclusive track on the album. […] The song itself was a product of the band’s increasingly frequent studio jam sessions. ‘That was originally the track for Mose Allison’s Parchment Farm, and it came out real good,’ Dolenz recalls. ‘I remember Mike saying, ‘Why should we cover someone else’s tune. We’re not stealing the melody.’ ‘Peter had always loved to jam to Mose Allison’s Parchment Farm and started off on this thing,’ says Nesmith. ‘Then Micky started riffing this thing over the top [of] it, and we just headed off into la-la land.’”- Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn and Jones Ltd. 1995 CD liner notes

“Diane [Hildebrand] contributed lyrics to the Monkees’ collective group composition ‘Goin’ Down,’ which originated as a study jam and (as the B-side of their chart-topping ‘Daydream Believer’) would become one of their hardest-rocking and best recordings. Though she was just one of numerous names on Monkees songwriting credits, such was the group’s fame in 1967 and 1968 that she didn’t escape attention from the band’s more devoted fans. ‘Diane was always getting calls from Monkees fans who wanted to know all about Peter or Micky,’ says Colin Cameron, Hildebrand’s boyfriend of the time. ‘I really learned the value of an unlisted phone number!’” - Early Morning Blues And Greens 2006 CD liner notes

“It was October, last year that I met them at the TV studios. They’d just seen ‘Early Morning Blues’ and it was Peter who asked me over to meet everybody. I know it sounds crazy but I’d met Peter before somewhere and for the life of me I couldn’t remember just where it was. Lester Sill, the company boss, took me over there. Anyway I just watched things progress. I had only the simple one-note music, of the song written down. But the boys wanted to do it. Only problem was that they didn’t know where or when. What I noticed first about the way they work is that they’re always being hassled by people. They really do lead very busy lives and everybody pulls and pokes at them when they’re out anywhere. So it’s pretty strict security on the set. But they’re real exuberant when they’re working. Actually, I must tell you that Peter came up to my office in the Screen Gems’ Building and we wrote a song together after work one day. Oh, it has these broken-down merry-go-round lyrics… guess we’ll call it ‘The Merry-Go-Round.’ Peter had a couple of bars of the song going round in his head, so I got with him to finish it off. So it was Peter I got to know best. You know how people say Mike is a bit moody. Well, I went to Nashville where he was doing some sessions and I really got to know him well. And he’s great. You know he’s a boy from the South. Well, he told me: ‘It’s funny but everytime I come back to the South my I.Q. drops about twenty degrees.’ […] But let’s talk about Peter a little longer. I’m not going to talk about his personal life because I feel that’s wrong. These guys have to work darned hard and they deserve some privacy… But I’ll say this — Peter is very deep. Moody. But whether he enjoys something or not depends a lot on how he feels. Like we went sometimes to places in Hollywood where you can get Southern grits, and ham hocks and food like that. Or we’d go to teen clubs, to watch some real teenage talent. One club was a coloured place. But somebody always wants an autograph. Peter’s great, though, for joining in things if he’s in the right mood. You know, I play guitar and he plays guitar and banjo. Well, you go to some of these clubs and there are always instruments lying around. So he’ll get up and start jamming. Like he’ll meet a guy from the Modern Folk Quartet and soon everybody’s joining in a session. I dated Peter several times. But really when you go into it, the Monkees aren’t so much for going out. They just get some friends around them and have conversation and maybe a little jamming. […] [B]ack to Peter. He’s just got this Mercedes Sedan. But really he doesn’t spend much on himself — though he spends a whole lot on his friends. This guy is just TOO generous. Take clothes. He’s got a closet full of them that he doesn’t wear. But fans send him a lot of new clothes. His attitude is that if it suits him, he’ll wear it. Probably for ever. He thinks a lot of fans who go to all this trouble on his behalf. You know they were terribly impressed with meeting the Beatles when they were in London. I told Peter I was going to London and he said to send the Beatles his love. And really Peter, and the others, are interested in meditation — as from the Maharishi. I guess we see basic truth in his work and in his word… so we’re meditators. […] And Peter has helped out friends all over the place. Sure he gets depressed. sometimes, but who wouldn’t in his position. You can’t keep on at full pelt all the time. They’re all different individuals. I mean, Micky has his house in Laurel Canyon, which is a very popular area. He’s a fanatic over improving everything and making it into a show place. But Peter doesn’t seem concerned about his home at all. It’s somewhere to live and to entertain friends and that’s about the total of it. I adore the Monkees as characters and people.’” - Diane Hildebrand, Monkees Monthly, January 1968

[skycapt4in]

── ♡ 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐬 !!

