#so original Joni

[cool-n-out]

I LIKE THIS GUY DOM (fallout oc) (very cool)

[campingwithmonsters]

“You’re doing great.”

I can post this because I have free will and if people are bothered with me drawing other characters pregnant than they can leave :3

I have a little Blind Man’s Bluff side AU I love a lot where Atalanta’s a surrogate for her sister Aeden. Something something Aeden has a partner and she’s been struggling to carry to term and it’s broken Aeden so bad at this point that she didn’t want to try again and she and her husband decided to look into surrogacy. Atalanta does her own research and opts to do it for Aeden because deep down she truly does love her sisters and is willing either way. Her and Snowie are also dating in this AU cause I said so. Atalanta doesn’t lose all her stoicism but is more prone to opening up emotionally more often. It’s really just a self indulgent AU I made because I thought it would be really cute uughhh and it IS uuUUuGGHgGg—

Also like to think that Plantae people in Whistlegrimm have different ways they can have children. Some go through the natural pregnancy process while others plant their own seeds. It’s really up to the parent’s preferences because there’s pros and cons to each. Aeden and her husband just personally wanted to have a child they created together so seeding was out of the question, plus Aeden wouldn’t really have luck with seeding anyway as that’s its own process and she just generally has fertility issues and more all around.

I just uuurgrghr I really love this AU a lot and I think it’s really freaking cute. It’s meant to be a lot more sappy/slice of life as a self indulgence thing for me cause this type of shit is THE sweetest thing to me. I will create what I want because I have free will.

[reneesbooks]

last line tag

ok confession i suck at this game. i always want there to be context and i always post way more than i should. anyway i was tagged by my love @oh-no-another-idea and i will be posting a few more than just the last line bc it's my blog and i make the rules. meja is being sheltered after fleeing reijmor and stian catches up with her in kinesehas, a settlement of hass refugees.

“Do you know where she went?” Every syllable is clipped and furious, the kind that usually were punctuated with projectiles.

“I don’t care to tell you.”

“Why the hell—“

“Because I suspect your intentions towards her are malicious.”

Several men speak angrily at once and Meja adjusts her hold on Reijka, covering her ears better.

The other voices quiet and Stian's bites out, “She is my wife.”

“All the more reason to doubt your honor. I saw the baby in her arms. She loved an outsider more than you and now you want to take her to Bjerkja, where she'd be killed and you would be allowed to destroy her child.”

“She stole my daughter.”

Joni laughs. “Her daughter, too. Get out. This isn't the homeland, and you have no right to that woman anymore, nor her children. We will certainly not help you hunt them. Go to the harbor if you wish, ask the dock workers who has seen her. You'll have better luck asking the fish in the market when the tides will come in.”

salt and brine taglist (ask to be added <3!): @oh-no-another-idea @k--havok

tagging @kaylinalexanderbooks @lyssa-ink and @avrablake and anyone else who would like to join in <3

[m0thb1tch]

Going to the tree museum. Y'all need anything?

[aheathen-conceivably]

Long before the last note Antoine had grown aware of Zelda’s presence; but as he finished, he looked up at her with a newfound vulnerability in his eyes. As she stared at him unmoving, he absentmindedly moved his hand along the strings to fill the quiet left by the watching stars, “Was it alright, you think? Writing lyrics, it’s new. Harder than assembling notes, if you ask me.”

She looked at him in amazed silence. His original piano pieces had been brilliant, and sometimes he had written ditties for her to sing, but never before had she heard him sing his own lyrics. She had always known how much he loved it - this place that he had left but that walked alongside him everywhere he went; but it was so much clearer this way, so full of both love and hate, loyalty and disdain, longing and relief, that it was difficult for anything other than music to encompass it. 

She brought her hands together in something that may have been a clap if she wasn’t so afraid to disrupt the stillness of the desert air. On silent footsteps, she left her reverie behind and moved to sit where he had made room for her on the worn wooden bench.

She looked at him earnestly, trying to ease his fear with even just the movement of her eyes, “It’s brilliant, Antoine, truly.” And she meant it, not just because she was under his spell and not her own now; the judgmental eyes of God and her sisters were shut out when she was in his orbit. Now there was only him and his memories for her to get lost in. 

He left his hands on the strings, still playing the familiar notes as though they helped make the admittance easier to utter, “You were right, you know? When I play it’s like I can see it all laid out in front of me. Or better yet, under me. Like I’m above it, observing it all like a story. Makes me realize I loved it more than I thought I did. That house. That place. Her. I wrote it because I know it’s gone now, probably nothing but rubble under a cheap government build. I just don’t want to forget. Or maybe I don’t want the world to forget.”

The stars looked down on them as his smile widened with every inch she drew closer to him. They reflected brightly in her eyes as she leveled them to his, “Would you sing it again? So I can hear it better?”

He let out a small laugh, just as much in relief as in humor. “Surely you would prefer to sing it? With a voice like yours I would hate to imagine what mine must sound like.”

She brought her knee up on the bench with them, curling as close as she could without dislodging the guitar from his arms. “Hush and sing. You don’t need me now.”

“I always will, Mrs. Duplanchier. No matter what. But as you wish….” 🎶

Part 3/3

Previous / Next

(As Antoine is meant to have written House of the Rising Son in this universe, I’m going to leave a little disclaimer about this song and its origins under the cut, in case you are interested!)

The origins of the song House of the Rising Sun are much older and more complicated than I have presented here. Folklorist Alan Lomax has written more on it if you are interested, but it is commonly thought to have originated as an English folk song, morphing into the version we know today amongst various groups of American immigrants.

Perhaps best known for its 1964 version by The Animals, it has long formed a staple of American folk, blues, rock, and country recordings, with recorded versions by everyone from Lead Belly, Woody Guthrie, Doc Watson, Nina Simone, Dolly Parton, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, and Alt-J (amongst so many others). However, I have taken inspiration from the earliest known recorded version, which was done in Appalachia in 1933.

Of course, in having Antoine write this song I have compressed much of this history into a single figure, as well as slightly twisted the meaning of the song to fit the story line. The latter is mostly based on personal interpretation of the lyrics and is purposefully meant to draw a line from this family’s musical heritage through the 1960s and beyond. It also gives a face to the very real figures behind many of the staples of American music that have come to us from the early part of the 20th century, many of which were written or played by black men and women whose songs have continued onward while many of their names and stories may have been forgotten.

