#sad piano music played in the background

[watchinglikeafangirl]

Why I stayed for FadelStyle

I know, many of us started Heart Killers because of FirstKhao but actually stayed for JoongDunk. I wasn't invested in JoongDunk before, I watched "star in my mind" and of course "hidden agenda". I liked them in "hidden agenda" but something about FirstKhao feels different. They have a different vibe on camera, so I was excited to see them again. And yes, I was very pleasantly surprised to see JoongDunk as well, because I didn't think they would star in a show as mature as this one. But I'm very glad they did.

Fadel and Style's romance feels somewhat natural. Dunk playing a very loud and flirty character really suits him and Joong playing a character who is flustered by him all the time is just a very good match.

The most interesting thing is, I didn't buy Fadel and Style's romance until episode 6.

While Kant and Bison seem to be falling fast while leaving a bitter taste, Fadel and Style fall at their own pace and make each other better. The difference is, Kant and Bison are the same characters from start to finish, the only difference is they are boyfriends in the end. I don't see much growth or change in them. Kant starts this whole relationship under false intentions and there isn't a specific moment when it's shown he really fell for Bison. Not until Bison gets stabbed and then they are on that island and suddenly there are deep love confessions. It's like they skipped all the steps and just landed at the very end. And it's not just Kant, we don't know when Bison actually fell for Kant. Because Bison seems to love the idea of Kant and what Kant stands for. For Bison, Kant is freedom, a fresh start, but when did Bison actually develop feelings that go much further and deeper than that? We don't see it, there is not a moment when I knew.

Episode 6 is my favourite episode, I think it's the best one. The plot is there, the pacing is exactly right, the characters and their relationships get more depth. It marks the moment I realized Fadel fell hard and Style lives on cloud nine. There is a specific scene, I could rewatch it over and over because it is soo good. The thing with Fadel and Style is, they change each other for the better. They are not the same people in episode 12, they both found completion, they found inner peace with themselves. And it's all there when Fadel and Style go out to this metal concert to have fun for the last time. Before shit goes down, before Style wants Fadel to stay over, before Fadel cries. It's when Style convinces Fadel to put on some make-up as well.

"Try just being someone you want to be. We'll do it together. There's nothing to be afraid of."

Because even if Style wouldn't know about Fadel, this scene in itself means so much. And Fadel's look when Style says those words... He found someone who accepts him, everything, and he is not judged, Style is not scared, he embraces their love. I was on the verge of tears. It's a very genuine and sincere scene. That's when I knew, Style was really all in and there was no way back for him.

And of course, we can't talk about FadelStyle without mentioning the dance in the burger joint. Because that is when everybody could see how deep Fadel fell, how lost he felt when he found out it was a lie. He didn't have anything to lose any more because it already felt like dying. So he confesses and cries in silence so Style wouldn't know. I talked about this scene in depth, right here. It's when I knew there is no going back to how things were.

In episode 8, there is a very confusing scene - the editing is weird. It's when Fadel and Style sleep at the motel and Style starts crying. Because this scene is not quiet in any second, there's some comedic background music when Style starts talking, as if he's fake crying. But the things he says are very true. And then the music shifts to some sad piano and he starts crying for real. It's like, did he try to cover up his sadness with humour until he actually cried? It would make sense for his characters but the editing is so weird.

"Are you crying?"

The way Fadel asks so softly. It's the moment we really know, he will never kill Style. Until this point, I wasn't 100% sure but after he showed his concern, I was no longer afraid of some tragedy.

The scene I felt deeply and a scene that still lingers in my head. The song I keep listening to. It's episode 10. Of course it is. But honestly, I can't stress this enough. Fadel and Style have reached a point in their relationship that goes far deeper than a love confession. Because Fadel shows emotions he doesn't even show to himself. It's his darkest moment, his most pathetic feeling, his ugliest cry. But Style stays with him, because of course he does. Style doesn't say "I love you" very often because it's not something that needs to be said all the time. He just shows everything. He holds Fadel, he reassures him, he stays. And Fadel cries on his lap. It's worth more than any words. And it's why I could no longer root for Kant and Bison. Because they keep saying they love each other while there is no depth. Kant just tries to make a fire to make food but that's no deep connection. That's just childish and doesn't mean anything when it comes to their relationship. It's like the writers missed opportunities, we never get to see Kant and Bison bond. Do they ever talk about things that matter? About how they felt? They talk about grief for 10 seconds but that's it They are just together and they love each other, just because. Because the story needs them to. While Fadel and Style actually share emotions, they matter to each other, they try to live with each other.

Let me tell you, I am obsessed with the way Fadel becomes physically attatched to Style after episode 10. He hugs and sniffs Style like five times after that and I am living for it. It's the most relatable and lovely guesture.

Soooo, let's talk episode 12 because if somebody would ever do something for me like that, I'm gonna cry, faint, laugh, die - I don't know. Because what do you mean Style bought Fadel's burger joint back? What do you mean it's now their restaurant? What do you mean he already planned their future together? No one can put into words how much this guesture means. It's overwhelmingly a lot of love. It's just kinda funny to me how Fadel handles it because he doesn't seem to be THAT surprised. I was shocked, words mean nothing, it's just so much. I want to find a love like that.

I always thought Style saved Fadel but now I think, they just saved each other. Because even if Style is the one who did that grand guesture and even if Style is the one who started to initiate most moments, he was lost too. They made each other less lonely. They have a grave together. Their story is epic.

I recommend this video. It sums up why FadelStyle felt more real and why everyone rooted for them instead of KantBison.

[genshingorlsrevengeance]

Politely affectionately agressively begging for more Furina fics you write her AMAZINGLYYYYY PLEASEEE and it's so rare to see my girl get any fics YOU A REAL ONE FR FR 😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫

(Genshin Impact) Furina watching an emotional movie with her S/O

*Imperial Guardsmen Voice* IF SUCH IS THE EMPEROR'S WILL! Also, you can imagine this as an Isekai S/O or Fontaine somehow developed movies, idk you can work the imagination on how movies exist in Tevyat, I'm just here to give you the funny/cute.

Furina's lips trill in boredom as she sits down on the couch, an hand underneath her chin.

Dinner had already been finished, dessert promptly followed but the night was still young.

Her S/O was in front of the couch, rustling coming from a box they were searching through.

She got up from her seat and knelt next to them, curious as to what they were looking for.

(Furina) "S/O?"

(S/O) "Hang on, just looking for something we can watch...ah!"

S/O pulled out a box containing a small CD. Furina couldn't help but flinch instinctually.

(S/O) "Before you ask, no it's not a horror movie."

With a sigh of relief, she grabbed the box and raised an eyebrow.

(Furina) "Oh thank goodness!...A-Ahem, so, what is this?"

(S/O) "It's from Inazuma. It's a super cheesy story about a man and female meka falling in love."

They put a finger to their chin as Furina scoffed as she crossed her arms.

(Furina) "Oh please, I've seen far worse premises in my stage plays, S/O!"

(S/O) "True, but this one might make you cry."

Furina's smirk grows bigger hearing their lack of faith.

(Furina) "Psh! Me? Cry at a love story probably told a thousand times? Please! Put it on S/O! I'll prove you otherwise!"

ONE HOUR LATER...

S/O and Furina were sitting quietly, nearing the end of the film's duration.

The man's head was resting on the meka's lap as he was nearing the end of his life, though the mood was very bittersweet.

With a beautiful piano tune playing in the background, the Meka looked up to the sky, finally getting a revelation for the human it fell in love with.

[Mekaigis] "Not everything needs to be for some greater purpose. Just caring for someone can be enough. That's all we need to give our lives meaning. As for me, I've found my path. And that's to protect you with my life..."

S/O's heart strings tugged at the touching dialogue. Blinking away a few tears, S/O turned to Furina.

(S/O) Furina's been really quiet. I wonder if she's not as affected as-

S/O's thoughts were interrupted the moment they actually glanced at their girlfriend.

Furina reached for her box of tissues, which was already halfway gone, and blew violently into it.

She proceeded to wipe away her tears with her hands while her lips trembled, eyes locked onto the screen the entire time.

(S/O) ...Okay yeah, she's doing as good as I thought she would.

S/O moved in closer to hold her hand and at least give her some comfort for this admittedly tear-inducing scene.

Only for their hand to be almost hurt from her grip strength as she held on with all of her passion, Furina's attention daring not to even turn away.

S/O almost yelped out in pain, but kept strong for the sake of their girlfriend's immersion.

And with the man finally closing his eyes, the movie finally came to a close, with the music's lyrics riding the scene out.

[Movie] "kaze no koe hikari no tsubu madoromu kimi ni sosogu-"

Furina stood up from her chair, pointing to the screen with tears still fresh in her eyes.

(Furina) "T-THE MOVIE ENDS RIGHT THERE?! BUT THAT'S NOT FAIR! HE AND MEKAIGIS FOUGHT TO SAVE THE WORLD, THEY SHOULD BE HAPPY TOGETHER!"

S/O couldn't contain their soft laughter, getting up and attempting to calm her down by gently wiping her tears away.

(S/O) "I agree, but it's a rather beautiful ending to such a tragic story. But what did you think of it?"

Furina pouted at their laughter, crossing her arms and huffing.

(Furina) "I'd rather have watched a horror movie, something like that is way too sad!"

(S/O) "I thought you said you wouldn't cry-"

(Furina) "I-I was simply crying at their performances! They did an amazing job acting out a horrid script, as a performer I couldn't just ignore their handiwork!"

S/O playfully rolled their eyes as they sat Furina back down, quickly joining her on the couch.

(S/O) "Is that right? Anyways, there's a followup sequel where it follows Mekaigis after the events of this movie called the Answ-"

(Furina) "PUT IT ON RIGHT NOW! I HAVE TO FIND OUT RIGHT NOW!"

