#may also happen during the perfect 'verse

[wait-a-minute-lassie]

It had to be done.

[arcticwolf144]

A list of some things I noticed during the last matinee of Next to Normal UK

Diana pointed and yelled something from upstairs just before Natalie started singing for the first time. Like “wahey” sort of energy

She also absolutely bellowed “dive in with both feet” an inch from Dan’s face 

Diana was very insistent that Dan not touch her sandwiches. Kept waving him off

While Natalie was singing Everything Else Diana was peeling the crust off bread slices in time with the beat. I’ve never noticed that before so idk if it was a last day thing or if I’ve just missed it until now but it was very funny. 

Natalie looked like she was tearing up in Perfect for You. She was so happy and it was so cute 

Dan juggled three pieces of garlic bread during It’s Gonna Be Good lmao 

Natalie was so distressed during It’s Gonna Be Good. Like going “please get down!” when Diana climbed on the chair and flinching away from the water. She also mouthed “I’m so sorry” to Henry while everyone else was setting the table

I could hear her sobbing as she ran upstairs

Diana was mouthing “fuck off” to herself a lot while Dan was singing I Am the One.

When Diana started yelling Natalie covered her ears and she was sobbing so hard like the hardest I’ve ever seen someone cry on stage oh my god 

Gabe laughed when Natalie came down the stairs in Superboy 

Diana kept mouthing “shut up, shut the fuck up” when Gabe and Natalie started singing together

A lot of tears during Catch Me I’m Falling

Gabe was so horrified when he saw the blood during I’ve Been. Like he came on, knelt down on the stage and was just staring at the floor, at one point with his nose like inches from the stage. I’ve seen various interpretations but to me it always seems like he can’t quite understand what’s happened or how it’s got there. He knows he told Diana to join him but didn’t realise how violent that would be? Idk. But anyway then he curled against the counter crying and combine that with Jamie’s unbelievable acting through song and it was a hard watch

During the first verse of Wish I Were Here Natalie kept reaching for Diana

I think there was a muck up matinee prank happening in the wings on (the audience’s) left. As the island was spinning Trevor, Jack and Jamie seemed to notice something and were trying not to laugh. Like they’d look into the wings, smile a bit, and then they’d look at each other and then really quickly look away. This happened for the whole song every time the stage rotated. Caissie also seemed to do the tiniest double take when she faced that side of the stage.

Jack didn’t leave the stage after Aftershocks he was standing in the farthest box. So you could see Gabe’s silhouette in the far corner while the next scenes were happening which was quite powerful. 

Diana literally went “what the fuck?” when Dr Madden sent her away after telling her about Gabe 

Diana fully gasped as she put the music box down and the intro to How Could I Ever Forget started. 

When Diana moved away from Gabe during I’m Alive (Reprise) she had her hands over her heart and she was crying and just kept mouthing “my baby”. It was heartbreaking. Then the realisation hit her of what it meant and she got scared and ran off.

Gabe started crying even before Diana looked at him during The Break. He went from exhilaration during the first verse to suddenly getting scared when Diana came in with “they tried a million meds…”. For the rest of the song he was trying to get her attention, crawling up and down the counter in tears. Then when she touched him he completely broke down and was clinging onto her and crying so hard. 

He was also crying when he came out from behind the counter

Natalie sobbed out “stop” when Diana kissed her head in Maybe 

I Am the One (Reprise) may deserve its own post but anyway: Gabe was crying from his first lines (Jack was subtly wiping their face on their sleeve between phrases). He absolutely latched onto Dan, and Dan was sob-shouting his lines while Gabe was absolutely screaming his. When Dan pulled away Gabe tried so hard to catch hold of him again so they had this little tussle mid song during the “yeah”s. Dan then backed away, Gabe leaned fully over the side of the counter reaching for him and tried to belt out “I am the one who loved you” with all his soul but his voice broke so badly basically no sound came out until “loved you”. The same happened with the “tried” on the next line. It was absolutely beautiful and so heartbreaking. He then managed to get out the “you’ve always known who I am”, did this massive sobbing gasp afterwards and was just staring at Dan with tears running down his face. “Hi Dad” was so small and cracky it shattered my heart. Dan then slowly walked towards Gabe with his hand outstretched but stopped just before he reached him, and Gabe raised his hand too so their fingers almost touched and that’s when Natalie came in. Gabe then broke down audibly sobbing

Dan started to break when Gabe touched Natalie’s hand but Gabe then stopped at the bottom of the stairs to cry and Dan started absolutely gasping and sobbing and it was so sad. Like he was watching Gabe leave him for a second time and it destroyed him.

Diana was watching Nat and Henry interact in Light which was a lovely moment. She did a kind of “well fair enough” smile when Henry asked if her parents were real 

[pouralaura]

Sorry, this is probably weird. But my brain is Raphael 24/7 and he and Tav being obsessed with each other. But I was wondering how he’d react to a demi Tav?

He’s crushing and trying to impress for the longest time, and they are completely unphased. Like nothin’, nada. I’m sure he’d be frustrated. But also perplexed? He’s always been able to charm his way with people. So he meets this unmovable person and he’s like ???

But then imagining later on, Tav’s feelings for him suddenly hit them like a fucking train. All of their obsession with HIM hits like tenfold. He is the sexiest being in existence, and they are stupidly in love with him, and they are PANICKING.

I may be the only one who finds this particular scenario intriguing but 😅

Disclaimer: I am not well-versed in demisexuality and this is my first time writing it, so please pardon any lack of necessary nuance here. thanks to @reallyhatethiswebsite for helping me figure out the trigger point! they/them AFAB Tav, Raphael POV.

--

Had Raphael ever, in all of his hundreds of years, experienced such a maddening, tantalizing, mouthwatering proximity to victory? Every hellish fiber of his being thrums in anticipation of his looming triumph. The Crown, so close, its pull so alluring. The augury of his reign launches his mind into a state of utter bliss outside of business hours (and, frankly, often during), a grin on his face and his cock hard as a diamond beneath the quilting of his luxuriously expensive trousers. He is, simply put, so close.

There remains but a single obstacle in his way: a lost, floundering little mouse, so unprepared and ill-equipped for success -- at least, at first. Raphael had been pleasantly surprised at Tav's capability for mortal achievement once they'd gotten their feet underneath them. His respect for them grew as their conquests did; they'd proven an apt ally for many and a fearsome adversary for many more.

Flawed as they are, Tav is perfect for his plan. Raphael has every faith that they will be his savior (in a manner of speaking) now that the time is drawing near. They must succeed. They will. Such a headstrong, belligerent creature; all the sweeter to become the victor -- and, in line with that, to claim himself.

(More on that in a moment.)

He's ruminating on this, as he has near-incessantly in recent months, while strolling back to the Devil's Den from deeper within the city. Maintaining chivalrous relations with his hosts at Sharess' Caress is mandatory; he pauses at the front desk to brush a kiss across the delicate knuckles of the blushing Amira, inclines his head in polite greeting to various good-natured courtesans, and stops to exchange pleasantries with Hoots at the bar before ascending the stairs to his domain of the Gate. Trivial pursuits, but necessary.

(Back to the matter at hand --)

Yes, he will claim Tav himself.

...This point requires further clarification. He will claim Tav as a step to his own conquest. They will fulfill a contract with him. If it happens that they also wish for his claim in a more decidedly carnal way, what manner of devil would he be to deny them? A favor for a favor, after all.

But, alas, they'd proven nearly unmovable in that last respect. It's far from the first time Raphael has experienced, either implicitly or explicitly, rejection of his incomparable devilish charms -- but, to be fair: nearly all of the aforementioned occurrences had been caused by an innate preference for the fairer sex. Their loss, perhaps; but it simply couldn't be helped -- and certainly not a stain on his ego.

(Tav, for what it's worth, however, does not seem limited by such preferences. Near-flawless reconnaissance is a gift and a curse; Raphael is very much aware of their blessedly brief dalliance with the insufferable vampling.)

Such hopes for mutual understanding on levels to-be-determined had been dashed, indeed, until a particular point of curiosity earlier in the week, when Tav and their ragtag gang of unappealing ruffians had met him upstairs at the Caress following his confrontation with the inestimable Kith'rak. Voss had left, and Raphael had snapped his fingers to shield Tav and their party from the detestable illithid shouting about in their heads --

The devil had watched figurative clicking cogs turn between the little mouse's ears for several seconds as they processed the assumedly blissful silence he'd fleetingly gifted them.

"I don't...hear anything." Tav's voice had been quiet. Surprised.

"You are, as always, welcome." He'd smugly spread his arms, inclining his head in a mock bow. "My favorite future client deserves nothing if not the very best I can offer."

There were no differences in how he'd behaved on this occasion, but the way Tav looked at him after his effortless momentary aid was far more layered than during any previous encounter. And, if he was correct -- colored by the hint of a blush, one that he could smell before he could see. The scent of blood rising to their cheeks, dusting their pretty countenance with just a trace of something. A crack. A break.

Perhaps.

Delicious.

He nears the door of the Devil's Den, and...stops.

There is a familiar scent in the air; one he did not expect to be greeted by upon his return to The Office. It's them.

His little mouse is inside. Must have climbed through a window, leapt across rooftops to reach the one opening he leaves regularly and intentionally unwarded for just this precise possibility.

(Korrilla, behind his back, raises her eyebrows at this deliberate lapse in security each time it's included in his instruction. She's lucky he doesn't snap the bones in each of her toes one-by-one.)

Cautiously, he wills the hellish locks to open. Carefully, he presses long, tanned fingers to the door's handle. With deliberation, he pushes into the room.

It takes him two point three seconds to register that Tav is not only in the room, but on their back on the rich, plush red duvet-covered bed, propped up on their elbows, staring straight at him with the loveliest blush dusted across the apples of their cheeks. He steps stiffly into his domain, letting the heavy wooden door close and lock behind him with a decided click. Another seven point eight seconds to close the distance between them (he slinks across the room slowly, like a cat); a full nine seconds, once he's arrived at the bedside, to drink in Tav's nakedness from head to toe -- well, except for the whipped cream adorning the tips of their breasts, if one could call that any sort of coverage. And -- ah. An amber liquid filling the divot of their belly button.