[cssns]

The FINAL YEAR of the Captain Swan Supernatural Summer is behind us, so it's time for the CSSNS24 Event Roundup!!!

Does anyone else need a min? I know I do...

Before we get to the roundup itself, I have to give the LOUDEST OF SHOUT OUTS and GROUP HUG to the team of mods - @winterbaby89 @jrob64 @stahlop and @ultraluckycatnd - who helped me EVERY STEP OF THE WAY!!! This event absolutely wouldn't have happened without them and I'm sooooo grateful that they stepped up to the plate to make this final event a success!!! Thank you all soooo much, ladies!!!!

Also as part of this final roundup, I want to share all the links to all the other event roundups that have been reblogged the last few weeks. This has been an PHENOMENAL ride over all these years and I'm so grateful for all the love and support y'all have given it!! And now, all of the fics and art from all of the years will be in one place!!

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Thank you all again for EVERYTHING all these years!!! Its been an honor and privilege to man the helm for most of these years, but it certainly wouldn't have lasted as long as it has without the contributions of all the participants and the enthusiasm of the audience!!!! So thank you all from the bottom of my heart!!!

And now, on to the roundup!!!! Under the cut, unless Tumblr ate it.

I opened us up this year on July 2 with the first of two contributions I prepared for this final event. The Arena was a short and - kinda, maybe, not so much overall, but def by the end - sweet werewolf oneshot with breathtaking artwork by @motherkatereloyshipper !!!

On Tumblr

On ao3

On July 5, @exhaustedpirate posted a not-so-short and extra sexy werewolf fic, In Your Moonlit Eyes, with wonderful artwork by @thejollyroger-writer.

On Tumblr

On ao3

On July 7, @whatevenisthisbloganymore posted the first chapter of a fae fic, Where Idle Feet Wander. Princess Emma of the EF finds herself in the Fae lands and needs help to return home. The first ch was fantastic and I can't wait to see where the journey takes us!

On ao3

On July 9, @jrob64 posted the first chapter of her ghost hunter Killian fic, Ghosted, with artwork provided by yours truly, manips of Neal and Liam courtesy of @motherkatereloyshipper! Now complete with five chapters, Joni took us on QUITE a spooky ride!! Don't read before going to bed at night!!!

Ch1 on Tumblr

On ao3

On July 13, @grimmswan updated both of her fics from last year, Dracula in Storybrooke and Love Bites (But So Do I). Both of these fics are SO MUCH FUN and we are getting very close to their conclusions!!

Dracula in Storybrooke on Tumblr on ao3

Love Bites on Tumblr on ao3

On July 14 @anmylica posted an update to last years fic, Fly With the Black Swan, her alternate telling of the Dark Swan arc. Now three chs in, this is an absolutely beautiful tale so far and I can't wait for more of it!!! Artwork by @zaharadessert

On ao3

On July 15, @theartofdreaming1 posted original artwork for the event featuring mermaid Emma!!! Absolutely beautiful work brought me to tears!!

On July 17, @mie779 posted an alternative take on episode 3x17 The Jolly Roger featuring merman Killian!! Don't Kiss and Tail, a fantastic and utterly delightful what if fic!!! Lovely banner by @iamstartraveller776.

On Tumblr

On ao3

On July 17, @goforlaunchcee updated last year's fic, Smoke and Mirrors, with absolutely perfect artwork by @piinfeathers!! A ghost/witch story, it's an absolute HOOT and I'm always so happy when she updates!! Now up to ch7.

On Tumblr

On ao3

On July 19, @snowbellewells posted the first of her two offerings for this year's event, On Wings of Storm, with magnificent artwork by @motherkatereloyshipper !!! A beautiful one shot that left me in tears of joy!!

On Tumblr

On ao3

On July 25, @laianely posted the first chapter of her crime mystery No Rest for the Immortals with artwork by @captainswan-kellie (x) and herself (x). A murder mystery featuring vampire Killian, I am BESIDE myself every time she updates. Now on ch7.

On Tumblr

On ao3

On July 27, @xarandomdreamx posted the first chapter of her fic, The Kiss of Life with beautiful artwork provided by @motherkatereloyshipper!! Ohhh, she killed me sharing snippets on discord and the whole chapter did not disappoint!!!! Cannot wait for more of this!!!

On Tumblr

On ao3

On Aug 4, I posted my second fic for the event, Return to Me, again with stunning artwork by @motherkatereloyshipper !! Since the whole purpose of this event was to bump up the number of werewolf and vampire CS fics, and I'd already posted a werewolf fic this year, I came up with a fic that I thought the original Dracula was kinda about. Turns out that I was very wrong. But anyway, it was a lot of fun to write.

On Tumblr

On ao3

On Aug 6, @belovedcreation posted the first chapter of an epic werewolf fic, Can I Be Your Werewolf? featuring lovely artwork from @mie779!! 33 chapters that she just finished posting TODAY, it was an awesome ride from start to finish!!!

On Tumblr

On ao3

On Aug 8, @everything-person shared with us a smorgasbord of ideas that she came up with, but real life intervened and she wasn't able to write full fics for them. HOWEVER, she did make art for them all and shared a snippet of where she wanted to go with each one. Each one was absolutely fantastic and I hope there will come a day when she is able to write the fics and share them with us!!

On Tumblr

On Aug 10, @jonesfandomfanatic posted the first two chs of her fic, Into the Parallel. Now on ch6 of 7, this is an incredible time travel/realm jumper fic that I am absolutely in love with!!!

On Tumblr

On ao3

On Aug 16, @exhaustedpirate posted her second fic of the event, Haunted By the Ghost of You, again with beautiful artwork by @thejollyroger-writer. The first chapter was lovely and heartbreaking in equal measure and I cannot wait to see the happy ending she has promised me will happen. Someday...

On Tumblr

On ao3

On Aug 21, @snowbellewells submitted her second fic of the event, For All Life and For All Time, this fic actually inspired by Dracula. The first of three chs is currently up and I cannot wait to see more of it!!!

