#paradis guitar

[au-jardin-de-mon-coeur]

Jamais sans ma guitare au cœur de ce petit paradis sur terre ! 🎸🎧

#au-jardin-de-mon-coeur ✒️

[daisynik7]

Give You Blue

Chapter 8: How It Begins

Pairing: Eren x f!reader, Reiner x f!reader (past relationship)

cw: switching POVs (reader is 2nd person, Eren is third) angst, fluff, language

Word Count: ~3.5k

Previous Chapter | Epilogue

Give You Blue Masterlist | ao3 | Give You Blue Taglist

Summary: The conclusion of the series Give You Blue. Author’s Note: Seriously, I cannot thank you all enough for sticking with this through the end. I wanted to write a story that was realistic, relatable, and romantic, and I hope that in the end, I accomplished that. I wasn’t sure anyone would want to read a story like this, so I’m so grateful to all of you who have. I appreciate every single one of you so so much. I’ll definitely miss this series, but I’m also relieved to be give our main characters some rest LOL. Stay tuned for the Epilogue, coming out in the next week or so! 

Eren fingers are entwined with yours, hands resting on the center console of his car, windows rolled down halfway to let the passing breeze sweep through his hair. Every so often, he’ll glance at you, smiling, sunglasses covering his eyes as he drives the familiar route towards the bridge between Paradis and Marley. The radio plays songs you’ve listened with him before, during all those little hangouts inside his room. Choruses and verses he’s demonstrated for you on his guitar, impressing you with his skills. He hums each tune happily, thumb tapping against your skin in tandem with the rhythm. 

Nearly three months ago, you were in the passenger seat, that time in Reiner’s car, driving the same road, but in the opposite direction, observing the ocean blue with tears in your eyes and a broken heart. Wondering what would happen next after losing what seemed like everything to you. Because Reiner was everything to you. Was.

Now, you see your future in a clearer light. Instead of storms or perpetual rain, you envision sunshine and bright skies, filling you with warmth that has since slipped from you since your breakup. You’re no longer lost; rather, you’re wandering to something new, something different. Something wonderful. And you can’t help imagining Eren on the other side of that, welcoming you with open arms. Still, the journey isn’t over. In fact, it’s just beginning. And before you reach your destination, there’s obstacles you need to face to make it there in one piece. 

Halfway into the drive, you realize where he’s taking you. It’s his little paradise he told you about before, the special beach he goes to for an escape. It’s my super-secret spot. You have to be really special to know about it. I’ll show you this one day. You’ll love it. Even then, several weeks ago, Eren invited you into his world, deeming you special enough to share it. He trusts you, is giving his all to you. And you wish your heart wasn’t so damaged still, so that you could give him the same. The love that he deserves.  

He pulls into a spot right off the shore, letting go of your hand to put the car in park. “We’re here,” he announces, grinning. At the trunk, he pulls out two blankets, handing you one to carry. He leads you down weathered stairs towards an alcove hidden away from the main beach. The sand is soft against your feet, sinking in with each step. The distinct melody of waves crashing on the shore is soothing to your ears. It really is paradise, especially with Eren guiding the way, turning back occasionally to flash that winning smile at you. Eventually, he settles for a spot far enough from the shore to where the water doesn’t reach, laying the blanket flat. He sits cross-legged, focused on the view in front of him. He’s at ease, the tension from his shoulders relaxing, his sunglasses reflecting the glare of the golden hour. You take your place beside him, indulging in this sight. Their last moment together in the sun before you return to reality. 

The scene is amazing, streaks of orange and pink mirrored in the shimmering blue sea. It’s too majestic to stare at directly, so you watch it rippling on the ocean surface. With the sun gradually sinking into the horizon, Eren scoots closer, nudging you. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

You rest your head on his shoulder, nodding. “It is. Thank you for taking me here.”

“I know it’s not exactly the runaway you wanted, but it’s the best I could give you,” he mentions, leaning into you. 

“This is exactly what I want. To be here with you.”

The two of you sit in silence, admiring the sunset until it disappears, and the night sky takes over, like a curtain falling after the final act. You’re holding hands now, squeezing each other tight, desperate not to let go. Maybe he senses it too, the end of this tiny getaway together. 

“Eren,” you start, voice trembling. 

Before you can continue, he turns to kiss you on the forehead gently. “It’s okay. You can be honest with me. I can take it.” 

Tears stream down your cheeks, his thumbs brushing them away as he cradles your face between his palms. “I’m sorry,” you sniffle. “I’m so sorry, Eren. I wish I could give you what you want, like what you’ve given to me. But I can’t. Not right now. I need time.”

“Then I’ll wait for you,” he urges, placing delicate kisses along the corners of your eyes, collecting your tears on his lips. “I’ll wait until you’re ready.”

You shake your head, refusing. “I won’t let you do that. There’s a whole world out there, people without baggage, without a broken heart. They’re so much better for you than I am. It’ll be so much easier than dealing with a mess like me.”

“I don’t want easier. I want you.” 

“Why? Why me?”

He smiles softly. “Because you make me happy.”

You continue to cry, asking, “How can it be that simple? What if you get sick of me? What if I can’t make you happy anymore?” It’s what happened with Reiner. He decided one day that he was no longer in love with you, and in an instant, the life you built together disintegrated into a pile of dust. Remnants of precious memories wasted away into nothing. That’s what it felt like. What if the same happens with Eren? What if you weren’t meant to be loved at all?

He keeps holding your firmly in his grasp, a look of determination in his face. “There’s so many what if scenarios you can give me. I won’t pretend to know exactly what the future has in store for us. But all I know is that I’m the happiest when I’m with you. I’m not going to let something like this go just because I’m worried it might not work out in the end. If I’m going to take a leap of faith, it’s going to be for you.” He nuzzles his nose to yours, grinning. “And who’s to say that you won’t get sick of me?”

“I would never,” you reply, gazing at him through weepy eyes. “But I’m scared of becoming a failure again.” 

“Having your past relationship end doesn’t mean you’re a failure. Love isn’t about winning or losing. It’s about learning and growing. Realizing how capable you are to love somebody and allowing them to love you. Isn’t that such a wonderful thing?”

You watch him, awed by his wisdom. As much as you wish it could, it’s still not enough to take the fear away from your fragile heart. After a moment of silence, listening to the gentle waves splash on the shore, Eren says, “Can I tell you something?” It’s dark now, the chill from the night air prickling your bare skin. He unfolds the second blanket, wrapping it around the both of you. You nod, huddling closer, relishing the warmth he always surrounds you in. 

“I emailed my advisor. I have a meeting with him Monday morning. I’m officially going to change my major,” he announces proudly. 

“Really?”

“Yeah. No more running away. I’m not scared anymore. That’s because of you.” He faces you, eyes shining like emeralds in the pitch black of evening. “You’ve given me the strength to do this. To take control of my life and make decisions for me, and not for anyone else. With you by my side, I can do anything.”

“Eren,” you whisper, chest heavy with adoration. 

