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neferaskingdom · 3 months ago

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♡ Serving Up Some Chemistry | OP81

NEFERASKINGDOM

Summary: A quirky YouTube host invites rising stars Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri for a BBQ episode in honor of the Austin GP. Amidst hilarious banter and messy sauce spills, she and Oscar discover an unexpectedly adorable connection.

OSCAR PIASTRI MASTERLIST | MAIN MASTERLIST

Instagram Post by yourusername:

Surprise! 🚨 In honour of the Austin GP, we’ve got a special episode coming your way featuring none other than Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri! 🤠🍖

We’ll be trying some Texas BBQ and answering your questions—so drop them below! 👇 Let’s see if Oscar can handle the heat and if Lando can manage not to spill sauce on everything. 😆

Comments:

landonorris:

Can’t wait! Hoping I won’t embarrass myself too much. 😅

oscarpiastri:

Super excited for this! BBQ and questions? Sounds like a great time!

user1:

This is going to be epic! Can’t wait to see Lando and Oscar together!

user2:

OMG, the BBQ challenge is going to be hilarious! 😂

user3:

I’m ready for all the chaos that’s about to unfold!

user4:

Y/N, you’re going to have the best time! Can’t wait for this episode!

user5:

Excited to see how Oscar handles the heat! He better be ready!

user6:

Lando’s going to spill sauce everywhere, I can feel it! 😂

user7:

This is the best surprise ever! Bring on the BBQ!

user8:

The chemistry is going to be so fun to watch!

user9:

I just know this is going to be a classic episode!

Instagram Post by yourusername:

The episode is finally OUT! 🎉 Had the best time with landonorris and oscarpiastri—thank you both for being such great sports and handling the BBQ challenge like pros! 🤠🍖

Hope you all enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed making it! Check it out on the channel now. 🙌

Comments:

oscarpiastri:

Had a great time! Thanks for having us, I’ll definitely be ready for round two. Maybe with less BBQ sauce next time? 😅

landonorris:

It was a blast! I’m still recovering from the sauce overload, but we’ll be back for sure! I’ll even bring an extra shirt 😂

user10:

They need to come back! That was the best thing I’ve ever watched!

user11:

The way Oscar was smiling the whole time—he’s definitely down for round two!

user12:

Lando being the messiest eater while Oscar just tries to survive? ICONIC.

user13:

The episode was pure gold! You three had the best energy!

user14:

Lando’s laugh is contagious! I was cracking up the whole time! 😂

user15:

Oscar was a whole mood trying to keep it together while eating BBQ! I need more of this trio ASAP!

user16:

The chaos, the laughs, the flirting—it was EVERYTHING! 😍

user17:

OMG, Oscar looked like he was about to faint when he first saw yourusername! He was so smitten. 😍

user18:

I can’t with how Oscar turned bright red when yourusername wiped the BBQ sauce off his chin! That was the cutest moment ever!

user19:

Lando’s commentary had me in stitches! “Oscar, try not to drown in her eyes while you eat!” 😂

user20:

Their chemistry was insane! Every awkward pause just made it more adorable. I can't stop replaying it in my head!

user21:

“Can I get a little help with this sauce?” — Oscar was serving vulnerable and I am HERE for it! So smooth, Oscar! 😏

user22:

Lando saying, “Don’t get lost in her eyes while you’re eating, or I’ll have to save you,” was the best! He’s such a mess! 😂

user23:

The way Oscar shyly laughed at yourusername’s comments made my heart do flips! Can they just date already?

user24:

Their little glances and smiles were everything! I felt like I was watching a cute love story unfold right in front of me!

user25:

When yourusername asked, “Do you usually bring this much heat to a BBQ?” I was like, “Okay, that was smooth!” Oscar was totally flustered!

user26:

Honestly, the way they interacted was pure magic. They could literally sell me anything with that energy!

user27:

Lando is just a whole mood, trying to get Oscar to spill his secrets while keeping it light and funny! This was chaotic perfection!

user28:

I’m still thinking about how cute they were. Oscar’s shy reactions paired with yourusername’s playful teasing were too much to handle!

user29:

This episode was everything! I can’t stop thinking about how sweet their interactions were. I need more!

user30:

Their little glances and soft smiles were everything. Oscar’s flustered reactions were so endearing. ❤️

user31:

I can’t believe how much fun that was to watch! Lando being a mess and Oscar being adorable? What a combo!

user32:

I need behind-the-scenes footage ASAP! Their interactions were too cute to miss!

user33:

This episode was a masterpiece. Their dynamic felt so genuine. I need more content of Oscar and yourusername together!

Instagram Post by yourusername:

Race day vibes! 🏎️💨 Thrilled to be at the Austin Grand Prix and feel the energy in the air! Can’t wait to see Lando and Oscar out on the track today! Let’s go, papaya boys! 🍊🏁

Comments:

landonorris:

Let’s go! Can’t wait to see you there! 🏁

oscarpiastri:

Excited to have you cheering us on! Let’s make it a day to remember! 😄

user34:

Okay, but wearing his number and posing in his car? Is this a thing now?

user35:

I’m not saying you’re dating, but I’m not NOT saying it either! The signs are all there!

user36:

She’s literally living the dream! Can we talk about how adorable they’d be together?

user37:

Her rocking the 81 cap is giving major “I’m totally rooting for my crush” energy!

user38:

They better have some cute moments on the track today! I need content!

user39:

If she doesn’t end up dating Oscar after this, I’m going to be seriously disappointed. 😩

user40:

I see the chemistry, and I’m here for it! Can we get some couple content, please?

user41:

I bet Oscar’s heart is racing just as fast as the cars right now!

user42:

Can we please get some updates on this? I’m invested!

user43:

If they don’t end up together after this GP, I’m throwing a fit! The chemistry is undeniable!

user44:

I’m shipping them so hard right now! Someone make it happen!

user45:

All I’m saying is if I was in her position, I’d definitely be flirting with Oscar!

user46:

Wait, is she wearing Oscar’s number? 🤔👀 Something’s brewing here!

user4:

If they don’t end up together after this, I’m throwing hands! They’re practically destined to be!

Instagram Post by yourusername:

Nothing going on, just a shit ton of editing! 🎬✨ Can’t wait for you all to see the latest episode—it’s a tell-all with some juicy insights you won’t want to miss! Stay tuned! 🙌

Comments:

landonorris:

Oscar’s been whining about the new episode for days now. 😂 You’d think it’s his favorite show!

↪oscarpiastri:

I wasn’t whining! I was… politely asking. 😅

↪yourusername:

Oh really? I had no idea you were such a fan. I’ll try to make this episode extra special for you. 😉

↪oscarpiastri:

I already know it’ll be perfect, especially with your editing skills. 😄

↪charles_leclerc:

Oscar, you seem a little too excited about this episode. 😏

↪georgerussell63:

He's definitely excited. I’ve never seen someone so eager for an episode! 😂

user48:

Their banter is so cute! I can’t get over how sweet they are! 🥹💕

user49:

Oscar acting all shy is everything! They definitely have something special!

user50:

The way Y/n teases him? Major couple vibes! 😍

user51:

Lando just casually exposing Oscar's crush on Y/n is iconic!

user52:

I’m here for all the fluffy interactions! They need to get together already!

user53:

I can’t be the only one who sees the heart eyes Oscar has for her, right?

user54:

Oscar trying to play it cool but failing is the cutest thing ever!

user55:

The way Oscar and Y/n interact is giving me life! They are too cute! 😍

user56:

Oscar whining for the episode?? Yeah, they’re definitely crushing on each other.

user57:

The subtle flirting though?? I am obsessed. 🥺

user58:

They’re adorable! This is what I live for! Oscar is so soft when it comes to her! 💖

user59:

If they’re not dating after this, I’m going to be devastated. The chemistry is unreal!

user60:

Oscar’s got heart eyes for her, 100%! I’m here for the rom-com energy! 🍿

Instagram Post by oscarpiastri:

Not exactly the result we wanted today, but the team worked hard and I’m proud of the effort we put in. We’ll come back stronger next race. 💪 Thanks for all the support as always! Onwards and upwards. ✌️

Comments:

user61:

Oscar really thought he could sneak in that last photo like we wouldn’t notice… boy, we SEE you! 👀

user62:

Hold up. That last picture. Who’s holding your hand, sir? We need answers. 😳

user63:

Forget the race, who’s the mystery girl?! Man’s out here soft-launching a whole relationship!

user64:

Oscar: “We’ll get 'em next race!”

Also Oscar: casually holding hands with someone and trying to act like it’s no big deal. 🧐

user65:

You really thought we wouldn��t zoom in on that third photo? The fandom is about to explode!

user66:

Me pretending to care about race results while I’m over here like 👁️👄👁️ over that hand-holding pic.

user67:

Okay, but real talk… is that Y/n? Because I’m about to lose it if it is!

user68:

Oscar: "Tough race."

Everyone: "YEAH BUT WHO’S THE GIRL?"

user69:

Man, not you sneaking in a whole mystery date at the end. My detective skills are about to activate. 🔍

user70:

Is this Oscar’s way of lowkey announcing a relationship, or are we all collectively losing our minds?

user71:

Bro, you can’t just drop this and walk away like we’re not going to dissect every pixel of that picture. 😂

user72:

If that’s Y/n holding his hand, I’m officially shipping this HARD. 😍

user73:

Is that… Y/n?? Did Oscar just soft launch a relationship?? 😳

user74:

Me: focusing on the race results

Also me: WHO is he holding hands with?!

user75:

Nah, Oscar, you can't just sneak in a soft launch and think we wouldn’t notice! 😭

user76:

This race was cool and all, but let’s focus on what really matters. Oscar’s got a GIRL?!

user77:

Whoever is holding Oscar's hand, I hope she knows how lucky she is. But also... IS IT Y/N?! 🥺

Instagram Post by formula1gossip:

Spotted in the paddock! 👀 Looks like Oscar Piastri and YouTuber/host yourusername are more than just friends—caught sharing a kiss! 💋 Could this be the F1 romance we didn’t see coming? Fans, what are your thoughts? Is this the grid's new power couple? 🔥

Comments:

user78:

OH MY GOD I WASN’T READY FOR THIS TODAY!! 😱😍

user79:

STOP. OSCAR AND Y/N ARE ACTUALLY A THING?!? THIS IS NOT A DRILL!! 🚨🚨🚨

user80:

I knew it! I KNEW IT. The way he’s been looking at her in every interview was a dead giveaway. 🥲

user81:

This is so cute but also low-key creepy? Like, let them have their privacy. 😬

user82:

Nah, this was not on my 2024 F1 Bingo card but I’m HERE for it!! Oscar really said, “plot twist.” 🥵

user83:

Forget the race drama, THIS is what we’re all here for. 😂

user84:

I don’t know if I should be happy for them or freak out that the internet is creeping on their private moment. 😳

user85:

Okay but... am I the only one who feels kinda bad for them? Let them live! 😕

user86:

Man really went from “awkwardly flirting” to “straight-up kissing in the paddock.” Piastri’s got game! 💀

user87:

I need to know WHO took this picture because they deserve a raise for breaking the internet. 😭

user88:

Wait, Oscar really went from sneaky hand-holding to THIS?! Boy moves fast! 🤯

user89:

Okay, but if this is real, Oscar and Y/n are the cutest thing to happen to F1 since... well, ever. 😍

user90:

I’m dying at the fact that Oscar was so shy and now he’s out here making public moves. My heart can’t take it!! 🥺

user91:

This is cute and all, but also kinda invasive? Give them some space, people! 😕

user92:

How do I go from “aww, so cute” to “this is kind of a privacy issue” in one second? 😅

user93:

The way Oscar went from 0 to 100 real quick. Y/n must’ve unlocked his final form or something. 😏

user94:

Did we just collectively witness a romcom happening in real life? Oscar and Y/n, you have my full support. 🙌

user95:

Half of me is SCREAMING, and the other half is like, "y’all, this is kinda creepy… let them live in peace!”

Instagram Post by yourusername:

Well... cat’s officially out of the bag. 🐱💫

Comments:

landonorris:

FINALLY!! I’ve been keeping this secret for so long, I deserve an award for acting like it’s not disgustingly adorable every single day. 😩

↪yourusername:

Aww, poor Lando. We’ll get you a medal. Maybe one for “Best Third Wheel” too? 🥇😏

↪oscarpiastri:

Best third wheel and also the loudest complainer. You’ll be fine, mate. 😂

↪landonorris:

I WILL NEVER BE FINE. 😤

user96:

WAIT. DID HE JUST GIVE HER A FOREHEAD KISS?! I’m dead. 🥲

user97:

Oscar, can you fight?! Because Y/n is everyone’s crush now and you’ve got competition, buddy! 😤

user98:

Oscar is living the romcom life we all deserve. We need a movie adaptation of this STAT. 🎬

user99:

This was not on my 2024 bingo card but I’m HERE FOR IT. Y’all are too cute!! 🥹

user100:

Okay but… where’s the wedding invite? I need to start shopping. 💀

user101:

Oscar, how does it feel being THE luckiest guy in the paddock? 🧐 Asking for a friend.

user102:

Not gonna lie, I’m obsessed with this. Y’all are literally relationship goals. 🥰

user103:

Oscar out here being all shy and adorable while soft-launching the cutest relationship of the year. We’re NOT worthy. 😩

user104:

I swear if Oscar ever messes this up, the entire fandom is ready to throw hands. WE GOT YOU, Y/N! 👊

user105:

They’re that couple. You know, the ones who are so cute you can’t even be mad about it. 💕

user106:

If this was a movie, the soundtrack would just be us screaming "I ship it" on repeat. 🎶

user107:

Lando’s the third wheel and we love it.

user108:

Oscar and Y/n hard-launching their love while Lando cries in the background... the content we never knew we needed. 😭💀

oscarpiastri:

Couldn’t be happier to share this with you. 💛

↪yourusername:

Same. I love you, Oscar. 💫

↪oscarpiastri:

I love you too, always. 💛

↪user109:

Did they just say “I love you” in the comments?!? I’m unwell, this is TOO CUTE. 😭💖

↪user110:

Oscar dropping “I love you” casually like we’re not all DYING right now. 💀

↪user111:

Every time I see them interact, I lose more faith in my ability to ever find love this cute. ��

↪user112:

Oscar and Y/n: existing

Us: screaming, sobbing, throwing up, planning the wedding. 🥳

745 notes · View notes

crazymadpassionatelove · 8 months ago

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Cool Girl

Notes: None of this would be possible without my dearest darlings @ab4eva and @precious-little-scoundrel! All the hugs and kisses to you both xo

Part 2

Here's the thing nobody ever admits about being the other half of a celebrity: it's actually as hard or as easy as you make it. Enter hunky, gifted actor who just happens to be hung like a horse? Well, being his lady isn't hard at all. You just have to know the rules. Number one, you can't hear the noise. Not literally, you can hear it. You must strive to live in such a bubble that none of it matters though. You shop, power walk your gated community, and take cock like it's the only job you have. Truly, it is. Pleasing him is of utmost importance. Be ready to hop a plane at a moment’s notice, or even get fucked on said plane. You're so busy spending your man’s cash snapping up authentic mid-century modern homes before certain celebrities turn them into minimalist gray prisons, raising money for dogs who need prosthetics, and trying your hand at that sourdough bread craze, you really don't even have time to see the Instagram hate being spewed your way 24/7.

Number two, remaining an enigma. Selling energy drinks on social media? Having your man pay off some fast fashion brand to “partner” with you for a collection? Appearing on some campy sitcom as a guest star? Not for you, the thought of it actually makes you recoil. You're too busy doing all the little things and making his once barely furnished house a home. Homemade chocolate chip cookies with the chocolate specially flown in from Belgium on his private plane? Check! Gold vintage jewelry via that cute little flea market in Paris is clanking as you insist on being the ones to change the bedroom sheets. A housekeeper comes once a month, and even she comments coyly about your chemistry. Still, she need not see the soaked sheets from the multiple round of lovemaking the two of you do at all hours of the day and night.