On Tumblr

On ao3

On Aug 22, @hollyethecurious posted the first chapter of Once Upon a Grimm, her incredible fic using the lore and some storylines of the TV series Grimm featuring Once characters. @eastwesthomeisbest provided the gorgeous artwork!! We are now two chs in and I can already tell, we are in for a really fun ride!!!

On Tumblr

On ao3

On Aug 24, @wyntereyez posted a second fic to her series Bats In the Belfry. This year's fic, Wool of Bat and Tongue of Dog is a MC and a fantastic follow-up to A Little Batty from last year!!! Artwork by @jrob64 .

On Tumblr

On ao3

On Aug 25, @cocohook38 posted her artwork for last years fic by @iamstartraveller776 To Cleave Destiny. We only have the first ch of the fic posted, but it's amazing already and Jules artwork just gives me chills!!!

Artwork post on Tumblr

Fic on ao3

On Aug 26, @eastwesthomeisbest posted a series of manips of Emma Dressed in Blood. Literally took my breath away!!! Gorgeously creepy!!!

On Tumblr

On Aug 29, @zaharadessert posted the Prologue of her fic, Forget Me Not, with a lovely moodboard made by @exhaustedpirate . This first chapter sets up quite a mystery and I can't wait to see where she goes with this!!!

On Tumblr

On ao3

On Aug 30, @deckerstarblanche posted the final chapter of last year's fic, An Offer She Can't Refuse, with artwork by @undercaffinatednightmare. A super sexy Omegaverse fic, I was soooo thrilled she came back to give CS the happy ending they deserve!!!

On Tumblr

On ao3

Our last fic of the event, Scattered Earth (Mortua Terra), posted just yesterday. Real life intruded and kept @dykelilypage from finishing her fic until last week, but I told her that if she could get it in before I posted the roundup, I'd still include it, and boy did she deliver!!! The fic was absolutely incredible!!! Supernatural investigative reporters Emma Swan and Killian Jones team up to solve a mystery. Utterly perfect artwork done by @eastwesthomeisbest

On Tumblr

On ao3

Well, that's it, y'all!! Our FINAL CSSNS has come to an end!!

Everyone take a moment, take a deep breath, and join me in expressing your appreciation to all the participants this year and over the last six for giving us such PHENOMENAL, INCREDIBLE, FANTASTIC supernatural stories!!! There are still many fics from past years that the authors are still active in fandom and plan on continuing whenever they get a chance. And to that end, this blog is not going anywhere. Whenever an update to a fic posts, I'll be right here to read, flail, and reblog.

Until then, y'all!!!

[beckyisonline]

unravel me (gently) | prologue & ch. 01 | nanami kento

⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

⊹₊ ˚‧ and then my soul saw you and it kind of went, "oh, there you are. i've been looking for you." ‧ ˚ ₊⊹

pairing - nanami kento x gojo’s sister (original character), past geto x gojo's sister

summary - in this world where love and duty are at constant war, Gojo Akari is in the midst of learning what it means to be a jujutsu sorcerer. caught between duty to her clan and duty to jujutsu society, she meets Nanami Kento, and her world as she knew it flips on its axis. 

chapter warnings - female OC, descriptions of mild anxiety, discussion of arranged marriage, depictions of mild violence, vague-ish descriptions of birth, creative liberty taken with Nanami's backstory and Gojo's parents.

word count - 2.5k (chapters will get longer!)

a/n - whipped this one up rather quickly after learning there was an appetite for a nanami kento series! i was inspired because i felt like there were an overabundance of long form series about Gojo & other characters but not much for mr. kento! it has been ages since i've written fan fic, so am open to any suggestions! it has also been ages since i have written creatively beyond poetry, so critique me if you have any criticism!

song listened to while writing - while writing this I had "Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You" by Big Thief on repeat, and "A Case of You" by Joni Mitchell, as well as "Poets" by The Tragically Hip, so that is definitely the energy I attempted to curate in this chapter. tbh, i imagine "Poets" being the song on in the background during the party scene. also, totally feel like "girl i've always been" by Olivia Rodrigo describes my OC perfectly.

series masterlist

⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

IT WAS A BITTER DECEMBER MORNING when Gojo Akari burst to life, bloody and blue from her trip to earth. Her imperial birth served as an afterthought to the opening of her twin brother’s six-eyes, a collective sigh let out from the Gojo clan at the knowledge that the second Gojo twin was born a girl. There can’t be two miracles in one day, Gojo Haruto supposed, and turned his nose up at his wailing babe. Akari burst from the womb of Gojo Sayori before Satoru could be wiped clean. And now, Sayori held her bloody babe to her chest and peered down at her through a mosaic of tears. 

“She will be Akari. She will be light.” Sayori shakingly declared, before her life was plunged into a sea of darkness, never to open her eyes again, or suck in another breath. 

⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

AKARI WAS RAISED TO BE THE PERFECT WIFE FOR ZEN’IN NAOYA. To be wed on her eighteenth birthday, Akari was taught the ins and outs of how she should behave upon her marriage to the Zen’in heir. In her dreams, she remembers her old, frumpy etiquette teacher reminding her to stand tall, but keep your head low. Never laugh too loud, or seem too happy, but don’t seem mad either. Always walk three steps behind your husband, and let him introduce you in any unfamiliar setting. And remember, you are his before you are your own, so always be ready for him at his request. 

While she was conditioned to be the great wife of Zen’in Naoya, her brother was primed to be the head of the Gojo clan. Akari would watch as her brother trained, day-in, day-out; he was a weapon, trained to dominate and destroy whatever came along his path. How she longed to train, to roll around in the grass and have sweat drip down her face from the searing August sun. How she longed to be a student, how she longed to be a jujutsu sorcerer. 

On brisk nights, when everyone was asleep, Satoru would sneak his sister into the field. They would train until the sun broke the horizon, and Akari would be overcome with adrenaline. Using her body to fight was intoxicating, and gave her a purpose that she knew she would never find as the wife of Zen’in Naoya. 

Satoru was declared head of the Gojo clan at fourteen years old, the day before he was to start school. His first decree?

Gojo Akari was to join him at Tokyo Jujutsu Tech.

⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

GOJO AKARI IS SURE SHE IS GOING TO DIE before she gets to see the new first years. Yaga has had her training with his cursed corpses since the sun rose, and she thinks if she is out in this heat any longer she may melt into the earth. She is sick of fighting, and knows that Yaga won’t end this unless she does. So, Akari raises to her full height, flips her artificial, inky-black hair over her shoulder, and sends a swift kick toward the fluffy cursed corpse standing before her. 

Looking over her shoulder at Yaga, she breaks out into a sly grin and asks, “That good enough for ya?”

Yaga stares back at her for a beat, committing her face to memory as if it might vanish before he gets a good look. At fifteen years old, she is a grade 1 sorceress from one of the most prestigious jujutsu clans; she is everything they wish to put down, the wild child they struggle to fit into the box of arranged marriage and debutante balls. As she stands before him, pale-white roots showing through her poorly dyed black hair, he thinks he is in the presence of the type of power they may write about one day, for better or worse. He thinks that in all of the talk about Satoru and his ancient technique, they are missing another power that could threaten the annihilation of the land he bears his soul to. 

“You’re free to go, Akari.” Yaga sighs. 

Akari turns toward Yaga, clapping him on the shoulder as she breezes past, “You rock, Sensei!” Yaga hides a smile. 

If there is anyone on this earth that knows Akari better than Satoru, it is Masamichi Yaga. When he first met her, she was but a quiet girl. Hidden behind the talents of her renowned brother, she flourished; like a tree growing up despite tainted roots. She exists like a sapling in a windstorm, bending, yet never breaking, and growing past the expectations of her clan. 

Yaga watches as Akari barrels through the field toward the showers, a ball of excitement she would never utter aloud escaping from her at the prospect of meeting new first years.

Akari has been burnt and bruised by the childhood that attempted to beat her into submission, but her soul is alive as she runs through this grass, and she can’t wait to meet who she doesn’t know yet. As she makes it to the showers, and stands under the water that soothes whatever scabs and scratches lie beneath, she is excited for what this year will be. She is fifteen, and has never known a happiness like this, and never known a pain she could not bear. She can be mean, and brash, and speak before thinking, but right now she is excited to meet more people she can open her heart to. 

⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

NANAMI KENTO IS SURE HE IS GOING TO DIE if this white-haired idiot doesn’t shut up. It is his first day at this weird sorcerer school, and he is stuck with Haibara Yu who Kento thinks is too nice, and this odd, drunk, rich-boy who won’t stop blubbering about how Kento has to meet his sister, because she’s emo too! Let alone the others, who Kento is noticing encourage Gojo’s behaviour, and encouraged him to get drunk at this party Kento wishes he never showed up to. The other second years are just as odd as Gojo in their own ways, with Geto Suguru breathlessly laughing in the corner at Gojo (whose stomach is currently a boat fighting a tsunami), and Ieiri Shoko who is nursing a cigarette indoors and a whiskey on the rocks. Kento is thankful for Ieiri’s invitation to this party, but is silently planning an escape from his seat on the floor.

Every so often, Kento takes a sip of the whiskey Ieiri supplied him with and offers a chuckle to whatever it is Haibara is excitedly rambling about. Kento has never been to a party in his life, and in the searing August heat in this too-small room, his hands have grown clammy and his hair has stuck to his neck. For as long as he has been alive, he has always been just on the cusp of living. For the entirety of his fifteen years, he has watched others live their life behind a mesh wall; never quite experiencing life as they did, and being too different from those he grew up with. Kento supposes that seeing monsters that no one else can puts a real damper on any relationships he could have with normal people. 

“There she is!” Ieiri enthusiastically yells at the opening door, bringing everyone’s attention toward who Kento presumes is Gojo’s sister. Upon first glance, he isn’t exactly sure he would call her emo (he isn’t sure he would call himself emo either), but he can see she is a bit more edgy than Satoru. With dark green cargo pants hung low on her hips, a thin black tank-top, beat-up high-top sneakers, an array of ear-piercings, necklaces, and rings, Kento thinks that she looks like a warrior, ready to break out into a fight at any moment if it was needed. She is strong too, despite her relatively short stature; Kento eyes the thickness of her arm muscles, and thinks that she could likely snap him in half if he crossed her. Kento notices that she appears to have the same sort of peculiar white-hair as Satoru, given her grown-out, white roots showing through wild hair Kento presumes is dyed black, along with her white eyebrows, sitting above a set of blue eyes that don’t uncomfortably pierce him the way Satoru’s do. Kento doesn’t think that he has seen such strange eyes, or such a strange natural hair colour on anyone before coming to Jujutsu Tech, and he wonders if this is another oddity that comes along with being a sorcerer.

Suddenly, Kento feels as though Ieiri’s already too small room has gotten even smaller with the introduction of another body, and tips his head behind him toward the open window. 

“Sho!” Gojo’s sister greets happily, making her way toward Ieiri, throwing an overworked arm around her shoulder. “Got any whiskey?” 

“Akariiii,” Gojo whines. Akari, must be her name, Kento notes. “Don’t take anything from Shoko, I am dying over here from whatever she gave me!” Kento raises his head in time to notice Akari pulling a cigarette from Shoko’s pack and a lighter from her pocket, bringing it to her lips whilst rolling her eyes at Gojo. 

“Lucky for me, I can actually handle my liquor.” Akari says, takes a drag from the cigarette, and walks over to Gojo, flicking him on the forehead. Shoko erupts into a fit of laughter, along with Haibara and Geto. Remembering Geto is in the room, Kento looks over at him, only to be caught off guard by the way he is staring at Akari. Geto is eyeing her in a way that has sucked all the love out of the room and given it to her; Kento would think they were together, if not for the way Akari is barely sparing him a moment of attention. There is definitely tension there; Kento makes a mental note. 

Gojo groans and rubs the area that Akari flicked, “Anyway, meet the new first years!” Gojo is suddenly on his feet and wildly gesturing toward Kento and Haibara, sick stomach long forgotten. Kento has whiplash from Gojo’s mood swings, and he knows it will take some getting used to. “This is Haibara,” Gojo is beside Haibara now, and Haibara supplies a kind hi! and a polite wave. “And this is Nanamin!” Nanamin?!! This guy!

