#p-sound street 2019

[sweetblinginrose]

sweetchestnut,

(Billy Hargrove x fem¡OCMayfield)

Samantha Danielle Mayfield finally decides to move to Hawkins with her sister and mother, as well as her mother's new husband and his arrogant son, William "Billy" Hargrove. What they are unaware of is that, gradually, these step-siblings will discover that the line between contempt and passion is more fragile than they supposed, and what begins as shared hostility turns into an intense and undeniable attraction that both find themselves unable to reject.

warnings: read at your own risk, as it includes a continuous sexual environment, profanity, mention of death and suicide, stepsibling relationship, sex, and all its derivatives.

words: 3,2k +

autor’s note: this work is entirely my own creation. that is to say, i have not based it on anyone else, so any resemblance to any other work is purely coincidental, as i have been using this format for all my stories since 2019. i hope you enjoy the story. if you find any translation errors, something you don't understand, or similar, please let me know :p

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Chapter two: Renegade - Styx

The air is filled with the smell of freshly made popcorn and various candies, along with the sound of metal coins clashing against each other. Kids and teenagers crowd around the machines, their eyes reflecting the neon lights that blink to the rhythm of the games. Laughter and exclamations mix with the click-clack of buttons and the occasional frustrated hit against the machines. In one corner, a group of friends take turns on Pac-Man, competing for the highest score, while in another, a teenager leans intensely over the Street Fighter joystick, his fingers moving with a skill that only years of practice can grant. Occasionally, a cry of victory cuts through the constant noise when someone achieves a new record.

The background music, a soft blend of synthesizers and rock rhythms, adds to the atmosphere of another time, another world, where the only concern is whether you have enough coins for one more game. And while outside the sky darkens and the rain falls, inside the arcade, each game is a promise of adventure, each score a potential legend.

Behind the counter, Sam casually leans against the cash register. Between her fingers, a bright orange cheeto, which she brings to her lips with a carefree smile. Beside her, Keith laughs at a joke shared in a low voice.

Both observe the controlled chaos of the arcade, exchanging comments and laughter about the oddities of the regular players. The conversation flows easily, jumping from the latest high scores to plans for after closing. The crunch of the cheetos mixes with the sound of the machines, creating a unique soundtrack for their camaraderie.

Meanwhile, the clock slowly ticks towards closing time, but there is no rush. There is a comfort in routine, a familiar rhythm in the waiting, and in the anticipation of the tranquility that will follow once the lights go out and the machines fall silent.

"Did you say like flan?" he inquired, almost choking on the cheeto he had just devoured, coughing hard as a laugh escaped between paroxysms. Sam nodded affirmatively, taking another cheeto from the bag resting on Keith's right hand.

The girl was comfortably settled on the counter, with her back to the crowd, while Keith, perched on his chair, made sure that no one was using the new trick of the coin tied to a string, while chatting with his dear friend and coworker.

"Hey, Keith," a boy called out, followed by others behind the counter. Sam's companion rolled his eyes in exasperation and continued the conversation with the young woman, sucking his finger to remove the orange residue from the cheetos. With indifference, the kids began to relentlessly play the bell on the table, causing Sam to turn around with visible annoyance, which dissipated instantly upon recognizing the group.

"Max?" she exclaimed, greeting her sister, who promptly released the hand of a dark-skinned boy upon meeting Sam's gaze. He was her boyfriend. The reaction only drew a complicit smile on her sister's face. "Billy will be here at eight o'clock sharp, so have fun with your friends in the meantime," she articulated, as she rummaged into the tips jar and gave her sister a few cents to enjoy the arcade machines.

The minutes passed with the slowness of an hourglass, each grain of time falling with the weight of expectation. The arcade, once filled with laughter and the tinkling of machines, fell into an expectant silence. Only Max's group, Keith, and Sam remained. Her companion, with a lazy smile, watched Sam, who, skillfully, reviewed the earnings of the nearest Bomb Jack machine, her unwavering concentration. Max, for her part, lost herself in contemplation of the flashing lights coming from the game that Lucas was trying to complete, her mind wandering between the game and the imminent arrival of Billy. The purring of an engine broke the calm, a sound that grew in intensity until the roar of Billy's blue Camaro was present, a mechanical lion announcing his arrival. The car stopped with a growl.

With a series of hasty goodbyes, Sam and Max made their way through the games and neon lights. The door closed behind them with a muffled thud, and they found themselves immediately assaulted by the torrential rain. The drops hit the pavement hard, splashing and soaking everything in their path. They ran towards the waiting car, the engine revving barely audible above the roar of the rain. Despite the short distance, the rain was merciless, soaking them to the bone in a matter of seconds. Their clothes clung to their skin, and water ran down their faces, but that didn't slow them down.

In an act of carelessness that bordered on malice, Billy had activated the lock on his car, prolonging the exposure of the sisters to the furious storm. Sam, in particular, was in a disadvantageous situation, forced to wait under the curtain of water while Max settled into the back seat.

When they finally slid into the car, Sam took the passenger seat with a tense expression, her anger palpable in the humid air. She was convinced that Billy had calculated those additional seconds with precision, a small revenge for something past, right? However, in his irritation, he did not notice that he had condemned his precious leather seats to a watery destiny. Now, soaked and cold to the touch, the seats reflected the carelessness of a moment that had become an eternity under the rain. Billy, for his part, could only silently lament the sentence he had himself dictated over his beloved Camaro, as he had no time to argue, but Sam did.

"You should know you're a total asshole," Sam exclaimed out of the blue, about five minutes into the car ride, surprising Billy with her accusation.

"I don't have time for your nonsense, you spoiled brat," he responded, teeth clenched and fingers tense on the steering wheel, licking and biting his lower lip with a smile, attempting to contain his anger.

"Oh, yes you do, so you'll listen to me carefully," the drenched young woman retorted, raising her voice as she settled into the leather seat to confront Billy, who kept his gaze fixed on the road, knowing that any eye contact with Sam would only intensify her anger. "We didn’t make you wait at all, but you left us in the rain for what seemed like forever. Just look at me now!" she protested, now shouting, pointing at him with her index finger and twisting the edge of her shirt to squeeze it inside the car, in a small act of revenge. The rainwater had invaded the area of the gearshift and the cup holder. Billy turned his head toward her with a furious expression, evaluating the situation. He was visibly angry.

"Are you out of your mind!? I ain’t got time to clean the damn car, you get me? So you’re gonna clean it with your damn tongue, bitch!" he shouted back, with palpable aggression, not taking his eyes off the girl, not paying attention to where he was going.

Max, aware of the situation, looked worried. She tried to warn Billy in a low voice, not wanting to get involved in the everyday fight between her siblings. Both were too absorbed in their argument to notice.

"Oh, yeah? You’re so busy shoving crap that ain’t alcohol into your body you can’t even clean the damn car?!" they continued shouting full of fury.

"And what you did in... !?" Billy started shouting, but his voice gradually faded away, interrupted by something unexpected. Sam thought she had run out of arguments, feeling like she had won the fight, but the reality was very different.

The young woman did not realize that the reason for Billy's sudden silence was herself, specifically her figure. Although the boy had seen his stepsister without pants before, she was always covered by a loose shirt that hid her form, due to the cold weather here. However, this time it was different. The rain had adhered Samantha's shirt to her body, outlining her waist and curves prominently, but the most striking were her breasts. Billy was surprised to see that they were much larger than expected, and small, erect buttons in the center added an additional touch of temptation. A wave of heat ran through his body, clouding his mind and leaving him speechless. He couldn't understand what was happening to him, but all he could think about was how those breasts would look without anything covering them.

Just seconds later, the golden-haired young man parked his vehicle in front of the threshold of his house, averting his gaze to avoid temptation, without even offering a goodbye to his stepsisters.

"Thanks," Sam expressed with a harsh tone, as she exited the car. Max replicated the gesture, although with a more neutral tone.

Billy, with a furtive glance, watched both figures rush inside the house, noticing how those ripped and worn jeans clung to Samantha's silhouette. With a sigh, he leaned his head back against the seat, closed his eyes, and covered his face with his hand. Moments later, he repositioned his hands on the wheel and glanced at his watch, realizing that something didn't fit. An unexpected lump stood out in his pants, a quite large lump that definitely shouldn't be there…

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The rain hit the windshield with a constant rhythm, as if marking the beat of Billy's anger. The windshield wipers moved from side to side, trying to clear the view, but the storm was persistent.

Inside the car, the radio played a hard song, almost drowned out by the sound of the rain. Billy adjusted the volume, letting the strong melody fill the space. The dashboard lights shone dimly, creating an intimate atmosphere in which he was alone with his thoughts.

The air smelled of wet earth, a scent that mixed with the perfume he had chosen for the occasion. Every red light was a pause in his internal monologue, a moment to catch his breath and rehearse in his mind what he would say when he saw the girl he had charmed that night. As he drove, the deserted streets and blurry buildings became the backdrop of his adventure. The city seemed different in the rain, more mysterious, as if it held secrets that were only revealed to those who dared to explore it under the veil of water.

Billy finally arrived, parked the car, and remained silent for a moment, watching the drops slide down the window. He forgot about his date and began to brood over the bad day he had had and how his relationship with his stepsister was getting worse, feeling a slight feeling of sadness that dissipated instantly when a teenager opened the door as his neon lights pointed. She wore only red lace panties that delicately hugged her curves, along with a short lace nightgown that completely exposed her breasts. The reason for their meeting that night was evident. Billy immediately forgot about what had happened during the day, allowing a mischievous smile to form on his face.

Hurriedly, he turned the key and stepped out of the car to avoid getting wet in the rain, although it was futile, since it was impossible, but it was worth it "Who would have thought that all that heat would be in that body today?" he purred with a deep voice, wrapping his arm around the girl's waist and pushing her hips towards his so she could feel his erection, which was already present before seeing his companion that night but she had further fueled his desire

"You did well to let me know your parents wouldn't be home. You needed a babysitter, right?"

The girl simply laughed at his comment, grabbing Billy's denim jacket and pulling him into the house, closing the door behind them.

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, the noisy night was accompanied by the soft sound of a brush against skin. Sam stood in front of the mirror, her movements reflected in the polished surface as she meticulously applied her makeup. The dim light in the room barely revealed her figure, but her eyes reflected a fierce determination. It was the calm before the storm, the preparation for an escape that promised to be as exciting as it was dangerous.

Max watched from the slightly open door, her silhouette barely visible in the threshold "Are you sure about this?" she asked, her voice a whisper that mingled with the darkness.

Sam did not respond immediately, her unwavering concentration as she carefully traced the last eyeliner stroke "Of course, it's easy. You just have to tell them I'm sleeping and not to come into my room", she finally said, her voice full of a confidence that needed no more words.

With one last look in the mirror, Sam stood up, her straight posture defying any doubts that may have existed.

Less than half an hour later, the sound of a familiar engine began to be heard in the distance, a sign that her plan could begin. With high heels in one hand and an umbrella in the other, she carefully opened the window, trying not to make noise. Just as they opened the front door, Sam closed it.

The cold night breeze caressed her face, and a shiver ran down her spine. Despite her careful planning, she couldn't help but sigh in frustration as she felt the mud splash against her bare feet.

Around the corner, Vicki's car came into view, an oasis of fun in the midst of the rainy night. The lights inside illuminated their conspiratorial smiles. "Sammy, get in quickly!" Vicki exclaimed, while Nicole nodded enthusiastically. Sam slid into the backseat, closing the door just as a laugh escaped her lips.

"You have no idea what we have in store for tonight" Nicole began, with her typical annoying girl accent, chewing gum while the car pulled away, leaving behind Samantha's silhouette "Last year's Halloween party was epic, and Tina promised to surpass herself this year".

Meanwhile, Sam pulled out a cigarette from the packet she had hidden in her bra and lit up.

The excitement for the start of vacations was palpable in the air, almost as dense as the rain that had pounded the streets minutes earlier. But now, the storm had calmed, leaving a trail of shiny drops on the asphalt that reflected the lights of the town.

The three friends, enveloped in a bubble of laughter and plans, talked non-stop. Between confessions and promises of an unforgettable night, the conversation turned to how they would let themselves be carried away by the euphoria of the moment, how they would dance without inhibitions and perhaps flirt with boys under the starry sky that was beginning to appear.

The night promised to be one of those stories that would be told over and over again, each time with more details and more color, as if time embellished the memories. And as Vicki's car slid down the road, the three friends plunged into the anticipation of what was to come, a summer that could be the best of their lives.

They drove through a neighborhood adjacent to Tina's, where a residence stood out, the only one lit on the entire street. The young women chose to pass by without paying attention, absorbed in their conversation about what cassette to play next. In that same residence, Billy was immersed in a difficult task.