Being seen on the red carpet is not your cup of tea, but it's the equivalent of attending your man's office Christmas party. So you pick out a dress, aka one of the couture houses offers to dress you, and he flies you to Paris for multiple fittings and macarons. Then there's some vintage Van Cleef jewelry that appears on the dining room table one morning, and a fresh new pair of Louboutins is the final piece to the puzzle. Then, looking very demur and shy, you appear on his arm, clinging to it actually. You'll smile at the various television hosts and press. Speak softly, and practically defer to him for all questions. He's the star, you're just a great supporting act. Then, when the night is finally done, you both breathe a sigh of relief and he thanks you for being such a good sport. How about a McDonald's drive thru run, huh? That face, oh that handsome fucking face of his that you've been dying to kiss all night. He just always knows what to say. So that's how you're papped still in your couture gown, he in a wrinkled white button down, his jacket slid around your shoulders, feeding each other French fries and chicken nuggets, splitting a milkshake. How wholesome and Americana honestly.

That night he promises to thank you again. Austin's perfect lips wrap themselves around your puffy clit as two, then three fingers curl, shove, and squelch inside you. “You were such a good girl the whole night, baby.” There's something about being called a good girl that makes you absolutely feral. He brings you to orgasm over and over, you lose count after about 7. He's just getting started though. He hasn't even slipped inside. When he does though, it's rough. The glorious slapping sounds of flesh fill the room as he brings himself to the edge over and over, denying himself a release and giving you an additional, what three or four orgasms? You've left feral behind and have crossed over into absolute animalistic filth as you bury yourself in the goose down pillows and practically shove it in your mouth howling. Letting him have his way as you throb and clench, hot and pink with almost blurred vision as he talks you through it. Peppering the conversation with lots of “that's my girl, my pretty baby cums so damn pretty”. When you think you're in need of a paramedic, he blows inside you something reminiscent of Niagara falls. He knows how much you love a vocal man. You end the night not being able to feel your limbs or do anything beyond closing your eyes with a lazy, bashful grin. He gives you one last slap to the ass then mentions as you drift off, “Could you make some of those brownies of yours for the cast and crew tomorrow?”

The third rule of being the other half to everyone's favorite blue eyed baby boy actor? Less is more. This sort of goes hand in hand with the enigma rule. Those celebrities who traipse around in loud designer clothing and accessories covered in flashy logos? That's not you or your man for that matter. Sure you have handbags that cost more than some people's cars, but they are solid authentic leather bags your guy finds you in far flung corners when he's on location. No one really notices when you're papped and printed in People Magazine. You keep your head down in aviators he takes to wearing, a nice little subtle nod. The bands you each wear on that finger are a solid Welsh gold. Whenever his slightly deranged fans see you, the one thing they can't call you is a golddigger. You drive a jeep or even that old Ford truck he restored himself, no Lamborghinis in your garage.

Part of the less is more shtick though is being able to give a cute little nod to him here and there when appropriate. When he's cast in a certain biopic that alters his career and your lives? You sit tight and let him have his moment, after all, you know all the behind the scenes work that goes into it. The blood, sweat, and tears. There are times when he takes method acting to such a level that it's almost like going to bed with another man. You can't exactly complain though. The slight drawl that appears when he says your name is something he is never able to truly shake and you're glad. When the moment is right though, you post a tongue in cheek Instagram post. Your feed is normally bogged down with pictures of the pets, your baking, and various charities you support. This time though, you post a rare photo of yourself looking like you're a certain sort of American royalty stepped from a time machine. It's a candid shot with you at his feet. Worshiping. Except now it's sort of like you worship two men. It's fairly well received, friends tell you, though there will always be hate. Remember, you can't hear the noise. You certainly can't hear the noise women old enough to be your grandmother are making as they lust over the man who's cock you gag on every night.

Those utterly delectable fingers of his snake inside you, make you hiss and come undone as that tongue in cheek sort of throw back makeup you're sporting runs down your cheeks. “Who's my pretty girl?” He teases you. A good hour later when he finally allows himself his own release he's panting your name into your ear. He settles himself in between your breasts. Didn't his agent once mention the girls on Tumblr call him baby boy? If only they could catch a glimpse of him now. Murmuring against your skin and tracing what feels like hearts on your arms. You scroll Zillow and read out the six-figure price tags on castles in Ireland. How does fucking in a dungeon sound, honey?

Rule number four? Be ready to go to bat for him at any moment, others opinions be damned. Being Austin's other half brings out a protective streak in you. A maternal bodyguard quasi agent of sorts. Always keep your eyes peeled for the photogs, especially when he's indulging in that pesky little smoking habit he doesn't exactly like to advertise. That actual management team of his isn't bad, especially once the Elvis flick is underway and you learn just exactly how bad certain managers can be. Still, nobody has his best interests at heart the way you do. Keep his favorite snacks on hand in your purse, water ready at a moment's notice. Your boy has a tendency to work himself to the bone and you certainly cannot allow him to run himself ragged. Tea with hot honey every night was a must while he immersed himself in Elvis. Be his soft place, let him cry and vent while you run your fingers through those golden locks. Take whatever you can off his plate so he can dedicate himself to his craft.

Some wonder if you've lost yourself in him and his life, but it's the exact opposite. You've found yourself. When that angel boy praises you during press tours and jokes on talk shows about you flying out in the middle of the night to see to it his shirts are starched the way he likes and he eats breakfast, well you just sit there and smile. “I couldn't be me without her.” Those words make you melt and you immediately crave the feeling of his hot cream inside you. Playing Elvis brought out a side of him that never truly leaves once filming wraps. Stressed? Tired? Enamored? Him bending you over while you're brushing your teeth becomes a common occurrence. “That's my baby – take it, take it,” you've gotta talk it all out of him sometimes and that's fine with you. You stand in the wings of the Kelly Ripa show and try in vain to hide your red face when a PA offers you a napkin. “I think you spilled something down your leg,” the young girl offers. Something spilled all right, him inside you with his hands gripping your hair just minutes before he was due on stage.

Everything is just so right, it's only natural that cool girl very quickly becomes cool wife.

#Ashley finally writes #austin butler #austin x reader #elvis presley #cool girl #Austin Butler AU #austin butler imagine #Elvis x reader #austin butler fic #austin butler smut #elvis smut #austin butler fanfiction #elvis fanfiction

201 notes · View notes

linkspooky · 9 months ago

Text

Yu Gi Oh GX and Alchemy: Citrinitas and the Splendor Solis

Yu-Gi-Oh GX, an anime that exists to sell you Trading Cards is a also a piece of media with some of the most well-researched, and layered symbols and references to the Great Work in Alchemy. The show is built around it's alchemical symbolism, each of the four seasons representing a step is the Great Work of turning lead into gold.

Season is Nigredo or 'blackening', Season 2 is Albedo or 'whitening', Season 3 is Cintrinatis or 'yellowing' and Season 4 is 'reddening,' where Judai achieves wholeness of the self, and completely his journey of growing from a child to an adult.

Season 3 is the yellowing, symbolized by the color yellow, the element of earth, and where Judai completes his final chemical wedding with his opposite and his soul Yubel.

The entirety of GX s a metaphor for the Great Work, with season 3 focusing on the yellow stage. The group that surrounds Judai represents each of the 4 stages of alchemy.

Manjoume, (Nigredo Black, and Fire)

Asuka (Albedo, White, and Water),

Misawa (Citrinatis, Yellow, and Earth)

Judai (Rubedo, Red, the Philosopher's stone, and Air).

Season 3 depicts the drowning of the king, only for him to be reborn again. The king in this situation being Judai who drowns and rises up as the Supreme King associated with yellow, is defeated and dethroned, only to embrace the Supreme King's power and integrate it into himself.

All of Season 3 is a necessary dissolution of Judai, in order for him to be reforged into a stronger person, the way metal is purified through the process of alchemy. Judai even states in embracing Yubel at the end of the season that even if his previous self was destroyed he's fine with that because it's a part of growing up.

The entire season is themed around solve et coagula (dissolve and coagulate, rinse away the impurities to refine yourself into a better version of yourself / reforge the stone). Letting things dissolve away is needed in order to become purified, the same way that death alway proceeds a rebirth. We will call back to these ideas time and time again over the course of this meta. This symbolism starts in the very first episode of the season 106, where Judai experiences a dream premonition of the future.

In this dream Judai wakes up in a desert dimension, the same dimension, Yubel will later teleport the academy to. He sees his friends all turned to sand, only for the wind to scatter them on the breeze.

Not only is this a reference to Dissolve et Coagula, but Judai's friends will also literally dissolve later when they are used as sacrifice materials for Super Polymerization, only to coagulate at the end of the season. This scene also takes place in a desert, and earth is the element associated with citrinitas.

The Exchange Students

This episode also features the introduction of the four transfer students, particularly Johan. Each transfer student is associated with an element and a phase in the four step process of Alchemy.

Austin O'Brien, uses a fire deck, associated with nigredo

Amon Garam, uses a water deck, associated with Albedo

Jim Crocodile Cook, uses an earth deck, associated with Citrinatis

What about Johan, you ask?

So far we've been talking about Alchemy as a four step process, but sometimes there is a fifth step called Peacock's tail (The Prismatic Phase).

The peacock tail is a physical stage in alchemy, a brilliant flash of green which comes to signify that the alchemist is one the right path. It can also be recognized in spiritual/psychological alchemy as a flash of visions that come to the adept as they move through the phases of transformation.

The Splendor Solaris painting of Venus / The Peacock is associated with love (the domain the goddess venus presides over), spirit, spiritualism, and inspiriation. II often compare it to the star Major Aracana in Tarot, which is a card of renewed hope and faith and a flash of temporary insight.

What better step fits Johan who not only plays a deck based around seven monsters, which represent the seven colors of light that make up the prismatic rainbow, but also is a character who is capable of seeing duel spirits like Judai.

The most important part of the prismatic phase though is that it's temporary, it's a flash of insight. Johan most notably, after appearing and burning so bright he captures all of Judai's attention disappears halfway through the season.

The search for the yet to be discovered Rainbow Dragon is also what drives both Judai and Johan the first half of Season 3, especially when it becomes their only way to get home. While the search for Johan himself, is what drives Judai in the second half. Johan really is the star in the distance who's light Judai is following.

Judai's first duel against Austin is meant to invoke Nigredo, the boiling away of impurities. Austn uses a fire themed deck, and over the course of the duel Judai helps "purify them" to the point where they remember they're not supposed to blindly follow orders. Austin invokes the fire symbolism by quite literally saying his father was a man who blazed with passion.

I'd forgotten what my father taught me. My father wasn't jsut a dog who fought as he was told. He was a warrior who burned with passion. And he...Judai made me remember that.

Judai's purifying of Austin's soul also starts his character arc here, as he quickly grows from more than just Professor Cobra's willing collaborator.

Kenzan and Jim's duel is a reference to the step of Citrinitas. Kenzan and Jim both duel with earth centered decks, Kenzan's deck revolves around resurrecting dinosaurs, and Jim's deck digs fossils out of the earth. Jim's deck even revolves around fusing summoning monsters in the graveyards, which is a reference to his career as digging fossils deep out of the ground. Kenzan also wears yellow, and when his dinosaur DNA gets out of control his eyes turn yellow. The two of them have their duel on a dry patch of dirt in the middle of the forest.

Cintriatis is referred to as the drawning of the "solar light" inherent in one's being, and that reflective "lunar or soul light" was no longer necessary [source]. What this essentially means is that the subconscious becomes conscious, or we become aware of what we usually keep hidden about ourselves.

Jim's duel against Kenzan references this because the purpose of the duel itself is to wake up Kenzan from a primal, animalistic, subconscious state activated because his Dinosaur DNA went out of control. Jim is basically attempting to show Kenzan the light by calming him down with a duel, something he'll do much later with Judai. A duel between them is a duel betwee instinct and higher reasoning.

The last duel of the exchange students is Manjoume vs Amon. It's a duel that reveals so much and yet so little about Amon's character.

The second stage of alchemy is called albedo, a latinicized term of "whiteness." It's a purification thatfollows after the nigredo stages where all impurities are washed away. It's associated with water.

Amon invokes this stage in several ways. He plays a cloudian deck, clouds are associated with water. Albedo is associated with water because it features the "washing away" of impurities. They duel each other over a a pool of water, in a duel where the loser will be dropped into water below. Manjoume even refers to himself as the lightning going through Amon's clouds, there's only lightning when it rains.

Manjoume: I'm not a spoiled rich dude, casually gazing up at clouds like you were. Manjoume: If you're a white cloud, then I'll be the black thunder.

Albedo is also a stage associated with purification / purity, and the entire duel Amon is remarked upon as being pure / being unreadable like the white clouds themselves.

Manjoume: I'm beating him. It's obvious that I'm cornering him, but... Manjoume: ...What's with this cavelier attitude of his? It's almost like he's like a cloud. Manjoume: I haven't seen him dueling yet. What could he be hiding in those clouds?

Manjoume is also a character associated with Nigredo as he's wearing black, and plays a dragon deck, and the duel ends with him falling in the water.

The exchange student duels end, as the duel academy kids begin hunting down professor Cobra. There's a few moments of interesting elemental symbolism in these duels.

Judai is forced to duel his professor while Asuka, a character who also wears white and is therefore associated with Albedo is about to drown in a chamber slowly flooding with water.

This also doubles ad Jungian symbolism because this is Judai's first confrontation with his jungian shadow the repressed part of his personality. His professor derides him for lacking darkness of the heart. These words speak of Judai's flaws that have previously remained hidden, his selfishness, his unhealthy habit of taking on other's burdens because he lacks a purpose of his own.

Satou: You can't win. I have something that you lack? Judai: Something that I lack? Satou: The darkness of the heart lying deep within a duelist. Judai: Darkness of the heart? Satou: It is what a duelist burdens his heart with. Judai-kun, you lack anything of the sort. Judai: Something I'd burden my heart with? Satou: Thus far, there hasn't been a single duel which I've dueled for myself. ALthough, because you only think only of yourself, I suppose you couldn't possibly understand. Judai: But where's the fun in dueling like that? Satou: There's nothing fun about it! Being burdened with the expectations of others, yet continuing to stay strong. THat's what it was like.

His entire deck strategy revolves around taking control Judai's monsters and turning them against him. His ace monster is also known as "scab knight", a warrior covered in scars from fighting whil enduring the burden of everyone's expectations. Judai will come to resemble this card later on in the season.

I'll make a brief mention of Giese because this is the moment where Johan's role as the peacock feather come into play. Judai asks if Johan has a goal for dueling other than fun, and Johan shares his.

Johan: Those spirits gave me dueling a purpose! A purpose to become a bridge between spirits and humans... Judai: To become a bridge between spirits and humans?

A goal which Judai clearly admires him for. The prismatic phase shows insight, and Johan gives Judai something to aspire to be like because he admires him for having a goal - and for his relationship with spirits. However, it's only a temporary insight because rather than thinking about his own goal it's moments like these, and shortly afterwards in the Cobra duel where Johan tells Judai that he duels while carrying the burdens of others that Judai simply decides to glue himself onto Johan.

Rather than come up with his own answers, Judai just accepts the answers that Johan gives him. Rather than using Johan as support and inspiration, Johan becomes an unstable emotional crutch.

There's one final reference to the Spector Solaris plates in the vial in which Yubel has been baking in the entire arc as they absorb duel energy in order to reconstitute themselves. Yubel at this stage is a reference to the 12th plate, Saturn Dragon and Child.