“I told you not to call me Nanamin!” Kento snaps at Gojo, and Akari raises an eyebrow, intrigued by the way Satoru so easily can get under the skin of this first year. While Satoru wraps an arm around Haibara’s shoulders, walking him away and cackling at Kento’s reaction, Nanami mutters toward Akari, “You can just call me Nanami, or Kento.” 

Akari carefully walks toward Kento, standing above him as she smokes her cigarette out the window near his head. “Noted,” she says, punctuated by an exhale of cigarette smoke. “So, no Ken, or Kenny? Mr. Particular.” Kento opens his mouth to respond rather brashly, but quickly closes it when he looks up and notices a sly smile on her face, observing that she is joking with him. Right about now, Kento wishes he had been more popular at his old school, so that he too could casually joke with people he’d just met. 

“I don’t care what you call me, as long as it’s not Nanamin.” Kento sighs out, smoothing his hand through the hair stuck to the back of his neck, all of a sudden feeling insecure under her intentful gaze. 

“Kenny it is,” She says, lowering herself to the floor to sit beside him. “You smoke?” She questions, offering the cigarette toward him. No, I do not smoke. Instead of saying that though, Kento is overcome by a strange desire to impress this girl he just met, and wordlessly plucks the cigarette from her fingers. The cigarette feels foreign in his hands, but nonetheless, he brings it to his lips and inhales. The burn in his throat is immediate, and he is left coughing up half a lung in front of the girl he was trying to impress!

“Woah! Are you good?” Akari asks, placing a hand on his back and patting, as if she were burping a baby. It does not help Kento’s coughing fit, and he swears he sees stars when he feels her hand on his back. He feels Geto eyeing them from the corner he is perched in.

“Y-yeah,” he manages to get out, in between coughs, “I-it’s just been awhile since I've smoked.” 

“Yeah,” Akari says, tilting her head before adding in faux innocence, “I was the same the first-time I smoked a cigarette too.” Then lets out a giggle when Kento’s cheeks heat up. Nothing gets past her.

Changing the subject, Akari offers, “So, Kenny,” She pauses, testing out the nickname she has given him, “What’s your story?”

What is my story? Kento supposes there isn’t much to it; his father and mother are non-sorcerers, a lawyer and a librarian respectively, who were convinced their son was schizophrenic when he complained of seeing strange monsters no one else could. Their surprise when Yaga showed up at their door was immeasurable, and Nanami will never forget when he learned that he wasn’t so strange after all. Nanami relays this to Akari. 

She turns to Kento and offers him a soft smile. “You must have been so scared and isolated as a child, seeing such things with no one else to explain them to you.” Nanami supposes that, yes, he was, but he is uncomfortable with her gaze and her all too true observation, and he flips the question back to her. “What about you? What about your story?”

“Hmm,” Akari looks up in thought, and takes another drag of her cigarette, inhaling and exhaling, “The family that Satoru and I come from is very traditional and very old. I was taught how to be a good wife while Satoru was trained to hone his abilities. I wasn’t even allowed to go to school until Satoru was named clan head before we came here," She pauses, "In short: it was rough.” She says, awkwardly chuckling when she finishes. Nanami is flabbergasted, and wants to ask, that blubbering idiot is the head of your clan?? But thinks against it. He opens his mouth to respond, but is interrupted by Ieiri calling for Akari.

“Akari! Come do a shot with us!” Shoko yells, with a too-drunk Satoru at her side and a nervous-looking Haibara. Akari chuckles.

“Well, Ken, it was nice chatting with you,” Akari says, raising to her full height and dusting off her pants. Before she leaves she continues, “And hey, if you’re ever looking for some pointers from an upperclassman, I’d love to train with you.” She offers, with a kind smile as she peers down at him. 

“Yeah,” Nanami smiles back, awkwardly, “I would like that.”

⊹₊ ˚‧︵‿₊୨୧₊‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹

a/n - do we like??? more coming soon if so :)

[yugimoto]

chilchuck cosplay rundown / tutorial! I say tutorial loosely cause I didn't take any progress photos...but hopefully some of this helps someone!

I received a couple messages on instagram about this cosplay so I thought it'd be easier to make a post about it! here's a little rundown for anybody who needs it...!

I only had a week to make this costume so there isn't a ton of actual sewing involved! (I got most of the materials in advance)

the main part's essentially just a big quilt - I used a faux suede fabric (which was a little stretchy, I really don't recommend this but it was the best colour match I could find with my time limit! I think it would've come out a lot smoother using something without stretch!) I used 2 ounce wadding/batting! the process is just measuring a bunch of rectangles, using stick and spray to glue the wadding between the two fabrics, and then sewing along all the lines. time consuming but it's not hard!

I cut the quilt I'd made into two rectangles, essentially you have two blankets - then I measured the neck and armholes based on a tank style dress I owned. if you're a little unsure about this you can make a mockup first before cutting the real thing! then I sewed the shoulders together, now it's just one long blanket with a head hole!

I ended up trimming the sides of the front half before the next bit to help it conform to my body a little better but I had to wear it backwards on the day for reasons I'll explain in a minute T__T

next I sew bias tape down the sides and around the neck hole, I folded the bottom ends and sewed them by hand to hide the stitches. you could probably just use bias around the whole thing but I was low on materials!

the buckles at the sides are literally just watch straps. the original listing I bought from's gone now but I'm pretty sure these are the exact same thing. I bought 16mm and trimmed the ends a little, I attached them using gorilla superglue!

the gloves are these gloves with the fingers cut off, any brown leather gauntlet style glove will do, and the scarf's one I found on vinted. it was a long scarf originally, I zigzag stitched down where I wanted it to end, cut it, then sewed the two ends together. the stitching's a little wonky but you can't really tell when it's folded over!

the belt's from amazon and the pouch is this one from aliexpress - I already had one of these for casual wear, it's a little foraging bag! it folds out into a bigger pouch!