Everything went smoothly from the start, but preconceived notions about his stepsister resurfaced in his mind, stopping him at key moments and deeply unsettling the young man. The blonde clenched his eyelids tightly to avoid thinking about it, while executing intense movements that resonated throughout the house.

The girl called the boy, imploring him to look at her and utter words of misconduct at the same time.

(These kids these days and their strange tastes... (≖᷆︵︣≖))

Billy thought it was a good idea, but as he opened his eyes, he thought he saw his stepsister's face in the girl, moving away precipitously, rubbing his eyes fiercely to confirm her identity. He didn't want to cum while thinking about his stepsister.

"I have to go..." he announced suddenly, adjusting his pants while his excitement persisted. It could be said that even more... The girl was stunned, not knowing what to do or say.

Hargrove, still panting and sweat-drenched, tried to adjust his bulge, but his tight jeans didn't cooperate in those moments.

Before the girl could react completely, the boy slipped out, closing the door of the residence in her face, hurrying to his car, where anger took hold of him, hitting the steering wheel repeatedly and repeatedly honking the horn, scaring the stray cats that wandered the wet street. Seconds later, a smile returned to his face as he looked at himself in the mirror, running his fingers through his hair and checking the time again, remembering that a girl, whose name he barely remembered, was hosting a party his friends were attending. He quickly forgot about the girl and set off towards the address written on a piece of paper, located among used condom wrappers and cassettes.

He left confident, confident that he would find numerous attractive girls who had come to town for the summer, and that he could seduce with his charming rebel surfer's charm, and enjoy the company of his equally uninhibited friends.

The tires slid on the deserted streets. The engine of his car murmured softly in the quiet night. The streetlights blinked as he passed, reflecting on the hood like shooting stars. As he approached Tina's house, the music grew louder, a persistent bass that throbbed in his chest. Upon arrival , he parked with a loud screech and stepped out of the car. The house was lit up like a lighthouse, laughter and chatter floated in the air. In the front yard, his friends were huddled together, dancing shadows against the warm light emanating from the house.

"Billy, Billy!" they shouted in unison, their voices rising above the music. The bottles in their hands glistened in the moonlight as they raised their arms in a jubilant greeting. "Billy, Billy, Billy!" they sang, again and again, their words becoming a welcome anthem, a cheerful and unrestrained melody that celebrated his arrival.

The blonde responded with a smile, the warmth of the welcome mixing with the coolness of the night. These were his people here, his moment, and the night had only just begun.

With a triumphant smile, Billy made his way through his friends and took the bottle of Jack Daniel's from Tommy's hands. He lifted it in a bold gesture and, without hesitation, tilted his head back, letting the amber liquid flow freely. The whiskey slipped down his throat, a warm current that promised euphoria and uninhibition. When he finished, he let out a triumphant shout, a roar that resounded with the energy of the night. A few rogue drops of Jack Daniel's escaped from the corners of his mouth, tracing a damp path down his neck and disappearing under the fabric of his t-shirt. His friends burst into laughter, the sound of their joy mixing with the music inside and the shouts of jubilation.

One of them, still laughing, handed him a cold beer. "To finish off, champ!" they encouraged him, as Billy accepted the bottle with a knowing smile. He opened it with a snap and brought the edge to his lips, ready to continue the celebration. The party was in full swing and, in just a few seconds, Billy was the undisputed protagonist of the night.

The atmosphere was electric, charged with laughter and the murmur of animated conversations. The notes of a soft and seductive song floated in the air, mingling with the bittersweet aroma of beer. They had spent an hour talking about their conquests and academic failures, each anecdote more hilarious than the last. The night was young and the possibilities, endless.

With high spirits fueled by alcohol and camaraderie, they decided to venture into the heart of the party. The house, lit up with dim lights and decorated with colorful garlands, vibrated to the rhythm of the music. As they entered, their bodies began to move almost instinctively, letting themselves be carried away by the melody that promised more than just a dance. That's when he saw her. A silhouette that immediately captured his attention, a girl who danced with the same passion and grace as the slow and sensual song that played. Her hair moved in waves to the rhythm of the music, and although he could only see her back, there was something about her posture that irresistibly drew him in. Surrounded by friends, she was the center of a whirlwind of laughter and fluid movements. With determined but gentle steps, he began to approach. Every step was a beat of the song, every movement a line of the story that was about to be written. The distance shortened and the anticipation grew; he was about to enter the orbit of the unknown, ready to join the dance and discover where the night would take them.

With determined steps, he approached the brunette, letting the music envelop them in its seductive melody. His compliments flowed naturally, expressing his admiration for her skillful movements. With a bold gesture, he slipped his arm smoothly around the girl's waist, feeling the curve of her back under his touch as he pulled her closer to him. The closeness was intoxicating; Billy's hips fit perfectly against the girl's back, forming an intimate connection that moved to the hypnotic rhythm of the song. Every movement was a sensual dance, an improvised choreography that enveloped them in an aura of irresistible attraction. Initially, the girl seemed to tense up, ready to push him away abruptly, but as she felt Billy's firm grip and noticed his athletic physique pressing against her, her reaction changed. Although she still couldn't see him, the sensation of his muscled arm clinging to her, his toned torso against her back, and his deep voice resonating in her ear, sparked a spark of intrigue and excitement in her. Moreover, the effect of alcohol clouded her inhibitions, causing worries and doubts to fade into the mist of the party. In that state of disregard and euphoria, she decided to go with the flow, allowing the chemistry of the moment to envelop them in a dance of desire and mutual attraction.

Through the haze of the drink, one of her friends watched every move, although their minds were not entirely clear. The other, with a playful smile, leaned against the other and murmured something unintelligible, but clearly amused. The friend turned and laughed, completely oblivious to her friend's confusion. The stranger with whom she was dancing led her with confidence. The friends, in their alcoholic state, began to speculate with knowing looks and comments between laughs. "Who is that hunk?" one asked, while another replied with an exaggerated shrug. Finally, when the song ended, the expressions of the friends went from amusement to astonishment. "It's Billy!" they exclaimed in unison, their voices rising above the music.

With every move, Billy drew closer to the unknown girl. His hands, skillful and determined, gently roamed the contours of her body as his lips delicately explored the exposed skin of her neck. The touch of his lips sent shivers down the girl's spine, who let herself be carried away by the exhilarating sensation of the moment.

Without warning, Hargrove took the initiative and spun the girl around, pulling her towards him with a fiery impulse. Their kiss was like a spark that ignited desire in both of them, a fire that threatened to consume them completely. Billy's hand slid firmly to rest on the curve of the girl's hip, while his other hand gently clung to her nape, intensifying the contact between their bodies. The sound of the girl's laughter whispered in Billy's ear, causing a mischievous smile to form on his lips. They separated briefly, but their gazes remained connected, charged with complicity and desire. However, when they finally recognized each other, a mix of surprise and complication took hold of their faces, breaking the spell of the magical moment they had shared.

"Sam!?"

[incomingalbatross]

So thoughts on the Gravity Falls episode of Amphibia, after a second watch of it.

It's very much in the spirit of Gravity Falls for AU versions of its characters to exist in other worlds, but I think that it's interesting that this isn't a Frog Gravity Falls... It's a different frog town that just happens to contain Frog Stan, Frog Soos, and Frog Gnomes (Fromes, as they're labeled in the Museum).

Also worth noting that all the Amphibia evidence suggests Anne is from the prime Gravity Falls Earth, but she hasn't met anyone else in either place who seemed like a counterpart of someone from the other world. Amphibia is not Frog AU Earth, generally speaking - it's very much its own thing.

Then there's the Frog Shack itself:

First off I love that it's on the main street of a completely different frog town but it still has to simulate having evergreens around it. <3 That's essential.

But also hoo boy is it clear that whoever built this place was in dealings with Bill Cipher. It is UNMISTAKABLE. So. That's concerning.

And you know what else is concerning? Frog Stan. Not that he's slightly eviller than our Stan, I'm okay with that (it's not like he even killed any of his waxworks, they're FINE). My concern is WHERE IS HIS FAMILY??

This is set in 2019. Even if his personal timeline isn't in sync with GF's, Bill has been dead for seven years. Where is Frog Ford? Where are the frog Mystery Twins?? Why is Frog Stan apparently alone in his hut with just Frog Soos, trying to make money??

I'm worried about this Stan. If things didn't get better for him in 2012, when will they get better? If he's got the same background as canon Stan, something has clearly gone sideways. :(

Returning to the multiverse considerations, however, I have some points: Frog Stan makes a couple remarks that imply he thinks his frog world is weird; he dismisses Frog Soos's musings on the multiverse in a way that sounds exactly like "Stan dismissing things he secretly knows are real"; and he HAS A CD WALKMAN. WHERE DID HE GET THAT.

He SAYS he got it from Newtopia but we later learn Newtopia has seen zero multiverse travel for a thousand years. Anne & Co. didn't bring this one, or she would have recognized it and said something. STAN. WHERE DID YOU GET THE HUMAN TECHNOLOGY.

Anyway. My working half-explanation for Frog Stan is that he is A) probably not originally from Amphibia but B) definitely did some dimension-traveling sometime in the '00s, somehow. Was he a frog when he started? Unclear. Is he a basic Portal (Frog) Stan who's been traveling since the '80s, is this his own dimension that he had to return to, or is there a more complicated backstory? Don't know.

BUT if he's met other Sooses that would at least explain why this one is "Frog Soos." :P If he's not in his own dimension, that would explain why he's not in a version of Gravity Falls and doesn't have frog niblings around (though it doesn't explain Frog Soos or the fromes), and any kind of portal travel would explain the Walkman.

Unfortunately, if he built the Curiosity Hut after coming to Amphibia, this suggests he made a deal with Bill at some point. :/ And I'm still very concerned about where his brother might be and if he has any remaining hope of finding him.

(It's fine though! It's fine. Our Pines Family can find him at some point and help out, probably. They're good at that. Especially if Anne meets them and is able to tell them about Frog Stan.)

[naradivision]

Hypmic OC Halloween Party 2023 🎃 ~Part II

Disclaimer: Please note that these are not the actual titles to the songs, I just made them up of course. All these songs obviously belong to their respective artists.

And the OCs mentioned belong to their respective creators as well!

*see more notes from the part 1*

Meet the Halloween Shuffle Teams!

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Team R-rated B-Boy

Ren “Vox” Nakashima

Rintaro “Ignis” Himuro

Raiden “Tesla” Otoha

Ryuko “Mista Z.B.” Umemoto

#7 Parade of Horror ☠️

Real title: Bad Monster Original by UraShimaSakataSen Fun fact: This Shima is that same SHIMA who voiced Zen Gaho from paralive...

Team Heroic Youngsta

Joey “Joker” Kurusu

Saji “Street Dog” Buranka

Ryūnosuke “Fist N Fury” Sekiguchi

Haruto “Pheonix” Hirabayashi

#8 Justice In Action! 🚨

Real title: PANDA HERO Covered by mafumafu x nqrse x luz x soraru | Original by HACHI ft. GUMI Fun fact: HACHI the Vocaloid-P is later known as Kenshi Yonezu

Team SolaLune Fairies

Lola “Aphrodite” Takahashi

Evelyn “SPIRIT” Rose

Moriko “Carnopus” Himawari

Miku “Hex 13” Shirazuki

#9 Who’s the Fairest? 👑

Real title: ECLIPSE Original by Raon x DAZBEE Yeah, sorry again for not making the number of voice casts matched... They just look gorgeous together XD

Team Pop★Teen Sensation

Kanade “Spooky” Alarie

Criss “Paradox” Hiromi

Kirara “Cupid” Suzuki

Ririko “2cute!” Akihara

Makina “Screen Shot” Setsukura

#10 Supa☆Supa☆Halloween

Real title: Happy Halloween Covered by MORE MORE JUMP! ft. Kagamine Rin | Original by Junky ft. Kagamine Rin

[At the moment after the girls have already returned to the backstage, suddenly, the thick and hazy mist from nowhere then emerged into the stage from all directions, fogging over the entire scene as if it was curtain in the theater]

Greetings, ladies and gentlemen,

Welcome to the wonderful night of October the 31st,

...At long last, we’re going to reach the finale.

[Starting off with the sound of bells resonating in distants, the prelude music began playing before the hazy mist became dissolved —revealing the obscure figures of people standing there in the midst of stage]

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Team Curtain Call

Queen card

Kunio “Arsene” Kurome

Iwao “TRIXT4R” Masuda

Sanyu “MC Rogue” Inouye

Naoki “Stage Queen” Hamasaki

Mitsuru “Odette” Tenjo

Saigo “Tsukumogami” Fuyugami

Nishio “24/7” Tokishou

#11 To the Final Act 🪄

Real title: Finale Original by XYZ 2019 (luz, senra, mafumafu, soraru, nqrse, meychan, araki, un:c)

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Wait— Wait,

Even if this night is going to end soon, how should we forget something really really important…?

