#like let’s all be astronomically serious here

[papertowness]

i’m so sorry but comedy peaked when the shameless writers made lip gallagher have anger issues and then decided he was absolute shit at fighting like you can’t get any fucking funnier than that

[mistiell]

The one request that’s bouncing around my head is Astarion dealing with a sick mc like fever chills and no sense of balance because of vitiligo

Hope you enjoy <3 WC: 1.3k

---

You feel like shit. Total and utter shit.

What started as a sore throat has evolved into a fever and chills, along with an absolutely skull splitting migraine. The sheets twist uncomfortably as you turn onto your back, clinging to your sweat slicked skin. You can’t bring yourself to kick them off. Not when the ache in your bones makes it feel like they’re breaking.

The sun has been up for nearly an hour, now. If you don’t come out soon, one of your companions will come get you. A strangled whimper forces it’s way out of your throat as you force yourself up, curling in on yourself and dropping your face into your hands.

After trying to decide between attempting to take a breath through your sufficiently stuffed nose or through your mouth, you choose the latter. Which you realize is a terrible mistake when it suddenly feels like a thousand tiny knives are skinning the inside of your throat. It makes you cough, which makes it a million times worse, which makes you cough even more.

It’s a good minute until you can finally breathe again; throat raw, beads of tears drying on your lashes. You’re sure you’re a sorry sight. It makes you glad no one is here to see you in all your disease ridden glory.

“Sweet Hells, are you hacking up a lung in here–?” Not even all the way inside your tent yet, Astarion stops immediately after he lays eyes on you. The disgust is immediately replaced by a hesitant sort of concern, brows just barely creasing, “Oh dear.”

“Do I look that bad?” He grimaces at the way your voice grates, gaze flitting over various parts of you before he meets your eyes again.

“You look dreadful.” You think it’s meant to be playful, but he looks and sounds just a little too concerned for it to land that way.

You snort anyway, rubbing at your sweaty forehead, “Thanks.”

He hovers there, uncharacteristically quiet as he glances outside before sighing and coming the rest of the way inside. He’s still in his regular clothes, which makes you think the others haven’t started getting their armour on yet. Thank gods.

He sits down in front of you on your bedroll, knees barely a hair’s width from yours as he cradles the nape of your neck in a gentle hand and presses the inside of his wrist to your forehead. Eyes fluttering shut, a small sigh of relief escapes you when his blessedly cool skin meets yours. You barely think about it as you place a sluggish hand over it to keep him there.

“You’re nice and cool.” You sound listless.

“And you’re about as hot as the hells.” He sighs. You can hear the frown in his voice, “This has gotten out of hand.”

Peeling your eyes open, you blink at him in confusion, “What?”

He lets his wrist fall but keeps a kind hold on your neck, looking deadly serious.

“I know how much you love flattery, but you should know you really don’t have to go to such lengths to get me to wax poetic about your eternal beauty.” It seems like he can’t help the smile that cracks that through the act he’s putting on, “I truly appreciate the effort, but a simple, ‘Astarion, my dearest love, tell me I’m pretty.’ would do just fine.”

A giggle bubbles up from your throat, and you list forward to hide your face in his shoulder as you rasp weakly, “I do not sound like that.”

He hums, giving your nape a gentle squeeze before stroking a little line behind your ear with his thumb. You can feel his teasing smile against the side of your head, “Thankfully not. Should you ever call me your dearest love, I fear I may just drop dead a second time.”

Your laughter dies down, and you’re left with an astronomical wave of fatigue. He wraps his free arm around you when you slump further into him.

“Darling?” He jostles you a little bit. Again, he attempts a joke. Again, he’s too worried for it to come out right, “Don’t go dying on me now. With all we’ve been through, it would be such a waste.”

You huff a small, breathy puff of laughter, turning your face so the bridge of your nose rests against the side of his neck, “I won’t.”

He eases his hand up and down the length of your spine. You barely register it when he turns his head just enough to nose at your temple briefly.

“You should lay back down.” His voice is softer now. The feeling of his breath ghosting over the shell of your ear makes you shiver. Although, that could also be the fever.

You sigh, pulling yourself away from his shoulder. The movement sends the world tilting over and over in one direction. Breath hitching, you feel yourself sway as your eyes squeeze shut.

“What’s wrong?” He sounds a little alarmed as you drop your head into your hands.

“Vertigo.” You breathe. Everything keeps spinning behind your eyelids.

You can hear him shift before his hands find one of your forearms and your shoulder blades, guiding you to lay back.

“I have to–.”

He cuts you off, suddenly stern, “The only thing you have to do right now is rest.”

“But the others–.” You try again. It’s in vain.

Scoffing, he turns his nose up. “The others can shove it, as far as I’m concerned.”

You huff, ready to argue until you open your eyes and notice the anxious quirk of his brows. Instead, you sigh, sluggishly placing you hand over his, “Fine.”

You just barely manage to hear the small breath of relief that escapes him as he turns his hand to give yours a squeeze. He leans forward to press his lips to your forehead before pulling away, “I’ll be right back.”

You only nod.

He comes back five minutes later with a small bowl of water, a cloth, and two slices of bread balanced carefully in his arms.

“You don’t have to eat it yet.” Is all he says as he sets the plate down a little ways away. After wetting the cloth, he rings it out into the bowl and folds it in half before laying it over your forehead. You sigh as it cools your skin. It only lasts a few moments before your skin has warmed it again.

He tries again, then again, before huffing; frustrated.

“I’m sorry.” You croak, and he tuts, shaking his head.

“Don’t apologize, darling. It’s not you.” He sighs, looking properly perturbed now.

“Maybe Shadowheart–.”

“I asked. There’s nothing she can do.” It comes out bitterly, but you know it’s only because he’s worried.

You suddenly have an idea, but first you have to ask, “Can you get sick?”

Looking confused, he shakes his head, “No, I can’t. But, what-?” Pulling back the covers, you open your arms. It clicks, and he chuckles as he climbs in beside you, “Plan to use me as an ice pack, do you?”

“That’s the plan.” It comes out more deadpan than you mean it to. It makes him laugh a little harder, and you can feel the vibrations as your head settles over his chest. Having him next to you is like a balm in more ways than one.

Eyes heavy, you sigh as his hand trails idly along the length of your bicep. You guess he can hear your breathing and heart rate slowing when he whispers, “Sleep, my love.”

And who are you to deny him when he asks so nicely?