He presses his forehead to yours. “I wish I could take away the pain. Take whatever hurts you and make it disappear. You have no idea how special you are to me. So, I’ll wait for you, whenever you’re ready to share your heart with me. Until then, I’ll stay by your side, as your friend, as your RA, as a person who cares deeply about you. I’ll always be here for you, okay?”

You swallow hard, tears trickling down your cheeks as you kiss him, unable to express how much he means to you, letting your lips do the talking instead. It isn’t fair to love him with a broken heart; he deserves to be loved fully by someone who isn’t afraid of it. Someone who’s healed instead of damaged, steady without stumbling at every little crack in the pavement they come across. With time, you’re determined to become that somebody for him. 

Eventually, you find the will to speak. “I won’t make you wait long. I promise.”

He laughs, snuggling closer to you under the blanket. “Pinky promise?” 

“Pinky promise.” You hook your finger around his, swaying it between you. 

Eren drives back to campus with your hand in his, brushing his thumb across your skin affectionately. You part ways outside his room, kissing each other once more before stepping down the hallway to your own room. You scroll through your phone to find Reiner’s contact, determined more than ever to settle this once and for all. No more running away.

Without hesitation, you type out your message. 

Reiner. I’m ready to talk. 

~~~

Sunday afternoon, you and Reiner agree to meet at a café on-campus, one that the two of you frequented freshman year when you were a couple. Upon your arrival, you notice that he’s already sat at a table, waiting for you, two drinks set in front of him. You sit across from him, back straight and neck tall, twiddling your thumbs at your lap where he can’t see. 

“I already ordered,” he comments, pushing the coffee cup towards you, reciting the drink name and all the specifics of how you typically like it. Proving that he hasn’t forgotten. 

You take it into your hand, tipping it into your mouth. “Thank you,” you say after swallowing your sip. 

There are a few beats of awkward silence before he starts speaking. “I’m sorry about the other night. I shouldn’t have ambushed you like that.” 

You nod in acknowledgement, fixated on the lid of your drink cup, nervous to meet his gaze. 

“I meant it, though,” he adds. “I still want to get back together.”

You take a deep breath, choosing your words carefully. “Why all of a sudden?”

He shrugs, circling the rim of his cup with his finger. “I realized how much it sucks to be alone.”

“So, by default, I’m supposed to bail you out? It doesn’t work like that, Reiner. You can’t love me only when it’s convenient for you. That’s not love. That’s selfish.” This time, you do look at him, finding the confidence in your voice. 

He doesn’t speak, facing the window, averting his eyes from yours. When he doesn’t respond, you continue. “It’s hard for anyone to be alone. Imagine how I felt when you broke up with me.”

Finally, he replies, “And you’re right. I was an idiot to do that. We should have never broken up. I didn’t know it was going to be so fucked up.” He trails off at his last statement, as if he’s just realizing it himself. 

“You weren’t in love with me anymore. It wouldn’t have been fair for either of us to stay in a relationship like that. And you were right: we relied on each other too much. So much that it hurt the most when we couldn’t anymore.”

Suddenly, he holds your hand, grasping it firmly. “Then let’s go back. It’ll be better this time. I’ll be better.” He’s desperate now; it shows in his pleading eyes and quivering speech. The tightness in his grip as he clings to you, frantic. 

You don’t pull away from him, squeezing him in return. “I don’t want to go back. I want to move forward. I can’t keep relying only on other people. I need to rely on myself, first and foremost. Stand tall and make choices because it’s what I want to do. That’s what growing up is all about, right?” 

“And you’re not scared?”

“I’m terrified. But we shouldn’t let fear prevent us from moving on and being happy. I don’t know if you and I can make each other happy anymore. I was so careful with you, to a point where I was lying to myself about being fine with the decisions you made. I guess I always felt the need to protect you. It’s been that way since we were kids. As much as we don’t want to admit it, we’re different now. Everything is different. It’ll never be like it was, no matter how hard we try to recreate it.” 

He revels at your words, a glimmer of defeat in his expression, understanding that there’s nothing else he can do to change your mind. After a minute of contemplation, he ponders, “You think that it could have worked out if I didn’t break up with you?”

You don’t answer right away, delicately formulating your reply. “Somehow, we stopped communicating. I went along with whatever you said, even when I didn’t agree. And you didn’t talk to me about the fears you were having before you broke up with me. I think we were so focused on protecting each other’s feelings that we stopped being honest to one another. I think eventually, we would realize that and break up anyways.” You take another sip of your drink before asking, “Do you think it would have worked out?”

He opens his mouth, then closes it. Eventually, he replies, “I guess when you put it like that, then no.”

You keep your hand in his, because this time, it’s really the last. And it doesn’t feel dirty or wrong to do it; it feels right. Like there’s finally that understanding that you’ve been racking your brain for the last three months. 

“Maybe we were better off staying friends,” he muses. 

“Maybe. But I don’t ever regret loving you, Reiner.” You used to think the same thing, convinced that crossing the line from friends to lovers was the vital mistake that doomed your relationship. With Eren’s words replaying in your head, you can’t say you believe that sentiment anymore. After all, Reiner has and will always be your first love. The person who taught you how to love and to receive love in the first place. Despite it not working out for the better, nothing will replace that. 

He returns your smile, still holding you. “Me neither. I’m sorry. For everything.”  

Silence falls between you two once again, a comfortable one this time, full of acceptance that this is truly the end for you and Reiner. Attempting to lighten the mood, you ask, “So, are you and Christa official yet?”

He looks at you confused, then realization washes over him. “Oh, Christa! Yeah, no. Turns out her and her big in Delta Delta are super close, if you know what I mean.” He smirks, relaxing in his seat. “I never stood a chance.”

You let go of him, leaning back into your chair. “Bummer. I genuinely do think she is nice.”

“Yeah. But I’d be annoyed too if my ex was pushing us to be friends.” He clears his throat, crossing his arms over his chest. “What about that Eren guy?”

You raise a brow at him. “Really? You want to talk about him?”

“Not my finest moment, I know. But I’m still curious. Is he your boyfriend now or what?”

You shake your head. “No. I told him I need time.”

Surprised, he repeats, “Time? For what?”

“To figure myself out.”

“To figure yourself out?” 

“Yeah. I don’t want to give him my shattered, fucked up heart. It’s not right.”

He continues to study you, confused. “So that’s it? You’re not even going to give him a chance?”

“He said he’ll wait for me,” you respond, belly fluttering as you recall last night on the beach. 

Reiner leans forward on the table, invested. “He’s totally in love with you. If he’s willing to wait for you, he’s in it for the long haul. He’s already fallen for every piece of you, I guarantee that.”

“It’s not fair to him, though.”

“It’s not fair to yourself. He’s not asking you for a healed heart. He wants you just the way you are. Why deprive yourself from someone who’s already willing to love you like this?”

“Because I don’t want to make the same mistakes again!”

He sighs, drumming his fingers on the surface impatiently. “Look, I’m not going to sit here and act like I’m completely cool with it. But for the first time in a long time, I’m trying not to be selfish again. Don’t let our past influence your future. You told me you want to rely more on yourself, right? Then start with this. Trust your heart. Don’t run away. Go for it.”

“I can’t believe my ex is actually giving me dating advice,” you chuckle, seriously contemplating his encouragement. 

“Consider this my parting gift to you. As your ex and as your former best friend. I want you to be happy. And if this guy makes you happy, why wait? If it means anything to you, just know I’ll be rooting for you, whatever you decide.”

You grin. “It does mean something. Thank you, Reiner.” You no longer see him as an obstacle standing in your way. Instead, he’s on the sidelines, supporting you. Rooting for you. It took three months of suffocating to surface. And now, you’re free. “Anyways, I should go. I have a lot to think about.”

He nods, remaining seated. “Yeah.”

You’re ready to walk to the exit when he calls out to you. “Coco?”

You turn to face him, heart thumping at the familiar nickname. The youthful twinkle in his eyes returns in an instant and all your childhood memories flash before you in hyperdrive, glimpses of your past life together. Laughing so hard that you’re clutching your bellies until you’re doubled over on his bed. Hidden under homemade forts built out of pillows and cushions, shining flashlights underneath your chins, creating hand puppets with shadows on the walls. Late night drives with the windows rolled all the way down, blasting music and singing at the top of your lungs as he speeds through the highway. Splitting milkshakes at the diner, blowing out candles on birthday cakes. Endless nights spent in each other’s arms, listening to his steady heartbeat. First kisses, first times, last summer and goodbyes. Three months ago, you would have done anything to go back. Now, you’re ready to move on. The final hit of nostalgia before you go. 

He smiles at you knowingly, as if he’s watching the same scenes of your lives play out in his head. “Nothing. I just wanted to say that one last time.” 