♡  color  :  purple <3 ♡  season  :  spring! because it's that nice season between the Too Cold and Too Hot. autumn is.. messy, tress be falling apart and he doesn't like that. ♡  holiday  :  guy fawkes/bonfire night. it ain't a holiday but it's about a guy who tried to blow up the government and frankly why wouldn't he enjoy that?? plus, celebratory explosives ♡  location  :  he won't ever admit it but it's the isle of shards back on cryon, that's his home where his family live and even though it's fucking freezing and he hates the cold, it's still his favourite. ♡  activity  :  fishing, stealing, using shi'p to basically cheat in drag races, exploring ancient sites for the funsies, 'playing' the banjo, reading and.. whatever hobby he's decided to take up that week to keep him occupied. ♡  film / show  :  the naked gun, it's just so silly and over the top and he loves it. ♡  food  :  anything with sugar in it tbh, but specifically toffee/caramel donuts OR his mom's special homemade spicy soup <3 ♡  beverage  :  hot chocolate!! it's liquid chocolate!! ♡  animal  :  huge fan of crows and corvids honestly, is it symbolism? nah, he just thinks it's cool as heck with how smart those guys are. plus, they can fly. dragons for the same reason but they aren't real :/ ♡  flower  :  ..trees are pretty neat. he didn't see a real, living tree until he was like 18 and he's just fascinated with them. ♡  song  :  scary little green men - ozzy osborne OR dancing queen - abba.. i can't explain this. his music taste is metal or glamrock and i don't know who did this to him.

tagged by : @manaborn <3

tagging : the person reading this, if they haven't already done it o7

[pegglefan69]

have officially Done My Banjo Research (i.e. consulting with my musician friend & testing out a few models irl) & have settled on the one I'm going with. It's a super light beginner/travel model that I'll actually be able to hold without exhausting myself & I'm sooo excited, I have so many songs I want to learn 🐻🪕

[birdlibrary]

my long distance girlfriend crush and i texting back and forth 'i like u so much' which feels extremely silly but it's cute i guess.

my housemates came back home today. i was very glad to welcome them back after fucked up traumatic experience. it's rly weird here. there is so much food in the fridge people have brought over. they will remind me again it's okay to eat it too. i tried to make my friend laugh by telling him about an epic scam me and my friends pulled yesterday and he did laugh about it. eyes all puffy and wrinkled from so much grief. then he told me about when his friend died and all the freaks stole his last foley bag of piss from the hospital and added it to a batch of his homemade booze and drank it at the funeral. i would be glad if my friends did this and my housemate thought his frind would have as well. im heartened to hear about other people loving each other in fiercely weird ways. i hope if something happens my friends would let me take care of them and i hope my friends would honor me in strange beautiful ways how i want to be. we turned the heat up here becuz who gives a fuck at this point when things feel so bad we might as well be warmer.

earlier i made a post about dysphoria but then i deleted it. bye

im listening to nrmas music i just got to see her perform the other night in our cozy little space in town. it was rly good. she is a beautiful song writer and plays the banjo like it's an extension of her arms and fingers. her voice like a trembling swallow on the wind. or like when the leaves of the aspens quake. i think her spirit is like an exuberant little berry bursting with juice. which is a funny way to describe someone who y dont rly know. all that to say i liked her and it was blessing magic to see friends in love.

spending time with buddies listening to our friends play music, making art, and driving around on weird schemes, diving into dumpsters together, has been extra important lately and continues to be. i think im always where im supposed to be and if im not i can leave. im like a little river and a tumbleweed and a branch dipping her fingers in the little river. come hangout with me!!! i wanna be with you. i will journey to you and i hope we can journey together and laugh so much we pee ourselves.