[tw1l1te]

Brainrot- The chain is dealing with a merchant who's got wayyy to high prices for what it is but the chain needs these resources. The boys refuse to pay but in swoops reader who uses words and certain assets to talk the price down smoothly for the chains sake and needed supplies.. queue the boys reactions or actions to it. (Especially the overprotective ones of the group) Thanks!😘

-Anon 🐉

Ok but why do I feel like Ravio is the implied merchant-

Our guide definitely uses their sass and fake giggles to haggle prices. Like, the amount of rupees they've saved the Chain??? Astronomical at this point-

~

"80 rupees for 5 bomb arrows! 80 rupees!!" A merchant yelled out onto the bustling streets of Castle Town. The boys approached his stall, curious about his wares.

"Ah! I see you're interested in my stall! I have all sorts of arrows, armor, and produce!"

Legend hold up a bundle of plain arrows, facing the salesman.

"How much for these?"

"100 Rupees."

Legend just blinks at him, trying to see if he was serious or not.

He was dead serious.

"Are you fucking kidding me-"

"Oh, hello~! What do we have here?" You skip up to the stall, your attention disrupted from the previous stall when you notcied the boys preoccupied with this particular one.

The merchant looks suprised, eyes moving between you and the grumpy pink-haired man in front of him. He chose to focus on you for the time being. Smart choice.

"Oh, such wonderful wares you have! I bet they're the best quality too, I can tell by the craftsmanship." You ramble, examining every item.

The merchant blushes slightly, smiling at your attention.

"Ah, yes! Each of these is either made or grown with utmost care! Has anything piqued your interest?"

Time raised an eyebrow at the shift in demeanor from the merchant.

You knew what you were doing, huh?

"I love all the assortment of arrows you have! You say you carved them all yourself?" You ask, batting your eyebrows at him.

"Y-yes! I have plenty of stock for each type. How many bundles would you need?"

You glance at Time, who mouthed '6', your eyes flicking back to the merchant.

"Hmmm... I think I'll need six! How much for all of them?"

The merchant lights up at your amount, already seeing payday in the distance.

"Originally it would be 580, but for you... 500!"

You purposefully wilt at that, making sure the change in posture and facial expression was very obvious.

"Aw, shucks, I can't afford that.... maybe next time."

The boys and the merchant watch you walk away, the effortless slouch of your form causing Wind and Wild to quietly giggle.

By the Three, this was hilarious.

"W-wait! I can do 250! 250 is my lowest offer! I'll even give you a bundle for free!!"

You noticeably perk up, spinning around on your heels and skip back up to the stand, handing over your rupees. When the merchant hands over all seven bundles of arrows, you blow a kiss to him to really put the cherry on top.

You hear Legend choke on his spit, flabbergasted at the amount of effort you were putting into this charade.

"Thank you!! Let's go, boys." You march off, arrows in your arms while the merchant is caught off guard and the rest of the group isn't sure if they're about to burst out laughing, kill the man, or both.

[moonchild-in-blue]

Hey, remember that time II kissed Vessel's arm? Okay byyeeeee :D

Well HELLO GOOD MORNING TO YOU TOO

(yes i did see this before i went to bed but i was wayyy too eepie to reply)

I hope you know this has just set the mood for my entire day so. I'm gonna be extra yearning and soft and whiny 👍 Sorry about that guys, I'm a pathetic wet cat of a person 😞

He could've hugged him. He could've high fived. He could've done that guy thing where they slap each other's butts and it's totally platonic and wholesome and hilarious.

AND YET. Mr. Daddy Twofoot (cmon guys, catch up on the name) KISSED??? HIS ARM??? On the sensitive soft part too?????

Like. Okay. Yeah yeah, the boyfriends, etc etc. But let me be actually serious for a second here.

(hello this turned out to be way longer and sappy than i intended so)

Do you see how effortless that was? He didn't hesitate for a second. How often do you see two guys (who I'm assuming are straight) be this affectionate with each other? A kiss on the inner arm is *such* a tender, intimate gesture, regardless of gender/sexuality - a type of action that is not usually expected between straight men.

And I don't know, I find it incredibly endearing and important to see that, as much as they do all that funny sexy stuff for the fans (and for themselves too - they seem to have so so much fun), these type of actions seem to be a part of their regular off-stage interactions. You can feel how genuinely good friends they all are.

And in the case of Vessel and ii, the founders of Sleep Token and the major force behind it all - how surreal and incredible it must be for them to get to experience all of this together. To see their hard work paying off. To stand proudly in front of literal thousands of people side by side with your best friend??? HELLO???

It's such a small thing, but I carries so much weight ya know? Like yeah dude, I love you and I'm proud of you, and you did a wonderful job. Isn't it SO touching???

I just LOVE to see it. Men who are vulnerable and affectionate around each other, who are comfortable in it, who shows us that yes, platonic friendships and pda are beautiful and important and in no way make you any less of a men. Which is something a LOT of dudebros in the metal scene would benefit in knowing.

I just. I don't know bro. Vessel x ii interactions mean the whole word to me. I was just talking with someone a few days ago of just how far Vessel has come in his music journey, and even within Sleep Token, the difference between One days and now is. Nothing short of astronomical. It feels almost miraculous, yet it is anything bUT, because we know how much effort V and ii put into making the music we so love. And of course iii, although not part of the creation process, has been with them from the beginning as well.

Can you imagine how overwhelmingly awesome and scary it must be for them?? And what are the odds of after a few years of changes, they somehow found the perfect person to complete them? SO MUCH SO, that you can see just how close iii and iv are BY THEIR MIRRORING ATTIRES?? HELLOOOOO ???? SOULMATES FR FR

Aaaa I feel like I'm going off on a huge tangent, and I am stopping now before I bring up the German Rituals and Wembley. December was a wild month omg I have not recovered yet.

I just!!! My heart!!! I love them. Vessel PLEASE I have been begging on my hands and knees, PLEASE PLEASE give your drummer a smooch omg he deserves it poor guy has the twinkliest prettiest eyes ever how can you NOT 🥺✨💙

Anyways. Yes, I do remember. Good gif 🙂👍

[igotanidea]

Midnight : Nikolai Lantsov x reader

Requested as a part of my 1k celebration.

***

It was almost midnight when she heard a knock on her bedroom door. At first, she had no intention of getting up, the nest she created for herself using blankets and pillows were too comfortable to leave them and the book she was reading far to involving, but the intruder was relentless. With a groan, fuming, she got up and opened those damn wooden entry.

“What on Saints?!” she whisper-yelled, but the view in front of her made her halt. “Nikolai. What are you doing here? It’s late!” she started turning head left and right, making sure none of the guards saw him here. That would be scandalous. Even if the whole palace knew they were in a serious, committed relationship, he was not supposed to come to her chambers. Ever. Not until the wedding. At least, that was the official version, neither the future king nor his beloved really cared about. He used to sneak to her before, craving her next to him, wanting to hold her, touch her and kiss her until she lost her breath but it never happened in the middle of the night.

“Relax, love” he smirked “I’ve been careful. It’s truly a shame I have to creep like this in my own palace, isn’t it?”