Her voice cracked as she pointed at the screen, making S/O laugh and comply.

(S/O) "Yes, ma'am."

Furina's leg bounced anxiously as she watched S/O painfully put the next film in slowly, getting immersed again immediately.

===

Author's note:

This isn't actually anything related to the post besides the obvious reference, I just have to get it out of my system because I was listening to the soundtrack of said reference. Ahem. AAALLLL THE JOURNEYS START SOMEWHERE WITH A FIRST STEEEEEEEP NO ONE'S SURE WHAT LIES AHEAD BE BOLD AND BRAAAAAAAAAAAAVE (STAND UP!) ROADS MAY BEEEEEE ROUGH AND TOOUUUUUUGH THOUGH IT WILL LEAD SOMEWHEEEERE (NOTHING EASY GET UP AND GO GET IT GO) SOMETIMES IT'S JOURNEY ITSELF THAT TEACHEEEES A LOT ABOUT THE DESTINATION NOT AWARE OOOOOF NO MATTER HOW FAAAAAR (NO MATTER HOW FAR) HOW YOU GOOOOOOOO (HOW YOU GO HOW YOU GO) HOW LONG IT MAY LAAAAAST (CARPE DIEM NO TIME TO WASTE) VENTURE LIFE, BURN YOUR DREEEAAAAD! (YOU GOTTA VENTURE LIFE GO GET IT BURN YOUR DREAD)

[forgeofthenine]

Also another one for Rolan, since some people seem to have a mod that replaces Gale with Rolan or something? I've only seen screenshots... Anyway, how does Rolan's magic play into his romantic life? Is he also into super weird astral projection threesomes? Does he summon pianos to play music in the background? Does he entangle his partner? Questions upon questions

I think I've come across that mod while modding my own game! I considered figuring out how to use it to kiss Dammon and then decided not to, maybe I should reconsider? Either way, I hope you enjoy the headcannons even if half of them are SFW, I actually used my new mechanical keyboard to write them instead of my phone (this fancy keyboard makes me so excited lmao)

NSFW under the cut

CW: Double penetration, Voyeurism, clone sex, bondage

Everyday magic with Rolan

SFW

Rolan LOVES some mundane magic, any opportunity is a good time to practise his magic

Your houseplants are looking a little sad? Don’t worry, he’ll use a spell to summon some water for them

You don’t have enough hands to multitask cooking a fancy dinner? He’s ready to help and doesn’t even need to stand

You hate cleaning the much too high up windows in Ramaziths Tower? Rolan has that handled too, don’t worry about it

He’s always looking for new ways to reinvent spells and impress those around him and that extends to his domestic duties as well

Sometimes, if he’s feeling a little cheesy, he’ll summon a gentle gust of wind to knock you off balance just enough for him to swoop in all romantically and be your prince charming

You’ll also generally find him perusing his library with an assortment of books and quills floating near him, or being moved off to the side when he doesn’t have need of them anymore

Mind your head if he doesn’t know you’re there, the room is essentially filled with projectiles

Rolan is also a master at summoning things over to his desk as he works so he never has to get himself up

That is, until you insist on dragging him away for a break

NSFW

If you don’t think Rolan uses his magic during sex then you don’t know this man

He loves some good vanilla love making, and it’s usually his go to, but using his magic simply adds some spice to things

Rolan is fully willing to make a magic clone of himself for the sole purpose of fucking you, whether he’s off to the side simply watching or getting in on the action himself he’s happy either way

He’s surprisingly into spitroasting you with his clone, especially when he gets to tease you as you’re moaning around said clone

Another thing he’s into is double penetration, there’s nothing Rolan loves more than seeing you spread out and taking two of his cocks

That’s not the extent of how he can use his talents in the bedroom however, far from it

Having magic abilities also makes bondage much, much easier luckily for Rolan

He could work it out ‘the normal way’ if he wanted, but this wizard would rather just skip to the good part

Silk ropes or thorned vines, Rolan just loves to see you bound and at his mercy, writhing with every touch of his skilled fingers 

You’ll be feeling the fleeting touches of fingertips over sensitive spots for what seems to be hours (but is truly mere minutes) before he finally pulls you against him and has his way with you

Rolans not usually one for manhandling, rathering sweet kisses and declarations of love while taking care of your needs in bed, but using his magic in these ways lights a particular fire in him

Hopefully you’re able to hang on for the ride

[tarotomorrows]

WE GOT THE OG 5 IN THE HOUSE!!! This is part of my Inside Out punk au. Their band name is Harmony! So let me introduce their roles and how they came to be. PART 1 (cause I write a lot of background context of the story and characters sooo yeah breaking it apart to give your brains a break)

Starting with Joy! She’s the vocals and the leader of the band.

She can play a multitude of instruments but her favorite choice of sound is her very own voice.

She came up with the idea back in their senior year of highschool she wanted to be the opening act for the Senior Festival and so she lovingly (and forcibly) got her closest friends to band together and rock out one final time. Little did she know she’d change the trajectory of a young juniors life forever. It’s been 3 years since graduation and they teams still rocking on playing out for minor shows but somehow unable to achieve their big break. Which may or may not be driving Joy of the rails in frustration out of a fit of desperation and with some well said advice from the skies (and sadness) they set back towards their hometown Anderson Falls in hopes to rekindle what they had lost. Will they be able to find out the secret to their musical failures or will they have to face reality and leave their dreams to the wind.

Next is Sadness! She’s the keytarist and song writer of the crew.

She loves music theory especially how it impacts peoples emotions (especially the sad ones) and has an affinity for song writing and playing the piano.

She and Joy have been best friends since Elementary School. Despite their differences they both hold each other in high regards. “Wherever I go you go” is their motto towards each other.

Which is why when Joy offered up her and the rest of the gang to play out for the festival it was just another one of the many quips she’d got them into. Until it wasn’t just some silly little push out of her shell but a hard shove onto the road far from home having to crank out songs nearly every month.

It was fun and she could handle some pressure…until it wasn’t fun anymore and the shows stopped selling well and the rest of the crew wasn’t doing well. Eventually one night she had planned to confront Joy about her feelings towards this selfish guided “tour” and she had but was met with indifference towards her thoughts. With no choice arguing with a brick wall she left the conversation as is and would enact more level heading when morning came.

However when morning came she wasn’t met with scorn but instead another one of Joy’s plans but this one was different, a plan to go home? Did she really have a change of heart? Did she really break through to her friend and mended the relationship to what it once was. Only time will tell…

[susandsnell]

i saw wicked today too and loved it! what did you think? (was i the only one who went "oh shit" out loud in the theater when That Cameo happened?)

well i may or may not have just gotten out of my second viewing of it in three days some fourish hours ago, so that should be some indication!

hiya bestie! sorry for the delays on this, things have been thinging and life has been lifing. I'll admit that as early as February I was not looking forward to this movie or its promised follow-up. Splitting it into parts confused me, I was dubious over some of the casting, the visuals, the lighting, and the use of CG, and was being a bit of a hater over the trailers. However, every hater worth their salt should eat crow when they're wrong, and wow was I ever wrong. I couldn't have been more wrong, actually, because I'll go so far as to say (though I have high high hopes for Nosferatu later this month)! that Wicked Part One was my favourite movie of 2024. Extended (gushing) quasi-organized thoughts under the cut, because like Elphaba, no I never stop talking.

Bit of background, I've been lucky enough to see the show live twice, plus countless bootlegs/the cast album being the soundtrack to my life since I was nine. I know the script, the score, and the lyrics back to front. So you can imagine how shocked/pleased I was to find that the movie retained just about everything! I know people are giving mixed reviews about the extended scenes/runtime, but honestly the Oz they gave us (which I'll get to momentarily) was so wonderful and the cast so wholly inhabiting of their roles that I could not get enough of the world and these characters. I also thought they fixed several plotholes/added depth and stakes to a lot of arcs from the musical with their changes, especially with respect to the villains.

Visually, the film is an absolute treat; the colour grading/lighting does have the unfortunate modern fantasy film vibe to it, but the sets, practical props/effects, and costumes more than make up for it. That rotating library portico set? Let me live there! The Wizard's invitation?? The choreography was fantastic and every dancing scene was shot so so beautifully. My only complaint really is the CGI; the animals looked really fakey and goofy, particularly poor Dr. Dillamond, to the point that my entire theater was cracking up when his little goat ears wilted at the blackboard scene during my first viewing. Which is...not really the reaction you want to go for with a scene that's supposed to be depicting a hate crime.

The costumes in particular were a standout; Paul Tazewell's work is so stunning (Morrible's gowns, the revised Popular dress, and Elphaba's little pirate academia number when she gets her Emerald City invite) that I feel comfortable saying with the exception of Glinda's Junon-takeoff bubble dress (because it's just so iconic), they vastly outdo the stage version's costumes. He needs an Oscar for this yesterday and I'm not kidding.

The performances!!! Oh my gosh! Everyone sounding great and there being good mixing?? in a musical movie made after 2007??? Who'd've thought!!! My only complaint musically was, unfortunately, during Defying Gravity. In the stage show there's like 2 pauses in the song for plot to happen (Morrible's call-out and making the broom fly), and through that iirc they keep the instrumental going. Today, at my second viewing, I counted like....6-7 pauses where the song just outright stops, including two instances where they play different sad piano music altogether and give Elphaba this big suit-up superhero moment because book cover nod I guess, and healing her inner child, and it was kind of a pain because part of what makes Defying Gravity such a memorable piece is its momentum and when you stop the song to do something else, the momentum really dies. With that said, all eight parts of Defying Gravity were, in each pocket, performed to perfection.