~~~

Eren is in his room, sitting on the floor, strumming the strings on his guitar randomly, not playing any particular tune. He recalls the events of last night, laying it all out on the table, confessing his feelings, revealing his vulnerabilities. He won’t pressure her to rush into this, knowing she’s still processing and healing from her trauma. Her thinking about him is enough. Until the day comes when they can both love each other fully, he’ll wait patiently. 

There’s a knock on his door. He isn’t suspecting company, so he assumes it’s one of his residents here to report a problem. When he opens it, he’s shocked to see her in front of him, staring at him nervously. 

“I told you I wouldn’t make you wait long,” she says, stepping towards him. 

His chest is heavy, fluttering incessantly, and all he can do is laugh, closing the distance between them by wrapping his arms around her. “It’s been the longest day ever, actually. You have no idea how happy I am to see you.”

She snuggles her face into his chest. “Me too. I hope you know what you’re getting yourself into, though.”

He kisses the top of her head, smiling. “Tell me.”

“I can get very insecure and very anxious, so you’ll have to deal with that.”

“Okay. I can handle that,” he answers, inhaling her scent through his nostrils, filling his lungs with as much of her essence as possible. 

“I want to talk about everything with you. I want us to be completely honest with each other all the time.”

Nodding, he responds, “I want that too. I want that too, sweetie.” He hugs her tighter, never wanting to let go.

“Also, sometimes I hog the blanket. But I don’t do it on purpose, I swear. I can’t control what my body does while I sleep.” She clings to him, peering up at him with the sweetest expression. 

He nuzzles her nose to hers, joking, “Ah, well, I don’t think this is going to work out then.”

She glares at him playfully, pouting her lips. “That’s your dealbreaker?”

“Well, I guess I can make an exception. For you,” he teases, kissing her. 

It began with an ending, and it ends with a new beginning. One journey closes, and another begins. It may not be easy, but what wonderful, magical adventure ever is? It’s the detours and bumps along the way that make it memorable, make it worthwhile. And with her by his side, and him by hers, Eren’s confident that they’ll get through anything. Together. 

@batafuraikisu @bloompompom @monirei @filunara @katestrophes @ichinosejager13 @hoperenae @zellskz @e-ayyy @liliorsstuff-blog @maliakealoha @holdmeclosebutdontloveme @chrollohearttags @sailorputa @squickkk @dnyllmh @hellomeow12 @s-cream-ing @potofstewie @conniesbbymama @erzascarlett28 @lem-hhn @roronoazorosbxtchh @ichigostrawberry15 @rhaelrence @lilshades @bigmoodyjoody @icansmellsouls @aangsupremacy @ashsauroras @bakuhoes-bxtch @si-kamo @jmtherula @imaddicted-b @monkemanjeager @neesiewrote @large-juice @chiinni @belovedackerman

[sunflowersunite]

Happy Valentine’s Day 💝

Sending this ask to my favourite Levihan blogs… Let’s spread our love for our amazing OTP!

Any Valentine’s Day headcanons for Levihan (canon setting or any au) you’d like to share?

Heyy Val! Happy belated Valentine's and thank you for asking, that was lovely to receive (and it's good to be one of your fave Levihan blogs 😁). Sorry for the late response, I had to think about it thoroughly and now I think I've got it.

So let's see. Any AU? Then how about we spice things up a little? Headcanons for an enemies to lovers Levihan AU!

(for that let's assume they're past the enemy stage and are now together. and for some reason the law is after them, so they're outlaws in love *guitar riff* 🎸)

Levi would gift Hange chocolate (not poisoned this time, he's proven it). She'd gift him tea, varieties impossible to find in Paradis (yes she bought them in the black market and no we can't be sure that's not poisoned)

they both scorn Valentine's day but deep down they always appreciate an opportunity to spend time together. So for their date they pick the place where they had their first fight, supposedly ironically but the memories

Hange fondly reminisces about almost blasting Levi's head off and how much they despised each other back then. Levi tells her to shove it. Hange constantly jabs and teases him, trying to crack his stoic facade and get him to fight her again, settle who's best once and for all

she initiates a fight and Levi can't escape her wrath so rematch it is. The rules are simple, first one to draw blood wins

Hange wins. in the end she pins Levi down and kisses him on the forehead so he doesn't really mind

Hange gifts Levi a bouquet of her favourite flowers and knowing her they're very weird and very poisoned. Levi accepts them and takes her titan hunting in return. they spend their evening chasing and studying titans. (Maybe he wants to see her smile a little, so what)

there's this huge celebration in Mitras so they sneak in disguised, blending in with the military police

Hange tugs Levi to the dance floor, feeling bold after a couple drinks. they purposefully bump into Nile, making him spill champagne over his formal suit

Levi nearly drops his guard among enemies because Hange's happy and laughing and she looks drop dead gorgeous (even though that laughter elicits a fight or flight response from everyone around. Who cares, she's beautiful when she sounds insane)

the night almost ends on a bittersweet note because they're reminded that they can never really be free on this island with everyone chasing them. they can never have a normal stable life but when did they ever?

stealing a bunch of food as they get out of there and spend the night stargazing on the rooftops till sunrise. Hange looks at the sky, Levi looks at her because deep down he's a cheesy bastard 🌙

Thank you for the ask!! 😃

[melishade]

Hi it's me again Emman haha

Quick question, how do you think the AoT cast would react to 'Die with a smile' by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars

I always had this on my mind on how would they react when someone on Earth like Jack or Miko play's it by accident while they are helping them rebuild Paradis

I guess this is a good Segway to go into:

Attack on Prime: The Future Anthology: Music IV

Main Story

Music I

Music II Music III

Christmas

Long Overdue

Boxing

Pieck, Falco, Annie couldn't help but cover their ears at the sound of Miko's music blaring through the speakers as they continued cleaning more of the rubble from the houses that used to be along the Wall. The grinding of the guitar, the loud, hoarse screaming, it was too much.