“Just shut up and come inside.” She hissed and grabbed his hand dragging him into her room, once again checking the corridor and then closing the door tight.

“Missed me that much?” he muttered taking a step forward and caging her between the door and his body, radiating the heat and fire that she could not contain even if she was an Inferni.

“Not even a little….” She mumbled back, letting him put his hands on her hips and pull her flush to him.

“Really? This blush on your cheek tells me something different, sweetheart .Come on, just admit it so I can greet you properly…..I haven’t seen you whole day…..”

“Duties my king, are sometimes a menace, and out of all the people in Ravka, you should know that best.” Her hands found a way to his neck when she closed the distance between them and pressed her lips to his. Of course she did miss him. She missed him every minute, every second he was not with her. Admitting that, however, was a completely different story.

“Hey!” he objected pulling back “I was supposed to charm you into kissing not the other way round.”

“Then look me in the eyes and say that you do not enjoy when I take control…..If you need a reminder……” she trailed, her eyes filled with lust and his reciprocating this feeling.

“Saints!” he hissed and kissed her again, softly, gently, lovingly, enjoying the feeling. Every move of his mouth against her telling the story of passion, admiration, longing. The love he had for her could not be contained, but he was still a gentleman. At least, more often than not. And tonight, he came here in a completely different purpose. “Do you even know what you are doing to me?” He whispered into her ear, pecking her cheek and hugging her close, not wanting to let go.  

“Probably the same thing you do to me.” She smiled softly, with those goo-goo eyes.

“Come out with me.” He burst suddenly

“What? Where?”

“Outside.”

 “Why? It’s the middle of the night, Nik. And it’s cold….”

“Don’t worry love, I’ll keep you warm. I want to watch the stars with you.”

“Stars? Nikolai, are you serious? Since when are you an astronomer?”

“I just gotta thank them for bringing you to me.” He whispered

“Oh, you are a one cheesy bastard” she rolled her eyes and wriggled out of his hands, reaching for her coat, already relenting.

“But you fell for it, didn’t you?”

“Stop flattering yourself. I fell for your compassion, energy, kindness, care… All that you are trying to hide under that wicked sense of humor. I fell for Nikolai Lantsov in his purest form. And with all his weaknesses.”

“I love you too, Y/N.” he smiled sincerely. “but I have no flaws. And that’s why we are just perfect for each other, cause neither do you. Maybe apart from your sarcasm and stubbornness and teasing and bickering and ….”

“Are you done?”

“Just for the moment. Now, I have to muffle you up and help you sneak out with me. You don’t really have that much experience in that as I do.”

“Oh, you wanna bet?!”

***

He actually did want to bet. Therefore, he dared her to sneak out using one way out while he walked the other. The first one to get to the balcony, adjacent to the ballroom. Nikolai’s words were not true, given the fact that Y/N has been hiding and running around the palace since she was a kid and knew those labyrinths of corridors nearly as well as the prince. But it was thrilling to have a little challenge and see who was better. It was more about having fun with the one she loved than actual wining, but they were both equally competitive so the chances were neither of them would go easy on the other.

“I got you!” strong pair of arms wrapped around her middle from behind the second she came through the ballroom door and she had to muffle the shriek, forming in her throat “It’s me, it’s me. You’re safe. I won’t let anyone hurt you. Ever.” Nik, because who else, turned her around and looked straight into her eyes, making her calm down. “I promise. Not to sound to dramatic, but I’ll give my life for you.”

“I truly hope it won’t ever come to this, cause, well, not to sound dramatic either, but I can’t imagine my life without you.”

“I love you….” He whispered, cupping her cheek and brushing it gently “now look up, fireball , we came to see stars after all.”

“I’d rather have the view from the railing.” She grinned brightly and rushed towards the edge of the balcony, grabbing the ledge, perking her head up.

“Don’t you run away from me!” in a blink of an eye Nikolai was behind her, hugging her to his chest again, so close there were almost no space between their bodies.

It was just so perfect. Him being here, all for her, not interrupted by advisors, generals, subjects, endless list of duties and obligations. Just the two of them, surrounded by silence and dark, indulging in something as simple as the presence of the person they loved and wanted to spend the rest of the life with. Cheesy, cliché, repeatable, banal scene. But also so natural and just right.

Yes.

It was just right. She couldn’t enjoy it more, with his hands resting on her waist, head leaning on his shoulder, breathing deeply. This was her Nikolai. The one who brought her calm and peace. The sensitive, soft one, he became only while being alone with her.

“Nik?” she whispered

“Hm?” he muttered, turning head slightly to breathe in her hair and closing eyes in pure delight.

“I did miss you.” She admitted shyly.

“I know. Cause I missed you to.”

“Thank you for bringing me here. Now I get it why you wanted to see the stars. And why you believe them to be magic. This actually reminds me of our time at Volkvolny.”

“That  was nice, wasn’t it? Easier times when I wasn’t a price and you were a Grisha in disguise.”  He sighed deeply.

“Do you wish you could go back, Nik?”

“I always knew it wouldn’t last forever. But I found you on the way. So it was all worth it for me.”

“For me too.”

For a moment there was silence between them. Those kind that you feel comfortable in and without any urge to fill it with words.

“Nik?”

“Yes, sunshine.”

“I love you too.”

“I know.” he laughed and shaking of his body made her shake with him, smiling lightly, enjoying the sound she didn’t hear from him for a while now. “who wouldn’t?”

“You just had to ruin the moment….”

“Sorry, my little flame. But there’s one more reason why I brought you here.”

“And why is that?”

“I hear that kissing the one you love under the stars bring you luck.”

“What are you waiting for then?"

[hyperfixated-on-cod]

✨Smoking with 141, König, Los Vaqueros✨ (CW: cannabis use, 18+)

(This was supposed to be posted like 3 days ago lol but either way…) (the 18+ warning is for a very brief reason but it’s still there)

I got absolutely fucking ASTRONOMICALLY high last night sooo here’s some headcanons😍

John Price

Smoked a little bit here and there when he first enlisted, but eventually quit when he realized he was serious about his career in the military. (I personally don’t think he planned from the start to climb the ranks like he did)

It will take a LOTTT of convincing to get him to smoke with you, and if he agrees, it’s reasonable to assume you’re very special to him.

Goes into it acting like a career stoner… but in reality he hasn’t touched the stuff in about 15 years🙃

If you can’t get him to partake, he absolutely will hang with you while you’re high. All you gotta do is ask.

Prefers edibles simply because “I like having lungs.” Even though the man LITERALLY SMOKES CIGARS😭

Ghost

I don’t think he’s a stoner but like… I also think he does have an edible from time to time, for medical reasons (mostly mental health).