I had high hopes for Cynthia Erivo vocally, but was dubious about an apparently more earnest, innocent Act 1 Elphaba as opposed to the stage version which I'm more used to, where she's a lot more of a Daria type. However, I was so pleased to find that she deepened the aching tragedy of the character with this take, especially opposite a more sinister and insidious Wizard + Morrible, and her takes on these songs, her vocal choices, her runs...heavenly. Ariana Grande pleasantly surprised me as being much cuter and funnier than I expected, and her surprise option ups during Popular were an absolute treat. Jonathan Bailey was as charming and talented as any Fiyero worth his salt (also loved how casually they made him bisexual?), Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard killed me (especially since they played him as simultaneously more of a huckster conman and an Evil Walt Disney, and it worked), but the show-stealer was Michelle Yeoh as Morrible for my money.

From the moment Morrible swoops in to smoothly cover for Elphaba's power explosion, knowing what it would mean to her to be spared social ruin, I was on the edge of my seat with such a different take on what's usually just kind of a comic relief diva character. Michelle Yeoh's effortless grace and elegance command screen presence. But the slow creep of her goading Elphaba into intensifying her powers while playing the sympathetic ear/mother figure/mentor only to make the betrayal hit that much harder (I genuinely choked up during the cut to Elphie's face when she hears her saying that her skin is a manifestation of her twisted nature), to say nothing of dangling her approval over Glinda until becoming the shoulder for her to cry on at the end of Defying Gravity...my god. chills. Forget Gelphie, shoutout to all the teenage sapphics with something deeply, deeply wrong with them who are going to have an awakening over this chillingly manipulative milfy sorceress who presents herself as a twisted maternal figure and intellectual colleague.

On the note of Gelphie -- oh my god??? A homoerotic swordfight during What Is This Feeling - are you KIDDING???? They amped it up from the stage show if anything; the Ozdust sequence brought me to tears, and then ended with them joining hands and running off together and leaving Fiyero behind like???? The amount of times they fell over each other? Glinda's thousand-yard stare during No One Mourns The Wicked, Elphaba's longing/fond glances....the love note, are you kidding me. They were baby's first yuri for me so seeing them on the big screen played with such natural chemistry by Cynthia and Ariana warmed my heart and got me super emotional. Sidenote, okay, not to be the boss baby guy about Carrie, but with the changes/additions, Elphaba is kind of Carrie White now and I'm here for it? From the visions to the explosions to baby Elphie already having her powers in the flashbacks...and then you get to the Ozdust scene, and the extended cruelty towards her plays very much as Elphaba's They're All Gonna Laugh At You Moment...only for Glinda to swoop in and dance with her as the Sue Snell, so yeah, we now have fantasy CarrieSue in Oz. We won so hard.

Last bit, to address your point about the cameos -- I really was worried that I'd be cringing at all the lore tie-ins with the '39 Wizard of Oz or the Broadway cameos or any of the other fanservice, but it all tied in and flowed so smoothly at most I was rolling my eyes affectionately rather than in exasperation (the Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead tie-in to No One Mourns The Wicked was shockingly seamless). Stephen Schwartz being the one to invite them to see the wizard got me properly emotional!! Idina and Kristin were hilarious and 10/10 diva legends as always, and the extended Wiz-O-Mania propaganda play/Grimmerie Lore Dump is both a visual and auditory treat. The original Glinda showing up to tell Ari to shut the fuck up during her song got maybe the biggest laugh of the movie out of me, but then they had Idina doing her end of defying gravity 'aaaaaaah ah ahhhh' Elphaba War cry riff as a heehe gag just like...20ish minutes before Cynthia!Elphaba is going to do it for real. Which had me in stitches because it plays then as either subversion of the wizard's propaganda in finding her voice, or Elphaba's a theatre kid and said yeah that was a sick riff I heard 2 hours ago, I'm going to incorporate it into my political loudmouthing after nearly being assassinated 20 times. Fuck you, Oz man, I'm stealing your propaganda riff!

What an ending. What a movie. Can't wait for part 2.

Thanks for asking! <3 hope you're well.

[cinnamostar]

love's final act

pairing : hyunjin x gn!reader

summary : love’s final, yet cruelest, act was grief. grief is, and will always be, the truest testament of love. 

wc : 4.1k

cw : sadness, angst, break up, mentions of anxiety and symptoms, negative self talk. plz let me know if i missed anything.

a/n : this is the first fic i have written in literal years! i would love to hear any feedback and thoughts you have about this. pls let me know if i need to add additional content warnings, as well as if as if any gendered language is used :) im excited to be writing again and i hope you enjoy! 

₊‧°𐐪♡𐑂°‧₊

The morning light peeped through your curtains, inviting itself into your dreary room much to your dismay, taunting you once more that another painfully sleepless night had passed by. Normally, you’d welcome the sun’s warmth as part of your routine, opening the curtains to soak in the rays as you prepared for the new day, but the past seven days had been far from normal.

Today, the crushing weight of grief tied you down your bed once more as hot tears burned down your cheeks for what felt like the millionth time this week. Grief and guilt had kept you imprisoned to the confines of your room, allowing you to escape from the world outside where life continued to move forward, while you desperately clung onto memories of the past, unwilling to accept the new reality you knew was long coming.

You didn’t want to leave your room, you didn’t want to confront the world again. Maybe if you stayed in here a little longer, time would turn back and this new universe would fade away into the ether as nothing more than a bad dream. Maybe you’d finally wake up and find yourself in the arms of your lover. Maybe he would march right through your bedroom door, begging for you both to keep trying, urging you to believe your love would triumph any obstacle life had in store.

That would be nice, wouldn’t it?

The truth is, after two short and sweet years together, your love story was coming to a screeching halt. The reality of your deteriorating romance had finally caught up to you both and you could no longer deny the impossibility of this relationship. 

Hyunjin was everything you had ever wanted and more. He was the love of your life, your soulmate, the man you wanted to spend the rest of your life with. You both loved each other dearly, and if it wasn’t for the challenges life had presented, you’d be inseparable. If it were up to you, you’d spend every waking moment in his presence, listening to the hum of his heart that you became so in tuned with. It was a melody only you and him could hear and understand, one that was so extravagant and beautiful that it would bring goosebumps to anyone who witnessed it.

A song so powerful, passionate, forceful, but yet so gentle and delicate, almost as if the beating of your own hearts could shatter it if one ever lost its rhythm. There was a musical score to follow that only you and Hyunjin knew how to perform, yet the symphony of your love started to fade away in the background as the loud chatter of life roared over it.

One by one, the violin’s strings started to snap, the piano fell out of tune, the percussionists arms grew heavy, the flautis’s breath could no longer keep up, and all was left was you and Hyunjin trying to conduct an orchestra to play a line of music that didn’t exist. This was how it was supposed to end. They didn’t practice any of this, there was no more music, this was it. Your thoughts, overwhelming sorrow, and the cacophony of life.

This was your final performance together.

It felt as if life had been sucked out of you, the ruckus of the world overstimulating your ears with a piercing screech in the background. You desperately strained yourself to find the tune you missed, hoping maybe you could pick up where you both left off, but there was nothing. It felt as if a hand was clenching around your heart, constricting you as you gasped for air, except you weren’t looking for air. Every detail of him had become so ingrained into your being that you no longer knew how to function without the heavenly tune of his, you had no idea how you ever dealt with the unpleasant song the world around you played. He was your everything, your oxygen, and you breathed him each time as if it was your last breath, but this time it actually was.

Sure, you had lived your entire life before him just fine, but the last few days without him had left you in a dizzying haze as your lungs burned from all your cries, begging for you to run back into his arms after being so deprived of him. The pit in your stomach grew heavier, sinking you further into your bed as you free falled into your own despair. 

It was the inevitable end of the love story between two people who desperately wanted to claw onto one another, but neither was willing to change themselves for the other and that was okay. You each had different goals, dreams, and aspirations that never seemed to come together, lifestyles that never aligned. It was as if divine intervention stepped in at every waking moment of your relationship to remind you both that your love was just a brief chapter of your lives, not the happily ever after you so desperately tried to force.

All that was left to face was the stark and brutal reminder that no amount of love, effort, or communication would have ever made those dreams a reality. The nights you and Hyunjin spent laying in each other’s arms as he gently played with loose strands of your hair, where you each giggled about where you would move once you both reached old age, what kind of home you both would share, and whether you both should adopt a cat, a dog, or both, was all now just a gut-wrenching memory that mocked you. 

It was mutual. It was for the best. Neither of you wanted this, but the truth was that no one was willing to compromise and completely abandon the diverging paths you both were on. You were both too stubborn to drop everything you had worked so hard on, both so close to achieving, just for the other. It wasn’t a lack of love, rather it was the suffocating love that caused you both to drag on your relationship for so long, but you both knew to your core that you would have resented the other if any compromise was made. Neither of you wanted that too. That was that, a tearful goodbye accompanied with gentle, hushed apologies with one last, excruciating bitter-sweet kiss.

A gentle knock stirred you awake from your stupor, temporarily freeing yourself from your painstaking recollections of your relationship. Blonde locks and dark eyes peered from the door, a soft voice calling your name, unsure if you were awake, “Y/N…?”

Your hands scrambled to wipe your tears away as you sat up, but your sniffles and broken voice betrayed you, “H-hi Lixie, sorry. I’m up now.”

Felix sighed in relief, worried he may have woken you from your few moments of peace. He let himself in, gently closing the door behind him as he made his way to your window, opening the curtains to let the sun in, complimenting the warmth his presence brought into your cold world. He basked in the morning sun for a moment, before turning to you with a sweet smile that melted away any sadness you had in you.

“It’s Saturday, Y/N.”

Oh. It’s already Saturday. Right. 