The plate depicts a child and a dragon sealed together in a flask. Within the child's right hand is a black flask they are forcing down the throat of the dragon, in the left hand are a pair of bellows which he is holding against the dragon's arc. The child is pouring the black Prima Materia in the dragon's mouth, while he increases the heat of flame. This will result in the decomposition of the Prima Materia into a substance that can be reconfigured and rebuilt.

Yubel represents both the child and the dragon. They are a dragon, specifically a child who underwent surgery in order to become a dragon. Just like the child forces their right hand down the dragons throat, Yubel possesses people by grafting their arm onto them.

Yubel also specifically appears as a child, Cobra's missing son, in order to manipulate him. Then feasts on the darkness of his heart and induces him to commit suicide by covering Cobra's entire hand with their fiend arm, and feeding them a false memory of a scenario where their son actually survived. They then transport the entiretyof the school to a desert, more earth symbolism and where the series begins referencing the seven parables.

Splendor Solis

The Splender Solis are an alchemical text from around the 1500s. They are a series of 22 elaborate images, which symbolize the alchemical processes.

They are divided into 4 groups. 4 introductory plates which depict the typical archetypal characters appearing in an alchemical story. The 7 parables which describe the process of death and rebirth of the king. The 7 flask plates which show the making of the elixir. Then the 4 final plates which shows the spiritual refinement.

The main arc of Season 3 revolves around the death and rebirth of the king, and from now on this meta will exclusively focus on Judai's process of becoming the awakened Supreme King.

As mentioned above he entire school is transported into a desert world. One of the first major events in this new world is the appearance of a Wise Man.

Carl Jung interpreted the process of alchemy as an analogy for psychoanalysis. Each stage of alchemy to him also represented an archetypal schema of the human mind. Nigredo is the shadow, Abledow the anima and animus (feminine and masculine), citrinatis i the wise old man (or woman) archetype, and rubedo is the self that has achieved wholeness.

It's the appearance of Misawa who physically resembles a wise old man, complete with a cloak, long hair and a walking stick that helps clue the protagonist where they are, and how to escape.

I also must make mention of Yubel, who begins enacting their plan to turn Judai into a king. Their first plan involves transporting the academy away to a different dimmension, and slowly taking over from inside by converting the duelists into mindless zombies.

Yubel: Attention, lost duelists. I am the rule of this new world. Yubel: I am the one controlling these zombies as the King of the Martin Empire. Yubel: You are the ones opposing my empire, and doing it well I see...

We don't know exactly what Yubel's first plan was, before they switched to their backup of super-polymerization - but considering Yubel's unique logic they likely planned on converting everyone in the school to zombies, while reforming their body. At which point it would be them and Judai alone together, and they would offer Judai the position as king, which Yubel thinks Judai would be grateful for.

Either way it's Yubel who pushes Judai through the journey of dying and being reborn as king. Yubel goes through a parallel death and rebirth (dissolved) , as they were torn to pieces and enact their plan to reconsitute their body back together and revive (coagulate). Either way Yubel's actions start Judai's journey.

The 7 steps of this journey / 7 parables are:

Plate 5 - Miners excavating a hill

Plate 6 - Philosophers beside a tree

Plate 7 - The drowning king

Plate 8 - Resurrection out of the swamp

Plate 9 - Hermaphrodite with an egg

Plate 10 - Severing the head of the king

Plate 11 - The bath

We'll be going mostly in order with these, as Yu-Gi-Oh GX also references them in order. Here's another post covering similiar spector solis symolism from RWBY which I'm lovingly ripping off. Beginning with:

Plate 5- Miners Excavating a Hill

The search for Rainbow Dragon has been a focus of Johan's arc since his introduction, but when the main characters learn that Rainbow Dragon is their way out of the dark dimension than excavating Rainbow Dragon out of the earth becomes the main focus of Judai and Johan's shared journey.

The plate depicts a mountain mined by two figures, dressed in gold and silver. The contrasting colors represent the dualism of the sun and the moon, which is also shown shining bright in the sky while the moon floats along in the river below.

Rainbow Dragon is quite literally mined out of the side of a hill. The two figures could be referencing both, Samejima and Pegasus who are sent out to retrieve it, Johan and Judai who summon it in their partner duel against Yubel.

The number seven also occurs here. There are seven splender solis plates, seven planets, seven alchemical symbols, seven metals, and Rainbow Dragon is a monster that requires the sacrifice of seven gemstones, which also represent the seven colors of light that make up the rainbow.

Featured on the plate is a picture of a scene from the book of Esthter from the Old Testament. This is a reference to the King Ahasuerus and Eshter. THe king is convinced by his grand vizier to kill the jews, starting with executing chief minister Mordecai. This is in spite of the facthe'd already married Mordecai's jewish cousin, Esther.

Eshther appears and touches the king's golden scepter with her hand. This convinces the king not to kill the jews.

“So it was, when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, that she found favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther went near and touched the top of the scepter. And the king said to her, ‘What do you wish Queen Esther? It shall be given to you – up to half the kingdom!’” (The Holy Bible, New King James Edition, Esther 5.3)

It's a union of opposites (gold and silver, king and queen, sun and moon) based upon communication and empathy. Gx references this story in two ways.

When Samejima and Pegasus are trying to excavate Rainbow Dragon from the mountain, Echo appears and threatens to kill everyone inside in order to allow Amon to remain in a world where he can become king. In a way it's gender flopped because Echo is playing the role of king, threatening everyone at Duel Academy.

The second way is a reference to Judai and Yubel's entire arc of learning to understand people with empathy. Yubel threatens to massacre both Judai's friends, and the twelve dimmensions at large in their painfully wounded state from Judai's abandonment.

This is gender flipped like it is with Echo, where the queen (Yubel) is threatening violence, and the king (Judai) is the one who sways them with empathy. They're linked to queen and king roles, Judai serving as the supreme king linked to the sun, Yubel their feminine bi-gender counterpart and shadow linked to the moon, Judai eventually does so through a union of souls during their final duel, which resembles s a jewish wedding.

Plate 6- The Philosophical Tree

The plate shows three philsophers underneath a tree. The third is a youth, climbing a ladder and handing them down a golden branch.

The two philosophers underneath a tree is a reference to the Aeinid, in order to enter the world Aeneas requires a golden branch from a special tree.

A journey to the underworld is as on the nose for a symbolic journey of death and rebirth as it gets. Judai technically journeys to the underworld twice, the first time when Yubel sends the whole school there, and the second when he like Dante or Orpheus journeys into the underworld to retrieve his lost one - Johan.

The desert world that Judai is transported too is literally filled with zombies, or the wandering dead like in classical depictions of the greek Hades.

Whereas in the world Judai travels to find Johan, losing a duel results in a permanent death for the duelist forcing every character to confront their own mortality.

During that Journey, Judai specifically experiences a death of his ego and a rebirth as the supreme king, before dying a second time and being reborn as the fusion of Judai / Yubel.

The three philosopher's under the tree is specifically referenced when Judai and Johan have their tag team with Yubel, they are the three under the tree. During that duel Johan uses gem tree, a tree that grows a fruit after certain conditions - it grows three fruits in total like the three phases of alchemy.

The duel is fought to return everyone from the dark dimension, a figurative underworld. Whereas in the Aeinid the tree is what grants them free passage into the underworld.

The golden branch and yellow flowers in the splendor solis painting also represent the yellow / citrinitas stage, where light is shed on the unconscious. By the end of the duel, not only is Yubel fully reborn after being torn apart, but they also force Judai to recall the repressed memory of them buried in their subconscious. Yubel's colored yellow when begging Judai to remember them.

Plate 7- The Drowning King

Judai's second journey to the underworld begins after this duel, and this time it's fraught with death. Albeit a necessary death for Judai to be reborn as a whole person.

“The Destruction of one thing is the birth of another.” – Aristotle

The painting depicts an old king drowning in the background, while a new king dressed in yellow emerges in the foreground. While the king is begging to the saved, both the old and new king are actually the same person, being reborn again.

GX references the drowning king in several ways, firstly the entire Supreme King Haou arc is a plan by Yubel to break Judai down and reforge him as the Supreme King.

Not only does Judai experience an ego death first where their mind breaks down and they choose to become the Supreme King going forward and rule with power after the loss of their friends. Judai is also the reincarnation of the original supreme king, which is why Yubel is obsessed with them in this lifetime. Which means he's already died once as king and been reincarnated into a second lifetime.

The king drowning in the river is also a reference to the Nigredo stage of alchemy:

Within the stages of physical alchemy there is a set referred to as the drowning king; this is the dissolution step of the Nigredo process. This is when the alchemists would take their chemically calcified ashes and dissolve them into water. The water itself would absorb the ashes, the word we use to describe this solution, an elixir, comes from the Arabic: Al-iksir translates to “from the ashes”. Elixir.

In order to forge the elixir you have to dissolve away all impurities. Yubel prepares a ritual to literally dissolve Judai's friends away, in order to forge Super Polymerization (which will eventually help Judai and Yubel fuse and become the philosopher's stone).

For now though, the ritual requires five sacrifices, and five of Judai's friend. Just like the five steps of alchemy if you count the peacock stage (the monster Judai fights in his duel is even named Reign-Beaux, a pun on Rainbow).

Manjoume, Asuka, Fubuki, and Kenzan all dissolve while Sho escapes leaving the ritual incomplete. It's after the ritual however, that Judai experiences an ego death and is reforged as the yellow king. Ego death, is the Jungian term which means a "Complete Loss of subjective self-identity." In this case symbolically the Judai identity "dies" as he loses his purpose which was previously dueling for the sake of his friends, and he finds a new purpose in dueling for power alone. A power that will simultaneously bring order to the chaotic world of the dark dimension, but also protect himself from his own insecurities and weaknesses.

Nigredo is also meant to be the dissolving of the ego. While many cultures have negative associations tied to the color black (Islam being an exception, where white is considered an impure colour), there are no such connotations for the alchemist about the Nigrido stage; it is merely the first stage in the Great Work, the dissolving of the self/ego complex. It is probably a fair observation that in cultures without spiritual safe-guards, or even safe-guardians (shamans, priestesses, lamas, et. al.), the spontaneous occurrence of Nigrido may be labeled as a nervous breakdown, or even psychosis. Mythcrafts

Nigredo is again associated with the arhcetype of the shadow in Jungian Psychology. The Supreme King persona first appears to Judai as a vaguely person shaped shadow, before taking on his form. The shadow is also a reflection of the self, Judai's internal landscape is a dark placed filled with mirrors.

Haou: Yuki Judai. In order to defeat evil, one must become evil. In a world with the law of the jungle at work, one must rule with power. Judai: Power, I don't have that power. Haou: In your hand lies the Super Fusion card. Defeat any spirits who may oppose you, and confine their lives into it the perfect card. Judai: Who are you?

There's also two suns in the background. Judai is referred to as being like the sun, by Sho.

Sho: Aniki, You're too selfish, Aniki. All the time, Aniki, I thought of you like a sun, giving us all strength, able to make the impossible possible. Sho: But I guess I thought wrong. For you, Aniki, things were okay if you were okay. It didn't matter who you sacrificed as long as it all helped your plan! Even if you avenge them, everyone you sacrificed won't come back. Sho: Big bro, you've been dueling just to satisfy yourself. Judai: Sho... Sho: Don't say it like that. You're not my Aniki. You're not my Aniki.

There's two suns depicted in the sky, and this scene we're shown two judais, to show just how divided his self is between his ego and his shadow. Sho even says that he doesn't even recognize Judai and that he's not "His Judai" right now.

Plate 8- Resurrection Out of the Swamp

“She clothed the man with a purple robe, lifted him up to his brightest clearness, and took him with herself to Heaven.” -Trismosin

On the left a strange being, dressed in black and red arises from the mud. He reaches forward to accept a red robe being offered to him.

On the right appears a winged woman, dressed in white, yellow and blue waiting for him to emerge from the mud and giving him a cloak to dress himself.

There is once again many different ways in which this painting is referenced. Haou first appears dressed in armor mainly colored in black, with a red cape exactly like the one the woman is handing the man in the painting.

If Judai is the man emerging from the mud, then the winged woman waiting for him is likely Yubel. Yubel is a winged figure and a hermaphrodite who represents both the masculine and the feminine.

On the bank of the river, holding out the red clock to the emerging man is Sophia. She has angel wings of white peacock feathers and is dressed in a floral robe. Upon her head is a crown topped with a six-pointed star, a symbol used in many traditions to signify the union of male and female energies; hieros gamos again.

The masculine king is reuniting with a feminine winged figure. Yubel as a hermaphrodite represents a union of masculinity and feminity. The winged woman is awaiting the man.

Judai's rise as the supreme king is engineered by Yubel as a part of a plan to reunite them. More specifically to get into plot details Yubel sacrificed their body to become a dragon to protect prince Judai in a past life until the day he would become king. After Judai saw Yubel make such a sacrifice he promised them his eternal love, and to eternally love them alone.

Yubel and Judai then both died at some point and were reborn, Judai as a person and Yubel a duel spirit. Yubel was Judai's best friend when they were young and took the role of protector too serously hurting anyone who came near Judai which made Judai decide to send them away (on a satellite into space).

While alone in space Yubel was hit by the light of destruction, which tortured them with terrible agony for ten years straight. Yubel called out to Judai at first, but Judai stopped responding. Ten years later Yubel crashed back down to earth, and when burning up in earth's atmosphere they continued begging for Judai's help only to be met with silence.

They asked why Judai would abandon them and their love, and that silence became their answer. Judai must have intentionally made them suffer both as a show of love, and to make them stronger.

Yubel then resolves to inflict the same suffering on Judai, first making them all alone like Yubel was, then putting them through trial after trial until they died like Yubel and woke up stronger as the Supreme King: at which point Yubel believed they would reunite again as equals. Yubel also had the additional motive of trying to make Judai recall his past life, which Yubel remembered and Judai did not.

Yubel: I was suffering as you came to forget about me... Yubel: It burns... It hurts...It's killing me. But why? I love him so much. Why is Judai treating me like this? Yubel: And then it hit me. This is just a form of Judai's love. Judai is hurting me and making me suffer because of his love for me. But you see, I couldn't possibly forget about you in the time i've suffered. Yubel: So when I solved the riddle that you posed to me, I was delighted. And that fueled my decision. I would try to fill the entire twelve dimmensions with my love for you. Yubel: And once I did you would have to recognize my love for you, wouldn't you? Yubel: That is why I sought to fill all those linked to you - your world - with both sadness and anguish. Yubel: ANd my line of thinking wasn't wrong. Yubel: I mean you are right before my eyes, Judai.

Yubel: Though, I did have your friends help me which pulled out the darkness inside your heart and ushered you this far.

The entirety of Season 3 is Judai's journey of becoming king, which will lead to his eventual union with Yubel, his soul, and his other half.

The union of Judai and Yubel is necessary in a Jungian sense, because his fusion with Yubel mirrors the process of individuation.

The alchemical texts at our disposal offer four distinct stages in the transformation of base metals into gold: nigredo. the black stage, albedo, the white stage, citrinas, the yellow stage, and finally, rubedo, the red stage. Physical chemists took this literally; depth psychologists, following in the footsteps of Carl Jung, took this figuratively. From the standpoint of depth psychology, the black nigredo is the shadow, the things we hide from ourselves. The albedo, the white stage, is the hieros gamos, the sacred marriage of male/female, or anima and animus. The citrinas, the yellow phase, is the wise elder, the shaman. And the red, or rubedo, which seems to be the point of this image, is what Jung called individuation; the point when the raw materia prima of our psyches turns into something whole.