His mouth curls up into a satisfied little smirk. They have been paying attention.

"Are you here to accept my offer, little mouse?" Raphael finally asks, low and warm and purring.

He watches them swallow. Breathe. Follows the red flush as it spreads, heated, down their neck, between their cream-laden breasts, around their liquor-filled navel, all the way down to the lovely pink of their vulnerable, exposed, undeniably glistening sex.

"I am not. At least, not yet." In a contrast to their blush, Tav's voice is strong and level as they continue despite Raphael's responding sneer. "I am here to make one of my own."

"And what, pray tell," the devil bites out, voice tinged with the familiar mix of irritation, intrigue, and damning arousal this creature heralds within him, "might that be?"

"I'm inclined to accept, but only following further discussion." They grin. "But over dinner, here. And...you'll need to do something about my --" here they motion to the confectionary disaster writ upon their flawed, mortal body, beneath him in every way -- "current state."

He'll play along, if only to ease the tightness in his trousers.

Less than ten minutes later, when Raphael is laving his forked tongue along the underside of Tav's breast, lapping up the last of the cream and holding himself back from spilling onto the sheets beneath them, he thinks: I am in control.

Tav moans as he bites; as he presses his face between their thighs, a ragged whine bubbles up from his throat, hot and needy.

They'll be mine yet.

[iskratempestmadness]

A few facts about the characters of "Baki the grappler"

Characters: Baki, Hanayama, Katsumi, Jack, Retsu.

Baki

Food

- it may seem that he prefers something simple, but he doesn't mind trying unusual food combinations. According to the type of ice cream with French fries.

- traditional Japanese cuisine on weekdays and fast food on weekends. He likes to treat himself to a big burger on Saturday night. Although he will have to work hard afterwards to get himself back in shape.

- has a neutral relationship with alcohol. He can drink during the holiday, but usually tries to abstain.

Leisure

- you can't tell from him, but he reads quite a lot, although he can't be called a bookworm. He definitely likes manga and comics, as well as something light from Japanese classics. He reads to relax, so he doesn't want to strain his brain.

- he likes to play board games. He is quite experienced in them, but in some cases, fortune does not favor him.

- walking in the fresh air. As I said, he just wants to relax, so contemplating nature is perfect for that. He likes the prospect of going somewhere to the countryside and staying there to live.

Moment:

It was early in the morning, when the city had not yet had time to wake up. The young man was sitting on a bench in the park, which was close to his house. Despite the fact that summer had already arrived, it was quite cool outside, but the young man did not seem to notice this. Hanma has been visiting this place quite often lately. Perhaps it was here that he could fully relax. His thoughts were confused, like the thoughts of a man who had just woken up, he was thinking about everything and at the same time about nothing. However, he noticed all the peculiarities of his environment. For example, he noticed that the birds were calling to each other today more briskly than usual, and also that this morning was warmer than yesterday, but it was still a little cool for summer... He liked it... And he also liked to have such a carefree time... This is the kind of environment he wants to spend his life in...

Hanayama:

Food

is mmmm... He loves Japanese fast food. You know, quick fried meat in batter with vegetables and various sauces. Or udon in a small but cozy eatery. But he needs really big portions.

- he also likes traditional Japanese dishes, but he prefers not to eat them too often.

- Alcohol? He is an expert in this. It may seem that he drinks only strong drinks, but he is also very well versed in the lungs. Hana also belongs to the type of people who drink and do not get drunk.

Leisure

- naturally, he spends a lot of time in bars. He knows all the bars in Tokyo. And he wrote a review for each, all the pros and cons of the institution were taken into account. He finds this way of spending time very entertaining.

- he likes to play billiards when he has free time. And he's pretty good at it. Despite his size, he is adept at this.

- fishing. Ohhh, he's a pro at this. And how else can you call a man who went to a shark with his bare hands? But even in less extreme conditions, he finds pleasure in fishing.

Moment:

A hard day. This is perhaps the most plausible description of what happened today. There are so many issues that need to be resolved "urgently", so many people who do not understand what they want from him... It exhausted him. His head was throbbing violently, preventing him from concentrating...What was he thinking about? Yes, there's nothing to talk about.Hana was in the very state when a person's mind is filled with various short memories that have no connection with each other...And he didn't have a single sensible thought in his head. He lit a cigarette as usual. And he himself did not understand how he ended up where he is now. It was one of the idzkai he frequented...Heh, perhaps this really was the best option to relax. The young man sat down at the counter and waited for his order... and for some reason, he was already feeling better now. My head didn't hurt so much anymore, and there was no annoying carousel of memories. Hana waited for his order and to his delight, the food really helped him. In some cases, even such small things can make you feel better.

Katsumi:

Food

- HOMEMADE FOOD. To give Natsue her due, she cooks beautifully, so Katsumi's favorite food is homemade food. He doesn't even have a preference, he just loves it and he'll eat whatever they give him.

- he also likes strange food combinations. He is always ready to try something new, but he already has his favorite combinations. I can assume that this is watermelon and feta cheese or popcorn with hot sauce

- relationship with alcohol... Well, he only drinks on holidays, but Katsumi doesn't know the measure. If he drinks, he gets completely drunk. He doesn't know the measure at all.

Leisure

- bowling. He just likes this kind of leisure activity. And he became almost a master at it.

- he likes to sing and not only in the shower. Therefore, one of his favorite ways to spend time is karaoke. He might not be a brilliant singer himself, but he puts his whole soul into it.

- cooking. In this, perhaps, it cannot be said that he is a great master, but he really likes to learn this. He was already delighting himself with a couple of simple dishes. However, it should be noted that his dishes are a little overcooked.

Moment:

He decided to put himself under stress again. There was no other way he could have called it. Of course he liked cooking, but what was happening was terrible. The heated oil splashed in all directions, he spilled something on the floor, broke a couple of plates, and a mountain of dishes in the sink was waiting for him. Is it not a horror? Nevertheless, Katsumi was determined that he would cook this dish. Why didn't he go the easier way? Why didn't you just order what you wanted? After all, he could have asked Natsueh to cook this dish, why didn't he? There were several reasons. First, he liked it. Yes, despite what was happening, he still enjoyed cooking. And he didn't expect a good result at all, he just enjoyed the process. The second is his stubbornness. Is something wrong with him? So what, he will do it as many times as it takes for a decent result. It's a challenge for him. It's a tough call. He had to sweat a lot, but... God, he was really glad... The food was good. But as usual, it is slightly peppered.

Jack:

Food

really has no preferences. All that can be eaten is food for him.

- however, he highlights the Canadian cuisine. After all, this is his native kitchen. One of his favorite dishes is cream cake and "nanaimo"

- attitude to alcohol? Mmmm... Given his lifestyle, we can say that he does not drink at all. But sometimes when he can't sleep, Jack will drink a glass of tincture, but no more. Most likely, he will be able to put tinctures.

Leisure

- He likes to swim. This is an ideal way for him to practice and relax. Besides, he is fond of diving. (So it's ideal for him if he lives somewhere near the sea or a deep lake. This is one of his dreams.)

- he can play the guitar. Despite the fact that he trains almost all the time, he also finds time to practice it. His game is at the amateur level, but it's also not bad.

- What is it? Just like Bucky, he can't be called a bookish character, but he has a couple of bookshelves. Jack prefers little-known works by popular authors. And his favorite genres of books can be called detective and fiction.

Moment:

Quiet. It's late in the evening, it's about one or two in the morning. The noise of the city is no longer audible, only the quiet rustle of leaves and the occasional rumble of water. The atmosphere is wonderful... However... The young man had not been able to sleep for about two hours and it began to bother him. Instead of lying on the bed, he could have done something more useful with a light... well, or at least interesting. Reading was perfect. Jack sat up in bed, turned on the lamp, picked up a book lying on one of the bedside tables and plunged into one of those most amazing worlds that are considered fiction or a fairy tale, and call it fiction. Hanma was quite picky about literature, although he didn't read much. But this book was really interesting to him. Why? Perhaps it was an interesting plot, or curious descriptions of the area, or dialogues of the characters, or... Why guess? Jack liked this book because he could use it to distract himself. There was no hint of the real world in it. Not once in the entire book has there been a hint of problems that were in the real world. And the young man didn't think it was a bad thing. On the contrary, he liked it. It brought lightness, calmness and calmness to his life... Perhaps... A little bit of happiness...

Retsu:

Food

is Chinese cuisine. To say that he loves her will not be enough... He RESPECTS her. He respects her all. From dishes in street eateries to home cooking.

- Japanese cuisine is in second place after Chinese cuisine for him. However, he is extremely critical of her. Retsu tries to eat right, so he carefully monitors what he eats.

- does Retsu drink? Exclusively on holidays. But if there is an opportunity, he will refrain from doing so. He really doesn't like alcohol.

Leisure

- cooking. And he's a pro at it. He has been cooking since childhood, he has a wealth of experience and his knowledge in cooking is still being replenished. He read a lot of books on cooking and watched a huge number of programs on this topic. He is completely enlightened, as it might seem. However, he claims that he still has a lot to grow.

- reading. But he can be called a bookworm. He read everything from classics to manga. And this made him extremely selective in the collection of works. For Retsu, the book is needed not only to relax or distract himself, but also to rethink life. The book is a source of wisdom for him.

- he is fond of photography. And in this he is at the beginner stage. But he learns fast. He likes to photograph animals and plants. He also likes to shoot landscapes.

Moment:

"Yes, this is what we need... This kind of view definitely needs to be captured." This was the first thought that came to Retsu's mind. And the scenery was really spectacular. Mount Fuji. The height is 3776. And it's amazing. The young man was really happy despite the cold and the long journey. Taking out his camera, Retsu started taking pictures... huh... Amazingly... But the camera did not transmit even a tenth of the landscape... However, the footage was amazing. Retsu didn't have much experience in photography, he was still a beginner. How did he come to this? Why photos? Everything is simple. There have been changes in it. Let's just say his mindset has changed. The young man seemed to rethink his life... And I made a conclusion. He needs to slow down. Pay a little more attention to his environment. Watch the world more. That's why he chose photography. With his help, Retsu had the opportunity to forever contemplate what he had captured.