Yeah, we haven’t even got our treats yet!

If you want them, then why don’t we go get some?

C’mon, stand up & sing along~~

Team Bakemono:)

Asahi “SWEET-T” Tomoharu

Kohaku “KANDATA-KUN” Meguno

Taria “Misfit” Chinen

Honoka “Maniakin” Ajisai

Ayaka “Marionette” Kagawa

After Story: Are Ghosts Real?

Real title: 異世界混合大舞踏会 (I Wanna Be Your Ghost) Covered by StarLightPolaris (You Kisaragi, Relu, Coe, Kuni, Kottaro)  | Original by Gen Hoshino Unfortunately, you can only find subtitles in the original video

In this night where ghosts will emerge,

But they’re not all that bad

Ghost are real, you know? 

But they’re not as scary as the living!

They’re always watching from the sidelines, so don’t you forget,

Farewell mortals, and take care :P

🎃 Live Reports & Behind the scenes Pt.2

According to the interview from some audiences after the reveal of 6th’s and 7th’s cast, they thought it’s funny that team Bad Boy felt oddly cool to them, while on the other hand, team Hero were also cool but with even more chaotic vibes than the previous one —Everyone did wonder in unison that what went through the organizer’s head when they decided to put them together. Well, Raiden and Saji were the only exceptions since both of them were naturally pretty dedicated to their team titles.

Raiden got a bit carried away as he started laughing like some maniac by the end of his show. And in consequence of that, his temporary teammates were just… letting him be before all left the scene like nothing happened.

Since the beginning of the 9th show, the ladies of team “SolaLune Fairies” were seen solemnly walking out of the backstage with a dark long veil covering most part of their face and their outfits. Each of them were also noted to hold a bouquet with different flowers. Lola were red tulips, Evelyn were blue roses, Moriko were sunflowers, and Miku were moon orchids. But once the first beat of the song dropped out, they suddenly changed their moods and threw their veils away ...showing off their party dresses which were delicately designed just for each of them (ultimate kudos were given to those from the costume team). Thus, the true catwalk showdown began! 

After all the teasing to throw their bouquets to the audience like in the wedding, it was still unknown who those ladies decide to give their bouquets to at the end. Maybe it was their lover/ bestie or etc. Who knows anyway? But as the show title hinted, they might probably give it to their fairest…

Before the 10th show starts, the camera caught Kanade having a high-five with Lola in the same fashion as those two boys from the first half. 

Despite not being much active around these days, Hana Izanami (@snowmantita) was spotted coming here in secret to cheer for her friends.

The 11th show was obviously one of the best highlights of this event, given 6 of them were actually the famed performers to begin with! In addition, Queen card was the one who planned most details of the performance herself. Besides, some of them were really going all-out to the point where they attempted to compete with each other even. No wonder this show received very loud applause as a result, just like their team’s name implied.

There was one funny moment getting leaked out from the backstage. It was the photo of two gentlemen who literally had no idea why they were put in the same line with other talented showmen in the 11th show. Saigo seemed to be deep in thought about how much the staff have spent on props and special effects, while Nishio… He was caught flirting with other participants —Well, let’s hope that he wasn’t flirting with the wrong person there.

Despite the chill and anti-climax vibe that was very contrast to the intense impression from the previous show, the final show performed by team Bakemono was unexpectedly the children’s most favorite! Why was that? The secret of success not only lied in the lyrics of the song, but also its cute and catchy choreography. Moreover, they had also brought in the massive number of candies to throw into the crowd.

And due to some interviews with the parents, they told that this show truly deserved to be the closing show as it was in fact spoke the moral of this spooky event… 

Before the show started, it was a record of five of them chatting with each other. And although it was all according to the script, Asahi confessed that they had retaken it so many rounds he actually lost count of.

And just as the name of their team indicated, they were all wearing the yokāi costumes! For example, Asahi was the Oni, Kohaku was attempting to look like Kasa-obake (even if it came out rather funny), Taria was Karasu tengu, Honoka had animal ears so maybe she was bakeneko or kitsune, and Ayaka wore triangle headband with a kimono to represent the yurēi ghost.

From what live reports said, despite being the performers of the show, both Asahi & Kohaku were noted to really enjoy their time the most —These two spiritual(?) twins loved throwing candies like they’re playing with snow, while Honoka and Ayaka might seem a bit stiff due to their not so great experiences with people. However, Taria was the one making them warm up and enjoy the moment just like other children did —Who else would understand the kids best if not someone with a children’s heart?

Live reports by

Snowflake Sentinel News, Yoichi Shujo

Verne Publishing-house, Nellie Yukimura 

◀︎ SEE THE RECORD FROM PT. 1

Amazing OCs mentioned above are from:

@kobedivision @katsushika-division @chiyoda-division2 @suginami-division @kanazawa-division @megurodivision @naha-division @nagasakidivision @saitama-division @okinawa-division @gion-division @minato-division03 @kyoto-division @akihabaradivision @urayasu-division @nakanodivision @akihabara-division03 @kumamoto-division @sapporo-division @fukuokadivision1 @naha-division @nerima-division @naradivision @echizen-division @ota-division @gion-division @sagadivision @tokyo-division (@snowmantita) @hamamatsu-divison

P.S. Apologizing if I missed out some divisions or have made anyone sound OOC —I'm trying lmao.

...Happy Halloween & hoping y’all enjoy it :)

[bright-and-burning]

tagged by @landoisokay and @bsaka7 to do my 9 favorite albums (with commentary. i had a lot to say...)

these are all relatively recent because i pick and choose older songs individually more than i listen to them as a single album. like i could pick at least an album’s worth of queen songs, but they’re not all off the same album, ya feel.

in no particular order!! w some explainers below the cut:

dreamland (2020) - glass animals. i almost put how to be a human being but i’ve been listening to that album basically on repeat for the last three weeks so i needed to switch it up. such an experience of an album honestly?? where how to be a human being makes me feel like the main character in an over-saturated murderous movie set in miami, dreamland is like, over-saturated fast car movie set in tokyo (the like. hollywood idea of tokyo, to be clear). forever intertwined with midnight walks through empty cities during covid, driving too fast, the first time i hung out with people after getting to come back to college, neon lights on cinderblock walls and $12 plastic handles of liquor. fundamentally bittersweet as an album imo? but so full of bangers that you forget that it’s . really sad. tokyo drifting with denzel curry was my top song of 2020 and spotify helpfully informed me that i listened to it 30 times on my 19th birthday. lol. the “get loose, streetfighter” with the street fighter sound effect… oh yeah baby that’s art. it’s all so incredibly loud also a song of all time tbh. whole album is floaty and sharp all at once, insane production, the perfect sadness layered underneath, every song building into this brilliant crescendo… perfect album for 2020 eve for like so many reasons, i could wax on about this for AGES so if u want more drop an ask no joke it’ll make my week. still holds up soooo well

lemonade (2016) - beyonce. LOL. this album dropped right around when i was getting cheated on by my gf of. over a year. and then we broke up and i signed the papers to transfer schools the next day without telling anyone. so this album fr got me through uprooting my entire life to start over. (what timing, to get cheated on right as beyonce drops her got-cheated-on album). i knew beyonce belonged on here (too influential musically to me to Not) but i was stumped on what specific album to include (i had 4 on cd in my car in high school, for example, and homecoming: the live album felt like cheating) until i remembered how much play time this one got, and how much i leaned on the album and the visuals then (which. by the way. i bought on itunes bc it wasn’t available for streaming. used precious data bc school wifi wouldn’t let me download it. possibly the last album i bought on itunes??)

save rock and roll (2013) - fall out boy. oh man. 2015 me was on one bc i was a HUGE mcr/fob/atl/p!atd/green day girl but at the Exact same time. a 1d girlie. my shuffle would literally go from mama to up all night. ANYWAYS. was stuck between american beauty/american psycho and save rock and roll, but i think american beauty/american psycho didn’t hold my attention for long and only recently came back on my radar (has some very toxic inspiration won’t lie). the mighty fall ft big sean? life changing. big fan of rappers being dropped into songs that you aren’t expecting them to feature on. “i’m either fuckin or workin so the grind don’t stop” is a work of art. young volcanoes and save rock and roll were legitimately like. the most comforting songs of all time as a sad and lonely 14 year old

when we were friends (2019) - the backseat lovers. starts out so strong and keeps it going. what an album to listen to while absurdly into someone who then starts dating your roommate lol. just like, beautiful stuff. makes me yearn. crazy good to belt out in the car while driving

cleopatra (2016) - the lumineers. feels like home, and being dumb young and in love to me. i’ve been listening to them since ho hey played on our local membership supported radio station when i was . 11?? finally got to see them two summers ago and bawled my eyes out the entire time. this whole album no skips but also like. so overwhelmingly nostalgic and infused with feelings with nowhere to go that i can’t help but want to cry. i learned how to play ophelia on a piano in a basement of a dorm i’ll never see the inside of again lol. patience makes me insane and it’s literally just piano. the lumineers in general make a lot of music that makes me ache for times and places i can’t return to, but this album is pretty peak for it

lungs (deluxe edition) (2009) - florence + the machine. god florence just does not miss does she. dog days are over another local member supported radio station hit. i started listing all the perfect songs off and then had to stop because i was listing the entire track list. floaty and romantic with a heavy edge of morbidity and violence. remember when i said i love when rappers on songs you aren’t expecting? if you listen to anything from this post PLEASE listen to you’ve got the dirtee love ft dizzee rascal from this album. a long ass album that’s good the whole way through, i’ll truly never tire of it

ctrl (2017) - sza. i think SOS might be better and eventually take this slot but i’m trying not to let recency impact this too much. drew barrymore went quintuple platinum in my bedroom in high school. it really was the perfect album for insecure 16 year old me? speaks of growth that listening to this album doesn’t hit me where i live half as much as it used to, that instead of being like damn so real sza to things like . “im sorry im so clingy i dont mean to be a lot... lonely enough to let you treat me like this” im like. damn good song

hozier (expanded edition) (2014) - hozier. take me to church another song that member supported ad-free radio station introduced me to. what a fucking album my GOD. angel of small death and the codeine scene… jackie and wilson was literally like. the love song to me. still is can’t lie. need to be saved and have hands through my hair. every single song has lines that literally make my jaw drop, i feel like i discover something new on every listen through. “free and young and we can feel none of it”… foreigner’s god makes my chest ache. i can’t fucking believe this album is ten years old???

mt joy (2018) - mt joy. another album that reminds me of home; my whole family listened to this for months on end during covid. i’m your wreck is such an opener… “and whatever happens please remember all the laughter” like i’ll cry. my instagram bio is from this song lol. the bit where it shifts into what my family calls shoulder lean mode… anyways. ASTROVAN!!! A SONG ABOUT JESUS SMOKING WEED but like. also an emotional tale of assuring mom how music’ll work out even if they’re broke the whole time. whole album gives me Feelings. this might be the happiest album on this list and it’s. not really that happy. just a very specific kind of like. optimism. we move forward even when we look back. the world fails us but we build it better. idk. like the last song is a break up song, but it’s whole thing is “so if you worry, don’t worry bout me, i always wanted you to see the california coast-line on your own time.” so like yeah, love is burning out, but don’t worry about me. i told u. Feelings.

uhhhh no pressure tagging @mecachrome @freeuselandonorris @monacotrophywife and @oscarpiastriwdc

[disorganizedkitten]

Bursting Bubbles of Bad Luck Chapter 3

Miraculous Ladybug | 2019 | 602 | Ao3 | Prev | Masterlist | Next

Marinette’s heart stopped. Something jolted through her, leaving a slimy coating under her skin and on her muscles and up her throat and- she took a breath, heaving air into lungs that didn’t feel right anymore.

 She scrambled to sit up, breaths coming in short gasps that went from pat-pat-pat to pat to nothing for seconds and then another set of heaving because she did need air, and forgetting to breath helped nothing.

 Marinette waited until the pattern died off, even though she still felt wrong. Violated. As her breathing slowly returned to something even, the headache stayed. Something was wrong. Marinette pushed forward, towards the ladder from her bed. In her rush, she knocked it over.

 Another deep breath. She found one of her bedposts and pushed magic to it, intending to reform it for the moment.

 Marinette didn’t get that far.

 As she tried to push magic through her hand, it started stinging heavily, like she had dipped it in a fryer with breading and now the breading was burning her skin while the oil and breading weighed her down.

 She shrieked.

 Something was wrong with her magic. That… that didn’t happen. Not without a very strong curse or-

 Oh no.

