#its the best of both worlds 🎵

[cinnabell2]

Okay this took me forever but here is my crystal rose Hwei ✨ wanted to make different forms for weather or not his muse accepts or rejects his love (basing off the light or dark path voice lines in game ehe)

Also wanted to make lvl 6 dark and lvl 6 light, but didn't have the time or energy so heres a breakdown 😤 lvl6 dark is almost all this navy blue, with Hwei feeling confused, hurt and it leading to obsession and Yandere tendencies.

And lvl6 light Is mostly light pinks with a hint of soft blue and purples, scared of what this new love may bring or if he's even deserving or capable of this love and continues to try his best and leads to soft happy marriage eeee ✨️💚

[sapphanimates]

what if... when she older.... more ourple.

[gerogerigaogaigar]

Phineas and Ferb fascinates me from a structural standpoint. I'll admit I haven't watched the show front to back, but I've caught the odd episode here and there and I certainly get the gist of it.

The first time I saw P&F it seemed charming but unremarkable, the second and probably third time it became obvious that it was a clever but formulaic show. At some point it clicked. Children's shows are usually formulaic, Dee Dee will destroy Dexter's invention, Elmer Fudd will fail to hunt the Wabbit, He-Man will defeat Skeletor, and Sisyphus will roll that boulder up that hill. Phineas and Ferb asks not just that we imagine Sisyphus happy, but that we imagine that he is ecstatic to see that boulder roll down the hill.

Where the status quo is an unspoken rule of older cartoons it is the explicit law of the P&F universe. There is a roadmap to every episode, you probably already know it but I will spell it out regardless. Phineas will say the phrase "I know what we're gonna do today" thus kicking off their project for the episode. Candace will try and fail to get them "busted". There will be a musical number. Meanwhile Doofenshmirtz will have made an -inator that Perry will be called upon to destroy. Perry will get caught, Doofenshmirtz will explain his plan, Perry will escape, destroy the -inator and the ensuing chaos will clean up Phineas and Ferb's backyard shenanigans just in time for their mom to get home. Ferb says something at the very end, often his only line in the whole episode. The end.

There are stock lines that must be said. "I know what we're gonna do today" "I wonder where Perry is" "Busted" "🎵Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated🎶". The show doesn't just have a cartoon status quo, the universe operates off of the laws of cartoon status quo to the extent that characters actively notice when the cycle doesn't complete correctly. The characters seemingly know that their world operates on cartoon physics, but to them it's just physics. In P&F a giant whirlwind carrying away a giant backyard amusement park is as natural as gravity.

Candace's place as the character who knows this is all insane must be a tortuous existence considering the whole world is conspired against her. Not out of a cosmic meanness but a deep thematic kindness. Candace is the only character whose intent is to cause purposeful harm and the universe will not let her get away with it.

Truly this is one of the most unerringly kind shows I've ever seen. It is unreal how much faith it puts into wordplay, running jokes, and raw absurdity to carry itself while never stepping into the realm of cartoon cruelty.

You know cartoon cruelty. It's why Tom gets punished for Jerry's actions and why the Trix rabbit can never eat his own damn cereal. At its best cartoon cruelty manifests as Ed, Edd n Eddy or the Looney Tunes short Duck Amok where there is catharsis in seeing the characters hoisted by their own petard. At its worst you get CatDog which is so intensely cruel to the character of Cat that I can't comprehend what the writers were going for.

The confident lack of irony is part of what makes Phineas And Ferb work. The show is a parade of cartoon cliches and dad jokes and it never it never winks at the viewer or lampshades how silly this is. It just has absolute faith that the corniest jokes ever really are that funny. And so they are. I actually laugh out loud every time they do the "Aren't you a little young for this?" "Yes, yes I am" bit. Maybe it's the delivery, maybe it's just the confidence in the bit. Probably a bit of both. I am smiling to myself just thinking of this dumb running joke.

But what this all amounts to is what every bit of fandom wankery amounts to. I am of course talking about shipping. For my money the best bit in the show is the romantic framing of Doofenshmirtz and Perry's rivalry. This is where the show's cartoon logic and unrepentant kindness synthesize perfectly. The homoerotic undertones of the spy/supervillain dynamic are an extremely tired observation and are usually only emphasized in an ironic sense to poke fun at pieces that never intended the gay subtext. P&F flips this joke by not being even a little bit ironic about it, but still adhering to the unspoken nature of the gag.

The end result is that Perry and Doofenshmirtz's status as a romantic couple is tacitly understood to be part of the shows status quo, but never commented on. The world of P&F is too inherently kind to be homophobic (homophobia being a key component of the joke) but it still has a joke shaped hole to fill. So it does the funniest possible thing and fills the hole with nothing. The joke is the lack of a joke. The expectation of a joke that is met with a shrug from the show's own internal logic. And that's really funny. An evil scientist and a platypus are in a loving relationship that happens to also be a hero/villain rivalry. Don't worry about it. It's not the weirdest thing happening in the tri state area I promise.

[someprettyname]

✨GF FC INDIGO AWARDS 2024 PT. 1✨

part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | part 4 | part 5 | part 6 | part 7 | part 8 | part 9 | part 10 | part 11 | part 12 | part 13 | winner's list | after party

Some points to note before you move to the event visualizer : 

🟣 My anchoring style is highly energetic and bubbly so you can imagine me doing a lot of hand gestures, changing pitch and tones of my voice, moving around on the stage a lot, etc. Hehe.  

🟣 The theatre/event venue has been engineered by the best engineers of the world, with the most modern technology. The petals of the lotus can close or open to hide or reveal the night sky. It can also change its colours. For tonight, it's indigo!  

🟣 The "OUTFIT CHECK" were clicked in different places (according to where the member was spotted first) hence the different background. 

🟣Ignore the contradiction of same blue locker entering the scene multiple times, pretend there are a few copies of each member 🥰👍🏻

🟣 Ignore the outfit mismatch in the edits (any edit after the outfit checks please, our editing skills only go so far 🙏🏻 ) 

🟣 I didn't want to write too many dialogues on yall's behalf but I can't really bother you with every small detail, so I hope whatever dialogues I've made up are not too out of character! 

🟣 I highly suggest that you listen to songs as you keep finding them being embedded in links for added feels and extra hype! 🔥

🟣 The performances where multiple songs have been used is supposed to be a mashup. You can imagine the mashup to be as you please! The songs I've bunched together are for the sole purpose of creating a particular vibe, so as long as to they are fulfilled it's all good! 😌🤝🏻

🟣 The posts are scheduled at a gap of 3-4 hours each, this event is going to be spread throughout 2 or more days. Feel free to go feral in the comments/reblogs/community my mates. 🔥 

🟣 I hope you enjoy this! Tagging all the attendees here : 

@glue-thief  @getosugurusbangs @bueris @soleilonthesun @galaxynajma

@sid3buns @mariyumemi @pinkinsect @refrigeratedboombursts @satosuguhastakenovermylife 

@10renz0 @simp-simp-no-mi @boinin @sharkissm @milkteansugar 

@thebestsetter @merlucide @jujutsustraycats @kurona-theshark @nskiyuriz

@asarajaa @writingonthewalls1832 @hooudie212back @sadao-tsuki @milaisreading 

@8-xnny @licoririce @rinitoshisgirl @luvingshidou  @duckydee-0

@kuro-min @gojoracle @marcsnuffy @filecurropt0 @riririnnnn 

@wroophruh @sanaexus @melodiclune

*The camera zooms out to display the event venue*

*And zooms back in to the other side, revealing the red carpet*

Good evening ladies and gentlemen, reporting live from the Lotus theatre is Me, Nami/Miki and Soleil. The evening you'd be anticipating for so long is finally here! I welcome you all to the GF FC INDIGO AWARDS : a place where all your contribution and hardwork towards the club is acknowledged and appreciated! 

Soleil : Oh look! The guests are starting to arrive! 

Nami : Indeed! Indeed! I think it's about time we part to catch them in the spicy blue corner, eh? 

*We both give each other knowing looks, bump our fists and part ways.*

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.  .·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

Nami : Aaannndddd who do we have here? (*Grins*) HELLO FOLKS! GOOD EVENING! 

pinkinsect : HELLO! 

glue-thief : Good evening to you too! 

getosugurusbangs : 🎵~

Alexis : Nice to meet you! :> 

Nami : Nice to meet you too! (*nods in acknowledgement*) Did you know that you've stumbled upon what we call (*clicks fingers and the lightings around turn blue*) the spicy blue corner, where things get a lil' spicccyyy ( ͡⁠°⁠ ͜⁠ʖ⁠ ͡⁠°⁠)

Pinkinsect : 000:

Shidou : HOLY CRAP!!!!!! 🤩 SPICY BLUE!!!! THIS IS AMAZING!!!!! 🤑🤠💥

Nami : *chuckles* yeah well, the fans are always curious aren't they? (*shuffles through some cards*) And the one who the fans answer from here is Val!! 

Glue-thief : 🫡🫡

Nami : It is a common knowledge that sometimes the sports shoes can't endure the torcher they are put through and the sole ends up coming apart. Gossips have it that one fine day when Isagi was trying to mend his shoe you stole his glue and ran away, what do you have to say about that? Legends say that he tripped on field later on because his shoe was half broken.

Glue thief : Isagi is one of the neo egoist league's top earners. he can buy more glue if he needs it. the glue i took from him wasnt even made for fixing soles 😒 

I, however, am still in the process of planning out my glue tower and bridge, and I.... am definitely not a top earner in the neo egoist league 💀

I have some stuff leftover that I figured wouldn't work well with by glue towering building endeavors. Some of that glue is ACTUALLY for sole-fixing. He should come talk to me if he needs some help smh. *side eyes a sheepish looking Isagi by his side* 

Nami : *giggles* Thank you for your time gentlemen, you can proceed this way, you'll be accompanied by a valet each to help you locate your seat! 

*All 6 of them then proceed to the main hall* 

(This is what the entry hallway looks like to those who proceed to the main hall after red carpet and spicy blue corner.)

💥 OUTFIT CHECK💥

[ L -> R

top - someprettyname, pinkinsect

Bottom - getosugurusbangs, glue-thief ]

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.  .·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

*the camera cuts to Soleil* 

Soleil : Welcome! Welcome, ladies and gentlemen! You all look absolutely gorgeous tonight! ^_^

Galaxynajma : Hi Soleil! Good evening! 

Mariyumemi : heyo! 

Nagi : heyo! 

Simp-simp-no-mi - you look gorgeous too, miss Soleil! 🥹

Soleil : Well, as your usual reporter I've got some questions for miss Najma here before you all proceed! 

Najma : Shoot! 

Soleil : Rumors have it that you'd give up the ownership godship of a thousand galaxies just to be with Kaiser. Is this true? 

Galaxynajma: I had to give away a few . It was a promise to make sure Kaiser actually gets some therapy. It has worked ( shocking ) I know he’s doing a little better these days.

Kaiser : *definitely doesn't have heart eyes rn* 

Soleil : how heartwarming 🥹, thank you very much for your time, my ladies! Please proceed this way! 

*And just like all of them proceed with simp-simp-no-mi marvelling over their relationship and asking Najma a few more questions on their way*

💥 OUTFIT CHECK💥

[ L -> R

Top : soleilonthesun, mariyumemi

Bottom - galaxynajma, simp-simp-no-mi]

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.  .·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

*Camera cuts to Nami*

Nami : (*dramatic gasp*) MY OH MY! LOOK AT THE ABSOLUTELY GLAMOROUS BUNCH I'VE STUMBLED UPON! Even the stars would be jealous of you ladies and gentlemen. (*amused fangirling noises*) 

Aryu : (*twirling a strand of hair*) GIRLFRIEND FC is ✨OSHA✨ (*looks certainly impressed* )

Satosuguhastakenovermylife : (*looking up at him*) I told you! 😁

10renz0 : yeah! That's who we are ~ 

Lorenzo : yeah! That's who they are ~ 

Nami : (*gasps again, hand on heart*) That was certainly a HUGE compliment to our community! We are glad you approve us Mr. ARYU 🥹👍🏻

Refrigeratedboombursts : (*walks up looking around*) I love the decorations here! 

Bachira : (*appears out of nowhere behind my back*) ME TOO! ME TOO! 😃🎵

Nami : (*flinches*) Oh- hi. HELLO BACHIRA! It's...(*blinks a little flabbergasted*).... definitely nice to see you. 

Refrigeratedboombursts : (*pulls him*) Yeah. Likewise, Nami. :D 

Nami : Well. Well! It's good that we're all gathered here, I can now ask you the questions the public has been curious about! 

Aryu : Hm. How glam. 

Nami : ( *chuckles*), This one's specially for Ash! 

Bachira : ohoho 👀🎵

Nami : Legends say that you still have marks from bee stings when Bachira took you for beekeeping once. Is this true? If yes, how is your healing process going? Did Bachira end up getting stung too?

Refrigeratedboombursts: Yes! My healing process is going fine, and so is Bachira's.

Bachira : ^_^ 🎵

Nami : That's quite relieving to hear! We've also been told that you both don't get along with your neighbours too much because you're often found blasting songs together at 2am in the morning. Is this true? In any case, keep vibing. We love ourselves some double m. Mischievous Member(s).

Refrigeratedboombursts: (*shares a knowing look with Bachira*) That's a secret, teehee~

Bachira : 🎵:3

Lorenzo : that looks fun. I should try that on Snuffy :0

[ We were later informed by their neighbours that this, indeed was true.] 

Nami : uh oh! Well well (*grins like (͡⁠°⁠‿⁠ ͡⁠°⁠)*) who am I to convince you otherwise ~ 

Aryu : (*judging hard*)

Nami : In any case, ladies and gentlemen! I won't hold you any longer! Please proceed this way! 

(*And they walk away too, with Bachira and Aryu bickering over Meguru"s not ✨OSHA✨ behaviour while the gf fc members chat away pleasantly* )

Nami : *Giggles* That was certainly fun. Ha! 

💥 OUTFIT CHECK💥

[ L -> R

Top : satosuguhastakenovermylife, 10renz0

Bottom : refrigeratedboombursts]

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.  .·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

Nami : My! My! Look at my daughter looking all pretty 🫶🏻

Bueris : Thank you mama! ^_^ 

Boinin : Yep! I like the design! Makes her look like a princess 😌

Nami : well well, you look nothing short of a queen yourself! And you too miss sid3buns! A perfectly classy couple as one would expect ^_^✨

sid3buns : Aww! Thank you! You look gorgeous too 🫶🏻

Nami : Do I? Thank you! <3 

Bueris : Yes mama! You look pretty! :D 

Nami : 🥹 Thank you, my daughta'! Now, that we are all here, let me welcome you to the...(*lightings turn blue*) spicy blue corner of the red carpet, where things get ✨ Interesting✨

Kurona : *is fascinated* oh :00 curious! Curious! 

Nami : *chuckles* well, there are some fan questions for our members that are especially high on demand, so we do the fans a service :3

Barou : *judging silently, looks unimpressed but is secretly impressed* 

Nami : And the ones we have questions for here is...(*shuffles through cards*)...oh! You Billy! 