Not many people know this about him; Price knows and helps him plan accordingly for drug tests and makes sure that it’s noted in his file that he uses it for medical reasons; Soap found out on accident.

Under no circumstances does he ever let anybody see him high, so good luck getting him to smoke with you lol

Only gets high when he knows he’s in the clear with work and will be for awhile (so, when he’s on leave). If he feels like he needs to get high (like if he’s just coming back from a particularly hard mission), he goes to Price and asks if it’s okay.

Prefers edibles because he finds it more relaxing and it’s easier for him to take one, and then he gets an hour or so to do other stuff before it hits.

Soap

This man is a stoner. Period point blank.

If he isn’t the first of these men you ask to smoke with you, and he finds out about it, he will be SO offended.

Gets high just to get high. Everything else is a bonus.

Started when he was young, like 16. Quit for awhile as his career was getting more serious, and then he started again.

The whole team knows but nobody really cares because he’s super responsible about it like Ghost is. He plans far ahead of time, doesn’t do it unless he’s off base, etc.

This man is such a giggly bitch and his laugh is so infectious; he’s the first to start laughing and everybody else follows.

Very flirty when he’s high and texts Ghost messages that are just like “🩷🩷💕💕💘💘”

He is so ridiculously horny when he’s high. Been tryna convince Ghost for agessss to get high with him so they can 👉🏽👌🏽

Gaz

Honestly? I don’t think he’s into weed all that much.. or really any substance. He drinks here and there and is never opposed to having a glass of whiskey with Price, but that’s really it.

He has done it tho, and didn’t have a good experience. I feel like he’s a very logical person, so after his first time he probs figured the first time sucked bc it was the first time. So he did it a few more times but nothing changed.

On the off chance he agrees to smoke with you, he wants “adult supervision” (Captain Price lol) just in case he has another bad time.

Makes sure the environment will be 100% controlled. Comfort of his own home, lays out rules and boundaries with you and the Captain (“don’t let me do too much,” “here’s what to do if…”), soft music playing, pillows and blankets everywhere.

König

Again, you’re lucky if you get him to do it with you.

His giggles are somehow worse than Soap’s and significantly more adorable😂

His munchies are SOOO bad. Like, he may plan ahead of time and lay out some snacks to prepare… but he ends up not wanting any of them and stumbles to his kitchen for something else.

He’s a big guy so it takes a bit to get him going, but once he’s there he’s there.

Alejandro

Doesn’t partake. Never has and probably never will. He’s been curious, but just never felt the need to act on that curiosity.

He’s cool about people close to him doing it tho, and will also hang with you while you’re high. Provides some of the BEST snacks.

Rudy

He does do it but he’s… pretentious about it. In a good way.

Oh, you’re bringing him gummies from the dispensary? No. He’s making homemade edibles but not like brownies or cookies; he’s making pasta with infused olive oil or some other type of meal.

He’s super careful about his measurements and makes sure that the product he’s using is as high quality as he can get it.

If you wanna get high with him, go into it on an empty stomach bc he’s gonna make sure y’all eat a damn good meal in the process.

[kelly-clickspring]

I always forget how fun it is to paint space! Astrophel here is basically a living nebula, and I've never drawn him as such (I've done humanoid projections, but never actually explored this idea where he's more than a hallucinatory avatar). I couldn't not write a little scene to go with this, so read a short, fun little snippet under the cut!

As the ship helplessly drifts into the gravity well of the collapsing star, the captain and crew hold each other. Crying out goodbyes as the plating of the hull begins to singe: heat and radiation finally breaching the shields. Until suddenly, the relentless pull of the star ceases, as if it were gone. The ship lurches to a complete halt, leaving every crew member breathless and confounded in their expectation of death. 

“Oh my stars: brand new space explorers! I’m so glad I, uh, happened to be in the neighborhood. Can’t let this little incident stop you short of the stars,” the voice is everywhere at once, but comes from no one. The tones are ethereal and smooth as velvet, suggesting peace but giving unease as it somehow consumes all other sound to clearly resound in each crew person’s brain. 

The bridge crew sits awestruck as the fiery storm ahead of them suddenly disappears into a haze of green dust, and as if by magic, the ship materializes well outside the clutches of the powerful gravity well which nearly crushed them all into fiery oblivion. The captain’s cat-like ears bristle as they take a fiery jaunt around the bridge, searching for some source of this bizarre trickery on hundreds of monitors and feeds while the crew struggle to collect themselves. Some machinery is fried, the rest babbles garbled data which doesn't make a lick of sense. Where is the ship, the satellite, anything? They're in some cloud of unidentifiable substance drifting through space, full of strange, fluctuating energy signatures that baffle the sensors.

“SHOW YOURSELF!” The captain demands. 

“My, aren’t we brave? Giving orders to an extraterrestrial who is, well, a lot taller than you, and can project thoughts directly into your little brain is a bold move captain.” 

The furry creature’s jaw drops at the banter. Flustered, they resume their captainly facade with a huff. “Where is your ship? Where are you? And what is this nonsense?” 

“Peek-a-boo!” The voice prods with a mirthful tone, giggling at the captain’s serious insistence. 

The entire bridge crew is slammed dumbstruck at the sight that emerges from the darkness of space. The dust parts into what is the most massive eyeball any crew member has ever laid eyes on: big as the entire bridge and playfully glancing through the heavy composite view port right in front of the captain’s now stock stiff form. It's a gorgeous verdant green that glows softly, casting the bridge in otherworldly luminescence. Every crew member’s jaw is agape, and their rapidly beating hearts feel like they’ve sunken to their stomachs. In an incongruously smooth and gentle motion, the eye recedes to reveal an entire massive face, apparently made of celestial stone that softly glitters in the light from the now distant star. They’re literally in the hands of this creature: held up like tiny a toy and completely helpless. The glittering face shifts into a disgruntled expression. 

“Come now, you don’t get to be afraid after I saved you from certain doom. If I wanted you all hurt I’d have just left you to your own devices, that star could have chewed you up perfectly well if I hadn’t intervened,” the massive creature teases, it's mouth not moving at all as it speaks.

The crew loosens up ever so slightly until the massive face cracks into a playful grin, revealing astronomically large teeth like the beak of a squid. Imposing towers of stone that could pierce the hull as though it were made of bread. The sinking of dread is overturned abruptly as a soft tickle of euphoria wraps around each crew member’s consciousness. Not enough to challenge their lucidity, but calming their nerves like the beginning of an alcohol fueled buzz. 

“Gracious, I’m the first new life form you all have met if all your projected thoughts aren’t confused. Let’s skip the frightfulness, it makes me feel ill. I will make you feel better so we can have a pleasant chat,” The creature gives a playful wink. “I am Astrophel. Promise I won’t tell anyone about your little debacle, and you can test your instruments on me if you’d like! You can relax now, you’re out of harm's way. I’ll keep you safe until you’ve done necessary repairs and can get back on your way. We’ll be fast friends, and that’s exactly how I like it!”