[alltimefail-sims]

Ashanti "Sha" West Submission for @wrixie's Juniper!

The basics: -> Human; They/Them -> Lesbiannnnnn -> Born in Copperdale, but currently lives in San Myshuno -> Young Adult (irl probably 26 y.o.)

Details below the cut! ↓

Sha’s traits are: Bro, Squeamish, and Adventurous.

The only cc I used are in their everyday and formal/party attire. Everything else is in-game stuff! I adjusted them to be maxis-match and used the dolce eye contacts!

-> Their current aspiration is "Friend of the World."

-> They've got a degree from The Foxbury Institute in Fine Arts. Sha currently works as a freelance fashion photographer. They were admitted with an athletic scholarship and played for the college soccer team.

-> Their likes include: many, many music genres - Sha loves hip hop, blues, soul, retro, and disco. Their favorite color is orange and their favorite foods are Korean, Japanese, and anything healthy (especially their favorite fruit, which is pineapple). Sha prefers spirited sims, romance enthusiasts, and idealist sims. They love affection, physical intimacy, jokes, and flirting. Their hobbies are photography, fitness, wellness, and painting.

-> Their dislikes include: americana music, classical music, and baroque music (basically anything "boring or with banjo" lmao). They don't tend to vibe well with egotistical sims, workaholics, or homebody sims (Sha is adventurous and loves making new experiences). They're also not fond of arguments, small talk, or deception. Sha sucks at cooking and baking and has relied heavily on food stalls and food delivery services in her adulthood. Sha also hates writing, research & debate, decor that is "too fancy," polished fashion, seafood, and anything mint flavored.

-> Some fun facts include: Sha has lived in every available sim world in my save (except Strangerville), but their favorite is Mt. Komorebi by far. Sha also has Type 1 Diabetes (was diagnosed at 3 years old). They chipped their front tooth in middle school while rollerskating! (Their tooth is still chipped to this day; Sha feels like it adds character to their face.) Sha is an athlete through-and-through and loves a good protein shake after a morning run or workout. Their favorite time of year is summer!

Note: Sha is a sim from one of my personal saves (literally from the time they were a child), so they have various earned bonus traits that I can't remember off the top of my head! Chopstick savvy is for sure one of them though and night owl, too.

Private DL if chosen!

[bite-the-bloody-hand]

🌷- How does this oc take their coffee?

🍀- Around when does this oc get up in the morning?

🍂- What music does this oc like?

🌳- Does this oc collect anything?

🌙- Does this oc have any unusual hobbies?

🌈- What does this oc like and dislike about themselves?

❄- What is this oc's favorite and least favorite food?

⚡- How well does this oc sleep?

From Yunessa!

Oooh thank you Yunessa these are great!!

🌷- How does this oc take their coffee?

Zell really enjoys bitter and savory things, so he takes his coffee with a little bit of salted yak butter when he can get it.

🍀- Around when does this oc get up in the morning?

That implies he ever actually sleeps lmao. Generally he's an early riser so he can make sure to get in a full set of stretches before getting on the road. Gotta combat that pseudo rigor mortis after all.

🍂- What music does this oc like?

He can find something to appreciate about any kind of music, but he generally favors anything boisterous and brassy, and he's in love with the banjo. He can't play it very well on account of his fingers being a bunch of hypermobile little traitors, but to him the banjo is the most beautiful instrument ever devised by mortal hands.

🌳- Does this oc collect anything?

Zell collects spindles! One of his hobbies is spinning thread, and he likes to have a variety of sizes to work with. He currently has a collection of six - one mammoth bone, one rosewood, two walnut, and two cherrywood. Each have unique carvings; the bone one is cross-style, one of the cherrywood is supported, and the others all have unique whorls.

🌙- Does this oc have any unusual hobbies?

Party Crashing. He doesn't do it maliciously, and only started doing it for the free food, but finds that pretending to be one of the band and sneaking into a private event is *absurdly* fun for him. Something about getting into a place uninvited as a Dhampir is exhilarating to him. Usually nothing crazy happens, but he has been present for several high-intensity birthdays, weddings, and funerals where he was compelled to employ his unique brand of mischief to everyone's benefit. He'll tell those stories some other time ;3

🌈- What does this oc like and dislike about themselves?