Yubel sort of represents all three of those archetypal schema. Yubel is Judai's shadow, they awakened the supreme king which embodies all of his negative traits his darkness of heart. As a hermaphrodite Yubel is a sacred marriage of male and female, and Judai also fuses together with Yubel becoming a hermaprhodite himself. Finally, Yubel is the wise man by serving as the mind character to Judai's heart.

Heart, Mind and Body are traditional roles assigned to characters in an alchemy story. The male character s usually heart, and their female protagonist is mind. Judai is emotional, hot-headed, and most of all stupid. Yubel is tactical, capable of making succesful plans long in advanced, calm and thoughtful, and also possesses deep insight into things Judai is clueless about like the nature of love. In fact after the two of them are united, it's Yubel who serves an advisory role to Judai the way Aster does with Yuma in Zexal. Heart and Mind characters are often, but not always romantically linked to one another.

Yubel also appears as a wise guide in a twisted sense, as they're the one guiding Judai throughout the whole journey and eventually they reawaken the memories of his past.

Judai therefore needs to unite with Yubel in order for his psyche to be whole.

There's other characters who can also serve as the sophia / wiseman figure in this instance. Jim Crocodile Cook is the first character to fight Judai to try to get through to him. Once again Jim is an archealogist, he likes trying to reach Judai to digging for sleeping fossils under the earth.

He also possesses a special eye, given to him by a wise man which allows him to see inside of Judai's psyche. Jim is quite literally trying to dig Judai out of the mud. When using his power the comet his eye is associated with turns red, like rubedo and the philosopher's stone because Jim is trying to make Judai whole again.

Austin follows through on Jim's iniatitive and succesfully reaches Judai. His fire deck allows for a nigredo of sorts winning with his fire themed deck to boil away the impurities of Judai's soul starting up the alchemical process.

When Judai awakens he's reborn again underneath a tree into a new self, that's both the supreme king and Judai. Another wiseman figure appears to him in the form of Misawa shortly afterwards to highlight to Judai that the Supreme King isn't a split personality, Judai is the supreme king and he did all of that of his free will.

Judai: The supreme king's gone, though... his powers can't be mine. Misawa: Not quite... Your current self and Supreme King Judai are each one side of the same person. We all have a good and evil side. Judai: But... Misawa: Will you quit it, already! You won't be able to rescue the others with powerless heroics! Controlling your powerful Supreme King side will allow you to bring about justice. Judai: The power of darkness? I can't! Just stop it! Misawa: Stop your whining. Someone who was given special powers will have to fight for all those who've placed their hopes on them, won't they?

In that sense Misawa is the Wiseman who appears to guide Judai to integrate the Supreme King into his psyche, to be more whole.

The Nihilixir

Let's take a break from alchemy to talk about reverse alchemy for a moment, because I can't do a Season 3 post without talking about Amon Garam.

The relationship between Amon and Echo form a dark mirror to the relationship between Judai and Yubel. There are many ways they correspond to each other, both features a king (Judai and Amon) and their servant (Yubel and Echo). Amon is named after a sun god (AMon or Amon-Re), he was abandoned in the desert as a child, he's associated with the solar king. Echo is his Echo more or less, she was raised alongside him to be devoted to him, she's named after the nymph echo cursed to be left behind as nothing more than an Echo. She is passive and subservient, Amon is active and dominating.

I once mentioned Echo above threatening to kill everyone present, so Amon can be in a world where he can become king. Just like Yubel it's Echo's deepest desire for Amon to be king, and Echo genuinely believes Amon has the right to stand above others. They're also set up as the only other explicitly romantic couple besides Judai and Yubel. Yubel drops the extremely intimate "aishiteru" to Judai, and Echo confirms she loves Amon with "Aishiteru" when talking with Edo.

Echo and Amon attempt a union, but unlike Judai and Yubel's union it goes wrong, instead of purifying each other they both basically destroy each other.

Instead of forging a philosopher's stone, what Amon and Echo make is what's called a Nihilixir, a negative transformation. The process of reverse alchemy is elaborated on this posts here.

Love’s alchemy had once transformed him to “Sun”--to ”a quintessence even from nothingness.” A normal, positive transformation. But now he has been transformed in reverse. a negative transformation. For I am every dead thing... He ruined me, and I am rebegot Of absence, darkness, death, things which are not.... I, by love’s limbecke, am the grave Of all, that’s nothing. (”Limbecke” is another word for the alchemical vessel, the alembic.) The reverse of the Philosopher’s Stone, the Elixir, is the Nihilixir

While Death and Rebirth is a necessary part of Alchemy, Reverse Alchemy is Death without the rebirth. It's a love which should usually redeem destroying both parties instead.

Kate in this post likens reverse alchemy to the relationship between Oz and Salem from RWBY, an incredibly destructive romance. To paraphrase Kate, death and rebirth is necessary for moving forward in alchemy, but reverse alchemy happens when a character resists death and the grief that comes along with it.

Amon's arc is more or less refusing to feel his own grief. He is undeniably an abused child with a terrible lot in life, left to starve to death when he thinks he's finally saved and works hard to earn his parent's love he is replaced by a biological child and learns how conditional his parent's love is.

Yubel basically takes advantage of all the unprocessed grief that Amon has in order to move him forward to his destruction.

Yubel: My power is not especially great. But those with darkness in their hearts can unleash great power in me. Yubel: The pus welling out of your injured heart forms a second heart. I can see that other heart. The darkness in it. Yubel: The darkness in your heart that has nowhere else to go. You desire life-risking tasks because, all you want is a place to die. Yubel: That’s right. That is the darkness of your heart. it’s there, in the depths of your mind. The cream of your other heart, born from your stagnant blood!

In other words Amon is plagued by thoughts of suicidal ideation and takes on risky missions for the sake of the Garam Conglomerate because he's hoping to just die somewhere far away from his parent's - because he thinks he's been shunned from his family and therefore there's no place for him in this world.

He believes that so thoroughly he even leaves this world and doesn't come back, for a chance to be king in an alternate dimmension free from family obligations.

Yubel says that in order to become whole, to become his true self he would need to "kill his god." More specifically kill his iron will, the resolve he made when his brother was born to only exist for the sake of the Garam conglomerate.

However, you cannot kill your own god. That is because it is the role of a devil.

There's an element of truth to Yubel's words, Yubel is the spirit of wisdom after all. Amon needs to accept death, in order to be reborn as someone new.

Kate basically says where Salem and Oz's relationship goes wrong is that Salem cannot accept death or grieve Oz, and imagine living in a world without him. Which is why she's cursed with immortality, literally becoming undying, and unable to change as well.

Amon cannot accept grief. He's still obsessed with the idea of becoming the head of the Garam family, like he was promised when he was younger - symbolically coming king. He can neither let go of that idea and try to find other ways to be happy in life, or grieve his parent's abuse of him by basically raising him to be a tool only to discard him.

In fact, I believe a lot of people have trouble connecting to Amon as a character because he doesn't openly grieve - he remains stoic b/c he's so dedicated to trying to repress all his pain from his terrible life.

This is another way in which Amon foils Judai, they're both referred to as being pure of heart, and therefore lacking a shadow and darkness. This is not a good thing, Judai's lack of darkness of the heart makes him blind to his own flaws until he hits his lowest point. Amon's so disconnected from his own emotions, he can at one point cruelly lure Echo to her own murder, then five minutes later claim to love her. It's this resistance of grief, and lack of darkness of his heart that makes Amon unable to transform into his better self.

Paralleling Judai yet again, Amon conducts a ritual to sacrifice his loved one in order to forge a powerful card, Superpoly for Judai and Exodia for Amon. However, him and Echo don't die together, it's not a union it's a one-sided affair with Echo taking on all the sacrifice herself. As I said, Amon is unwilling to bear the pain in any way. This is something that Yubel gleefully points out to Amon.

Yubel: I get it now... You weren't in love with Echo. Yubel: No. You may have loved her just enough to clear the conditions in place for you to control Exodia. Yubel: But then, you didn't truly love each other. Yubel: You were only unfairly hurting her, while you would stay unharmed. Yubel: You wouldn't suffer. You wouldn't be in pain.

Yubel: And that's why I'm having Judai go through the same feelings! That could be what it means for us to love!

Again there is an element of truth to Yubel's words. Amon and Echo's relationship was fundamentally unequal and Amon has no desire to change it, and even takes advantage of Echo in that way.

Yubel for all the pain they inflict on Judai desires to be equal in their pains, and their goal is connection and communication which is fundamental to the process of alchemy. Yubel does many things, but they're not resisting grief. In comparison to Amon who shows almost no emotion at Echo's passing, Yubel openly cries on multiple occasions from the pain of Judai abandoning them.

Amon's inability to process his grief of let himself feel pain, or just let go of the idea that he was meant to become his parent's heir and inherit the world - he can't see that he could try to live some other way. He's blind to the people who love him in his life. This is also something that Yubel points out, he could have tried to live a different life from what his family set out for him with Echo. Echo who was always there and loved him. He can't get over his parents lack of love to see there was still love in his life. He can't see a world where he can live without his parent's love.

Yubel: That isn't a world! Yubel: I wouldn't even think of living in a world like that. Yubel: You see, a "world" is something that you build with the one that you love! Yubel: For me, it's something I'll build with Judai! That is a world!

Amon could have created something new with Echo, but he refused to change. Which is why in the end they both destroy each other.

Of course, Judai and Yubel's love isn't exactly a paragon of healthy relationship. Yubel is also unable to imagine a world where they can't live without Judai. However Yubel does allow their beliefs to change after a union with Judai, originally Yubel was so afraid of Judai's rejection they wanted to monpolize all of Judai's attention and essentially live in a world with only them and Judai.

However, after their union in season 4 Yubel is able to accept Judai having bonds with other people doesn't mean that Judai will abandon them.

The parallel with Amon and Echo shows that Judai and Yubel have the potential to destroy each other, but by accepting each other's grief thy both changed for the better instead.

Plate 9 - The Hermaphrodite

The hermaphrodite is the smybol of the marraige of Solar and Lunar (Sun and Moon.) This is usually embodied by a chemical wedding. This post will be shorter, because I already detailed Judai and Yubel's chemical wedding in this post here.

The Splender Solis depicts a winged figure with two heads, one male and one female. The masculine side of the figure is solar symbolism, his radiant shield, his red wing, his golden halo. The feminine side of this figure is lunar symbolism, her white wing, her silver halo, the egg she holds in her hand. Menstrual cycle are lunar, eggs are lunar, etc.

Yubel’s design is a Rebis, split male and female down the middle. It’s even implied in their backstory they were more masculine, and through an alchemical process to become a dragon altered their body to look as such, giving them several feminine traits.

Yubel as one boob and one pec, one muscular leg and one femine leg, speaks in two voices a deep masculine one and a light feminine one, defaults to using masculine “boku”, but plays a feminine role to comparison Judai’s more straighforward masculinity, they even have their face split one side being drawn with eyelashes.

he appearance of the Hermaphrodite comes after what Jung called the Conjunctio, metaphorically the marriage of Solar and Lunar, or the physical marriage of alchemical sulfur and mercury. While the imagery of plate 9 is quite explicit in its depiction of the hermaphrodite, it is subtle in comparison to another illuminated medieval text: the Rosarium Philosophorum (Rode Garden philosophy)

Judai and Yubel also literally duel together in a Rose garden.

When opposites are finally reconciled, the great hermaphrodite is formed. Judai even refers to this as an act of finally purifying the light’s corruption from Yubel’s soul by uniting it with the supreme king’s soul. The union is a purifying process, and the end of Yubel and Judai’s long journey of losing each other and finding each other again.

However, in order to be purified they have to both let their old selves die in order to form something new, the final death but one they experience together. In order to do that both need to experience a dismemberment.

Plate 10 and Plate 11

I'm coupling these two together because the Severing the head of the king an the bath represent the final process of death and rebirth.

Alchemy is violent, Solve et Coagula requires things to dissolve away before they can coagulate together again. Before the psyche can rebuild, it has to be ripped apart. Before a relationship can get better, two lovers need to clash.

The image itself is set in a city in a countryside, a man is holding a decapitated head severed from a body lying at his feet. Both Judai and Yubel experience a dismemberment at one point or another. In another classical alchemical text Lunar King and Queen experience this dismemberment together, in order to represent the violent union of opposites.

Judai experiences Ego death after his friends are dissolved and adopts the moniker of the supreme king. When he's finally snapped out of it, Hell Kaiser takes his helmet off and throws the helmet to the crowd below in a symbolic decapitation.

Yubel is torn to pieces when they re-enter earth's atmopshere, and quite literally are reduced to just a hand the way the body's limbs are all cut off. They need to use duel energy to restore each other. The second time they dissolve in the duel against Judai and Johan and they physically dissolve a second time and need to possess Johan's body in order to recover.

Another feature of the Splendor Solis painting is the kingdom by a river in the background invoking water, and Air which is related to the sword suit in tarot like the sword the main holds.

Judai and Yubel duel atop the clouds (air) and recalls the past when the air starts blowing the clouds away revealing a kingdom by the waterside.

While experiencing the past he recalls the violent surgery Yubel endured to be reborn as a dragon, literally tearing their body apart in a painful procedure.

Afterwards Prince Judai touched by the sacrifice Yubel made for their sake, unites with Yubel, promising Yubel their eternal love. He also recalls that he and Yubel were together in their past lives, and therefore they've already experienced one death only to be reborn again and meet each other. Judai: You did this... to protect me. Yubel: It is fine. Protecting you as you grow from a child into an adult is my duty after all. Judai: Yubel, I promise you. My love will only belong to you. No matter what anyone says, I will keep loving you.

The union and promise also take place by the waterside, which is symbolic of the bath which is the final plat of the Solis.

The final image is a man sitting in a bath, with a fire beneath it. The plate is an analaogy for sublimation the boiling fo a substance - Judai experienced a sublimation when the water of the clouds turned to air, in a breeze that revealed his past.

IWhen a bath appear in fiction it's often depicted as a man and woman bathing, though it doesn't necessarily have to involve water. For Judai and Yubel, it's their final union brought about by Super Polymerization fusing their souls together.

Judai even refers to this process of purifying the corruption of the light of destruction by joining his soul together with theirs.

Yubel is not destroyed, but rather pacified with a single touch must like Esther with her king, and ends up giving up on their plans of destruction from one act of communication and understanding.

The parable contains a reference to Medea.

“OVID the old Roman, wrote to the same end, when he mentioned an ancient Sage who desired to rejuvenate himself was told: he should allow himself to be cut to pieces and decoct to a perfect decoction, and then his limbs would reunite and again be renewed in plenty of strength.” (Trismosin 33).

Medea married the hero Jason. When he asked her to strengthen his father, she instead ritually killed him, bleeding his old blood away only to restore him later. Medea's also famous for dismembering her brother so that's kind of fun.

Yubel is a very Medea like figure, the embodiment of a woman scorned, after Jason abandoned Medea to marry a new wife, Medea decided to avenge herself by killing his wife, his children, his new father in law but sparing Jason. Her revenge is making him just as alone as she was. Yubel also cannot bring themselves to kill Judai, but take out their pain on all of his friends so Judai will have nothing left but them.

However, as mythcrafts says:

This image relates the ultimate cost of enlightenment, and the curse of growing up; all growth requires sacrifice. New life demands a little dying.

The path is physically painful. The man in the bath is being boiled. Chemical weddings are violent. Hudai screams out in agony when his soul is being fused with Yubel's. He even says that this fusion might destroy who he is now.

However, acepting that death is what allows both Judai and Yubel to take the first steps into healing together.

The plate is also a metaphor for the Hermes Trismegistus, “it arises from the earth and descends from heaven; it gathers to itself the strength of things above and things below” often shortned to "As above, so below."