 Marinette grit her teeth, reaching in the dark for another bauble she kept near her at all times. She used her other hand to try again, just to turn the gnome into an arrow. It hurt nearly as much. Marinette dropped the object and realized she had stopped breathing again. She started the pattern, fast fast fast, normal, stop, fast fast fast, normal, stop, for the second time that night, tears streaming down her face.

 That hurt. Physically. And worse. Her skin was only getting more slimy and painful, and she hated it.

 She hadn’t done anything yesterday! Or even last week! The only way someone could have cursed her would be if they targeted her, which was a very, very scary notion.

***

Mage inc. Discord chat - Channel #General

  Rough-glamor: Any other @Changlings feeling completely whack tonight? I woke up in a cold sweat and it hurts to use my magic.

  Goldie The Queen Of France: Nope, but my brother is. He’s also had his trail change colors, did that happen to you too?

  Rough-glamor: Lemme check

 Yep.

 WTC?

  Flutetastic: That’s really weird.

 Sometimes it can act up if our physical states need help (I once had such severe sleep deprivation that the ringing in my ears became audible to everyone in the vicinity. Not fun to explain) but it’s p weird to see it happen in multiple cases at once.

  Le Chien adores la chatte: Um, it’s kinda viral? Here in America anyway. People are collapsing and at least one exploded. The entire street turned into a victorian-era clothing store. I don’t know if they’ll play this off, or leave it like they do Pride.

Flutetastic: That’s… not a coincidence.

  Rough-glamor: ‘bout to sound rlly crazy here, but like… does anyone know the state of our heart? I heard that Destruction mages had a really bad week in 2009, and then there was that one guy claiming he’d stolen the heart and cursed it.

  Goldie The Queen Of France: Oh I really hope not. Corrupted hearts have really, really bad side-effects.

***

 Gabriel watched the gem flicker, changing colors. The kwami that came with it was shaking like a leaf, but he didn’t care.

 He finally had a way. He just needed to get enough attention.

 Starting tomorrow, Emilie would be well on her way to healing.

***

 Marinette threw up. She wasn’t the only one.

[beansonbread2]

BEANSONBREAD AWARDS 2023 - BEST ALBUM

AWARD NO.2 - BEST ALBUM OF 2023

PAST WINNERS

2022 > Jockstrap - ' I Love You Jennifer B' (see full list HERE)

2021 > Self Esteem - ‘Prioritise Pleasure’ (see full list HERE)

2020 > The Flaming Lips - ‘American Head’ (see full list HERE)

2019 > Self Esteem - ‘Compliments Please’ (see full list HERE)

2018 > Kero Kero Bonito - ‘Time ‘n’ Place’ (see full list HERE)

2017 > Richard Dawson - ‘Peasant’ (see full list HERE)

2016 > Blood Orange - ‘Freetown Sound’ (see full list HERE)

2015 > Holly Herndon - ‘Platform’ (see full list HERE)

2014 > FKA Twigs - ‘LP1′ (see full list HERE)

2013 > These New Puritans - ‘Field Of Reeds’ (see full list HERE)

2012 > Django Django - ‘Django Django’ (see full list HERE)

2011 > Shabazz Palaces - ‘Black Up’ (see full list HERE)

2010 > These New Puritans - ‘Hidden’ (see full list HERE)

2009 > Animal Collective - ‘Merriweather Post Pavilion’ (see full list HERE)

2008 > Wild Beasts - ‘Limbo, Panto’ (see full list HERE)

2007 > Animal Collective - ‘Strawberry Jam’ (see full list HERE)

2006 > Safetyword - ‘Man’s Name Is Legion’ (see full list HERE)

2005 > Animal Collective - ‘Feels’ (see full list HERE)

2004 > Devendra Banhart - ‘Rejoicing In The Hands’ / ‘Nino Rojo’

2003 > Dizzee Rascal - ‘Boy In Da Corner’

2002 > The Streets - ‘Original Pirate Material’

2001 > The Beta Band - ‘Hot Shots II’

2000 > Outkast - ‘Stankonia’

1999 > The Beta Band - ‘The Beta Band’

1998 > The Beta Band - ‘The Three EPs’

1997 > Radiohead - ‘OK Computer’

1996 > Beck - ‘Odelay’

—

THE RULES - No Re-issues, Live Albums, Compilations, or EPs.

—

SPECIAL MENTIONS for these things that don’t really live on the main lists.

Bulbils no.72 > 79

Bulbils ‘Map’

EP/64 'EP-64'

-

WORTH A MENTION (in no order) - A bunch of albums i enjoyed but didn’t quite make the final lists and others i just didn’t hear enough to be considered properly. 

Matmos / Eartheater / Tkay Maidza / Xiu Xiu / Ashnikko / Arthur Russell / Spellling / Cornelius / Liv.e / John Bence / Daniel Blumberg / Thy Slaughter / Two White Cranes / Billy Woods & Kenny Segal / L’Rain / Callum Easter / Cleo Sol / Holly Waxwing / Doon Kanda / DELUXE100 / ‘Barbie’ OST / Khan & Neek / Mui Zyn / Steady Holiday / Jamie Branch / Mitski / Mac DeMarco / Slowdive / Underscores / Armand Hammer / James Blake / Dutch Uncles / DJ Brittle / Slug / The Go! Team / Sofia Kourtesis / Kali Uchis / Sampha / Yussef Dayes / Unknown Mortal Orchestra / King Creosote / Niecy Blues / Lankum / The HIRS Collective / Alexia Avina / Altin Gun / Sulka / Spektral Quartet, Julia Holter & Alex Temple / L.T. Leif / Maria BC / Tom Rasmussen / Wednesday / Tim Hecker / HMLTD / Andrew Hung / Blonde Redhead / Frost Children / Heavy Lungs / Fire-Toolz / Jim Legxacy / Durand Jones / Clark / Teenage Fanclub / Galen Tipton / Feeble Little Horse / Grouptheraphy / Grian Chatten / Asake / Speakers Corner Quartet / George Clanton / PJ Harvey / Jonatan Leandoer96 / Fenne Lily / Terry / The Coral / Modern Nature / Snooper / Gabriels / Little Dragon / Being Dead / Earl Sweatshirt & The Alchemist / Noname / Overmono / Olivia Rodrigo / Nation Of Language / Caro / Irreversible Entanglements / Devendra Banhart / Say She She / The Streets / Vanishing Twin / BC Camplight / Ethan P. Flynn / Withered Hand / ThisisDA / Sarahsson / Blanck Mass / Jadu Heart / Hotel Lux / Emily Breeze / Chloe / Feather Beds / Margaret Glaspy / Nature Of Language / WaqWaq Kingdom / Bo en / Patten’ / David Holmes / Belle & Sebastian / Cloth / Phoenix / The Golden Dregs  / Julie Byrne

-

2023 RUNNERS UP (in no order)

Laurel Halo ‘Atlas’ 

Ryuichi Sakamoto ‘12’

John Cale ‘Mercy’

Felicita ‘Spalarkle’

Hyperdawn ‘Steady’

Moin ‘Paste’

Spencer Cullum ‘Spencer Cullum’s Coin Collection 2’

MC Yallah ‘Yallah Beibe’

Alabaster DePlume ‘Come With Fierce Grace’ 

Kwes ‘Rye Lane’ OST

Bianca Scout ‘Heart Of The Anchoress’

James Yorkston, Nina Persson & The Second Hand Orchestra ‘The Great White Sea Eagle’ 

Sweet Baboo ‘The Wreckage’

ML Buch ‘Suntub’

RS Tangent ‘When A Worm Wears A Wig’

Blockhead ‘The Aux’

Martha Ffion ‘The Wringer’

Mark Jenkin ‘Enys Men’ OST

Yo La Tengo ‘This Stupid World’

Tennis ‘Pollen’

Bar Italia ‘The Twits’

Klein ‘Touched By An Angel’

Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs ‘Land Of Sleeper’

David Brewis ‘The Soft Struggles’

Lorraine James ‘Gentle Confrontation’

Black Country, New Road ‘Live at Bush Hall’

Mandy, Indiana ‘I’ve Seen A Way’

Firestations ‘Thick Terrain’

Memotone ‘How Was Your Life?’ / ‘Illuminations Part I-III w/ Chris Yates’

Janelle Monae ‘The Age Of Pleasure’

Girl Ray ‘Prestige’ 

Vagabon ‘Sorry I Haven’t Called’

Gruff Rhys ‘The Almond And The Seahorse’

Yves Tumor ‘Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume..’

Sleaford Mods ‘UK GRIM’

Podcasts ‘Podcasts’

Noah Radley ‘Devoid Of A Contact Or Contextual Clues’

Deerhoof ‘Miracle-Level’

H Hawkline ‘Milk For Flowers’

Mary Lattimore ‘Goodbye, Hotel Arkada’

Jessie Ware ‘That! Feels Good!’

Feist ‘Multitudes’

Weird Wave ‘Lost Map Presents Weird Wave’

Blur ‘The Ballad Of Darren’

Avalon Emerson ‘& The Charm’

Roisin Murphy ‘Hit Parade’

Actress ‘LXXXVIII’

Amy May Ellis ‘Over Ling And Bell’

Jam City ‘Jam City Presents EFM’

King Krule ‘Space Heavy’

Peter Brewis ‘Blowdry Colossus’

Amaarae ‘Fountain Baby’

Death’s Dynamic Shroud ‘After Angel’ / ‘Keys To The Gate’ / ‘Midnight Tangerine’ / ‘Transcendence Bot’

This Is The Kit ‘Careful Of Your Keepers’

Decisive Pink ‘Ticket To Fame’

Travis Scott ‘UTOPIA’

James Holden ‘Imagine This Is A High Dimensional Space Of All Possibilities’

Willie J Healey ‘Bunny’

CHAI ‘CHAI’

James Ferraro ‘Concerto For Strings’

Sufjan Stevens ‘Javelin’

Shabazz Palaces ‘Robed In Rareness’

Bas Jan ‘Back To The Swamp’

Free Love ‘Inside’

John Medeski ‘The Curse’ OST

Brother May ‘Pattern With Force’

Langkamer ‘The Noon And Midnight Manual’

Uh ‘Humanus’

Patten ‘Mirage FM’

-

MY TOP 50 ALBUMS OF 2023

50. Robbie & Mona ‘Tusky’

49. Lonnie Holley ‘Oh Me Oh My’

48. MF Tomlinson ‘We Are Still Wild Horses’

47. Oliver Coates ‘Aftersun’ OST

46. Joanne Robertson ‘Blue Car’

45. Yeule ‘Softscars’

44. Lil Yachty ‘Let’s Start Here’

43. Robin Allender ‘Underground River’

42. PinkPantheress ‘Heaven Knows’

41. ANOHNI & The Johnsons ‘My Back Was A Bridge For You To Cross’

40. Joanna Sternberg ‘I’ve Got Me’

39. Bonnie Prince Billy ‘Keeping Secrets Will Destroy You’

38. Andre 3000 ‘New Blue Sun’

37. Kinlaw ‘WELD’

36. Memotone ‘Tollard’

35. Cleo Sol ‘Gold’

34. Mun Sing ‘Inflatable Gravestone’

33. Dorian Electra ‘Fanfare’

32. Bar Italia ‘Tracey Denim’

31. Panda Bear & Sonic Boom ‘Reset In Dub’

30. Kara Jackson ‘Why Does The Earth Give Us People To Love?’

29. Avey Tare ‘7s’

28. Kate NV ‘WOW’

27. Kelela ‘Raven’

26. Danny Brown ‘Quaranta’

25. Jessy Lanza ‘Love Hallucination’

24. 100 gecs ‘10,000 gecs’

23. Christopher Bear & Daniel Rossen ‘Past Lives’ OST

22. Quade ‘Nacre’

21. Django Django ‘Off Planet’

20. Tirzah ‘trip9love…???’

19. Nourished By Time ‘Erotic Probiotic 2’

18. Das Koolies ‘DK.01’

17. Jockstrap ‘I <3UQTINVU’

16. Lana Del Rey ‘Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd’

15. Fever Ray ‘Radical Romantics’

14. Hannah Diamond ‘Perfect Picture’

13. Water From Your Eyes ‘Everyone’s Crushed’

12. Rozi Plain ‘Prize’

11. Young Fathers ‘Heavy Heavy’

10. Yaeji ��With A Hammer’

9. Pozi ‘Smiling Pools’

8. Animal Collective ‘Isn’t It Now?’

7. Slauson Malone 1 ‘Excelsior’

6. Steve Mason ‘Brothers & Sisters’

5. The Lemon Twigs ‘Everything Harmony’

4. Oneohtrix Point Never ‘Again’

3. Caroline Polachek ‘Desire, I Want To Turn Into You’

2. JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown ‘Scaring The Hoes’

1. Squid ‘O Monolith’

[aradxan]

Oven Ready by Leanne Boulton © Leanne Boulton, All Rights Reserved Street photography from Glasgow, Scotland. Colour re-edit of a shot from November 2019. Wrapped up snug in foil sounds like a good idea right now. Enjoy! https://flic.kr/p/2o8AhN7

[sociologyonthemove]

A wander through Rhymney Street over Easter break by Macy White

As I embark on my sociological exploration of Cathays’ bustling streets, I am drawn to the materiality of place - the tangible expressions of urban life that shape our interactions and perceptions. Descending the steps from Crwys Road reveals a resplendent display of graffiti, injecting bursts of colour into the otherwise monotonous thoroughfare. Traversing the alleyway, the urban sounds emanating from Crwys Road gradually fade, signalling my departure from the commercial hub and entry into the place of my inquiry: Rhymney Street. Negotiating the scattered remnants of commercial consumption strewn across the pavement (Puwar 2019), I keenly feel the absence of the usual student energy that permeates this space. As Easter break unfolds and the students vacate, a quietude settles, allowing me to experience the changing temporal rhythms of this space. Conceptualising the street as a dynamic entity, shaped by cultural expressions and diverse mobilities (Hubbard and Lyon 2018), I delve into uncovering the ‘co-production of lives and landscape’ (Knowles 2011, p.137). Walking becomes my tool for immersion in the representational and lived world (Wunderlich 2008, p.125), facilitating an exploration of the essence of being in place (O’Neil and Hubbard 2010).