Bueris : 😳

Nami : But before that, where's Riri? Did you leave her behind? 

Bueris : No mama! Kira (@/merlucide) just wanted to have a...chat....with her. She said she'll come with the others! 

Nami : Ah! I see. Alright then. Onto the question! 

Nami : It's nothing to be afraid of, just that rumors has it that you have tried to murder a certain blond. Are those true? How are your relations with galaxynajma after that? 

Bueris : oh! hehe uh- rumours shoomurs, yeah! I mean no! no! no attempt on that... blond's life I simply forgot to press the break peddle when I saw him in the street 🫶 total coincidence 💞

my relations to najma are very friendly! I tell her about any interesting birds I see :)

Nami : Aww. It's okay! It was just a small mistake 🥰 we all mistakes sometimes don't we? 

Barou : *judging real hard rn*

Kunigami : *is secretly proud of Billy*

Nami : Anyways, ladies and gentlemen I won't keep you waiting anymore, you can proceed this way! 

*And just like that they all proceed to the main celebration hall too*

💥 OUTFIT CHECK💥

[ L -> R

top : bueris, sid3buns

Bottom : boinin ]

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.  .·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

Stay tuned for more upcoming interviews...

[ organiser : @/someprettyname

script writing credits : @/someprettyname

proofread by : @/melodiclune

editing credits : @/soleilonthesun ]

[superwholock36]

~ A Little Taste of Heaven ~ (Peter Parker x Fem!Reader) (3/10)

____________________________________________________

🎵🎶Magnet (639Hz) - by Able Heart🎶🎵

____________________________________________________

Warnings :Fluff / Squintforslightsmut? / TonybeingTony /Peterbeingacutey / humour Summery "After an intimate encounter with Spider-Man, [name] finds herself left webbed to the wall—a moment that stings with both hurt and resolve. Refusing to let the abandonment define her, she decides to take control of her own path. In her journey to move forward, she crosses paths with Peter Parker, unaware that the charming stranger is, in fact, the very man she’s trying to forget." __________________________________________________

Time blurred into a frustrating haze, each moment stretching uncomfortably as she remained stuck to the wall. The webbing held fast around her wrist, its unyielding grip making every attempt to shift her weight an exercise in futility. She wasn’t inebriated, not quite—but the drinks she’d had earlier left a pleasant buzz humming faintly through her veins, dulling some of her sharper instincts.

Her legs ached, bent awkwardly in her attempts to make herself comfortable. The cool concrete beneath her dug into her knees and back, adding to the growing discomfort. Her free hand gripped the brick wall for balance, the rough surface a poor substitute for relief. Still, she refused to let it break her composure.

What stung more than the physical strain was the way he had left. No explanation, no reassurance—just a sharp departure into the night, leaving her pinned here, tangled in a mess he’d created. She frowned, her jaw tightening as the thought struck a nerve. What did she expect? A goodbye? An apology? It wasn’t like they were anything to each other.

And yet, something about the way he’d touched her, the way he’d looked at her—it had felt real in a way she couldn’t quite ignore. She had kissed him, yes, but the moment between them wasn’t just hers. It was theirs, he had his damn mouth on her core for crying out loud!

Her stomach twisted despite her best efforts to shove the thought aside. It wasn’t heartache—no, she wasn’t going to let herself feel that. But the lack of closure gnawed at her, an annoyance she couldn’t quite shake. She pressed her lips into a firm line, glancing around the alley as if it could offer her some distraction. All she found was the faint residue of the web on the wall, mocking her with its stubborn presence.

She shifted her position again, a soft grunt escaping as her knees scraped against the concrete. Every adjustment brought only temporary relief, but she refused to let frustration take hold. She’d deal with the ache, just like she’d deal with this whole stupid night, and then she’d move on.

Because she would move on. Spider-Man could vanish into the city’s skyline and take whatever she thought she felt with him. She’d shake it off—so what if he’d left her here without a word? If anything, it only confirmed what she already knew: heroes weren’t infallible. And she didn’t need one to save her.

The faint sound of traffic filtered in from the street beyond the alley, a reminder of the world still spinning outside her small pocket of frustration. She straightened her shoulders, testing the web’s grip one more time with a sharp tug. When it didn’t give, she exhaled sharply, muttering under her breath, “Typical.”

She could wait a little longer, but she wouldn’t waste another second thinking about him. Or at least, she’d try not to.

________________________________________________________

The web finally gave way, loosening its sticky grip on her wrist just enough for her to wiggle it free. It wasn’t a clean escape—she had to twist and yank, muttering a string of curses under her breath—but when her hand finally broke free, she staggered back from the wall, clutching her wrist triumphantly.

“Oh, finally!” she groaned, exasperation clear in her tone. “Stupid web... stupid Spider-Man... stupid everything!”

Flexing her sore wrist, she glared at the wall as if it had been the one holding her prisoner. Her palm was sticky from residue, and she rubbed it against the side of her left thigh, grimacing at the faint tackiness that wouldn’t come off. She shook her head, brushing her dishevelled hair out of her face as she straightened up, determined to leave this miserable alley and its humiliations behind.

Her eyes darted around until she spotted her bag, discarded a few feet away. She darted toward it, scooping it up off the ground and slinging it over her shoulder with a huff. That’s when she caught sight of the screen on her phone, glowing faintly inside the bag’s open pocket. Thirty minutes. She’d been stuck there for thirty freaking minutes.

The realization hit her like a slap. Thirty minutes. Her cheeks flushed hot with a mixture of humiliation and rage as the seconds stretched out in her mind. It wasn’t just that he’d left—he’d left her pinned there, helpless and exposed, like a damn nuisance he couldn’t be bothered to untangle.

“Oh, I am so done with this!” she snapped, her voice echoing faintly in the empty alley. She stormed toward the mouth of the alleyway, her strides quick and purposeful, her heels clicking sharply against the pavement. Her pulse pounded in her ears as her frustration bubbled over. She could still feel the faint stickiness on her wrist- her cum drying on the inside of her legs, a lingering reminder of the indignity of it all.

But as she stepped out into the street, her anger faltered for just a moment. The familiar brick façade of her apartment building stared back at her from across the road. She blinked, her brow furrowing in disbelief.

“Seriously?” she muttered, glancing from her building to the alley behind her. Her apartment had been right there—right there—the whole time, and she’d been too stuck to even realize it.

She shook her head, her jaw tightening as her frustration surged back. “Unbelievable.” She adjusted the strap of her bag and marched toward the crosswalk, her chin held high and her steps as sharp as her mood.

It didn’t matter that her apartment was so close now. All that mattered was putting as much distance as she could between herself and the wall that had held her—and the man who’d left her there.

She fumbled in her bag, her fingers brushing past her phone and a half-empty pack of gum before finally finding the familiar shape of her keys. “Come on,” she muttered under her breath, the words little more than a frustrated whisper. The front door loomed in front of her, stubborn and unyielding as she juggled her bag and the keys, the strap slipping from her shoulder in the process.

Finally, after a few seconds that felt far longer than they should have, the key slid into the lock with a satisfying click. She shoved the door open with her shoulder, stepping into the small lobby and letting it swing shut behind her. The quiet hum of the building was a welcome change from the sounds of the city outside, but it did little to ease the tension in her muscles.

Her eyes flicked upward toward the stairs. Fourth floor. She sighed, adjusting the strap of her bag as she began her ascent, each step a reminder of how sore her legs were. The click of her heels against the concrete staircase echoed faintly, a rhythmic reminder of just how much she wanted to be out of them.

Reaching her door felt like a small victory. She unlocked it swiftly and pushed it open, stepping inside and letting the comforting familiarity of her apartment wash over her. The bag hit the floor with an unceremonious thud, and she kicked off her heels immediately, wincing slightly as her feet protested their sudden freedom.

She stood there for a moment, flexing her toes and savoring the relief. “Never again,” she mumbled to herself, casting a glare at the offending shoes before making her way toward the bathroom. Her body ached—her calves, her back, even her arms.

All she wanted now was the soothing steam of a hot shower to chase away the night’s discomfort. She moved briskly toward the bathroom, her fingers already reaching for the zipper at the back of her dress. With a quick tug, the fabric loosened, slipping from her shoulders and pooling at her feet. She stepped out of it carefully, draping the dress over the edge of the hamper before unhooking her bra and sliding it off with the same efficient motion. Her hands then moved to her underwear, and she slipped them off with a growl of frustration.

They were her favourite pair, the ones with the delicate lace and soft fabric, and now they were ruined - a casualty of the intense encounter with the masked hero. As she thought back to the way he had touched her, the way he had made her feel, her body began to heat up all over again, her skin prickling with remembered pleasure. But her anger and irritation quickly surged back to the forefront, overriding her arousal. Who did he think he was, anyway? Some kind of masked vigilante who could just sweep in, destroy her favourite underwear, and leave her breathless and wanting?

The cool tiles beneath her feet sent a light shiver through her as she reached for the shower controls. Twisting the knob, she let the water rush out, adjusting it until the temperature hit the perfect balance of hot and soothing. Steam began to rise almost immediately, fogging up the edges of the mirror and softening the harsh fluorescent light overhead.

She leaned against the sink for a brief moment, letting the sound of the water fill the small space. It was calming in its own way, a gentle rush that drowned out the lingering noise of the world outside. Reaching up, she swept her hair into a loose clip to keep it dry, then stepped toward the shower, ready to let the heat wash everything away. As the warm water cascaded down her skin, she closed her eyes and let out a sigh, feeling the tension in her body begin to ease. But as she reached for the soap and began to wash herself, her mind started to wander back to the events of the night. Her hands moved over her skin, cleaning away the remnants of their encounter, and she felt a shiver run down her spine as she touched her core. The soap and water washed away the cum and saliva, but it couldn't erase the memories of the way he had touched her, the way he had made her feel.

As she rinsed herself clean, she felt her body start to heat up all over again, her nipples tightening and her breasts growing heavy. She bit her lip, trying to suppress the surge of arousal that threatened to overwhelm her. But it was no use - the memories of the night's events were too vivid, too potent, and she found herself growing wet all over again, her body responding to the memories of his touch like a Pavlovian reflex. She leaned back against the shower wall, her eyes still closed, and let the water wash over her, trying to calm the storm that was brewing inside her. But as she stood there, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was far from done with the masked hero.

Stepping out of the shower, she wrapped herself in a soft towel, the heat from the steam still clinging to her skin. The aches and stiffness from earlier had eased, replaced by the comforting warmth that only a long, hot shower could provide. She ran a hand through her damp hair, pushing it back from her face as she padded into the bathroom to brush her teeth.

The rhythmic sound of the toothbrush filled the quiet apartment as she worked quickly, her eyelids already feeling heavy. Tonight had dragged on long enough, and all she wanted now was to curl up in bed and let sleep take her. Spitting out the last of the toothpaste, she rinsed her mouth, patted her face dry with a towel, and flipped off the bathroom light.

She moved to the bedroom, tugging on an old, comfortable T-shirt as she climbed into bed. The sheets felt cool against her skin, a welcome contrast to the residual warmth from her shower. Letting out a sigh of relief, she pulled the blanket up to her shoulders, adjusting her pillow until it felt just right.

The day’s chaos felt distant now, like a bad dream she could almost convince herself hadn’t happened. Her body relaxed against the mattress, and her mind, dulled by exhaustion, began to drift. Whatever tomorrow brought, she’d deal with it then. For now, all that mattered was the quiet stillness of her apartment and the promise of rest.

____________________________________________________

Peter eased open the window of his modest apartment, the cool night air following him in like an unwelcome guest. The Spider-Man suit clung to his skin, a second layer that felt heavier tonight. He set his mask down on the windowsill, running a hand through sweat-dampened curls as his mind replayed the events of the evening.

He had searched everywhere for her. Alleyways, rooftops, fire escapes—anywhere she might have gone after freeing herself from the web. But the city had swallowed her up, its labyrinth of streets giving no clues, offering no solace. He hated the idea of leaving things unresolved, of not knowing if she was safe.

A sharp ache in his side broke through his thoughts. Peter winced, hand pressing against his ribcage where the thief’s fist had landed with unrelenting force. The bruise was already forming, dark and ugly beneath the fabric. With a sigh, he peeled off the suit, the material sticking to his skin as if reluctant to let go.

Standing shirtless in front of his mirror, Peter assessed the damage. The bruise spread like a storm cloud across his side, a stark reminder of the cost of his dual life.

His reflection stared back at him, tired and a little defeated. Moments like these—alone in the silence—were when it hit him hardest. The weight of responsibility.

Tomorrow was a new day. Spider-Man would always show up. Peter Parker, though? That was the part he wasn’t so sure about.

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

MJ’s place was filled with the comforting aroma of takeout, cartons spread across the coffee table like a mini buffet. Ned plucked a dumpling from the box in front of him while MJ lounged on the armchair, one leg draped over the side, scrolling through her phone. Peter sat on the couch, a little quieter than usual, picking at the sleeve of his hoodie.

“So,” Ned started, mouth half-full, “did you ever find her? The girl from last week?”

MJ looked up from her phone, her expression softening. “Yeah, Spider-Man’s mystery girl. What happened there?”

Peter hesitated, his fingers stilling on the fabric. “No,” he admitted quietly, the word heavy. “I... I looked for hours, but... she was gone.”

The room seemed to pause for a beat, the usual easy-going air between them dipping into something more somber. MJ set her phone down, leaning forward slightly. “Well,” she said, her tone half-teasing but not unkind, “you did kinda leave her webbed to a wall.”

Ned snorted, barely swallowing his dumpling. “Yeah, dude. Not exactly a romantic exit.”

Peter sighed, his expression darkening. “It wasn’t like that... I didn’t have a choice.”

MJ’s smirk softened into something more understanding. “I know. But come on, Peter—you did make an impression. Passionate make out session-head and webbing someone to a wall? That’s not something they'd ever forget.”

Ned burst out laughing, nearly choking on his dumpling. “Yeah, dude! If I were her, I’d have a web-shaped grudge against you for life.”

Peter’s ears flushed red as he slouched further into the couch, muttering, “It’s not like I wanted to... It was just the safest option.”

MJ leaned back with a knowing smile. “Relax, I’m just saying. She probably remembers you—Spider-Man—and not in a bad way.”

Ned chimed in, ever the optimist. “Or maybe she’s like, a super-spy or something. You know, hiding in plain sight, gathering intel. Plot twist: she’s got her own secret identity!”

Peter managed a faint smile, shaking his head. “I doubt that, Ned.”

“Hey, you never know, dude. I’m just saying, if it were me, I’d be all cloak-and-dagger about it. Spy gadgets, cool code names... I’d call myself... The Nedster.”

MJ rolled her eyes, but a smirk tugged at her lips. “Please don’t.”

“Don’t knock it till you try it,” Ned retorted, popping another dumpling into his mouth.