I don't think I'll pull part 2, heh.

[tmbgareok]

I had no idea that this song would eventually become tied to memories that I will think about during my last few moments of my life (which I hope isn’t happening for at least a hundred more years.)

Kiss Me, Son of Blog is always free to subscribe. You can also just read it here if interested. I love these guys and all the like-minded fans.

Have you ever found a song that followed you through your whole life?

Let’s just get this out of the way right at the top: “Birdhouse in Your Soul” is a never-skip, beautiful piece of music that may very well be one of the greatest songs ever written and recorded. Like many of John Linnell’s melodies preceding hit or to follow, each phrase takes you on this cascading journey of almost classical levels of perfection. It is full of so many complimentary sounds and arranged like a Christopher Nolan story board.

The structure of this song alone is a narrative twist: it kicks off with a bridge, followed by a musical intro, and then dives into the chorus before you even hit the first verse. It's a song that never fails to excite me, especially when I introduce it to the uninitiated.

First Encounter: The Notebook in the Bedroom

The way I was introduced to this song is rather serendipitous as I read the lyrics to the bridge without music or any context many months before I would finally locate and purchase Flood, my first TMBG record.

Last week, I shared that while in the 6th grade, I was in my friend’s bedroom, I picked up a spiral notebook laying on his bed to read what was scribbled down.

“I’m your only friend.

I’m not your only friend

but I’m a little glowing friend

but really I’m not actually your friend

but I am.”

I thought this was some oddball thing he had written and laughed while I demanded an explanation for the nonsense. He said it was some lyrics he heard that he liked from a song on the radio. A station that his older sister was into was playing it.

Through the Years: Birdhouse in the Rearview Mirror

7 years after I read that piece of paper with the bridge for Birdhouse in Your Soul, I would become a dad at age 19. Every night when it was time for bed, I would sing my son this song in a more lullaby-inized way of course (slower and softer.)

Over the next 8 years, I 3 more awesome kids. for a several years, three of them were all at an age where they loved falling asleep to Dad singing lullaby songs.

Birdhouse, Older, What is a Shooting Star, and Mammal among others were all sung nightly x3 for at least 3 years. Now, at 44 years old, 3 of my children are adults who can vote. One finished college and is married, building a life of his own. Half of my kids no longer live at home let alone want me to sing them songs at bedtime.

This used to be a song that I would hear and think of that day when I read the opening lyrics in my best friend’s notebook. Now, I think about how my kids have all grown up and life is different. Really good but different.

Did anyone else sing this to their kids?

There are roughly as many years ahead of me as there are behind me and I’m excited to see how many more memories I form around this song that fell into my life one day. I’m curious to hear if there are any other fan-parents who sang TMBG songs to their kids at bedtime or are there any fans who had these songs sung to them?

[thisismeracing]

WORKS IN PROGRESS (OCTOBER) ✅

LOVE BITES (100%) | ✅ (preview here and full piece available exclusively on Patreon here) charles leclerc – vampire!charles It is believed that during the Halloween season, cursed souls and entities come out to play. As it happens, some of them can come uninvited, but things get a lot easier for the dark side when people like Yn are challenged by her friends to go beyond the safety of the town and into the woods looking for a cursed church. One wouldn’t want to be near to witness humans discover history they’re not supposed to.

CHARLIE-VERSE (100%) ✅ read here charles leclerc – regular fluff When Yn decided to go to a Halloween party with her best friend, Charles Leclerc, she did not consider that some of the fantasies would be so close to reality that they would terrify her. But one thing Yn had no idea about too, was Charles’ feelings for her. All Hallow’s Eve is not the most romantic scenario to confess your feelings, but it might be just the perfect one for them.

TWISTED LOVE ✅ read here mick schumacher – dark angel!mick The rule is clear for all celestial beings: to love the Almighty beyond everything. They can’t share the feeling. It is perpetually prohibited for angels to get fond of humans, especially the protector angels. They are the ones who will follow their human on earth and protect each one. Those Angels and the humans are the same pairing throughout time. Mick watched Yn die and come to life in different forms each period, and he fell. In love and from Heaven. Years after searching for Yn, he found her again and he’s ready to get what’s his.

HAUNTED ✅ | read here lewis hamilton – ghost!lewis Lost in the years, lost in the days, Lewis Hamilton haunts the house that once was his. The house where he was killed. And the house that now has new inhabitants. He was used to blowing candles, breaking chinas, and it being enough for the curious newbies to leave, however, it was the first time he met someone who wouldn’t act terrified by his presence. Yn was curious, and that curiosity had a price. Lewis was the one who would collect the debt.

BAD RELIGION (100%) ✅ | (preview here and full piece available exclusively on Patreon here) lewis hamilton – priest!lewis He used to be a sinner, maybe that’s why nowadays he has so much compassion for those. Your kindness, however, can be your downfall. Especially when directed towards a demon. A breach and a hand to hold were all that Yn needed to complete the Devil’s wish. Lewis should have crushed the snake’s head before she swiftly bit him.

➔ Disclaimer: Please, be patient with me, I may take time but I always get it done <3.

➔ also: make sure you reblog my pieces and/or leave me a comment, it means a lot and that’s a way to support and give more visibility to content creators! *mwah* 

➔ here’s my masterlist and taglist

these titles can always change! they’re just so I can keep my docs organized. 

✅ - means the piece was published

% - stands for the amount of writing I did on that piece

[ghostflowerhotpotch]

Clinging too much to the Mask

Or Miles' is neglecting his civilian life for his hero one.

Something I love about Across the Spider-verse, is that no one is truly evil, but that doesn't justify their actions. Likewise, the heroes aren't perfect, in some cases they actively need to work to own their mistakes, and in others, they need to learn a more simple lesson.

I think this last one can apply to Miles. Because while he is doing his best, I feel the story tries to point out that despite "balancing" his double life, he may be prioritizing one over the other.

We get to see this before we properly get to see Miles, who instead of being in this meeting-

He is going around the city.

Not gonna lie, in my first viewing, I felt Rio and Jeff needed to cut Miles some slack; like sure they were being kind of harsh because they didn't know what was going on, but Miles was truly trying hard!

However, the more I rewatched the movie, and the more I keep looking at certain things, the more I realized that Miles' parents are being WAY nicer about all of this than other parents I had seen, and also, that even if you have the context he is not handling this very well.

Let's start with this scene, shall we?

So, Rio and Jeff want to talk about university opportunities and scholarships, which I feel is a bit early for a fifteen-year-old, but if he wants to get into the best Physics program in the nation, I guess it makes sense needing to start early. I am assuming Miles had at least mention wanting to do big things; which is of course what his parents want because they know what he is capable of; so I wouldn't be surprised if they arranged this meeting SPECIFICALLY because Miles set his future on this.

But regardless if it was Miles's idea or his parents, the fact on the matter is this: he should be here.

Because let's remember, he isn't skipping this meeting because the Spot or a villain with a bigger profile was causing a ruckus, we saw him slinging around the city as if he was strolling, and when he goes to get the Spot, he first does this:

I know Spider-man is known for witty remarks and Miles is definitely not an anomaly on that front, but you cannot tell me he didn't explicitly want a patty and it just so happens to have a bad guy in the place; he may have not grabbed himself hasn't the Spot not being there but I bet he would have gone to this shop ruckus or not.

Even if that wasn't the case, he is already late for the meeting; but he still took his time to patrol the city for, as far as we can tell, no real reason besides just checking around.

I get that he is Spider-man and has responsibilities with the city, but when Miles has an important meeting to be in, and he decides just swinging across the city is more important than being there; we have to admit that this is a problem.

And the longer we spend in 1610 the more that shows.

This monologue feels like it can be unrelated, at first.

Miles doing the Spider-man presentation makes sense; it has been established in this franchise as a device to present the characters, so having him update on his spidey-situation while following the trope presentation they had done before it's perfect to match the tone of the first movie.

But I am also a firm defender of "weaponize tropes to press further the message of the story" and I think having Miles do this presentation can support how much emphasis he puts on his hero life.

Last time during the first movie, he did his own spidey-presentation at the end, but he also talked about finishing his essay, and doing art with his dad. In this one, we only get mentions of things related to being Spider-man, you can argue that including his uncle on the recap may also be involved because he died just in the time he was becoming Spider-man.

(This is also to remind the audience of this plot point for the ending but shhh we are focussing on other things here.)

This is nothing new for Spidey-people, Gwen the more repressed she is the more she clings to her duty, which only makes her repress more and makes the cycle continue. Peter B was okay with the idea of staying behind even if it meant dying, and let's be real here, part of the reason he was okay with it was that dying as a spider-man is an idea he made peace with years ago, but confronting MJ about what happened was scarier.

This also happened in the first movie.

This is before they know they may die if they stay, however, you have to admit is a tad unsettling that after being told "You will need to destroy your only way to get home," everyone IMMEDIATELY says they will do it.

Forget being superheroes, no one has any doubts? Any fears of how long it would take to go back home, if at all?

Peni and Gwen worry me especially because I know why those two may just prefer to ditch their home dimensions for a good while (Gwen because she already lost her Peter, was in a flaky relationship with her dad, and probably was neglecting other people too. Peni if you had read some of her comics is not that surprising, heck I want to get her out of that dimension myself.)

I could go on, because I don't think we had seen a Spidey person in this franchise who isn't putting way too much emphasis on their hero identity; but you get the idea. This is a common problem.

And Miles is no different.

When we go to the Party for his dad (something his mom reminded him of before he bolted out to capture the Spot,) we see that the Party is in full swing. Music is in, people had already started digging in the food, and kids are playing.

Look, growing up my family had parties like this, fairly often growing up. This one is to celebrate Captain Morales obviously, but I had been at family reunions that are easily this size.