[beautifulpersonpeach]

Hello, you're someone I've come to respect to give honest and thoughtful answers to questions that may not be 'the general consensus' and I hoped I could get your opinion on the following. I was watching a translated version of an interview JK did during his solo era and I know we need to be cautious about accuracy of tone and meaning. He said he missed being on stage with BTS but instead of it coming across as ‘I love being solo but sometimes miss them' it was more 'thanks for the solo opportunity but I still prefer being with them'. I’m a newer fan – Dec 2019 – so I don’t have years of perspective insight on their personalities like some other fans but I sensed that this moment was at odds to the ‘I want to be the biggest popstar ever’ we got shoved down our throats recently. It niggled at me to the point that this last week I've been looking back on a lot of JK content and I'm a little startled by how much evidence there is that JK hasn't ever wanted to be a soloist. It's nothing major, just lots of little comments and behaviours that paint a big picture if you look for it. I know that confirmation bias happens, that once you have an idea you look for evidence and convince yourself you're right when you find it. But the more I look the more I see JK not being the 'cocky soloist bts sell-out' that many horribly seem to have tagged him with recently but as possibly the biggest OT7 in the group who was forced into a solo project. Looking back through BTS content, I'm actually a little startled how many times he says he prefers being on stage with the others than doing a solo performance. We all know he’s said he wants to be in BTS till they are old men, that he wants RM to always be leader (a little strange for the supposed soloist), he looked almost terrified when he found out that Dreamers was a solo project, he always hovers in the background in BTS content (again strange for THE soloist), and there is an overall impression he hates being on his own and is very much an introvert. He seems happy to show off his voice for solo material providing it’s mainly in a studio or a familiar/homely setting and he can get back to the group activities asap. There are many other things out there but I’m glossing to save word count. Now, looking back at his latest solo venture with an idea that maybe he didn’t even want to do it, the story becomes very different but I’d argue makes as much sense as the (horrible) current rhetoric. For years, the expectation from BigHit/Hybe/Armies is that JK could and should be the new global superstar. And let's be absolutely honest here, JK has the talent to be the biggest artist in the world if he wanted. I'm just wondering if he doesn't actually want it? That he just wants to sing and be the main vocalist for BTS – and while he enjoys being told he has the best voice and ‘could’ be a global superstar – he actually doesn’t want that, for whatever reason. If he didn’t want a big solo career and he put in some resistance to keep his career from going astronomical it explains some of the weirdness around his solo era – and choices. I’ve seen others mention a weird dichotomy with some of the choices made and I wonder, now, if it was down to a push and pull between JK and Hybe. Hybe wanted to rocket launch him into stardom and JK wanted a limit that didn’t put him in jeopardy of losing BTS as his main focus. I have to admit I get a chuckle out of the idea of JK dragging his heels writing an album to the point Hybe are like you will have a global solo project even if I have to get a western producer to write it for you. Then JK coming back with the trump card of, well, you do that and I’ll play along but oops I’ve applied early for the military so *timelimit* but hey I’ll be back in time for the promised BTS comeback! Obviously that’s some serious conjecture and I’m being a little tongue-in-cheek but I guess, what I’m ultimately wondering, is if this kind of conversation has ever hit your radar? Or if it’s something you’ve wondered yourself?

***

"Obviously that’s some serious conjecture and I’m being a little tongue-in-cheek"

I'm grateful for the small show of self-awareness. Really.

Thank you for taking the time to write all that. It helped me better understand your point of view, and while I can see where you're coming from, I disagree with many of the assumptions you've made and what you conclude.

First off, why is it so difficult to imagine Jungkook as a global pop star while active in BTS and fitting seamlessly in a group that keeps reaching new heights? Why must it be a zero sum game of one or the other? Why is it so difficult for people to believe this is a reality Jungkook might envision and work towards?

I've said before that I think Jungkook is a very simple and honest person. When he says something it's usually what he means. If you want to understand Jungkook, the easiest way is to simply listen to him. Anon, you said you don't get the impression that Jungkook wants to be a global pop star, but I think he does. There's an interview from 2020 that I strongly suggest you read in full. It explains so much of the kind of person Jungkook is. It made me fall a little more in love with him. The article is linked here but the excerpt I want to highlight is this:

Jung Kook: I think my heart’s telling me to. BTS was able to climb this high thanks to the group members, the company and our fans. But there’s always the question of whether I could receive that kind of recognition by myself, so I have this feeling of wanting to throw myself at some challenge alone. There’s a lot I want to do, and a lot I want to achieve.

By gradually improving yourself, what kind of person would you ideally want to become? Jung Kook: A person who’s crazy awesome in their field. (laughs) Those kinds of people look cool even when they do something different. I still have a long way to go. I feel like I could be more captivating and draw more out of people by improving any number of things, by trying hard to be confident about my singing, or the way I dance and perform. BTS is way more important and meaningful to me than I am to myself, so I’m not saying I want to do anything alone. But I hope I get to the point where I can perform alone for three or four hours in a venue full of people.

Italicized for emphasis.

Like I said, I honestly think anybody who is shocked by what they're seeing in Chapter 2 for any member, probably just wasn't really paying attention before. That's not a diss it's just what I think.

We agree that Jungkook has more than enough talent to be a global pop star; we agree that at the end of the day, going by his choices to enlist so much earlier than he needed to, among other things, Jungkook indeed prioritizes the group. But it's only in a fandom filled with insecure twats that Jungkook simply saying he wants to be a global pop star is treated like he denied the holocaust. In my opinion. Jungkook could be the biggest pop star and Jimin would be right there with him. On his own merits. Owning the world with him because they are BTS. Solos are obsessed with sorting out the popularity of the members within the group, but they forget that BTS are too ambitious to ever make it easy for the world to care about anything but them. I take issue with the very idea that Jungkook being the biggest pop star is somehow problematic for a group like BTS. Even more so when this is apparently the reality BTS have all agreed to, enough to renew their exclusive contracts early, twice.

I think you have a point about all the times Jungkook appears kinda reluctant to do a solo gig though. I mean, he's said it himself that he's actually kinda shy and feels most comfortable with the guys. They're all like that, you know? That's the thing about BTS that it seems only ARMYs get. BTS actually want to remain together, in a system designed to pull them apart. That's why they're one of the few anomalies in this ecosystem, an anomaly the system keeps trying to both replicate and eliminate.

Jungkook feels most comfortable performing with the guys, but he also has a desire to establish himself as a solo artist. I assume this is something everybody in BTS, Bang PD / HYBE, and Jungkook himself understands. Rather than the company dictating solo goals for Jungkook, I think this is something Jungkook is involved in and partly responsible for. As are the other members.

