#joe's a lovely speaker and i've always said it

[mac-macarena]

Who Got the Kids in the Divorce? Theme Songs

YouTube Playlist (all links below are to YT) Spotify Playlist (organized by character)

Monkey Fam

The Ballad of Smokin' Joe Rudeboy by Tom Cardy - While the story does not exactly line up with what happens in WGTKITD (obviously), it is hilariously very close, with Wukong being Smokin' Joe, his wife being Macaque, and his long lost daughter being Savage, of course. Some say many years ago, Before Joseph Rudeboy was Smokin' Joe, He had a wife, her name was Bo, Bo was with child in a happy home [...] Joseph Rudeboy was too slow, For a child that he'd never know, Joseph Rudeboy you're too slow, Burning inside Joseph died, But from the ash the man who rose was---Smokin' Joe [...] One day an outlaw came to town, "Come out here Smokin' Joe, You're just as well already dead," He wore a velvet cloak but Joe saw red [...] And as Joe fell, He beheld the outlaw's face, A young girl who'd seen it all, And grew up in a terrible place, Whose mother once told Joseph, To run and bring back help, A girl who thought her father, Had run out to save himself.

Here Before by Vashti Bunyan - This song is Wukong's view towards Rumble (Once I had a child, He was wilder than moonlight, He could do it all, Like he'd been here before), then Savage (Once I had a child, She was smiling like sunshine, She could see it all, Like she'd been here before), and, finally, MK (Then I had a child, Took his while like northern summer, And he knows it all, Like he's been here before), and how he lost the Eclipse Siblings and fears loosing MK too.

The Truth from 36 Questions - This is literally just a song about how many different views of truth there is to the tale of the Monkey Family---how each one of them views it differently, and how they chose to hide or distort the truth. Generally, I interpret the two singers as Rumble and Savage, speaking about each other and about their parents, and perhaps both of them are speaking to MK. And what’s true for you, Doesn’t have to be true forever, And sometimes the truth isn’t always, For the better, It’s something that we aspire to Or maybe, that’s something we say, Until it gets in the way [...] But the truth is, The truth doesn’t exist in, Black and white, And sometimes two sides, Can both be right [...] The truth is that you will never really know, The truth is that you will only think you know.

Too Far by ChaoticCanineCulture - This song can represent each member of the Monkey Family, as they all have moments where they "went too far, leaving scars." Generally, Wukong and Rumble are the more openly "guilty" parties and therefore fit the song more, but Macaque (especially Macaque) and Savage both hold a lot of guilt too. Looking inside my mind I see the truth, I was always the one who tormented you, This was my choice, my evil doing, 'Cause I died inside when you stop moving [...] There's no excuse for what I did to you.

Crazy Human Psycho Crush (mashup) by doodleoodle - The chaotic intertwining of multiple different stories/viewpoints fits the Monkey Fam perfectly. Oh, and I know, and I know, and I know that I've been acting so strange, But you should know that you're the one who made me this way, I'm a psycho just like you said I'd be [...] I feel like all of this has aged me, Right on the edge of twenty-two, You look like you've just seen a monster, Is that what I look like to you? [...] 'Cause I'm so sick of the drama and I hate to shout, But you drag it out of me [...] You can't love someone and just let go, And yeah, I know that I'm a little bit intense, right, But can you blame me when you keep me on the fence, like, (Three words, two hearts, one maybe Say something before I go crazy now)

Runs in the Family by Amanda Palmer - It runs in the family, what can I say? Mostly the speakers of the song would be Rumble and Savage equally. Mary, have mercy, Now look what I've done, But don't blame me because I can't help where I come from, And running is something that we've always done well and mostly I can't even tell what I'm running from, Run from their pity, from responsibility, Run from the country and run from the city, I can run from the law, I can run from myself, I can run for my life, I can run into debt, I can run from it all, I can run 'till I'm gone, I can run for the office, and run for the cause, I can run using every last ounce of energy, I cannot, I cannot, I cannot run from my family, They're hiding inside me, corpses on ice, Come in if you'd like but just don't tell my family, They'd never forgive me, they say that I'm crazy, But they would say anything if it would, Shut me up.

Shadowpeach

Peach by The Front Bottoms - Self-explanatory. You are my peach, you are my plum, You are my earth, you are my sun [...] Once I sink my teeth, your skin's not so tough, I'll leave a tiny cut, there'll be a lot of blood, But once you wipe it up, You will feel better about our entire situation.

No Children by The Mountain Goats - Self-explanatory. I am drowning, There is no sign of land, You are coming down with me, Hand in unlovable hand, And I hope you die, I hope we both die.

First Burn from Hamilton - Macaque's PoV. The implied cheating can be replaced instead with Wukong listening to Azure over Macaque's warnings about the battle. Heaven forbid someone whisper, "He's part of some scheme," Your enemy whispers, So you have to scream, I know about whispers [...] If you thought you were mine (mine, mine), Don't.

Red Like Roses Part II by Jeff Williams - Macaque (red): I wasn't dreaming when they told me you were gone, I was wide awake and feeling that they had to be wrong, How could you leave me when you swore that you would stay? Now I'm stuck inside a nightmare every single effing day [...] I know you didn't plan this, You tried to do what's right, But in the middle of this madness, I'm the one (I'm the one) you left to win this fight.

Wukong (white): I know you're broken down by anger and by sadness, You feel I left you in a world that's full of madness, Wish I could talk to you, if only for a minute, Make you understand the reasons why I did it, I wanna tell you that you're all that ever mattered, Want you to know that for eternity I'm shattered, I tried so hard just to protect you but I failed to, And in a prison of abandonment I've jailed you, I never planned that I would leave you there alone, I was sure that I would see you when I made it back home. [...] I didn't have a choice, I did what I had to do, I made a sacrifice but forced a bigger sacrifice on you.

This is Love by Air Traffic Conditioner - Both Wukong and Macaque could be perceived as singing this at different moments. There is an implication that their fates are forever horrible interconnected as they always come back to one another despite it all. You're no good, you're no good, You could kill me and you should, I'm an idiot for thinking, This was anything but blood, On the wall, on the couch, On the corner of my mouth, You must like being the victim, You've done nothing to get out, Of this pattern of pain, Washed away by the rain, You'll forgive me if I promise, And do nothing but the same, This is life until death, Could be my last dying breath, But this is love, love, shut up, this is love [...] It's pathetic, I know, A jealous fool who won't let go, If I was sorry for my actions, Would I ever stoop so low?

Goodbye Old Friend by The Devil Makes Three - Fairly self-explanatory. Wukong and Macaque can both be the singer, reminiscing on their complex relationship of love and hatred. I need you and I want you 'cause I know you from before, I hate you and I fear you but I hold open the door, I see you and you see me and we know what must be done, So we draw knives and lock eyes 'cause it does no good to run. [...] I've missed you, you know that's true and I've retraced every scar, [...] I chased you to embrace you like the sun chases the moon, I burn you and you burn me but I know I'll see you soon [...] I've held you and you've loved me but our lives cannot be spared, I trust you and despised you, shadowed your every move, Scorned you and warned you, befriended everyone you've used.

Old Friends by Ylvis - The calm reveal of someone being twisted ("I'm aiming at the kids") reflects nicely on Wukong and Macaque's relationship post-fire where Wukong was shocked to see what had happened to Macaque and how Macaque was simultaneously so calmly cunning yet unstoppably demented. Their respective "wives" in the song is the other one, simply their past selves before the battle/the fire. And he threw a rock, So I threw a rock, We both put some gravel in a sock, And he threw the sock, I said we should stop, He smiled at me then threw a rock in a sock. [<-these lines are about how they both keep fighting] [...] Oh [Macaque], oh [Macaque], don't you worry bout me now, I'm doing just fine on my own, There are other things to life than your soft skin against mine, And [Tripitaka] is helping me move on, I'm moving on.

Genghis Khan by Miike Snow - A song about how possessive, jealous and selfish Shadowpeach are of to one another. I know there's no form, And no labels to put on, To this thing we keep [...] 'Cause I don't really want you, girl, But you can't be free, 'Cause I'm selfish, I'm obscene [...] I wanna make up my mind, But I don't know myself, No I don't know myself [...] I get a little bit Genghis Khan, I don't want you to get it on, With nobody else but me.

Kiss With a Fist by Lungs - Self-explanatory. Shadowpeach's relationship is all about hurting the other. It's romantic! You hit me once, I hit you back, You gave a kick, I gave a slap, You smashed a plate over my head, Then I set fire to our bed, oh [...] I broke your jaw once before, I spilled your blood upon the floor, You broke my leg in return, So sit back and watch the bed burn, Love sticks, sweat drips, Break the lock if it don't fit [...] A kick in the teeth is good for some, A kiss with a fist is better than none.

Kiss Me You Animal by Burn the Ballroom - Self-explanatory. Another song about how Shadowpeach just can't keep their hands off each other, and how they love to see the other hurt. You say you wanna tear right through me, I welcome you to try (Kiss me, kiss me), I wanna see your teeth girl lemme see you grind, yeah, Woah [...] Kiss me you animal, I need to take you in real slow, Cause dying on your lips is how I wanna go, Connect with the sound you're making, Connect with my body whoa, Kiss me you animal and don't ever let me go.