Considering the size and for who is the Party, I am surprised they didn't call him non-stop when he didn't show up to help put everything up (because I am having a hard time believing he wouldn't be expected to help to put everything,) it was already late when the first person showed up, so by this point, this is beyond lateness.

And where he is at?

JUST NOW he is picking up the cake, AS SPIDERMAN.

Miles, mijo ¿Qué estás haciendo? Para este punto de la partida yo ya estaría haciendo mi testamento.

(Trans: Miles, son, what are you doing? By this point I would be doing my will.)

Ok jokes aside, I don't know what's more unbelievable, that he is just now getting the cake, or that he is doing it in the Spidey costume.

This tells us EXACTLY what he was doing before coming up to pick this cake.

Last time we see him, he told his dad he didn't believe The Spot would come back, which means he didn't exactly think there was any danger. Nothing in the movie shows or tells us there was another big emergency he didn't need to attend to, either; and it has CLEARLY been a few hours since that moment since the lightning has changed.

Don't tell me he came in with his Spidey suit to get a better deal or something, the woman clearly doesn't care about it; and even then, at any moment he seems to find a way to change just so he can move around the city more easily.

Not to mention that while he was trying to come to the Party, this happened.

In case you need to make sure what's happening, since this moment happens in a few seconds during Jeff speech; because someone was stealing shoes (with a guard who is clearly not giving a shit,) he sent a web to stop him.

And rather than just, going on with his day, he stops to sign some autographs and pics, to the point someone else thinks the taxi is waiting for a new client, which the guy obviously accepts.

Honestly, once this moment clicked for me I feel a little dumb to not realize that this is actually a thing Miles needs to confront about himself and not just the natural back and forth that is expected with this life.

And you can see it in other things too.

Miles isn't a loner, or at least he wasn't one in Into the Spider-verse.

I remember that when I saw the movie the contrast surprised me, like many other people, I had grown up with plenty Peter Parker adaptations, where he is most of the time, a nerd that deals with bullying to some degree. Even with Miles being his own character, I was surprised that at least in his old school and neighborhood, he not only has friends, he is basically a popular kid.

Now in ATSV? That seems to have gone away.

Is such a small detail in both movies, but it still shocks me every time I think about it hard enough.

Miles had tons of friends, or at least people he definitely got along with; people who said that miss him and such. Even if we never hear a name from him; look at the people greeting him at the beginning at ITSV, go to see the movie and see how much Miles scrolls on his contact list; there is no way in hell he wasn't close to some of these people.

But all of them seem to have gone away by this movie, not only did neither of his parents think of asking about anyone in the neighborhood, Miles himself only scratches the names of his spidey-friends. This either means Rio and Jeff know enough of the people in the neighborhood to be aware Miles is not going out with any of them; or the relationships had deteriorated enough that neither party even thinks of the possibility of being with any of them.

That's...that's a lot.

Look, I am not going to say Miles changing school wouldn't affect his previous friendships, I know exactly how that works.

But in ITSV, Miles said it himself, he still lives here, none of them look like they live too far to be impossible to hang out with; and despite that, the only friend he seems to have is Genki; who aside from being his rommie, is the only person he has that knows his secret.

Which is probably, the only reason they are close enough for Miles's parents to know about him.

To top it all off, this shows that Miles isn't exactly shy, he may have not been fitting too well with his classmates at first but it has been over a year, and he should have been able to make more friends. If he wanted to.

And is not the only thing suffering.

I am not sure if the joke is that Miles is trying to soften the blow and the teacher is telling on him, or, that he legit forgot the number of classes. Considering it was obvious the woman was going to know and had no incentive in hiding this from his parents; I am inclined to believe Miles actually forgot how many classes he lost.

Considering how spidey emergencies work, 6 classes isn't that big of a thing, assuming this is the only class he has lost classes on. Knowing how the hero gig works you could expect more, but for my own sanity I will pretend it has been only these.

There is a big chance he missed those classes for really, bad situations where he needed to be there. However, we aren't actually sure; and considering the direction this movie is going, it is very feasible he may be messing around a few times.

And look, Miles grades are freaking amazing; seriously I was doing a lot worse in school without any hero business involved. But even if he obviously puts some level of priority in his studies, you can see that this is a struggling battle.

Not to mention the elephant in the room, that is the fact that the reason we know he is working so hard to have good grades, is because he wants to go to Princeton University.

Miles can't give the exact reason as to why in this scene, but this is really all we need to hear:

I really don't need to explain myself further, but because I already had the image at hand from something else, here it is.

The only not related to Spider-man is that he is somewhat prioritizing, and has to do more to see the other Spiders than his actual future.

I think this becomes more obvious when you remember that as smart as he is with Physics, in the first movie he wasn't really interested; despite what he knew he was trying to fumble that class like the rest of them, trying to quit. The only thing he seemed passionate about was his art, which is the other class that he is doing amazingly.

I had seen people argue Miles' dream will probably be related to art, if it wasn't because seeing the other spiders has become even more important than that, deciding to try to get into the best Physics Program in the country just to see if he has a chance to meet them again. That's a lot of time, effort, and work; and is not even about him or what he wants to do for the rest of his life.

In a way, this movie comes to a conclusion about it, but I think I want to talk more about that when we focus on Miles' parents.

Thank you for reading, hope this gives you guys some perspective about Miles; I feel I don't see a lot of people picking up on this, which is a shame since I feel the story with his family gains a deeper layer by having both parties struggling in their own areas.

[is-that-plural]

Okay this one may be reaching super far HOWEVER

Judith Ford/Natalie Cook from 36 questions! (Its a podcast musical so I will mention music and stuff)

The basic plot is Judith meets this guy named Jase, and- in an effort to get away from her past- changes her name and entire identity to hide who she is! During the 3(?) years they’re married she goes by Natalie Cook, forged documents, makes up a backstory, etc. Jase finds out, things happen, and then Judith finds her way back to Jase and then the plot of 36 questions happens. Basically they go through *the* 36 questions (look it up if you want) they went through the first time they met, and then fun things happen that we don’t fully care about. All you need to know is she goes by Judith (her true identity) throughout this.

Now we can get to the possible system implications.

I don’t want to claim that alters are fake identities, because they aren’t, but I feel like I can justify a case for Natalie possibly being another alter!

It is implied that Judith had childhood trauma/a generally unstable home life, as she mentions in the song “Our Word” where she says she continuously lied to “[keep] the waters calm”. She started doing this around ~8, so it’s implied that things happened beforehand. It is also implied in the same song she has some kind of depression, which is common in trauma survivors. Don’t take this as hard evidence though.

The main part I want to talk about is in the song “We Both.” She literally starts the song with “When I was with you, I was real.” This is probably meant to read as, despite her identity being fake, the love she felt for Jase and her personality were real. However, through a plural lens, you can see this as Natalie signaling to Jase that she was quite literally herself with him, despite having to “fake” her identity. Similar line from the song: “When I was with you I didn’t feel lost, confused, or frightened, or scared to be who I am.” Jase also near the end of the song talks about Judith and Natalie as if they’re separate people “But now I’m reevaluating how similar you are to her.” There’s also the line from the end “When I am with you I am actually too real” which can be read as Natalie almost giving away the fact she was an alter?? Maybe??

Some more evidence comes in “A Better Version” where Judith sings about how she felt like her life with Jase as Natalie was better. Which actually can count as some counter evidence for this theory as she specifically states she “heard the perfect opportunity to be someone else entirely” and says it was to be “free from [her] history”, but I digress. She says “And I loved who I was with you.” Which is, again, treating Natalie and Judith as different people! She also has an entire verse about how she loved doing things she used to hate (which even though it’s supposed to be read in a romance context, can be taken as Natalie having different opinions to Judith!) Judith also says “Natalie, your wife, she was a better person” again referring to the two as different people!

In “Answer 36” she’s talking to yourself using “you” as if she’s talking to someone else! Which, I admit, is extraordinarily common even in singlets, but it’s something! This is also after something that was very stressful for her, and it could be Judith and Natalie talking possibly! Again, this is meant to be a coping mechanism and is common in singlets, but I’m trying to get as much as I can for this theory over here.

Wow, uh— that was a LOOONG rant. Sorry about that! Just wanted to talk about some possible plurality in a very niche fandom :3

!!

[ we are in this fanbase actually !! huge fans of the show <3 ]

Whilst canonically its very much just the biggest lie Judith got herself into (on Purpose, mind you; a huge part of Jace's problems with her Lay in the fact that Judith did all of this as a Choice and i think that's the biggest evidence countering it as sadly shes just a singlet with ptsd and depression and possibly other disorders that dont seem to be plural), She does have some aspects of plurality in her character overall though ! we see where you're coming from !!

so: is that plural

Rating: not really, but there's definitely some 'ingredients' of plurality in her character !

[my-coven-is-claudia]

Miguel isn’t the only villain in across the spider-verse - it’s the fans too

On the surface, Miguel is the obvious antagonist in atsv. From the get go he demonises Miles, treats him as if he understands what’s going on and puts all the blame on him for the multiverse being in danger. His justification for this is that Miles is an anomaly - a mistake. His role as Spider-Man was not meant to happen at all and he’s simply a poor replacement whose existence has catastrophically left a universe without a Spider-Man. The key part here is that Miles is an error, a blunder, just an inferior stand-in: he’s not the original.

The meta-narrative of the spider-verse movies is wholly centred around adaptation and the different adaptations of Spider-man, and Miles himself has a poignant role in this. Unlike the majority of the other Spider-men in the society he isn’t just some other rendition of Peter Parker or a ‘what if this person got bit instead’ character. He is unique. Something new. His lack of connection to previous Spider-men allows him this fluidity and ability to write his own story. For this meta-narrative to work he has to be the protagonist. We have to see the story through his perspective so we can see Miles as his own person and separate from the stereotypical idea of what Spider-man is. Miles’s iconic line from the film “Imma do my own thing” is a perfect summary of what he represents and stands for. He may not be the ‘original’ or anything like Peter Parker but he is something truly amazing. After all, that’s what the first movie was all about: anyone can be Spider-man. But with the wide variety of different Spider-men through atsv and the trans-coding of Gwen’s character, this movie seems to be hammering this point home and is actively fighting against fans who cling onto ‘canon’ and don’t accept any kind diversion or reinvention of a source material. In this movie Miguel represents these kind of fans who desperately cling onto canon and reject things like headcanons and interpretations that threaten to be different from their own.