The realization must’ve been evident on your face, as Felix hastily found himself sitting on the edge of your bed with your hands clasped between his. “It’s okay, there’s no rush. You can give yourself more ti-,”

“No. It’s okay. I’ll get up now.”

Felix’s eyebrows raised, concerned etched onto his features, “You don’t have to force yourself, Y/N. There’s nothing wrong with needing more time.”

You shook your head adamantly, a tightlipped smile on your face as you looked Felix in the eyes, “I know, Felix, but…” You let out a shaky sigh, forcing a happier and more convincing smile that didn’t quite reach your eyes, “I told myself I can’t let myself rot in bed for more than a week. I gave myself a week to cry it out, that should be more than enough, right?”

The boy returned the smile, giving your hands a reassuring squeeze, “Okay. If that is what you want, then okay.” He knew you were lying to yourself right now, he knew you were trying to convince yourself that you were okay and ready to go back to normalcy, but he also knew there was no use in trying to stop you. “Do you know what you want to do today? We can go grab coffee together if you’d like.”

“I think… I think I am okay on my own for today. Maybe tomorrow?”

“Are you sure?”  

“Yes, I’ll be okay. I promise I’ll text you if I need anything.”

Felix nodded, setting your hand back down on the mattress as he got up to exit the room, “Okay, but if you break your promise, I’m kicking your ass. Being heartbroken isn’t an excuse to break a promise with your best friend!” A lighthearted giggle escaped him as he shut the door behind him. 

A small smile graced your features, an airy laugh escaping you as you watched your best friend close the door. Somehow, you could always count on him to brighten your day, no matter how caught up in your grief you are.

But that was enough mourning, that was enough grieving, that was more than enough. It was time to go back to your old routine, as the world wasn’t going to wait for you to mend your broken heart. Life moved forward and you were hellbent on not being left behind.

Except you couldn’t quite go on with your old routine.

You couldn’t text Hyunjin good morning, you couldn’t call him letting him know you were going to the bakery to see if he wanted something, you couldn’t take a picture of a pretty flower you saw on your walk and share it with him. 

You couldn’t surprise him at work with lunch. You couldn’t send him a new song you found that reminded you of him. You couldn’t use the cheeky pick up line you saw online a few days ago. You couldn’t send him a picture of two puppies playing with each other saying it was both of you. You couldn’t stop by at the end of the night for a brief kiss. You couldn’t look forward to his cuddles. 

You couldn’t call him just because you wanted to hear his voice.

For a moment, as you made your way out the front door, you felt your breath hitch and all too familiar lump formed in your throat, tears threatening to spill out your eyes as your fingers mindlessly, out of habit, found themselves hovering over Hyunjin’s contact name, a few millimeters away from hitting call. 

‘Baby 𐐪♡𐑂’

You closed your eyes for a brief moment in a feeble attempt to collect yourself. You found yourself taking a deep breath, not realizing how long you had held your breath. With much hesitation, your shaky fingers tapped the ‘edit contact’ button and deleted the nickname you had lovingly given him. You paused once again, another deep breath before replacing the previous text with ‘Hwang Hyunjin,’ erasing any evidence of the love you two once shared. 

The pit in your stomach grew once again, threatening to drag you back into bed as tears silently slid down your cheeks, but you shook the thought out of your mind, locking your phone and putting it in your pocket.

It’s okay. This is part of the healing process, right? It was better to confront this sooner rather than later. That’s what you told yourself at least. That’s what you wanted to believe. 

₊‧°𐐪♡𐑂°‧₊

And just like that, another few weeks had whizzed past you before you even realized. You spent the whole time trying to return to your daily routine, along with the help of Felix, Seungmin, and Jeongin, who each made it their personal mission to keep you company during every moment of the day. They somehow coordinated their schedules in a way to make sure at least one of them was available to be with you, but they still respected your boundaries whenever you asked them for some time alone.

You were eternally grateful for them, as their presence made the month a lot more bearable to manage, even though you found yourself in plenty of embarrassing moments with each of them.

Each time anything reminded you of Hyunjin, you’d find your eyes immediately welling up with tears, but the boys did a good job of comforting your broken heart and dealing with your inconsolable sobs. 

Even if you were in public. Even if you were in the middle of a McDonalds.

Unfortunately, a pack of sauce from McDonalds made you cry because it was Hyunjin’s favorite and you always made sure to grab him extra. If you weren’t so upset, the look of shock on Seungmin’s face would’ve made you laugh, but the dark haired boy quickly snatched the sauce away from your hands, jokingly scolding it for making you so sad as he returned it to the worker to exchange it for a different one. If he had known something so simple would’ve had such an effect on you, he wouldn’t have asked for it, but he chalks up to love making people stupid or whatever.

With time, the painful memories and embarrassing moments lessened on each of your outings. Whenever a memory did threaten your peace, instead of fighting it with tears in your eyes, you decided to embrace it with grace and try to smile at each one that greeted your mind. Just because it was painful now didn’t mean it was bad, they were still sweet moments that once made you happy, and for that, you should be thankful. 

You were far from being healed, but you were slowly adjusting to this new reality and feeling just a bit better each day at your own pace. It still hurt a lot and you missed him terribly, but you were okay and it got easier to manage your pain. You were slowly remembering how to live with the inundating sounds of life, slowly learning how to dance to this familiar song and appreciating the beauty within it once more.

Before you knew it, you were thinking of him, the tune of your romance was nothing more than a distant memory. Your body no longer craved his presence, no longer needing his hand to guide you through the musical that life is. You missed him, but not as much as you did the first week. Your heart still sank a little when you saw a couple walking hand in hand on the sidewalk, but instead of bringing you to tears, it made you smile to know you once experienced love like that, and you will again one day, just not with him. 

Today, you decided you were going to venture out on your own, something you felt more comfortable doing as time passed. The anxiety you once carried was vanishing as you grew more confident in yourself and your ability to hold it together, no longer worried that something so trivial would trigger an emotional outburst. The intimidating idea of solitude became something you welcomed as you slowly fell in love with the song of your heart and the background chatter life offered.

You stepped out the double doors of your local coffee shop, a warm vanilla latte in hand as the cool autumn breeze kissed your face. You didn’t really have a plan for today, opting to aimlessly wander around the busy streets of your city, enjoying the comfortable zephyr that brushed through your hair. The weather was great today, it would be a shame to let it go to waste and not enjoy it before the harsh winter season set in. With that in mind, you settled on heading to the park, hoping you’d find a bench to make your temporary home as you read the latest novel you bought last week. 

A moment of serenity and tranquility after walking through the bustling streets of the city was what you needed, a chance to breathe and escape the rush of pedestrians trying to make it to their next destination. You started picking up the pace, bouncing with each step in excitement as the buzzing jabbers of passerbyers filled your ears, the sounds of creaky car brakes and car horns accompanying you on your journey. 

You took a sip of your coffee as you approached the crosswalk to join the others waiting for the light to turn, but as you drew closer, a familiar hum caught your attention. It was low, extremely quiet, but it grew louder as you moved forward. 

Your heart stuttered, confused on what melody to follow as a pit of anxiety formed in your abdomen, your voice suddenly caught in your throat as you felt your body grow heavier. Your eyes panickedly looked around as you slowed your pace, trying to identify where this melody was coming from.

A few feet ahead of you stood a tall, lean figure you had become all too familiar with. Although you couldn’t see his face, you swore the man that stood there was none other than Hyunjin. You stopped in the middle of the sidewalk as you stared ahead, your mouth drying up as your lips parted slightly. You didn’t know what you were feeling exactly, every emotion possible attacking your mind and body all at once. It felt as if everything around you was slowing, as if time paused as your eyes focused on him. The chatter of life faded into the background as the song of your lost love became deafeningly loud, taking over any coherent thought you could’ve had.

Your heart leaped for joy, desperately urging you to run towards him and pull him into a tight embrace, wishing to once again dance to the song of your love story. The burdensome weight of grief held you in place, tears pricking your eyes as a cold sweat rushed over your panicked body that demanded you turn away, pleading you were not ready to see him again, but the overwhelming shock didn’t let your feet move. It was as if the world beneath your feet disappeared, nowhere for you to go and all you could do was stare ahead as the lump in your throat turned into an uncomfortable, acidic taste your anxiety forced into your mouth.

Fear grew within you as you watched the man slowly turn his head to the side, holding your breath as you prepared to see the face you dreaded, yet yearned at the same time. As his side profile came into view, a blaring car horn snapped you out of your daze, the crowd of pedestrians came back into motion as someone scoffed when they bumped into your stilled body, and the music that once took over your senses suddenly dulled into the background. A wave of relief and mild disappointment washed over you as you realized the man before you wasn’t Hyunjin at all. Maybe your eyes were playing tricks on you along with your hopelessness, but it was just someone who happened to resemble his frame.

You let out an exasperated exhale, feeling exhausted from the emotional rollercoaster you just experienced. Although, for some reason, your body remained a bit tense as you could still hear the melody you recognized as yours and Hyunjin’s. It wasn’t as blaring as before, but the soft tune rang through your ears, impossible for you to ignore. 

Perhaps the near encounter earlier had startled you, you thought, it should go away soon enough. With that, you decided that was enough for today and maybe it would be better to spend the rest of the day at home, maybe you could convince Felix to watch a movie with you. 

As you turned on your heels to make the way back home, the music started to pick up again. The beat of the drums grew more powerful, the string instruments hummed earnestly, the pianist clanged the keys more feverishly as a strong gust of wind greeted you.

And that’s when you saw him.

There he was, standing right in front of you wearing a shocked, yet pained, expression. His eyebrows furrowed upwards, his lips slightly parted as his eyes brimmed with tears. Hyunjin looked awful. Dark circles and puffy eye bags decorated his pale face, his nose and cheeks flushed as if he spent the morning crying. 