I embrace the flâneur, or rather the flâneuse - a wandering existence that combines elements of ‘reportage and poetique’ (Gantz 2005, pp.150- 152). In my walk, marked by its fluctuating pace and rhythm, I strive to align with the inherent rhythms of place, consciously ‘urban roaming’ (Rendell 2003, p.230 in Wunderlich 2008) to explore the landscape materially, physically, and sensually. Much like the 'discursive walk’, it transcends mere destination, inviting immersion in the journey itself (Wunderlich 2008, pp.132-133).

Turning left onto Rhymney Street, the absence of students, typically omnipresent in this lively enclave of Cathays, is palpable. The street, usually pulsating with youthful energy, now lies eerily quiet. Without their presence, the essence of the street transforms, and I sense the emptiness around me, discerning the absence of fellow pedestrians (Degen 2008). As I traverse its length, I am enveloped in an ‘intense sensuous encounter’, each step shaping my embodied experience and perception of the streetscape (Degen 2008, pp. 3-5). The transition beneath my feet, from rough concrete steps to smooth tiny concrete squares creates a ‘reciprocal and body-bound exchange with the environment’ (Wunderlich 2008, p.126). The air, devoid of the usual cacophony of voices, carries a stillness only broken by the distant hum of traffic echoing from Crwys Road. Navigating the street unencumbered by the usual obstacle course of debris and litter, I am struck by the unfamiliar tranquillity. It’s an unusual sensation, walking along a street typically alive with fellow students, now deserted. The pavement, usually a bustling thoroughfare, now bears witness to my lone walk (Rose 2020), its surface worn by the countless footsteps that have traversed it. Amidst the quietude, a blossom tree captivates my gaze, its petals scattered like confetti in a celebration of spring’s arrival. Stepping onto the road, I’m drawn by the ethereal beauty of the blossoms, their vivid hues contrast the usual sight of litter-strewn pavements. The fragrance of spring fills my nose, a refreshing departure from the usual odours of exhaust and decay. Blossoms carpet the ground, untouched and undisturbed. As my gaze follows the meandering path of the road, its unconventional zigzag design symbolises the intricate dance of spatial negotiation it represents. The narrowness of the street presents challenges for various forms of mobility, each encounter requiring a dance of movement and direction. Today, however, is different - allowing me to move freely. Returning to the narrow path, I contemplate the dynamics of access and mobility that define this space, pondering the diverse ways in which we perform in urban space (Amin and Thrift 2002; Wunderlich 2008).

Moving along the stream of Victorian terrace houses, the sight of vacant parking spaces saturates the landscape, a clear indicator of the residents' temporary absence. Each empty slot stands as a silent testament to the usual vibrancy, now momentarily subdued. A few cars linger, their ownership a mystery amidst the desolate scene. Nearby, a lone pigeon pecks at the pavement, its rhythmic bobbing a solitary dance amidst the stillness. Having traversed this path countless times, I’ve observed how the space is a product of human activity, where the lively rhythms of student life imbue this space as inherently social in its construction and interpretation (Lefebvre 1991). Yet today, the absence of students renders the street eerily tranquil. Noticing the absence of food bins, typically present after bin collection, I am struck by the street’s newfound pristineness, unencumbered by the remnants of urban life. Sunlight filters through the clouds, casting elongated shadows across the pavement, accentuating the architectural intricacies of the surrounding houses. With each step, I engage kinaesthetically, attuned to the rhythm of my own movement and the surrounding environment (Wunderlich 2008). My breathing slows in harmony with the leisurely pace of my urban stroll, while my footsteps echo the unhurried tempo of the street’s dynamic. The atmosphere unfolds with a subdued rhythm of its own, the usual clamour of activity now replaced by a serene ambiance. Delving deeper into the sensory tapestry of nature, I hear the gentle rustle of the leaves, the occasional chirp of a passing bird, inviting introspection and contemplation of the city. The warm caress of sunlight on my face adds to the pleasure of the walk, casting a glow over the streetscape. As I exchange a smile with a fellow student passing by, I am struck by the serenity that surrounds us. In this moment, we are the sole occupants of this street, a rare occurrence in this part of the city. I am reminded of my own embodiment, the familiarity of the encounter, the shared understanding of navigating these streets as students, creating a sense of connection without interaction (Neal et al. 2015). As our paths briefly intersect, I reflect on the temporal dimension of student life. The ebb and flow of the academic calendar define and shape not only our existence but also the rhythms of the city.

Walking along, I approach the bridge spanning over the adjacent train tracks, its steel arches stretch like a symbolic gateway connecting this student-centric streetscape to the vibrant allure of City Road. As I gaze upon it, thoughts of the diverse inhabitants of this city flood my mind, where the city serves as a conduit for connection. This ‘two-way encounter between mind and the city’ (Lefebvre 1996, pp.104-111) reminds me that I’m not solely in a student landscape but rather in a multicultural urban metropolis (Watson 2016). An older man descends the bridge onto Rhymney Street. He carries food shopping bags, their weight causing his shoulders to droop slightly, a testament to the practicalities of everyday urban life. The subtle nod of his head, dictated by the rhythm of his music, suggests a detachment from the external urban world, lost in the melodies playing through his headphones to drown out the city’s noise (Back 2017). Despite the absence of the usual energy that permeates this space, his presence enriches the street’s dynamic rhythms, adding depth to its urban symphony. As he moves ahead, I’m reminded of the interconnectedness of people and the myriad stories woven into these fluid and ever-changing streets (Hubbard and Lyon 2018), embodying the ‘intricate ballet’ of urban life - a choreography of pedestrian movements and social interaction (Jacobs 1961, p.65). A car passes by its zigzagging motion echoing the street’s unconventional design, momentarily startling me with its disruption. Music blares from its speakers, briefly drowning out the rare ambient sounds of the street. In the distance, a group of older adults stroll leisurely, their laughter and animated conservation filling the air. As the car fades into the distance and the laughter of the group recedes, I’m reminded of the array of human experience that animate the city streets.

Wandering along, I’m drawn into the unique narratives ingrained into each property, like a curious observer unravelling the mysteries woven into their walls. These houses, though aged, each tell a diverse story: some have been modernised or re-vitalised with vibrant coats of paint, while others wear their age with dignity, their earthy-toned exteriors hinting at decades of history. Rhymney Street stretches out before me, its length a reminder of the multitude of stories that intersect and intertwine along its path. The homes wear the marks of their inhabitants, from the eclectic display of empty alcohol bottles to the colourful tapestries distinguishing one dwelling from the next. Amidst the mosaic of houses, a bright sky-blue residence catches my eye, its vibrant cheerful hue radiating a welcoming aura. Verdant plants grace its windows, their leaves glistening in the gentle sunlight that filters through. Three empty gin bottles, repurposed as candle holders, stand as quirky ornaments, their colourful wax sticks casting a playful glow. Fairy lights drape elegantly, their soft illumination dancing against the drawn curtains. This dwelling radiates a sense of belonging, a visual testament to the thriving community that calls these walls home. This way of walking to learn the city (Back 2017) unveils the intricate intermingling of the senses that transcend the body, inviting us to observe and grasp the essence of place (Amin and Thrift 2002). As the sun dips behind the cloud, casting a shadow over the street, the pattern of drawn curtains and the absence of lights hint at the departure of these residents, revealing the temporal nuances encountered along the way.

Arriving at the end of Rhymney Street, I’m greeted by a vibrant tableau. This segment of the street, leading directly to the nearby ‘student’ pubs, pulsates with vitality and motion. Cars squeeze into filled parking spaces, creating a patchwork of haphazard arrangements along the path. The houses exude a sense of occupancy, curtains drawn open and lights on, imbuing the area with life. Ahead, three young people emerge from their house, one recoiling in disgust at the sight of open food bags strewn by their doorstep, with a screechy ‘eww’. They deftly navigate the obstacle course of debris with a rhythmic sidestep, sharing laughter as they go. Continuing my walk, the sounds of laughter, conversation, and music drift from the nearby houses, filling the air with a lively energy. The shift in ambiance is striking, with a vibrant vitality animating the landscape. Diverse individuals move along the street, using it as a thoroughfare to access the nearby commercial activity, intertwining place, journey, and people (Knowles 2011). In the absence of the usual student rhythms, other groups of individuals emerge, their presence becoming more visible against the backdrop of the urban setting. As I approach the street’s end, I peer over the boundary wall, absorbing the diverse tapestry of urban life below. Cars stop and accelerate, engines humming. Pedestrians hurry along the pathways, their strides embodying a ‘purposive walk’ of constant rhythmic and rapid pace (Wunderlich 2008, p.131). Deliveroo bikes dart through the traffic with purpose and urgency. The cacophony of movement and the scent of exhaust amalgamate through my embodied perception, mediating my sense of place (Degen 2008, pp. 4-6). The array of mobilities enrich the urban rhythms of Cathays, reaffirming that urban life is everywhere and in everything (Amin and Thrift 2002). Standing still, I’m struck by the contrast that while Rhymney Street rests, the urban city continues to pulse with urban rhythmicity – it never sleeps (Smith and Hall 2013). Turning around to admire the length of Rhymney Street, its expansive stretch reveals it as more than just a thoroughfare – it’s a social hub with its own unique cast of characters, embodying ‘the shifting social and cultural terrains of urban life’ (Barker 2009, p.155). I reflect how the return of students will transform the streets’ dynamic again, where everyday life redefines the polyrhythms (Smith and Hall 2013) and materiality of place. Turning to leave, the yellow double lines of the street stretch out before me like a guiding beacon, bidding farewell to Rhymney Street as I re-join the rhythm of urban life, journeying back into the heart of the city.

Methodological Note

The ‘rhythm of walking generates a rhythm of thinking’ (Solnit 2001, p.5), where mind, body, and the sensory stimuli of place coalesce (Ingold and Lee Vergunst 2016; Springgay and Truman 2017). Walking serves as a mediated and constructed pathway, imbued with kinaesthetic richness, guiding our exploration of place by sensitising our bodies to the phenomenological processes of existence (Solent 2001; Wunderlich 2008; O’Neil and Hubbard 2010). For Knowles (2011, p.136), these journeys provide imaginative tools to delve into the ‘fabric and fabrication of cities’, offering insights into the idiosyncratic construction of lived experience and place. As described by Ingold, they constitute an ‘improvised matrix of movement’ connecting physical spaces with the social practices that shape them (2000, pp. 220-226). This fluidity and interconnection inherent in walking affords a deeper understanding of the multifaceted processes through which landscapes are formed, experienced, valued, and contested (Watson 2006; Macpherson 2016). City walks, with their capacity to stimulate new perspectives and narratives, peel back the layers of overlapping social, historical, and contested materialities woven into the urban tapestry. This way of engaging with the city ‘from below’ (Back 2014), provides a means to explore the multi-temporality, rhythmicity, and socio-sensory processes of the landscape (Amin and Thrift 2002).