Annie looked over at Gabi and Colt, but they didn't seem to care about the music. They just continued doing their work in picking up the broken wood.

"Why aren't you guys reacting to this?!" Annie demanded.

"Miko played this a lot during quarantine!" Colt answered, "She calls it 'Slash Monkey'!"

"Someone turn it off!" Falco yelled over the noise.

Miko stopped dancing to the music on her phone when someone yanked the portable speaker from her person and turned off the device. "Hey!"

"You need to stop playing that here," Jack scolded her before handing the device over to Arcee. The two wheeler held the speaker between her fingers before opening up her chest and placing the device there.

"No fair!" Miko yelled.

"If you're gonna listen to music, use your earbuds." Jack gestured to the device in his ear.

"Music is a great motivator for working!" Miko retorted.

"Your music hurts my ears!" Pieck yelled.

"You don't have to keep yelling," Mikasa informed.

"What?!" Pieck yelled.

"Great job, Miko. Pieck is deaf," Jean deadpanned.

"Can we please get back to work?!" Bulkhead demanded, "I told Historia that we'd have this cleaned up and leveled by the end of the day!"

"Sorry, Bulkhead!" Armin apologized.

Miko narrowed her eyes at Jack's phone as he pressed play on a song she couldn't see. "So what are you listening to?"

"None of your business," Jack answered.

"Well, it is my business. You took my stuff," Miko whined as she put her hands on her hips.

"None of your business," Jack repeated as he walked away from her. Miko cracked her neck before running forward and jumping on Jack's back, "H-ey! HEY! MIKO!"

"Tell me what you're playing!" Miko tried to snatch Jack's phone, but the older of the two grabbed his phone and extended it outward to keep it away from her.

"Should we stop them?" Armin asked Arcee.

"...I'm sure Jack's got this," Arcee decided.

"Give it! Give it! Give it!" Miko knocked Jack's phone out of his hand and it hit the ground. Miko jumped off his back and grabbed the phone before disabling the bluetooth, playing:

Lately, I've been, I've been losing sleep

Dreaming about the things that we could be

But baby, I've been, I've been praying hard

Said, "No more counting dollars, we'll be counting stars"

Miko shot Jack a look as he dusted himself off. "Really?"

"Yes. Really." Jack stomped over to Miko and snatched his phone back, pausing the song.

"It's overplayed!" Miko insisted.

"Well, I like it!" Jack shot back.

"The sound's different," Arcee commented.

"Different?" Annie asked in confusion.

"Yeah, guys that's different from the one that you put on the list," Arcee called out.

Jack sighed. "Yeah, the band released a remix of their original song a while back."

"I like it!" Gabi raised her hand.

"It's better than the screaming," Annie mumbled.

"Wow! Okay! Good to know that you all prefer mediocrity!" Miko accused with a pointed finger, "We're alone in this, Bulkhead!"

"I'm staying out of this!" Bulkhead informed.

"Look, we don't mind listening to your music. It's actually very informative to hear how music has evolved on your planet," Erwin interjected, "But play it loud enough we might not be able to hear it at all."

Miko rolled her eyes and groaned. "Fine. I'll lower the volume. Can I get my speaker back?!"

"We're listening to Jack's music!" Falco declared.

"Mediocre!" Miko shouted before storming off.

"Alright, I will put this on shuffle and we'll continue working," Jack declared as he tapped his screen.

"Oh! Can you play Bohemian Rhapsody?!" Sasha raised her hand.

"You guys played Bohemian Rhapsody for them?" Jack asked Arcee with a smile.

"With a few other songs," Arcee smirked.

"I feel bad that Hanji and Historia are missing out," Armin lamented as the song continued to play.

"Diplomatic relations call, I guess," Jean shrugged.

"I'll be willing to play for them both when they get back," Jack reassured.

As the day progressed and the work continued, everyone seemed to clean up at a faster pace due to the music. The music itself was rather fast paced and upbeat, but it wasn't intense and grating like Miko's music. Miko had merely called it mainstream before shoving her earbuds into her eyes to listen to her own music. But as the music continued to play, some of them began to dance along to the music. Even Arcee and Bulkhead jammed along to the rhythm.

"Well, looks like we cleared everything out," Bulkhead commented as the sun was beginning to set, "Thanks for the help you guys."

"Of course, Bulkhead," Pieck smiled.

"So can we please listen to something else besides pop music?" Miko demanded as she took out her earbuds.

"You're just mad no one wants to listen to people scream," Jack teased.

Miko scoffed as Jack's music continued to play. "At least Raf has more taste than you."

I, I just woke up from a dream

Where you and I had to say goodbye

"Um...what song is that?" Pieck asked.

Jack snapped his head to the phone in his pocket while Miko looked at Jack in horror.

"Jack! JACK! Turn it off!" Miko shouted in a panic.

"Shut up! Shut up!" Jack scrambled to get his phone.

So I'm a love you every night like it's the last night Like it's the last night-! Jack pressed the pause button and stopped the song altogether.

"What song was that?" Sasha snickered.

"A song that just came out that's in very poor taste in our current situation," Jack answered.

"Can you...can you play more of it?" Mikasa asked.

"HA?!" Miko gawked.

"Uhhhhh..." Jack trailed off.

"I'm curious to listen to it," Erwin admitted.

"You can't be serious," Miko groaned.

"You can't deny us the full listening experience to Earth's music," Erwin proclaimed, "We can't only listen to the songs that are about happiness or dancing."

"Okay does everyone here want to listen to the song?" Jack demanded, earning mutters and nods of agreement, "Okay! Fine! But don't complain if it's in poor taste!"

"And this is why mainstream music is a curse," Miko commented as Jack hit play.

If the world was ending, I'd wanna be next to you

If the party was over and our time on Earth was through

I'd wanna hold you just for a while and die with a smile

If the world was ending, I'd wanna be next to you

"...I can see why you didn't want to play it," Annie commented.

"Yeah, it's in poor taste," Jack sighed.

"It's still a pretty song," Gabi commented, "And the lady's vocals are nice."

"Well, they're professionals," Miko said.

"I thought you didn't like this kind of music," Jean teased.

"I'm not going to deny good vocals," Miko declared.