He wanted to call for your name, tell you how much he missed you and how miserable he has been without you. He wanted to pull you into a bone crushing embrace, one where he swore he’d never let you out of. He wanted to sink his face into the crook of your neck and breathe in the scent of your shampoo he had missed so much. He selfishly wanted to remind himself of every detail of you possible, but his body remained unmoving, unable to act on any of his desires. His tongue thickened in mouth, caught in his throat, as if his body was turning into stone in a panic. 

He was angry with himself, trying to will himself to do something, say something, anything, but all he could do was stand there like a fool as he stared into the eyes he adored so much, hoping he would find the same look of love you always use to wear around him. The music grew louder, almost as if it was begging for him to speak his mind, spill his heart out to you.

You blinked away the tears that were starting to form, cursing yourself for crumbling so quickly at the mere sight of Hyunjin. Your heart swelled with love and joy, yet the familiar melancholy took residence in your stomach. As much as your heart ached for Hyunjin’s presence, you knew there was no point in giving into a dying romance, one that had no future ahead of it. It was best to bite the bullet and abandon it right then and there, for both of your sakes.

It took everything in you, but all you could do was muster a heartbroken smile as you bowed your head down, acknowledging Hyunjin’s presence as your feet briskly walked you out the scene, not even giving a second glance as you passed him because you knew you would fall apart if you caught his eyes once more.

Once again, the music died out, the piano fell out of tune as the strings snapped, an unpleasant screech leaving the clarinets as you walked past Hyunjin. 

Hyunjin spun around, watching your body disappear into the crowd of people as tears began to escape down his cheeks while his body began to tremble, unwilling to accept what just happened. His mind scrutinized him for being so pathetic, for not being able to call out your name to stop you from leaving, for not being able to grab your wrist and speak to you once more, for not being able to profess how he couldn’t live without you.

Have you forgotten about him already? Have you already moved on? Were you no longer in love with him? Was he just an idiot crying over someone who gave him no second thought? How could you walk by him so easily? Like he was another stranger on the street? Did you not care for him? Did you not want to know how he was doing this whole time? Did your relationship with him mean nothing to you?

Millions of questions and doubts plagued Hyunjin’s thoughts as he wordlessly stood in place, still unable to move from the sheer sadness and humiliation that filled him. God’s cruelty never relented and became so apparent to Hyunjin at this very moment. Was love supposed to be so painful? 

Ah, no, Hyunjin. Love was never meant to be painful, but the unfortunate truth was that love became undeniable in someone’s absence. It is in that moment of time where you cannot ignore the empty void love has abandoned you with no escape. All this love you have left over with nowhere to go will one day become something you get sick of. It is then where you must decide whether you’ll allow love to consume you in its overwhelming misery or use it to thrive and move forward. Love’s final, yet cruelest, act was grief. Grief is, and will always be, the truest testament of love.

[yuri-is-online]

Hi hope you have a nice day.

I’d like to request prompt 9 with azul , ace and epel

Please feel free to ignore this

9. You weren't technically invited to this event but it's a Masquerade! It's not like anyone will notice or care if you sneak in, so you do just that and find a really depressed friend of yours lamenting they won't get to dance with their crush.

My dear friend there is no need to be so shy, I asked for requests. You have no need to ask me to ignore you! Hold your head high, you are more than welcome here ⊂(・ヮ・⊂)

As a note I got a separate request for this prompt from Azul's pov which I still intend to write and post in addition to this, but if said requester wishes for an additional character they are more than welcome to send a message, there is no time limit on that.

notes: they/them used for Yuu, I could not for the fucking life of me find any of the music I wanted to use for Azul. No piano cover for the first song and then no instrumental version of "Part of Your World" from Dreamlight Valley; why that isn't on youtube when it is my literal favorite arrangement of the song I couldn't tell you smh. I did manage to find something close to it though... The rest of the event requests can be found on my masterlist.

Azul

Magic shmagic, you have got to be some sort of wizard with just how well you managed to weasel your way into this stupid party. No one had been checking invitations, probably assuming that no one without magic would bother taking time to make an elaborate ensemble just to get their hands on some prime snacks. Clearly they underestimated the great responsibility bestowed upon the owner of a set of tupperware. You would have added "and a cat monster" but you are not stupid enough to think you own Grim.

Or humiliated enough to suggest that he owns you, but the less chances you take at making him sneeze and wake up to a suspiciously empty dorm the better. You didn't need him storming the castle crying about how he woke up all alone and was scared wasn't invited. Not that you hadn't considered that plan together before Crewel had made it extra clear just what the consequences would be for that. The food tables are positioned close to a balcony you had spotted earlier, empty save for a piano that you swear has to be desperately out of tune.

Or at least that had been what you thought on your way in. That clearly isn't true from the song that's snapped your attention away from your mission towards it. You know the song that's being played, or at least you think you do. It causes some strange cognitive dissonance in you, you try to tell yourself that it simply can't be real, even as the words bubble up in your throat trying to make up for the missing instruments. The person playing it somehow makes the dissonance worse.

Azul, because it has to be him, no one else has eyes quite as lovely even if they seem strangely sad behind his mask, clearly is not expecting to be observed. He is far too relaxed, too caught up in some strange thought playing a jazz song so hauntingly out of place against the classical background of the Masquerade. If you were yourself tonight, you would think about reaching out to close the gap, but to do that would be to give yourself away, put you firmly in the tight grasp of his debt that you will likely be powerless to repay.

And yet, he looks to see you anyway, the edges of his lips flickering into business as he surprisingly does not stop playing. Instead he moves the piece into one he thinks "you" will recognize before finishing with a flourish.

It is all you can do to clap politely so as not to drop all pretense. "I am sorry for interrupting you." You try, but you know as well as he that disguised or not, Azul will not let you off this easily.

"Oh it's no trouble really." He stands up from the bench with a flourish. "I was just helping myself, really what were the hosts thinking leaving such a lovely piano out here all alone? It's practically begging to be played."

"Of course." You hope, not with much optimism, Azul doesn't notice you looking for an exit. The last thing you want is a reason to be more awkward around your handsome classmate than you already are. "You chose such a unique song for it too, I couldn't help but be distracted." He falters, fingers dropping back to the keys gently running over them in a strange show of emotion.

"it is isn't it." He states it, more to himself than you as you beat away the unhelpful desire to describe his playing as "out of this world," not wanting to deal with any judgment later. The look Azul has on his face can almost be described as... fond as he continues to speak more to himself than you. "A... friend of mine taught it to me. I have been practicing it for them. For tonight." You almost ask who he is referring to, afraid he might mention some other poor lost soul from another world because you certainly do not remember teaching him any music let alone that song. You have a vague memory of playing something at Floyd's request, but that had been ages ago, and Azul had certainly not been there.

At least not in your line of sight.

"I should let you get back to them then." You say lamely, hopefully Azul will pass that off as disinterest in his personal affairs and let you go. This is starting to get bad for your heart.

"They're not here sadly. No thanks to me, if only they had thought to ask for my help..." He returns to the piano, so genuinely disappointed you are almost angry at yourself for not thinking to ask this poor man who certainly only would have asked for your last dance and not your soul or first born. "It's got to be an important song to them if they remembered how to play it... right?"

Or maybe he would, just in a more romantic way. He certainly seems more focused on the phantom of you than anything else and that has to be some sort of accomplishment. It is all you can do to swallow your guilty conscious enough to leave with your disguise in tact.

Ace

"Yuu! Oi why are you running I knew you would-" Ace's hand stops just in front of you, his smile and optimism completely gone with his brain cells apparently as he retreats. "Ha, sorry." His places his hand behind his head casually, voice dropping to that similar serious tone as it had earlier in the night when he had asked for you to tell him he looked good. "Thought you were somebody else."

"Sorry." You really mean it, as much as you just want to shake off the disguise and let him know he was right that would be way too dangerous. Everyone knows you were not invited, and everyone knows his behavior around you. No matter how much your heart sings that he saw through you, it would get him into so much trouble if he was suspected of helping you in this little adventure.

"Nah it's not your fault, I'm just annoyed." Ace has apparently decided that you are his new old friend for the evening anyway, bracing himself against the pillar with a huff as you give into temptation to stay with him just a bit longer. "Seriously it is going to be such a pain later! Deuce is all like 'we should enjoy ourselves the prefect will be mad if we let them ruin it for us.' Please like I would want my friends to be celebrating when I'm not there."

"You're not your friend though." You try to not laugh as you say it because of course that's what Ace would say. You can easily picture him sulking if it had just been Deuce and you who were off to a Masquerade all while acting like he is truly not bothered as soon as you pay him any attention. "It's not like it's your fault they're not here."

"Ha, sure feels like it." He is back to being oddly serious, you can't decide if you just think the attitude doesn't suit him or are angry he is spilling his guts to a masked stranger and not the real you. He has to know you would listen, but then maybe that's the problem. "You have to have that one friend who never sticks up for themselves right? Everybody does. Just don't make the mistake of- well they're stupid difficult to look after but someone's gotta do it right? No shame if you end up liking them."

"Oh yeah of course." Ace is going to never speak to you again if he figures out this is you. Or if he knows you were thinking about him when he started complaining about having a "friend" that's hard to look after. "No shame at all, really it's annoying how much cuter it makes them."

"You get it." He nods then remembers he is supposed to be the laid back guy in your friend group and returning to his "normal" attitude. "I mean who doesn't understand that? Seriously how tropey can things get sometime, like who still falls for their best friend anymore? How stupid does life think I am- look," he claps you on the back before steeling himself to head off back to where you assume Deuce and the other members of the Heartslabyul crew are, "you see any out of place, magicless prefects you bring them right to me yeah? They owe me a dance for all the headaches they've caused me this past year. And you had best bet I intend to collect." And just like that he's gone. Off to his friends, probably to poke Riddle some to ignore just how vulnerable he decided to be tonight.