I didn't take photos but the shirt's just one I found on vinted and the jeans are topshop joni jeans I'm pretty sure! the boots are just a pair I found secondhand and hot glued a strip of pleather to!

my wig is this one in chestnut brown, I always use coscraft for wigs they're my favourite! I trimmed it a little shorter and used thinning scissors over the whole wig!

last but not least is the ears. I almost didn't use these and I'm so glad I did! I felt so silly and cute wearing them! I used these ears, but searching "prosthetic big ears" should come up with others if you do a little digging! I don't have any experience with prosthetics aside from a pair of hobbit ears I wore a few years back for halloween but they're not too tricky to apply.

I trimmed the edges down a little and applied my foundation to them, powdered them to seal it and then added a little blush to the tips. I used ben nye prosthetic adhesive to glue them on! glue on my ears and onto the prosthetic ears, let it get tacky then just held them in place until they stuck.

be careful with the adhesive when you're applying it because my sibling accidentally spilled it down my costume... that's why I ended up wearing it backwards on the day...

I was worried I wouldn't be able to hear with them on but it's not too bad! cons are loud anyway and I'm autistic so the slight noise cancelling effect wasn't bad at all!

another piece of advice I'd give is to buy one of these style neck fans, you can buy them on amazon! I wore this during the day underneath my scarf and it helped a lot!

[daman19942]

I shared two creations for the November/December GoS theme You've Got Male and That's So 2006! Check it out at this link! Details under the cut!

First up is a default replacement of tmbodyopenshirtsurfsshorts from the Family Fun Stuff Pack. I've never used this outfit, and my teens visiting Twikki Island deserve better. So I took WeBluePeace's 4t2 SP10 ShirtGraphic(and Taylor's TM conversion) and combined it with DeeDee's TM conversion of glumbut‘s 4t2 Jonie Shorts to make a new mesh that will be perfect for lounging on the beach or learning the Fire Dance. I limited myself to just the three outfits for the replacement, but there are so many recolors for the shirt, shorts, and shoes that you could make any number of combinations. 

These are categorized as everyday, are compressorized, and contain fat morph. And you can choose between the Default Replacement and non-Defaults!

Download Default: SFS Download Non-Default: SFS

Then I have Simgarooped recolors for a goatee from The Sims 2 Exchange by a creator named ZandyCrafty, who uploaded celebrity remakes. This was likely made it 2004 or 2005, but I don't remember who the celebrity sim was, and it was only available in one dark brown color. I like that it is an edit of the Wispy goatee to connect the top and bottom without making it as full as the Maxis goatee, and I think it pairs very well with stubble. 

The goatee comes in 7 colors (black, brown, dark drown, blonde, plat blonde, red, and bright red). Everything is binned to their correct color, but the original four colors are Familied as well. Everything contains a gray texture, too.

Download: SFS

That's it for now, let me know if you run into any issues!

Credit to @webluepeace, @taylor-sims, @deedee-sims, and ZandyCrafty!

[snowbellewells]

🎃~A Little Bit Spooky Seasonal Rec List ~🎃

Hello there!  Seeing as it’s nearly Halloween, I thought I would post this themed list of fics I absolutely love that fit the season of thrills and chills, or have at least a hint of the supernatural about them. (Most do anyway, there are a couple that are just full of fall things and autumn coziness.) This is by no means extensive - no matter how much I read, I’m sure I’ll never catch all of the amazing stories our Ouat/CS fandom has to offer!! Still, here’s hoping folks may find a few "new to them" favorites for the season! Enjoy!!

**I originally made this list in 2020, so none have been taken away but more have been added in since that time.**

In no particular order...

“High Spirits” by: ReaperWriter  This story is older, but it features Emma as a former detective forced into early retirement and Killian as a medium (of sorts?). They end up investigating the rumored haunting of an old manor house in Louisiana. Thrills and chills, genuine bittersweetness and melancholy, and emotional connection ensue.  13 Chapters, Complete

“Of Dreams and Darkness” by: @oubliette14  This one is another I’ve know about for some time, and read and re-read more than once. It reminds me a little bit of the monster mash-up movie Van Helsing (though I actually like it more than that) and has Emma and Killian as vampire hunters, teaming up to take on the worst monster either has tackled yet... Long oneshot, Complete 

“Things That Go Bump” by: @brooke-to-broch  This is just a fun, festive CS celebrating Halloween in their own home with all the hilarity involved in including their friends and family - with a bit of spicy goodness between just the two of them thrown in for good measure.  Oneshot, Complete

"Into the Light", "Hotel Neverland", "The Moon...Tells the Sea", "In the Viper's Den" and "Return to Me" by: @kmomof4 It will be clear if a person has read any of these offerings already that Krystal has a knack for the vampire fics in particular, her previous @cssns event offerings "Into the Light" and "Return to Me" are just my favorite examples of that. "Hotel Neverland" and "The Moon...Tells the Sea" also contain elements of the spooky or supernatural, but just very unique and unforgettable twists that you definitely shouldn't miss. "In the Viper's Den" isn't spooky or Halloween-themed, but it does have an autumnal feel to me for some reason. It's also one of my favorites of Krystal's stories, period. So there's that too. Various Lengths, all Complete

“An American Haunting” by @welllpthisishappening I just LOVE this story. I think it was around Halloween last year that I discovered it, and I think it’s one of my favorite of Laura’s stories that I’ve read. Emma, Killian (and several other familiar OuaT faces) work at an American historical park of sorts, and though technically “just friends” pine for each other all the while. Then, one of the historical stories comes a lot closer to their present than ought to be possible, and they just might be fighting for each other’s lives...  Two Shot, Complete

“Hope is the Thing with Feathers”, “Blackbird”, “Scarborough Fair”,  and “Ivory Runs Red” by @searchingwardrobes These are some of my favorites of Melanie’s (and that’s saying something, because each new thing she posts tends to become my “new favorite” for a bit!) At any rate, these offerings all have a bit of the supernatural or spooky to them, or they just feel like they should happen in Fall. There is some lovely CaptainCobra and CaptainBook brotp in a few of these too, along with the stellar CS writing.  Various Lengths, All Complete except “Scarborough” which is a WIP.