Therapy from tick, tick... BOOM! - Literally listen to it. It is the pinnacle of Macaque and Wukong talking about their miscommunications and struggling to get along yet attempting to. Wukong: I feel bad, that you feel bad, About me feeling bad, about you feeling bad, About what I said, about what you said, About me not being able to share a feeling [...] I was afraid that you'd be afraid, If I told you that I was afraid of intimacy, If you don't have a problem with my problem, Maybe the problem's simply co-dependency [...] I thought, You Thought, I reacted shallowly, When I reacted to you. [...] If I were you and I'd done what I'd done, I'd do what you did when I gave you the ring, Having said what I said.

Macaque: If I thought that what you thought, Was that I hadn't thought about sharing my thoughts, Then my reaction to your reaction, to my reaction, Would have been more revealing [...] Yes, I know, that now you know, That I didn't know, that you didn't know, That when I said, "No," I meant, "Yes, I know," And that now I know that you knew, that I knew you adored me

Both: I'm not mad that you got mad when I got mad, When you said I should go drop dead!

Eclipse Twins

Evelyn Evelyn from Evelyn Evelyn - Self-explanatory, although not technically correct as Savage and Rumble did not grow up "closer than most." In fact, they are closer post-everything than they were as kids. Still, the point stands that they are two siblings who have a lot of differing opinions, perspectives, and arguments. One side struggles with keeping everything perfectly together while the other desperately wants to be free. Rumble (female): I’m only trying to do what is best for us [...] Looking in your eyes, I’m coming home [...] Now I realize, I’m not alone [...] But you never cared for me [...] ‘Cause you��d never dare to be [...] ‘Cause you never listen, you’re always insisting, I’m just reminiscing, I feel something missing, I just want you here with me, God can’t we just get along?

Savage (male): Well, I never asked for this, I never wanted this, All that I want is some time to myself [...] Just get away from me, please just stop touching me, You’re always trying to be somebody else [...] Well, you’re only scared of me [...] Why don’t you let me free? [...] ‘Cause you never listen, you’re always insisting, just stop reminiscing, I feel something missing, I just want my privacy, God won’t you leave me alone!

Wake Up by ChaoticCanineCulture - The song starts with Savage singing about how "they" (Macaque, Rumble) are haunting the halls and "killing her," and how she can't take the demand of killing her own father. My brother i'm begging you please understand, When I cry, I really can't take the demand, Oh they're killing me. Rumble continues the song as he finds himself just as lost and haunted as his sister, but with a flavor of self-torment. These dreams are made of things, I can't deny, I cannot flee, They're constantly tormenting me, can't close my eyes tonight. Then, the song ends with them begging to be saved. Wake up wake up, they're here, Please won't someone just save me?

Wukong's

Never Love an Anchor by The Crane Wives - Relatively self-explanatory. Wukong reflects on how his love only ever brought pain to others so he shouldn't get too close to them. It's a secret I keep tucked inside my chest, With this heart of mine that's guilty, not remorseful [...] There are times when I still wonder about you, You are someone I have loved, but never known, And you'll never see the reasons I had, For keeping my claws away when they were close enough to hurt you, I am selfish, I am broken, I am cruel, I am all the things they might have said to you, Do you ever think of me and my two hands? And wonder why they never soothed your fevers? [...] And wonder why they never held you gently? And wonder why they never had the chance to lose you?

My Ordinary Life by The Living Tombstone - Fairly self-explanatory. Much like the singer, Wukong reflects on how much he has been given in his life that he might not have necessarily deserved (such as forgiveness), and how out of touch he feels with reality sometimes. Do you feel me? Take a look inside my brain, The people always different but it always feels the same [...] The haters wanna hurt me and I'm laughin' at the pain [...] They tell me that I'm special, I smile and shake my head, I'll give them stories to tell friends about the things I said, They tell me I'm so humble, I say, "I'm turning red," They let me lie to them and don't feel like they've been misled, They give so much to me, I'm losing touch, get me? [...] The people blend together but I would be lost without their love, Can you heal me? Have I gained too much? When you become untouchable, you're unable to touch, Is there a real me? Pop the champagne, It hurts me just to think and I don't do pain.

I'm Your Man by Mitski - Completely inspired by this animatic, which will give you all the context to the lyrics you need. I'm sorry I'm the one you love, No one will ever love me like you again, So when you leave me, I should die, I deserve it, don't I? [...] People always gave me love, Others were never to blame after all, You believe me like a god, I'll betray you like a man.

Against the Kitchen Floor by Will Wood - Wukong apologizes for not being able to be as affectionate and trusting as he used to be, but promises he wants to do better for his family and friends, and Macaque. It just don't come natural to me to think that you'd want me for me, I swear, I'm really trying, Oh, I'm sorry, I promise, I'm doing my best, I just haven't learned how to be human as you are yet, I still don't know who you are, I only know that I'm still lonely, That morbid sort where even company can't cure me, And the more you reassure, the less I trust [...] I've lived more lives than enough, I haven't died quite as much, But I'm not a real person, just the shit you can't make up [...] I'm catatonic in your arms, Crying, "How did I cause so much harm?" I'm down pounding my head against the kitchen floor, Apologizing for my life and ever entering yours [...] I'm still in the process, but I'm making progress, I promise, I honestly wanna prove improvement's possible, I swear, I'm so fucking sorry, I'm not a good person, I'm barely a person at all, But someday I'll be perfect, and I'll make up for it all.

You Were Perfect & I'm Sorry by Mickey Darling - Very much a reflection of the title itself---Wukong believes Macaque deserved everything and is sorry he ruined everything, but with a self-deprecating egotistical twist to it. You were perfect and I'm so sorry, I'm such a dick, But you still love me, I still regret letting you leave me, Don't you forget you used to need me [...] How can I love someone that can't stand, The thought of loving me back? Why do I think I need that? [...] I remember what you said, You were wishing I was dead, Now, you're wishing me the best, 'Cause my song's stuck in your head.

Feed My Ego by Mickey Darling - Wukong mourning the relationship he lost, but make it self-deprecating egotistical again. I hurt u, For selfish reasons, U are all, I ever needed, needed, needed [...] U would be so good without me, happily, Nobody could ever be as, sad as me, All i need is compliments please, constantly, I make people think i’m happy, comedy.

HEAVEN SAYS. (remix) by GamePlayah - Wukong atones for his sins on the journey, slowly converting and accepting the pain from the fillet as his punishment. Now spell sinner: F-R-I-E-N-D-S Wrong! The correct spelling is Y-O-U, Just let go, Your past is sinful, Stop standing up, You can’t escape. [...] Answer for your crimes, Beg for mercy.

It's Been So Long by The Living Tombstone - Self-explanatory. Wukong mourns the death of his kids, and seeks revenge on their killer (Erlang Shen), though Tripitaka reminds him killing isn't justified. Justification is killing me, But killing isn't justified, What happened to my son? I'm terrified, It lingers in my mind, And the thought keeps on getting bigger, I'm sorry my sweet baby, I wish I'd been there.

the last beautiful thing I saw is the thing that blinded me by Paris Paloma - Despite the misleading title, this song is Wukong's perspective on Macaque's second death at his hands, albeit in a theatric, poetic, solemn way that is more Macaque's style. The moment of Macaque's death and imprisonment was difficult, and Wukong cut himself off from feeling anything ("blinding" himself). The dove represents Macaque and how he "became a demon," but the fact that "somebody else" killed her reveals the story is made-up and Wukong feels a disconnection from reality. I came across an injured dove, I wanted to put her out of her misery, There came no signal from above, No sign, no guide, I thought "whatever could this mean?" And with my hand I picked her up, And in that moment, oh it shifted magically [...] Because I wanted all of it to stop, And I didn't know how to tell you, I didn't know how [...] And I looked up, into the sun, It separated all the colors, And the ice, into my eyes, It fell and left me blind.

Used to be Young by Miley Cyrus - Wukong reflects on his younger years, both the good and the bad, and how people still believe he should be how he used to be. I know I used to be crazy, Messed up, but, God, was it fun, I know I used to be wild, That's 'cause I used to be young, Those wasted nights are not wasted, I remember every one, I know I used to be crazy, That's 'cause I used to be young, You tell me time has done changed me, That's fine, I've had a good run I know I used to be crazy, That's 'cause I used to be young.

Macaque's

The Moon Will Sing by The Crane Wives - Self-explanatory. Macaque always felt like Wukong's shadow, and wished he could have been seen as more than what he was, and that he hadn't followed Wukong so blindly. The moon will sing a song for me, I loved you like the sun, Bore the shadows that you made, With no light of my own, I shine only with the light you gave me [...] (I could've been anyone, anyone).

iGhost by MNQN - Macaque talks both fondly and angrily about how all he ever was was Wukong's "Van Gogh" (the painting, and the artist), and how he fears getting hurt again by getting too close. You fooled me once, You fooled me twice, again, I had a hunch, That it was all pretend [...] I'm hypnotised, You're telling lies again, You were my life, And now you're not my friend [...] I'll play it safe, I cannot be broken, I've been erased and now I'm gone again [...] The senses deceive us from time to time, And it is prudent never to trust wholly those, Who have deceived us even once, But yet, I still come back.

taking a stand by updog - Macaque lamenting to Wukong how he was neglected, ignored, and pushed aside, and how he won't stand for it anymore. And no amount of words could ever fix the damage done, No matter how much you ignore it wont come undone, Hard to blame you when you acted out of cowardice [...] Picturing your end, I will not pretend that, It might feel so sweet, You left me no option. 'Cause this scar it never healed, All the hurt will be revealed.