My reflexive journey aimed to contextualise the diverse mobilities and urban rhythms of the streetscape by juxtaposing them with my previous experiences. Using walking to tap into the ‘sociological imagination’ (Mills 1959), I observed in-situ how the influx of students shapes the social, material, and physical landscape. Immersing myself in the sounds, smells, and sights of my journey fostered an embodied ‘phenomenological sense of place’ (Pink 2008, p.178), deepening my personal connection to the city. My walk intended to uncover the stories and histories woven within the streetscape while remaining attuned to the ‘music of the city’ (Lefebvre 1996, p.227). The rhythms of the city serve as the coordinates through which individuals frame and organise their urban experiences (Amin and Thrift 2002, p.17). By examining cities through the journeys that traverse them (Knowles 2011), we can unveil the intricate interplay of urban dynamics, cultural expressions, and spatial configurations that flow through and define city life. The infrastructure of Rhymney Street dictated my pace; its long, linear layout, devoid of the usual pedestrian flows, allowed me to pause, reflect, and freely navigate the streetscape without conforming to its typical rhythms. By acknowledging the fluidity of urban representation (Knowles 2011), I aimed to capture the evolving essence of urban existence through employing a ‘literary sociology’ approach, embracing writing that mirrored the creativity and fluidity inherent in the walk itself (Back, 2007, p. 164). My student identity and familiarity with the city are significant, as they provided context-specific knowledge about its identity and connection to the student community. This reinforced my sense of belonging and identity, influencing my experience, perspective, and interpretation. Focusing on the street as a synecdoche for the city (Amin and Thrift 2002), I sought to uncover how the streetscape comes alive, is lived in, and moves with the rhythm of urban life.

References

Amin, A., Thrift, N.J. 2002. Cities: reimagining the urban. Cambridge: Polity.

Back, L. 2007. The art of listening. New York, Ny; Bloomsbury Academic.

Back, L. 2014. Reflections: Writing cities. In: Jones, H. and Jackson, E. 2014. Stories of Cosmopolitan Belonging: Emotion and Location. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis.

Back, L. 2017. Memory, City Life and Walking. In: Bates, C. and Rhys-Taylor, A. eds. Walking Through Social Research. London: Routledge, pp. 20-37.

Barker, J. 2009. Introduction: Street Life. City & Society 21(2), pp. 155–162.

Degen, M. 2008. Sensing cities: regenerating public life in Barcelona and Manchester. London; New York: Routledge.

Gantz, K. 2005. Strolling with Houellebecq: The Textual Terrain of Postmodern “Flânerie.” Journal of Modern Literature 28(3), pp. 149–161.

Hubbard, P., Lyon, D. 2018. Introduction: Streetlife – the shifting sociologies of the street. The Sociological Review 66(5), pp. 937–951.

Jacobs, J. 1961. The Death and Life of Great American Cities. New York: Vintage Books. Lee Vergunst, J., Ingold, T. 2016. Ways of Walking. Routledge. Knowles, C. 2011. Cities on the move: Navigating urban life. City 15(2), pp. 135–153. Lefebvre, H. 1996. Writings on Cities. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing. pp. 147–159.

Mills, C.W. 1959. The Sociological Imagination. Oxford University Press.

Neal, S., Bennett, K., Jones, H., Cochrane, A., Mohan, G. 2015. Multiculture and Public Parks: Researching Super-diversity and Attachment in Public Green Space. Population, Space and Place 21(5), pp. 463–475.

O’Neill, M., Hubbard, P. 2010. Walking, sensing, belonging: ethno-mimesis as performative praxis. Visual Studies 25(1), pp. 46–58.

Pink, S. 2008. An urban tour: The sensory sociality of ethnographic place-making. Ethnography 9(2), pp. 175–196.

Puwar, N. 2019. Walking through Litter – Life Writing Projects. Available at: https://reframe.sussex.ac.uk/lifewritingprojects/place/nirmal-puwar/ [Accessed: 15 April 2024].

Rose, M. 2020. Pedestrian practices: walking from the mundane to the marvellous. In: Homes, H., Hall, S.M. Mundane Methods: Innovative ways to research the everyday. Manchester: University Press.

Smith, R.J. and Hall, T. 2013. No Time Out: Mobility, Rhythmicity and Urban Patrol in the Twenty-Four-Hour City. The Sociological Review 61(1), pp. 89–108.

Watson, S. 2006. City publics: the (dis)enchantments of urban encounters. London: New York: Routledge.

Watson, S. 2016. Making multiculturalism. Ethnic and Racial Studies 40(15), pp. 2635–2652.

Wunderlich, F.M. 2008. Walking and Rhythmicity: Sensing Urban Space. Journal of Urban Design 13(1), pp. 125–139.

[80sdragonbreath]

One of the biggest problems I find among women's rights activists is their reliance on data when it supports them, at the same time as their absolute inability to understand (or, in some cases even read) the papers they are citing. This is then compounded by logical fallacies such as "guilt by association".

Study 1.

(Fulu, 2013) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25104345/

They studied ONLY 3rd tier economy countries, and only in Asian countries. Despite 50+ years of IPV research showing that most IPV is bi-direcitonal, and rarely happens in a vacuum (but when it does it's mostly women perpetrating alone), no mention of the woman's perpetrating role of IPV was mentioned or studied. Be that as it may, they did at least mention that poverty, alcoholism and low education were factors.

Result: Poor, illiterate Asian men are violent. Poor, illiterate Asian women might also be violent, but they never tested for that.

Study 2.

(UN Women 2017) https://arabstates.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Field%20Office%20Arab%20States/Attachments/2017/arab-women-report-violence-against-women-english.pdf

It's not actually a study, it's a report to the UN on violence against women in Arab countries. The data is scarce, inconsistent and riddled with problems. For example, on p.4 it gives an info-graphic on the Global prevalence of violence against women, and gives all sorts of statistics in the following paragraphs.

One such statistic, pulled at random is:

"In Saudi Arabia, nearly 80% of women respondents aged 18-48 reported experiencing sexual harassment, including on the street." (15)

When you check the source it gives this: https://stopstreetharassment.org/resources/statistics/statistics-academic-studies/ which gives its source as [page not found]. It's not backed up by any data at all.

Just in case this was a random glitch, I tried another reference at random, no.22. That was also a dead link.

Study 3.

(Barker et. al. n.d.) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30335574/

It does actually have a date - 2019 - but the main worry is that the publication does NOT make ANY of the claims that OP does, because principally it didn't study for them!

Study 4.

(Jewkes et. al. 2011) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3247272/

This studied ONLY Zulu men ONLY living in rural areas run in traditional ways. However the headline makes it read that all South Africans are represented by rural Zulu nations.

Result: Zulu men rape sometimes. The most notable finding is this:

"A further difference was that men who raped had more educated mothers, with a greater proportion having completed school or attended further education."

Wouldn't that be an L for feminists??

Study 5.

(Young et. al. 2017) https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sarah-Desmarais-2/publication/303696511_Sexual_Coercion_Practices_Among_Undergraduate_Male_Recreational_Athletes_Intercollegiate_Athletes_and_Non-Athletes/links/59305690aca272fc55e158af/Sexual-Coercion-Practices-Among-Undergraduate-Male-Recreational-Athletes-Intercollegiate-Athletes-and-Non-Athletes.pdf

Only a single university was studied, and the study only looked at inter-collegiate athletes. However, OP claims that 46% of all undergrad students in the entire USA admit to perpetration of sexual violence. The study does not back that statement up.

Result: 29 intercollegiate athletes at an unidentified US university may have used some kind of coercion in a previous relationship.

Study 6.

(Hales & Gannon 2021) https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/10790632211051682

My massive concern for this one is the demographic makeup. In the supplementary tables, the researchers break down the ethnicities of the perpetrators:

54% of Other Asian men were perpetrators 50% of Pakistani men 33% of Black Caribbean men 33% of Arab men 20% of Irish men 18% of Indian men ...

Starting to sound a bit racist to me...

Study 7.

(Malamuth 1981) https://spssi.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1540-4560.1981.tb01075.x

Seriously though. This did an Aristotelian logic, by looking at two groups of people, identifying similar traits between the two, and concluding backwards that A must be like B:

Convicted rapists score high on believing rape myths, and arousal to rape scenarios - therefore - ANYONE who believes rape myths and is aroused by rape scenarios is likely to become a rapist.

In case there are people reading this that don't get the logical fallacy, let me describe it in a different way: Oranges have been found to be high in spherical shape, and usually consistent in orange color. Therefore ANYTHING that is high in spherical shape and usually consistent in orange color, must be the fruit of an orange tree.

I think you can see the problem.

I do actually have problems with the studies beyond just demographics - many of them use Koss as a sexual misconduct benchmark, and Koss was the first to state that any alcohol consumed (by a woman only!) makes any subsequent sexual act, rape. Even her participants did not view their consensual loving sexual encounters as rape, but Koss didn't listen.

Koss also went on to say that men can't be raped, period. No amount of inebriation of the man results in him being able to be taken advantage of by a woman, apparently.

...

In short:

...

...

...

None of these studies is representative of White Western men, or even men more broadly.

But it takes a frikkin essay to explain why feminists are so routinely wrong, so not many people bother, they just ignore feminists, which ironically perpetrates these rape myths, because no one corrects them.

...

Seriously, Zulu men??

More Than 1 in 3 Men Admit to Raping or Abusing Women

Earlier I made a post about how many men will openly admit to abusing or raping women. 

This post expands on that by looking at a few specific publications from that post and introducing some other publications on the same issue.

First, a study examined multiple sites in East and Southeast Asia, and, uniquely, aggregated the data across sites (Fulu, 2013):

33% of men admit to perpetrating physical intimate partner violence (IPV)

46% of men admit to perpetrating either physical or sexual IPV, or both

53% of men admit to perpetrating at least one emotionally abusive act; 30% admit to at least three different acts

34% of men admit to perpetrating economic IPV

24% of men admit to perpetrating rape against a partner

11% of men admit to perpetrating rape against a non-partner

4% of men admit to perpetrating gang rape

Of the men who admitted to committing any type of rape, 58% admitted to perpetrating rape more than once and 33% admitted to more than one victim

67% of the men who committed rape faced no legal consequences 

14-52% of men said had transactional sex at least once

Second, a study examined multiple countries in the Middle East and North Africa. The data was not aggregated across country, so the range of responses is provided (UN Women, 2017):

10-45% of men admit to perpetrating physical IPV

20-80% of men admit to perpetrating emotional IPV

31-64% of men admit to perpetrating street-based sexual harassment; in addition, more educated men were more likely to admit to having sexually harassed a woman, and more educated women were more likely to have experienced sexual harassment

Third, a study examined multiple countries from around the world (Brazil, Chile, Croatia, India, Mexico and Rwanda). The data was not aggregated across country, so the range of responses is provided (Barker et al., n.d.):

25-40% of men admit to perpetrating physical IPV

6-29% of men admit to perpetrating sexual violence against women and girls

16-56% of men said they had transactional sex at least once

Fourth, smaller studies provide data from a range of different countries:

28% of men in South Africa admit to having ever raped a woman; many perpetrated rape more than once; 2% admitted to perpetrating gang rape; more than 30% faced no consequences and over 80% faced no legal consequences (Jewkes et al., 2011)

46% of male undergraduate students in the USA admit to perpetrating  some form of sexual coercion (Young et al., 2017)

Finally, some studies with related data:

13% of men in the UK admit to perpetrating sexual violence over the past twelve months; importantly, this figure is not comparable to the lifetime prevalence estimates given above (Hales & Gannon, 2021)

35% of male undergraduate students in the USA reported some likelihood of committing rape, in a review of earlier studies (Malamuth, 1981)

The wording of these studies is crucial, as some men will endorse behaviorally descriptive items, but reject labeling items - where the word rape is used (Edwards et al., 2014); these differences may explain at least part of the reported victimization-perpetration gap (Kolivas & Gross, 2007)

In addition, these studies all used self-report measures (asking men if they committed particular violent acts). Therefore, the reported prevalence is likely based on (1) the true prevalence rate and (2) the social acceptability of that form of violence. Some estimates may therefore be much lower than the true prevalence rates.