Judai and Yubel's chemical wedding in the material world, also radiates to affect the cosmos or the world of the heavens. We see this in the effects of Super Polymerization changing the world around them, as it cuts to several characters in the outside world as the destruction of super poly spreads outward.

However, after the violent process of disolve et coagula is over, the two are empowered by each other to fight the light of destruction together. The change is now spreading out to the cosmos. They begin a journey of atonement which lasts even beyond season 4 and into the rest of their lives, to make up for the destruction they've caused.

Judai's friends who've been dissolved away finally return at the same time, and even Judai who is pronounced dead makes a return by the next episode changed into a fusion of himself and Yubel.

Death and rebirth, Grief and healing, all of Yubel's grief even dissolves away into tears as they finally let go of the idea they need to hurt others as much as they've been hurt.

Also because this is citrinitas the entire scene is dyed yellow. By accepting Yubel into his soul, Judai has transformed the dark night into a solar light. THe sun has risen for them both, as the lunar queen reunites with the solar king, they are no longer servant and master but equal.

The third stage, citrinitas, brings forth the light of the sun (the masculine), a light which magically transforms the shadowy and fearful subconscious into valuable consciousness. From the dark night of rubedo, to the pale morning light of albedo, the sun rises in citrinitas to the culmination of day in rubedo.

As Judai and Yubel depart together, we finally move onto the fourth stage of alchemy Rubedo where Judai and Yubel become one whole self!

I'll elaborate more on that on my next alchemy post though, because alchemy is still a four step process and there's still more to come for Judai / Yubel.

#ygo meta #yu gi oh gx #yu-gi-oh gx #judai yuki #soulshipping #yubel #alchemy #yu gi oh gx meta #yu-gi-oh #yu gi oh #jaden yuki

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bullet-clubs-bitch · 10 months ago

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Maybe a Jay white x reader where they are married and she is apart of the bullet club gold and they are so affectionate towards one another and Jay is always cheering her on and she does the same for him. Maybe she is a Gunn sibling and always wins her matches but prince Nana keeps harrasing her because of the bang bang scissors gang and they all come out there to protect the reader. And maybe swerve trys to get involved.

Bang Bang Gang

This one's a bit short but I hope you enjoy it! (This has not been proofread!)

@saramusazzi99 asked to be tagged in this :)

Mentions: Of Prince Nana being a perv

Main Masterlist Jay White Masterlist

One of the main reasons I signed with All Elite Wrestling was so that I could be with my wife Y/n. It had been so long since we were in a promotion together. Instantly the two of us were put in a faction together, the fans loved seeing us together and I coudn’t deny getting paid to spend time with my wife. Both of us were hesitant at first to create Bullet Club Gold since I just left Bullet Club in Japan but Tony Khan assured us everything would work out just fine. I trusted him up until this very moment. Currently, I sat in the Bang Bang Lounge trying to calm down my clearly upset wife. For some odd reason, Prince Nana of all people had been coming out and causing Y/n matches. I didn’t have anything against Swerve and The Gunns and Juice had nothing against the Moguel Embassy. So why was Y/n getting harassed by them?

“So tell us what happened one more time,” Austin asked “Well, I was just having my match with Willow Nightingale when all of a sudden Prince Nana appeared. He asked me if I wanted to see his ‘royal jewels’. When I told him to fuck off he reminded me that he was always watching” My blood was boiling once I heard Y/n explain what occurred moments ago once again.

I know it didn’t sound like much but this Prince Nana thing had been happening for weeks. Normally I would be ringside for all of Y/n’s matches but every now and then we needed a break from the other. Not to mention our matches happened to be booked back to back. “Do you want me to do something? I can talk to him?” I asked “No, can you just be ringside for my next match? If I’m trying to become AEW Women’s world champion I need to be focused on my matches. How can I focus if I’m constantly thinking of Prince Nana” Y/n had a point. She needed to be completely focused on capturing gold. “I promise, next week Prince Nana will regret even breathing in the same room as you”

Just like I said I would keep my promise. Next week Y/n would get her shot for the number one contender for the AEW women’s championship and I would do anything to ensure she would be victorious. As Y/n made her entrance Juice, Austin, Colten and I followed close behind. We watched the ring like hawks, one of us stood on each side of the ring. Just if on command Prince Nana appeared out of nowhere. “How much do you want boss?” He asked me “What? “ “How much?” “How much for what?” “How much for Y/n?” did this psycho just ask me how much I would sell my wife for? I was sick to my stomach at his comments. “Excuse me?” “I think she would make a great addition to the Moguel embassy” I was distracted from my conversation with Prince Nana when Y/n asked “Is everything okay out here?” to which I responded cheerily “Everything is fine my dear”

I waited until Y/n won her match before I started to beat the bloody hell out of Prince Nana. Soon the Moguel embassy and Swerve joined the mix and we were now at war. This was a bloody brawl.

Security tried to pry us off each other but it was no use. This was personal, I was going to make them regret everything. I knew I had taken it too far when they sent the entire locker room out to separate us. Reality set in when Y/n looked at me like I was a madman. I looked down to see the Moguel Embassy lying in a pool of their blood.

I didn’t care about the consequences, I didn’t care that the Gunns and I could get our ROH trios titles taken away. All I cared about was making sure Y/n was okay. I wanted to send a message to the locker room. If you mess with my girl you’ll breathe with the switchblade.

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centrally-unplanned · 2 years ago

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I love deconstructing 'lifestyle' articles like these, they are such a gold mine of biases and narrative formation by the chattering classes. Here we have a wonderful premise:

Now, Ms. Margo is living a dream of many American women who are seeking relationships abroad, some of whom cite the toxic dating scene in the United States

Well, no objection from me that the US has toxic dating norms. But, hm, idk, 'many women' - is this a true trend amoung the American Female? Lets see who this article features:

Ms. Margo fell in love with the city (and its men). She found a gig teaching English in Paris and moved there after she graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in May 2019.

Okay, not *that* crazy but I do think I know what kind of Sarah Lawrence grad gap years in Paris before her law degree;

For Cindy Sheahan...At the end of 2017, she quit her job and traveled throughout Southeast Asia for leisure, and she started using Tinder.

That isn't...most people can't list as their full time job "Dating in Thailand";

For Frantzces Lys...she started a podcast called “Chronicles Abroad” with her co-host, who had met Ms. Williams, 40, in Malaysia. In 2018, Ms. Lys interviewed Ms. Williams, the founder of a consultancy, and the two kept in touch. They started dating years later.

Oh yeah the extremely relatable situation of a podcast host and boutique consultancy founder travelling to Mayalsia!!

“When you decide to just live your life for yourself, you actually end up stumbling upon people that match your energy and the same ideals and values,” said Ms. Lys, a 42-year-old founder of a wellness company.

Oh a wellness company, who hasn't founded one of those!!! And a link to their company, wow thanks NYT, that was definitely gonna be my follow-up for Ms. Lys:

Cepee Tabibian, who moved to Madrid at 35 from Austin, Texas, felt similarly.

Okay that could be normal, what do she d-

In 2020, she met her partner, who is Spanish. Now, she is the founder of She Hit Refresh, a community that helps women over the age of 30 move to a different country.

Jesus fucking Christ none of these people are real. They are full-hog in the industry of packaging and selling their Life of Insight & Discovery for $500 an hour over zoom sessions to non profits hosting leadership seminars, their dating isn't dating its brand management. I don't doubt they authentically love their life but this, shockingly, is not a trend, is not a sample, is not ethnographic data, this is an ad buy by a sliver of globe-trotting wealthy woman masquerading as journalism.

Absolutely the only relatable person is:

Alexis Brown, for example, noticed a lack of “effort and intention” from the men she was dating in Atlanta, where she attended Spelman College.

When she traveled across Europe for vacation from October 2022 to January 2023, however, the people she dated made it clear that they wanted to spend time with her.

Who takes way more words than is necessary to tell me she had a polycule stretching from Paris to Prague during her study abroad, which, good for her, that is what study abroad is for. Shockingly, this is not a new development in the collegiate experience!

Buried amoung the branded bullshit is Alexis's real gem and the only true 'thesis' of the article:

“The dating culture in the U.S. is that it’s cool and normalized to be indifferent to someone and not really express how you genuinely feel,” Ms. Brown, 23, said.

Which is essentially that in Europe people will "express emotion" unlike the cold, busy America. I don't doubt this, but I would hope a writer at the NYT's could have slightly more social awareness; the 'reason' Americans do not "express emotion" is that if they did you would dump them right on their ass on the first date.

Someone telling you, to quote Ms Margo:

“This one guy was like, ‘I ran through traffic just to look into your eyes once, and if you don’t want to go on a date with me, I can die happy knowing that I just met you,’” said Ms. Margo, a 28-year-old English teacher from Los Angeles.

As an opening line is cringe and uncomfortable, because they do not know you. They are lying and you know they are lying, it is a horrible foundation for a long term relationship. American dating norms have been hammering this lesson home on every participant (but if we are being honest, its primarily women hammering this home on men) and it is probably right to do. Anyone who does this lacks credibility.

But when you are in ~*Paris*~, you don't care about their credibility, because you lack it yourself. You are on vacation, you have no future, just a sequential present. If the guy who tells you your eyes are his world turns out to be a clingy failson who requires at least a blowjob a day to keep his mood stable, you can just *get up and leave the country*, you cannot be trapped because nothing is keeping you there. By placing an ocean between yourself and your social standing you can radically change your standards.

And you know what, there is something to that! Maybe the 18-point-checklist you mentally process every Tinder swipe through as you plan out your dream wedding on Cape Cod to a status-swollen ghost in a Tom Ford speckle-gray blazer while on lunch break from your quant analysis job at a digital marketing start-up in Chelsea isn't the best baggage to bring into a first date! Through radically shifting your social context it might be possible to jar your brain out of what is holding it back. Its not what you found in Paris, but what you left behind in America, that could actually make a difference... and that reality could give this article some heft.

But then say that instead of trying to sell me on the idea that:

For Ms. Margo, a Black woman who attended predominantly white institutions throughout her school years, she felt ignored in the United States, as if she “was not an option,” she said. In Paris she felt seen.

France is less racist than the campus of Sarah Fucking Lawrence against black people. No wonder the humanities are dying if they are teaching this level of self awareness.

#haven't stretched that Last Psychiatrist muscle in a while - good times #mini-essay

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ryuzakemo128 · 14 days ago

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Chapter Two: Gates of Your Hell

cw: implications of smut, reader is an avid reader and writer of erotica, food talk, family drama, stillbirth, emotional family and other dark topics you may find uncomfortable.

Note: I recommend listening to 'Selling The Drama' by Live while reading this chapter.

Word Count: 6173

Joel sat there at his desk, still dumbfounded at where you lived now. A small beach town in Cambria? Who are you? Fucking Martha Stewart? At thirty-six? What the fuck? How did five years just happen to change you this much? He always knew you like him to a degree.

But it was casual, and you even said you had no qualms in keeping it that way either. “Better not get attached. I know how you don’t do serious relationships anymore.” she slyly remarked with a dramatic flourish belonging more to an utterly whimsical fae rather a retired, former hitman.

“I didn’t say I didn’t want anything serious.” Joel murmured to the memory of you in his mind. The wine bottle in your left hand, drinking it straight from the dark glass bottle as you didn’t intend to share it with anyone. The crimson cardigan you wore over your shoulders.

But you were gone like a tornado. Breaking down houses around you. The ones built with time and experience like it was your innate nature. It was something perplexing as it was desirable. Yet the wreckage you leave behind is enough to question where your true motives are lying in.

Joel saw you bright chipper in your garden like those hands of yours never taken another human life. Letting your rabbits roam in the open rabbit enclosure to take advantage of the good weather. Peaceful, quiet, at ease with the serenity. Effortless in your endeavours of complete and total simplicity.

It wasn’t like you weren’t capable of living this way. It was just hard to view you as soft, domesticated, homely and domicile. The stark contrast of this small town to Austin is both jarring and obvious. You took to your retirement well. Your refuge and your secrets kept inside.

Like a treasure chest full of bones instead of gleaming gold and glittering jewels. Bullet casings of guns and rifles you held within your grasp. The smell of gunpowder and blood staining your aura. Akin to shark diving inside a kiddie pool. It is disturbing, unsettling, off-putting, and completely ridiculous.

He assumed you must have found someone already and the letter was at least several years old. What he didn’t know? Your mother wrote it recently, and you were single. Mingling with people, hooking up with some for one-night stands. Your mother’s act of sending him that letter bore fruit.

Joel pictured himself in the middle of your bed on a Sunday, your face planted into his chest, the sound of the ocean in the background. The lovely fact you’d still sleep like a starfish on the top of him. Smelling of your cigarettes, elderberry mead and slow cooked wagyu.

Spotting you while he was staying a weekend there. Alone, sitting in the pub enjoying an ale with a steak & mashed potatoes with steamed veggies drenched in mushroom gravy. Simplistic in terms of taste and choice. Then again, you were always one to stick to what you learned you liked.

It was the book of choice you were reading which stood out to him the most. An intense erotica between an Alpha man and omega woman. The type with a shirtless man on the cover looking at his woman with intense passionate grip on her waist. The typical romance.

And the open note pad of terms you liked from the novel? Hinting at your intent to write more for yourself. The words you scribbled down were ‘throbbing’, ‘sopping’, ‘dominance’, ‘forbidden’, ‘alluring’, ‘temptation’, and ‘ripe’. Phrases like ‘Her heart continued to beat faster than a highly prized mustang on a racetrack’.

Detailed enough to give someone an idea of what you liked about the erotic piece you were writing about. Though the description of the male protagonist was definitely specific, ‘hot-tempered’, ‘coy’, ‘playing hard to get’ and ‘hard to get rid of’, ‘ruggedly handsome’, ‘a billionaire’ with a penchant for BDSM.

‘Bound to him’ with the word him underlined three times, with a picture of a wolf in the corner howling at the full moon. Describing the alpha as commanding but not overpowering, intense but not controlling, possessive but not enough to crush the omega’s own inner flames burning within them.

“Should I kiss it better?” the alpha asked sauntering into the room, the smell of his kill lingering interwoven like faint cologne.

The omega’s cheeks flushed, she looked up at him beneath her long lashes. “N…no.” she whimpered softly.

The alpha leaned into her neck, nuzzling, inhaling her sweet scent, “Pup, you know I don’t take no for an answer. You should know by now.” Inhaling the smell of her from her neck, licking the salt from her skin. The scent of her arousal faintly there, growing by the second, even in her hasty, swift denial.

Your face flushed with the heat growing between your legs. Harder to hide what made you start feeling that way when you’re in public and eating your lunch. Stuffing the book into your handbag, hoping and silently praying no one saw what you were doing at your table. Not like anyone there would have.

You weren’t terribly keen on testing on theory about whether someone would be game enough to ask you out loud. It was one thing to retire down here and become secretive about your previous wok. But completely another to flaunt your erotica around so everyone around you could see it.

Imagine that, releasing your own erotica in paperback in a town where everyone knew who you were? You would surely die before they could start to gossip about the plot behind it. If they could possibly find it beyond all the intense smut scenes within the pages of said book.

Dead. Dead from the pure embarrassment is what would happen. You shivered, the thought of it was both thrilling and terrifying. Though the few older women in town you thought of at times would devour the thing and giggle about it in their small knitting clubs and little book clubs.

The thrilling thought of having Joel Miller in your bedroom hasn’t left your mind. No matter how much time passed. He knew the quiet beach life wasn’t to his tastes. You knew he wasn’t the type to stay settled for anyone. Not even for you. Foolish to hope otherwise, right?

These things last a short time, and you have learned to accept to deal with the fact that a boyfriend or husband was never in the cards for a monster like you. And the victims of the people you have slaughtered would all agree. You were destined to die alone.