The Ballad of Lucy Gray Baird from The Hunger Games - Macaque tells the tale of how he and Wukong grew up, then grew apart, and questions what Wukong would do when he was gone. Well, all right, I'm bad, but then, you're no prize either, All right, I'm bad, but then, that's nothing new, You say you won't love me, I won't love you neither, Just let me remind you what I am to you [...] It's sooner than later that I'm six feet under, It's sooner than later that you'll be alone, So who will you turn to tomorrow, I wonder, For when the bell rings, lover, you're on your own.

taixu (ネジ巻き師と太虚鳥) by Iasah - This one is more symbolic, fitting Macaque's love of theatre. The white crow and black crow represent Macaque's selves, but also his fates (Which of the crows told you the truth? [...] The crows were both myself, Or was it you?). The song reflects on how he used to perceive that he and Wukong were destined to do great things together, but then it became that only Wukong was destined and Macaque, "was not chosen." The list of deaths is both literal and metaphorical, representing, in order: The first end came so suddenly, You couldn't say goodbye to me (his death in the fire; literal), The tenth end came with agony, I thought that we were meant to be (Wukong killing him; literal), The hundredth end was simply just, An apathetic day for me (the resurrections of the Eclipse Sibs; literal), The thousandth end was ecstasy, The people begged for me to bleed (the failure of killing Wukong; metaphorical), The millionth end was vanity, I thought I saw you smile at me (Possessed!Wukong fighting Macaque; metaphorical). By the end of the song, Macaque has realized his life is up to him to choice (I killed the crow that tried deceiving, "No, the world is up to me!").

Pomegranate Lips by Derivakat - Macaque would make this his self-assigned theme song because it's cool and mysterious, which he thinks he is, and also all about how someone screwed him over but he's better than them. Been through nine circles of hell, even dragged some people down, I can cut right through a soul with a snap, don't need a spell, So what gave you the right? I'm the queen of death and life, Whether you like it or not [...] So bite your tongue and watch your back, Show some respect or you'll get a taste of these, Pomegranate lips.

Tool by Derivakat - Macaque spitefully believes that Wukong only ever sought to use him like a tool. So I'll cut you off once, you say try, try again, I'm ghosting you twice, you still claim I'm your friend, You set me on fire three times, now I'm done, 'Cause you lit the fuse, and you loaded the gun [...] I'm done with your lies, and I'm done with your games, So cry all about it and I'll take the blame.

Eden by Derivakat - Opposite to the anger in Tool, this "version" of Macaque is much calmer, though sadder, about how he believes Wukong never cared about him, though he believes it wasn't necessarily Wukong's intention. We were living in a garden made for two, But two is one too many and he doesn't understand, When he crushes all the flowers that I grew, I want him off this land [...] 'Cause he's nothing but a liar, Caught up in his own desire, He started this fire, so let him fall in flames, You know he's the one to blame [...] Kick him out of paradise, Finally he'll realize, Too late to apologize to Eden, To Eden, to Eden.

Mrs. Bluebeard by They Might Be Giants - Macaque laments bitterly on how he never should have trusted Wukong, and how the world is cruel. I want to say I learned something valuable today, Alas, my murdered remains are incapable of learning anything, Trusted you, I should have never trusted you, In fact I never did, What's the use [...] Most people wouldn't hang the corpses up for review, Dearest, I can only hope most people are nothing like you [...] Is this how you thank somebody, For their selfless loyalty? Is this what you do? Pardon me for failing to grasp how this works, Excuse my breathtaking ignorance.

The Haunting by Set It Off - Macaque talks about how he suffered and how he will torment Wukong for the rest of his existence. So you dragged me by my feet, To a ghost town, where you buried me, No wonder no one heard my screams [...] Run away, boy, if you couldn't tell, Baby's got a thirst for blood [...] Catch a lover, turn an enemy, Just to watch them burn alive [...] No one will love you like I did, Will treat you like I did, So go on, wear that scarlet letter, No one will love you like I did, Will touch you like I did, So good luck finding something better.

Problematic by BoyWithUke - Macaque sings about how Wukong broke his heart and his trust. Why did you love me so? Watch me as I let you go? Told you that I'm better off alone without you in my home, I let you in my heart, let you back into my arms, Fool for thinking we could make it faking every single part, I thought that maybe you could be the final fucking remedy, The one to pull me out if I were ever stuck inside a dream, I'm looking back at times we had, the things we did and things we can't, How could you stab me in the back? I thought you were better than that.

You're Going Down by Sick Puppies - A good ol' battle song between Shadowpeach. The singer is Macaque rather than Wukong here as the singer laments that the fight is no longer worth it, yet he can't let go and must keep fighting. Let's take a trip down memory lane (do you remember me?), The words circlin' in my brain (look what you did to me), You can treat this like another, all the same, But don't cry like a bitch when you feel the pain [...] This is hardly worth fighting for, But it's the little petty shit that I can't ignore, When my fist hits your face and your face hits the floor, It'll be a long time comin', Bet you got the message now, 'Cause I was never goin', Yeah, you're the one that's going down!

Hermit the Frog by Marina and the Diamonds - While its also a Savage song, the romantic undertones push it towards Macaque. This song reflects Macaque's conflicted mental state post-family-break-up, where he's started to recover himself a little bit, but still feels this hatred inside of himself. Yeah, I feel it coming on When I've been static for too long, And an explosion comes in time, Before I go and cross the line [...] Well, I went to the doctors believing, The devil had control over me and, I was finding it hard to breathe in, Finding it hard to fight the feeling [...] You can take your double standard love and keep it, I can't help the devil likes to make my heart a double bed.

Villain by Bella Poarch - Macaque sings about how he'll be the villain, but make it flirty. I'll be the villain tonight, I kinda like when you despise me after we fight, (Feels so much better when I'm), Pushin' all your buttons 'til you're crawlin' on the floor, You say you hate my guts, but you're still coming back for more [...] What's you and I without a little pain? Tastes bittersweet each time you say my name, If love was poison, we would drink it anyways, Feels so good playing these wicked little games.

SAY THAT YOU MISS ME by Mickey Darling - Macaque both taunts Wukong for what he did (Hey necrophiliac what are you doing? I said why are you trying to fuck me, If I am dead to you?) and demands an answer from Wukong, not willing to honestly admit that he misses what they had, instead hiding behind anger. I said "you broke my heart," You said "boo hoo," I said "I'm going to leave," You said "please do," I said "I hated you," You said "me too" [...] It's harder than you think finding someone for me, That could ever compete with somebody like you, I cant help that I hate every fucking girl I date, Cause it always feels the same, like im cheating on you, Hate that I have to say, babe, I made a mistake, Thinking anybody could have ever been you, They'll never be you.

Hell and You by Amigo the Devil - A song portraying Macaque's obsession with Wukong, be it in love or as enemies, or something twistedly in-between. Cause I'd rot in hell with you, If you'd just ask me to, I love the shitty things we do together, Live with me in this sin forever, Hell and you, I know you want it too [...] I'd crawl in bed with you, Even on someone else's blood on top of someone else's love, In the worst motel we find, Cause home is the last place that I'd stand to be with anyone but you.

Cannibal by Naethan Apollo - Another song about how Macaque is obsessed with Wukong, even when he hurts him, as he struggles to choose between leaving him alone entirely or continuing to seek his attention. Think I got the message, Thought our love was destined, But it's more like a death wish, A guarantee for misery [...] Tell me when I overreact, No, tell me again, please, I love being told what to do, But only when I'm told by you, At least, that's what I used to think, But nowadays, I'm on the brink.

The Red Means I Love You by Madds Buckley - Another song about Macaque being obsessed with Wukong, but this time it's set when he truly was obsessed with him---post-fire, post-imprisonment, post-resurrections. This Macaque can't see clearly at all, and is obsessed with making Wukong bleed if it's the only way to feel close to him. They say such a shame, I turned out this way, A maniac, Well, yeah, I get manic when I cause a panic, And of course, I'm excited when I see you around [...] You leave me high and dry, A rush comes to my mind at the drops, Of blood you leave behind, Run as you might, my love will never, ever, Stop.

TERRIBLE THINGS by Axie - This song follows the degraded mental state of "zombie" Macaque, post-Eclipse Sibs' resurrection, and how he knows he is doing terrible things, but that he cannot bring himself to feel anything remorseful, until time goes on, and things start changing inside him. This song also lists his deaths: 30 years with torture you can’t comprehend (the fire), 40 years, they’re seeking for means to an end (killed and imprisoned by Wukong), 50 years attached onto puppeteer strings (the Eclipse Sibs' resurrection, and his subsequent debt to LDB). The song begins to hint towards Macaque regretting and wanting to be free near the end. I just want to die, yeah, So please just let me die!, I’m undefeatable, I'm thriving, ‘Cause I know a thing or two when it comes to being killed, It’s oh so very painful, And I don’t want it to happen again, and again, and again!