Zell has a complicated relationship with himself in that he mostly likes *who* he is but he doesn't like *what* he is. He's tried to live up to his own ideals and be patient with himself when he fails to do so, but those ideals often come in conflict with his desperate hatred of being undead and celestial and how much pain it physically causes him to be alive. He's on the edge of lashing out more often that he'd like but has to be gracious because it's not like it's his fault for being born that way.

Sometimes he worries that he excuses himself too much because of the pain he's in, and that's what he like about himself the least.

❄- What is this oc's favorite and least favorite food?

Favorites: Illitu blood, Kulajda (creamy mushroom and potato soup with dill), garlic soup (no matter what it does for his digestion)

Least favorite: Most sweets (Aivu reaps the rewards here), most mortal blood, cold potatoes that had previously been crispy,

⚡- How well does this oc sleep?

Not very :( he has constant joint and nerve pain that worsens when he lays still for too long, and gets frequent migraines that upset his sleep for days after. However, if he has a very dark and cool room, and a pillowy bed he can snuggle up and move around as necessary without hitting any pressure points, that's pretty close to heaven for him.

[spidertalia]

I am finally introducing one of my favorite girls- West Virginia !!!

Her human name is Pearl Elizabeth Madison, and she's physically 21 years old. She's the 27th oldest state, and celebrates her birthday on June 20th.

Pearl is overall a very fun and pleasant person to be around. She's friendly, diligent, cheerful, hardworking, kind, polite, sociable, neighborly, loyal, very passionate, fun loving, adventurous, thrill seeking, helpful and proud. She's a naturally very outdoorsy and active person with a deep love of everything nature related, and she's insanely passionate, putting her entire heart and soul into everything she does. She's the type of person to carry food with her wherever she goes just so she can share it with others. She's very community-oriented, a big people person and the very definition of the perfect neighbor. She's the first to speak up for others, or against something she doesn't think is fair- and she's huge on fairness and good sportsmanship. Some more fun facts about her are:

She's only a mere 5'1, or 155 cm in height. She's one of the shortest states- specifically, the third shortest state.

She has roughly 3a type hair.

She is the younger sister to Virginia, and older sister to Kentucky.

Outside of her Indigenous languages, she speaks fluent English and Spanish.

She is a huge fan of playing music, and just music in general. She's very skilled at playing the fiddle, appalachian dulcimer, mandolin and banjo, as well as the guitar. She's also a fairly good singer, and has written a few small songs of her own. She attends music festivals whenever they occur, and especially loves folk music, bluegrass music, country music and indie music.

She's always finding something to do and always keeping busy.

She holds a very deep respect for manual laborers, like miners. She's done quite a lot of manual labor herself over her life.

She's a naturally outdoorsy and active person. She has been exploring and adventuring ever since she was a young girl, and she knows her way around the outdoors She's also a fairly skilled survivalist.

She is very good in a crisis, having experience in survival, getting around the outdoors, working with her hands, growing food and more.

She is a very good shot.

She has an appalachian accent.

She keeps snacks and such stowed away everywhere. She has big pantries at all of her houses, and frequently bakes or cooks more than she can even eat just so she can give the extras to neighbors or local food pantries.

She is a very hard worker. She's very skilled with her hands and is always very thorough with any task she's given. She's even quite good with back-breaking labor, which has made her one of the physically stronger states.

She's a bit of an adrenaline junkie at times, indulging in everything from mountain climbing, white water rafting and skydiving.

She's surprisingly very religious, but hardly ever brings it up. She goes to church pretty much every sunday.

She is super helpful and more than happy to have anyone's back for anything.

She has quite a few gardens scattered across her houses and likes to grow some of her own food, especially ramps, herbs and other vegetables.

She usually has a bit of dirt on her somewhere.