References under the cut:

Weiterlesen

[musicarenagh]

Patoranking Blends Afrobeats, Reggae, Dancehall & Hip Hop On His Fourth Studio Album World Best Raking in over 500 million YouTube views, a quarter of a billion DSP streams for his previous 2020 album Three, Nigerian star Patoranking lives up to his anointed moniker “World Best” from his devoted fans, a following of over 8.7 million on Instagram alone. Through his long standing reputation of layering afrobeats, dancehall and reggae, the Lagos-born artist is in a class of his own. He was instantly drawn to the pulsating native rhythms of galala, an uptempo reggae-inspired music and dance that took over his streets in the 1980s and 1990s. His fourth studio album, aptly titled World Best, is a masterfully modern culmination of this genre fusion – driven by love, life and conscious lyricism.  On World Best (out today Sept 6, 2023), Patoranking taps international icons like American hip hop legend Ludacris, Jamaica’s own dancehall don Beenie Man and Kingston’s unruly boss Popcaan. His homegrown sound is nurtured with more talented collaborators hailing from Africa - including hitmakers Kizz Daniel (Nigeria) and Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania) as well as rising stars Victony (Nigeria), Gyakie (Ghana) and Zion Foster (UK by way of Nigeria). From lush instrumentation to synthesized beats, the LP’s range of production holds a celebratory tone and is provided by an all-star cast of up-and-coming and well-known African producers. The list includes Phantom (Nigeria), Kel P (Nigeria), Killertunes (Nigeria), C-Tea (Ghana), Mix Master Garzy (Ghana) and many more.  Over the last year, Patoranking has been steadily releasing key cuts from World Best. The intoxicating “Kolo Kolo” ft. Diamond Platnumz (produced by Young Willis) has already received almost 30 million YT video views and recently won Best East Meets West Collaboration at East Africa Arts Entertainment Awards (EAEA) 2023. “Abobi” followed with its full-bodied melodies created by Nigeria’s Kel P, whose credits include multiple hits on Burna Boy’s African Giant 2019 landmark album. Over the summer, Patoranking dropped “Higher,” a spiritual vibration featuring cracking percussion sound and soft glowing synth chords produced by Mix Master Garzy, and unleashed the party starter “Tonight” ft. Popcaan produced by DJ Breezy (who is responsible for Patoranking’s 2014 hit “My Woman, My Everything” ft. Wande Coal. The latter Nigeria-meets-Jamaica anthem is already over 2m+ YT views and climbing Nigeria's Top 100 chart.  The swoon-worthy collaborations continue throughout World Best. Ludacris finds common ground with Patoranking as they recall their humble beginnings before fame on “Miracle Baby.” On “Gyal Like You” featuring Nigerian star Kizz Daniel, both icons are smitten over a breathtaking sight as their vocals ride over the feel good beats by the young Nigerian producer Killertunes (Wizkid, MUT4Y, Duncan Mighty's). “Women of the Year” ft. Zion Foster is a sultry ode to the ones they dedicate their hearts to. The words of admiration float over a mid-tempo afrobeats groove by N2THEA, the UK-based Ghanaian producer (Tion Wayne, Afro-B and Alicai Harley). With an earnest feeling fueling the melody in every word on “Amazing Grace,” Patoranking and the self-crowned King of the Dancehall Beenie Man declare their vows and boast unconditional love to their prospective queens. The song's shimmering guitar licks and an ensemble of wind instruments are courtesy of C-Tea, the Ghanaian producer/sound engineer who earned a Grammy win for Black Coffee’s 2022 album Subconsciously. Patoranking is head over heels and hypnotized on “Control Me'' complemented by the vocals of the fast-rising Ghanaian songstress Gyakie and rhythms built by Mix Master Garzy. The album’s standout track “Babylon” features one of Nigeria’s latest musical exports Victony and is an alluring wonder into the unknown. The seductive sounds are crafted by Nigeria’s renowned Phantom, the man behind Burna Boy’s “Ye” and Camidoh’s 2022 anthem “Sugarcane.”

World Best follows Patoranking’s albums: God Over Everything (2015), Wilmer (2019) and Three (2020). Listen Here 

[vividracing]

New Post has been published on https://www.vividracing.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-ultimate-hks-jdm-toyota-gr-supra/

Everything You Need To Know About The Ultimate HKS JDM Toyota GR Supra!

At Vivid Racing we have the privilege of building and experiencing some wild cars. Some are built for style, while many are built to try and produce the most power within a restrictive and rather small budget. For this blog, we had the pleasure of diving head-first into HKS’s Toyota GR Supra on our home turf. The way that sounds doesn’t seem to give it much justice. This isn’t any ol’ A90 spec’d with a laundry list of aftermarket bolt-ons. This MKV GR Supra was tastefully built to showcase HKS’s full MK5 Supra portfolio at the 2020 SEMA Show and Tokyo Auto Salon. For a legendary Japanese company like HKS, this build isn’t something that was to be taken lightly. They need to make an interruption and that is what they set out to do when building this car.

If you aren’t familiar with HKS Co. Ltd, they are an aftermarket automotive company based in Fujinomiya, Japan. The company specializes in creating high-performance parts designed for Japanese-made vehicles. HKS stands for Hasegawa, Kitagawa, Sigma. The brand was founded in 1973 by Hiroyuki Hasegawa, who used to work with Yamaha Motor Company, along with his partner Goichi Kitagawa and was financed by Sigma Automotive. The initials of the three were used to create the HKS brand. In today’s world, HKS is considered one of the gold standards for creating some of the highest quality aftermarket performance parts for Japanese Domestic Market vehicles.

The company has its humble beginnings in a small shed at the foot of Mount Fuji, catering to gasoline-powered engines used for farming. In 1974, they were the first company to introduce a turbocharger for commercial vehicles, and it was a hit, especially for those Japanese tuners who wanted more out of their vehicles. Today, HKS has become the brand everyone knows about when it comes to performance adders and has expanded its reach worldwide

This Toyota GR Supra features some brilliant products such as the HKS Premium Body Kit, HKS FRP GT Wing, HKS Edition Bride Racing Seats, HKS Cold Air Intake Kit, HKS Hipermax S Coilovers with Full Canceller Kit, HKS Super Turbo Muffler Exhaust System, SQV4 Blow Off Valve Kit, and much, much more.

1. Exhaust System

Made to perfectly fit the Toyota Supra GR 2019-2021, this muffler has the same pipe diameter as the Dual Muffler, 31014-KT001, that was previously released. Available in our shop for just $2,963.45, this system was manufactured using the latest HKS technology. For those who are equipped with a catless downpipe and want to suppress the exhaust sound, this is the perfect product for them as this muffler was designed to control the sound and keep the volume low.

Features:

Inspection-Ready, Noise Regulation-Compliant Muffler

OEM Exhaust Valve Compatible

Fully Adjustable

The slitted inner side improves sound silencing

Titanium Gradation Tail

Balanced-size tail tips for bumper cut-outs

2. Cold Air Intake System

We recommend this cold air intake system for owners of Toyota GR Supra 2020. Available in our shop for $1,328.95, this is a high-efficiency air system developed for high-performance street and track vehicles. When you install this system you are guaranteed to have an improvement in air induction due to HKS inner funnel design, which smoothly guides forced air flow which results in increased horsepower, torque, and engine response. The system has a 2-layer air filter element which is focused on maximizing airflow for performance, yet still keeping harmful particles from the engine.

Features:

Employing the same carefully crafted carbon material with beautiful twill texture used at HKS Dry Carbon Racing Suction.

Approx. 500g of weight reduction. (Stock: 3.1kg, HKS: 2.6kg)

3. Oil Filler Cap

  Made to fit the BMW Z4 2021+, and Toyota Supra 2022+ perfectly, this is another HKS product that we recommend as your next upgrade. This machined aluminum cap is yours to grab for an affordable price of $98, ready to be attached to the filler cap with double-sided tape and giving the engine bay a solid and luxurious look.

Features:

The aluminum cap cover for the BMW B-series gasoline engine fits over the plastic oil filler cap.

Easy installation by simply attaching with double-sided tape.

Material: Aluminum Alloy (Duralumin)

Color: Anodized Red

4. Blow-Off Valve

Made to fit the Toyota Supra GR 2020+, this $1,079.95 HKS blow-off valve will have your Supra making all sorts of good noises, not to mention the performance improvements. HKS is known for making some of the best-forced induction components on the market, HKS did not miss that mark when it comes to this blow-off valve.

Features:

Constructed from High-Quality Materials

Get that distinct BOV sounds everyone loves

5. Suspension

For the best performance in suspension, we recommend these $3,300 HKS coilovers. Designed for great driving performance and a comfortable ride, this coilover is the best choice for street, sport, and comfort in driving. It will help to achieve ideal traction in any condition for excellent driving performance. Made to perfectly fit the Toyota GR Supra 2019+, this coilover will revolutionize your vehicle’s handling, performance, and traction, since it was manufactured by utilizing the technological capabilities cultivated over the past 9 years since the launch of MAX IV SP.

Features:

Super Response Fluid (Exclusive newly developed Oil) – Improved damper oil quality and viscosity.

Improves characteristics of Damping force, achieving great handling performance. Suppresses temperature change caused by heat

Low Vibration Spring (Exclusive high-strength Spring) – Manufactured with 210k grade high-strength wire rods. Adopted to shorten wire length and reduce weight and Improves Steering response.

Upper Spring Retainer (Exclusive for HIPERMAX R) – Allow the damping axis and spring load lines to align coaxially. Reducing friction and Smoother damping.

6. Suspension Error Canceler

This HKS Suspension Error Canceler (SEC) for Toyota Supra GR 2020+ is available in our shop for just $373.95. This Suspension Error Canceler (SEC) stops the suspension system problem error code from being displayed when using aftermarket dampeners/coilover suspensions.

Features:

GR supra (RZ(DB42)/SZ-R(DB22) stock shock absorber electronically controlled.

The vehicle detects an error when the electronically controlled stock shock absorber is removed and displays an error message in the meter panel and control display (the graphic below)

Suspension Error Canceler (SEC) is able to work even after upgrading the shock absorber. Use this kit in combination when replacing coilovers.

7. Body Kit

Full Body Kit and GT Wing

  This is the first of the original aero kits created by HKS, and it is available in our shop for just $9,500.95. Developed from HKS’s involvement in motorsports which provided data and knowledge utilized in manufacturing new products, this wide-body kit gives your Toyota GR Supra that aggressive, sporty look that turns heads.

Features:

This kit is made from glass-fiber-reinforced plastic. (Black gel coat finish on the surface)

The bodyline inherits successive race cars.

Fenders and rear canards that take into account the effect of rectification to the rear of the vehicle will stabilize running.

Rear downforce can be secured by installing a GT wing.

This product is designed to obtain an optimal downforce by performing CFD analysis to take into account aerodynamics

HKS has been pursuing durability and downforce in the ultra-high-speed range by conducting tests on high-speed circuits.

Kit Includes:

Front Lip

Rear Fender R/L

Front Fender R/L

Rear Duck-tail

Side Sill R/L

Rear Canard R/L

FRP GT Wing Rear Spoiler w/ stands and brackets etc.

FRP GT Wing

The HKS FRP GT Wing Toyota Supra A90 GR 2020-2023 is available in our shop for just $3,800.95. Made from the data collected from HKS’s continued involvement in motorsports, this wing significantly alters the appearance and aerodynamics of the Toyota Supra A90 GR, by increasing the surface area of your car which allows for additional downforce compared to other rear spoilers on the market.

Features:

Material: Fiber Reinforced Plastics

Including Stand+ Blacket+License plate cover

Secured rear downforce

This product is designed to obtain an optimal downforce by performing CFD analysis to take into account aerodynamics

HKS has been pursuing durability and downforce in the ultra-high-speed range by conducting tests on high-speed circuits.

Body Kit

If you prefer a body kit without the wing, make sure you grab this $6,650.95 body kit from HKS. This body kit is created as the first of the original aero kits by HKS by utilizing aerodynamics feedback from the experience gained through past HKS time attack machines, such as “CT230R”, “TRB-03” and “TRB-04”.

Features:

This kit is made from glass-fiber-reinforced plastic.(Black gel coat finish on the surface)

The bodyline inherits successive race cars.

Fenders and rear canards that take into account the effect of rectification to the rear of the vehicle will stabilize running.

Rear downforce can be secured by installing a GT wing.

This product is designed to obtain an optimal downforce by performing CFD analysis to take into account aerodynamics

HKS has been pursuing durability and downforce in the ultra-high-speed range by conducting tests on high-speed circuits.

Kit Includes:

Front Lip

Rear Fender R/L

Front Fender R/L

Rear Duck-tail

Side Sill R/L

Rear Canard R/L

[mysticdragon3md3]

music concert Joker gets great canon portrayals

Joker/Akira/Ren has so much personality during the music concerts, where he gets to do entire monologues or scenes! It's everything that was implied in the game, and everything we wanted from the anime but didn't get!  ;o;  Jun Fukuyama's Joker is so full of sassy theatricality!  *o*!!!  

I understand very little Japanese, so if anyone is fluent, please post translations!