Savage's

Catabolic Seed by The Scary Jokes - Savage feels lost and hopeless after everything that's happened to her, and she desperately wants to feel like she's in control. That dissipated so fast, seems the good times never last, And I always fall flat on my back, like an upside-down cat, But is bad luck really such a crime? [...] I want to destroy everything that's mine [...] (I'm safe, I'm whole, I've got it under control), My structure's compromised, (I'm safe, I'm whole, I've got it under control), But you still batter at all my fault lines, (And I will protect you even if you won't protect me too), I can't run, I can't hide, but you can't say I didn't try.

Second Child, Restless Child by The Oh Hellos - She was born the second child, though truly she wasn't the restless child---that was Rumble. But the song does reflect how she wanted to run away from it all. And they saw trouble in my eyes, They were quick to recognize the devil in me [...] And Heaven knows how hard I tried, But the devil whispered lies I believed [...] You've got to go on, further than you've ever gone, You've got to run far from all you've ever known.

Shared Eyes by Blixemi - Savage laments about how misunderstood she is and how mistreated she was by her family, and how much she simultaneously wants to hurt them and wants their attention. I figured this would be, A great time to misunderstand me [...] I used to beg and plead, But you sit there ever silently, 'Cause you can't hear it, Won't stand to hear it [...] I'm not who you think I am, If you think of me at all [...] You've let hate blossom, Now you cannot recognize [...] I wish your silence came from hate, Then at least I'd know why I'm to blame [...] So fine, I'll find the rage, To scorch out on my own, And in my wreckage, may you burn upon your throne [...] It seems to me, That I have always been the problem, Though I'd wish to solve it [...] I'm not who I think I am, When you think you've seen it all, In this frozen state of apathy, I've blossomed with every flaw, To hate I've fallen, And I now can't recognize, Your eyes that you despise [...] This feels wrong, It's not playing out right, How am I colder now, Upon a bridge I chose to ignite? [...] You close your eyes but open mine, I hate the way you make me hate myself for sharing eyes, You're not who you think you are, And I wish I never knew, I don't want to see the irony, That you hate me for being you.

Play With Fire by Sam Tinnesz - Savage copes with lighting fires, and she likes being dramatic. This song would be her jam. Let a girl be edgy and cringey. Insane, inside, The danger gets me high, Can't help myself, Got secrets I can't tell, I love the smell of gasoline, I light the match to taste the heat, I've always liked to play with fire.

Dead Mom from Beetlejuice - Savage sings to her Alive Dad, Wukong. Alternative lyrics can be found in the comment section on WGTKITD... somewhere. And no one sees me, Nothing seems to fit, Mamma is this it? Are you receiving? I want something to believe in or I'm done.

Already Dead by KittenSneeze - Savage talks about how she felt almost "possessed" by Macaque and Rumble as they forced her to fight and attempt to kill her own father, and how, now, she can't tell what she does or doesn't want anymore. I woke up in a daze, My mind in a haze, The smell of devastation lingers, What did he make me do? Or did I want to? I can't get the blood off my fingers [...] You don't need to believe me but just understand, That you can't get too close, Not with what I have planned [...] Do any of you know what it's like to walk through the fire? Know how to fight the crushing desire? Go with a knife to do what's required? I'm already dead since you got in my head!

Daddy's Little Monster by TryHardNinja - As the title suggests, Savage pleads for others to understand that she doesn't want to be cruel, she's just "daddy's little monster," referring to Macaque (for the most part). She wants to start anew, but feels like she's kept in a prison, especially as she looks at herself and remembers what she looks like now... Please don't be afraid, we're a little bent, Broken souls looking for a way to start again [...] You need us, we need you, it'll be alright, Yeah, it's alright, We don't want to stay under lock and key, You can help break the curse, we all wanna leave [...] If we could only shed our shells, Wear a mask and escape these cells, On the surface, we could start new.

Miss Wanna Die by JubyPhonic - Savage isn't exactly about being resurrected, and she isn't happy with her life... She would resonate with this song a lot. It both fits her character, and is a song she would listen to. Ah wanna die, wanna die, But don't really wanna die, You were there, you would care, Making me aware, Every scar, all the blood, More and more, they’re never done, Not enough, not enough, Ah wanna die, wanna die, But don't really wanna die, If I died, you would cry, And I don't know why [...] I wanna live, wanna live, Deep inside I've always been, Reaching out for a hand, so don’t let this be the end.

The Devil Within by Digital Daggers - Let's be real, this is how Savage sees herself, or wants to see herself. Cool, mysterious, dangerous... But really she's just angry. And dangerous. But, the song's vibes still stand---she wants to hurt others and protect herself. I made myself at home, In the cobwebs and the lies, I'm learning all your tricks, I can hurt you from inside, I made myself a promise, You would never see me cry, 'Til I make you [...] I'm gonna make you suffer, This hell you put me in, I'm underneath your skin, The devil within [...] Look what you made of me, Now I'm the heavy burden that you can't bear.

Rumble's

Sin Triangle by Sidney Gish - Rumble desperately wants to be like everybody else, but struggles with his own inner demons as he tries to fit in and be cool as a young demon, and then struggles with rebuilding his family as he feels guilty for destroying it in order to get what he'd wanted. Two-faced bitches never lie, And therefore I never lie, Diagram this sin triangle for me tonight, because, I don't know what to say, A sickness by another name, Wouldn't be sweet either but, With luck, it would at least look much more tame [...] Bill Woodruff here has something on his mind, He wants something, In fact [...] You want certain things from other people and your environment, The way you go about getting those things, Reveals your personality [...] Did you ever want, so much, To make a good impression on someone? What did you do? How accepted was your personality? Did you ever feel alone, out of place, When you wanted very much to be part of the group?

¿Viva la Gloria? (Little Girl) by Green Day - On the inside, Rumble is cracking under the knowledge of everything he did to harm (manipulate, deception, double-crossing) his family. He feels like a stray without a home. Little girl, little girl, Why are you crying? Inside your restless soul, Your heart is dying [...] There is no place like home, When you got no place to go [...] Little one, little one, The sky is falling, Your lifeboat of deception, Is now sailing [...] Your bloodshot eyes, Will show your heart of treason, Little girl, little girl, You dirty liar, You're just a junkie, Preaching to the choir [...] The traces of blood, Always follow you home, Like the mascara tears, From your getaway, You're walking with blisters, And running with shears, So unholy.

Icicles by The Scary Jokes - Rumble convinces himself of his self-entitlement; that he is better than everyone else. He is jealous of what everyone else has, both in past and present. He hates having to always be the one to "play nice." But, at the same time, his flaws (The one where you are crying, And I don't do anything at all, directly referring to his treatment of Savage) are catching up, and he can't stay on the pedestal he put himself on forever. Get in your zone, don't even look at them at all, Their shallow observations will only stall the transformation, You've become art, how could they even start to see, Beyond your presentation when they've got no imagination? [...] I can only be forgiven if I'm giving myself up to you, On a silver serving tray, Must I bare myself to the stabbing of your knife and gnashing teeth, While our lovely company appears so entertained? [...] My world has turned so cold, but I won't cry, 'Cause icicles don't soften when they die, So why should I?

Soup Song by Nep - Rumble has very mixed feelings towards his family, and he struggles under the weight of being the "good one" when no one else will try. I hate you and I loved you for a very long time, I do not share any more, I'd ask you how'd you do if I was feeling kind, I do not dare anymore, My mom got a new job, and my dad's doing just fine, I do not mind anymore [...] If I had a tendency to yell, Your ears would be numb, If I had it in me to tell you off, You would be done, I'm not used to feeling so down and so dumb, Guess I thought that I was lovable, Kinda thought that I was lovable [...] I put my head down, and you stepped on my neck, I cannot take any more.

Smokey Eyes by Lincoln - Rumble desperately wants to bring his family back together, and struggles through his emotions with how difficult it is. The song also has implications towards his struggles with addictions and unhealthy coping mechanisms. Some people want to be your friend, Some people just want to be free, And the worst thing about me, Is that I’m somewhere in between, I might miss you, But I’m still trying to get clean [...] Quiet lies that you’re telling to, Those black and screaming skies [...] This is not what all my idols told me college would be like, I hope someday you learn to take your own advice [...] So help me make amends with all my friends, Most other people are just dead ends, There’s nothing worse than making friends.

How Did You Love by Shinedown - Rumble would totally sing this family to his family, specifically his parents, questioning, "how did you love?" and what they left behind. You can try to fight it, just like every other careless mistake, How do you justify? I'm mystified by the ways of your heart, With a million lies, the truth will rise to tear you apart [...] Nothing ever feels the quite same when you are what you dreamed, And you will never look at anything the same when you see what I see, How we forget ourselves, lose our way from the cradle to the grave [...] No one gets out alive, every day is do or die, The one thing you leave behind, Is how did you love, how did you love?

[madamspeaker]

There’s certainly no love lost between Nancy Pelosi and Donald Trump, frequent sparring partners during the latter’s sole term in the White House.

But the ex-House Speaker said in a wide-ranging interview with Spectrum News Wednesday that she doesn't even like to say the former president's name, saying "it's like a curse word to me."

Pelosi made clear she does not think the former president has the country’s best interests at heart, charging that the biggest challenge the United States is facing is the “negativity” he “has spewed forth into our country.”