In atsv Gwen gets a lot more focus and we get to see another side to her, seeing her personal life. We see that on a daily basis she has to hide a part of herself from everyone around her, especially her father. Her own flesh and blood is out to get her, hunting her down and talks about arresting her to her face, and all she can do is just smile and nod. Initially, this appears as simply what every Spider-person has to go through - hiding their identity, but with Gwen it cuts a lot deeper than that. Because she isn’t just hiding her identity as a superhero but she is having to hide her personal (gender) identity. From the phrase ‘Protect Trans Kids’ painted in her room, the trans flag on her father’s uniform to the repeated use of the trans flag’s colour palette during her conversations with her father, Gwen is undeniably coded as trans.

This new approach to her character has angered some people, and that’s what the whole movie is about.

Atsv tells a cautionary tale about how restricting artistic expression and religiously sticking to canon only harms stories and writers. It prevents the creation of amazing works like itsv/atsv! Fans’ obsession with staying inside the box could have resulted in this incredibly revolutionary film - itsv - from literally being created. Atsv is throwing everything at the viewer to tell us that this is still a looming threat and that it doesn’t just stop at producers and executives, fans also have an influence, for better or for worse.

Another example of how queerness is used in this film to fight against toxic fans is the queer undertones in Miles’s arguments with his parents. Every time he’s about to reveal his identity as Spider-man it is very reminiscent of a coming out scene. His parents speak of him lying to them and hiding something, and even more poignantly, that no matter what is going on with him they will love him no matter what. Whether Miles is under the queer umbrella is not what matters here, instead it’s the impact which speaks volumes on what atsv is trying to get across. Spider-man can be queer, can be gay, can be trans (this also applies to Spider-man being a person of colour). Even if the original iteration of the character wasn’t, it has long since evolved past the rigid boundaries of canon.

In the context of fandom, this message is very important right now as queer headcanons seem to be receiving more criticism as of late. This message is integral for many to hear and to remind us all that canon is just the building blocks - not the whole structure.

So the narrative is using Miles and Miguel as placeholders to portray these two clashing point of views. To break canon and continually reinvent stories or to swath canon in a blanket and never touch it. We as the viewers are left with a choice on who to side with, to decide who we believe is right and who is wrong. But to be honest, it’s pretty clear who’s right.

[crisiscutie]

Hi! I was the anon talking about I Don’t Smoke! I’d love to hear your analysis on how I Will relates back to the domestic AU! It’s one of my favorite songs of hers.

Another song I think could relate to the domestic AU is Pink in the Night. I’m glad I could introduce you to Mitski, her music is amazing.

Thank you, anon! I think I'm already a fan of hers. Here's the song analysis and how it relates to the Domestic AU~! The song I am analyzing is called "I Will" by Mitski. For everyone else, give it a listen when you get a chance~!

[First Verse] I will take good care of you, I will take good care of you Everything you feel is good if you would only let you I will wash your hair at night and dry it off with care I will see your body bare and still I will live here

I believe that this verse embodies both Fluffy Sephiroth and Domestic Darling. At first, Domestic Darling needed immense strength to bear the weight of both her and Sephiroth's emotions when they fled from Shinra. Sephiroth did not have the emotional strength to bear the weight on his own. I want to remind you guys that this happened before the Nibelheim mission. Their relationship was put to the test, but they persevered together. This also highlights how their love enabled them to grow and love themselves besides each other.

[Verse 2]

So stay with me, hold my hand There's no need to be brave

Sephiroth is determined to keep the darling by his side. This determination is rooted in his desperation not to lose his last connection, having experienced a lifetime of abandonment trauma from everyone else he knew. Fortunately, the darling has no intention of leaving him alone, and since they left Shinra, the thought of leaving Sephiroth has never crossed her mind. They are partners in this journey, and she will support him every step of the way, helping him to embrace his vulnerability and find strength in it. To show her encouraging that vulnerability, here are two fic examples.

[Bridge]

'Cause all I ever wanted is here, all I ever wanted All I want is always you, it's always you

I see this as the darling reassuring Sephiroth of her commitment to him. Sephiroth was plagued with guilt and resentment after hurting Genesis during their training session, and even more so after Genesis betrayed their friendship and the company. This may have subconsciously fueled Sephiroth's fear about the darling leaving him when they left the company for a new life, especially given the aggravating circumstances of the darling's pregnancy. The morning after their lovemaking, Sephiroth observed her limping and attempting to hide her discomfort. Initially, she made the mistake of concealing her pain to protect his feelings, but she rectified this mistake by standing by his side during their challenging journey. Not instantly, but slowly. She had to prove her commitment to him multiple times.

[Pre-Chorus] And we're not out of the tunnel I bet you, though, there's an end

Admittedly, this verse is a bit self-indulgent for me because I adore happy endings that have been earned. And in my mind, the Domestic AU is the perfect example of just that. Even with all the obstacles thrown their way, Domestic Darling and Fluffy Sephiroth's love has persevered. Yes, corny I know. Together, they will make it to the end, stronger than ever before.

Thanks again for introducing me to Mitski. And guys, feel free to send in some other song suggestions that could relate to Sephy and his darlings. If it catches my eye, I could write an analysis on them too!

[pqrachel]

Going through S2 Act 1 again, not like a full rewatch just skipping around watching some fun moments, possibly looking for something to draw. (I didn't end up drawing anything, I got too distracted.)

But yeah here's a more detailed list of shit I liked from the first 3 eps.

Major spoilers below...

Ep. 1:

"Vi?" "How do you know my name?" "It's written on your face." (She was laying down with her face away from Maddie before she fully walked up when this was said. Maddie's just trying to be funny, there's no way she saw it, and I think that's cute.)

Jayce hitting whatsherface-acidnose (Renni) with the dinky little hammer like the symbolism alone would do something lol

-

Ep. 2:

All of the visuals on the scene when the song "Sucker" was playing just fucking peak dude. The way it wordlessly lets us know what happened in Silco's absence, Isha's introduction, the "POOW" of Jinx's gun smoke, how the song stops and picks back up for the scene to continue, ooh *chef's kiss*.

Madam Margot is also just so hot, and I know everyone in Arcane is hot, but just yeah.

Jinx saying "haven't I done you enough favors?" to Sevika then immediately going to build her a new arm after. #jinxdidnothingwrong

Just Jinx's expressions as a whole. :D

And alleyway asshole's calamari staying on the ground to be stepped on, just reminded me of the cupcakes in the windowsill in S1E1.

Viktor is Jesus or whatever too. I may have hated high school english and flunked my college writing classes, but even I can recognize a Christ-figure when I see one.

Ep. 3:

Yay they kissed, but also... are we really sure we should leave the two pining lovers alone to find our main target, like that's alright with everyone? We already turned down a whole army let's split our taskforce even smaller, good idea boss, I'm completely on board with this.

Lest is cute with her ears and her stealth. <3 Also the animation on her smoke (smoke in general in this show but hers for some reason) just amazing.

Vi: "I'm done blaming myself for your mistakes." Good for you Vi. Like genuinely powerful mindset.

Jinx is so smart dude, knowing exactly how Vi would approach the room, lining up the mirror perfectly. Like she's so good. I love Jinx!!!

The visuals on the wild rune and how it just completely reminded me of Spider-verse's glitching, it's just so good. My favorite animated show taking notes from my favorite animated movie. Peak.

Fucking amazing closing scene! The glitching starting with the hextech weapons, Jinx's speed during the fight, Jinx kneeing Vi in the face the way Vi kneed Sevika in S1, all the cool close-ups of them fighting at the song's climax, Jinx's "I'm glad it's you" when she lost, Isha being rightfully scared and shaky as she intervenes, the way Jinx just laid there defeated during those moments with Isha hugging her not wanting to win like she did.

Every tiny little detail is perfect!

And again the 2d animation against the 3d world of the smoke as the pipeworks explode.

[consanguinitatum]

David Tennant in Drama School: A Podcast Teaser....Just Because

Earlier today two posts I saw on Twitter - but which didn’t initially appear connected - made that ever-present "David Tennant in drama school" connection happen in my brain. It made me think...was it a sign? Perhaps it's apropos to feature the teeniest tidbit from my podcast research? The first real teaser-thing-whatever where I reveal actual DT drama school unknowns?

I had to think about it for a while, but I eventually came 'round to it.

(And oh, as an aside, my podcast will be called A Tennantcy To Act. So that'll be what it is, whenever I get the bloody thing off the ground. Grrrr.....)

Anywaaaay, here's the teaser story.

Our story begins with a tycoon – Reos Stakis. I'm pretty sure Scots of a certain age will know him. He came to Scotland from his native Cyprus in 1928 to sell lace, and from those meager beginnings, he created the Stakis dynasty of hotels, restaurants and casinos. Reos was knighted by the Queen in 1988, and in 1998 sold his leisure chain to Ladbrokes for over 1.3B pounds. He was also a legendary philanthropist, giving millions in donations to public institutions, educational facilities, and charities. One of these was the Royal Academy of Music and Drama. I know this will seem like a wild swing from the subject, but this brings me to one of the things I saw today. This short video is a heartwarming paean to true love, and I encourage you to watch it. It features two iconic British actors, Timothy West and Prunella Scales.

If you're young, you might not know who West and Scales are. Scales is best known for playing Sybil Fawlty, the bossy wife of Basil Fawlty, in the BBC comedy 'Fawlty Towers'. And West is an accomplished stage actor, especially in Shakespeare.

We'll return to West and Scales in due course. For right now, we'll turn back to the Stakis family and their donations to the Royal Academy of Music and Drama, now the Royal Conservatoire. (For the rest of this post I'll be referring to the RCS as the RSAMD, as that was what it was called during this time period.)