Peter’s smile lingered for a moment before fading. “It’s not about that,” he said softly. “I just... I don’t like leaving things unresolved. It’s—”

“Unfinished,” MJ finished for him. “I get it. But you’re not exactly the poster boy for closure, Pete. You’ve got a lot on your plate.”

“You mean like dumplings?” Ned quipped, holding up the box.

MJ shot him a look. “Not now, Ned.”

“Right, sorry. Serious moment. Got it.”

Peter leaned back into the couch, his gaze fixed on a spot on the floor. “I just hope she’s okay,” he murmured. “And... I hope she doesn’t hate me.”

MJ tilted her head, studying him for a moment. “I mean... I don’t know. If it were me? Getting left stuck to a wall might not be my favourite memory,” she said with a half-smile.

Ned pointed his chopstick at Peter with renewed enthusiasm. “Yeah, dude, MJ’s right! And besides, no one could seriously hate Spider-Man. Except maybe Jameson. Oh! Or that guy who keeps graffitiing 'Bug-Menace' around Queens.”

MJ rolled her eyes but didn’t push further. Peter stayed quiet, his fingers tapping idly on the arm of the couch. “I hope so,” he said softly. “I really do.”

Peter’s phone buzzed sharply against the coffee table. He picked it up, and his expression shifted immediately as he read the notification.

“Uh-oh,” he muttered, standing so fast he nearly knocked over the bowl of noodles in front of him. “Guys, I’ve gotta go.”

MJ glanced up, her brow furrowing. “What now?”

“Tony,” Peter said hurriedly, shoving his phone into his pocket and grabbing his jacket. “He says he needs to talk. Like, now.”

Ned’s eyes widened, his chopsticks frozen mid-air. “Wait, Tony Stark? Oh man, what did you do? Did you, like, borrow one of his suits and break it? Or, ooh, did you accidentally blow up something expensive? Dude, what if it’s about that really bad landing you showed me last week—maybe it scratched one of his cars!”

Peter was already halfway to the door, fumbling with his jacket. “I didn’t do anything! At least... I don’t think I did? I don’t know—he just said it’s important.”

“Uh-huh,” Ned said, grinning. “Classic guilty guy response.”

MJ shook her head with a sigh. “Go, Peter. Save Stark’s tower, or whatever it is you do.”

Peter flashed them a quick, awkward wave before darting out the door. As it slammed shut, Ned turned to MJ, leaning closer.

“So, bets on what this is about?” he said, his voice conspiratorial. “I’m calling it—he knocked over a lab experiment. Or spilled coffee on one of those fancy holograms.”

MJ smirked, plucking a dumpling from Ned’s box. “I’m just betting he’s going to forget to update us about it. Again.”

Peter’s sneakers slapped against the pavement as he weaved through the bustling Midtown crowd, murmuring apologies when he brushed too close to a passerby. His chest tightened—not just from the brisk pace, but from the thought of keeping Tony waiting. Stark’s messages always carried a certain weight, even when they were just texts.

He could’ve swung there as Spider-Man. It would’ve been faster, easier—but not today. Today, he was just Peter Parker, rushing through the city like an ordinary guy on an extraordinarily tight schedule.

As he neared the block where Stark Tower loomed into the skyline, Peter’s focus tightened. He darted between two oncoming pedestrians, his head down, momentum propelling him—

And then it happened.

The collision was sudden, jarring. Peter stumbled back a step, wide-eyed as the woman in front of him staggered, nearly losing her balance. Instinct kicked in before his brain could catch up, his hand darting out to steady her. His arm slipped around her waist, his other hand brushing the small of her back. The force of their movements left her in a dip, the world tilting for just a moment as they froze in that precarious pose.

“I—I’m so sorry,” Peter stammered, his voice higher than usual as his cheeks flushed pink. “I wasn’t looking, I—”

Then he looked up.

His heart stopped. His grip on her waist tightened just slightly to keep her from slipping further, his breath catching in his throat.

It was her.

Peter blinked, his brain scrambling to process what his eyes were telling him. He was holding her—the girl he hadn’t stopped thinking about for a week, the girl he’d searched for as Spider-Man without any luck. And now, here she was, in his arms.

“Sh—shoot!” Peter fumbled, straightening her up quickly but awkwardly. “I—uh, you—hi?”

The word felt inadequate, and mentally smacked himself as his pulse hammered in his ears. Peter blinked, his brain scrambling to catch up with what had just happened. He was still holding onto [name], his hands hovering awkwardly after he helped her upright, as though unsure whether to steady her or let go entirely. Finally, his hands darted back to his sides, but he didn’t seem to know where to put them. They hovered, moved toward his pockets, and then he ended up running one through his curls in that nervous, habitual way of his.

“I—I’m so sorry,” he stammered, his words tripping over each other. “I didn’t see you, and then there was—well, me—and, uh, you’re—you’re not hurt, are you? Because that would be... bad. Obviously.”

[Name] tilted her head, giving him an odd look. She brushed herself off, more surprised than anything, and straightened her jacket. “I’m fine, but... are you okay?” she asked, her brow knitting slightly. “You seem... a little flustered.”

Peter let out a nervous laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. “Flustered? Me? No, no, I’m not flustered. Totally the opposite of flustered. Super un-flustered.”

Her skeptical expression didn’t budge, and Peter realized, too late, that he was still standing too close. He took a half-step back, his face burning. “Right. Uh. Sorry again. For, you know, crashing into you like a human wrecking ball.”

----------------------------[Name]----------------------------------

The morning sunlight filtered through the blinds, streaking the walls of [Name]’s apartment in soft, golden hues. She stretched lazily, savouring the rare luxury of a day off. No alarms, no urgent messages—just her and the day ahead. The kitchen hummed with warmth as she flipped a slice of bread onto the skillet, the sizzle of butter filling the air. Breakfast wasn’t much, just some toast and scrambled eggs, but she wasn’t in the mood for anything elaborate.

She had just settled onto her stool, the fork midway to her mouth, when her phone buzzed loudly on the counter. She glanced at the screen, reading Megan’s name with a slight roll of her eyes. What now? she thought, already bracing herself as she answered.

“Morning, Megan,” [Name] said, balancing the phone between her shoulder and ear. “Don’t tell me you’re working on my day off too.”

“I wouldn’t call it ‘working,’” Megan replied, her tone dangerously cheerful, which only made her more suspicious. “Listen, I need a huge favour.”

{name} groaned audibly. “You know, that’s not how you start a conversation with someone who has scrambled eggs in front of them.”

“Hey, scrambled eggs will still be there in five minutes! And this is important. Life-saving, almost.”

“Somehow I doubt that,” She muttered, though a faint smile tugged at her lips. “What do you want?”

“There’s just... one teensy thing,” Megan said, her words speeding up. “Could you drop something off at Avengers Tower for me? Please?”

{name} nearly choked on her next bite, pulling the phone away to make sure she’d heard correctly. “You want me to go where now?”

“I know, I know, it’s out of the way,” Megan barreled on, “but I’m drowning in work and you’re off today, and you’re, like, so reliable—”

“I’m regretting being reliable,” [Name] cut in flatly, already glaring at the clock on the wall.

“Okay, okay! But hear me out—if you do this for me, I’ll get you that banoffee cheesecake you keep drooling over from that bakery. You know, the one you live around the corner from. Plus, I’ll owe you a drink. Two drinks, even! Consider it a bribe.”

The mention of the cheesecake gave her pause. She’d passed that bakery countless times, staring longingly through the window, but she’d never actually gone in. It was too indulgent, too decadent for her to justify on an ordinary day. But this... this was a tempting deal.

She sighed dramatically, propping her elbow on the counter. “Fine. But if they don’t have that cheesecake, I’m never speaking to you again.”

“Deal!” Megan chirped, her relief almost palpable. “I owe you one. You’re the best, seriously.”

“Uh-huh,” [Name] said, already making a mental note to find something suitably irritating to ask Megan for in return. “Text me the details.”

After hanging up, she looked at her half-finished breakfast and sighed again. So much for a slow morning. She cleaned up quickly, grabbed her jacket, and tucked her phone into her pocket, already wondering why she hadn’t just said no.

The street buzzed with life, a constant current of people streaming past, heads down, shoulders brushing. {Name} stood still on the footpath, her phone gripped tightly in her hand as she stared down at Megan’s text. The directions weren’t adding up. Left at 34th Street? Or was it right? And when did she pass a coffee shop? She huffed, scanning the intersection for some sort of landmark, but the towering buildings only made her feel smaller, more lost.

Another pedestrian brushed past her, muttering something under their breath, and she took a small step closer to the wall, trying to make herself less of an obstacle. The city moved around her with its usual indifference, the rush of footsteps and muted chatter blending into a blur.

“Okay, Megan,” {name} murmured to herself, squinting at the screen. “I’m either really bad at this, or you’re trying to send me on some wild—”

Boom.

The collision came out of nowhere, the force of it jarring her as though the world had knocked her off its axis. Her balance wavered, the ground beneath her feet tilting as she stumbled back. For a second, she thought she might fall, the chaos of the busy street rushing around her, swallowing her up.

But then, hands caught her.

One hand pressed firmly against her waist, the other brushing the small of her back, steadying her before gravity could take over. The sensation was grounding, unexpected. She blinked, disoriented, as her movement was stopped mid-motion—only to realize she was half-dipped, the world tilting slightly off-center as they both froze in place.

For a moment, everything seemed to pause. The buzz of the street faded into the background, drowned out by the sudden closeness. Her breath caught, the feel of those hands holding her steady making her pulse jump unexpectedly.

When her gaze shifted upward, she caught sight of the boy—wide-eyed and equally startled, his curls mussed and his mouth opening and closing as if he were trying to form words but couldn’t quite catch them. He was just as stunned as she was, the tension of the moment lingering as time seemed to hang in suspension.

The word he muttered felt strangely inadequate, almost laughable, given the impact and how he’d caught her. {Name} steadied herself, still faintly off-balance from the collision, and took in the flustered boy in front of her.

His hands hovered near her as though unsure whether to linger or retreat, a mix of hesitation and awkwardness that made him seem younger than she’d first thought. Then, with a suddenness that matched the collision, his hands darted back to his sides as if burned. But he didn’t seem to know what to do with them—they shifted toward his pockets, then jerked away again before one finally slid up to rake nervously through his tousled curls.

She watched him, curiosity piqued as his movements seemed to mirror the whirlwind in his head. [Name] adjusted her balance, brushing her hands down her sides as the unexpected collision faded from her immediate concern. She glanced up at him, her brows still slightly furrowed, but the curiosity in her gaze began to grow. There was something... endearing about the stranger in front of her.

He wasn’t what she’d call traditionally intimidating. His hoodie was slightly baggy, the sleeves pushed up haphazardly as though he’d been in a rush. A rucksack hung off one shoulder, the weight pulling the strap down enough to wrinkle his jacket. His jeans had seen better days—frayed at the cuffs and faded, like they’d been through countless city treks. But it wasn’t his clothes that caught her attention.

It was his face.

Her eyes lingered on the line of his jaw, soft enough to betray his youth but with a sharpness that hinted at something quietly determined. His cheeks were faintly flushed, likely from the rush, and his lips—slightly parted as though searching for words—seemed to tremble with unspoken nerves. Then there were his eyes—warm, brown, and darting nervously as if trying to do everything except meet hers.

He shifted on his feet, looking away suddenly, rubbing the back of his neck. It made the mess of curls at the top of his head shift slightly, and he let out a nervous laugh as he muttered something incomprehensible. She caught herself smiling faintly, a little amused by the combination of clumsy charm and visible discomfort.

When his gaze finally snapped back to hers, it was like he’d caught her mid-thought. Her eyes were still on him, and his expression froze as his ears turned scarlet.

“Oh—uh,” he stammered, one hand tugging at his rucksack strap like it might shield him. “Were you... I mean, I wasn’t—uh—sorry?”

[Name] tilted her head slightly as she listened to him stumble over his words. Something about his voice tugged at the edges of her memory, a faint familiarity she couldn’t quite pin down. It wasn’t the words themselves, but the cadence, the tone—a mix of awkwardness and earnestness that felt oddly... recognizable.

“It’s okay,” she said eventually, cutting through his nervous ramble with a soft laugh. “I mean, I probably shouldn’t have just been standing there like that. Guess I was a little lost.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her smile widening. “So, I guess we’re both at fault.”

Peter blinked, momentarily caught off guard by her response. “Oh—uh, right. Yeah. Totally a mutual... thing. No harm, no foul,” he added quickly, though his tone wavered slightly. His hand darted up to tousle his hair again, a nervous habit she was starting to notice.

Her gaze lingered on him for a beat longer, studying the way he seemed to bounce between confidence and uncertainty in the span of a few words. And yet, there was something genuine about him, even in his awkwardness.

[Name] shifted her weight slightly, tucking her phone into her pocket as the noise of the city surged around them again. She took a small step to the side, giving space to the steady flow of pedestrians who were starting to glance at their static exchange. Her smile lingered as she tilted her head.

“So, what about you?” she asked lightly, breaking the momentary silence. “Are you just out here crashing into people, or were you actually going somewhere?”

Peter blinked again, his lips parting slightly as though the question caught him off guard. “Oh! Uh, yeah. I mean—no! Not crashing into people. Definitely not. I was... heading somewhere. The, uh... tower.”

Her brow furrowed slightly in curiosity. “The Avengers Tower?”

“Yep. That one,” Peter confirmed, nodding too quickly, his curls bouncing with the motion. “Big shiny building. Kinda hard to miss.”

{name} laughed softly, something in his over-eagerness catching her off guard. “Huh. That’s funny. I’m heading there too.” She paused, her lips twitching into a playful smirk. “Hopefully you don’t run into me again before we get there.”

Peter’s shoulders stiffened as his face flushed another shade of red. “I—uh, no, I don’t—well, I mean, if you wanted—wait, that came out wrong!” His hand shot up to rub the back of his neck again, and he let out a nervous laugh. “What I meant was, since I’m going that way, maybe... maybe I could, you know, walk with you? So you don’t... get lost again.”

She hesitated for a moment, studying him. There was something endearing in the way he fumbled, his words disjointed but never insincere. Finally, she nodded, her expression softening. “Sure. Why not?”

As they started walking, her steps matching his, she found herself sneaking a glance at him again. There was something oddly comforting about him, his awkwardness balancing out the intensity of the city around them. And for a reason she couldn’t quite place, she felt less lost now than she had minutes before.

As they walked, the silence between them stretched just long enough for Peter to start overthinking. Should I say something? Is it weird that I haven’t said anything? He glanced at her again, his nerves catching when he realized she was already looking at him.

“So...” she said, a small smirk tugging at the corner of her lips, “are you just going to walk me all the way there without telling me your name? Or is this like a mysterious, man-of-the-shadows kind of thing?”

Peter blinked, caught off guard. “Oh! Uh, no. Definitely not mysterious. I mean, I can be mysterious if that’s what you—wait, no, I didn’t mean—” He stopped, taking a breath. “I’m Peter. Peter Parker.”