“There's always been a level of anti-women, anti-gay, LGBTQ, anti-people of color,” she charged. “There's always been some of that there, but he normalized it. And the things that he says are so damaging to our country coming together for a more perfect union and they're so damaging to our national security,” citing his comments about encouraging Russia to attack delinquent NATO allies, rhetoric about Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and other dictators, and reported statements about veterans.

“I think that right now, the biggest problem for our country is in the person of Donald Trump and the hate that he spews forth, and the disrespect that he has for our Constitution, and the disrespect he had for the office of president,” she added. “He was impeached twice, defeated once. I hope he's ready for another defeat.”

When asked if she was concerned for her or her family’s safety should Trump be reelected, Pelosi said she was, though she acknowledged that they’ve “already been attacked in our own home,” referencing the October 2022 assault on her husband, Paul Pelosi, by a man wielding a hammer. The attacker, a Canadian citizen who told jurors he believed news outlets lied about Trump and echoed far-right conspiracy theories in online postings, was convicted of federal charges connected to the assault late last year. 

She also recalled that a supporter of Trump who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, "said they're going to put a bullet in my friggin head."

“That’s what I tell [members of Congress],” she said. “We stepped into the arena, but our families didn’t, and … it shouldn't happen that way. And so we have to, if we win this election, do so in a unifying way to bring people together.”

“Of course we have differences,” Pelosi added. “I've been here a long time. I've worked with Republicans over the years. Now it's kind of a different thing because they're dictated to from outside — rather than outside by their constituents, outside by one person who has no patriotism, no commitment to his oath of office to protect and defend, no respect for the office that he held, and really a dangerous person who should never have been in the White House. And we have to make sure he isn’t again.”

Pelosi, who stepped down from her Democratic leadership role last year, told Spectrum News that she stayed in Congress to help President Joe Biden’s reelection effort. Pelosi, for her part, is participating in a national organizing call with Biden and former President Barack Obama to mark the anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, mobilizing supporters and volunteers to protect the landmark health care law which has been a target of Trump and Republicans in Congress.

“It's not just about me, but I do continue to support politically, and that one of the reasons I stayed was because we have to elect Joe Biden President of the United States,” she said. “We have to elect a Democratic Congress. We just must. That means House and Senate. So my ability to do that is enhanced by still being here.”

She also sought to dispel the notion that Biden, who is 81, is too old to run for president again, quipping: “Frankly, he’s younger than I am.” (Pelosi turns 84 next week.)

“I can tell you this from personal experience: As you serve, you gain knowledge, you gain wisdom,” Pelosi said. “You have improved judgment, and this is a president … who has a beautiful vision for the future. He knows why he wants to do this. He knows the subject matter. He's been here a long time. So he knows what has worked, what hasn't and what the possibilities are.”

But polling continues to show concerns about the age of the president — dwarfing, in many instances, similar concerns about Trump, who is just three years Biden’s junior.

“[Biden’s] not that much older than what's his name, but nobody seems to make a fuss about what's his name,” Pelosi said, referencing Trump.

"And that's just really what is so funny to me, including the press, just always saying, ‘Well, he's old now.’ Yeah, the other guy's old too," she added.

“I understand how people would rather see somebody younger, but Joe Biden is doing fabulously well in the primaries, so people are voting for him even though they'd rather be younger,” she added.

Spectrum News has reached out to Trump's reelection campaign for response to Pelosi's comments.

Pelosi also addressed Senate Majority Chuck Schumer’s recent speech about the war between Israel and Hamas, during which the New York Democrat — the highest-ranking elected Jewish official in U.S. history — called for new elections to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government. His comments were rebuked by Israeli officials, as well as Republicans and even some Democrats in Congress for interfering in another country’s elections.

When asked if she agreed with Schumer’s call, Pelosi replied: “I thought it was a very courageous speech. I congratulated him on it. It was a speech of courage. And it was a speech of love for for Israel.”

Pelosi said that Schumer “spoke from the head and from the heart” about his support for Israel and his comments are being “mischaracterized.”

“I say to people, read the speech. He talks about the problem that Hamas is and how horrible Oct. 7 was,” she said, referencing the surprise attack on Israel that left 1,200 dead. “He talks about the lack of leadership on the side of the Palestinians to be good, to be strong partners for peace. He talks about the radical right-wing cabinet in Israel and he talks about Netanyahu being a problem.”

She charged that Netanyahu “isn't interested in peace, he’s only interested in his own political survival,” adding: “I support the leader and what he said, and I understand how heart-rending it was for him to make such a statement.”

[omegalomania]

highlights from the podcast that came out with that new rolling stone article about joe's book today, because i see some people out there are Worried(tm) and i listened to this whole thing and it was actually very lovely cause the article took the worst pull quotes lmao

joe's lit manager was like "you should write a book" and joe was like "oh i don't think i can write a book" and then his lit manager said "yeah you probably can't." to which joe went "YES I CAN." we love a man motivated by spite big mood joe

joe was very adamant that he wasn't publishing this book to dish dirt on his bandmates because he likes them and they're his friends. he didn't set out to sell secret fucked up stories about them or anything. this is not a tell-all, he likes his friends.

he talks about how his insecurities and imposter syndrome lead him to forget and downplay his contributions to the music in general: "it took talking to patrick to remember what i had contributed to this song or that song."

joe was diagnosed with bipolar type 2 and had no idea until his psychiatrist mentioned it to him

he talks about growing up with my chem and feeling a sense of camaraderie there since they exploded into the mainstream at the same time

he talks a bit about his back surgeries and the like and says that during more recent tours he's been able to move around a lot more. he thinks that fans think it might still look boring but for him it was huge because it's more than he's been able to!

re: new music, "i don't know if it's an album, we're just working on songs. [...] we're never not working on music."

"i'm proud of the majority of what we've done, even if i objected to some of it at the time and kicked and screamed through it, i'm still proud because we've continued to look forward rather than go back and say 'let's just make cork tree again'"

"if you haven't been hate-mongered, i recommend it. it makes you feel nice on the inside." joe??

"and then we got the emo moniker and i wear it as a badge of honor at this point" thank you joe for being the only member of fall out boy to say this ldfjlkdjfdfd

when mania was first conceptualized, patrick rented a studio in burbank for a month-long session and he and joe worked on a lot of stuff there together. a lot of the ideas got scrapped unfortunately.

"you have no idea the amount of unreleased music this band has. albums' worth of unreleased music. [...] at least 60-80 ideas i'd record on my own and that's LESS than patrick does. far less."

he talks about how it'd be fun to do a box set with old unreleased stuff but also says they have no idea where a lot of that stuff went. stuff that goes back to cork tree era that is probably "sitting on a hard drive somewhere"

"there is no album right now. there is nothing being made right now. we're just doing what we're usually doing, which is writing."

someone on the fob subreddit with an advance copy of his book says, "but in his book he explicitly says that the band (Patrick/Pete I’m assuming) has been very receptive to him having more input. He mentioned also this new album being delayed because he recently had back surgery and needed to just rest for a few weeks. He called up Patrick and they immediately postponed working on more music because they value Joe’s ideas."

"i don't see an end. i think as long as we still want to do it. [...] as long as we're continuing to make music that we like and we have fun playing the shows, we'll keep doing it. [...] if there's good music to tour on and we enjoy being around each other, we'll keep doing it. [...] we're so lucky, i don't think we're doing it for the money anymore. so what's the point anymore? the point has to be for good music and good times."

[lovingthereign25]

Never say Goodbye

Chapter 4

I knew I had to go back to my parents house, but I couldn't face everyone, and there was no way I was gonna let Joe and  his new girlfriend see me breaking down.

So I walked around a while. I needed to clear my head. I decided to go to our spot... except for the fact that it isn't our spot anymore since there  isn't an "us" or "our" anymore. I sat on a rock for a minute just thinking how something so perfect could go so wrong. All those love songs gave me such an unrealistic belief on love, it totally sucked in reality. 

"You still come out here?" I snap around seeing Joe 

"Y-yeah, it's quiet and good place to think"  I say jumping down from the rock 

"How's school?.. heard you got into a top one in Boston?" He says 

"Yea..it's going good" I say turning to walk away

"Y/n, stop let's talk for a minute...catch up" he says

"I can't..I really got to go early flight tomorrow" I say

"You're leaving already?" He asks

"Yea, bye Joe" I say

*6 months later* 

I was flying home, the first time I've been home since Thanksgiving. But I wasn't alone. I had started dating an amazing guy named Derek.  Derek was incredible, he was funny, smart, caring, I was head over heels for him and to be honest I haven't even thought about Joe in months.

My parents were having a huge memorial day cookout so I decided now was the perfect time to have them meet Derek. 

 We get to my parents house and I'm greeted by my sister and Josh. Josh and Derek hitting it off straight away.

" Now that you're here I can show you this." My sister smiles raising her left hand to my face flaunting a gorgeous diamond ring 

"Oh my God..no way... you're engaged!" I smiled"

"Yes"

As I hugged my sister I heard familiar voice that of Patricia

"Y/n, sweetheart it's so good to see you!' she smiles hugging me tight.

"I'm good. How are you?" I say

"Good, and who might this be?" She asks looking at Derek.