Reos Stakis had a son, Andros. Andros became the managing director and deputy chairman of the Stakis empire in 1988. And oh yes.....he held varying positions on the board of the RSAMD from 1989-1991.

As you may (or may not) know, the years of these board positions coincide almost perfectly with David's years at the RSAMD. David began his tenure at the RSAMD almost exactly 35 years ago - he enrolled in late September 1988, and graduated in June 1991 with a BA in Dramatic Studies.

The donations made to the RSAMD by the Stakis family made some exciting opportunities open up for the students attending the Academy...David amongst them. The RSAMD decided to use these funds to create what they called Stakis Masterclasses.

Stakis Masterclasses were on a wide range of topics and were designed to accommodate all RSAMD students, drama students and music students alike. For example, music students could attend classes by recognized musicians on various instruments like the cello, the trumpet, or piano. With regards to drama, they were a novel venture indeed! Their classes were opened to both students and the public, and gave a public audience of lay and professional people an insight into specialist areas of the drama process. They did this with the help of established actors. Tickets were usually free at the door, though for some of the classes tickets were available in advance to drama students and the public. Topics were as wide ranging as how to use one's voice, how to portray comedy, or how to read verse.

The classes began in 1989, and by 1991 they were an established part of the RSAMD experience. One can imagine David attended some of these classes, as his interest in perfecting his craft has been ever-present. Exactly how many he attended isn't known.

But one is!

It so happened a famous acting couple - Timothy West and Prunella Scales - were touring together in Long Day's Journey into Night at the Theatre Royal in Glasgow in March 1991. As Prunella had done a previous Stakis Masterclass in 1989, it was not surprising she would do another - this time joined by her husband.

So on 26 March 1991, Scales and West agreed to do Masterclasses for the RSAMD. The couple did a double-act on Acting Verse - Scales concentrated on the Shakespeare sonnets, while West helped students work on speeches from the plays. After finishing the classes, Scales and West (and the entire 'Long Days' company) were guests of the school for lunch. The couple then lead a discussion with the company and students, who that evening attended a performance of Long Day's Journey Into Night at the Theatre Royal.

This brings me to the second post I mentioned at the beginning - you know, the other which clicked in my brain? It's this one and it shares that tomorrow David will appear on BBC Four to reminisce about his role as Hamlet before the channel airs a repeat of his 2008 turn as the Dane.

But you see, contrary to popular belief, 2008 wasn't his first go at Hamlet. He'd done it before.

Yep! He'd played Hamlet in that Timothy West and Prunella Scales masterclass. And while I don't know how much of the play he did during the class - perhaps it was only a few lines, or a soliloquy or two - it was enough of an effort to get remembered.

And that, my friends, is the end of the story.

[tomorrowxtogether]

Do It Like That, the Summer Smash TOMORROW X TOGETHER Brought

Meaning Behind the Collaboration of TOMORROW X TOGETHER and Jonas Brothers

2023.07.08

In early June a soundless video snippet was released in which we see Ryan Tedder and TOMORROW X TOGETHER in a studio listening to what we can guess is a new track. Ryan Tedder is known as OneRepublic’s lead singer, but he is equally famous in the industry – perhaps even more so – as a producer and songwriter.

He contributed to Beyoncé’s “Halo” and Leona Lewis’ “Bleeding Love,” and he already has under his belt three Grammy Awards for Album of the Year for his work on “21” and “25” from Adele, and Taylor Swift’s “1989”. A few days ahead of that clip being posted, Tedder had teased on his Twitter account with a selfie at TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s US concert with the jesting text “Joining @TXT_members ??” One could sense from the tweet that his familiarity with the group was too great for this to be a simple shout-out. Indeed, that video clip itself had been captioned with “A big one is coming”, and we most certainly got that.

By mid June, TOMORROW X TOGETHER posted a group photo by a pool with the caption reading, “We go Together”. It’s clearly designed to remind us of the cover art of the album “Happiness Begins” released by Jonas Brothers in 2019, as was the text which happens to be the opening line to their hit song, “Sucker”. And what do you know, it also happens to have been written by Ryan Tedder. Finally, on June 22, TOMORROW X TOGETHER and Jonas Brothers officially announced their collaboration project “Do It Like That” which will be released on July 7.

Jonas Brothers is one of the most successful boy bands of the past two decades. It is not an overstatement to declare this quite a singular feat, especially for an American boy band. Their longevity and continued new music releases to this day since 2005 – despite disbanding and reuniting in between– is another uncommon feat. From 2007 to 2009, the band appeared mainly on the Disney Channel and solidified their position as the unquestionable heartthrob for teens and enjoyed some of their most glittering years during this time. The members went on to pursue solo careers for about a decade after which the brothers at last found their collective adult identity as a pop rock band. Their being family might be brought up to downplay their success as a group, but maintaining the band as teenage idol musicians and consistently evolving over time is no small feat. 

One of the biggest contributing factors of this successful artistic reinvention is “Sucker”. Not only did it make its debut at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, but it remains their sole single to have reached that pinnacle to this day. What’s even more remarkable is it held its position in the top 10 until August, earning itself the accolade of being one of the “Songs of The Summer” in 2019, alongside Post Malone’s “Sunflower (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse).” While the title “Songs of the Summer” may not be an official concept, it holds significant weight in the industry. With summer traditionally being the season with much family time – especially outdoor activities – it’s the perfect season for music to become embedded in our collective memories and transcend time and space. Summer anthems become global megahits dominating airwaves everywhere and very likely go on to become still-beloved golden classics. We all know how “Livin’ La Vida Loca” returns every summer.

In fact, Billboard has been running a “Songs Of The Summer” chart since 2010. In the most recent years, “Sucker” still reigned as one of the most successful summer songs. Along with the likes of “Peaches”, “Levitating”, and “As It Was”, for the foreseeable future we are going to hear “Sucker” during the heatwave months on beaches, by pools, and in shopping malls and cafés.

The meeting of TOMORROW X TOGETHER and Jonas Brothers for “Do It Like That” takes place like some learning-by-osmosis for a still fresh boy band that only debuted in 2019. “Do It Like That” has all the makings of a summer hit such as its danceable rhythm that’s bouncy yet chill, a hook that sinks in quick to reel you in fast, and chill and relatable lyrics. TOMORROW X TOGETHER is certainly one of the more successful K-Pop acts performing today, but adding to their loyal teen audience, acquiring universal appeal, and getting significant radio play are not easy tasks for any artist. “Do It Like That” presents an opportunity to clear all these challenges in one go. It’s especially apropos for TOMORROW X TOGETHER this summer as they gear up to make their summer festival rounds where a song like this really adds to their arsenal as a number that can get people vibing immediately regardless of whose fans happen to be in the crowd. 

As for the Jonas Brothers themselves, they have a massive 37-date North American tour planned. “Do It Like That” can be a nice follow-up to “Sucker” as it brings fresh blood to the group’s summer song catalog, especially since the song will bring in the broader K-Pop listenership. That is why the recent social media activity from the Jonas Brothers such as their “Excuse me BRUHH” TikTok with TOMORROW X TOGETHER that reenacts that meme-able moment from the film “Zoolander” and the adoption of a K-Pop industry move of releasing “concept photo” as part of their promotional material, all appear to be much more than just spur-of-the moment online humor. In short, “Do It Like That” is a definitive snapshot of how K-Pop’s most recent forays into the US market have evolved. It has a better understanding of what comprises the market's essence. With this insight, their moves are much more calibrated, thereby yielding opportunities for a mutually beneficial collaboration within the ecosystem. It’s a deft mix of the team’s musical color and K-Pop’s commercial cachet. This masterful positioning was also on display in last summer’s collaboration with iann dior who provided a direct line to the musical sensibilities of Gen Z, and now this summer TOMORROW X TOGETHER is aiming for the charts with Jonas Brothers. You don’t get to see a band like this every day.

[brokendreamscreation]

Headcanons Overview of Lucid Eveningstar [default verse]

Lucid’s title is the “Angel of Dreams & Illusions”

Both the Morningstar and the Eveningstar are represented by the planet Venus in the sky. It is the first “star” to be seen in the evening sky and the last one seen in the morning sky.

He is a seraphim but not an archangel. The closest status he lands in is “guardian angel.”

His duties are to create dreams and illusions to “uplift and comfort the souls of others, both human and Winners.”

While Heaven is “perfect”, grief still exists. An angel discovering a loved one is either in Hell or Purgatory can be devastating and at risk of falling themselves. Lucid’s dreamsphere’s are an element provided through counseling and therapy to help try and prevent this from happening.

Lucid is not allowed to meet the Winner’s nor any other angels outside the archangel’s and high council. This is due to the fact he is crafted in the image of Lucifer and this secret could be detrimental if realized by others.

Created between 5,000-6,000 years ago, it was during a heavy period of grief for God (if you’ve seen the art of Big G it shows He has a darker side referred to as Void G). Creating a new angel in the image and power of his favorite angel Lucifer (Samael), it gave Him a brief period of joy and peace before slipping away and vanishing all together.

Lucid was created as a baby (a cherub really) to have the opportunity to grow up “nurtured, loved, and guided” into his rolls rather than be assigned right from the start. It is also thought that if any elements like Samael/Lucifer began to show through it could be stopped or curbed early in his development to avoid a potential disaster like his predecessor.

He was mainly raised by the archangels and select members of the high council, kept in secret within a citadel used for housing the Archangels.

Gods instructions to Sera included looking after Lil Lucid and guiding him towards the purpose he is meant to have. But unfortunately was rather vague on exactly how. It’s believed He figured since Sera loves and protects her sister Emily as a mother like figure that she would be an excellent guardian for the new angel as well.

Unfortunately with Sera’s desire to protect Heaven and her loved ones, this lack of instruction and uncertainty lead to Lucid being raised in secret and forbidden from many things, including creating life (plants & animals), interacting with the Winners, leaving Heaven (unless accompanied by one of the brothers), and a high limit on what he can manifest.