"If the world was ending, I'd wanna be next to you." Everyone froze at the new voice joining the vocals on the soundtrack, "If the party was over and our time on Earth was through." They all turned to the source and found the source coming from...Mikasa! The Ackerman had her eyes closed, but was enraptured by the chorus that she had only heard once! "I'd wanna hold you just for a while and die with a smile! If the world was ending, I'd wanna be next to you!"

Jack paused the music, causing Mikasa to open her eyes and stop singing. She noticed all eyes were on her, and her face flushed with embarrassment. "Ummm-!"

"YOU SING?!" Miko screamed.

"I-!"

"Yeah, I agree! You sing?!" Sasha pointed at Mikasa, "All these years that we've known each other and you never told us this! Armin, did you know?!"

"I...might I have heard it once or twice before we join the Cadet Corps," Armin confessed, "You didn't sing often so I figured I wouldn't share it."

"Also impressive that you've managed to sing a chorus you've only heard once," Arcee commented.

"Yeah, Ackerman genes will still do that," Annie stated.

"The song has!...nice lyrics," Mikasa mumbled that last portion, "Can we listen to more songs like this?"

"If you sing more of it, then fine," Miko smirked, "Oh! We should do Karaoke Night! That'd be perfect and it wouldn't cost much!"

"Adding that to the list of things we need to do with you guys." Jack typed away on his phone.

"Does Karaoke involve liquor?" Sasha raised her hand.

"Sometimes," Miko answered.

"Then we're in!" Sasha grabbed Jean's hand and raised it high.

"Can we pick a song?!" Gabi asked.

"Sure." Jack showed Gabi his phone and began to scroll down the list. Mikasa placed a hand over her mouth trying to hide her embarrassment at her singing. The only other people she sang in front of were Kenshin and Megatron, but Megatron didn't care and Kenshin complimented her. But now a good portion of her friends knew. And at least Miko seemed to like it. What about everyone else?

"You have a wonderful voice," Erwin complimented as he patted Mikasa on the back.

"Oh. Thank you," Mikasa replied bashfully.

Erwin then smirked. "Levi can sing too."

Mikasa's embarrassment was replaced with shock. "Eh?"

"Yeah, he doesn't like to talk about it. But if we do this Karaoke thing, Hanji will definitely make him," Erwin declared.

[flugelmann]

Like it says in the tags, it's a post canon verse for Levi

He's wheelchair-bound for the most part, still missing his right eye and two fingers. Levi is revered as a veteran of the Battle of Heaven and Earth and is highly respected amongst other veterans and soldiers from all walks of life. He spends his days in retirement, watching over Gabi and Falco ( who will not leave him alone anyway ), taking care of various orphanages opened up after the war while he travels, and takes in all the new world has to offer him. He has yet to return to Paradis, but isn't against it.

He can still ride a horse

he likes listening to the guitar

there is some PTSD with talk of cannibalism in any context and particularly loud fireworks.

he reads the paper every single morning ( even the comic strips - he likes Calvin and Hobbs )

He can drive but prefers the horse.

He likes sending letters back to Paradis ( Mikasa and Armin, in particular, he writes to often )

he likes it when Gabi and Falco show him around, even though he complains.

[etiennedaho]

JANE BIRKIN CONCERT OH PARDON TU DORMAIS BY FRIENDS

A l’Olympia le 3 février 24

Les bénéfices de ce concert seront reversés aux restos du coeur.

Avec:

Dominique A, Fanny Ardant, Yvan Attal, Carla Bruni, Jarvis Cocker, Marion Cotillard, Etienne Daho, Lou Doillon, Thomas Dutronc, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Beth Gibbons, Arthur H, Keren Ann, Sandrine Kiberlain, M, Abd Al Malik, Mickey 3D, Miossec, Catherine Ringer, Vanessa Paradis, Eddy de Pretto.

Direction musicale et arrangements : Jean-Louis Piérot

Basse: Marcelo Giuliani

Piano et guitare: Jean-Louis Piérot

Guitare: François Poggio

Batterie: Colin Russeil

Photos: Thomas Perrault

[lucaaazd]

Hey so, do you have any thoughts/ HCs abt piek? I don't have the best grasp on her, but you seem passionate and I'd love to know what you think

Hi there friend!

“You seem passionate” 😭😭 hahahahaha I am. I never thought much about her until recently with my “Annie grew up in paradis” AU rendering female Titan Pieck a possibility. But here are some of my hc’s about her (mostly modern au):

Her FT would be godlike and super tall with that slick ass Eren founding Titan hair.

(Modern nyc au) she grew up in the east village near Tompkins, specifically stuy town, with journalist parents. Hope that’s not too niche lol. She sings & plays the synth (has classical piano background) and makes the sickest experimental indie art pop with Annie (guitar & bass). She actually reminds me strongly of Björk the singer (Mikasa does too a little) and I feel like that would very much be her style. She would have great vocals, airy and melancholic and a little smoky.

Very artsy pothead. One of those kids who thrift even though they come from money. I imagine her fashion to be like, whimsy goth. Eclectic, girly, casual but also a little witchy. Lots of big pants and loose shirts.

Idk what her and Annie’s band name would be. Something funky that has to do with space, probably.

She’s a very chill drunk. Would let men buy her drinks at the bar and straight up lie and play with them lol. “Yeah my name’s Emily <3” “My boyfriend’s a cop. He’s actually stationed at 59th street not too far from here :D” “wow really, u grew up around here? Same, I think my mom knew ur dad back in the days and she told me he like, had seggs with his sister’s boyfriend 😳”

She became friends with Annie through sports. All the other girls talked shit about Annie for being cold and stuck up. The only reason Annie was still on the team was bc she was a really insanely good player. Pieck was the only person who’d talk to her.

Her ex boyfriends are all friends with each other. She’d dated whole friend groups in the past. Doesn’t mind what they think tho.

That’s it for now! I love talking abt headcanon’s so let me know if u have other questions <333 check out my modern au fic here if you’d like something fun & melodramatic to read that gets into like, murder mystery later

[thebowerypresents]

Royel Otis – Racket – April 30, 2024

Guitarist Royel Maddell and singer-guitarist Otis Pavlovic have been making their own take on guitar-driven rock for five years now. Their acclaimed debut Royel Otis long-player, Pratts & Pain, dropped in February. “This is an album destined for festival season greatness — for cool-breeze drives, warm summer parties and late-night sing-alongs,” raves NME. About a third of the way into the North American tour in support of the new music, the fun-seeking Australian duo sold out Racket on Tuesday night.

(Royel Otis play Racket again tonight.)

(Royel Otis play Union Transfer in Philadelphia on 9/24.)

(Royel Otis play Brooklyn Steel on 9/25.)