I'm already rambling but what I mean to say is that I think a lot of the discourse around Jungkook's actions in Chapter 2 have been either ignorant or in bad faith. And I think that's unfair to him given it came from his own fandom.

The only real disappointment I got from Jungkook in Chapter 2 is that his solo album didn't have a song he wrote or produced, especially when I know he'd done both several times before. I understand writing a song in a language he doesn't speak can make a difficult task even more intimidating. But I also think he just kinda choked. He'd been building expectations for his solo debut for three years and had to deliver something epic. But between the Busan concert, World Cup, OSTs, enlistment announcements/planning, etc I wouldn't be surprised if he just got overwhelmed and by the time he got his bearings he felt he didn't have enough time and got stuck. That sounds kinda long-winded but it's something I've seen happen often and a feeling I've experienced myself.

Sometimes people just get stuck. It takes a mini-intervention to get the ball rolling again. In this case, and to use a reference from the article above, Jungkook decided to tackle the idea of introducing himself as a solo artist, a bit at a time. In Golden we're given a selection of his pop tastes, songs that he feels represents him, in his beautiful voice. Bang PD gave him a challenge of an all English album and Jungkook more than delivered. Would I have preferred more direct involvement from him? Of course, and it's what I expect in his next project. But for his first work I'll excuse it given he does such a phenomenal job in his vocal delivery and the songs are bops.

Anyway, I appreciate that you felt there was something off in the bad rep Jungkook has been getting, and actually did the work of going back to watch original content. I just disagree with some assumptions you've made along the way because in my view, it's unneeded. Jungkook is very clear about the kind of person he is and what he wants for himself and BTS.

[alxastrx]

I'm unable to sleep so here are some Obey Me angels hcs !! (Mostly Michael and Uriel tbh) Tw : BULLSHIT !! Do NOT get after me for "mischaracterising" them, it's pure crack intended for people who understand that.

Uriel is the only angel wearing actual appropriate clothes and she constantly calls the other angels whores (only half joking I fear) because wtf are those outfits.

Uriel and Michael have siblings energy but Uriel looks like a distinguished woman in her 50s and refuse to see this 20 years old looking twink as her brother.

Michael regularly fights other angels over Luke's desserts and is very serious about it.

Michael has the most lustrious light blonde hair in the three realms and everyone is a little jealous of it ngl. Even on bad hair day he still looks better than everyone else.

Uriel and Raphael force Michael to work out because with all the ASTRONOMICAL quantity of sweets he eats he would be one of the most obese person EVER if he didn't. (And they can never know when they'll have to be ready to fight again yk)

Uriel takes great pleasure in swordfights and owns like 200 types of different swords. Each has a name and she cherises them dearly. Her and Raphael often have friendly fights (shake the entire Celestial Realm to its core in the process but shh)

Michael is the angel who looks after the human realm the most. At first it was to pass time after the brother's fall then he actually started to enjoy looking down upon them. He would never allow himself to go into the human realm and get too attached to them though, he wouldn't allow another Lilith-like accident.

Michael is the reason why Raphael can endure Solomon's cooking. It's RIVALING his. Do not let them cook together, it will NOT end well for the world.

Uriel teaches young angels about pretty much everything. She is even older than Michael so everyone sees her a possibly the wisest being alive in the three realms. Barbatos has a one-sided rivarly with her because of that.

Uriel and Raphael are 99% of the Celestial Realm's fight power. Uriel is 90%.

Simeon is Uriel's favorite angel by far, which is heartbreaking news to Michael who wanted to be her favorite.

Simeon and Michael regularly fights over Luke's custody without Luke knowing.

Every angel have blue eyes, each a slightly different shade. Michael's eyes are a very light shade of blue, almost pastel/ice colored, very soothing to look at. On the contrario, Uriel's tend to look reddish and because of this color's connotation with demons she wears a veil, which covers almost all of her face.

Uriel was Jeanne D'Arc's guardian angel, and her deepest regret was to not have been able to give her a proper death. (Yes Ik that Michael was the one who talked to her but we're not here for accuracy now are we)

Uriel and Michael have long ass hair. Uriel always wears a bun so it's not very noticeable but Michael takes great pride in it and he either braids it or lets it loose.

Michael do not tan, he gets sunburns immediately. Red all over his body. He's too white to endure the sun. Uriel on the other hand, is naturally tanned and can enjoy the sun while Michael has to drown himself in sunscreen (same Michael, same.)

Half of the angels have the fattest crush on Simeon. The other half ? On Raphael. The lesbians ? On Uriel.

Raphael likes to watch new souls going to heaven when he has free time. It soothes him, knowing that some people can still end up good despite all the ugliness in the world.

Luke learned ASL (Angel ? American ? Alien ? Who knows. Not me. Sign Language) because he thought that it was needed to communicate with Uriel, and then realized that she was unable to see, not to hear. He felt dumb. But he's still happy to have learned it though. It could come in handy in the future, who knows (ppl with mc with hearing problems this is your time to shine).

That's all my little tired brain could think of at the moment. I'll drop some arts of Uriel and Michael in the following weeks, probably.

[papertowness]

everyone in the show being angry at WILSON during the tritter plotline is lowkey fucking insane

[ryuatewater]

There's lots of pretty people here Sharing stories and passing letters and There's lots of questions answered and Metaphysical astronomical songs Worth printing all on papers That seemed too mystical It's so magical People that dance and compute that No one's better then you

La la la La la la La la la La la la

There's kings in distant cities Who rule their persons and Make them happy and We won't forget about all the servisory congratulatory Even the animals know that something's brewing And they're all cooing 'Cause in the end I'd like to say No one's better than you

I hope you're happy now I've revealed the truth I've even written this whole song about you And not about me And not about me

Please don't just laugh and clap right now This is serious I'm not delirious I've waited very patiently Just to let you know Who should run the show 'Cause we all know these are the facts Nothing to retract Nothing too abstract

Concluding in the song I'll say that No one's better than you No one's better than you No one's better than You

Uuhh yah

[fandomanimatic-tournament]

Fandom song animatic tournament: Side A Round 1

You'll be back - Hamilton Musical

"You'll be back like before I will fight the fight and win the war For your love, for your praise And I'll love you 'til my dying days When you're gone, I'll go mad So don't throw away this thing we had 'Cause when push comes to shove I will kill your friends and family to remind you of my love"

Wolf in Sheep's Clothing - Set it Off

"So could you Tell me how you're sleeping easy How you're only thinking of yourself Show me how you justify Telling all your lies like second nature Listen, mark my words, one day (one day) You will pay, you will pay Karma's gonna come collect your debt"