[Name] raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by his fumbling. “Nice to meet you, Peter. I’m [Name]. You can skip the mystery act—doesn’t seem like it’s your thing.”

Peter let out a nervous laugh, scratching the back of his neck. “Yeah, not really my strong suit. I’m more of a... trip-over-my-own-words kind of guy, apparently.”

“Don’t worry,” [Name] replied, her tone teasing. “It’s working for you. Kind of... endearing.”

Peter’s face turned a shade of red that he was sure could be seen from space. “Endearing? Right. Uh, thanks. I think.”

[Name] laughed softly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “So, Peter Parker, how does someone like you end up heading to the Avengers Tower? Are you secretly Tony Stark’s protégé or something?”

His brain stalled at the question, his thoughts scrambling for a believable answer. “Oh, no. Nothing like that,” he said quickly. “I, uh, just do some work with... science stuff. You know, like... projects. Boring stuff.”

“Science stuff?” she repeated, clearly skeptical but too entertained to press further. “That’s about as vague as it gets.”

“Yeah, well, it’s... top-secret,” Peter said, attempting a sheepish grin. “You know how it is.”

She gave him a sideways glance, her smirk widening. “Uh-huh. Totally.”

Peter breathed a small sigh of relief as they continued walking, though he couldn’t help but glance at her again. For now, he just hoped he didn’t embarrass himself any further before they got to the tower.

Peter walked alongside [name], his mind began to wander back to the night they had met. He couldn't help but recall the way she had tasted, the sweet scent of her skin and the musky flavour of her arousal. He remembered the way her leg had felt, thrown over his shoulder as he had his mouth on her core, the way she had trembled and moaned beneath him. It had been a week since that encounter, but the memories still felt vivid and raw.

As Peter’s thoughts started spiralling, a faint blush began to crawl up his neck and into his cheeks. He quickly looked away, shoving his hands into the pockets of his hoodie as if that might somehow ground him. He cleared his throat, trying to shake off the memory looping in his head. “So, uh,” he started, his voice cracking slightly, “nice day, huh?”

The second the words left his mouth, he cringed internally. Nice day? Seriously, Parker? Who says that? He risked a glance at [Name] out of the corner of his eye, hoping she hadn’t noticed the sheer awkwardness radiating off him. But the flush rising to his cheeks wasn’t helping. He could feel it, spreading like wildfire, and it only made him feel even more ridiculous.

He tried to focus on something else—anything else—but his mind stubbornly circled back to that night. The way she’d made him feel, the way he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her since. It was overwhelming in a way he hadn’t expected, and definitely hadn’t prepared for. He took a deep breath, determined to calm down and act normal. Act cool, Peter. Just be cool.

And then, in true Peter Parker style, he tripped over his own feet.

“Whoa—” he stumbled, flailing for a split second before catching himself. His heart jumped into his throat, and his eyes darted toward {name}, who had stopped in her tracks, looking at him with a mix of concern and mild amusement.

“Hey, you okay?” she asked, her brow furrowing slightly as she tilted her head.

Peter nodded a little too quickly, brushing invisible dust off his hoodie like that would erase the embarrassment. “Yeah! Yep, totally fine,” he said, his words tumbling out too fast. “Just, uh, testing the pavement. You know, making sure it’s, uh, level. For, like... walking. Yeah.”

[Name] raised an eyebrow, the corner of her lips quirking upward as she tried to keep her composure. But the sheer absurdity of his explanation, combined with the look of panic on his face, broke her. A laugh bubbled out of her—loud, genuine, and completely unrestrained. She doubled over slightly, clutching her side as she tried to catch her breath.

Peter froze, his train of thought screeching to a halt. He didn’t know whether to be embarrassed or amazed—or maybe both. He watched her laugh, the way her eyes lit up and her shoulders shook, like the sound itself carried more warmth than anything he’d felt all day. For a moment, he forgot how to breathe, caught somewhere between awe and disbelief. How does someone laugh like that?

As her laughter finally subsided, she straightened up, wiping an imaginary tear from the corner of her eye. “Wow,” she said, still grinning as she looked at him. “You’re, uh... really good at your job, Mr. Sidewalk Tester. Top-tier work.”

Peter’s face burned hotter, but he couldn’t bring himself to mind. “Uh, thanks,” he managed, his voice a little quieter now. “I, uh... try my best.”

{name} chuckled again, softer this time, and started walking. Peter hesitated for half a beat before falling into step beside her, the ghost of her laugh still echoing in his ears.

______________________________________________________

The Avengers Tower came into view, its sleek lines and unmistakable logo cutting through the city skyline. Peter slowed his steps slightly, his chest tightening as they neared the entrance. It wasn’t the sight of the tower that left him conflicted—it was the thought of parting ways with [Name]. He’d just found her again. How could this be it?

As they reached the revolving doors, Peter hesitated, glancing at her. His brain scrambled for something to say, some excuse to keep her from disappearing into the crowd outside. “So, uh, I guess... this is where we part ways?” he said, his tone faltering slightly.

[Name] tilted her head, her expression softening as she noticed the flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. “Yeah, I guess so,” she said, though there was a touch of reluctance in her voice. “Thanks for, you know, helping me not get lost again.”

Peter let out a nervous laugh, scratching the back of his neck. “Yeah, no problem. I’m, uh, always happy to assist with... navigation. It’s kind of my thing.”

Before either of them could say anything more, the sliding glass doors parted with a soft whoosh, and a familiar voice echoed from inside the lobby.

“Underoos!”

Peter stiffened instantly, his face flushing as he turned toward the source of the voice. There, standing casually in the center of the lobby, was none other than Tony Stark—sunglasses perched on his nose, a smirk tugging at his lips as he gestured impatiently.

“Come on, kid, clock’s ticking. Some of us have empires to run,” Tony said, folding his arms as he leaned slightly to one side. His gaze shifted briefly to [name], one eyebrow raising as if to silently assess the situation before flicking back to Peter. “You planning on standing there all day, or are you actually gonna show up for this meeting?”

{name} froze beside Peter, her eyes wide as she took in the scene. Her hand flew to her mouth, barely suppressing a gasp. “Oh my god. Is that—”

“Tony Stark? Yeah,” Peter mumbled, his voice suddenly quieter as he looked down at his shoes. “It’s, uh, kind of a long story.”

[Name] stared at him, her expression a mix of disbelief and awe. “You know Tony Stark?”

Peter winced slightly, rubbing the back of his neck again. “I mean... yeah. He’s, uh, my... mentor. Kind of.”

Tony’s smirk widened as he stepped forward, clearly catching the tail end of the conversation. “Mentor? That’s generous, kid. More like babysitter. And speaking of babysitting, you’re late. Let’s move it.”

Peter hesitated, glancing at [Name] one last time, the tug-of-war in his chest making it hard to find the right words. “Uh, I—guess I should... go,” he said reluctantly, his voice barely above a whisper.

[Name] nodded slowly, still looking at him like she was trying to piece together a puzzle. “Yeah... sure,” she said, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “Good luck with, uh, whatever it is you do.”

As Peter turned to follow Tony toward the elevator, his thoughts raced. This couldn’t be the end—not like this. He’d just found her again, after all the wondering and what felt like an impossible coincidence. How could he let her slip away so easily? His feet dragged slightly, his mind already churning for a reason—any reason—to talk to her again. But Tony was jabbing at the elevator buttons impatiently, his voice cutting through Peter's spiralling thoughts.

“Come on, kid,” Tony drawled, tapping his watch for emphasis. “This century would be great. Some of us actually have things to do.”

Peter flinched slightly at Tony’s words, though his gaze drifted back toward the lobby. There she was, standing at the counter, exchanging a polite smile with the receptionist as she handed over the package. Her posture eased as she took a small step back, clearly relieved to be done with the errand. Now heading toward the doors. His stomach flipped. This can’t be it, he thought, panic bubbling in his chest. He’d spent a week wondering if he’d ever see her again, and now she was just going to walk out of his life for good?

Before he could think twice, Peter blurted out, “Wait!” His feet moved on their own, dashing out of the elevator area and toward the lobby. “[Name]!”

[Name] paused at the sound of her name, turning around just as Peter nearly skidded to a stop in front of her. He was out of breath, his curls slightly dishevelled from the rush, and his face was an even deeper shade of red than before.

“I, uh, I just...” He faltered, one hand shooting up to ruffle his hair nervously while the other hovered at his side, unsure of what to do. “I mean, I know we just met, and you’re probably busy, and this is totally random, but I was wondering if—uh, I mean, maybe—you know, if I could, uh... get your number?”

[Name] blinked, her brows raising slightly as she stared at him in surprise. Peter fumbled on, his words tumbling out faster.

“Not—not for anything weird!” he clarified quickly, waving his hands. “Just, you know, in case you get lost again! Or, uh, if you ever want to... talk? Or something? Totally up to you, of course. No pressure.”

He trailed off, his hand finding the back of his neck as his gaze dropped to the floor. He felt like his heart might pound right out of his chest. Why did I say that?

For a moment, there was silence—then a smile crept across {name}’s face, her eyes softening at his earnestness. “Sure,” she said, pulling out her phone. “I think I can make room in my life for the Sidewalk Tester Extraordinaire.”

Peter’s head snapped up, blinking at her in disbelief. “Wait—really?”

She laughed lightly, handing him her phone to put his number in. “Really.”

Peter fumbled with her phone, his hands shaking slightly as he typed in his number. Tony’s voice called out from the elevator area, “Parker! You’ve got about ten seconds before I leave your scrawny butt here!”

Peter handed the phone back quickly, giving [Name] a sheepish smile. “Thanks. I, uh, gotta go, but... I’ll text you. Or call. Or both. Okay, bye!”

And with that, he darted back toward the elevator, a triumphant grin creeping onto his face despite Tony’s exaggerated eye roll as the doors slid shut.

[Name] watched him go, her own smile lingering as she pocketed her phone. “Interesting day,” she murmured to herself, before stepping out into the city streets.

_____________________________________________________________

The elevator doors slid shut with a soft chime, enclosing Peter and Tony in the sleek, mirrored box as they ascended the tower. The hum of the elevator filled the silence, but Peter could feel Tony’s eyes on him. He shifted awkwardly, glancing at the floor display as if it were the most fascinating thing in the world.

“So,” Tony said after a long beat, his tone casual but laced with amusement, “you wanna tell me what that little lobby sprint was about?”

Peter’s shoulders hunched slightly as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Uh, nothing. It wasn’t—it’s not a big deal,” he mumbled, his ears turning red.

“Uh-huh,” Tony replied, clearly unconvinced. He leaned back against the elevator wall, arms folded, giving Peter a pointed look. “Kid, you were practically tripping over yourself. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re smitten. Don’t worry, it happens to the best of us.”

Peter’s face flushed deeper, and he shook his head quickly. “No! I mean—well, maybe, but that’s not—it’s not like that. I was just, you know... being polite.”

Tony let out a dry laugh, shaking his head. “Polite. Sure, we’ll go with that. Polite enough to chase her down like a rom-com protagonist in the third act.”

Peter groaned softly, burying his face in his hands for a moment before peeking at Tony through his fingers. “Can we not talk about this? Please?”

Then his tone shifted, becoming more business-like. “Anyway, let’s talk about why you’re actually here. Took you so long down there, I almost thought you’d forgotten you had a meeting with me. Classic Parker.”

Peter perked up slightly, grateful for the pivot to something—anything—other than his lobby debacle. “Right. Yeah. Uh... so, what’s going on? You said it was important.”

Tony glanced at him, his expression sharpening just slightly, though a flicker of amusement still danced at the edges. “F.R.I.D.A.Y alerted me an incident that happened last week. Thought I’d get the full, unabridged Parker version."

Peter stiffened immediately, his heart leaping into his throat. “An incident?” he repeated, his voice a little higher than intended. “I—I mean, there wasn’t really, uh, anything that big… I think?” He scratched the back of his neck nervously, racking his brain for what Tony might be referring to.

But as he stood there, he couldn't shake off the flashes of memory that suddenly assaulted him - the sound of her moans, low and throaty, the way her head had thrown back in abandon, her eyes closed in ecstasy. He felt a surge of heat run through his body, and he quickly looked away, trying to compose himself. But the images lingered, and he could almost smell the scent of her skin, feel the softness of her lips. He cleared his throat, trying to push the thoughts away, but they only seemed to intensify, making his face grow hotter by the second. "I mean, what kind of incident?" he asked, trying to sound nonchalant, but his voice came out a little shaky, and he couldn't meet Tony's eye, fearing that his friend might see right through him.

Tony raised an eyebrow. “Oh, good. It’s always reassuring when the guy with superpowers is vague about incidents.” He folded his arms, giving Peter a pointed look. “Look, F.R.I.D.A.Y doesn’t flag stuff for fun. Something about, oh, I don’t know, webbing showing up in places it shouldn’t? Ringing any bells, Underoos?”

Peter’s face flushed as the realization hit him. “Oh. That,” he mumbled, suddenly very interested in the elevator buttons. “I mean, it wasn’t really a big thing... just, uh, a minor thing. Very minor. Like, almost not even a thing.”

Tony sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Kid, do me a favour—don’t ever try to sell anything. You’d starve.” He glanced at the panel above the elevator door as the numbers ticked higher. “You can give me your very minor, not-a-thing report then.”

Peter shifted awkwardly, his hands shoved into his hoodie pockets as he tried to calm the sudden swarm of nerves twisting in his stomach. “Yeah. Okay. Sounds good,” he muttered, his voice just shy of confident. _____________________________________________________

The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime, revealing the sleek upper floors of the Avengers Tower. Tony stepped out first, his stride confident as always, while Peter trailed behind, feeling like he was walking into a trap he didn’t quite understand yet. His heart was already racing.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Stark. Hello, Peter,” F.R.I.D.A.Y. greeted, her calm, precise voice filling the corridor.

“Hey, F.R.I.D.A.Y.,” Peter mumbled, shoving his hands in his hoodie pockets, his nerves eating away at him. The fact that she’d been part of his suit since Tony upgraded him was usually a comfort, but now it felt more like having a tattletale glued to his side.

“Afternoon, F.R.I.D.A.Y.,” Tony said casually, his tone light as he stepped into the corridor. "Care to tell me what happen. Parker?"

Peter’s stomach flipped. Oh no. This was it.

He turned to face Peter, his arms folding over his chest, a smirk already tugging at his lips. “Did you have a big night out you forgot to invite me to? I thought we were friends.”

Peter froze, his face heating. “Uh... I mean, I don’t... it wasn’t big, exactly,” he stammered, his words tumbling over each other. “It was just—uh—a thing. A small thing. Like, super small. Barely worth mentioning.”

Tony raised an eyebrow, his expression practically daring Peter to continue. What’s this ‘small thing’ our dear Spider-kid is trying so hard to downplay F.R.I.D.A.Y?”

“I have a report ready for you, sir,” F.R.I.D.A.Y. replied, her tone carrying the faintest hint of amusement. “However, if Peter would prefer to explain it in his own words, I’m sure it would be... enlightening.”