Photos courtesy of Michelle Paradis | @michelleparadis_

[doomedandstoned]

SATIVA ROOT Muster Thunderous Groove For ‘Kings of the Weed Age’

~Review by Billy Goate~

Artwork by Armin Schweiger

Many of us have seen at least one silent movie in our time, probably Nosferatu or maybe even the prophetic Metropolis. On a whim, I decided to take a chance on another silent film one night, and settled randomly on a one-reeler called An Unseen Enemy from 1912. The plot concerned a home assailed by a veiled gunman, and what made it special was long sequences without any title cards. Actors would be talking to each other and I'd be perplexed wondering, "What are they saying now?" Then the most remarkable thing happened: my imagination started to kick in. It was as if I were viewing something happening in a neighbor's house across the street and my mind was scraping to fill in the salient little details.

A similar thing happens when I listen to instrumental metal, whether shorter tracks (The Death Wheelers) or long form compositions (Clouds Taste Satanic): my imagination becomes invigorated in the absence of words. Music, after all, is a storytelling medium. With the right solo, a skillful musician can have their listeners spellbound. Now that's a little harder to do with slower modes like doom, but as many of us have learned from experience there are revelations to be had from investing eartime in the slow 'n' low (think Dopesmoker).

Before us stands 'Kings of the Weed Age' (2023) by SATIVA ROOT from Salzburg, and knowing their point of origin I have to conjecture that there's something special in those Austrian waters, as I've encountered more than a fair share of stellar bands there (Savanah, TarLung, and most recently psychedelic garage rockers High Brian and The Heavy Minds)...not to mention that Salzburg is Mozart's birthplace.

While Sativa Root is a far cry from Wolfgang Amadeus, they are similarly masters of their medium. The record begins with bells ringing ominously through the city square, and one imagines this all happening under an eerie sky lit only by the moon glowing through pregnant clouds. Attention is fixed upon the apocalyptic sounds of The Riffer reverberating across cobbled streets.

Sliding strings grimace and groan, accenting the soft strumming of "Weedotaur." A pensive melody is heard and then two-minutes in crunchy, downtuned machinations are turned loose. Riff and rhythm converge for a theme that's vaguely familiar to the genre, though bands always do it a bit differently. Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard's "Les Paradis Artificiels" comes to mind, and Sativa Root likewise has a flair for dramatic, even worshipful, moments.

"Megalobong" is dark and towering, with low-end notes hammering out a brooding melody. At 3:15, the mood shifts. The band sputters and fumes, then gets all frustrated and grindy, like an animal scratching off pesky little fleas. By 4:30, smoke is released to emphatic notes of ultimate doom. Out of this the guitar speaks, turning into a furious, glistening monologue backed by some excellent drumming.

Stoner humor is evident in many of the song titles, including "Assassins Weed," where the bells return accompanied by windy streets and the gentle desert plucking. By the end of the two-minute mark, the bass swells with girth, drums burst with sulfur and fire, and twin guitars weave and dodge like rivers of lava. The longest of the six tracks, this near 13-minute behemoth had me gazing back at the album cover art -- both are quite ominous.

Sativa Root and Doomed & Stoned have a history spanning 10 years, when we reviewed their first EP. Then in 2018, I did a big piece on their debut full-length Oneiroid. It's good to have them back (now a four-piece) for a second full-length, which boasts six tracks for about 55 minutes of runtime. Their music is more than just heavy, it's consequential. And, yes, it would make a damned fine soundtrack for many a silent film.

Give ear...

Kings of the Weed Age by Sativa Root

Follow The Band

Get Their Music

[screamingforyears]

IN A MINUTE: // A POST_PUNK_ISH EXPRESS…

@agriculture_music are back w/ “LIVING IS EASY,” the lead single/title-track from their forthcoming EP (4/28 @theflenser) & it finds the LA-based quartet of Daniel Meyer-O’Keeffe (guitar/vox), Leah B. Levinson (bass/vox), Richard Chowenhill (guitar) & Kern Haug (percussion) further refining their sound across 7+ transformative mins of ghastly howled & sonically swirled EcstaticBlkMetal.

“HER” is a choice cut from @frenchpoliceband’s recently released LP titled ’Bully’ & it finds the Chicago-based trio of lead guitarist Manny Herrera, bassist Jesse Flores & vocalist/guitarist Brian Flores bad_boying across a sub 3 min slice of giddily bounced, vampily crooned & Gothically hued NüWave.

“I STILL FEEL ALONE ALL THE TIME” is the latest single from @holywiremusic’s forthcoming LP titled ‘The Ending of An Age’ (6/5 @alacarterecords_) & it finds Alain Paradis’ Austin-based project living that “New Wave or something like it” lyfe across a 4:23 clip of sensually melancholic NüRomance.

@lvsterband are here w/ a brand-new standalone single titled “MISSING YOU” (@theefuneralparty) & it finds the Los Angeles-based outfit hypnotically weaving their way into our mealy minds across 4 ½ mins of six-string swirling, moodily mad_chestering & head bobbingly lit ShüGaze. 

“KISS AT DUSK” is the title-track from @wisteria_la’s recently released EP & it finds the Los Angeles-based project wistfully echoing across a 3 ½ darkly lit mins of dreamily vaporous, new_romanticized & night_driven SynthPop.

////

[daddovahnin]

Premier brouillon de texte écrit pour mon projet, dans la catégorie "chanson rock". Ca vous donnera une idée du ton que je vais employer. En sachant que évidemment ça sera illustré. Mais chaque chose en son temps et en attendant d'en avoir, du temps pour ca, je vais commencer à écrire, puisque cette partie du projet sera tout aussi longue. Encore une chose a laquelle il faut que je réfléchisse, c'est de savoir si il est possible, dans un livre physique, de faire quelque chose d'interactif, du style qr code ou lien scannable depuis son tel afin d'être redirigé sur un lien internet afin de voir en video ce dont je parle. Bon là je m'égare... place à ce premier texte... encore du pavé à lire... mais ca va me permettre, si vous le voulez bien, de récolter quelques premiers avis afin d'ajuster le style d'écriture (parce que n'oublions pas que de base, ce n'est pas mon domaine du tout)... en vous remerciant...

"Stairway to Heaven" de Led Zeppelin

Gamin, aussi, j'étais subjugué par la guitare double manche de jimmy page. J'ai le souvenir d'avoir vu ce titre en live a la tv et je ne savais même pas que ce genre de guitare existait. Deja, dans mes yeux d'enfants, page était un dieu (et c'est encore le cas aujourd'hui)... ou alors un demon puisqu'a l'époque certain sont allé dire que stairway to heaven cachait un message satanique si on lisait le morceau a l'envers. .. pourquoi pas... mais c'est vraiment s'emmerder pour rien je trouve.

Le chanteur su groupe, Robert plant lui même, laissait libre interprétation de chacun quand a la signification des paroles. Pour ma part, je n'ai jamais trop cherché le sens du texte ou un quelconque message subliminal. Je m'arrête au titre en lui meme: un escalier pour le paradis. Et j'espère que le jour où je devrais en gravir les marches, ça sera au son de cette chanson...