As Lucid grew and began his training, at major stepping stones he unlocked one of his seraphim wings. The last set was earned when he was given his title as The Angel of Dreams & Illusions

In the Dream Plane, Lucid can create and do anything and everything he ever wanted. It is here where in “safety” he can let his imagination fly and not be spied on as heavily by his superiors.

Lucid creates Dreamsphere’s that look like galaxies or worlds even, the glass like orbs lighter than a feather and fitting in the palm of one’s hand. Each dream is crafted differently and when orders come in for more specifics he creates them to fit them.

Each dreamsphere has the ability to adjust and fit the needs of its new owner, sinking with their emotions, memories and thoughts to craft the perfect lucid dream needed to uplift and comfort them.

Like Lucifer, Lucid could be a formidable opponent, if he had been trained to be as such. He has the same power and abilities of the former archangel angel, but the high council believed he may become exactly like the fallen angel. Thus they “instilled the fear of God” (or Heaven rather) into the seraph at an early age, reminding him that he is made in Lucifer’s image and that he will forever be at risk of falling. That he must never make the same mistakes as his predecessor.

Lucid is a heavily passive angel, choosing flight over fight and typically submitting to the higher ranking ones. However this fear has also lead to the angel to keep secrets and avoid telling full truths in certain situations.

He is used to having many of his questions and ideas dismissed or ignored. Due to this Lucid has become self-sufficient in seeking answers on his own. Usually in the massive library and archives. But after 5000 years of reading he has changed his sights on valuing in-person experiences

When Heaven began to execute Extermination Day on Hell, the focus and guard on Lucid heavily shifted. Noticing he was no longer so heavily under the scope, the young seraph began sneaking out of Heaven to find answers on his own.

[kristsune]

So I had this idea a while ago, to do little reviews for all of Tim Meredith’s songs because I feel like there isn’t enough love out there for them. So last week I decided to just Do It. I finished (including the two new songs he just dropped yesterday) I have it here under a readmore, or if you would prefer, you can just read the gdoc here, I only did the songs that were listed on his bandcamp (which you should absolutely go to) even though there are a few extra early ones on his youtube.  These were written in no particular order, basically whichever song I happened to click on next. Anyway, feel free to read and spread the word.

How to even describe Tim Meredith’s music. The way he can adapt to different styles and genres is honestly impressive. It’s probably got something to do with the improv background but it’s amazing how he can just … choose a style and write an incredible song for it. Everytime he drops a new song I am always impressed with what he has managed yet again. 

Disclaimer: I don’t have any musical education except being friends with multiple musicians for many years in which only small amounts of information have managed to seep into my adhd addled brain. So I apologize for the lack of musically correct terminology, this is a work of appreciation, not technical prowess. Also lyrics are generally the last thing I hear, so I may mention them here and there, but they aren’t my main focus for this.

Always Here 

I can’t quite express what it is about this song that I adore, but it absolutely has something to do with the deep rumble of the bass and the way it drives the song forward relentlessly. The effect on the vocals only adds to this. The fact that it goes minor definitely caters to my tastes specifically. The high tones that come in during the bridge have such a Bowie quality that is delightful and a perfect contrast to the rest of the song. (artwork: the mossy greenery adds such a vibe to the song)

Don’t Look to Me

This has been one of my favorites since it aired. The high vocals of the chorus, with the overlapping harmonies are beautifully done and how they are placed over each other makes me think of something being sung in a large hall or church, big and echoey. Additionally the offset of the lyrics “it’s what you chose” (and to a lesser degree “any other way”) makes it feel like you’re being surrounded, like its multiple people telling you this is what you chose, what you wanted. I adore how the vocals trail out with the music at the end. (artwork: the hot pink neon feels so right for the feeling, the tiles adding to the echo)

Sweaty (Near You)

I know this one was controversial at the release, but I honestly could not then, and still cannot understand why. People are honestly sleeping on this song and it makes no sense to me. It’s got a very sensual vibe without gendered lyrics. Sure “baby” is used, but if you don’t think baby could be used for any gender then that’s on you, not the song. The deep base with the sparse instrumentation with a fun noodly solo is just an excellent combination that works so incredibly well. (artwork: the b&w photo with dark maroon text is a perfect combination)

Lucky Boy

When this song premiered my first thought was the entrance song for a villain in a movie. I could see it so clearly in my head. It’s got drive, and movement, and attitude the way it kicks up into high gear into the chorus from the verse with that fuzz guitar. The incredible layers with all the different synth/organ sounds, paints such an image. Nevermind the vocals that fit so perfectly within all that. (artwork: The maneki-neko is such a perfect choice for this)

Numbers and Lights

This is another one I have difficulty describing quite what it is that I love about it. It’s rather lowkey all the way through and I rather enjoy the… almost the stops and starts, the way it gives pause before kicking back in, like the song needs to take a breath before moving on. Again, pretty sure this one turns minor in a way that caters directly to me. Small detail that really delights me is what sounds like the equivalent to crickets under the “Reid asks Reid tells”. (artwork: gotta love biflag color rep. always a plus)

Limb Controller

This song features Amy and was an early favorite of mine. It feels like a song that could and should be played at a disco, just making me want to dance. The synths are perfect and I love how they gain intensity in the bridge before coming back down for the verse. The contrast between Amy’s higher vocals to Tim’s rougher growly ones is a perfect combination. I’ve always loved the “I’ve already let him in, a puppet on his string” moment. (artwork: when videos were still being made, love the scifi vibes)

Never Loved

Another song that is a bit more lowkey, but still comes through with excellent vibes. This one is really all about the syncopation especially with the drums. Which includes the panning back and forth during certain portions, but especially during the time change. I also really love the effects on the vocals. The occasional splashes of a high stringed instrument, and the crash of a forward cymbal really just add to the atmosphere of the song. (arwork: something about being called never loved with what looks like kintsugi just kinda Hits)

Love Your Mind

The repeating pattern throughout this song is just So Good, I love everything about it, and then how other patterns build on top of it? Impeccable. There are so many layers but it's never too much or loses track of itself, never feels over complicated or discordant. I always end up tapping along to the pattern, sometimes difficult to choose which one to follow. This song is shorter, but never fails to make me smile. (artwork: love the chandelier with the many intricate patterns, feels like it matches the song perfectly in that way)

On Your Terms

Oh that bass line. *chef kiss* Absolutely the backbone of the song, helps create the perfect atmosphere for that distorted guitar. Tim always puts a lot into the vocals, but here it feels like there is a extra level of emotion that feels raw. The way the note is held for “on your terms” just kind of kicks me in the chest every time. (artwork: love that the fire is the only color)

Some Thoughts After Consideration

This song truly resonates with me on a molecular level. I have been working in retail for going on 18 years and I just feel this song in the depths of my soul. Something about the wobbly synths and strong beat with the soft vocals are just perfect. The transition to what almost feels like a … big musical number in a theatrical show for the chorus. Like I can just see big spot lights turning on the stage. Perfection. (artwork: can’t go wrong with a squawking seagull, theme on point)

Falling Away

This is another one of my favorites. It’s so soft and gentle, lilting piano blending so perfectly with the vocals, which build up in intensity for the chorus so beautifully. Again, I think this one turns minor key, though I’m not as sure about it as I am with the others. I don’t have a lot of words for this one, but it’s lovely in its simplicity. (artwork: always loved this one for no reason I can really define)

Regret Me Not

I love how this song starts off sounding like something like a medieval march. The most prominent thing about this song is of course those incredible harmonies all throughout. The whole initial build up, and how it switches halfway through is just incredible. There is so much depth in this short song. I don’t always pay attention to lyrics, but when I did look at them I was surprised and delighted by how uplifting they are. (artwork: another older one with a video. I am a sucker for nature anything, and this just being a series of nature shots particularly appealed to me)

Pacesetter

The deep rumbly bass paired with the panning distorted vocals is just an incredible driving force. This song has the kind of beat that will just go on forever. If it were a predator it would be a komodo dragon just relentlessly following behind, never losing sight, always there stalking forward. (artwork: the starting line for a racetrack is an excellent choice)

The Aftermath

This was another early favorite of mine. The mandolin is the star of this song, but it is surrounded by a wonderful arrangement that allows it to be so. The gentle piano with the soft vocals, the shakers and woodblocks all come together beautifully. I always adored the extended pause about ⅔ of the way through. (artwork: this is my favorite video, and I’m sure it took a lot of work to match all the timing so well. The way it ends with the snuffing of the candle 10/10 no notes)

Arcadia

The light bouncy acoustic guitar is so catchy paired with the light and airy vocals, just makes for a lovely song all around. Truly impressive that so much can be expressed with so few instruments. I always find myself nodding my head along to this one. (artwork: makes me think of marshmallow and then want something sweet, but then I remember it’s a rock face and then that makes me want to climb it. Too bad it wasn’t a marshmallow clifface)

Deep Air

This is one of those songs that I love because it’s so out of the usual wheelhouse. It’s chill and wonderfully lowkey, and truly does make you feel like you are just floating around in space. The NASA audio certainly only adds to that vibe. Even with all that I do really love how it still slowly builds towards a big end. (artwork: excellent space vibes, love it)

A Horrid Angry Goose

I remember the goose game stream quite fondly, and this song in response to that was an absolute delight. It’s a fun and funny song, but it also has genuinely fantastic harmonies, and a strong baseline. The build up in each verse into the chorus is just so good. I love how it tells the story of the game, but in such a delightful way. This song is a guaranteed mood boost and I’m so glad for it. (artwork: Goosey perfection)

What It Says About Me

Adore the intro to this, the panning on the string instrument is perfect, and then when the beat drops and everything just drives on. Again, the way the vocals harmonize is impeccable. Truly impressive. Also adore the almost call and response at about halfway through. (artwork: something about the rusted half visible ship feels sad, though I suppose it’s apt for the song)

Unremarkable Sin

The alternating rhythms for this are just so incredibly good, the way it starts and the way it changes when the drums kick in, giving it a bit of swing that is just really great. I really love the gentle vocals for this as well, they fit between the instrumentation so perfectly. (artwork: i love the vague religious vibes, which somehow also translate into the music but in a not actually religious way)

What’s Due

Another one that just kicks ass right out the gate. The rising synths just gives this song such energy. The layered and overlapping synths and rhythms makes it feel like it’d fit right in at a bar or a scene in a movie (bar scene in a movie?) Again the pause about ⅔ the way through adds such drama and it’s absolutely perfect. The processing on the vocals is fantastic and the delivery only adds to the overall attitude of the song. (artwork: bull terriers are one of my favorite puppies and this one is SO cute, bonus points for bi pride colors)

Breaking

The bass line with the panning distorted guitar is such a good combination. That plus the processing on the vocals, creates such a spacious atmosphere that feels melancholy (Though I suppose the lyrics probably add to that feelings). (artwork: love a good seascape, big fan of corals and anemones, and adds to the vibe of having already “fallen”)

An Imagined Sense

Another song that just makes me want to dance, The way this one goes from just a decent beat to kicking into high gear is so good. Again with the excellent doubled vocals/extreme delay just creating such a great balance with the synths. (artwork: the video for this is extremely hypnotizing and feels like you’re being sucked into the song, which feel right)

Walk Away

The really distorted bass paired with the really light piano synth and gentle cymbals is just a really excellent combination. I really love the repetition for the chorus, plus of course the lovely harmonies make for a really lovely chill song. (artwork: Always been a fan of viewing through an opening, but the broken down interior out into the green outdoors is very pleasing.)