And leaving you silently screaming into the night.

Epel

"SHHHHH!" Epel's a deceptively strong guy, it's something he would probably be bragging about right now if he knew you were thinking it. Well maybe not just right now, he has his hand roughly over your mouth as his eyes dart from side to side begging that it's just Vil that's on his tail and not Rook.

Something you are equally begging god for because there is no way that freak of nature is going to not recognize you immediately. Not that you are 100% certain he would turn you in, but there is something extremely uncomfortable about being known to begin with let alone when you are supposed to be disguised. Finally, the specter of the Queen passes by your little nook and Epel lets you go with a sigh.

"M'sorry." Epel is looking up at you like a kicked puppy, you can't tell if it's intentional or he really is just that remorseful. The two of you float towards the tempting fresh air of the balcony, Epel pouting up at the sky as if he is a princess about to break into song about how boring his life is and how if he could just run away into the great yonder he would. "I just really don't want to deal with my Housewarden right now. He keeps say'n I should make the most of the night or else I'll shame Pomefiore, but I just don't care." Well that's not exactly news but still, maybe you can help him snap out of it so he doesn't get into a heap of trouble he'll be complaining about later.

"Aren't you having fun with your friends?" It's a simple first option, safe enough for you to say even though you are supposed to be a stranger. Epel lets out a somewhat predictable sigh, though the sheer force of longing hidden in the eyes you swear are almost shining is not something you expected.

"Well yeah, but a Masquerade like this is super fancy right? There's all these costumes, music fit for slow dancing, perfect thing ta' do with someone special." Epel relaxes, completely comfortable with what he's saying to a supposed stranger in supposed anonymity as if he isn't sending you spiraling with that little admission. "I was really countin' on Yuu bein here." He closes his eyes, almost as if he is imagining what he would be doing if you had been invited and weren't... sneaking around hearing him admit something he definitely did not intend to do like this.

"D-don't you want to dance?" You say it more to distract yourself than Epel, honestly you would love nothing more than to hear him talk about all the fancy things he wants to do with this allegedly special person, but you need an out before he figures things out. Before Vil figures out that Epel's really shirking things and sends Rook. Before-

"Aw yer mighty charmin' but I got my eye on someone already." before Epel makes it super clear just what it is he feels and leaves you no room for denial. You almost feel sorry for the hypothetical stranger you are, Epel looks so... happy when he talks about you. You're almost jealous of yourself. "Say, you got an eye for fancy things? It's gotta suck bein left out of the party so I wanna bring my friend somethin' special but I ain't gotta clue what to do."

"Yourself." You say softly, feather twitching just out of the corner of your eye signalling your que to leave. "If you want to bring your friend something special you should just bring yourself."

[lmanburgseulogy]

Niki’s L’manburg streams all felt like really sad memories because her background music was always very somber piano pieces. Which I think is an unintentional thing that plays so so well into her character. Niki hates L’manburg but it was her home. She remembers every detail, small exchanges at the bakery to the day she heard they were hosting an election. It plagues her mind constantly so she runs as far away from it as she can. It’s never far enough because she can’t pull away. L’manburg is every bad thing that happened to her but yet it will always be home. she misses it. she wants to burn all her memories of it. she wants to die with l’manburg. Anyway i’m okay

[yashiro-arisugawa]

Fav Love and Deepspace OSTs

Not ranked, I just listed them randomly; will update when I find more cool ost

So many memories tied to these OSTs, esp the event ones 🥹

Gravity of Spacetime

Its so beautiful bro, I always smile so hard when I hear it and it just makes me so happy 🥹�� I always imagine this playing in the background when mc and Foreseer dance in the library under the soft snow

Entwined Shadows

I always listen to entwined shadows when I feel sad cuz it makes me sadder so my original sadness doesn't feel as sad

This was the first multi banner I experienced and I was pretty sad I didn't get Zayne's snowy serenity, because I was f2p back then and only got Raf. I was also in a pretty rushed headspace because I had to get some documental shit done so this event felt like I went by in a jiffy and I couldn't even grind to try for Zayne. I'm kinda still salty about not getting it but I will wait for rerun cuz that's all I can do about it anyways

Lol but besides not getting the card I REALLY wanted, it just sounds kinda sad by default to me. Like again, piano and violin tgth and I'm sold on it. It sounds sad to me because when I hear it, it feels like "after so many life times, in this one, we could share a kiss" if that's not sad then what is

In the Ocean Depths

This one is the definition of ocean/ deep sea. You can NOT tell me it doesn't sound like you're in Lemuria. I don't even know how to describe it, it just sounds like forlon waters which holds millions of memories. They used to have this on Raf's desk/ with him page but then they changed it to the another goofier one (Fish in Hand perhaps?)

Sometimes I go to Raf's falling for you page just to listen to this ost since I don't have the affinity level to unlock the actual ost

Dawn of Heavy Snowfall

If they play this during Zayne's finale my soul will rest in peace for the next 20 lifetimes. The title is so beautiful and so apt for the OST. It sounds so innocent but sad in the beginning but when the violins swell it sounds like "finally, after all the hardships, it was all worth it, we finally made it through, and triumphed over and endlessly looping tragic fate". That ONE part where the violins swell and the strings come on has me levitating man.

I remember crying so hard when I read Zayne's anecdotes, esp the Medic of the Arctic one where this one specifically is from, I soaked my pillow and t shirt and even my glasses were dripping with tears

Beyond Time

I don't see xav romantically as an LI cuz he's not my type but I still really like him as a chara and his lore. When I read his lightseeker myth this ost was in my head rent free for at least a week if not more. It has this "cosmic serenity" vibe to it, sometimes it feels like a fever dream to me

Mysterious Shadow

Sounds really Sci-Fi and gives those classy, sophisticated heist kinda vibes. Well it IS a Sylus ost after all. I stay extra long on Sylus tender moments/ secret times pages just to listen to it for a bit longer

Misty Invasion

Lmfao whenever I listen to misty ost all I remember is how that banner brought out the most desperate and down bad side of me which I never knew. That was the banner that made me start spending on lads. I bought some event packs but I hadn't invested in aurum then so I started getting distressed dreams about not getting the cards I wanted 🤣 most stressful and horny banner so far

It also makes me really nostalgic because this was the last LaDS event I experienced back in the comfort of my own home, my own couch, my own city, my own country, before I had to move to another country for my Master's. Misty really was an era in itself

I also really like the OSTs that play in Raf's Ebb and Flow bond and the one in Zayne's Fleeting Sweetness Tender Moments

Infold needs to put all their OSTs on yt or Spotify or smth. I wonder why they haven't done it yet cuz it would get them a decent amount of money just from us being obsessed with how beautiful the music is

[exhausted-think-bucket]

The Beatles and Leonard Bernstein

Daddy loved the Beatles, too, which made me particularly happy. In the swimming pool the following summer, he came up with a third part to “Love Me Do,” so that he, Alexander, and I could sing the song together in three-part harmony, right there in the corner of the deep end. On one of his Young People’s Concerts, Daddy explained the A-B-A structure of sonata form by singing a Beatles song. Oh, how the girls in the audience squirmed and squealed as he accompanied himself on piano, singing “And I Love Her” in his not-so-McCartneyesque voice! He must have known he was onto something, because he began regularly incorporating the Beatles, and other pop music, in his Young People’s Concerts, to illustrate his various points. It kept the kids in the audience interested, just as it had for Alexander and me. (We, and later Nina, were in effect the ongoing guinea pigs for Daddy’s Young People’s Concert ideas.) John Lennon was Daddy’s favorite Beatle, as he was mine. We were both enchanted by Lennon’s book of poetry, “In His Own Write,” and pored over it together. Daddy invented a singing game for Alexander and me to play with him while the three of us lay wedged into the hammock under the big maple tree after dinner. We would invent a round, à la “Row, Row, Row Your Boat,” using Lennon’s poem “The Moldy Moldy Man.” Whoever started the round got to choose what kind of melody it would be: sad, perky, waltz, military. After the first line — “I’m a moldy moldy man…” — the second person had to come in, echoing person number one. Then the third person would come in. The fun of the game was, of course, that you couldn’t possibly repeat the line you’d just heard while simultaneously listening for the next one. It was deliciously hopeless, and a raucous shambles every time — always punctuated at the end by person number three dolefully singing the last line all alone after the other two had finished: “… I’m such a humble Joe.” Eventually, word got back to John Lennon — or to his manager or press agent or somebody — that Leonard Bernstein was thinking about possibly setting some of the “In His Own Write” poems to music. This led to Daddy being invited to meet Lennon backstage during a dress rehearsal for “The Ed Sullivan Show.” It was by now the summer of 1965, and the Beatles were returning to the U.S. to make their highly anticipated second Ed Sullivan appearance. Naturally, our father asked if he could bring his two older children with him to the rehearsal.

- "Famous Father Girl", Jamie Bernstein - 2018

Here is Leonard Bernstein being enchanted by The Beatles, in Inside Pop: The Rock Revolution, 1967.

Even though his viewpoint is understandably informed (and thus imo limited) by his classical background, he appreciated pop music a lot more than others his age at the time did.

I love everything about this, but honestly, to hear my favorite 20th century composer comparing Paul McCartney to Schumann is just...wild.

[tumb1rprincess]

Okay, we’ve got a little more about Arthur’s background. He used to be a composer and Faroe’s mom died in childbirth. Then who was Tess? He called out that name first before Faroe’s in his nightmare in the last episode. I know Arthur said he didn’t want to talk about it, but we’re still getting the story piece by piece. And jeez, it’s just so sad. He lost Faroe’s mother, then Faroe was all he had, and then he lost her too.