Her likes include: Music, folk music, bluegrass music, country music, indie music, playing music, the outdoors, being outside, hotdogs, coleslaw, pepperoni rolls, apples, apple pie, hunting, cooking, baking, catching fireflies, hiking, camping, mountain climbing, whitewater rafting, running, swimming, gardening, farming, rainy days, Mothman, tough jobs, mountains, forests, waterfalls, pearls, pearl jewelry, being active

Her dislikes include: Pushy people, unfairness, judgmental people, being told what to do

That is all I have for her right now, but I will be gradually posting more on her! Feel free to leave any suggestions :))

[game-boy-pocket]

Today I beat Banjo Kazooie - Bubble Bog Brewery, a romhack by Mark Kurko that is a remake of a much older hack by Daveyx0, as part of a Halloween 2023 celebration. Kurko does love his small Holiday mods and I am greatful for them.

I don't think this is as strong as Kurko's other mods, there's no clever new dialogue or hooks, there's not as many easter eggs, it's just a level with a vague halloween skin for you to sandbox around in and try to find everything, there's no proper ending or exit, you just quit playing once you get everything, but even so, I had a fun time. Us Banjo fans are starving, so we'll eat any food we can get, and it just happens that Kurko is the one doing most of the cooking, and he's good at what he does. Music is pretty good though, mostly a minor key take on Bubble Gloop Swamp but they slip in a few other changes, even some Donkey Kong 64 musical easter eggs I appreciated.

TL;DR is that this is a solid Banjo Kazooie level, so play it if you like Banjo, but don't expect it to eat your whole afternoon or have a ton of new ideas, it took me like 20 mintues. Woulda been shorter, but one of the jiggy locations really stumped me... and that's the only clue I'm going to give you. It stumped me.

I'd really love to see more Holiday themed hacks, not just of Banjo, but in general. I like to play seasonly appropriate hacks around the last three months of the year, but I also still like playing my familiar comfort food games. So give me a Zelda where the grass is purple and Link is wearing orange or something.

[justsomekpopstuff]

seventeen as d&d characters

NOTE: Remember, these are just my opinion and how I would classify them in D&D. You can have your own perspective, just don't be a hater about it. I also know that my D&D knowledge isn't perfect. Don't judge me! I also have much longer versions of all of these backstories, so some details may be missing.

current masterlist | fic recs

Seungcheol: Human Fighter

He is the village leader and sheriff, born into a hardworking family in the mountains. He was raised to always make room for those who need it and to lend a hand when warranted. He is childhood best friends with Jeonghan. He became village leader after his and Jeonghan's village was attacked by an extremist and he fended them off with his dual axes. His bravery was noted by the village, and he vowed to always protect his people, friend and stranger, as long as they were in his village. This means he regularly opens his home to the rest of the group as they go about their worldly travels, being the de-facto leader and older brother of the group.

Jeonghan: Human Rogue

Jeonghan was secretly born out of wedlock to a distant royal family. He was left out in the woods as an infant in the hopes that the elements would take him. However, he was found by a wandering traveler, who brought him to Seungcheol's family village. He is childhood best friends with Seungcheol, and helped defend the village from the cult as well. However, instead of also taking up the "protector" mantle, he decided it was time to make it on his own. He quickly gained the sneaky skills to provide for himself (pick-pocketing, swindling, etc.), which is how he met Joshua. They both caught each other trying to steal out of the tip jar of a local tavern after Joshua finished performing. Jeonghan made himself Joshua's "manager", and the two of them travel and cause chaos together on the open road.

Joshua: Half-Elf Bard/Rogue

Joshua was born to a single mother in a conservative village, who shamed her for having a child without a husband. This lead to him trying to sing her lullabies to cheer her up, and he found that he had a talent for music. His mother would eventually pass, but not before leaving him his favorite instrument that he carries with him - his banjo. Joshua made it out by himself, traveling to villages that unfortunately did not share his love of music. He had a knack for playing songs that the locals deemed "unacceptable", and it would regularly lead to him being chased out of town. He met Jeonghan after a performance where the tavern owner decided to revoke Joshua's wages. Joshua, in retaliation, went to steal from the tip jar, and ended up running in to Jeonghan who had the same idea. They decided to combine their efforts as a duo - Joshua leading people in as a busker, and Jeonghan working his clever swindling magic.