"This is my boyfriend Derek, Derek this is  my second mother Patricia.

"Nice to meet you Miss Patricia" he smiles, shaking her hand.

 We finally made it to the back yard and I introduced Derek to everyone. They all loved Derek, especially my father, which I think was because Derek was going to school for criminal justice..he wanted to work for the FBI.

I was in the pool with Derek and a few relatives and friends having a good time. I wrap my arms around Derek, when I hear his voice. Joe was here .

His eyes met mine as soon as he got into the backyard, my arms tightened around Derek, who now was the target of Joe's stare.

I tried to avoid Joe at all costs, until I couldn't I was in the kitchen grabbing drinks for Derek and I when he stopped me

"Hey, longtime no see" he smiles

"Hi" I say trying to get passed him

"What you got a new boyfriend and can't talk to me now" he says grabbing my arm

"Joe, Don't I'm happy. Finally. You moved on for fucks sake you're about to be a dad any day now….please just leave me be" I say.

Just as Joe let go of my arm Derek came in

"Everything okay?" He asked

"Yeah, just asked Joe to open the door " I smiled.

 Just as we were about to leave the kitchen Joe stops Derek

"Take care of her man, she's a good one"  he says

"I know, and believe me I will," Derek says shaking his hand.

*18months later* 

I wake up from an incredible Valentine's day with Derek, the sun shining through our bedroom window, I reach for my phone when I notice a ring on my finger not just any ring.. an engagement ring and oh my was it beautiful.

"Derek?,Derek what's going on?" I ask heading down to the kitchen where my boyfriend was making breakfast.

" I know you don't believe in fairy tales. But, if you did, I'd want to be your knight in shining armor. You've been through so much. I don't want to see you hurt anymore.  I don't want you to worry about anything. You just wake up in the morning, that's all you have to do and I'll take it from there. There's one condition. You have to be my wife."

I was speechless and sobbing. 

"Baby you have to give me an answer ….I'm dying here" he laughs

"Yes, yes Derek.. I'll be your wife! I smile kissing him

"And see? And that... that... That smile. Y/n, when you smile like that, my world... It's all right.I am in love with you." He smiles. I couldn't explain how happy I was but at the exact moment I told Derek I'd be his wife Joe's face popped into my head. 

*4months* 

Today was my and Derek's engagement party, my sisters and mom went all out as did Derek's mom and sisters. My mom had invited everyone we knew..which included almost all of Joe's family. Which was obvious being that Josh and my youngest sister Lyndsey were married now. 

Joe sat at a table with Josh and Jon having drinks. His eyes never left me once since the moment he arrived with Galina and their daughter.

"One more sister left, might wanna snatch her up bro!" Josh jokes with Jon "We always said we were gonna marry sisters" 

"Damn we sure did, didn't we" Jon laughs

" I just can't believe Y/n is marrying him" Joe says

"Well Derek's a really good dude, treats Y/n well and she's happy" Josh says

""Why you mad uce, you have a whole family" Jon laughs

"I just think she can do better" Joe shrugs

"And by better you mean you?" Josh asks

"Yeah, we were supposed to be together, this should be our party" he says 

"You had your chance uce, you fucked it up, deal with it" Josh says getting up

"Whose side are you on here?'' Joe asks

"Y/n's" Josh says walking away.

Derek was off talking to my dad which I loved, I loved their bond, I was sitting on the front porch swing when I hear a familiar voice

"I guess I should probably say Congratulations" He says

"Thank you" I smile 

"Y/n, are you sure you want to get married?"  Joe asks sitting beside me

"Yes" I say

"Look I still love you, I think I'll always love you, and I know you still love me, so if you're doing this just to get back at me for getting Galina pregnant, Y/n it's working. Seeing you with him drives me nuts" he says

"Joe, I love Derek, I'm not in love with you anymore, I'm happy and I'm getting married. Please just be happy for me" I say 

"Y/n, we belong together, you know that" he says 

"Joe, we don't. You have a family, a girlfriend, a baby girl and I have Derek. " I say getting up "I love him Joe, and I'm going to spend the rest of my life with him".

*2014* 

It's crazy how fast life passes. One day you're 21 planning your wedding and the next day it's 7 years later you're married and expecting your first child. So here I was sitting in my husband's office waiting for him to get back from talking to someone so I can tell him the news.

"There's my queen" Derek smiles entering the room greeting me with a kiss

"Hi,my love" I whisper back

"What brings you all the way down here, can't be missing me already I just left last night" he smiles joking about his long hours 

"One: I miss you as soon as you walk out our front door, and two: no I came down to tell you something important" I say 

"Important huh?, What's so important?" He asks, flashing me his perfect smile.

"I'm pregnant" I smile 

"No way, are you serious?" He asks jumping off the corner of his next bringing me into his arms

"Yeah" I say

"Baby, I'm so happy we wanted this for so long" he whispers into my hair as the door to his office opens his partner Kevin coming in

"You guys good? Everything okay?" He asks

"Yeah, I'm just gonna be a Dad" Derek smiles 

"For real? , Finally. I'm happy for you guys!,but unfortunately we got a case we need to get on" Kevin says

"Okay, baby I'll see you at home, go solve this case, be safe and come home to us" I say kissing him

"I will. I love you. Both of you" he smiles leaning down to kiss my stomach. 

As soon as I got home I called Lyndsey since we were the closest.

"Hey favorite sister" she answered

"Hi boo-boo, I have something to tell you" I say

"Oh no, I don't wanna know you're always giving me bad news" she laughs

"Oh you'll wanna hear this.. I swear" I smile

"Fine, hang on I'm gonna put you on speaker Josh is here we having a pool day" she says "okay go"

"Are you sitting down?" I ask

"Yes" Josh and her answer in unison

"I'm pregnant" I shriek

*On the other end* 

"I'm pregnant," Joe heard through the phone as he walked into Josh's backyard with Jojo and Galina. He felt his heart drop, he immediately felt sick dropping Galina's hand which he was holding and turning around leaving. 

[thebraingremlinsaremad]

Daily Blog #6: August 13, 2021

Okay, okay, I know it's a couples days later, but I can assure you that I did not forget; I purposefully, and kinda without a better option, didn't post on Friday, and you'll see why.

So the day started off pretty regularly: I got up, ate breakfast, got a shower, and then sat around playing games and watching YouTube for a bit.

That was until my friend showed up at my house...

He called me and said to come outside, so I did.

It wasn't long until I got into his car, and we started driving.

I definitely should have been more anxious or nervous heading out, but for some reason, I just sat there with my head absentmindedly poking out the window, not really thinking about it.

I really wish I had grasped the situation a little better.

We got down there after an hour and a half of driving and we parked a bit away because there were so many people there, so many people there, in fact, that we just got some food until it calmed down again.

It was gonna be a great fucking concert.

Hella Mega Tour 2021, originally supposed to be Hella Mega Tour 2020, but postponed for obvious reasons.

We shopped for a tiny bit beforehand, not buying anything, and then headed over to the stadium 45 minutes before the concert was set to start. We were let in about 10 minutes later, and we filled our contraband water bottles that we managed to hide on the way in.

We sat there for a bit, me just listening to music on my Redmi Buds 3 pro.

I love these things.

Pretty soon the music started, and it was The Interrupters; everyone was feeling pretty lazy for this bit.

It's not like they were bad or anything, they were actually pretty good, but I guess everyone was just getting situated and didn't wanna bother using up all of their energy lol.

So The Interrupters' set is up, and they tear down the stage and reset it. Before too terribly long, Weezer starts up, and there's a lot bigger reaction from the crowd than there was before: people knew the songs, like Africa, Buddy Holly, Beverly Hills, and Feels Like Summer to name a few.

I was getting into it a bit, I knew a good few of the songs, I was moving along, I sang a bit, took some video.

What's cool is that I could feel myself moving along the scale, like going from no excitement while no one was playing, then tapping my foot and grooving to The Interrupters.

When Weezer first came on, I was just sitting there like, "alright, this is good shit." Towards the end, I was quietly singing Buddy Holly, their last song for the night.

I say quietly because there was a lot more loudness to come.

I should add that, up until this point, the music had been kinda unbearably loud, the highs really piercing and hitting hard.

Additionally, up until this point, I had been trying my best to document the concert with videos and audio recordings; it wasn't so much about enjoying the concert, for I've always been taught just to record stuff and not worry about the concert.

I don't think I've ever really enjoyed any of the concerts I've ever been to; I was there, but I wasn't. I didn't really know too many of the songs, and I had only listened to the artists in passing, not to mention the fact that my mother had been at every other concert I've been to, which is stifling in itself. I really can't enjoy anything when she's around.

But here we were; it was starting to get dark, and Fall out Boy was coming onstage. The crowd was getting into it with Weezer, and it was time for Fall Out Boy. The energy here had far exceeded both Weezer and The Interrupters, and this went for me as well.

I was sitting there, singing along and still occasionally recording, but I didn't have my phone out too much. I started to dance in my seat with every song, for I knew almost every one: Sugar, We're Going Down, Centuries, My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark, Grand Theft Autumn/Where is Your Boy, The Last of the Real Ones, Save Rock And Roll, and Dance, Dance being a few.