Is there some analysis about music and how it’s one of the major themes of this series? Like, Faroe’s Song being played in key moments, Arthur being a composer before a private investigator, one of the first things John asks Arthur to do when they first meet is play the piano, there’s that other song that I can’t remember, but John’s triggered it a few times, like when Arthur was stealing the keys in the hospital after he woke up from his coma. I feel like it all means something. Maybe once I’m caught up, I’ll have a better idea.

John and Arthur laughing makes me smile, love when my boys get along for once instead of butting heads all the time.

Can we have Arthur recite poetry more often please? I could listen to it for hours

“You want to shave this thing?” Oh my god, I laughed so hard. John can be fucking hilarious when he wants to be.

Okay, the chirping squeaks of that bright glowing salamander thing made it sound really cute, y’all better have some good fanart of this thing.

Does Arthur’s mind jump to Faroe any time he has a near death experience? Seems like a couple of times now, his mind jumps to when she died or we hear her song. And this time around, we hear when Arthur was writing it. I feel like that means something, I just can’t put it into words.

And we end this episode at the bottom of a cave with no way out surrounded by dead bodies and a monster that’s very hungry. Sounds like the next episode is going to be fun.

[lucystark12]

songs that should be used in season 5 and why by lucy

1- smalltown boy by bronski beat

obvious first draft pick here. genius. it's so mike wheeler coded it makes me want to die. for this song, i'd either like to see it used in a very very dramatic physical fight scene with vecna ala running up that hill or playing very faintly in the background of an important scene like the fight at rink-o-mania. i think the song sounds just eerie enough that it could work in that context but the instrumental is just so badass fight scene coded.

2- operator by jim croce

hopper canonically listens to jim croce!! you don't mess around with jim!! this song has been loved by my family since decades before i was born. it's such a sad but beautiful song and really gives almost a lettergate situation of one side of byler trying to reach the other during the months they spend apart between season 3 and season 4 and if they did use it i would lose my shit.

3- alone by heart

people are theorizing in favor of this song being a part of the season 4 soundtrack and i mean it when i say that if i heard that opening piano of alone i would die. it would be the end of my life. i used to listen to this song on my ipod as an eight year old. it's always been one of my favorites. i don't really know how they would use it and i almost feel like the sound of it doesn't fit in with a lot of the other music in the show in regards to that 80s music sound, but i would die if they did.

4- africa by toto

AFRICA PLEASE COME BACK BABY I MISS YOU!! another song that's easily in my top ten favorite songs of all time, i think this would be such a cute callback to season 1 and would be the equivalent of hedwig dying as far as childhood-ending-events for me because it would just be such a beautiful full circle moment. i would scream.

5- summer of 69 by bryan adams

if we get to see anything taking place during summer (which, problematically, i kind of hope we don't) i need this playing on every radio in town. it just gives such it 2017 stranger things season three in a way that would break (and fill) my heart in such a beautiful way for the last stranger summer. i also think that if this was the song we decided to make viral from the new season's soundtrack that we'd all have a lot of fun.

6- take me home tonight by eddie money

i love the intro to this song like no other. it's tense and weird like the into to sunglasses at night which was used in season 1 in such a perfect way that also reminds me of the vibe of the show. a little tense and scary sounding, but at the heart (or chorus) of it a fun show about positive and beautiful characters.

7- heroes by david bowie

duh.

8- CRAZY TRAIN BY OZZY OSBOURNE!!!!!!!!

DUFFERS. MASTER OF PUPPETS AND NO CRAZY TRAIN? i fuck with crazy train like no other. i'm fully convinced that if i listened to that song on repeat for a few hours it would inspire the willpower in me to climb all of mt. everest in a day. it's such a perfect song for a show like this. i can picture nancy shooting something to crazy train in the background. somebody is frantically running around too. i think they should have just used this instead of master of puppets because the guitar in crazy train is way better (sorry not sorry) but it's never to late to right your wrongs, duffers!

[comicmanstudioink]

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG BUT SUPER EVIL AND SCARY AND STUFF!!!

(SONIC.EXE PARODY)

By Oscar James.

(part 3)

The next zone came up, this zone's name was strange however, it was simply called “...” (*pfff* lame”) 

This time I was playing as Doctor Eggman for some reason, he wasn’t playable in any of the 2D games. Eggman himself looked a bit sad, he walked really slowly with a sombre expression on his face, probably aware of the horrors ahead. It looked like I was in some sort of basement, the ring counter read: “Nowhere to Run!”. The music of the zone wasn’t from any sonic game. It was a slow, sombre piano, it made me feel kinda uncomfortable honestly for just how slow and creepy it sounded. Anyway, I walked to the right for a bit and nothing really happened.

When suddenly:

The Evil Sonic appeared all of a sudden. He looked down, eyes blank, hands stiff, and hungry for blood. Eggman leaned back terrified at the sight of the evil sonic. Terrified, but aware of his fate, he knew that if knuckles couldn’t beat Evil Sonic, then no one can!

Evil Sonic picked up Eggman by the throat, Eggman's glasses fell off and Evil Sonic squeezed Eggman's side, Eggman started to cry out in pain, Evil Sonic then lifted Eggman over his head.

Ripping him in half! Eggman's guts came flying out and spilling every, Evil Sonic started to smile, then laugh, and he laughed harder, and harder, and harder, he couldn’t stop laughing. he laughed over and over and-

Wait… no sorry I wrote that wrong. What actually happened was:

Evil Sonic cracked Eggman in half, eating the egg that came out of him (raw I might add). Eggman's face went into a terrified expression as the Evil Sonic consumed his egg in one foul gulp. I couldn’t help but shed a tear at the loss of the great doctor. 

I had lost, I had let every character that I played get injured in horrible ways, or get killed. I wasn’t an EPIC GAMER!!!, I really was a noob after all.

The screen went black, but text didn’t appear this time.

The Evil Sonic did. Covered in shadow, he then said to me:

"You failed to save them Tom, you let them all fall under me, but you really never stood a chance against me did you? Would you like to know why? It’s not because I'm a blue blur. My name isn’t even Evil Sonic, the name you have been addressing me by. No, my name is Devin, Devin Devil."

He then fully revealed himself, and a red light lit behind him.

"I am far more than some Evil Sonic, Tom. and it's all for one reason. Because Tom, in this world, I…"

He then cleared his throat, and said those dreaded words that still haunt my dreams… 

I AM GOD!

His eyes went swirly, you could feel the madness within them. Devin went into a hysterical laughter, I froze, not knowing what to do or what to say, all I could do was watch this mental delinquent laugh, this was the most terrified I have ever been in my life. But the worst was yet to come…

The screen went black once more, and text appeared on screen for the final time. It read:

GAME OVER!

After that, the game closed itself. I just sat there, trying to comprehend what I had just witnessed. All the horror I had put the characters that I loved so dearly through, and the monstrosity that was Devin Devil, how was this possible? The supernatural weren't real! Ghosts and ghouls were just make believe, but this game proved otherwise.

As I contemplated to myself, I noticed something, my computer background, it had changed, investigated further, and this was the image it had changed to:

The horizon was on fire and the plant life dead, Eggman laid on the ground, only his top half was on screen, his face the same as it was when he was cracked in half, knuckles was in a coffin surrounded by pink flowers from the “mellow meadows” zone, he was next to a picture of himself in black and white. And tails stood next to him, bumps on his head and shedding a tear for his fallen comrade. And Devin devil, looking at me, wagging his finger and sticking his tongue out, taunting me. Then finally the words game over in the corner of the screen. This screen was a constant reminder of the fact…

That I lost…

As I was looking at the screen, something touched my shoulder. I looked at what touched me, it was a hand, a four fingered hand wearing a dirty yellow glove. I looked behind me, and it was him, Devin devil, out of the computer, in the real world, and he said two chilling words to me that I knew all too well.

GAME OVER!

I then blacked out.

When I next awoke, I was tied to a chair in a dark room. As I looked around trying to see where I was, and then I saw him, my good friend Kyle (you know, from earlier of the story) he was tied to a chair like I was, but something was up with Kyle, he was crying, Kyle was never usually like this, something must've happened to him, I tried to call out to him, but he just wouldn't listen. Suddenly, I heard footsteps, it was Devin, emerging from the shadows, smiling to himself.

“W-where am I? What did you do to Kyle?!”

“So Kyle is his name! Good to know, I didn't know if it was Kyle or Kam. Anyway, Kyle played my game, and he lost. So now he has to suffer the consequences of his failure, same as you Tom…”

After he said that, he pulled out an old CRt tv and vhs player, he then put a tape in the vhs player. As I looked closer at the television set, the tape that played shook me to my core…

“N-no, NO IT CAN’T BE! YOU MONSTER HOW COULD YOU!”

“THAT'S RIGHT BABY! WE’RE WATCHING SONIC UNDERGROUND!!!!!!!!!”

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

Now you may be thinking to yourself how in writing all of this when I'm damned to watch sonic underground for the rest of my life, you see fellow reader, I was able to escape!

I wrote this story to warn you, don’t play this game, no matter how enticing it may seem, don't play this game, you’ll be damned to watch old bad sonic cartoons for the rest of your life, so whatever you do...

DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME! DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME! DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME! DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME! DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME! DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME! DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME! DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME! DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME! DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME! DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME! DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME! DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME! DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME! DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME! DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME! DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME! DON’T PLAY THIS GAME!DON’T PLAY THIS GAME! DON-   *BONK*

Nice try Tom, but your gonna have to try harder than that to stop me 

>:)

THE END :D 

Ok folks stories over you can leave now.

part 1

part 2

[mikajihiko]

Love Waltz - English Translation This chapter of Given can be read by purchasing the Hiiragi Mix dvd, please buy the DVD if you can. No images outside the cover page and pages that Kizu-sensei herself have posted. Full credits to @gentleharu for the english translations!