Jun: Elf Rogue/Monk

Jun was sold to a traveling show before he could form memories, and was made to perform as soon as he could walk and talk. The leaders of this show were extreme and unkind, and made Jun's childhood a living hell. Once he grew up, he was kicked out of the show after a "patron" of the traveling show falsely accused Jun of trying to walking them to their death. After being left in the middle of nowhere, Jun had to turn to lies and stealing to get by. This would cause him to get mixed up with some knights who believed him to be a criminal after Jun was caught trying to give some stolen food to the local orphans. As the knights were beating up Jun, Minghao came along and fought off the knights, saving Jun's life. Jun became a devoted student to Minghao, learning how to use his energy and power to do good in the world. They would travel together to villages, bringing justice and peace to each area.

Hoshi: Human Druid

Hoshi was born to a sect of ancient druids that had lived hidden amongst the trees and animals for thousands of years. He grew up with a deep love for animals, and a strong understanding of the power and energy of life and nature. When he got older, he participated in the sect's coming-of-age ceremony where they would be presented with their wild shape form. Hoshi was blessed by the elders and spirits with a tiger wild shape form. However, the village was pacifist, and had no use for his tiger form. So, Hoshi decided to leave his village and set off into the world. However, there were many out in the world who did not accept him due to his connection to the Old Faith and the druids. He would regularly find himself in taverns, drinking the nights away until he would accidentally drunkenly wild shape into a large drunken tiger. This is how he met Seungcheol, who took care of him after he drunkenly wild shaped into a tiger at the tavern in Seungcheol's village. Hoshi was grateful for Seungcheol's kindness, and knew he would have an accepting home with Seungcheol for life.

Wonwoo: Dragonborn Wizard

Wonwoo was hatched deep in the caves of distant misty mountains to dragonborn royalty. He received an extensive education ranging from the ancient texts of the dragons, to the contemporary literature of the time he was born. However, his clan's cave was raided by humans in search of the copper tips of the scales of his people. Wonwoo was hidden, and was the only one left after the raid. Now alone in the world, he made his way out of the cave, wandering the world with a small collection of books. Wonwoo eventually found himself at the gates of a well-renowned wizard college, where the elder wizards welcomed him in due to his intense arcane energy and passion for knowledge. He spent many years learning as much as he could about everything from history to magic, before being sent into the world to research for more. He tried to ignore the weird looks he got for his dragon-like appearance, but sometimes it was difficult to ignore. That was, until he met Seungcheol, who welcomed Wonwoo's thirst for knowledge. Wonwoo would make sure to stop at Seungcheol's regularly on his research quest to empower his magic.

Woozi: Tiefling Sorcerer

Woozi could never quite remember a time in his childhood where he felt safe. Due to he and his family's appearance and abilities, they were often ran out of wherever they lived. His family told him as a child the story of how his family got their abilities - after falling victims to an attempted war on their people, Woozi's ancestors begged the deities for a means of protection, and they were blessed with powers over darkness and shadows. However, this only increased the fear of Woozi's bloodline, thus leaving him to live a life on the run. As an adult, Woozi tried his best to remove the stigma of his looks and powers by using his shadows to entertain, but unfortunately, people will always fear the infernal, no matter how good they are. After being mugged and attacked, Woozi found himself lying in the street, waiting for it all to end, when Seungkwan and Vernon came upon him. They rushed Woozi to Seungcheol's house, where for the first time, Woozi found himself in the presence of love, warmth, and acceptance.

Seokmin: Half-Elf Warlock

Seokmin was born out of wedlock to an elven princess and a human ranger. Unfortunately, due to the stigma of their relationship, Seokmin's mother was locked away to raise Seokmin all by herself. Despite their situation, Seokmin's mother made sure to keep things light, regularly telling him her love story that always made him smile. When she eventually passed, Seokmin found a letter from his father talking about how he found a sword that could only be wielded by the truest member of the elven clan - Excalibur. Seokmin set out to find the sword, and after many years, came across a cave where the sword was hidden. He went to pull the sword out of its celestial sheath when it cut him, unknowingly poisoning him. As he lay dying in the cave, the Messenger of Death appeared before him, saying that Seokmin would be saved if they made a pact - Seokmin would become "the living messenger", tasked with escorting the dead to their families to pay their last respects before leading them into the afterlife. Seokmin accepted the deal, and wielding Excalibur, became "the living messenger". He met Seungcheol while performing his duties, and Seungcheol took Seokmin in to rest after such a difficult task. Seokmin would regularly pay visits to Seungcheol, always greeting him like an old friend.