Peter shot a betrayed look at the ceiling. “F.R.I.D.A.Y.! I thought we were cool!”

“I am merely ensuring you have the opportunity to be honest, Peter,” F.R.I.D.A.Y. replied smoothly.

Tony chuckled, clearly enjoying himself. “So, kid... care to enlighten me? Or do I have to review the play-by-play F.R.I.D.A.Y. so thoughtfully uploaded to the server?”

Peter groaned, covering his face with his hands. “Do I really have to say?”

Tony leaned back on his heels, his smirk growing impossibly wider. “Oh, yes you do,” he said, his tone dripping with that unmistakable Stark charm.

Peter shifted uncomfortably under Tony’s gaze, and then—like a dam bursting—words started spilling out of him in a frantic rush. “Okay, okay! So, I was out patrolling, right? You know, just doing the usual Spider-Man stuff, and then I saw this — Like, this really pretty girl, and she was kind of in danger, so I, uh, saved her.”

Tony raised an eyebrow but said nothing, his silence only adding fuel to Peter’s nervous rambling.

“And, uh, you know, she was really grateful, like... really grateful. So, she, uh...” Peter’s voice wavered, his cheeks heating up as he gestured vaguely. “She kissed me. And it was, um, really nice?"

"And it may- or may not have gone... further.."

Tony’s eyebrows shot up, his smirk instantly shifting into full-blown amusement. He leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees as if Peter had just become the most entertaining thing in the room. “Oh, Parker, you are killing me,” he said, dragging out the words with a laugh. “Further, huh? Now you’ve got my attention. Spill. What exactly is ‘further’ in Spider-kid terms? Holding hands? A second kiss? Oh wait—did she braid your web shooters?”

Peter’s face turned a violent shade of red, and he practically buried himself in his hoodie. “It’s not like that!” he squeaked, his voice cracking. “I mean, it wasn’t... it wasn’t, like, that far! Just... you know... stuff”

Tony leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms and grinning like a cat who’d just cornered a mouse. “Stuff, huh? Love the specifics. You’re really painting a picture here.”

Peter pulled his hood tighter over his head. “Why do you do this to me? I’m never going to live this down.” Groaning aloud.

"But then she tried to take my mask off, and I panicked! Because, you know, secret identity and all that! So, uh... I might’ve... webbed her wrist to the wall.”

Peter groaned, burying his face in his hands for a moment before looking back up at Tony. “And I didn’t think it was a big deal! I mean, I figured, you know, she was fine, and nobody saw, and it was totally handled. I didn’t know F.R.I.D.A.Y. was gonna rat me out!”

The words came tumbling out so fast that Peter barely had time to breathe, his curls bouncing as he gestured animatedly. By the time he finished, his face was burning, and he looked at Tony like he was waiting for the hammer to drop.

Tony chuckled, giving Peter a once-over, his smirk widening to something borderline predatory. “Relax, Parker. Webbing her to the wall? Really? Bold choice." He leaned in, a glint in his eye. "F.R.I.D.A.Y. didn't spill the beans, but I did notice you asked her to run a check on a certain someone. My curiosity was piqued, so I took a look myself. And let's just say I was very surprised, Peter."

Tony leaned back in his chair, eyebrows shooting up as he smirked. “Sounds like you had quite the dining experience, didn’t you?” His voice dripped with mock seriousness, but the mischievous glint in his eye was unmistakable.“ I didn’t watch anything. Bleach in eyes and all that,”

Peter’s face flushed a fiery red, and he buried his hands in his hoodie, his voice rising in protest. “Oh my god, can you not?!"

Tony held up his hands, though his smirk didn’t falter. “Hey, I’m just pointing out that maybe, just maybe, you’ve got some things to learn about handling these situations. Try not to dine on someone next time? That’s not a solution, kid—that’s a headline.”

Peter turned to Tony, his expression a mixture of shock and confusion. “Wait a second... You knew when you messaged me to come here? About what happened?” He gestured vaguely, still flustered. “Why did you want me to tell you if you already knew?”

Tony leaned back casually, crossing his arms and letting out a low chuckle. “Because, kid, it’s fun.” He shrugged, his smirk widening into that unmistakable Stark brand of mischief. “You have this way of tripping over your own words and digging the hole deeper. Pulling your leg a bit? It’s like a free comedy show.”

Peter groaned, running a hand down his face. “Seriously? You called me all the way here just to mess with me?”

“Messing with you is just the icing on the cake,” Tony shot back smoothly. “I mean, come on—hearing the story straight from you is way better than reading F.R.I.D.A.Y.’s report. She’s great, but she doesn’t quite capture the sheer panic in your voice.” He leaned forward, his smirk turning into a full-blown grin. “And let’s face it, Parker: you’re a terrible liar.”

Peter glared at him, his face still flushed from embarrassment. “You’re the worst, you know that?”

Tony clapped him on the shoulder, unfazed. “And yet, here you are, spilling your guts. I’m just that lovable.”

Peter shook his head, muttering under his breath as he sank into a chair. “I don’t know why I put up with this.”

Tony grinned, clearly enjoying himself. “Because deep down, you know I’m right. Now, how about we skip the dramatics and focus on what really matters—like how you’re going to make sure F.R.I.D.A.Y. doesn’t flag another ‘incident’ anytime soon.”

Peter groaned, pulling his hood tighter. “Why do you do this to me?”

“Because it’s fun,” Tony quipped, clapping Peter on the shoulder.

Peter looked up at him, his brows furrowing. “Wait, you’re not mad?”

Tony threw out an exaggerated scoff. “Nah. Not even close. But hey, you certainly showed her the real meaning of Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man. Very... hands-on, Parker.”

“You’re never gonna let this go, are you?”

Tony grinned, thoroughly enjoying himself. “Not a chance, Underoos. This one’s going in the Hall of Fame.”

Peter groaned again, dragging his hands down his face as if it might somehow erase the last five minutes of his life. Just as he was about to mumble another protest, his phone buzzed in his pocket.

Grateful for the distraction, he fished it out, squinting at the screen. His brows furrowed when he saw the notification: a text from an unknown number.

UNKOWN: " Hi Sidewalk Tester Extraordinaire."

The nickname was so specific, so perfectly her, that it left no doubt in his mind who had sent it.

For a moment, the embarrassment of Tony’s relentless teasing faded into the background. Maybe, just maybe, all the ribbing had been worth it. She’d texted him. That had to mean something, right?

Before he could spiral too far into his thoughts, Tony’s voice cut through the moment like a laser. “What’s got you grinning like that, Parker? Did the Queen knight you in secret, or is it something juicier?”

Peter quickly shoved the phone back into his pocket, trying and failing to mask his reaction. “It’s nothing. Just—uh—spam. Yeah, totally spam. You know how weird spam messages get.”

Tony tilted his head, his smirk widening as he narrowed his eyes at Peter. “Spam, huh? So, let me guess—this ‘spam’ wouldn’t happen to be from the girl in the lobby earlier, would it?”

Peter froze, his jaw dropping. “What? How do you—wait, girl in the lobby? What are you talking about?”

Tony rolled his eyes, crossing his arms as he leaned casually against the nearest desk. “Oh, come on, Parker. Genius, remember? I put two and two together the second you started stumbling over your words earlier. You’re bad at lying, kid. Really bad.”

Peter groaned, dragging a hand down his face as his cheeks burned. “Okay, fine! Yes, it’s her. Happy now?”

Tony grinned, clearly enjoying himself. “Absolutely. You make this way too easy, you know that?”

Peter slumped into a chair, muttering under his breath. But despite his protests, he couldn’t wipe the small, stupid smile off his face.

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

I hope its alright? XD got a bit stuck at the end ahaha.

Tried to make it a little funny, I hope it flowed?

[riverofjazzsims]

As we get closer to contestants packing up and heading to meet Winter let discuss briefly where they will be staying.

Winter and her family live in a wonderfully special place and though its of this world its very much hidden and doesn’t necessarily operate the same as what most may be used to. Watcher your guys will board their respective modes of transportation and go to the closet designated train station.  The train will be leaving promptly at the time on the invitation that will be going out soon, its in your best interest for your sim to not be late. Please also make sure you have packed your ticket. If for some reason when the ticket agent comes to collect....., just please make sure you have your ticket mmk.

Winters parents own a lodge nestled deep in what the locals call the Forever Pine Forest. There for the next undisclosed time is where the men will be staying. If we run into additional sims showing interest alternative arrangements may be made.

The name of the actual township that the contestants will be staying by is only known to the residents. Those that somehow manage to find their way there be it invite or a fluke in the fabric of time, find that when/if they leave have very distant memories if any at all.  Only a special few people that are not residents of (redacted) ever recall their time or what they may have seen as such a mandated NDA is imposed on them the moment, they cross the boarders, along with a little something extra added to the mix.

What does that mean for your sim, watcher, well the moment they would want to discuss anything about (redacted) it’s been said that sims have started talking gibberish, or something called English, break out in a random Winterfest songs mid-sentence, get instantly cold, one even reported an acute case of Bloaty Head followed up by gas n giggle for 24hrs. I trust they will have, overall, a good time but please be aware that these contestants are going someplace that is infused with magic ranging from the elemental to blood.

For reasons of transparency, please note that over the last few months there have been several odd instances, (that’s saying a lot for the area) and some recent unexplained passings of both residents and visitors that have left the township on edge. The matchmaking service that is setting up the potential love interest for Winter has been in contact with one of the township chairpersons and have let them know that its been a few weeks since the last incident and believe the threat (blink, blink)

🎵🎶Ooh kukla troob, ooh kukla troob

Vo bronky gwib des norbles🎵🎶

wait what was being said

Oh anyway good luck all

Main Post ❄️

Contestant Submissions ❄️

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[kalpakita]

IWTV - additional music

Long post about the music used in the show.

I added some info about the artist / composer / song + a mention if I found some relevance or interesting bits.

note: I didn't identify most myself, so thanks to @greedandenby's playlists + @iwtvfanevents 🎵

Ferdinand LaMothe aka Jelly Roll Morton (1890-1941) : Creole musician, pianist and composer who is regarded as one of the pioneers of jazz music. He started his piano playing in the Storyville area.

1.01: The Crave -We see him portrayed and playing this song in the very 1st scene where Louis meets Lestat.

1.03: Wolverine Blues -In ep3 Daniel plays it after Louis claims Lestat inspired Morton to write the song. It's an early jazz standard.

Scott Joplin (1868-1917) : Composer and pianist, who has been dubbed the "King of Ragtime". He considered ragtime to be a form of classical music meant to be played in concert halls.

1.01: Solace -plays later in the same scene when Lestat holds Louis in his gaze. Both this and Morton's "The Crave" have a habanera rhythm.

Florence Price (1887-1953) : Classical composer, pianist and more. She is noted as the first African-American woman to have a composition played by a major orchestra. She was mentioned as one of the inspirations and a fav of the show's composer Daniel Hart.

1.01: Dances in the Canebrakes: I. Nimble Feet -plays when Louis starts hanging out with Lestat.

Pyotr Tchaikovsky (1840–1893) : One of the most famous composers of the Romantic period, perhaps best known for his ballets Swan Lake and The Nutcracker. He had a number of affairs with men but strove to keep it hidden.

1.01: Iolanta -his last opera. The setting is a beautiful garden and its heroine is an "outsider". In the end Iolanta is amazed of the of the world hidden from her before. Louis was moved by it but hides that from his family.

1.01: During Paul's funeral you can hear a brass band version of the hymn called In the sweet by and by. I read that this kind of procession is an unique tradition in New Orleans, sometimes called "jazz funeral."

Mauro Giuliani (1781-1829) : Cellist/violinist best known for his guitar music.

1.02: Caprice for guitar, Op.11 - This classical guitar piece plays in the scene with "Rashid" while Daniel discovers Marius's painting. Armand hint.

Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848) : A prolific composer of over 70 operas. His most famous one is probably Lucia di Lammermoor.

1.02: Don Pascuale - Apparently, these 'comic operas' traditionally referenced to the stock characters from commedia dell'arte. (iykyk) The story revolves around unapproved love and marriage shenanigans.

1.03: Darktown Strutters' Ball by a black Canadian-born songwriter Shelton Brooks. It became a vaudevillian hit and is considered a jazz standard. The lyrics make a ref. to Morton. The version in the scene is very low tempo though.

1.03: Minuet in G major - One of the most well known pieces for beginners on the piano. It's often attributed to J.S.Bach but later to Christian Petzold. The Jelly Roll style 'Vampire’s Minuet' was arranged and played by Ethan Uslan for ep3.

1.03: Am I Blue can briefly be heard When Jonah enters Azalea. It's a popular song originally recorded by Ethel Waters for a 1929 movie, so it's a little out of timeline.

Frederic Chopin (1810–1849) : Composer and pianist of the Romantic period. His romantic and suggestive letters to men seem to have been intentionally misinterpreted by his biographers.

1.03: Nocturne, Op. 55: No. 1 in F minor -Plays during the scene with Louis and Jonah, ending just before "Was it raining?"

2.06: Nocturne, No. 20 in C Sharp Minor -Plays at the Sushi restaurant in S2. It is notable for its association with few Holocaust survivors.

1.04: Colour Suite: III. Yellow Hammers by Madeleine Dring, a mid century composer and pianist who had an "unique blend of classical and jazz influences,"-starts playing when the unholy family leave the wake.

1.04 note: Multiple nice pieces from APM library are used in ep4, mostly New Orleans dixieland - "The Viper " "Bourbon Street Blues" "Exotique" and "Jungle Jazz Room." There's also "Jelly's Blues" in ep1 and "Skip Dat Pop Dat" in ep5.

Alexander Scriabin (1872–1915) : Composer and pianist who "developed a growing atonal system, which was in accordance with his idea of mysticism." He "came to believe that he had a mission to regenerate mankind through art."

1.05: 24 Preludes Op. 11 No. 15 - Lestat plays it at the start of ep5.

Duke Ellington (1899–1974) Louis Armstrong (1901–1971) As many of you probably know, these jazz legends helped the genre forward. Ellington has the largest recorded personal jazz legacy. Armstrong became one of the most influential artists in jazz history. At the time of the story though, both were at the start of their careers.

1.05: East St. Louis Toodle-Oo was the first charting single for Ellington. It plays during the conversation with Anderson, before L&L come home to drunk Claudia.

1.05: Everything Is Hotsy Totsy Now - This fox-trot tune starts playing just after that, during the police search.

Few songs play over the radio/record in ep5 & 6:

1.05: Underneath The Arches by the duo Flanagan and Allen. It refers to the railway bridge where homeless slept during the Great Depression. It plays when Claudia returns home.

1.06: Haunted Heart - Broadway tune covered by Jo Stafford. It plays when Louis asks Claudia to make an effort to get along.

1.06: Was Your Heart Ever There - sang by Alyce Hauser. It plays when Lestat smokes and complains to Antoinette. (ep6 are bit out of timeline)

1.06: Giuseppe Tartini's "Devil's Trill Sonata" plays when Lestat comes after Claudia when she tries to leave by train. Tartini (1692-1770) was a composer and violinist of the Baroque era. He told that the devil had appeared to him in a dream and inspired to compose the sonata.