Throughout this set, everyone was singing along, but the real fun had yet to begin; the scent of smoke from the flames and fireworks finding its way through the crowd, the music now strong instead of piercing, a sense of unity between everyone in this packed stadium, between people of all walks of life: men, women, children, transgender, cisgender, non-binary, gay, straight, lesbian, ace, black, white, Asian, Mexican, young, old, middle-aged, and everything in between and outside... It didn't matter who you were or where you came from; you were at a fucking party, and everyone was gonna fuck it up once the main act came on stage.

Meanwhile, everyone was more than happy to celebrate with Fall Out Boy and some of their greatest and most memorable tracks.

Part way through Fall Out Boy's set, I decided to get off of my ass and join the growing number of audience members who were really getting into the groove and feeling the music.

It was so close to becoming an explosion of energy once Fall Out Boy was about to leave the stage.

After they left, the set was torn down once again and set up for Green Day.

Their was a low mix of music playing through the speakers all the while things were being set up. Once the stage was set, the music continued for a bit, but was then cut and replaced with a voice and lyrics that everyone knew immediately.

"Is this the real life. Is this just fantasy."

The crowd sings along to every word.

"Caught in a landslide, no escape from reality."

Freddie's voice poured out into the crowd, and the crowd sang them right back.

"Open your eyes, look up to the skies and see"

The song continued, and the whole crowd sang to the very end.

This really goes to show how impactful some people and groups can be on our lives... Although no one at the show was connected to Queen or Freddie Mercury, everyone who came to see these 4 bands still knew this great group.

Once the song was over, a mix of some of the most famous rock anthems began to play:

"We will, we will rock you"

"I love rock and roll"

"Hey, Ho, let's go"

A glorious piece all lead up to the 4 running onstage, Billie Joe Armstrong, Jason White, Mike Dirnt, and Tre Cool, joined now by 2 new members, Jason Freese and Kevin Preston.

All at once, it was an explosion of strong and passionate guitar jamming, soon followed by the drums and vocals of American Idiot. All at once, the crowd was rocking along with bopping heads, stomping feet, and swaying bodies. I only had my phone out to record for a short moment before I put it away and scarcely removed it from my pants for the rest of the concert.

I couldn't help but feel cocky, as a bi/pansexual (idk which one lmao), being allowed to sing the line,

"Well maybe I'm the faggot America"

I was like, "You straight bastards better not be singing that line 🤣"

It was absolutely incredible; the crowd cheered passionately and wholeheartedly at the end of every song and solo, after every quote from the band.

The coolest part about the concert was the fact that everyone just lost themselves in the music, as well as that everyone, without hesitation, followed what Billie Joe said. He says jump? WE FUCKING JUMPED. He tells us to scream? We. Fucking. Screamed. And when he wanted us to sing, we sang. I mean, okay, we were singing the whole time xD. I'm sure we would've sang if he told us to and we weren't already doing so lmao. What he said was our law, and we were doing our jobs as the dutiful citizens of Suburbia by following those laws.

It really is hard to express the level of pure energy at this gathering, especially when it radiates from every point in the packed stadium.

I screamed so loud and hard, and sang so long and passionately, that my voice started to go. But. Guess. What.

When you're at a place like this, no matter what, you just have this insatiable urge to keep going no matter what. When my arm got tired of throwing my fist in the air, I kept fucking going and even used the other arm too.

It's such a strange feeling when you feel like you're about to give out, like your voice is gonna break, or you're gonna collapse from dehydration and exhaustion, but you find around you the strength and power to keep on going, no matter how quickly your vocal health deteriorates.

Ask my friend, I couldn't speak properly after that shit xD. He even threatened to send a video of me talking to my choral teacher, who honestly would have been mad at me lmao.

Meanwhile, Green Day is playing some of their greatest hits, old and new alike, and I knew every single fucking one of them. I sang every song, and only took a break between 2 of them to down my whole bottle of contraband water in 3 seconds flat.

At one point, the band stopped playing, and Billie spoke into the microphone.

"Get your pretty lights out. I wanna see the pretty lights."

Everyone got their phones out and turned the torches on, as per his command.

"Turn the house lights off."

The lights go off, and the stadium is lit up almost as bright as it had been before, but this time with the lights of thousands.

"Look at that."

It was honestly an incredible moment.

That brings me to another point: when you go to a concert, you're not just paying for the music, you're not just paying to see a band, you're paying for an experience.

Let me tell you, this was one hell of an experience.

If you don't leave a concert feeling fulfilled, then the performers didn't do their job of giving you the experience that you paid to be a part of. I'm so happy that these four bands, especially Green Day, were able to deliver.

I really did love every moment of that show, which is such a rarity for me. I'm really happy that my friend took my mother's place. I can't fucking enjoy everything when she's around.

Oh yes, it wouldn't be one of my daily blogs without me talking about how my mother consistently pisses me off. Don't worry, I have some happy shit left to end on.

I swear to fluff though, she always manages to ruin everything for me. When we went to see The Lion King on Broadway, she insisted on coming with. That meant that I wasn't able to relax in my seat because this disgusting woman was sitting next to me and I had to cram myself to the side of my chair away from her. It meant that I wasn't allowed to cry when Mufasa died or during Can You Feel The Love Tonight because I knew I'd get made fun of for it.

I even went to a Fall Out Boy concert before, her refusing to let me go myself, and I didn't sing a single song because she'd just tell me to let the professionals handle it.

And for fuck's sake, the time she compared me trying to fucking validate my existence as a trans person to her wanting a car... That will always fucking piss me off.

Sorry, I got sidetracked. I was talking about how she ruins everything for me.

I literally cannot be myself around her. I've always been judged and ridiculed by my parents, and still am. I can't enjoy anything when they're around because I'm too focused on trying not to get made fun of or yelled at.

That being said, that concert was absolutely fucking incredible. I was with thousands of people who felt the same way that I did, and I could fucking jam out if I wanted to.

Apart from everyone being really on top of their game, and Billie Joe basically not aging since he turned 25, the only really notable thing left to say about the performance was when they pulled a kid guitarist onstage. He played for a bit, and they ended up letting him keep the guitar lmao.

BEST PART IS:

I SAW THE KID AFTER THE CONCERT, AND I WAS LIKE,

"Omg, hey, can I get a selfie with you?"

I was trying to be really low-key and quiet cuz I didn't wanna draw too much attention to him lmao.

The security guard was like, "Yeah, sure, but hurry up."

I TOOK THE PIC REALLY QUICKLY AND THEN HEADED OUT

HERE IT IS

YES, OF COURSE I BLOCKED OUT MY FACE

But I absolutely love the vibes of this photo xD. It's blurry, the lighting is shit, and you can barely make out any details. It has a lot of character, and I would take this over a clean, clear photo any day.

Walking away, the kid's mom said, "You're like, the coolest kid ever now."

Agreed.

Then it was time to go home. Honestly, I didn't feel sad that it didn't last longer, or disappointed that I had to leave. I was actually very satisfied and fulfilled with what happened, which is honestly the way it should be.

Driving home, I stayed awake by sticking my arm out of the window and letting the cold rain hit fast like tiny needles.

I got home.

I passed out.

Although, that was technically on Saturday 🤔

ANYWAY, THIS IS MY LONG ASS BLOG FOR FRIDAY THE 13TH

I hope you enjoyed

Be good people!!!!

-Leonna

[mwahmisfiire]

tim murphy & the outfit emergency.

as much as you loved tim, you couldn't deny how utterly in shock you were when he was the one to ask you out. you could've thrown in the question yourself but you were just as much of a wuss as he was - or not, since he made the first move.

it wasn't hard at all for you to say yes almost instantly.

you couldn't believe how much of a weirdo you were when you found yourself dancing around your apartment with music blasting from your brand new speaker, hours away from the big date, as you chose your outfit for the occasion.

you didn't want to look too casual but you didn't want to look like you had tried too hard to look pretty for him. you had promised yourself long ago that you'd dress up for no man.

but oh boy, did you like this one. you wanted him to see you and have his mind completely blown. you couldn't help it, you really couldn't.

you'd never admit this but despite the happy and bubbly mood that your music put you in, it took a while for you to decide what you were gonna wear. but all of that thought culminated into a cute outfit that you absolutely adored once you saw it perfectly neat and organized on your bed.

just when you were about to start changing, your phone started ringing. you went straight to the living room, turned off your music and picked up.

"hello?"

"y/n, hey." you heard tim's voice on the other end of the line. he sounded a bit... preoccupied. "listen, uh... i kind of need your help with something?"

"okay? what is it?" you asked, your brows furrowing in confusion.

you heard him huff. for some reason, this wasn't very easy for him. "i, uh... here's the deal. you know how i don't really pay attention to what i wear except for the times when i wear a white t-shirt underneath my actual t-shirt?" you hummed in reply, still not quite understanding where he was coming from. "well, apparently i've been doing that for a while and now i have absolutely nothing to wear for our date tonight and i really want to look good for you and -" he cut himself as you let out a nervous chuckle at the flattering comment. "do i need help?" tim wondered.

"yeah, mine." you answered with a smirk, earning a snicker from him. you thought about the matter for a few seconds. "hey, why don't i swing by your place and we can go to the mall and pick something nice for you to wear for our date? it could be fun." you smiled.

"yeah, for you." he pointed out. "you're a girl, shopping is kind of your thing, right?"