Mingyu: Half-Orc Barbarian

Mingyu has no real memories of his parents, or his childhood. All he knows is that as early as he could remember, he was the caregiver for his younger sister. It was always just them, wandering on the road, taking odd jobs and relying on the kindness of strangers. They would regularly get odd looks, and even run out of town for being half-orcs, but that didn't stop Mingyu from trying his best to give his sister the world. However, his heart of gold and good intentions didn't always translate well - Mingyu was incredibly clumsy and dense. This would often cause him to get mixed up with the wrong people; and, with his strength and power from all the odd jobs, it was easy for him to be seen as a barbarian. This all came to a head one night, as a now adult Mingyu was working a shift in a dingy old tavern in the middle of a city run by a horrible gang of orcs. He looked up to see an old, ugly orc hitting on his sister, who was sitting innocently at the end of the bar while he worked. The old orc started getting handsy, and before Mingyu could even blink, he was launching himself at the old orc, knocking the creep out cold. There was a deafening silence before the whole tavern burst into cheers - turns out, the orc he just beat the crap out of was the leader of the city, a tyrant. Now, Mingyu was the new leader of the village - and he had NO idea what he was doing. Thankfully, this is when he meets Wonwoo, who had come to the village seeking knowledge of ancient orc rites. Wonwoo told Mingyu of Seungcheol, who would be able to help Mingyu figure out this whole "leadership" thing. From then on, despite still being clumsy and a bit dense, Mingyu knew that he had people in his life there to support him.

Minghao: Elf Monk

All Minghao remembers is the monastery he was raised in. He was told that his birth parents gave him to the monastery as payment for the monk's services to their village. The monks trained him from an early age to use the energy and power stored in his body to protect and commit acts of service for others. However, the monks noticed early on that despite his skill and passion, Minghao had a bit of a…chaotic streak. Minghao had noticed that the monks of his monastery were greedy, and instead of helping everyone regardless of their status, began to only cater their services to those who could pay a hefty price. Minghao, despite being taught to keep silent and be of service, would make his voice heard, telling the monks how terrible they were for focusing on wealth rather than helping those who truly needed it. Those moments usually ended up with him in a wooden solitary cell to “think about his transgressions against the monastery". After one too many times of being put into solitary, MInghao, quite literally, walked out of the monastery in broad daylight, middle fingers up. If he was going to do right by humanity, he was going to do it his way - no more rules and regulations. On his travels, he would regularly find himself taking care of local perverts, tyrants, and bigots, and theatrically and elegantly putting them on their butts with all the skills he had been trained to do since birth. That’s why Minghao finding Jun was near fated to happen. All Minghao saw was two unruly jerks beating up on someone defenseless, so he saved the stranger and dragged him back to his tent to heal him. Minghao’s heart hurt hearing Jun’s story, and he knew in his heart that his next mission was to give Jun the life he deserved. With Jun’s permission, Minghao trained Jun in being a monk, teaching Jun all the skills that he was raised with, including altruism for those who need it most. This would lead to their fated meeting with Seungcheol, and the rest is history.

Seungkwan: Half-Elf Bard

Seungkwan probably has the most…“normal” upbringing. Being raised by his mother in a larger family, there was a lot of love in his home. His mother encouraged him to pursue music after seeing his talent at a very young age. Having older sisters also taught Seungkwan the art of learning and keeping secrets and how to mix that with his musical talents. Seungkwan grew up a very intelligent, observant, and talented secret keeper who used those secrets to fuel his music…and his insults. Seungkwan’s talents didn’t come without some criticism. Many people in his village believed that he was not “masculine” enough due to the fact that he played music and was more expressive than what most considered “manly”. This did not stop Seungkwan - he knew all their secrets. Even though there were times that the comments got to him, some secret-based vicious mockery spells could take care of that. One day, one of Seungkwans’ little “roast” moments went a little too far. He compared someone in the village to the Mothman. Unbeknownst to Seungkwan, the Mothman does not take mockery lightly, and so sent his “faithful” stooge to go and “take care” of Seungkwan. That stooge was Vernon, the chillest human ever. Vernon, instead of doing what Mothman ordered, instead befriended Seungkwan to Mothman’s dismay. Seungkwan and Vernon ended up becoming solid companions. They would regularly travel together, Seungkwan performing on the road as a traveling secret keeper, and Vernon tagging. Every now and again Vernon would be summoned to a different location to take care of something, or someone, by the Mothman, and Seungkwan would wait patiently for him to return. At one point, Vernon blipped out without warning, leaving Seungkwan confused and lost - leading to Seungcheol saving the day and taking him (and eventually Vernon) in. That is how Seungkwan and Vernon decided that should they ever get fully lost or separated, that they could always rely on Seungcheol’s place as a rendezvous.