Exquisitely Bad

The groove that is set as soon as the song starts is just impeccable. And that groove just doesn’t stop. I love the contrast of that deeper bass with the higher synths that alternate between ears. Something about how the vocals jump up during with the chord progression is delightful. Really just a killer song. (artwork: love the dilapidated house with green font, fit right in with the Halloween premiere)

Horny for Greece

I know this started as a song from stream, but it is genuinely a fantastic song. That funky piano that gives Stevie Wonder Vibes, the niche but perfect rhymes with excellent vocals, the syncopated drums. All just add up to great vibes. (artwork: having the title cut diagonal over the broken section of sculpture is perfection)

The Eventual

Always a sucker for a song with handclaps. Mixed with the woodwind and the harmonica creates such an interesting atmosphere. There is something about the double beat on the drums that I really enjoy. I also love the strong distortion on the vocals, really pulls the room together. (artwork: took me ages to realize the picture was flipped upside down, that being said, it’s still very visually interesting)

Wretched

The slow build with the offset synths that make almost a round, the drums start and stopping before they fade and the beat truly starts is just so good. It creates such tension. I love how the synths create almost waves throughout the song, pulling it along. I also adore the effects on the vocals, just fits so perfectly with the soundscape of the rest of the song. (artwork: it took me a little bit to realize what I had been looking at, but the textures are so good. Fits with the vibes)

More Time

The hard fuzz guitar is such a strong start for this song, paired with the very rock drums is just perfect. Just has excellent classic rock vibes. I really love the depth of emotion felt in the vocals, and the low doubled vocal is a perfect extra layer you sometimes don’t even realize is there adding to it. (artwork: not sure how or why, but the fire seems to just fit perfectly for this)

Can’t Happen Here

I absolutely love the piano intro for this, it really sets the whole mood. I absolutely love the vocals for this song. The almost call and response, the harmonies, just *chef kiss* fantastic. I also really love the fuzz guitar when it kicks in. Ramps the song to a whole other level. (artwork: love the roiling clouds for this one. Yet again, fits the mood perfectly.)

Kennecott

I desperately love the percussion in this song, both the unusual patterns and the sounds used. It creates such a cool landscape for the song. And the interest doesn’t end there. The part where the sound pans quickly from left to right with the rhythm is just so incredibly good. This song is just an experience from start to finish. (artwork: I never quite figured out what this one was, an aerial shot? of the beach? My brain always just made it out to be an abstract painting but I am currently realizing that is incorrect. Still fits the vibe though, feels scattershot like the song.)

On Notice

(sidenote: I have barely listened to this one, because I tend to listen to my youtube playlist, and I found while making this that this song is only on bandcamp, so I haven’t listened to this one nearly as much as most of the others despite it being released about a year ago)

The sheer amount of Radiohead Vibes for this is absolutely incredible, and as someone who absolutely adores Radiohead, I love it. I love how the vocals come in and out, I love the almost droning instruments in the background. Additionally, on the delay on the vocals is fantastic, and I love the pause like ⅔ the way through. Excellent. (artwork: Love the b&w, looks like black marble. Great look.)

Better from Further Away

I love the simple clean (upright?) bass in the opening, with the soft drums. Again, I am a sucker for harmonies and I love them on the chorus. The juxtaposition of the very chill relaxed song, to the somewhat ridiculous (read: amazing) lyrics is very good. (artwork: Love this video, especially the close up zoom on the sheep when they are mentioned.)

Friend of Mine

I love how gentle and soft this whole song is. The piano and soft drums working so well together with the gentle lyrics. I really love it when the piano kind of goes into double time. (artwork: Love a good red sunset. Excellent.)

In The Dark

I love how this starts out with what feels like very 80’s movie synths, and then just shifts into a very chill song. Not sure why but it does give very 80’s Jim Henson vibes. Like I feel this should be in the Dark Crystal or Labyrinth or something. Maybe it’s the lovely harmonies that I can see being sung by small fuzzy puppets. Also I absolutely adore the horns throughout. Perfect 10/10. (artwork: I think 3 puppets should in fact pop out of the three holes to sing those harmonies.)

Now We’ll Never Know

This song is so very pretty. The simple bass and ringing guitar along with the gentle vocals. Yet again, the harmonies on the “oohs” are beautiful and I love them, especially paired with that gently picked guitar. (artwork: love a good dilapidated staircase. The green lettering is a perfect match.)

[thedickgraysonrp]

Happy Birthday, Jason Todd!

And on that note, I would like to show my appreciation to a wonderful RP partner of mine - who also happens to be portraying an amazing Jason Todd - @tireironmybeloved. We haven't known each other very long but when you click with a RP partner, you just feel it~

I hope we'll get to write many more stories and verses together, and may our Dick and Jason always get into plenty of shenanigans and be up to no good together! ✨

You can regard this post as standalone Jason birthday piece ofc, no obligation to reply.

Dick fishes his phone out of his jacket's pocket, clicking the power button to turn on the screen, and glances at the time for about the fifth or sixth time in the last five minutes.

11:50 PM. Good.

There were still a couple more minutes; he just hoped Jason wasn't going to be late.

He sighs impatiently as he shoves his phone back into the pocket of his dark bomber jacket, reaching to straighten his deep V-neck undershirt by its hems.

The view from this rooftop wasn't the most gorgeous one, considering the building was stuck in the middle of Crime Alley, but one could see the city skyline from afar and the several skyscrapers dotting its scape. It was late at night, and the light pollution was not as bad as it usually was during the earlier hours of the evening; you could even see several stars dotting the dark sky above. Then again, Gotham always had some smog to it; it's what gave it its very noir charm.

Dick would have asked to meet Jason somewhere higher, or somewhere more extravagant. He wanted to celebrate the man for all he deserved, for everything that he meant to him, but both of them knew it would jeopardize their deep undercover mission. They just had the perfect timing, didn't they? Dick's fingers itch to check the time on his phone again, and he's pretty sure it hasn't been even a minute. He continues pacing back and forth, a pep in his step as he does, his stride quick, and his expression impatient.

The fingers of his other hand messed with the handles of a gift bag, which is rather large in size yet doesn't sound as full as its contents rattle around.

It was only when the door to the roof opened that Dick finally halted, a beaming, radiant smile of joy pulling at his lips as he looked at Jason stepping through the threshold of the staircase leading up to the rooftop story. "Hey," he greets, staying in place as a silent offer to come to him instead of the other way around.

"I... Know this is silly. You don't like any grandiose gestures or parties packed with people and all that; in general, I know the subject of your birthday is a touchy one." As far as Dick remembers, Jason never enjoyed celebrating his birthday all that much. Then again, memory may serve him wrong—he hasn't been there for most of his birthdays, after all. "I believe everyone deserves to have their special day celebrated. Especially you. So, um..." Hesitating for only a moment, Dick reaches inside the bag and pulls out a small, pink-covered new book with the title '100 Love Sonnets / Cien Sonetos De Amor by Pablo Neruda', a little red bow glued to the front cover, and holds the book in both his hands.

"I admit I am not as big of a reader as you are, but I found this book and browsed through it a little, and I hope you'll like it. I thought I'd give you a little preview, if you allow me." He looks at Jason with a coy smile, as if asking permission to proceed. Being given just that, he turns to the book again, opens it on a page he had marked earlier with a folded note, and clears his throat before reading:

" I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz, or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off. I love as certain things are to be loved, in secret, between the shadow and the soul.

I love you as the plant that never blooms, but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers, thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance, risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride, so I love you because I know no other way.

than this: where I does not exist, nor you, so close that your hand on my chest is my hand, so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep. "

Done reciting, he closes the book again, letting a moment of silence linger as he stares at the cover. "... I hope you know this is just the tip of the iceberg of how much you mean to me, Jay. I hope that we will get to celebrate many more birthdays together, privately or otherwise. You deserve to be celebrated, and I am happy to be the one who celebrates it with you today. I am happy that you are in my life, and so much more than that." He concludes with a tender, loving smile, before it quickly changes to a surprise.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" He quickly hands the book to Jason before reaching back into the bag and taking out a small box from a local patisserie. "Close your eyes; no peeking!" He urges the other man with a giddy tone.

Dick instructs Jason to open his eyes again, after you could hear the man shuffling things about and struggling with what sounded like trying to light a lighter, and reveals a small pile of gooey, dark chocolate brownies with a large, J shaped candle lit atop of them, holding the box in both his hands for Jason. Dick's phone silently vibrated in his pocket, a set alarm.

00:00, August 16th.

"Happy Birthday, Little Wing." He murmurs softly, his face illuminated by the light of the single candle, emphasizing the affectionate, wide smile. "Make a wish."