While you were working in the coffee shop. Slowly restocking certain items before opening for the day. Your mind constantly wandering towards what else to put into your erotica plot line. The tourists coming in from the big city were your constant supply of inspiration for your novel’s plot line.

As you took your lunch break, you were writing down small notes into your small note pad, names of types of fabric to the names of places people were from. Names of expensive perfumes people wore to the types of shoes they bought. The bell over the door chimed softly.

Snapping your head up from your scribbles. You put up a ‘wanted weekend barista’ for a job opening after deciding to open up a job position as a part-time gig. So you had more time to spend on the back end of your café and writing notes for your novel.

You had to do a double take when you smelt leather wafting in through the door. No. He wouldn’t be here. This town isn’t big enough for someone of his magnitude. His personality was larger than this entire town. Why is he here? Your mind doesn’t quiet down from it.

From all the questions you have buzzing around inside your head. They won’t shut up if he decided to saunter around and leave an hour later. If he even decided to stay there for longer than fifteen minutes. Was this how your bunnies felt? With your heart beating so fast.

You hoped you would have changed enough for him to not recognise you. You pretended to be the nerd other girls bullied you for being. The one guys never asked out because of how you dressed and looked. The quiet girl, forgotten the moment you were out of their sights.

But when you saw him, you knew you hadn’t changed enough. You haven’t changed your aesthetic enough to meld within the people around you, or had you changed your habits of watching people and memorising their every detail. Lingering like a begotten memory inside your bones and locked inside flesh.

Heat coming to your cheeks as you gazed upon him. Joel shouldn’t be here. He shouldn’t be here at all. He should be in his ivory tower looking over the people below him in wage and in proximity. Taking large, slow, deep breaths to calm down your racing, beating heart.

He would recognise you, there was, there is nothing you could to prevent it from happening. Delay it? Sure. But for how long? How long until he did? Would it take minutes or hours? Would he leave and come back? You didn’t know. But you knew the moment had arrived.

The moment of total and complete truth arrived at your door step. There he was, Joel Miller, dressed in a sharp black suit that contrasted with the warm, cosy ambience of your café. The kind of suit you often wore during your time as an expensive bodyguard to rich women.

Your heart rate spiked again when you felt his eyes on your back. Taking a deep breath, turning around as he spoke, his deep voice rough, “Is this seat taken?” You could have sworn you were about to either melt like a candle or snap in half from the shock.

You coyly stated, “I don’t know, are you cute enough to make the cut?” Your very first attempt at flirting at someone at work. A nervous one. But an attempt was certainly made. You just hoped he didn’t seem too weirdly off put by it, like your first crush was.

Corners of his lips twitched into a smirk, playing along with your delightful banter. “I've been told I clean up rather nicely,” Joel replied, his voice a smooth whisky slithering through the air and coiled around you like a warm embrace. Not long before the feeling in your stomach returned.

A flutter in your stomach, the same one you hadn't felt in years. Your heart skipped a beat. Did he just flirt back? No. He wouldn’t. Would he? No. He wouldn’t. You were certain you weren’t his type at all. You were dead certain you weren’t anyone’s type or fit.

It felt like it came from out of a page of the novel you were writing. Too much of a fantasy to be real. To be right there. You were certain he was only being nice, polite, and friendly with you. Like most attractive guys lingering around you usually are.

“Well, I’d say you’re more than a little welcome to take it.” You replied, smirking, as you were trying to play it cool, calm, collected, as you possibly could. The opposite of you in ways. As you pointed at the chair opposite of you. “What would you like to order?”

Joel’s eyes never left yours as he sat down, his gaze piercing through you like a knife through warm butter. “How about a cup of your finest black coffee and one of those apple fritters?” He said, his smirk growing wider, as his eyes never leaving yours for a second.

As if he was trying to read the very thoughts that were racing through your mind. But you enjoyed playing hard to get at times. Playing coy, aloof and unaware. Unaware of the potential ‘love story’ brewing between the two of you. It made the chase between you breathtakingly hot.

Nodding as he spoke, the tip of your pen gliding across the page of your tiny note pad in your grasp. Trying your absolute hardest not to completely melt into a puddle from the way he looks at you with his deep chocolate brown eyes. “Coming right up.” Standing up.

Your legs felt wobblier than a newborn fawn’s and your heart beating fast than a bunny’s in heat. Walking away from the scent of his expensive cedar wood and leather cologne. The heat from his body lingering like a phantom. You felt like you were wading through thickening sweet honey.

Joel eyes watched how you stumbled a little. A small victory among the many to come his way. He had your attention, your interest, and it was thrilling to have it after all these years. He leaned back in the chair and waited patiently for you to come back with his order. His gaze never wavering from where you were standing at the counter. Amused at how you floundered a little. Impatient thing, aren’t you?

‘You’ve killed men like me before. But what it came to me? You? Floundering around over me?’ Joel pondered with a smirk, looking smug to others around him. But for him, it was glee, pure and simple. Watching you from the corner of his eye as he read the paper.

Picturing yourself handling a sniper rifle is what made your hands steady again. Odd to think about. But it was the only way to get them from visibly shaking like a scared mouse about to be eaten by a stray feline. You had to remember your training. Your job before you decided to leave that life behind you. Soothing in a way. An odd way to self soothe according to your spirited therapist yesterday afternoon.

You took your sweet time brewing his coffee. Inhaling the sweet, rich aroma of the beans to calm yourself down. The sound of the grinder and the espresso machine hissing like a cat that was poked with a stick. It was a routine that you had mastered well in retirement.

You had to have something to keep you sane. No matter how small it may or may not be. Delivering his order on a retro styled trolley which made him smile. He certainly didn’t expect you find and refurbish such a thing. He enjoyed the sight of you navigating it.

The three apple fritters fresh, warm and the smell of cinnamon sugar-coating it wafting through the air. You set them down before him, the plate making a light clinking sound on the table. Placing his mug of coffee next to it. “Here you go.” You murmured, trying to keep calm.

Joel gazed at the napkin with your number written on it. You were bolder than what you were before, that much is clear. The red lipstick kiss mark, the ‘call me after 6’. It gave him enough of a shock to his system to realise you became more womanly now.

You weren’t the same girl he knew. You had changed. Grown into a woman who knew what she wanted. He took the napkin, his thumb rubbing over the lipstick smudge. A thrill shot through him at the thought of you being so forward. To think he, the playboy being courted.

The scent of your perfume still lingering on it. It smelled of lavender and jasmine, a scent he never knew you favoured. He took a deep breath, committing it to memory. “Thank you.” He said, his eyes never leaving yours as he took the napkin, tucking it neatly into his pocket.

Though you were waiting to see his reaction to the apple fritters, if he enjoyed them? You would surely melt into a puddle. Food is a big thing for you, even before you retired from your previous profession. Good food is something you always enjoyed with unfiltered, unbridled, passion.

“They’re heavenly. Thank you for the recommendation.” Joel took a sip of his coffee, watching you closely. He wasn’t expecting the joy coming from that statement. Your face lit up like a Christmas tree. And he didn’t even have to take his clothes off? How novel, quaint, utterly charming, fanciful.

The tapping of your fingers together in absolute, complete joy and glee as he enjoyed them as much as you did. As everything you baked and put on your menu is something you personally liked too. As you wouldn’t put anything on there you personally wouldn’t eat, enjoy or devour.

“I’m happy you like them, they’re fresh out of the fryer, and I personally make them every morning. The apple orchard isn’t too far from here. They’re organic too!” You replied, trying not to seem too eager, but your smile gave away your excitement. It gave away your elation, eagerness.

The way you used to scrunch your nose when you bit into something sweet, the way your eyes would light up when you found a good wine, and how your voice would drop when you were really into something. All these observations he made of you coming into play again.

You weren’t someone who played the card of ‘eager to please’ because you spent enough time into knowing what you liked. Joel’s gaze didn’t miss the way your eyes sparkled when you talked about your apple fritters. He could almost taste the sweetness of your words as you spoke aloud.

The stark contrast to the bitter reality of his past with you. The way you used to be so guarded and closed off. Now here you were, smiling genuinely at him, serving him like you’d do for anyone else. The smell of apple fritters mingled with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Creating a scent between you both. Wrapping around you like an old memory. Staining the ground for all to see.

You cleared your throat, breaking the silence, “Is there anything else I can get for you?” Joel’s eyes never left yours. “Just the bill, for now.” He replied, his smirk not fading away. You nodded, turning around to grab the check. His lovely eyes went wide in complete, total surprise.

You had only charged him ten dollars for the entire order. You had never charged more than five dollars for anything on your menu. Something he took note of now. It’s no wonder why he saw so many locals come in and leave with a huge smile on their faces.

You also declined tips. You didn’t ask for tips, and you certainly wouldn’t take tips either. Often encouraging people to spend it on themselves or to give to charity instead. Something he found to be rather baffling. To his knowledge, You weren’t rich, you weren’t even close to his status.

Yet you were so incredibly generous with both your service and your time. You brought the bill over, placing it on the table with a gentle smile. “Let me know if you need anything else.” You turned to leave, but Joel's hand reached out to cover yours. The warmth of his touch was electric, sending vigorous shockwaves throughout your entire body, like an ocean waves crashing onto a beach’s shoreline.

“Actually,” he began, his deep brown eyes holding yours down with an intensity you could feel, “I'd like to talk to you more about your… exquisite taste in writing.” He leaned in, his warm breath pressed against your cheek.

“I couldn't help but notice the terms you had scribbled down earlier.” The smirk on his face grew more pronounced, hinting at the curiosity now growing into a full-blown fire in his eyes.

Your heart skipped a beat, and you felt your cheeks burn with a heat that had nothing to do with the warmth of the café. “It's just a hobby,” you murmured, trying to play it off. “A little something I do in my free time.” You hoped he couldn't feel the way your pulse is now racing under his touch.

Joel's grip tightened, his thumb tracing gentle circles on your knuckles. “I'd love to read some of it,” he said, his voice dropping to a low rumble sending shivers down your spine. “Perhaps it could be… an inspiring piece.” The double entendre wasn't lost on you, and you swallowed hard, trying to keep your cool.

“Are you sure? I didn’t peg you to like that kind of thing? I’ve seen older woman read stuff like it than a man like you?” You replied, trying to play it off as if it was something trivial. But the way he was looking at you, it was anything but trivial.

His hand didn’t leave yours, “Oh, I assure you, I have quite the eclectic taste when it comes to literature.” His smirk grew wider, the corners of his eyes crinkling slightly, hinting at a mischievousness that hadn’t been there before. “Besides, I’ve always had a soft spot for a good plot twist.”

“It's a whole less death defying my previous job, that’s for sure.” you quipped. “Definitely preferable to a knife coming at me. Hard work trying to guard someone sometimes. Never mind the fact of hiring someone like I was supposed to be as a bodyguard is always odd to me.”

“And the kicker is the knives thrown my way were during those types of jobs more than the other. Weird. But not the kind of job I assumed would be so….intense.”

Joel remarked about his bodyguard, “Ah, the life of a billionaire. It does come with its fair share of drama, doesn't it?” His eyes glinted with amusement as he took another bite of the apple fritter. “But I'm sure you've seen more than your fair share of intense situations.” He leaned back in his chair, the leather creaking slightly under his weight.

“Yeah. A lot of the concerning ones I've had to be there for, which stand out to me the most, are more familial related.” you stated.

Joel nodded, his gaze never leaving yours. “Family drama can be quite… bloody, at times.” His words had a hint of darkness to them, a nod to his own tumultuous background that you knew nothing about. The way his jaw tightened ever so slightly at the mention of family was telling.

“The bloodier ones are more rare compared to the emotional side. The emotional side of ‘coming out’ to parents, I didn’t know I could be so much more angry and sad with people who should be raising their children.” You spoke, your voice filled with a hint of bitterness, “But they refuse to move past their own thinking to see their child hasn’t changed. They just know more about themselves. Or maybe when they dead name their child on purpose.”

“And most of these are children, young teens and older teens about to graduate.” You spoke, your voice filled with a fiery passion that you rarely ever shared with anyone else. “They just need someone to watch their back while they try to live their lives in peace. It’s not much, but I try my best to keep them safe from the monsters out there. Even if those monsters are their own flesh and blood. So I adopted the ones who weren't accepted. I said, ‘Fuck it. I'm going to be your mom now’. They require someone to love them unconditionally and not tie it down with a dollar sign. It’s a simple concept but one that’s lost on some people, unfortunately.” You spoke, your voice filled with conviction and a hint of sadness.

“To think I was skilled in taking life? I was saving as many of them as I took. I became a mother and I didn't have to wait nine months or get pregnant either. I told them the hitman thing and their response? They said I was a superhero. Just not the caped kind. You have no idea how that made me feel. I swear I cried a little.” you remarked with a laugh.

Joel couldn’t help but laugh a little at your words, his eyes warming up a little, his smirk turning into a full-on smile. “I’d say you’re doing a fine job as a mother, even if it’s of the unconventional kind. You’re giving them the love and protection they need. And let’s be real, not everyone can say they’ve taken a bullet for their family, let alone literally.”

“I hate to break it, you pup.” slipping up into your old persona a bit. “But my instincts like any well-trained total babe. It's still there.”

Joel reacted to your 'well-trained total babe' remark with a chuckle, his eyes gleaming with a mix of surprise and admiration. “So you're not just a pretty face, huh?” He leaned in closer, his hand still over yours, his thumb continuing its soothing circles. “I had no idea you were hiding such a fierce protector underneath that sweet exterior.”

“Not really hidden if you knew where to look, or what to talk about. For example, I had one of my children graduate not too long ago. I made them apple fritters and a pavlova to celebrate. They were so happy.” You spoke, your voice filled with warmth and pride. “I had another one finish their medical exams, and they were so stressed. So, I decided to make lasagne with chicken, spinach and ricotta cheese, their favourite. It's all about knowing what people like and how to make them happy. And I know you like apple fritters.” You added with a smirk.

Joel’s smile grew, “I can see that. And I’m sure your kids love having you around.” He said, his voice gentle. “But what about you? What makes you happy?” His question was genuine, something that threw you off a bit. You weren’t used to people caring about your feelings.

“Food. My bunnies. Writing. Writing letters by hand rather than typing them.” you answered. Especially, potato noodles.”

The sudden mention of potato noodles made him laugh out loud, the sound echoing through the café. “Potato noodles? That's a unique choice.” He said, his thumb still tracing circles on your knuckles, the gesture now feeling more intimate than before.

“Yeah. Spicy potato noodles. Made from mashed potatoes, Potato starch, and Chilli oil sauce.”

Joel's curiosity was piqued, “You know, I've never tried that before.” He said, his gaze lingering on your hand, the napkin with your number still in his other hand. “Maybe you could teach me how to make them sometime?”

“Yeah! I must warn you, the chilli peppers I use to make the Chilli oil sauce are either jalapeños or ghost peppers.” you answered.

Joel's eyebrows shot up at the mention of ghost peppers. “Ghost peppers? Now, that sounds like a challenge I might have to take you up on.” His smirk turned into a grin, and you could see the glint of excitement in his eyes. It was clear that he wasn’t one to shy away from a challenge, especially one that involved food and spice.

“I used to snack on Jalapeños between morning jobs, the spice was more than enough to wake me up. But when I found out about Ghost Peppers, it was like someone turned up the heat in my kitchen.” You laughed, the sound light and airy, the kind that filled the café with a sense of comfort. “But if you think you can handle it, I'd be happy to show you.”

Joel's eyes danced with excitement, “It's a date.” He said, his voice dropping to a whisper that sent shivers down your spine. The word ‘date’ hung in the air, thick and potent, like the aroma of your coffee. Was he really asking you out? You hadn't felt this nervous since your first date with the quiet guy from high school.