Johan Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) : A composer and organist of the Baroque period who is regarded one of the most influential musicians and often called the most spiritual. He composed for a variety of instruments and forms.

1.07: Partita in B-Flat Major: II. Allemande -Lestat plays it before Claudia offers to play the duet. It's a slow version of it.

Claude Debussy (1862–1918) : Composer whose works had a major influence on 20th century music. He "embraced nontraditional scales and tonal structures and developed a highly original system of harmony."

1.07: Six épigraphes antiques 1. "To invoke Pan" -The one Claudia and Lestat play together. It was originally composed for 4 hands but later made solo. Apparently, parts of these were earlier written as musical accompaniments for his friend's lesbian poems "Les Chansons de Biliti."

Erskine Hawkins (1914–1993) : Renowned bandleader and composer who was nicknamed the "20th-Century Gabriel," because of his heavenly trumpet play. His best known song is the jazz standard" Tuxedo Junction."

1.07: Dolemite - A popular song from that year plays when they plan the attack.

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) : Composer and impactful musical figure between the classical and romantic eras. He began to grow increasingly deaf in his 30s but continued composing. As our subject is vampires: he wrote a ten-page love letter to an "Immortal Beloved" but never sent it.

1.07: Piano Sonata No. 14 (moonlight sonata) -Plays several times + during the end credits. Most likely a homage to the usage of it in the 94 movie.

2.03: Fidelio, Op 72: Prisoners’ Chorus -This Opera tells a story of a woman who, dressed as a guard, tries to rescue her husband from prison. It gained significance after WW2. The chorus is an ode to freedom. Plays in S2 when Louis shows Alois his photographs.

2.01: Y’A Pas D’Printemps - Edith Piaf Piaf is perhaps the most well known French singers. She became kind of a symbol "of passion and tenacity". The song translates to "There's No Spring." The lyrics express longing for better life.

2.02: Snowfall - Claude Thornhill & his Orchestra - Thornhill was a pianist, composer and bandleader who wrote few jazz and pop standards. Notably this and "I Wish I Had You" with Billie Holiday. It plays when Louis says he started taking pictures.

Maurice Ravel (1875–1937) : Composer and pianist who "incorporated elements of modernism, baroque, neoclassicism and, in his later works, jazz." It's been speculated that he was gay. According to Daniel Hart, show Lestat loves Ravel.

2.02/04/08 Piano Concerto in G, II. Adagio assai -plays 3 times in S2: When Louis reads Lestat's letter, lets go of 'dreamstat' and during their reunion. Each time it's performed by Martha Argerich (seems she has recorded it 3 times) who Lestat also mentions in ep8.

2.02: Menilmontant - Charles Trenet, a singer-songwriter most famously known for the hit song La Mer. (Beyond the Sea) He was gay behind the public. This plays during end credits and refers to an area in Paris with "bohemian, left-wing and counterculture identity." (random side note: I love the jazz guitar version of this song recorded by Django Reinhardt)

Nat King Cole - A well loved singer, actor and it's often overlooked how great jazz pianist he was too. Despite the worldwide success, he still suffered intense racial discrimination during his career. Cole's trio was the model for small jazz ensembles that came later.

2.04: King Cole Trio - Vom, Vim, Veedle - One of the earliest recordings with the trio. I wonder if it made Louis homesick.

Josephine Baker -Iconic dancer, singer, actress, activist and more. She has been titled the "first black international superstar." Although married, she had a number of affairs with women (including Frida Kahlo)

2.06: Mon Cœur Est Un Oiseau Des Îles "My heart is an island bird" -This made me think about the bird motifs around Claudia.

[simblorbo-bracket]

Simblr Blorbo Sexyman Tournament - Semi-Finals

Viscera Vogt (@occultradio) VS. Arielly Vespertinai (@paracosmic-sims)

(polls are presented left -> right unless stated otherwise)

Who deserves the title of Simblr's Sexiest Blorbo more? Remember to vote with your heart!

Winner of this poll will advance to the finals

Additional images and propaganda (if provided) available below!

(main image(s) needed to be cropped for formatting and will be provided in full below the cut)

Viscera Vogt

Singer, guitarist, author, bar owner, husband wifey and father what can't he do?!

Arielly Vespertinai

Here comes a buff disabled hot gal with the wheel steel chair!!

I love my post-canon little blorbo more than anything else, you dont understand. I couldn't help myself but put entry her.

...I dont have much to offer as why you should vote for her other than: have you seen her? She could crush your head between her thighs. She could step on you with a metal leg. She has the prettiest brown eyes the world has seen. You could spend eternity kissing each freckle on her face and shoulders and back. Imagine being tired of walking and you have someone stong enough to carry you as passenger princess (regardless of gender lol) in her wheelchair. Isnt that perfect?

Arielly is adventurous, dance-machine and loyal. She's very stubborn, but a ride-or-die for the people she holds dear. She may or may not have an account for arson. She's the type of person whose friendship feels better than therapy. She will help you hide a body. She will kill a man for you. She will lavish you in gifts and attention and enough money to bail you out and pay for the best attorneys. She will not, in fact, realize you like her beyond friendship unless you directly shake her by her shoulders screaming this fact in her face. But its okay, she's just attraction-blind. Nobody's perfect, though her mix of sharpness and softness might lead you to believe that. Truly, the best of both worlds.

🎵 Smash the competition, baby

Show us some good entertainment 🎶

Pretend I know how to shade muscles properly, please and ty (T-T). For some reason, even with maxed-out sliders in cas, you can barely peek at her abs and thigh muscles in-game.

Look at that profile, though. Are you seeing that profile? Ethereal. Gorgeous. (Can you tell I love her yet? That regardless of anything, she's already a winner in my heart?)

I need everyone to see her. The world doesn't know what its missing by not seeing this amazing woman at least once in their lives. Have you seen her now? Truly, a blessing.

[paracosmic-sims]

Arielly Vespertinai: an entry for @simblorbo-bracket Sexyman contest!

Here comes a buff disabled hot gal with the wheel steel chair!!

I love my post-canon little blorbo more than anything else, you dont understand. I couldn't help myself but put entry her.

...I dont have much to offer as why you should vote for her other than: have you seen her? She could crush your head between her thighs. She could step on you with a metal leg. She has the prettiest brown eyes the world has seen. You could spend eternity kissing each freckle on her face and shoulders and back. Imagine being tired of walking and you have someone stong enough to carry you as passenger princess (regardless of gender lol) in her wheelchair. Isnt that perfect?

Arielly is adventurous, dance-machine and loyal. She's very stubborn, but a ride-or-die for the people she holds dear. She may or may not have an account for arson. She's the type of person whose friendship feels better than therapy. She will help you hide a body. She will kill a man for you. She will lavish you in gifts and attention and enough money to bail you out and pay for the best attorneys. She will not, in fact, realize you like her beyond friendship unless you directly shake her by her shoulders screaming this fact in her face. But its okay, she's just attraction-blind. Nobody's perfect, though her mix of sharpness and softness might lead you to believe that. Truly, the best of both worlds.

Look at that profile, though. Are you seeing that profile? Ethereal. Gorgeous. (Can you tell I love her yet? That regardless of anything, she's already a winner in my heart?)

🎵 Smash the competition, baby

Show us some good entertainment 🎶

Pretend I know how to shade muscles properly, please and ty (T-T). For some reason, even with maxed-out sliders in cas, you can barely peek at her abs and thigh muscles in-game.

I need everyone to see her. The world doesn't know what its missing by not seeing this amazing woman at least once in their lives. Have you seen her now? Truly, a blessing.

[e-malehusband]

im at the hospital and bored so uh. doing a selfship lore thing askgame except i answer everything and you dont send anything. yay!

🖋️ Pen: Say a fact about your lore or yourself/self-insert, it can be absolutely anything! Short or long winded!

Rose is a Darkner from Cyber City (specifically the beach areas), which in my fanon is a mix of LA and Nice, France. He's from a rare mosquito-like species who's Light World form is likely a real mosquito- he's not very 'Cyber' as a result, which people did bully him for.

🎨 Palette: Paint a picture with your words! What is a scene featuring yourself/self-insert that would fit into the source of your f/o? It can be anything!

The car shop looked like a glass cage, with its windows on every square inch to show off the various car models, all visible from the outside to attract potential customers. Alas, there was only two people- one being the car salesman himself.

He looked beyond nervous, clearly not used to greeting customers- his 'typical addison pose' was shaky, and his smile was trembling with insecurity. He stumbled, seemingly asking his customer what he could help him with, but the words came out in the wrong order and with a stutter. The car salesman swore, then caught himself, apparently remembering that he's not supposed to swear in front of customers- lest they go and never come back; or worse. Leave a one star review on Koble, the newest professional app to point fingers at struggling people.

However what the salesman didn't know, is that his customer was a non-judgmental man, who didn't mind jitters and was inquiring about car models 'best for beginners who play more mario kart than gta'. This broke the awkwardness, making the salesman break character and giggle, only to explain car models at talking speeds never seen by Darknerkind before. The customer unfortunately did NOT catch every word racing out the salesman's mouth, but he got the jist and felt like trying a car... Of course, the salesman joined, sitting next to him on the passenger seat, still talking at 400 miles per hour. Despite the literally non-stop stream of words the salesman spoke, the customer stayed focused on the road and enjoyed the feeling of the car. And the presence of the funny salesman... He was definitely going to come back to 'ask further about the car' and, hopefully, ask the salesman to go out for a drink/meal, as ambitious as that may be...

🧵Thread: What would you/your self-insert wear in the source your f/o is from? It can be multiple outfits or just one! Bonus: Do you have a weapon? If so, describe it or show it!

Rose wears his regular simple rose suit by default, but he has many outfits, and one that could fit Cyber City's aes is his SeaVenompunk outfit. No weapons, uses roses and thorns bullets.

🎵Music: If you/your self-insert had a theme song, what would it be? Bonus: An extra song that fits you/your self-insert and your f/o!

A Rosequitocore song right here, and THE song for us both 💖

🩺Doctor: What is the worst injury that you/your self-insert has sustained in canon? If so, what was the cause and did you recover? What was your f/os reaction?

im currently at the hospital for severe anemia so. Projectingggggg my super cool and fun affliction into canon lore... Cause is too complicated even in real life, but surely ill recover! Spamton is besides himself, seeing me struggle with taking a few steps and getting so out of breath- so he shoves aside his own insecurities and cooks (something he doesn't usually do because he's not good at it), cleans and brings medicine for me all while giving warm cuddles...

📆Calendar: What was the most special day to date for yourself/self-insert? It could be anything!

The wedding date day in summer (i dont remember the exact date on top of my fatigued head)! it's in the city i want to live in and we go on walks by the beautiful landscapes, and end the night with a pizza on the hills' heights!

🔥Flame: Do you/your self-insert have an enemy? If so, who is it and why are they so hated? What was a particularly heated moment between you two?

Yes, Spamton's not so good friends Pink and Orange :( in my fanon they're irredeemable and i yelled at them for giving Spamton so much insecurity that he takes dangerous 'too good to be true' deals. and for generally treating him as 'lesser' so insistently that he started believing it 💔

🎆Fireworks: Do you/your self-insert have any powers or abilities? If so, what are they and how do they manifest?

Rose is a Darkner so he has basic darkner bullet abilities- as well as the incredible power to simultaneously remember horror fiction stories and also forget the important ones forever

🕯️Candle: Do you/your self-insert have a secret? If so, what is it and why do they keep it to themselves? Is it dark and mysterious or something small, yet impactful?

do kniks count as secrets

🌧️Rain: What was the saddest moment in your lore for you/your self-insert? Who in canon knows about it?

For me i think it was the moment i realized how bad some of his 'friends' were and how they reminded me of my own experiences. How they twisted Spamton's brain into being the fifth wheel and the 'shameful one' of the friend group. Spamton knows about it because i told him this wasn't normal to have 'friends' like that and that he deserves better

☄️Comet: What was a moment where you/your self-insert really shined? This can be a badass moment, a moment where you felt important to the overall lore, or just a really cool and important moment!

my fav thing in the world is to make him feel better about himself- his appearance, his personality- everything he was previously shamed for. Making him happy/happier is my thing!!

🌈Rainbow: What was the happiest moment in your lore for you/your self-insert? Who all shared that happiness with you in canon?

the 'future' setting post wedding and post partial puppetfication, where we're married and he's on T and way WAY more confident. We're both older and different looking in the future, ill draw it one day...

[disco-elysium-via-polls]

🎵 Instrument of Surrender

It's not quite late enough for us to get the evening light bonus on the wall. Let's come back to that later.

ESPRIT DE CORPS - The sight of bullet holes stirs something in you, making you forget the lieutenant's surname.

Look closer first.

"Kim, look, bullet holes!"

[Discard thought.]

ESPRIT DE CORPS - The fading marks are too degraded to draw any forensic conclusions. Just chips in the sandstone.

VISUAL CALCULUS [Medium: Success] - They look pretty ancient...

"Kim, look, bullet holes!"

KIM KITSURAGI - "Where?" He looks around.

(Point to the chips in the wall.) "Someone has been shot! We're cops, we should solve it."

"Nothing, forget about it." [Finish thought.]

KIM KITSURAGI - "There?" He looks to the wall. "Those are *old*."

"Oh, you mean like from the Revolution?"

"What do you mean old?"

"Oh, okay then." [Finish thought.]

KIM KITSURAGI - "Yes, the one that happened half a century ago." He blinks. "Those bullets were fired during the Revolution and do not warrant an investigation by officers of civil law."

"Okay. What can you tell me about this Revolution?"

"Alright then." [Finish thought.]

KIM KITSURAGI - "Not much. I don't have a *fresh perspective* on it. Shall we go?"

Not sure why that didn't trigger before, but it would have given us +1 to the Visual Calculus check to reconstruct the execution scene.

Anyway, we actually didn't quite finish our conversation with Gaston and René before.

GASTON MARTIN - "It is such a pleasure to see you again, officer. How may I aid the Citizens Militia on this fine day?"

"You mentioned Jeanne-Marie Beaulieu. Who is that?"

GASTON MARTIN - "Oh, sweet Jeannie..." He gets a dreamy look in his eyes. "She was the finest woman in all of Revachol. Maybe the entire world."

RENÉ ARNOUX - "Do not *defile* her memory, Gaston." There's an almost imperceptibly small tremble in his voice. "Let her rest in peace."

AUTHORITY [Easy: Success] - His tone lacks its usual intensity, like he doesn't feel he has the right to speak on the matter.

"So you both know her?"

"What happened to her?"

"Sounds like this is between you two. I have other matters to address."

GASTON MARTIN - "We knew her, alright..." His friendly face lights up. "Lived on the same street our entire lives, just two houses apart. The three of us have been best friends since we were four."