"only in life or death situations, tim. like this one for instance." you said. you couldn't see tim but he was definitely rolling his eyes at the comment. "be ready in ten." you said lastly before hanging up.

you got dressed in less than three minutes, called an uber in two and were at joe's place in five. quick ride for a quick plan, apparently.

you rang the doorbell and waited patently for the house owner to open up the door. you heard some sounds inside (probably tim getting emotionally ready to see you) and a couple seconds later, tim opened the door.

and let me tell you, he nearly fell on his ass when he saw you.

he knew he was staring, he knew it would eventually be awkward if he didn't say anything but he couldn't help himself. you looked... sweet baby jesus...

you snickered because, yes, he had said those last three words out loud.

you were extremely pleased. because you knew you were getting a reaction out of him. "should we go or...?" you teased him.

tim blinked a few times, pulling himself back to reality. "y-yeah!, yeah. j-just... let me get my coat." he said before walking away and going to get his black coat. you just stared at him while he did so, trying not to focus too much on the fact that his messy hair was oh, so incredibly hot.

there was a mall not more than three blocks away from tim's house so you two decided it was easier to just take a walk. you'd just come back afterwards and take tim's car to go on your date.

the walk was pretty peaceful, it was a pretty nice autumn day. you guys were talking about what you had done during the day and you were specially careful not to mention how hard you had worked to find the perfect outfit.

once you were there, you practically dragged the poor guy around the entire place looking for a store that had clothes that he liked. but to be honest, tim had never been one to care too much about what he wore. he usually stuck to the same five things and had a few other stuff at the very bottom of his wardrobe that didn't even fit him anymore. tim would always joke about how much money he's saved in dry cleaning over the years. sometimes it was funny and sometimes it was concerning.

luckily, the mall had just opened a forever 21 and for some reason you just knew there'd be something worthy of tim's attention there. he just blindly trusted your good judgment, hoping it was the right thing.

you made him try many things. a lot of them were very good, others not so much. mainly because tim was very self-conscious about his body and how cool clothes looked on him.

"y/n?" tim said as he looked at himself in the mirror of the stall he was currently in.

"yep." you said, carefully leanig against the door.

"is it just me or do i look terrible in everything?" he asked. he didn't even sound sad, his tone seemed awfully neutral which actually concerned you a lot. his tone led you to think that he had wondered things like this before in his life.

"definitely just you." you replied.

you heard him snort. "that was a rhetorical question, y/n."

"i don't give a rat's ass, you idiot." you chuckled. "look, can i come in?"

tim waited a few seconds before giving you an answer. "s-sure."

you opened the door slowly and carefully as you saw him wearing the outfit that you had picked out for him.

it was very simple but now that you saw it on tim, you were in love with it.

but his face did bother you quite a lot. he looked so... uneasy and insecure. it broke your heart in half.

you bit your bottom lip. "you look amazing." you murmured, still biting on it.

timm only looked down at his feet, not quite keen on the idea of believing you.

"hey. hey," you said, putting one of your hands on his cheek, forcing him to look at you. his eyes were glossy. you kissed the top of your nose. "i love every single messed up bit of you, okay? more than i'd ever admit to you, that's for sure." you let out a shaky breath as tim sucked on his bottom lip, a single tear falling from his eye to his cheek.

you were quick to wipe it away. you didn't know what to do, he looked so sad and helpless and afraid that you just did the first thing that popped into your head.

you leaned in and kissed him on the lips.

you could tell it shocked him because he made a little surprise noise before instinctively grabbing your hips with his hands to steady himself and not fall backwards. slowly but surely, he kissed back. but you could tell he was nervous because he only moved his mouth when it was truly necessary which made you giggle against his mouth.

"god, i like you so much." you couldn't help but breathe out as your hands wrapped around his neck. because you did.

and that's when he smiled. "really? y-you do?"

"yes." you whispered, almost desperatly. you just really needed to get him to understand how incredible he was and how ridiculously gorgeous he was... you almost couldn't handle it, not now that you had kissed him and there was nothing holding you back anymore.

joe's fingers started playing with the fabric of your dress as he leaned onto you even more, longing for the sudden comfort he had found in you and that he never wanted to let go of. "i like you too." he whispered, his cheeks turning pink.

you smiled, pulling away from him and taking his hands. you just looked at him up and down, making his face go even more red. he looks so good, who the hell does that?

i really can't handle him, huh? you thought to yourself as you laughed and leaned in for another passionate kiss.

you definitely couldn't wait for that date.

your outfit :-)

tim's outfit :-)

[thingsmk1120sayz]

▪️1) "Willie Mays is the greatest ballplayer I've ever seen. I never saw Joe DiMaggio play, but if Joe DiMaggio was better than Willie Mays, he belongs in Heaven." ~ Roberto Clemente

▪️2) "I think I was the best ballplayer I’ve ever seen. I feel nobody in the world could do what I could do on a baseball field. I hope I’m not saying anything wrong, but you have to think you’re the best. The next one would be Roberto Clemente." ~ Willie Mays

▪️3) "That Willie Mays, he's one of the greatest center fielders who ever lived. You can go back as far as you want and name all the great ones—Tris Speaker, Eddie Roush, Max Carey, Earle Combs, Joe DiMaggio. I don't care who you name, Mays is just as good, maybe better." ~ Harry Hooper

▪️4) "He [Mays] and Joe DiMaggio are the greatest center fielders I ever saw. But Joe couldn't run the bases as well; he wasn't as daring as Willie. I would pay money just to see him play. He brings back the old days for a fellow like myself. . . . [And] how about that arm? It's the greatest I ever saw. Bob Meusel, of the old-time Yankees, was good, too. But you can't beat Willie." ~ Frankie Frisch

▪️5) "I can't believe that Babe Ruth was a better player than Willie Mays. Ruth is to baseball what Arnold Palmer is to golf. He got the game moving. But I can't believe he could run as well as Mays, and I can't believe he was any better an outfielder." ~ Sandy Koufax

▪️6) "Snider, Mantle, and Mays. You could get a fat lip in any saloon by starting an argument as to which was best. One point was beyond argument, though. Willie was by all odds the most exciting." ~ Red Smith

▪️7) "I've seen Speaker, Cobb, Hooper—oh, all the great outfielders—but I've never seen anyone who was any better than Willie Mays. . . . [He] can throw, field, hit, run, anything. . . . Cobb was a better hitter. But Mays—I don't know, there's just something about him." ~ Al Bridwell

▪️8) "Mays is the only man in baseball I'd pay to see play." ~ Ty Cobb

▪️9) "Mays is one of the few modern players who [is] just as good as the best of the old-timers." ~ Sam Crawford

▪️10) "There have been only two geniuses in the world: Willie Mays and Willie Shakespeare." ~ Tallulah Bankhead

▪️11) "You used to think if the score was 5-0, he [Mays] would hit a five-run homer." ~ Reggie Jackson

▪️12) "[Mays] scooped the ball up at the base of the 406-foot sign, whirled and fired. It came in on one bounce, directly in front of the plate, and into the glove of catcher Tom Haller, who put it on the astonished Willie Stargell. It was described by old-timers as the greatest throw ever made in ancient Forbes Field." ~ Bob Stevens (The San Francisco Chronicle, Aug. 25, 1965)

▪️13) "People talk about that catch ['54 World Series] and, I've said this many times, that I've made better catches than that many times in the regular season." ~ Willie Mays

▪️14) "An unusual event occurred in the seventh. [Jim] Greengrass tripled over the head of Willie Mays. To a Giant fan, this is like tripling over the Empire State building." ~ Bob Cooke (The New York Herald Tribune, July 1954)

▪️15) "[Mays] would routinely do things you never saw anyone else do. He'd score from first base on a single. He'd take two bases on a pop-up. He'd throw somebody out at the plate on one bounce. And the bigger the game, the better he played." ~ Peter Magowan

▪️16) "I just played every day and enjoyed what I was doing. When I made a great catch it was just routine. I didn't worry about it. Winning was important. Winning." ~ Willie Mays

▪️17) "They invented the All-Star game for Willie Mays." ~ Ted Williams

▪️18) "If he [Mays] could cook, I'd marry him." ~ Leo Durocher

▪️19) "As a batter, his [Mays] only weakness is a wild pitch." ~ Bill Rigney

▪️20) "I'm not sure what the hell charisma is, but I get the feeling it's Willie Mays." ~ Ted Kluszewski

▪️21) "I always enjoyed playing ball, and it didn't matter to me whether I played with white kids or black. I never understood why an issue was made of who I played with, and I never felt comfortable, when I grew up, telling other people how to act. . . . It was the grownups who got upset . . . I never got into a fight that was caused by racism." ~ Willie Mays

▪️22) "At ten I was playing against 18-year-old guys. At 15 I was playing professional ball with the Birmingham Black Barons, so I really came very quickly in all sports." ~ Willie Mays

▪️23) "In order to excel, you must be completely dedicated to your chosen sport. You must also be prepared to work hard and be willing to accept constructive criticism. Without one-hundred percent dedication, you won't be able to do this." ~ Willie Mays

▪️24) "Hopefully, they can say, 'There goes the best baseball player in the world.' I honestly believe I did everything in baseball that a baseball player can do, and I did it with love." ~ Willie Mays