"Ghosted" by: @jrob64 This story was Joni's offering for the @cssns23 event - and wow, was it a doozy!! It has just the right balance of spine-tingling evil ghost/spirit haunting from a properly awful Neal, and yet sweetness and trust building throughout between Killian (as a ghost hunter of sorts) and Emma (as the woman next door being haunted by her ex). Not only that, but there is lovely support from Will and Belle as Killian's team (and a potential couple in their own right). I don't want to spoil any of the thrills and chills, but if you missed this as it was posting back in July and August, definitely check this one out!! 5 Chapters, Complete

“The Man Behind Glass” and “The Prickly Witch’s Guide to Magic” both by: @shireness-says  I do believe that both of these stories were written for the first @cssns event over two years ago now.  I love both of them so much - you really can’t go wrong in checking either of them out! One features Killian as a centuries-old pirate trapped within a mirror and discovered by one little boy with a heart full of belief, and the Prickly Witch fic is a great group friendship fic as well as CS - AND it has some heartwarming hints of Jeweled Beauty (Liam x Belle) one of my favorite underrated things in fic!  Both long oneshots, Both Complete

“A Charm of Powerful Trouble” by: @spartanguard I really love this short MC in which Killian is hit with a potion that turns him into a huge wolf. I love the danger, adventure, angst, and of course the triumph of CS’s True Love in this one. It’s my favorite of all of Kaitlyn’s writings (and I love all of her writings!) I love how the whole Storybrooke crew joins in to support Killian and Emma in this as well. 5 Chapters, Complete

"Witchy Woman" by: @booksteaandtoomuchtv This story was originally written for the @cssns23 event, and I hung on every word while each new chapter was posting. I seriously couldn't get enough of this adventure of a star-crossed witch and vampire in love but attempting to stay apart, even as they both served their greater community, and could never quite manage to forget the love they'd shared. This one is not to be missed!! 10 Chapters, Complete

“The Halloween Gambit” and “Friends with the Monster That’s Under my Bed” both by: @zaharadessert Both of these fics are Halloween themed, written for Halloweek at some point, if I remember correctly. “Gambit” is very pirate-y and adventure themed, and I loved Killian getting to make a dashing rescue and Emma’s bravery and loyalty to him in it. “Monster Under the Bed” is a one shot and includes some of my favorite characters who are no longer living in show canon ;p  “Gambit” is 7 Chapters, Complete; “Monster” One Shot, Complete

“Saudade” by: @apiratewhopines This fic is so insanely BEAUTIFUL that I can’t even properly express how much love I have for it. I love that it fixes things which definitely should have been handled just the way @apiratewhopines​ does in this fic, I love the tribute it gives to Graham (not to mention he and Killian getting to meet and have an understanding in how they care for Emma), and I’m incredibly flattered that it was written for me! <3 If you are someone who loves to see bits of the Underworld arc handled more gracefully, or even if you just love a gorgeously written, bittersweet fic, you have to read this one!!  Two Shot, Complete

“Arm’d with Hell Flames and Fury all at Once” by @darkcolinodonorgasm This fic was written for 2019′s @pupstravaganza and features the most endearing version of a hellhound I imagine you’ll ever read about! :) Emma and Kilian, along with a few familiar friends are monster hunters fighting feelings for each other, but when their newest hunt gets tangled up in Killian’s tangled past, all bets are off...  2 Parts, Complete

"Can I Be Your Werewolf?", "Cautionary Tales" and "Safe Passage" by: @belovedcreation All of these fics by @belovedcreation are pretty new - in fact, "Safe Passage" was just posted this weekend and I read it just last night! One is a longer, chaptered werewolf modern AU which I simply adore (even if I need to go back and do a better job commenting on it!), one is a three part vampire fic, and the last is a zombie-adjacent one shot! The fact that I even braved something at all related to zombies tells you just how much I love @belovedcreation's writing. Check all of these out!! All Complete stories

“Some Legends are Best Kept as Legends” / “Varcolac” / “Ghost in the Void” by @hollyethecurious Okay, so I know you are getting three stories for the price of one here, but I couldn’t choose between them. Two of these are from @cssns events: “Some Legends...” samples a bit of Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” in inspiration, but going on it’s own decidely amazing course from their with Killian as a man out of time, the myth of the Dark One, and the power of a true believer’s heart; “Varcolac” blends werewolf and vampire characters and mythology in such an interesting way for a pulse-pounding story plot and a powerful love story. “Ghost in the Void” features a ghost (as you might expect) reaching from the beyond to connect with the lonely human tenet of “his” house for a story that will absolutely stay with you.  6 Parts, Complete (Legends) / 5 Parts, Complete (Varcolac) / Oneshot, Complete (Ghost)

“a house is never still” by: @capnjay21  Honestly, I don’t even know what to say about this story, or how to describe it without giving too much away.  I could say it’s a haunted house story on the surface, but it’s SO MUCH MORE than that. It gives us a young Emma and Killian and their friends and a heartwrenching backstory to set the scene, a truly haunting and spine-tingling mystery, melancholy and loss, and wondering if it can ever be made right.  It’s just stunning - and you really should check it out for yourself instead of listen to my floundering around trying to sell it. Plus, a sequel as just begun posting!!    6 Chapters, Complete

“the very witching time” by: @profdanglaisstuff Another @cssns entry originally this story features witch!Emma and her loyal and cunning canine companion, whom she took in and treated from a traumatic injury. Little does she know how much more than a normal dog he will prove to be... ;)  Not only that, but the atmosphere, the history, and the unfolding plot in this will just sweep you up and you won’t want to stop until it’s finished.  Don’t miss it!!  6 Parts (and a connected oneshot), Complete

“break me” by: @thisonesatellite Oh my goodness! How could I not list this story?!? I still can’t get over how much I love it (when normally I would have run the other way from all the scary baddies and monsters who go ‘bump in the night’ in this fic?) It led me to all the rest of Stephanie’s writing, and I really haven’t surfaced since! ;p There are vampires, werewolves, monster hunters, monsters I didn’t even know about, and in the midst of all that two people find each other and just might be the only inspiration that can help them fight to the other side of all the odds standing against them. 12 Chapters + an epilogue, Complete