“But for now,” Joel continued, “I'd like to settle for your company.” He gestured to the chair opposite him, his smile never fading. You nodded, feeling your cheeks heat up even more. You couldn't remember the last time someone had made you blush like this. Furthermore, you sat down, your hands folded neatly in your lap, trying to calm your racing heart.

“I take it you haven't heard about my older brother's 'business venture' in Japan yet?” you asked.

Joel leaned in, his expression shifting from playful to intrigued, “No, I haven't. Tell me more.”

“He's gotten more philosophical after his firstborn was a stillbirth. Nasty business that. Yelled more about my previous job and said, 'If you weren't a hitman, my child would have lived'. I didn't say a thing. Couldn't. He was grieving, silence was the only 'gift' I felt I could give the man.” you continued after a pause, “The venture was to 'break from familial bad blood'. Noble in endeavour but far too late. Our family is steeped in crime, mafia ties, drugs and human trafficking. It's not something you can easily walk away from.”

“I appreciate his attempt, though, all things considered. It's the thought that counts, I guess,” you said, trying to lighten the mood. Joel nodded, his gaze understanding. He took another sip of his coffee, his eyes never leaving yours.

“I've had my fair share of family drama as well,” he admitted, his voice a low murmur that only you could hear. “But I've always had the luxury of choosing my battles, thanks to my wealth.”

“We have wealth, just not gained through legitimate means.” you playfully teased. “Our metaphorical skeleton closet is so full it’s overflowing into the neighbour's yard. They’re complaining about the smell of dead bodies and dirty money.” You took a deep breath, trying to ease the tension that had suddenly filled the air.

“Even if we tried to clean it, it'd take a whole year to get it sorted out. And that's not even counting the real ones under my grandmother’s house in Florence or my aunt’s in Milan. Though it does pale in comparison to one of my uncle’s body count differently.”

Joel smirked at the fact your uncles fucked more than he ever stole from or killed. Which to him seemed rather impressive. “I’ve got enough skeletons to start my own haunted mansion. But none of them involve dead bodies in a closet. Unless you count my exes, which are plenty dead to me.” He quipped, the mood lightening a bit.

“How many of them were messy break-ups? Has been at least 3 right? The royal bad things come in threes rule.” you remarked. “Weirdly, apart from the casual thing I had with you? I had one crush in high school. I handed him flowers on the first date. Thinking, 'People like flowers, right?' and he was allergic. Hindsight is always 20/20.”

Joel chuckled, the sound rumbling deep in his chest. “Only one messy break up, really. And it was more of a 'messy' situation rather than a break-up.” His eyes took on a distant look for a moment before he shrugged it off. “But that's all in the past.”

“I had my cousin go through that, and that is worse than three breakups. He said, ‘I would have preferred to deal with three messy break-ups from three different people rather than with the same person for three years’. The guy was a saint. Or a glutton for punishment. I'm still wondering which it was.” You laugh, shaking your head slightly.

Joel looked at you. The gates of your hell were far different from his own personal hell he went through. The choice to approach you here wasn’t as bad as he thought it would have been. Possibly a little unconventional. Though, nothing about you is conventional in the slightest. Even when the two of you were still casually dating. The odd things about you stood out more when you weren’t there anymore. It’s hard not to get attached to you.

“A package for Joel Miller.” a courier knocked on his eccentric blue grey penthouse door.

It was a hundred red roses, a USB with your handwriting, ‘A manuscript’ and a card handmade by you. The USB has four main folders. ‘Manuscripts’, ‘Audio Files’, ‘Videos’ and the last one labelled ‘Surprise 🫣’.

The manuscript folder had all your erotica short stories in alphabetical order. Each one had a little note of where you had been when you wrote them. Along with files of glossaries for terms which might confuse him.

The Audio files were recordings of you reading your favourite scenes out loud, advice recordings on how to be intimidating without being physically present, and a few recordings of your personal thoughts. Your voice was a mix of velvety and assertive tones, sending shivers down his spine.

Advice pieces like: ‘It’s fine to say no if you’re not comfortable, even if you’re the one who initiated it’, ‘Boundaries are healthy. They allow people to love you more and themselves more. Not less’, ‘Communication is key, even in the bedroom’, ‘If you don’t feel safe? Don’t go through with it, no matter how much you want to’, ‘Consent is a continuous process. You need to be able to give it at every point. If you can’t, then stop’ and many others like it.

Though it was the ‘I want you to remember, learning more parts about what you enjoy and what you like sexually isn’t a bad thing. You can still be fifty plus and like getting pegged by a woman. Which doesn’t sound too bad to me either. Explore your kinks and enjoy it while you’re here. Puritans be dammed.” That had him snickering into his coffee, almost choking on it.

The videos had sub folders like ‘Basic Cooking tutorials’, ‘Advanced Cooking Tutorials’, ‘Baking’, ‘Four Bunnies’ and ‘Beach house tour’. In the baking one, you were making apple fritters, and in the beach house tour, you were giving him a personal tour of your place. The Four Bunnies one had you playing with your rabbits and speaking to them like they were your children.

In the 'Surprise' folder was a single video titled 'For Your Eyes Only'. The anticipation was palpable as Joel hovered over the file, his heart racing. He clicked it open, and what unfolded was a beautifully shot, intimate moment of you, dressed in a sheer robe, recounting the first time you had seen him.

“You wore one of my favourite colours. And I have only four that I like more than anything.” you stated in the video. “It was a crimson red, almost like a maroon but not quite. You looked like you came out of a painting. A Renaissance painting. Or like a Greek statue that had been painted with the most vibrant of reds. I asked you if it was satin or silk, but you just smirked and said, 'It's a secret'. At the time I swear I was so 'You cock tease ugh I want to know so bad'. Cause I don't know about you, but the feel of fabric is a big thing for me, it's like a gateway to pleasure. The way it feels on your skin, the way it feels when it's torn away.” You spoke, the words coming out in a whisper that seemed to caress Joel's ears, sending a shiver down his spine.

“Small things you don't think about normally? They can make or break a moment.” You continued in the video, your voice a siren's call to Joel's desire.

“The way you held my attention was like nothing I had ever experienced before. I was a goner from that moment. I knew you were trouble, but I didn't know you'd be this kind of trouble.” You giggled, a sound so light and carefree that it filled Joel's chest with warmth.

“Though, it was the reaction you had from when my brother fainted at my retirement announcement. You facepalmed at his dramatics like you were watching a terrible play.”

“You could have fit in with the Italians there, the hand gestures, the facial expression of exhaustion and disappointment, speaks to the ‘My son fainted at the announcement of a new sire’. Only he was more dramatic. But that's why we get along. You don’t take things too seriously, except when you need to.”

Another video was of Porridge and her little babies, “There’s Orion, Cassiopeia, Andromeda, Cepheus, and Draco. Don’t get fooled by their cute looks. They can throw tantrums too. But they’re all just little balls of love and fluff. I swear, I’ve never felt so much love before in my life. I’ve taken a bullet before and felt less alive than I do holding them. It’s weird, right?”

Joel found himself smiling at your words, his thumb absentmindedly playing with the edge of the USB drive. He knew you had a soft spot for the animals, but to see you light up talking about them was something else entirely. It was like watching a different side of you, one that was rarely exposed to the outside world.

If this was your hell? He was more than happy to leap through the gates in order to get close to you again.

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terribleiinfluence · 6 months ago

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helloooo! i never post on here but i wanted to see if any of yall are selling a Gold VIP ticket for terrible influence in austin or Grand prairie! please let me know

#dan and phil #dan howell #phil lester #terrible influence tour #austin texas #phan

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goldenpinof · 6 months ago

Note

I love how you’re archiving everything to do with this tour, I think it’s amazing how much time and effort you put into this, and it’s been really helpful to see everything you’ve said about ticket sales!

I was wondering if you know anything about the VIP tickets in Austin (Oct 25th), I’ve seen at some of the venues it seems like were selling what should have been gold or silver VIP seats as platinum presale, and I was wondering if that could have happened there. It’s entirely possible that I just wasn’t lucky enough, but I was on within the first few seconds with 4 people on 2 devices each and all the VIPs IMMEDIATELY said sold out. I was just wondering if we know of any actual people who got VIP (gold or silver) for that show or if it was presold as platinum seating and/or bought by bots. I even called the venue and they said that gold VIP sold out in less than 2 minutes and that silver sold out in less than 10, but it must have been way less than that

hi, thank you for kind words! :)

damn, i don't remember if i know anyone from Austin. if anyone bought VIP ticket please, let me know!

VIPs shouldn't/couldn't be sold during presale. even Manchester's priority thing didn't allow it. (Iceland left the chat though). so, i suppose, a lot of people just threw the tickets in their baskets immediately, and that's why the website told you it was sold out :( don't know anything about bots and how they work, tbh. if it was the case, there should be a resale somewhere. but i don't know the legit website for it. although, phannies always resell tickets, so keep an eye on @/TicketsDan on twitter. you can also post about looking for specific tickets and if anyone has them for sale they may contact you. don't lose hope! sometimes people can't go to the show last minute and would try to sell their ticket(s).

#answered #ti tickets #ti.austin #ti.usa

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josephseedismyfather · 10 months ago

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5 songs, 3 outfits

Many thanks to @carlosoliveiraa, @g0dspeeed, @socially-awkward-skeleton, @inafieldofdaisies, @the-silver-chronicles, @noodlecupcakes and @la-grosse-patate, for tagging me in this!🥰 It was really fun! Sorry for the delay, I know it's a reallllly old tag!

Rules: Post 5 songs associated with your OC(s), followed by 3 outfits they would wear.

Harley Jane ❤️

Anyone - Demi Lovato I feel stupid when I pray Why the fuck am I praying anyway? If nobody's listening

Gasoline - Halsey I think there's a flaw in my code These voices won't leave me alone Well, my heart is gold and my hands are cold

I Like It Rough - Lady Gaga Is it 'cause you don't mean it, or because I don't feel it unless it's rough?

FU In My Head - Cloudy June Take me closer, take my clothes off, oh I fantasize If I'm honest, it's more fun when you can't read my mind

Sappy - Nirvana And if you fool yourself You will make him happy

Evangeline Rose 💛

From The Dining Table - Harry Styles I see it's written, it's all over his face Comfortable silence is so overrated Why won't you ever say what you want to say? Even my phone misses your call, by the way

Hymm For The Weekend - Coldplay When I was down, when I was hurt You came to lift me up When I was a river, dried up You came to rain a flood

Hands Clean - Alanis Morissette Ooh, this could be messy but But you don't seem to mind and Ooh, don't go telling everybody And overlook this supposed crime We'll fast forward to a few years later And no one knows except the both of us And I have honored your request for silence And you've washed your hands clean of this

Prodigal - One Republic I'm on the road to who knows where? Look ahead, not behind, I keep saying There's no place to go where you're not there On your rope, I hold tight, but it's fraying

Selling Faith - Matchbox Twenty And I know I ain't been righteous But there ain't nowhere to turn I'm falling, but I don't know how far down I don't need to understand it I just need a guiding light

Austin Randal 💙

Here I Go Again - Whitesnake Though I keep searching for an answer I never seem to find what I'm looking for

I Go To Extremes - Billy Joel Sometimes I lie awake, night after night Coming apart at the seams Eager to please, ready to fight

Sin - Nine Inch Nails It comes down to this, your kiss, your fist, and your strain It gets under my skin, within, take in the extent of my sin

Painkiller - Judas Priest Mankind's on its knees A savior comes from out the skies In answer to their pleas

Wasted Time - Skid Row Paranoid delusions, they haunt you Where's my friend I used to know? He's all alone, he's buried deep within A carcass searching for a soul Can you feel me inside your heart as it's bleeding? Why can't you believe you can be loved?

Even though it's old, gonna send it out. Apologies for doubles and no pressure as always! @wrathfulrook, @trench-rot, @ladyoriza, @cassietrn, @redreart, @hotmessteaparty, @v0idbuggy, @insanityofvaas, @malefiquinn, @strangefable, @chazz-anova, @aristomal, @ocdemon-747, @omen-speaker and anybody else who wants to play. Tag me! 😘

Be added/removed from the tag list here.

#oc: harley jane #oc: evangeline rose #oc: deputy austin randal #tagged 🖤#character aesthetics #wip playlist #far cry 5 oc #far cry 5 wip

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laf-outloud · 10 months ago

Note

https://www.tumblr.com/laf-outloud/743807030266036224/did-you-get-the-ce-email-jensen-is-now-already

Okay, so I’m going to move past me knee-jerk annoyance over CE being passive aggressive about Jared by calling Jensen THE Headliner in a few emails now. I mean, jared is only at half, or less of the cons this year, and maybe he even stipulated that this is the last year with them. Eithe way, Jared distancing himself is clearly his decision, seeing how many other cons he’s signing up for.

So, moving on from that … I find it absolutely insane that CE is doubling down on the Jensen only cons (as headliner) for 2025 when it’s barely 2024. CE hasn’t even done a single con yet this year, and the ones without Jared are largely not selling well as it is. Why do they think this is enticing to anyone but AAs? I’m not sure how late in the year J2 cons are comparing because they are so far off, but the ones up until August are selling out, or pretty well. At least they seemed to learn their lesson on trying to make Misha a headliner, or banking on cockles panels to appeal to the majority of fans. But, not having J2 takes away almost all the appeal of a CE con, because if your only getting one, you might as well go to a comic con or something, where it’s considerably cheaper.

Anyway, I looked at the 2025 con, and the Gold Pass prices are still similar to the ones this year, include J2 cons, and Jensen' Photo Op prices have gone up. This is wild to me in what will be 5 years after the last season of the show. I get that they must be getting desperate, but that just doesn’t even make sense to me. People are still trying to scrape money together for cons later this year, never mind 2025. There can only be so many rich women with free time to go to the ever-more-extensive CE cons, and who need to get close to Jensen that badly. Even if Jensen has a significant part on Season 5 of the Boys, I still don’t see him selling out cons with him alone as headliner. I don’t see him doing anything to bring in new fans, especially the type to want to pay big money to go to cons.

I’ve already seen friends on SM talking about being glad they already have cons booked for this year, because they were already unhappy with changes CE is making in cons, their greed, and now this development. Lots of people look like they will be opting out of CE cons after this year, and that’s from people who go fairly regularly.

I want to go to one last con this year, but I’m debating if I want to give CE my money any more at all. But, this might be among the last chances to see J2 together (which I enjoy), so I’m still considering it.

I think we have reached the end of an era in the SPN fandom, or we are at least in the final gasp.

You're laying down facts, anon!

It appears that Burbank is the weakest of the non-Jared cons this year, so I suppose the others could pull out better numbers, but you are definitely right that this feels like the last desperate gasp of a dying tradition, especially if, as you say, even regular con-goers are giving up.

I still think Jared will attend some CE cons (possibly one a quarter), especially if they do another in Austin, but mainly to maintain his SPN legacy.

This will be a very telling year for Creation and I suspect that as the year progresses, we'll see more discounted tickets (MinnCon 2025 tickets are already on sale), and likely a reduction in the number of cons for 2025 (no matter how much certain actors rely on them... CE can't keep paying the actors' attendance fees if the ticket sales won't cover them.)