Remember that we're voting on how Iconic they are for ANIMATICS, not for the song itself. In order to make things fair, the tone and mood of the song should not affect how iconic it is (for example, a serious song should not be considered more iconic than a joke song just because it's serious)

Propaganda and animatic links of the songs under the cut:

You'll be back - Hamilton Musical

Propaganda:

the amount of animatics I had to sort through to find the one I was actually looking for was astronomical

Animatics with the song:

Karmaland Animatic

Steven Universe

Hazbin Hotel

Villainous

The Lion King

Wolf in Sheep's Clothing - Set it Off

Propaganda:

I was appalled when I found out this song had a chance if not appearing on the polls. This song is my everything. It was there for me in my darkest moments and for my brightest days. This song and all it's animatics got me through life both metaphorically and literally. This song is my everything

wolf in sheeps clothing turned me evil as a young child /pos

This had SUCH an effect on me in middle school

The anthem for edgy middle schoolers with tragic OCs everywhere Not to mention that "Burn. In. HELLLLLLLLLL YEAAHHHHH!" Is just downright iconic

Admittedly I still want to make an animatic for this myself, but it's a fun song that just OOZES villainous or anti-hero charm and popping up unexpectedly and the bridge???? Shifting from darker to hopeful only to drop back down?? "Start all over, start all over-- who am I kidding, let's not get overzealous here! You've always been a huge piece of shit" is just. mwah. incredible. And there's an official acoustic version of it too which I don't know if it's used as often but it has an entirely different vibe. Instead of the cocky or confident singer who has their target EXACTLY where they want them, it's someone who's given up and is tired of all of it. There's Options. it's fantastic.

Animatics with the song:

DSMP Technoblade animatic

Yandere Highschool

Your Turn To Die

Miraculous Ladybug

Scum Villain Self Serving System

Please keep in mind that I don't know all the media and fandoms of the animatics provided as examples and I don't have the time (nor the will) to research them all. Don't come into my notes or my ask box complaining about them being included, I will simply block you.

[samsung-music-official]

"There's lots of pretty people here

Sharing stories and passing letters and

There's lots of questions answered and

Metaphysical astronomical songs

Worth printing all on papers

That seemed too mystical

It's so magical

People that dance and compute that

No one's better then you

La la la

La la la

La la la

La la la

There's kings in distant cities

Who rule their persons and

Make them happy and

We won't forget about all the servisory congratulatory

Even the animals know that something's brewing

And they're all cooing

'Cause in the end I'd like to say

No one's better than you

I hope you're happy now

I've revealed the truth

I've even written this whole song about you

And not about me

And not about me

Please don't just laugh and clap right now

This is serious

I'm not delirious

I've waited very patiently

Just to let you know

Who should run the show

'Cause we all know these are the facts

Nothing to retract

Nothing too abstract

Concluding in the song

I'll say that

No one's better than you

No one's better than you

No one's better than

You"

The Whole World And You (Tally Hall) [2008]

[spacecasewriter13]

When the Lights Go On Again by @spacecasewriter13

Fic Summary:

It is May of 1946, over a year after his fall from the Hydra train and losing his left arm, and James "Bucky" Barnes is struggling to adjust. Working as an analyst at the New York City SSR branch, Bucky tries to put the war and all of its sorted memories behind him. However, try as he might he is plagued by thoughts of Magdalene "Maggie" Ramirez, a Women's Army Corps (WAC) Corporal he met in London and hasn't spoken to since before his fall in January of 1945. Little does he know that Maggie, in her struggle to put the war behind her, has moved to the city and looking for a job with the New York Bell Telephone Company as a switchboard operator. Now, by sheer dumb luck, they are reunited as they both fight come to terms with what they were to one another during the war, and work to figure out how to move forward in a world that was unprepared to deal with the consequences of war in the unsteady peace.

Chapter 30: A Brave Leap

Maggie meets the Barnes women, and both Maggie and Bucky ponder what this means for the future.

Excerpt:

The train station was loud, bustling with people, men in uniform, a few Red Cross volunteers, and other wartime workers all hustling to get where they needed to go. The line for the pay phones was absolutely astronomical, and she was aware of the strange looks she was getting—the sidelong glances and the double takes (never mind the outright gawking).

She hadn’t been unaware of the smear campaign but also hadn’t believed that anyone would buy it either, or that she would have to face down half her hometown just so she could use the phone.

Half of her had a mind to just hitch a ride home, rather than continue to stand in line so she could call Pai to send Tony and Danny to come and get her from the station. Wouldn’t that be a thing? Just show up unannounced on his front doorstep. Tony and Danny would be so upset that they’d been robbed of the opportunity to pick her up.

Her stomach turned as the next reality dawned on her.

They were going to be happy to see her, right? Things were so different now than they had been only a few months ago. They’d still be glad she’d enlisted even though she was going overseas now, right? They didn’t believe the smear campaign, did they? That all the WAC girls were like that? Would they?

Her mind spun, her stomach churning, all the possibilities and what ifs running through her brain as she tried not to think about how much had changed—how much she had changed since she’d left a few months ago, and how much she was still likely to change after she shipped out in a few weeks.

And she knew she wasn’t alone. Daniel had received his notice and was getting ready to go to boot camp before being shipped out.

How different would they be when they made it home?

“Corporal! Corporal Ramirez!!”

Maggie whirled around to find Tony and Daniel walking toward her, big grins on their faces.

“Tony? Daniel!” She grinned, adjusting her rucksack on her shoulder, rushed to them. “I thought Pai wasn’t going to send you until I called!”

“Couldn’t resist the temptation to get here before you called.” Tony laughed. “Come here, kid. Let me take a good look at you.” He held her out at arm’s length, and Maggie waited with bated breath as both her older brothers surveyed her with serious expressions.

“What? What is it?” She asked, shifting from one foot to another. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, it’s just—“

“Barnes here.” James’s voice called, pulling her out of whatever rabbit hole she’d fallen down.