"She was René's first girl, back when the prick was sixteen." He looks at the carabineer almost gently. "They were courting till he decided he'd rather die for some great *idéal* than just be hap---"

RENÉ ARNOUX - "AND THEN YOU STOLE HER FROM ME!" He jerks forward, but then grabs his chest and stops.

"Easy fellows, no need for this to get ugly."

Do not intervene.

"Sorry, but I *really* wanted to just ask some questions."

GASTON MARTIN - "Oh, officer..." Gaston is unfazed by the outburst. "It already got ugly nearly eighty years ago when the three of us were just learning to walk and talk."

RENÉ ARNOUX - "You stole her from me," René repeats, trying to steady his breathing and still clutching his chest.

GASTON MARTIN - "Well... technically *you* stole her from *me*, because we'd been pretty close ever since you two had that falling out over the ink you spilled over her pretty yellow dress..."

+5 XP

RENÉ ARNOUX - "We were just boys, then. This was different. *You*..." The tall veteran looks at you and nods.

"No point starting this all over again, for the thousandth and the first time. Especially when we have company." He turns to you: "Officer?"

2. "What happened to her?"

GASTON MARTIN - "She died of pneumonia two winters ago. It was a quiet passage. Peaceful." He smiles faintly.

"René and I were both by her bedside when she..." He pauses, searching for the right word.

RENÉ ARNOUX - "Died," he sharply fills the silence and adds: "No use sugar-coating it. Won't bring her back, will it now?"

GASTON MARTIN - "Departed," his partner finishes his sentence, then chuckles: "Until the very end she couldn't decide between us. The most indecisive woman I've ever met."

3. "Why do you think she was indecisive?"

GASTON MARTIN - "She could never make up her mind about anything. What to have for breakfast, favourite colour or which one of us to marry." The look in his eyes is happy and distant.

"She was always leaving one of us for the other, but never long enough to actually get married."

"Nothing wrong with weighing your options first."

"That's a bit odd."

GASTON MARTIN - "Heck," he says with a chuckle. "*Technically* we're both still engaged to her."

RENÉ ARNOUX - "You always confused her, couldn't let us be happy..." He says with heavy resentment. "Seduced her with your fancy words and *pastries*."

+5 XP

He suddenly remembers *you* are still there, falls silent, and turns away.

4. "Thanks for sharing." (Conclude.)

GASTON MARTIN - "Of course, officer," he says with a smile. "Memories are all we have left."

+5 XP

RENÉ ARNOUX - "Vigilance, officer!" He salutes you. "What can this old carabineer do for you?"

2. "I understand Jeanne-Marie meant a lot to you?"

RENÉ ARNOUX - "There's nothing for you to *understand* here," he snaps. "It is not *her* death you are investigating."

"Were the circumstances of her death in any sense...*unusual*?"

"Where was the photo of you two taken?"

"What happened with you, Gaston, and Jeanne-Marie?"

"Alright, let's back up to a less sensitive subject, okay?"

RENÉ ARNOUX - "Absolutely not." His voice is coarse. "She died of pneumonia in her bed at the age of 79. This is highly... usual."

2. "Where was the photo of you two taken?"

RENÉ ARNOUX - "Revachol Fair of '91 in the Faubourg district." His eyes turn to the sea. "A parade was held to honour Guillaume *Le Lion's* name-day. And the carabineers marched in the place of honour."

"You looked happy in the picture. Smiling."

"Okay, thanks."

RENÉ ARNOUX - "This was the happiest day of my life." This is said in such a matter-of-fact tone, it leaves no room for doubt.

3. "What happened with you, Gaston, and Jeanne-Marie?"

RENÉ ARNOUX - "I was 22 when I returned from King Guillaume's Ikeira Operation in the south and found my sweetheart in the arms of this wretch..."

ENCYCLOPEDIA [Medium: Success] - 'The Ikeira Operation' was a seven-year campaign during which Suzerain Guillaume's army forcefully united the people in the southeastern part of Le Petit Continent, collectively known as the Ikeira tribes, under the Revacholian banner.

RENÉ ARNOUX - He gives Gaston a hateful look. "I won her back, but while I was dealing with some... issues..."

GASTON MARTIN - "You were like a dark cloud sucking the joy out of every living thing around you, and you..." He quickly glances at you. "You... *hurt* her."

INLAND EMPIRE [Easy: Success] - Dark cloud? That sounds unpleasantly familiar...

RENÉ ARNOUX - "I... uh... I..." He looks down at his boots, lips moving, but the words are inaudible.

GASTON MARTIN - "Those days and memories are gone." He nods and looks René with something resembling compassion.

RENÉ ARNOUX - The old soldier says nothing, but when his glance quickly runs over Gaston's face, there's an odd look in his eyes.

+5 XP

EMPATHY [Formidable: Success] - Could it be... guilt?

COUPRIS KINEEMA - In the cabin you see a set of steering levers, a radio on a hook, a pull-out toolbox and the soft glow of the fuel pre-heater gauge.

4. Tap on the fuel pre-heater gauge.

COUPRIS KINEEMA - As you tap on the gauge, the indicator pin jerks as if startled. It's in the large orange sector, indicating the engine is warm. Next to the gauge is a red switch labelled HEAT.

KIM KITSURAGI - "Now-now. That's enough fun with the foldable headlights. I know they're mesmerising. They're also fragile. I'm not going to turn it on for you again."

Pick up the radio again.

ALICE - "This is Precinct 57," the operator greets you through the static. "How may I assist you?"

"Alice, please connect me to the 41st again."

"Please connect me to Sylvie again."

"Connect me to Jamrock Public Library."

"I need to report a dead body on the Martinaise boardwalk."

"I'm done with the radio for now." (End call.)

ALICE - "One moment..." You can hear her shuffling through some papers.

"Can you please describe the body -- age, sex, cause of death?"

"An unidentified middle-aged man. Height 170-175 cm, dark hair, medium build. Looks like he slipped, fell through a hole in the boardwalk and hit his head against the metal bench."

KIM KITSURAGI - "We suspect he might have been inebriated when he fell -- there were bottles all around him, and traces of vomit on his shirt."

ALICE - "Any signs of violence?"

"No, seems like it was an accident."

"Someone might have… pushed him?"

"There might be a *sequence killer* on the loose."

ALICE - "No field autopsy necessary..." she repeats.

PERCEPTION (HEARING) [Medium: Success] - You can hear her quickly typing in the background.

ALICE - "What about his belongings? Did you examine his clothes?"

"He was wearing boots, trousers and an old leather jacket with a bright blue lining. I found a library card from his pockets."

ALICE - "Any information on the library card?"

"It's from Central Jamrock Public Library. It belongs to someone named Billie Méjean."

ALICE - "Good, you have a lead."

"Do you and Lieutenant Kitsuragi want to take the case or should I assign it to someone else?"

"We're taking the case."

ALICE - "I have assigned the case to Lieutenant Kim Kitsuragi. Please follow up on this library lead to identify the man. We'll send someone to take the body to the morgue."

"That's all for now. Thank you for reporting in. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

3. "Connect me to Jamrock Public Library."

ALICE - "Hold on, officer."

"…"

"…"

"…"

"I've got Central Jamrock Public Library on the line and I've already introduced you to their librarian. Connecting the call in 2... 1..."

JAMROCK PUBLIC LIBRARY - "Yes, this is Central Jamrock Public Library here." A male librarian answers the call. "How can I help you, officer?"

EMPATHY [Easy: Success] - He sounds worried, yet ready to assist. This is how people get when the police call.

"I'm looking for any information that you can provide on Billie Méjean, a reader."

JAMROCK PUBLIC LIBRARY - "Billie, Billie *Méjean*, you said? Give me a moment, I'll have to check our database." He puts down the receiver.

"..."

"..."

"..."

SHIVERS [Medium: Success] - On Meroe drive in Central Jamrock -- in a darkened hall lit by orange desk lamps -- far away from the noise outside -- a middle-aged man taps commands into an old radiocomputer. A printout falls on the desk. Behind him, a lonely reader scours some dusty bookshelves, looking for a paperback...

JAMROCK PUBLIC LIBRARY - "Yes, hello, are you still there?" You can hear him fiddle with the printout. "I found Billie Méjean's home address, is that alright? No phone number unfortunately."

LOGIC [Medium: Success] - They're too poor to have a phone line.

"Yes, home address is fine."

"I'm not really that good with addresses."

JAMROCK PUBLIC LIBRARY - "Here we go, sir: Rue de Saint-Ghislaine 33B, apartment no 20. It's in Martinaise, I believe... Capeside Apartments, it says. That's all."

REACTION SPEED [Easy: Success] - That's where the smoker on the balcony lives, isn't it?

A couple doors down, I believe.

"Do you have any other information on Billie Méjean?"

"Thank you. That's all from me, I have no other questions." (End call with the library.)

JAMROCK PUBLIC LIBRARY - "It says here that they returned their last book just a few days ago, but I wasn't at work that day."

"Do you know someone who was?"

JAMROCK PUBLIC LIBRARY - "Marie?" He covers the phone with his hand and yells out into the room behind him: "Marie! Do you remember a reader named Billie Méjean? They returned a Thibault book the other day..." You hear someone answer from afar.

PERCEPTION (HEARING) [Challenging: Success] - "Maurice, what?!" a woman yells. Then: "Yes-yes, okay, if it was the police..." She starts explaining something.

JAMROCK PUBLIC LIBRARY - "Yes, it was my colleague Marie," the librarian is speaking into the phone again. "She said that it was Billie's *husband* who returned the book. He also asked for this new sci-fi release "Loos, Radio City '87", but we don't have it yet."

LOGIC [Medium: Success] - Good. You have a name now.

"So Billie Méjean is a woman, not a man? How did your colleague know that it was her husband?"

"Do you know the husband's name?"

"Can Marie describe to me what the husband looked like?"

"Thank you. That's all from me, I have no other questions." (End call with the library.)

JAMROCK PUBLIC LIBRARY - "Marie knows Billie, she's been working here longer than me. Sometimes her husband returns some books for her."

EMPATHY [Easy: Success] - And then goes for a little drink later, on the lookout...

2. "Do you know the husband's name?"

JAMROCK PUBLIC LIBRARY - "Sorry, no -- Marie only knows him by sight."

3. "Can Marie describe to me what the husband looked like?"

JAMROCK PUBLIC LIBRARY - "Marie..." A moment passes.

"She said it was an older man... And that she's pretty sure he had had a drink or two the last time she saw him."

"What was he wearing?"

JAMROCK PUBLIC LIBRARY - "Uh, one second..." The librarian turns away from the phone again and relays the question.

"Sorry, Marie wasn't really paying any attention to that."

4. "Thank you. That's all from me, I have no other questions." (End call with the library.)

JAMROCK PUBLIC LIBRARY - "Happy we could help. Good bye, officer." The librarian hangs up and the call gets redirected back to the station with a soft click...

+5 XP

Level up!

ALICE - "Anything else you need from me?"

3. "I'm done with the radio for now." (End call.)

ALICE - "Fifty-seventh, over and out." Her voice disappears into the void.

One more small task to attend to while we're still out and about.

BIRD'S NEST ROY - "Hello hello! Let me know if I can help you with anything."

"Hey, do you know how to fix this?" (Show him the bundle of magnetic tape.)

BIRD'S NEST ROY - He looks at the bronze-coloured bundle in your hand. "You mean re-spool it? Yeah, I do, but..."

"Great! Could you do it, please? This is important, I need to be able to play this tape for someone."

BIRD'S NEST ROY - He slowly finishes his thought: "...but I'm not some Mr. Fixit, I'm a pawnbroker. If you want to pawn the tape, sure. Although it looks pretty... worthless."

SUGGESTION [Trivial: Success] - Just explain why you need this so much. He's bound to understand.

"Wait, but you tinker with film tapes all the time. Isn't that the same?"

"Worthless? It's not worthless, Roy. This could be the next big thing for the local dance music scene."

"Hmh, maybe you can help me some other way, then."

BIRD'S NEST ROY - "No, it's different... those film tapes actually *mean* something to me, but this is just a worthless bundle of old tape."

"Worthless? It's not worthless, Roy. This could be the next big thing for the local dance music scene."

BIRD'S NEST ROY - "Huh?" He slowly taps his fingers on the counter. "What do you mean?"

"Do you know that old church down the coast?"

BIRD'S NEST ROY - "Yes. What about it?"

"I met some young ravers near the place. They want to turn the church into a nightclub and play some weird neo-disco beats there -- they call it *anodic dance music*. I promised to help them with that."

BIRD'S NEST ROY - "Is it any good? The music, I mean."

"No, that's the thing -- you can't believe how unbelievably thin the beat is. There's nothing to it, no bass! It just goes *bzoot-bzoot-bzoot*. But this tape could make it *hard core*.

"Not very. I need to funk it up."

BIRD'S NEST ROY - "Man, you're really invested in this." He looks at the bundle of tape in front of him. It shimmers under the shop's dazzling light show.

"Okay, I'll help you out. It's going to take a moment though, so just sit back and relax..."

You take some time to look around the store… The play of visuals all around the pawnshop is mesmerizing. Suddenly, Roy turns back to you with a reel of tape in his hand and coughs.

(Look at the clock.) "Wait, this took more than just 'a few moments'. That was at least fifteen minutes!"

"Well, thanks for the help." (Proceed; take the repaired tape.)

BIRD'S NEST ROY - "Yeah." He nods. "It was. Re-spooling isn't that difficult, although I had to mend the tape in a few places."

"Anyhow, it's yours now..." He slides the tape closer to you on the counter top.

2. "Well, thanks for the help." (Proceed; take the repaired tape.)

BIRD'S NEST ROY - "Yeah. My pleasure. I do what I can for true passion projects... Just try not to use this tape for negative photon emissions. Take responsibility, okay."

The bronze-coloured tape found in the branches of a hawthorn tree has been reconstructed into an usable reel of magnetic tape. It's pretty fragile and in an odd format which doesn't fit into any portable tape players. Nevertheless, Egg Head will be stoked.

[dyinggoosenoises]

I know the last ones blue but here’s the ask for every question

:DDD yay!!

📷 What’s set as your phone’s lockscreen?

it says [lesbian panic] on a peach/pink background. its a heartstopper reference

🍫 Cheese or chocolate?

chocolate definitely, i dont like cheese

✨ Do you have any nicknames?

i have a couple, but they all have my name in them so i cant share them

🎵 Last song you listened to?

dial drunk - noah kahan

✏️ Have you ever written fanfiction?

nope

😏 Are you on discord?

yep

💛 Do you have any piercings?

yeah, both my ears are pierced

🐰 What do you think says the most about a person?

um. idk.

🍪 If you were a cookie, what kind would you be?

oatmeal chocolate chip 😌

🐶 Are you more of a dog person or a cat person?

cat person, but i love dogs too

🎧 Headphones or earbuds?

earbuds (with wires)

🌼 What’s the last thing you said out loud?