#ask box #anti creation entertainment #jensen critical #convention speculation #creation conventions

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the-frosty-mac · 3 months ago

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as a sidenote pro wrestling history is just absolutely, endlessly fascinating to study. from the gold dust trio onwards, you have 100 years of so many of the most absolutely bizarre people to ever walk the planet attempting to figure out how to sell a fake combat sport to the masses.

and there are so many aspects to it. sure you can just study the wwe but you’ll never get the full picture of american wrestling without studying the territories, of which there are countless, each with their own individual histories and names up until vince old yeller’d them. or the promotions that existed in the mid-late 90s and gave wwf a run for its money during the Monday Night Wars. or the promotions that have popped up since the mcmahon empire became a monopoly

and what about international wrestling? take a deep dive into El Santo, the most famous and iconic luchador of all time (he was even in Coco), or learn about how CMLL is the oldest surviving wrestling promotion in the world. Or look into Antonio Inoki, founder of New Japan Pro Wrestling, and the various oddities surrounding his life. and that’s just two of several international scenes

how about indie wrestling? sure anyone can tell you who stone cold steve austin is, and most folks might know the nwo, but who out there knows about Chikara’s The Colony? can you name a local promotion near you?

how about weirdly niche subjects, like championships. did you know the WWE Intercontinental Championship is a combination of a North American Championship and a South American Championship that were unified? And that the latter title didn’t even exist, they just made it up for the backstory?

like any form of art (because that’s what pro wrestling is), there are endless styles and masters and techniques and oddities and fun facts. but the nature of wrestling means so many of the people involved are genuinely just fascinatingly strange. sometimes in frightening ways, true, but also sometimes in amusingly absurd ways too. i love learning about all these weird little tidbits

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trulybetty · 1 year ago

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oct' 06 x falling leaves

Prompt: falling leaves Pairing: gold rush!joel x f!reader Word Count: 682 Warnings: do I still have to warn anyone that barely an edit took place? pre-outbreak joel, domesticity, obnoxious sentiments about fall, teeny tiny tinest dust of spice if you squint Summary: a morning between charlotte and joel one quiet morning before before all the angst of gold rush ever happened

x. masterlist

Charlotte watched the falling leaves from the back decks swing. Fall, as usual, had come late to Austin and while the air was crisp it was tinged with the dampness of the rain the previous two days had brought.

Coffee in one hand, her feet curled in the plush yellow blanket she’d pulled from the back of the sofa on her way to the kitchen through the living room. It’d been a present from a newly crowned eight year old Sarah when she’d moved in with her and Joel. The week before Charlotte had taken Sarah to buy Tommy a moving present when he’d moved to a new apartment, explaining the ritual. So when Joel had asked Sarah about Charlotte moving in, Sarah’s only response was to ask if they could buy her a moving present.

That had been five years ago, Sarah now fourteen not far off fifteen and the blanket still cherished.

Before Charlotte could contemplate the day ahead she heard the sliding door off the kitchen open.

“I knew you’d be out here.”

Charlotte tilted her head back to see Joel wince at the cold air as he shut the door behind him and dash to the swing beside her, pulling her legs up onto his lap and blanket over the both of them.

A comfortable silence fell between the two, Joel gently swinging the bench with his feet extended out in front of him.

“You know, fall in Texas is so different from how it was in Fresno.”

Joel looked over, a soft smile on his face. It was always around this time of year Charlotte got a little homesick despite not having lived in Fresno for longer than she grew up there. “Yeah? How so?"

Charlotte smiled, her gaze turning inward as she remembered. “Well, it actually felt like fall in Fresno by late September.” Joel laughed, Sarah had only been complaining the week before that it wasn’t fair how they didn’t get proper seasons in Texas. “The air would turn crisp,” Charlotte continued as she clutched her coffee cup a little tighter, “and you could actually feel that distinct autumn chill setting in weeks before. And you could see the Sierra Nevadas in the distance... they’d start getting that dusting of snow on top.”

“You’re very poetic this morning.”

Charlotte grinned, “It's the season, brings out the sentimentalist in all of us.”

“You maybe, not so sure about me,” he said, flexing his feet to give the swing a little more momentum.

“Don't sell yourself short,” she teased. “You have your moments.”

The sun started to rise higher, the first rays of light peeking through the trees, casting a golden glow over the yard. A leaf fell, twirling as it descended, and landed softly on the ground.

Joel took in the tranquil quiet of the back yard before turning his attention back to Charlotte. Reaching beneath the blanket, he began to gently massage her feet. He felt her sigh and relax further into the swing, her eyes closing for a moment to savor the sensation.

After a while, his hands moved up to her calves, applying a bit more pressure as he worked to knead away the knots of stress that seemed to have settled there. “You’re tense,” he observed softly.

“A bit,” she admitted. “Work’s been busy, we wrapped that big case this week.”

“Mmm,” he hummed in understanding, his hands moving higher still to her thighs. “Well, Sarah’s sleeping over at your sister’s and will be out all day today with Grace. And neither of us have to be anywhere…” His voice had a hint of suggestion, the tension in the air changing subtly.

Charlotte opened her eyes and met his gaze, a mischievous glint in her own. “Is that so?”

“Yes ma'am,” he grinned, adopting the southern gentleman persona that never failed to amuse her.

She set her coffee cup down on the small table next to the swing and turned towards him, “Well, in that case cowboy, maybe we should head inside. It is starting to get a bit chilly out here.”

#october x 500 #autumnal offerings #joel miller fanfic #joel miller fanfiction #joel miller x charlotte winters #joel miller x oc #joel miller x ofc

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deadcactuswalking · 10 months ago

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REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 23/03/2024 (V of BTS and... Mark Knopfler?)

It’s a short week, largely to prepare for what chaos should be coming the next, but right at the top, Benson Boone clenches his first ever #1 with “Beautiful Things”. I know pretty much no-one who cares about pop music on a deeper level likes this song, but hey, if I’m the only person happy about this other than Booner Boy himself, I’ll take it. Welcome back to REVIEWING THE CHARTS!

Rundown

Given our few new songs, we also only have a handful of notable dropouts to start with, so we’ll bid adieu to the small but decent selection of “Could You be Loved” by Bob Marley & The Wailers, “Angel Numbers / Ten Toes” by Chris Brown, “My Love Mine All Mine” by Mitski and finally, “Disconnect” by Becky Hill and Chase & Status.

As for what’s back, we see returns for “Asking” by Sonny Fodera and MK featuring Clementine Douglas at #73 and, sigh, “Someone You Loved” by Lewis Capaldi at #68, and then a spattering of gains. Our most notable boosts are for “if u think i’m pretty” by Artemas at #59, “Wasted Youth” by goddard. and Cat Burns at #58, “We Ain’t Here for Long” by Nathan Dawe at #55, “Happier” by The Blessed Madonna featuring Clementine Douglas at #54, “Thank You (Not So Bad)” by a bestiary of enemies to good taste at #50, “Green & Gold” by Rudimental and Skepsis featuring Charlotte Plank and Riko Dan at #43, “Birds in the Sky” by NewEra at #34, “Never Lose Me” by Flo Milli surging high and fast up to #23 thanks to her releasing an album that includes a pretty great remix of the song featuring Cardi B and SZA, and then “Austin” by Dasha at #15, “Lovers in a Past Life” by Calvin Harris and Rag’n’Bone Man at #14 and finally, making his way into the top 10 for the first time, “Scared to Start” by Michael Marcagi at #10.

Our top five this week consists of “End of Beginning” by Djo at #5, “Lose Control” by Teddy Swims at #4, “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” by Beyoncé at #3, “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” by Ariana Grande at a new peak of #2 off of the debut, that could grab a week at the top soon, and of course, Benny Boone at #1. Now for our four new songs, which feel like names picked out of a hat and placed onto the chart.

New Entries

#60 - “Been Like This” - Meghan Trainor and T-Pain

Produced by Gian Stone and Grant Boutin

This is a joke, right? Or a soundtrack to a reality television competition, or daytime talk show? T-Pain has grown into his role as wholesome cuddly media figure surprisingly well and a collaboration with Meghan Trainor, whilst demonic, seems to be the best way to seal that position, with this being the lead single for her next album… Timeless. Well, that’s one thing to call your music. Mean jokes aside, hey, T-Pain is here so at least there’ll be some genuine, not as obnoxious charisma? Well, first of all, it’s electro swing, so my first instinct is to step away from my laptop, keel over and die, especially when Meghan starts to singing about how she keeps it juicy and then eventually that she’s “still that bitch”, as if she was ever that bitch to begin with. There’s something so cynical about Trainor’s vocals that I didn’t notice just the true extent of until T-Pain came in with an infectious call-and-response and weirdly-mixed but fun-extruding harmonies that almost would convince me on the entire song if he didn’t have to play to Meghan’s lack of personality, especially when placed against each other in the bridge. T-Pain can sell this as some goofy cartoon clown, but it probably wouldn’t charted without Ms. Trainor, who brings pretty much nothing to the song other than taking it a tad too seriously, despite the fact that there’s no reason, lyrically, for this to even be a duet. Also, Meghan, I’m not sure you can even sing the line about GRAMMYs in T-Pain’s verse on the account of you only have one.

#52 - “Never be Lonely” - Jax Jones and Zoe Wees

Produced by Jax Jones, Mark Ralph, Neave Applebaum and Tom Demac

I actually really like Jax Jones’ producer tag, it’s cute and rhythmic, has a little stutter to it. It’s nice. I have to say more than that, don’t I? I have to acknowledge Zoe Wees’ voice being misued and manipulated to just sounding characterless, I have to acknowledge how this heavily interpolates the drop from “Rhythm is a Dancer” by Snap!, one of the best Eurodance songs ever despite some… regrettable lines. It spent six weeks at #1 in 1992, blocking off Jimmy Nails, Freddie Mercury, Luther Vandross, Janet Jackson and of course, “Ebenezer Goode” by the Shamen from the top spot, before reappearing in remixed form in 2003 and 2008, reaching the top 40 again both times. “Never be Lonely” doesn’t work as an update of the song because of completely different lyrical content that I actually hate, asking someone to tell her how it feels that she’ll always be there for them, it’s really patronising and weird. It doesn’t work as a reimagining or reinterpretation because it goes for the same tone, and doesn’t adopt or adapt any of the original lyrical conceits. The one thing it does have is a Cascada remix. Yes, that Cascada. I have no idea why, but it exists.

#18 - “Going Home” (Theme from Local Hero) - Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes

Produced by Guy Fletcher

Oh, so I guess this episode really will get as serious as cancer. This one might take a while to explain. So in 1983, Bill Forsyth wrote and directed Local Hero, a highly-acclaimed comedy drama that is actually former US Vice President Al Gore’s favourite film. Its soundtrack features a five-minute instrumental piece known as the “Theme of the Local Hero”. I’ve never seen the film so I don’t know how exactly it appears or makes sense within its narrative but I do know it has far transcended its origin. “Going Home” was the first single in Mark Knopfler’s solo career and has become a staple in both his and his band’s live performances, as well as becoming another theme, now for Knopfler’s home football team, Newcastle United. It’s probably the most lukewarm take of all time to say that “Going Home” is a beautiful piece, it honestly gives me goosebumps from its transcendent new-age introduction and excellently distant sax from Michael Brecker, that eventually transform into a very 80s-sounding but still profoundly triumphant jam that emulates the feeling of a journey in the UK pretty well. Maybe that’s what the film’s about, I don’t know. It peaked at #56 in 1983, whilst Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart” was #1 - good week for rock epics, I guess.

If you know Knopfler from anything, it’s likely his band Dire Straits, one of the few important British rock bands that hit #1 in the States and never back over here on the islands - their #1 is of course “Money for Nothing”. The legacy of Dire Straits is not something tangible for me or that I’ve ever really understood, their sound was varied and evolved through what was ultimately a very short career. They’re not a legendary act but are still big names and incredibly well-connected, especially Knopfler, who has played and produced extensively for many artists and soundtracks. In January, Knopfler sold over 100 of his guitar and amp equipment at auction and in March, he’s compiled a charity ensemble to cover “Going Home” in support of cancer awareness.

Its status as a charity single is the only possible explanation for why this nearly 10 minute instrumental piece even touched the charts let alone the top 20, but it is stuffed with big names, from rock icons like Brian May, RIngo Starr and Joan Jett and newer cats like Sam Fender and Orianthi to genuine oddballs like Keiji Haino and head-scratching inclusions like, uh, Brad Paisley, who I will only ever remember for “Accidental Racist”. There are over 60 musicians on this record and damn near all of them contributed through their guitar playing, other than Ringo on drums, The Who’s Roger Daltrey on my favourite, the harmonica (that you can barely hear at times - Daltrey’s harmonica should be put to better use), and a few others. You can tell that Fletcher and Knopfler did their best job to try and collate recordings that were clearly from different times, places, equipment set-ups and audio qualities, but this is still basically a meandering pile of guitar overdubs that lasts longer than some full EPs and doesn’t really let you register any single guitarist as them playing. The collectiveness of it may just be the point, to show a united front against cancer or what have you, and there’s definitely a lot to appreciate if you’re an in-depth fan of guitar playing or a guitarist yourself, of which I’m not. I will admit, this is genuinely impressively easy to sit through for how lengthy it is, largely because of the dexterity on display, the fact that the melody of the original “Going Home”, even when developed on in the many ways it is within this piece, is still so infectious, and also because it comes out of not just cynical philanthropy but a genuine passion for the guitar as an instrument. The cover art is a Sgt. Peppers parody of the musicians standing in front of a famous guitar shop in London, and the wide array of musicians from a lot of different genres, eras and even techniques shows how wide and universal this feels an appreciation of the guitar… but I’ll say what my dad always said about Dire Straits (because, really, dads are the only people with viable Dire Straits opinions): “it all becomes much of a muchness.” My favourite of theirs is “Walk of Life” by the way, it’s so goofy. Love it.

#14 - “FRI(END)S” - V

Produced by Connor McDonough and Riley McDonough

V is the latest of the BTS boys to release a solo English single, seemingly leading towards a solo career like Jung Kook, with credits stacked full of Anglophone pop songwriters and production from the McDonough brothers that results in a very serviceable pop song that I’m not sure would get much attention outside of the fact that it’s a BTS member, hence why sales jacked this one’s chart position up so high. It’s not a bad little song at all, in fact I like the distorted guitar lick and the amount of emotion V shows in his vocals despite all the effects, he has a real unique texture against the slodgier indie drums and the infectious bed of harmonies in the pre-chorus. The one way I could see this getting big organically would be that fun albeit gimmicky chorus that makes this an anti-climactic friend zone anthem, though the gimmick wears off after the second time and doesn’t really develop into anything new in the second chorus other than some pretty gross, reverb-drenched spectacle. I usually wouldn’t give this manufactured bedroom pop much more of the time of day but there’s not much in the way of obnoxious performance or toxic lyrics here, it’s just that it really could be any other vaguely bitter male singer’s song. The first most obvious comparison is Joji due to their vocal textures, but Charlie Puth or Lauv could have easily made this work too, though probably not as well as V does here, especially not Puth. God, that would be horrible. Thank God for BTS that this song was never offered to Puth (not that he’d accept a song he didn’t spend 20 hours writing and producing himself, of course). Ugh, enough Puth talk, let’s end the episode.

Conclusion

God, this was not a great week, huh? Even if I’m not fussed about the new version, the composition of “Going Home” makes Mark Knopfler and friends get a lock for Honourable Mention, and it really does end up as the song with the most - if not the only - human passion in this selection. Worst of the Week goes to Meghan Trainor, surprise, surprise, for “Been Like This” with T-Pain, and that’s all. Future, Shakira, O-Rod, Tyla, Hozier, Headie One, Artemas, Cardi B, Lil Nas X, Bryson Tiller, they could all hypothetically show up next week and it would be a big one, so prepare for that and who knows what else? It’s 2024, anything can chart. As for now, thank you for reading, rest in peace to Cola Boyy but we go on and I’ll see you next week!

#uk singles chart #pop music #song reviews #mark knopfler #guitar heroes #dire straits #v #jax jones #zoe wees #cascada #meghan trainor #t-pain

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