Liens YouTube du titre en live:

[rickyderose]

Day 7: Yin Yen Single Album Release - 11 Days Before January 25, 2025, @7:30 PM

The Third Verse: Compassion and Moral Duty

🎶 Dive into the Third Verse of "Yin Yen—Balance" 🎶

Third Verse:

En vérité, en vérité, moi j’vous le dis

Je ne crois pas en un enfer ou un paradis

Mais cela ne fait rien, car en tant qu’être humain

Ce n’est pas un choix, mais un devoir de faire le bien

Si nous rejetons ceux qui sont dans le besoin

Peut-on dire de nous qu’on est même des êtres humains?

Car l’être humain est doué de compassion

Il n’agit donc pas par instinct, mais avec raison

Je ne refuserai jamais du pain à ceux qui ont faim

Je ne repousserai jamais la main d’un frère dans l’besoin

Car malgré toutes nos dissemblances ou discordances

On naît, on vit et puis on meurt sans différence

Alors l’objectif, c’est de trouver la balance

Qui nous permettra de voir la vie dans le même sens

On est munis et innés de la conscience morale

Donc la raison nous dictent le bien et le mal.

The third verse of "Yin Yen—Balance" explores the profound responsibility of being human: to act with compassion and reason. These lyrics emphasize that moral duty transcends personal beliefs and that our shared humanity obligates us to care for those in need.

This verse calls listeners to reject indifference and actively strive for balance and understanding in a world of differences by highlighting the innate human capacity for empathy and logic.

Join us on January 25 at Mix Live House in Taoyuan, Taiwan, for the live release of this transformative track. Let's explore Yin Yen - Balance together. 🌗✨

Accompanying the performance are talented musicians:

* Performing Artist: Ricky Derose (@rickyderose @ricardoderose)

* Featuring Artist: Annie Chang (@changyujou.chang @annie_c.yj)

* Bass: 小偉 Wei (@metalmetal0925)

* Keyboard: 黃安妮 Annie Huang (@pipiannie)

* Guitar: 子翔 (@a_xiang_music)

* Drum: 江老師 Takuto

* Venue: Mix Live House, Taoyuan, Taiwan

#YinYen #Balance #PhilosophyInMusic #SpokenWords #HipHop #TaiwanMusicScene #RickyDerose #AnnieChang #MusicRelease #LiveInTaiwan #RicardoDerose #History #Philosophy #Poetry #IGiveYou #Philoetry #DeroseEntertainmentLLC #DeroseEntertainmentStore #AnnieCDesign #AmyEileen #PremiereDanseAcademy #AmyEileenStore #MixLiveHouse

[musicalmccarter]

My favorite rock and roll spite story is between a musician and a politician. Joe Walsh vs. Joe Walsh. Joe Walsh is a slide guitar wizard and a member of the Eagles, I'll refer to him by MJW. Other Joe Walsh was a republican nominee for Illinois 8th congressional district, I'll refer to him by CJW. CJW had the bright idea of taking a song MJW wrote without permission and making a parady of it to use in his campaign, the song being Walk Away, which became Lead The Way. MJW caught wind of this, and they had a legal suit over it in 2010 or so. And, in retaliation, MJW endorsed CJW's opponent, Democrat Tammy Duckworth. MJW said, "I am the real Joe Walsh, and I'm proud to back a real American success story -- Tammy Duckworth." From what I understand, Duckworth lost to CJW in her race against him, but won in 2017 and is still in Congress today.

[etiennedaho]

udi 12 Décembre, dès 21h, Etienne Daho est aux commandes de Nostalgie ! Il choisit toute la soirée la musique et partage ses coups de cœur et à minuit, la Dahomania continue avec une nuit 100% Daho jusqu’à 5h du matin.

Fin 2023, le parrain de la pop française s'offrait son premier "Bercy", un concert aux allures de best of, retraçant une carrière de plus de quatre décennies. Une date clé pour cet habitué des salles intimistes dans lesquelles il avait coutume de se produire depuis ses débuts. Entouré de ses fidèles musiciens (François Poggio à la guitare, Jean-Louis Piérot aux claviers et guitare, Marcello Guiliani à la basse et Colin Russeil à la batterie) mais aussi d’un quatuor à cordes, l’artiste a déroulé sur scène quarante ans de tubes à la pelle : Week-end à Rome, Comme un boomerang ou encore Le Premier jour (du reste de ta vie), mais également ses nouveaux titres inscrits dans son dernier album "Tirer la nuit sur les étoiles". Étienne invite même Vanessa Paradis à venir le rejoindre pour interpréter Tirer la nuit sur les étoiles et Jade Vincent — du groupe Unloved – sur Boyfriend.

Pour prolonger le plaisir, à quelques semaines de Noël, le chanteur sort le disque live de ce concert événement sobrement intitulé Etienne Live et restitue la version intégrale du show, 26 titres en édition limitée Deluxe 2CD + DVD, en 2CD et en triple vinyle.

[mysteriis-moon666]

SUPERTZAR - Epic Truths & Fantaisies

Supertzar est un trio de stoner de colmar créé en octobre 2017 lors d'un concert de Monolord et Conan, composé de Bruno Penserini (Guitares fuzzées, voix, paroles), Jonas Heyberger (Basses saturées et fortes) et de Jules Thomann (Batterie et cymbales lourdes).

« Epic Truths & Fantaisies » paru en 2023 via Analog Spleen Records, enregistré/mixé au Gartbaum Studio, masterisé en août 2020 par Stéphane Azam, artwork de Naraka Garden basé sur des photos de Luc Schaegis, décharge en 6 titres un malstrom sonique d’incantations psyché/fuzzique groovy aux divinités du Sabbath donc Supertzar est un hommage à la chanson de Black Sabbath sur l’album « Sabotage » paru en 1975.

Dès leur deuxième E.P éponyme The Supertzar raconte l'histoire d'Ivan IV Vasilyevich, le premier Tsar de toutes les Russies et trouve son chemin de traverse. Vérités et fantasmes épiques sont au programme d’une lourdeur doomy bourdonnante (véritable cire pour fabrication de cérümen). Le groove est omniprésent et imparable pour headbanger, et ce disque doit absolument s’écouter au-delà des 105 décibels règlementaires pour faire trembler votre cloison corporelle et en être transcendé.

Le fossé est plus profond qu’il y paraît. Si la figure du démon est inscrite au répertoire, il ne s’agit pas du démon qui égare mais de celui qui révèle. En ce sens les références musicales doivent être comprises dans la Magick d’Aleister Crowley. Traduisant une quête dans laquelle le sacrifice et la souffrance ne sont que de modestes prix à payer en vue de l’illumination, tout comme la voie qui mène les chrétiens au paradis, même si d’après Michel Polnareff nous irons tous quand même. L’esthétique procède par une juxtaposition des profondeurs sonores, d’éléments psychédéliques visant à produire du sens, même si celui-ci peut rester équivoque.

Dans la pénombre chaude de nefs embaumées de lenteur cramoisie, des moines barbus profèrent des incantations Stonër/doooooooooooooom ! Les 6 ablutions sont effectuées sous la douche d’un riffing aussi lourd qu’une enclume et entrelacés de puissance tellurique sacrée, imprégnée de saleté, et d'atmosphères au spleen oppressant, par un contraste de mélancolie et de puissance souterraine.