'love you too' to my cat when she bit me

🙃 What’s a weird fact that you know?

yesterday was the national day of remembrance and action on violence against women

🦉 Are you a morning person or a night owl?

night owl

🧸 Favorite place to nap?

i dont nap often but probably my bed

🏳️‍🌈 Are you a member of the LGBTQIA+ community?

yeah, im a genderqueer possibly demisexual lesbian

🦋 Describe yourself in three words.

hate, this, question

👖 Jeans or sweatpants?

sweatpants are always superior, theyre just so comfy

🥤 What’s your go-to Starbucks order?

i dont drink starbucks, but my drink order at tims is a medium steeped tea, one milk, one sugar

🧡 A color you can’t stand?

mustard yellow

💎 What’s your most prized possession?

my stuffed rabbit that ive had since i was born

☕ Coffee or tea?

tea obviously, coffee is gross

🦖 Favorite extinct animal?

the dodo bird :]

🌙 How long have you been on tumblr?

since march of this year

🌴 Desert island item?

swiss army knife

🐸 Describe your aesthetic.

uh. idk what my aesthetic is

🔮 What’s your dream job?

psychologist

💙 Relationship status?

taken by the most wonderful amazing beautiful perfect person in the whole world <3

🌿 Describe your favorite outfit.

these really comfy grey sweatpants, my internal screaming shirt, and my blue banff hoodie

🎤 Is there a song you know all the lyrics to?

i know all the lyrics to most of the songs i listen to, but i think the most impressive one is that i know all the lyrics of the entirety of hamilton

🤎 What color is your hair?

light brown

💌 Do you talk to yourself?

only in my head

💄 Do you wear makeup?

only on special occasions like a wedding or something

🌸 Best compliment you ever received?

i love all the compliments i get but one that i really remembered was when my friend told me i had nice eyebrows soooo......

💞 @ your favorite blog.

this will come to no surprise @idontliketomatoesleavemealone <3333

[toinfinitywinning]

What you see & hear- or even if you can. Just a cover.

Open it? There’s no tellin’ the worm. But you bought the ticket. It’s your Day 1.

They’re gonna try to break you.

Yk every Day I wake up. And I’m scared of it. Don’t want to. And not b/c im warm in my bed snuggling w/ my feather duvet and rain, with the weight of a horse on my legs play pretending he’s a 3 lb Show shhnowzaa but b/c I’ve already, already lived it. And having been in a constant State of fight or flight, normal or abnormal, sometimes u can’t tell —I still feel bad. W/e differentiation you had to separate the two both ended up at the North Pole but you’ve at least got Santa.

So this means I’m confused all Day but I still want some of Michael’s Secret Stuff Gatorade (haterade) from “welcome to the space jam—alright.” 🎵. To get me through. A safe energy drink. And your body doesn’t ☊ anymore so the more you talk to yourself the saner. It’s just I’ve never had to fake I’m physically okay to be present so much. Physical sickness affects ur mind Health and if you already struggle w/ that my condolences b/c your leg hurts too.

It’s a nightmare never 1-upping to a dream of being without. Then some days it’s will hear a song or remember a Good time or just Start crying-faucet not included. No acute-reason onset. (We gotta find another word for trigger no joke). I only subconsciously wonder will today be better…Will I get better? And I don’t know why I continue to continue being somewhere inbtw positive and negative. All the sudden my mind is taxed and so are your paychecks and I’ve been up for 15 minutes not even thinking I was thinking b/c Truth is, when something becomes your reality for such a Long time, everything just runs together. You’re afraid to feel anything yet know if you don’t it’s not just your body ready to atrophy. Not Good. And it’s a sneaky lil’ mf.

I can’t Imagine the omnipresent (best word for constant I got) Pain people feel having been with Illness their whole lives. How differently their world is shaped. Pain, prolonged cynicism, Illness prolonged, disability prolonged, w/e u used to think about things is gone unless you’re born one of these ways. Now to be clear I was born this Way but not THIS Way don’t get it twisted. Some days I wonder what it would be like to swap around. W/e it is—This presence does not belong to God— but maybe its mere existence really does b/c we won’t have anyone to thank if things get better? And there’s no joy in the things we’ve hoped for and overcome? And everything always has an End result of some kind…Right? If that’s my endgame I can only look at some things very matter of fact-ly. But. Here we are. Pending. Loading. Accept All Cookies. Your Health for potential healing is At the mercy of literally a button click away from quality or lifesaving or changing Medicine or therapy. CAN YOU AFFORD TO STAY ALIVE? Be fired? Bankrupt-ed? Evicted? No college, no trade School, but you work ur butt off to provide but you’re still paid $7.25/hr as I was as head intramural supervisor at Georgetown College. 15 years ago. Not just that, exist, like eating, clothes to wear, some sort of roof. So you’re choosing between crappy and crappier. Literally no difference. How in the is someone even going to try to stay healthy?!

Thankfully I don’t have to worry as much about the material, which, its Stress alone induces more trauma and Anxiety, but I’d bet how we feel physically isn’t too different. All the sudden again in the subconscious where I am all the time I’m figuring and not truly present you really think existentially like how in not God’s name clearly did I get here? I fixed everything. But Life isn’t played by a claw that has never won anybody a teddy bear. I wouldn’t pin karma to me in itself but it sure makes you think.

None of this is about to make sense but it’s where my mind took me.

Think about what was happening in your Life before things changed. Before literally waking up one Morning and knowing that very second things had to change or I was headed toward death a lot faster than I thought until that God moment. I don’t have many of them that are that dramatic but nothing was clearer to me in that moment. And then that Damn bat and conspiracy crap of government population control. If anthrax was sprinkled in Amazon boxes we’d be extinct. But Pretty sure we know how to get rid of people without breaking a beaker or test tube and then turning on a fan just gifting particles. And Unraveling ALL of the many ways of healing I’d finally lived into. I was so close. To every Fk up id invited. And so asking why anymore seems vacant. Echoing. And my ears hurt. ATP I’m More so saying well, I’m not sure that strategy is going to work anymore. Where’s the ღ in Health. It’s lost it. How much are you worth? No, like write down a monetary number on a piece of paper, fold it and slide it across the desk. Insurance companies be like: I see your offer and I’ll raise your offer: have you tried dying yet? B/c you could save a lot of money that way. The money it will take to bury you might even be more deadly.

So The most defeating part is beginning the Day as it ends. When I think about that it’s just like how did I get here? I’m still stubborn about it but maybe regardless of w/e someone accomplishes there’s the reality you’re still living in an imperfect world where you can only control so many things. Even if u gain that control back all those traps R still available. So you can Imagine my surprise when there’s not enough OCD to Go around to control THIS. regardless of what we can have control over, do that, b/c the smaller victories become magnified and walking to the kitchen to take your Meds that may or may not be helping is like an 8-ball w/ only 8 options. Eenie meenie miney. Mo.

I don’t set out to cry or tear up in the videos I share. I’ve always been a cryer. I’ve been told I feel things more intensely so it hits different, does different. The direct quote will remain anonymous but the sentimental pack rat in me wrote it down ASAP. Like, a handwritten letter. You took TIME for me. The quote—It was several years ago and I almost can’t stand it b/c it’s me in whatever kind of Shell is available at the time.

[“people perceive me as an individual who has the kindest of all hearts, but who struggles with the realities of life given that kindness…Like how the tenderhearted feel the pains of the earth more intensely.”]

It’s so true. But if I can’t be real what Good’s that gonna do? For me it further affirms what I already am living. In Edgar’s scary A** pit or with the company of not one canary in the coal mine.

C’ya in the AM. 🫡

[laslow]

"Happppyyy birthday, Inigo!"

He popped his head in-between Olivia and Inigo, arms raised, cape aloof, to reveal…. nothing of note. Just a set of happy little jazz hands.

"They call babies happy accidents, but that wasn't the case here, was it? Since you came into our lives, you've been my happiest purpose~"

His beaming could have taken a few eyes out, but even he couldn't help it if his smile had a mind of its own. Peeping over to his wife's soft fretting, he hummed to himself, pretending to be none the wiser.

"I thiiiink, you're looking for -- 🎵"

With an eloquent flick of his wrist, a bangle with three gemstones inlayed emerged from thin air. A cheap parlor trick, but it was cute, wasn't it?

"Ta daaa! Your mother's choice!"

And a quick snap of his other hand revealed a bouquet, with some gangly gladiolus flowers handwrapped in scrapped scrolls. Charmed to hold their color for a couple years longer. "Annnnnd mine!"

"Nya ha ha, you can stick these in the ground and watch them grow."

"Just like we'll watch you grow from now on." He says, oddities giving way to something wiser than his years. His smile splits plainly, for once, and his voice draws gently from his experiences out in the big, dark world out there. "Cross my heart and hope to live."

[pt 1!]

Speechless, he can only sniffle again, brush a shoulder against his tear-stained cheek. (Are there people whispering? Giggling behind their hands at his display?)

None of it matters when Henry appears, equally as ridiculous and embarrassing as Laslow remembers. He chokes out a laugh, lips twitching into a smile a hair less wide than his father's despite himself. "Father, please--"

He doesn't release Mother's hand. It's overwhelming, realizing they'd planned for this, meant to find him on this most splendid day. How quickly he returns to feeling like a child; shy from all the attention yet invincible all the same because his parents are the ones lavishing it on him.

Pink head tilts curiously. Laslow never could master the sleight of hand--only those over-the-top flourishes he so loves to use when presenting gifts of his own.

An appropriate gasp of surprise follows both reveals. With one last squeeze, he lets go of her hand, reverently taking his gifts. The bracelet's gemstones reflect softly in the light as he tilts it this way and that in admiration. "It's beautiful, Mom. Thank you!" He plants a kiss on her cheek, then buries his nose in the flowers.

Their scent is subtle, yet no less lovely. "Thank you, Father. I know the perfect spot for these in the greenhouse."

Paper crinkles as he jostles the gifts, slipping his bracelet over a wrist before engulfing both his parents in a hug. "I missed you guys so much," he mumbles, clinging tight for as long as they'll allow.

"Best birthday ever!"

[thatcrazycrowgirl]

Hi Crowie ^-^ Sorry for the long delay. Here are my gaming asks for You <3 Have fun

1 - 2 - 3 - 10 - 18 - 28 - 30

Tight hugs

🦋 Rumor Imbris 🌧️🎵⛈️🎶

@rumor-imbris! Hello! *hugs back* Don't worry about the timing, I was still happy to receive this from you! I hope you're well! <3 Anyway, allow me to finally get back to you with my answers! ^_^

(Also, sorry this got so gif-heavy, but I'm addicted to using them lol)

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1. Last game you finished?

Uncharted 4, baby! Loved it! (Nathan Drake has my heart)

2. Game(s) you’re currently playing?

For a while there, I was keeping on the Uncharted train and working through Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. However, I recently booted up Resident Evil: Village for the first time and have switched my focus over to that. (Chris Redfield also has my heart)

3. 1-3 games you’ve played in the past 12 months that you really enjoyed?

Hmm, let’s see...in no particular order...

1. Bioshock Infinite, for sure. I’ve literally have beaten the game 5 times now, with my most recent completed run being on the hardest difficulty, “1999 Mode” (complete with the tough ‘Scavenger Hunt’ Achievement’ #humblebrag), and I STILL enjoyed the heck out of it. (Booker DeWitt also, also has my heart, and Elizabeth is precious and needs to be protected at all costs)

2. Red Dead Redemption 2. I’m far from completing this game, but I love the world so much. It fun to just run around and explore and visit the towns, and such. AND THE DETAILS. THE AMOUNT OF DETAILS IS INSANE. (Arthur Morgan also, also, also has my heart)

3. Alan Wake/AW’s American Nightmare. THIS. GAME. THIS GAME LITERALLY CHANGED MY LIFE. No joke. It’s not just a game, it’s an experience. Gosh, I cannot praise it enough. The writing is just... *chef’s kiss* (Alan Wake himself may or may not also, also, also, also have my heart)

10. A console and/or handheld you’ve never played but would like to try?

There are some more modern consoles that I’ve yet to try, but since they play basically the same as some previous generation ones, I think I’m going to cheat with this question a bit and not necessarily highlight a console, but an arcade cabinet instead. There’s this one called “Carnevil”, which is basically an on-rail shooter type of game, but it takes place in a haunted, resurrected, and obviously evil carnival, run by a mad professor. (That aesthetic is just my jam, really.) It sadly has never been officially ported to any consoles, so chances of trying it are very low, but if I ever get the opportunity, I’d be one happy gal!

18. A game location you really like

Because I won’t shut up about Bioshock, I’m going to highlight the “Battleship Bay” section from Bioshock Infinite. It’s absolutely GORGEOUS and was one of the things that attracted me to the game in the first place. Seriously, that soft color palette is EVERYTHING.

28. Pick a series you like. What was the first game you played for it? Was it a good starting point? Would it still be a good starting point now?

Since I spoke about Bioshock in my last ask response, let me bring up an older series that was a HUGE staple of my late childhood/early teens: Sly Cooper (or Sly Raccoon, if you’re outside of the U.S.), I started with the first one when I was only 10, and was totally hooked! While most claim the 2nd game, Sly 2: Band of Thieves, is the best in the series, I believe playing the first one was the best starting point, and still think it is, even now. Sure, the other games may be a tad easier, and the first one may not be the most polished, it still has its charm, and sets up Sly’s motives and family history from the get go. (I still haven’t played the 4th one yet, but if I ever get my hands on a PS4 or PS5, you know I’ll give it a try!) Overall, I highly recommend this series!

30. Game you think you’ll finish next?

Given that they’re both what I’m currently focusing on, it’ll likely either be Resident Evil: Village or Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. I'm enjoying both so far!

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Thank you so much for you ask, and your patience! These were really fun to answer! ^_^

[miraruinada]

Sitting alone, face towards the television screen. A commercial plays, with kitschy music and scenes of people enjoying a carbonated beverage.

🎵 It's the real thing, Coke is the way it should be Coca-Cola what the world wants to see It's the real thing Coca-Cola, that's the way it is With a bottle of Coke, and the way it will stay For the taste of your life, what the world wants today It's the real thing 🎵

"Quite ominous lyrics for something that seems so inane and even annoying. It feels almost dystopian, doesn't it? I think this is the best marketing in the world. Coke. It's the real thing. Coke. Enjoy. There's almost a commandment to enjoy in it."

"Why do we buy products? A simple answer would be, because we need them to survive. But any serious consideration of the question shows us this is not necessarily the case."

"We don't buy cigarettes to survive. On the contrary, even. And why do we buy all these different styles of clothing? Why not have it all be uniform? Why do we buy products we don't need? And why do we buy Coke?"

"Coke was first introduced as a medicine. No surprise there. Its strange taste doesn't seem to provide any particular satisfaction. It's not directly pleasing and endearing. It's not the taste or the nutritional value that you drink it for. If you're thirsty, just drink water. In fact, Coke makes you thirstier."

"It was my buddy Ignacio who first noted that we do not buy products for their pure use-value. So why do we drink it? If we marry both our philosophies, you can see here the connection between surplus value and surplus enjoyment. We don't drink coke for the use-value, but for that something extra. We drink it for..."

"It."