Persona Super Live P-Sound Bomb 2017 concert https://youtu.be/Xh2KL7Bm66c

00:21:45/02:39:51 to 00:23:10/02:39:51 (Joker's welcome) 02:05:44/02:39:51 to 02:07:25/02:39:51 (Did you have fun? We stole your hearts. You've been recognized as part of our group. Therefore, you get to see trailers.) 02:14:22/02:39:51 to 02:14:57/02:39:51 (PQ2 teaser) 02:52:09/02:39:51 to 02:54:13/02:39:51 (drama scene P3&P4 find Calling Card/note from Joker)

I'm pretty sure the audio dramas with Joker during the P-Sound Street 2019 concert, were just at the beginning and the end.  Joker, Yu/Souji, and Makoto/Minato are in a movie theater together (likely to advertise PQ2).  I love the moments when Joker tries to sound cool, but then Yu and Minato either don't get it or call him out on acting odd, then Joker has to backpedal.  LOL

[noirlaurantsh]

PERSONA SUPER LIVE P-SOUND STREET 2019 ~ Welcome to the Q theater

Singers' banquet outfit set

Yumi Kawamura

Shihoko Hirata

Lotus Juice

Lynn Inaizumi

I had a fast doodle during the stream yesterday (24/4) ~

[jimhair]

Last week someone mentioned their “elevator spiel” and I thought of how bad I am at explaining what I’m doing. Artist or Anthropologist sounds too snooty, and Documentary seems more along the lines of what Ken Burns creates. Except by the Hells Angels I’ve never been comfortable being called: ‘The Photographer’. I just think of my images as notes of who we are until we are struck by Oumuamua, and the term visual historian (lower case) seems close, for now. It includes the people I’m glad I’ve met, and have missed seeing. Wells Oviatt, Mr. Sculpture, Portland, January 2019 🇺🇦💔🌎💔🌏💔🌍💔🇺🇦 #earth #america #human #family #documentary #street #photographer #oldtown #portrait #photography #artist #mediumformat #4x5 #camera #bnw #film #blancoynegro #blancetnoir #Hēiyǔbái #siyahbeyaz #白黒 #shirokuro #blackandwhite #istillshootfilm #photojournalism #pdx #portland #nw #northwest #oregon 190110 HP5 1925 Graflex RB 1902 Bausch and Lomb 5x7 Lens https://www.instagram.com/p/CixtCdvJLOg/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[mandsizzle]

I think this is from 2019 after the persona super live P Sound Street reveal, bad bad 2 y/o art but figured I’d share anyway lol

[fivescoffeemug]

milk coffee. (Five Hargreeves x Reader) (part 2)

Summary : you got too broke to pay for rent so you crash at Five’s.

Warnings : none

Words : 2,137

A/N : please please tell me (thru dm or ask box) if you want to be in this taglist, because I’m making more parts and this is seriously flopping :(

(Just to be clear, the story takes place on 2nd April 2019 assuming they got back to the umbrella academy and not the sparrow academy because fuck the cliffhanger)

taglist : @eyelash-curler

part 1 | part 2

“Have you got the money?”

“Sorry?”

“The rent.”

“I—I ... I don’t—I don’t have it yet.”

“Sorry but you’ve been here for three free weeks.”

“Miss, please, please just give me another week I swear my book’s just—”

“Get out.”

“Miss just—”

“I’m going broke too and I need the money! But since you’re broke too one of us has to have money right? Now go back up and pack your shit.”

“I’ll be homeless.”

“I’m giving you till five.”

Five. It hit you like a swing of a sledgehammer to the back of your head.

No, you thought. That would be so pathetic.

But what other choice did you have?

You rushed up the stairs, grabbing your phone and finding the word ‘Five’ in your contacts. You pressed on it, calling it immediately.

At the fifth ring, he finally picked up.

“What?” He hissed.

“Wow, you sound overjoyed to hear from me,” You rolled your eyes, soon realizing now was not the time for the petty insults.

“Mhmm,” He hummed, seeming busy with something else. “What do you want?”

This wasn’t the first time you called Five since you met him, probably about the third, the other two times were just because you were bored.

It had just come to you that he always seems so uninterested in your company whenever you began conversations, but he would come around soon enough. You both wouldn’t stop at the scornful insults though.

“Can I ... crash at your place?” You struggled to say, biting your lip and closing your eyes right after.

“You were already crazy enough to even want to keep in touch but this just breaks the mental asylum records by a landslide,” Five comments. “What next, you’re gonna come up and tell me you have powers or something?”

You couldn’t help but smile at his remarks. You always told yourself, ‘damn I hate it when he does that,’ but you always knew that was a lie.

“Well? This is a joke to just keep me listening, right?” Five asked. “What do you really want, Y/N?”

“Sorry to disappoint you today mister masochist, but it turns out that I do infact need a place to crash,” You repeated, hoping you wouldn’t have to explain.

But of course, that’s if you lived in world where everyone was a naive nobody.

“What’s wrong with your place?”

“I’m fucking broke, alright?” You blurted in frustration. “I’m not from here. I’ve got no one else. I had to pay the landlady from the money I could scrape out of my pants pockets and I thought my book would sell by now, but I guess I was getting ahead of myself.”

You could feel Five huffing in a slight chuckle.

“Not from here, so no family or friends to turn to for shelter ... oh helpless, helpless Y/N ... ” He narrated, clearly amused at your desperate situation.

“Well?”

“It would really be amusing to see you on the streets, wouldn’t it?”

“For you, definitely.”

There was silence for a while.

“You know what, fine. I’m not as cruel as you think I am.”

“The fact that you had to point that out means you probably are,” At this point, talking to Five always just triggered the instinct of throwing any insult you could at him.

“You wanna sleep on the streets?”

“No.”

“Then shut up and start packing.”

“Not even your address?”

“I’ll text you.”

“Okay, bye.”

And with that, he hung up, and you threw your phone on the bed and began packing.

...

When you turned up at the place, you thought you read the address wrong, you read it over at least seven times now. You looked up at the tall building. It was a mansion.

It made you wonder if Five really was just some regularly school boy.

You got to the front door, knocking at the wood. You found yourself admiring the patterns on it for a short while before the door finally opened.

“Can I help you?” A taller black woman with frizzy hair asked as you found youself puzzled.

“I—well, I’m ... ” You couldn’t find the words to say. You couldn’t say you were here to see Five because if anything you just needed a place to stay. “I just ... I wanted to see Five.”

“Five!” The woman calls. “Some girl is here for you!”

You heard the faint sound of some footsteps walking rather hastily down the stairs, finally seeing Five in the distance coming closer now.

“I was expecting someone, come in,” he said monotonously, barely making any eye contact with you.

You tugged your small luggage inside the building after you and got a good look at the foyer. There was a large chandelier hanging from the ceiling and the entire place just seemed so grand, giving off the 1990’s vibe but if they were dirty rich.

“F-Five how old are you?”

“Well ... ” his head slowly leaned to the side as he squinted in thought. “It’s complicated.”

“How is that complicated?”

“Okay if I said I was like twenty two would that satisfy you?”

“Well if that’s a lie then obviously not,” You follow him as he began walking up the stairs, dragging along your burden of a luggage.

“Then I guess you’ll just have to be unsatisfied for a while,” He turns to a corridor and you finally meet his plain room.

The walls reminded you of his eyes, the ones you fell for the time you met him. You had to admit, those were a true beauty.

Too bad its owner’s a real pain in the ass, you thought, smirking to yourself.

“What are you waiting for?”

“Do you guys just not have a spare room in this big-ass mansion?”

Five’s eyebrows furrowed as he looked at the ground. “Well, not one I’d want you to use.”

“Why not?”

“My dad’s. He’s dead.”

“Oh ... I—”

“Nope, don’t apologize,” Five shook his head. “Just put down your stuff. Crashing here is the best option you’ve got anyway, I’ll get an air mattress.”

You watch as Five exits the room, another stranger standing by the door, looking surprised and confused at the same time.

“Why?”

“Nothing I just ... I’ve never seen him so ... kind,” he finishes, soon entering the room. “Sorry, I don’t believe we’ve met. Klaus.”

“Y/N,” You shake the hand he held up, soon letting go as Five reappears again, seemingly glaring at Klaus before he left.

“Who are the other people in your house?” You ask before Five could start inflating the mattress.

“Does it matter?” He asks back, seeming to have no intention of letting you know about what was going on.

“Well, you’ll have to make some sense out of this,” You huffed, still slightly confused as to how peculiar Five has been. “If you’re not going to tell me then at least give me your age.”

Five grabs an air-pump and starts inflating the mattress, clearly ignoring your plea. You offer your help, and he let you but after discovering how incredibly slow you were going, he took back the pump and resumed doing it himself.

“Do you like reading books? I wrote one.”

“I really wished I had said ‘I don’t remember asking’, but unfortunately for me, I wanna know how the hell you ended up alone penniless where you don’t belong,” Five finished pumping air into the mattress, which you immediately say on after he left to put the pump back.

“Well?” His eyebrow raised, then returned.

“I was an orphan my whole life, it was abusive and I’ve had enough,” You huffed, frowning up at him. “That’s all I feel like saying.”

“An orphan ... when’s your birthday?”

“Tell me your age and I’ll tell you my birthday.”

Five looked to the side, biting his lip. He nodded, looking at the ground.

“How old do I look to you?” He cocked his head up as your eyes met yet again.

“Like ... eighteen?”

“There you have it.”

“I got it right?”

“Yes now it’s getting late and we’re going out to get dinner soon. You coming?”

“I don’t have any money left.”

“Five, let’s go,” A man appears at Five’s door, soon noticing your presence. “Who’s the girl?”

“Homeless person I decided to help,” Five replied coldly. “Poor Y/N doesn’t have the money for dinner too.”

“I’m not—”

“Y/N?” One of his eyebrows were raised, now facing you. “Don’t take the bitch too seriously he’s always like this.”

“I suggest you do the same for him, sadly Diego doesn’t have any spare braincells left, he shares one with our gorilla brother,” Five reviled, Diego turning back to glare at Five.

“I think I’ll skip dinner; I don’t want to bother the four of you about it.”

“The fou—Five! Does she not know about ...?”

“Do you really think I’d willingly embarrass myself by introducing the rest of our braindead siblings to her?” Five rolled his eyes.

“Up your ass, Five,” Diego digressed, soon smiling at you as he turned to face you again. “There’s actually seven—no six of us here. One of us died.”

“Your dad, right?”

“I—well n-no, he’s not really part of the picture ... ”

“My dad had seven of us. One of us died. That’s the end of it,” Five concluded, or at least tried to.

“My name’s Diego, that’s Five, and the tall black woman’s Allison, the short one’s Vanya, the bigger looking guy is Luther and the high one is Klaus.”

“Didn’t Klaus quit drugs?”

“Well, I don’t know. Drugs or no drugs he always kinda seemed high to me,” Diego shrugged.

...

After Five treated you to dinner, you washed up and Vanya let you use her pajamas for the night. Five got you an extra blanket and pillow too.

In the middle of the night, you had a nightmare. Your neck and face was sweaty and you were panting heavily. Five woke up to his room shaking, a few small things falling off the side of his table. He glanced down at you, trying to shake you awake.

“Y/N! Y/N!”

“No ... please ... I can e-explain ... ”

“Y/N you’re dreaming! Wake up!” Five fell off his bed as the shaking got worse, and ended up on top of you.

“Ow!” You jolted awake and the room’s rumbling had finally stopped.

He scrambled to the edge of the mattress, clutching the sides of your shoulders as concern had smeared his face.

“Y/N are you okay?”

Your face was already stained with tears when you woke up, but you couldn’t help damping your face again as you bury it in your hands, sobbing.

“Y/N ... talk to me.”

“No!” You cried, lowering your head to the mattress. It was a horrible nightmare. “I ... I don’t want to.”

“Y/N ... Y/N ... listen to me. Please, look at me.”

When you heard this, you stopped, as he asked. But it was only because you couldn’t believe what he was saying, or at least, the tone he was saying it in.

His eyebrows arched upwards as your eyes met once more. Those calm, sea blue eyes told wonders to you without saying anything at all. It made you calmer.

“You were dreaming. It was just a nightmare, it’s okay. You’re okay. Do you hear me?”

You felt his hand on yours. It wasn’t so obvious, though, because it was just the tip of his fingers touching yours.

But somehow, you still felt the tears rolling down your cheek.

“I’m ... I’m so sorry, Five,” you started tearing up again.

“Here.”

He held out his arms slightly, and you gladly wrapped your arms around his neck, your back now warm from his touch too. You buried your face in between his neck and your arm, while he places his chin on your shoulder.

You felt him inhale and exhale, and somehow the feeling of his chest, his shoulders rising, it made you feel okay. It made you feel at home.

“Are you okay now ‘cause I’d really like to go back to sleep,” five broke the silence after several seconds of feeling each others’ warmth.

You nod, pulling away from the hug. “It’s okay if you say no, but I ... I really don’t want to sleep alone. I mean, on this mattress. It’s so big, it feels so lonely.”

Five blinked for a few seconds before nodding, standing up to grab his pillow and blanket.

“I’ll face the other way,” He said, pullling his blanket over him as he laid beside you. “But I’m here. Just remember that.”

You nod, resting your head on your own pillow, feeling yourself ease back into the drowsy feeling of sleep.

“Actually, Y/N ... how did you make the room vibrate?”