Vernon: Human Warlock

Vernon, from the time he was born, was the most relaxed person alive - casual, going with the flow of the people around him. He quickly became an enigma in the village, never being really phased by the chaos, and always just being there and rolling with the punches. One day, Vernon was out on a solo walk through the woods when he wandered a little too deep. Vernon eventually found himself staring into the large, red eyes of a dark shadowy figure. The shadowy figure introduced himself as the Mothman, and told Vernon that he could give Vernon everything he desired, as long as Vernon did anything that the Mothman asked. When the Mothman asked if they had a deal, Vernon, expressionless, just said “...’kay”. Mothman, unfortunately, quickly found out that Vernon was the most unpredictable person to ever exist. When the Mothman would summon Vernon to kill people that had insulted the Mothman, he would tell Vernon to “take care” of that person. The lack of specificity would leave Vernon room for interpretation. So, instead of killing people, he would approach the targets and be like “hey, so you said this thing about the Mothman. He’s like, my patron dude, and he’s not cool with that. Could you maybe not do that?” Every one of them would be astounded by the coolness of how Vernon approached them and would be “...sure?”, before Vernon would say “cool, see ya” and leave. Vernon also often forgets that he has magical abilities, and regularly spooks himself when they manifest. Needless to say, instead of being an asset, he was a pain in Mothman’s side. This nonchalant approach to doing the Mothman’s bidding was how Vernon ended up becoming friends with Seungkwan. Vernon would still get summoned, much to the dismay of both Seungkwan and Mothman. However, once everything got settled, and they found Seungcheol, Vernon knew he would never stray too far from those he held dear.

Dino: Half-Elf Monk Fighter

Chan was told by the monks that he was left on the steps of the monastery with a note stating that due to him being born a half-elf, he had to be sealed away so as to not bring shame to his birth family. The monks were heartbroken that his child was abandoned so easily, and so they took him in and raised him as one of their own, treating him like the baby of the family. Despite his age, Chan would always put in the most effort into his training and he became one of the most skilled monks in the monastery. Before he knew it, he was made to be one of the highest ranked patrol monks for the local village, serving as a protector from potential raiders. One night, as the patrol monks were out doing services in the village, the smell of smoke began to waft through the air. Chan ran back to the monastery, but when he arrived, everything was engulfed in flames. He watched as the world they knew became ash. The unwarranted guilt of not being able to protect his family in the monastery, and the village, began to eat away at Chan. Even though he was told that he didn't have to, Chan decided to leave and to continue his training so that something like what had happened would not happen again. Chan found himself walking for miles and miles each day, training his body for endurance and strength. He would practice combat and energy-saving forms, and he would find other local protectors and request to train with them for a period. This is how he ended up finding a place with Seungcheol. Chan had wandered into the village, going up to locals and asking where he could find whoever protects the village. Every single person he asked immediately pointed him to the village sheriff, Seungcheol. Chan quickly asked Seungcheol to train him in whatever way Seungcheol knew how so that Chan could be the ultimate protector. Seungcheol agreed and took Chan under his wing, and began to train him to be a kind and fearless protector. Throughout their time together, Chan began to remember what he felt like at the monastery where he was raised. Seungcheol, to him, brought back memories of the life he once knew - being treated like the baby of the family, but also like an equal with untapped potential. Chan forgot how much comfort he found in an environment like this, and he knew that with Seungcheol, he would have another family for the rest of his life.