Read the Rest of the Chapter on Ao3

[crystalstunes]

crystal's tunes #3: Romance is Boring by Los Campesinos! (2010)

"First and foremost, oh, let it be said/I am writing this at 7:10AM/On the hard dry tarmac of a vacant forecourt/Astronomically speaking, it's the first day of Autumn." - I Just Sighed. I Just Sighed, Just So You Know (Track 11) this album has been a staple of my taste for years, it's overdue that i write about it, and of course the first day of autumn is the perfect time.

the third Los Campesinos! album, romance is boring, is the perfect cap on the original lineup era of the band. containing some of their greatest lyrical work, satisfying instrumentals and a sense of humour that perfectly harmonizes with some of it's more sombre themes. released less than 2 years after their debut album (and 1.5 after their sophomore), this album is a much more mature in its songwriting, but retaining the immature, verbose lyrics they're known for, referencing romance and sex often despite the album title. however, these are largely about toxic relationships and miscommunications, with gareth usually portrayed as pathetic in the narrative of the songs.

one great example of this is Straight In At 101, one of the most iconic songs from the album. the track starts very directly with the line "I think we need more post-coital, and less post rock/Feels like the build-up takes forever, but you never get me off", and then progressively describes a break-up, getting cold feet, and a series of failed attempts to get laid, before finding out that his breakup didn't even make it onto a tv show of the 100 most heart-wrenching breakups of all time. he should be happy about this, but is instead embarrassed and shameful for his breakup not being more devastating.

as we reach the second half of the album though, the tone begins to transition to themes of existentialism and mental health, though romance is still the through-line between the songs. gone is the occasional comedy of the first 7 tracks, now we have discussions of headstones as "rows of engraved middle teeth, hungry, waiting for me" - Who Fell Asleep In (Track 8), eating disorders, abuse and self-harm.

instrumentally there's a change in vibe here too, with a lot more slower-paced songs and darker chord sequences in this half. the lyrics also become more violent, and start making fun of the listener for being so invested - "broke down laughing and screaming for more, but if this changed your life, did you have one before?" - I Warned You: Do Not Make An Enemy Of Me (Track 9).

in I Just Sighed. I Just Sighed, Just So You Know, the protagonist is unable to detatch himself from the person he has a crush on - "i've displayed marriage proposals on the jumbotron of ball games you've not been at/i've written eulogies in guest books in galleries in the hopes that you might pass" - but by the end of the song he finally realises his fault, but still deals with it in an immature way: "i promise after this i will pick up the phone book/and pick the name my eyes fall upon on their first look/aim all of my poorly composed declarations there in the future".

the emotional culmination of the album comes in the track The Sea Is A Good Place To Think About The Future, a song describing his girlfriend's declining mental health, and the unhealthy coping mechanisms she uses to deal with it, and the chorus describing the girlfriend's suicide by drowning herself in the ocean. the tone here is deadly serious, and the song is absolutely incredible.

the final track on the album, Coda: A Burn Scar In The Shape Of The Sooner State, leaves the end of the narrative intentionally, describing a death and then ending with the line "I can't believe you chose the mountains every time you chose the sea". overall this album is just the perfect encompassment of this original era of Los Campesinos!, from the instrumentation with violins, horns and duet vocals to the sexual lyrical content, sense of humour and unusual number of football references. i'd say it's their most essential album, and it's certainly influenced my taste in music since i first listened to it five years ago. i can't wait to see them live next week.

[izumi-fanclub]

A3! Event Story Translation “Moon Traveler” - Chapter 2

We witness a mental warfare of Tsuzuru trying to get Chikage to open up about his childhood dream

Tsuzuru

Let’s get right to it, then.

Chikage

I missed the feeling of being interviewed like this.

Tsuzuru

We did it when you played Oz, didn’t we? You basically bullied me throughout the whole thing.

Chikage

Haha, I apologize for that.

Tsuzuru

For now, I’ll be asking you. Do you have any requests for the role or script?

Chikage

Nothing in particular, really. Let’s go with whatever you want.

Tsuzuru

Since we’re already here, I want to write a play that Chikage-san will like.

A chance like this won’t come unless you’re a lead actor, and getting requests will broaden the scope of my scripts!

Chikage

Alright, how about… something like “The Ultimate Curry”? It’ll be a tale of a journey in search of a legendary spice.

Tsuzuru

I thought you’d say something like that, but I still didn’t expect it. I mean if you really want that, I can go along with it.

Chikage

I’m kidding.

Tsuzuru

(It’s still a struggle to get anything out of this interview with Chikage-san…)

(I got no choice but to go on the offensive here.)

Actually, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.

Chikage

Hm?

Tsuzuru

Chikage-san, I wanted to ask about your dream——.

Chikage

A dream… I don’t really get dreams. I can’t recall the last time I dreamt.

Tsuzuru

I don’t mean dreams like that. I heard that your childhood dream was to be an astronaut.

Chikage

Ohh, that kind of dream.

But if it’s for the 10th performance; I think something that fits Spring troupe’s image would be better.

The full bloom performance was already set in space too.

Tsuzuru

Whatever the motif, it can be possible to match it with Spring’s image.

I’d like to make it as if Chikage-san really is the main character.

Chikage

I’m glad you think that, but I’m already having the most fun acting in our typical Spring troupe style.

Tsuzuru

(I feel like I’m being misled again…)

(At this rate, we’ll get to nowhere, let’s do this—.)

Chikage-san, why’d you want to be an astronaut?

Chikage

…

Sorry. Acting so vague like this will only set the script back, won’t it?

It’s not that I don’t like astronaut stuff.

I just didn’t have any serious aspirations about it, it was only something I admired when I was very little.

It just feels wrong to force it into a theme.

Tsuzuru

Did you just stop aspiring for it over time? Or did you end up wanting to be something else…?

Chikage

You can say… I just don’t remember much about it.

Tsuzuru

Is that so…

(It almost like we’re talking about someone else. Is it because it was a dream from when he was little…?)

Chikage

Well, I still do like space and the stars. So I guess it’s not just being an astronaut, but astronomy as a whole would be better.

Tsuzuru

An astronomer… it’s true that it’d be easier to insert fairy tale or fantasy elements to it…

Chikage

I can recommend a movie that might interest you. It’s quite an old film, but I think its perspective of the world is something out of a Spring troupe play.

It’s more like a trip around space than just your plain astronaut story, which is fitting of Spring troupe.

Tsuzuru

Thanks… by the way, do you have any emotional attachment to this film? Or was it just a formative experience?

Chikage

Not particularly, no.

… But, I do sympathize with it, though.

Tsuzuru

Eh?

Chikage

Nothing, it’s, I just thought that life on the moon was mysterious and I longed for it.

Tsuzuru

Really?

(Something about it feels a bit nuanced, though.)

Tsuzuru

Chikage

I heard there’s even this Space Expo, would you like me to send you the link?

Ah, please do.

Chikage

Okay, I’ll be off to work now.

Tsuzuru

Thanks for your time. You even gave me a ride back to the dorms.

Chikage

But of course, you’re our important scriptwriter after all. I’m looking forward to the script.

Tsuzuru

I’ll make sure to do my best, then.

Tsuzuru

Phew…

Izumi

Welcome home.

Tsuzuru

Ah, did you just got back from shopping?

Masumi

Yeah.

Izumi

How’d the interview with Chikage-san go?

Masumi

Didn’t work out by the looks of it.

Tsuzuru

Hmm, well, it’s not like I got nothing at all from it. I’ll just get started on writing.

Izumi

That’s already a step in the right direction compared to your last interview.

Tsuzuru

Haha, more like a half-step.

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