M, in front of gate: It's hard to get in... A: Yo. A: Welcome to our university. M: Is it really okay to come in? A: It's fine, it's fine. Let's take a walk. A: The music department is a bit far, probably because of the noise. A: It's always so sudden with you, huh? It's hard to get a practice room this time of year. A: Mafuyu?

A: Whoa, looks like you're having fun. M: It's my first time seeing a university. A: Yeah? I bet the vibe is different from high school. A: There are a lot of information materials about events going on around here. Feel free to take any that catches your eye. M: This poster… Kaji-san, will you be performing at a concert here on campus? (A covers the poster) M: Eh… w-why? A: It's embarrassing… I'm just starting out… M: So you do concerts at university? I didn't know there are such things… M: Isn't it great thing to be chosen to perform? A: …yeah. M: I'll go with Uenoyama-kun and Haruki-san. A (entering the music room): We're coming in… A: I mean, why did you suddenly ask me to play an instrument? M: Um… A: Actually, why are you interested in classic music? M: …

A, seeing Mafuyu struggle: Ah, you don't have to answer… M: It's simply that… I like it… A: Aah… M: I wondered, since they don't have any lyrics, how they are able to match the emotion of a sad song or a love song. A: Ah, it's difficult to explain. In the first place, I'm not the type of guy who'd go “me, me, me” and keep on applying my own feelings to things. You can be taught how to make the sounds, but it's up to each person how they will express themselves. M, thinking: So that's how it is… A, on the piano: Ah. It's been a while so I might be rusty… M: Even if you make a mistake, I wouldn't know anyway. A: That's true… (Aki plays piano) A, in Mafuyu's thoughts: ‘I can only play the piano a little bit’ M, to himself: —was what he said… A: This is called Waltz No. 15. It's a piece of music but, when I play this piece, I remember staying up late with Haruki and wondering if we'd make it to school on time tomorrow. The glow of the TV light left on was beautiful… I am reminded of things like that. (Akihiko continues to play.)

H: Ah! That's a relief, I'm glad you're still here. H: EH!? What's this, Akihiko can even play piano!!? A: W-Wha— don't just come barging in! H: What the hell are you saying now? That aside, what can't you do!? M, thinking: O-Oh… my god A, in background: I can't play wind instruments— M: I just heard a confession of love. H: Mafuyu? Why do you look so flushed? M: ………..because Kaji-san’s piano playing was so incredible… H: Because Kaji-san's piano playing was so incredible…!?? M: …I think I like classical music after all. H: What!? What is going on here!?? M, thinking: I’m sure… I’m sure Haruki-san doesn't know about it. (The last part is tricky to format, but basically Mafuyu's full thought was, "Oh... my God. I just heard a love confession. And I'm sure... I'm sure Haruki-san doesn't even know.")

Please follow Kizu-sensei her on Twitter @/ kizu_ntk for Given related posts and @/ sskz_gsr for doujins and other personal events! Umi E has been released in cinemas last month, DVD will be out soon. Along with Given Stage 2 coming out later next year <3

[moodycowplant]

90. From Apology to Dinner Plans.

The next morning, Lana woke with a pounding headache and overwhelming guilt.

Despite the alcohol, she remembered everything: the happiness of seeing Ger, the pain in his eyes, him walking away, and the sharp ache in her chest.

She recalled the sickening taste of alcohol and, surprisingly, Conrad.

She’d always thought he was self-centered and arrogant, but after last night, she saw another side. He still annoyed her, but she couldn’t deny that he had a heart, and she was grateful for that.

The weekend passed in a haze of hangover and sadness. Her breakup weighed heavily on her, and she struggled to focus on her studies.

She called Valerio, who was supportive but honest.

"It wasn’t my place to tell you what to do, Lana," he had said when she asked why he hadn’t voiced his doubts earlier.

"You can do this, Lana. Life isn’t over," he tried lifting her spirits. "You’ll be okay. Just move on and keep Ger as a good memory."

As always, he was right. Sometimes, it amazed her how wise he was for his age.

By the end of the weekend, the alcohol was nearly gone from her system. The tremors in her hands had subsided, and the nausea passed. She even managed to eat a decent meal, which felt oddly refreshing.

The conversation with Valerio had helped push away the worst of her gloomy thoughts, giving her some strength to move forward.

Monday arrived faster than she expected.

When she checked her schedule, she saw that classes had been canceled for the day—her professor was attending a conference. It was the perfect opportunity to catch up on the studies she had neglected over the weekend.

And to find Conrad.

She needed to thank him properly.

As she stepped out of her room, the building was already half-empty. Most people had left for the day.

The only sound was faint music playing in the background. Following it, she wandered into the common room—only to find Conrad at the old piano she had always assumed was just for decoration.

But it wasn’t.

The piano was very much alive, or maybe it was just him. His fingers moved across the keys effortlessly, filling the room with a melody that was both beautiful and unexpected.

Lana stood there for a while, just listening, until he finally noticed her.

"Didn’t expect anyone else to be around," he said, quickly closing the piano.

"I didn’t know I lived with a virtuoso," she teased, stepping closer. "I used to play too, when I was a kid."

"Ah, so you do have talents other than getting into troubles," he chuckled.

"Some. But getting into troubles is my main one," she shot back, matching his sarcasm.

They both smiled.

"It’s actually good that I found you," she said. "I wanted to talk."

"Mind if we go outside? I need some fresh air," he interrupted, nodding toward the terrace doors.

"Uh… sure, why not?" she agreed.

Stepping outside, Lana was stunned by the view from their dorm’s top floor. From here, she could see almost the entire campus.

"Wow. I’ve been here for almost a year, and I never came out here," she admitted, mesmerized.

"Yeah, at some point, I thought you’d never leave your room cave—except for food and classes," he teased.

"HEY, studying is important, okay?" she shot back, then sighed. "But yeah… I’m terrible at balancing things. You’re right."

"Judging by last Friday, balance and you aren’t exactly best friends," he smirked.

"About that," she said, her expression turning serious. "I owe you an apology," Lana began. "For how I've treated you in the past, for being rude, and especially for last Friday. It wasn’t my best night." She paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts. "And… I really want to thank you. For helping me. I never expected it from you, and I honestly appreciate it."

"Don’t mention it," he said, still staring into the distance. "I just did what anyone would do. You needed help."

"No, I mean it," she insisted. "I want to properly thank you. Dinner’s on me." She playfully nudged his shoulder.

"Seriously, don’t bother. It’s all good," he said, trying to brush it off.

"It’s no bother. I’m just trying to be a friendly neighbor here. Help me out a little, will you?" she grinned.

He sighed. "Fine, friendly neighbor. You can buy me dinner. But I’m picking your drinks this time."

"Haha, deal."

"For now, I need to catch up on studying," she said. "But how about 6 PM in the common room? We can pick a place then."

"Do you eat meat?" he asked. "I know a place with the best steaks in all of Britechester."

"That sounds perfect. Anything’s better than the usual cafeteria food." she said nodding.

"See you then.”

Impulsively, she gave him a quick hug before heading back inside.

<Previous- Next>

[1001albumslist]

Day 17

Album: Harvest by Neil Young

Have I listened before? yes! although it's been several years and i don't remember much except the two singles

Familiarity with the artist: i know a few Neil Young songs, and i know his association with Laurel Canyon, CSNY, and that crowd (and i have many mutuals who love him) but tbh I haven't ever caught the bug myself...maybe that will change now though

Background Knowledge:

 fourth studio album by Canadian-American musician Neil Young, released on February 1, 1972

it topped the Billboard 200 album chart for two weeks and was the best-selling album of 1972 in the United States

the album has since remained Neil Young's signature album as well as his best-selling

Interesting Info:

Harvest features the London Symphony Orchestra on two tracks and vocals by guests David Crosby, Graham Nash, Linda Ronstadt, Stephen Stills, and James Taylor

in the fall of 1970, Young divorced his wife Susan Acevedo, and purchased Broken Arrow Ranch in Redwood City, California, where he would live for the next four decades. around the same time, he also began a relationship with actress Carrie Snodgress. Young's new home and romantic relationship would inspire several new songs.

while picking up a slab of walnut at his home, Young injured his back, which prevented him from standing up while performing, limiting him to playing acoustic music, influencing much of the acoustic sound of the album

Listened on: Apple Music

Listening Notes:

love the folksy/country influences on this album

"A Man Needs A Maid” sounds so SAD and I feel like I learned about the backstory to it but I forget it now

men today need to be miserable and down bad like this more in their music…. 

the harmonica on “Heart of Gold” FUCKS

why does the piano on “Are You Ready for the Country” kind of remind me of “Don’t Pass Me By” lmao

love the guitar licks and harmonies on “Old Man”

“There’s a World” is so cinematic???

also love the guitar on “Alabama”

looove “The Needle and the Damage Done” the guitar sounds awesome and his voice and the melody is so wistful and sad

Favorite Tracks: "A Man Needs a Maid", "Heart of Gold", "Old Man", "Alabama", "The Needle and the Damage Done"

Final Review: i remembered liking this album a lot when i first listened to it ages ago and i still really like it now! we need more artists to Yearn like this....get ur fucking asses up and YEARN no one wants to yearn anymore....but seriously i really enjoyed his melodies and i like the kind of folksy production of this album a lot. i don't know if i'll become as big of a Neil stan as a lot of people i know are, maybe i need to listen to the rest of his catalog, but i enjoyed this album a lot!