[emonemogoblin]

Ladies and gentlemen and everyone in between, I present to you... Why I think this song sounds like Dazai :D

I hold this song dear to my heart so I mainly made this post to get more people to listen to it, but I also wanted to yap about Dazai, so I guess I'm killing two birds with one stone here??? Anyways, I shall explain my point :D

(warning : this is based off my very personal interpretation of the music)

So, this song opens on a mild-paced, steady guitar rythm accompanied by a lighter, airy guitar melody and some eerie chimings in the background. When I listen to it, two images pop up to mind

The first one is that of a sailboat in the middle of the ocean sailing against the waves. This is because of the steady rythm coupled with the melody, which creates this impression of a boat going up and down the waves as it crashes against them. Meanwhile, the chiming sounds give this feeling of large, empty space, which gave me the idea of the boat being stranded in the middle of the sea. If you can visualise this, then you should probably also see that the skies are covered and that the ocean seems pretty dull, almost grey — in other terms, this is a very bleak setting, right? Now, what would you feel if you were in the place of that poor sailor? Despair? Loneliness? Perhaps, a semblance of peace? It's hard to tell, right? This is how I feel about Dazai's character. Let's say that we, as the audience, are people on the land and that Dazai is the sailor stranded in the middle of the sea. Admitting we had a pretty good eyesight, all we would see is the boat floating in the faraway distance, and the storm looming over it. Of course, we would instinctually think "Oh, what a poor man, he must be lonely and terrified out there," but in truth, we have no way of knowing. Anyways, I'm going off tangent here ^^

The second image is that of a lonely person strolling through a crowd. For pretty much the same reasons as the previous image, the steady rythm gives the impression of walking while the melody, which is syncopated with the rythm, makes it seem like the person who's walking is having a hard time with it, as if they're stumbling or getting hit by other passers-by, which means they don't care that much about the person or don't even notice him. And the chimings once again create this feeling of a large space, so the person must be walking in a crowd. I thought that this image was reminiscent of how most characters in BSD simply pass by the character Dazai Osamu without ever caring much for him or trying to get close.

Anyways, this section was the most important as it sets the tone for the rest of the song.

Now, passing the first verses and moving directly onto the chorus section, I'd like to point out one thing : the addition of a synth. I find that it adds a little something to our picture, whether it's the boat one or the crowd one, which I'm letting you guess. Found it? No? Well, the answer was : tension. See, tension is an important part in music in order to tell a story, or to bring a picture to life (which is more the case here). So here, the tension manifests under the form of a force going up against our protagonist, a small element that disrupts their journey. In the case of the boat, it could a strong wind, which almost tips it over, and the case of the crowd, it could be strong person who pushes the person by inadvertence and sends them rolling on the ground. In either case, it leaves our character pretty shaken, but as the music continues, they also have to get up and move on. Now, what's interesting is that the lyrics here say "Parfois on regarde les choses telles qu'elles sont en se demandant pourquoi, parfois on les regarde telles qu'elles pourraient être en se disant pourquoi pas," which basically translates to "Sometimes we look at things the way they are and ask ourselves why, sometimes we look at things the way they could have been and think, why not after all." It's such a simple sentence, and yet, it holds so much beauty and meaning. I won't go into more details here, but I think this section overall perfectly reflects Dazai's resolution to join the good side and his efforts to change after Oda's death.

Once more, I'm skipping the second verse to directly talk about the second chorus. One of the many aspects of this song that I really love is how it keeps on adding more instruments as it goes on, and here, the new addition is an oboe. If listen carefully, you can notice that it plays a melody that goes downward, as if adding more to the conflict. Whether it be the growing despair of the sailor as he can't find his way back to the land or the panic of the person as they keep getting pushed around in the crowd, the main feeling here is that nothing is fine anymore. Coincidentally, the voice of the singer seems a bit more tired, a bit more desperate as she repeats the chorus. I like to think of this part as spiraling into despair as things seem more hopeless. This part is followed by a beautiful yet short intrumental break where trumpets join the mix, playing a melody reminiscent of blues, which adds on more to this feeling of hopelessness. When it finally transitions into the third verse, you can notice that all the instruments are gone, leaving only the steady guitar rythm from the beginning to accompany the singer who's now whispering. Oddly enough, this part feels very quiet, almost fragile, as if the singer is exposing her vulnerability as despair wins over her. So, the chorus followed by the instrumental break then the third verse give off this impression of falling into despair, which can be linked to Dazai's worsening depression as he spent more time in the Port Mafia, or maybe his overall mental state. Dazai is a very mysterious character after all, and there's no real way of knowing what's going on in his head.

After that, the instruments come back for the next verse before going into the third and final chorus, which is similar to the second one. However, the section that interests me here is the outro, which is the exact same as the intro (except for the addition of a melody played on the oboe in the background). After all this journey, we're back to our starting point, and yet, everything feels heavier after everything we've gone through. After taking a few more steps, or drifting for a little longer if we're still on the boat, the journey abruptly comes to an end. The ambiguous ending of the song leaves room for many interpretations, but my favorite is that the our protagonist simply... disappeared. After going through a short-lived experience, it was decided that their time was up, and that they had to leave the stage. So maybe the person disappeared into the crowd, never to be seen again. Maybe the sailor drifted into the horizon, and found himself a new home. Maybe he starved to death on the boat. Maybe he got caught in the storm and drowned. The possibilities are endless, so I shall let you come to your own conclusion :) I thought that it was a very poetic ending for someone like Dazai, to vanish into thin air and be forgotten by the world, just as he wished.

Anywaysss, this was my interpretation on the song "Il y a" by Vanessa Paradis and how I thought it fit Dazai. I hope you enjoyed it :D Also, here are the translated lyrics if you are interested :

There's a painting over there

Of birds, their wingspreads

That struggle against the wind

There are edges over there

The distances, your pace

When you're walking right ahead

There are cracks over there

Sealed, the locks

Like kites, taken off

There's literature over there

The lack of momentum

Inertia, movement

Sometimes we look at things

The way they are

Asking ourselves why

Sometimes, we look at them

The way they could have been

Telling ourselves, why not?

There is over there

If we take the time

If we take the time

There's literature over there

The lack of momentum

Inertia, movement

Sometimes we look at things

The way they are

Asking ourselves why

Sometimes, we look at them

The way they could have been

Telling ourselves, why not?

There are the mysteries over there,

The silence under the sea

That fight against time

There are edges over there

The distances, your pace

When you're walking right ahead

There's the whispering

A sigh, an adventure

Just as tangled kites

There's literature over there

The lack of momentum

Inertia, movement

Sometimes we look at things

The way they are

Asking ourselves why

Sometimes, we look at them

The way they could have been

Telling ourselves, why not?

Sometimes we look at things

The way they are

Asking ourselves why

Sometimes, we look at them

The way they could have been

Telling ourselves, why not?