“An Education in Southern Gothic” by: @searchingwardrobes Man alive, I almost missed this one! This entry into the @cssns19 event has just the right about of thrills and chills without becoming too much for a definite chicken like me. I honestly can’t resist Killian as a teacher/professor, which Melanie gives us here, and the mystery surrounding the school, as well as the still very real threat reaching its claws into the present will make you unable to stop reading this one until you reach the end. There’s friends to love, pining, suspense, supernatural danger, both Captain Cobra and Captain Book friendship, and just everything you could want in a fic really!  Two Parts, Complete

“Magical Rings and Mystical Doughnuts” / “Storybrooke Haunted Farms” / “Life Meant Nothing Until You Used My Toothbrush” by: @let-it-raines  All three of these stories are nice one shots with some length that you can really get drawn into and honestly never want to surface from! “Mystical Doughnuts...” will always have a special spot in my heart because it was the first story of Raines’ that I discovered and it lead to a lovely commenting and chat back and forth session and all her other stories that have made me smile so many times over since then! “Storybrooke Farms” is just a fun modern AU with yes CS but all the rest of the OuaT gang involved in humorous and adorable support, and then “Life Meant Nothing...” (originally written for a @csseptembersunshine event) is one of my favorite of Raines’ MANY awesome stories. I love the cozy small town feel of it, how it’s a bit of a mash-up with Gilmore Girls, and the friendship Emma and Killian have and the way it finally becomes romantic for them as well. :)  All oneshots, All Complete

“Happily Ever After” by: @whimsicallyenchantedrose​ There’s a lovely Fall Festival setting to this modern au, starring Emma and Killian as rival bakers - with lots of chemistry cooking beyond the kitchen! It’s as sweet as the apple desserts each are vying to make the winner, and you will absolutely be grinning and giddy with enjoyment by the end. :)  Don’t miss it!!   7 Chapters, Complete

"Not All Treasure is Silver and Gold (Sometimes it's Chocolate)" by: @stahlop This lovely one shot featuring Killian, future CS children, and adorable trick or treating in Storybrooke is simply irresistible! Incredibly sweet one shot you can read in one sitting, but without the calories of Halloween candy! This one will have you smiling from ear-to-ear, trust me! :) One Shot, Complete

“How to Carve a Pumpkin (Not Yourself)” by: @thislassishooked  This story is just all the sweetness and meet cute and perfection one could pack into a fall-themed or Halloween story!  I love the way Emma and Killian find each other in this, her friends pushing her and helping the possible match along, Henry’s involvement, the artsy pumpkins, the fun and small town humor - just all of it! And - bonus - if you aren’t ready to let go of this ‘verse when you finish, there’s a Thanksgiving follow-up!  Oneshot, Complete

"Fields of Asphodel" by: @anmylica This chaptered fic takes us on a journey through 5b and the trip to the Underworld that is gripping and unforgettable. I genuinely get so excited when it updates and can't wait to see what might be coming up next. This is still a WIP in progress, but don't let that put you off. It's wonderfully well done and much more what I would have liked to have seen - much more spooky and haunting and emotionally satisfying - than canon ended up being in much of that arc. 9 Chapters, WIP

"post mortem" by: @exhaustedpirate Oh my goodness, this fic!! I can't say enough about it, and I don't quite know how to explain the plot without giving too much away, but I really do adore it and want to give it a shoutout in this post. Killian is what I might refer to as a ghost whisperer of sorts - spirits/ghosts can contact him because he can see and hear them and help them try to settle their unfinished business. Emma is a ghost that needs his help. There's a fun school setting, Belle is a wonderful supporting character as the school librarian, and Henry is also used in this to wonderful effect. This is still in progress as well, but there's really only one more part to go. Definitely check this one out - you won't be able to get it out of your head!!! 2 parts of an intended 3, WIP

"A Crystalline Knowledge of Love and Magic" by: @xarandomdreamx The movie Practical Magic has always seemed like it would make for an excellent OuaT/CS AU and I adore Taryn for actually giving it to us. I love the OuaT characters she has chosen to include in the various roles, the way this story has begun, how everyone is characterized, just all of it together!! I'm a huge fan of her writing in general, and though this one is still in progress, I can already tell it's going to be a favorite!! If you love Practical Magic, or are just looking for a Fall-flavored fic with romance, magic, mystery and sisterhood, this is the one for you! 2 Chapters at present, WIP

Tagging: @jennjenn615 @xsajx @bluewildcatfanatic @ultraluckycatnd @lfh1226-linda @kday426

[cool-n-out]

Cooking some stuff with my ocs Dom and Finley, and also Cappy!! Should I put Bottle too?

[verisimmy]

This was supposed to be a CC conversion for summer, but who says you cannot enjoy a hot new outfit at the end of fall ;D?

Also, I finally managed to get SFS account so this time you can download it and my other CCs from there :D

4t2 Male Romper from the Carnaval Streetwear Kit

9 original EAxis swatches

equipped with the sneakers from @deedee-sims Jonie Shorts conversion (which are low sneakers with textures by Misomoso), and recolored by me :)

at that time I couldn't find good sandals, so I chose sneakers, maybe I will make another version with different shoes, once I get my laptop back

categorized as Everyday only

fat and preg morph provided

Download: SFS

[mclennonlgbt]

hi, who is your favourite songwriters and why?

Joni Mitchell: Of all the musicians I've ever listened to, Joni is definitely my favorite. Tbh, I pay less attention to her lyrics (shame on me), and more to the melodies, which are incredibly beautiful, full of extraordinary sensitivity, flair, nuances, and at the same time sticking to real human emotions. I just melt in them. In addition to songwriting skills, Joni also has a wonderful, original, pretty voice. My favorite album from her (and also one of my favorite albums ever) is "Court and Spark" - very cinematic, funny, and at the same time touching on the topic of uncertainty.

Ray Davies: A very underrated artist. I rarely see him on top lyricists list - which is a same because he deserves it! Actually, in terms of lyrics he's my favorite. When it comes to wry, intelligent social commentary, Ray is second to none. I love the atmosphere of his songs. Using both words and melody, he introduces an atmosphere of a mixture of irony and nostalgia, which is completely unique. Songs like "Lazy Old Sun", "Autumn Almanac", "Shangri-La", "Dead End Street" (and others) are masterpieces.

John Lennon: When it comes to Beatles songs, most of my favorites were written by John. Starting with "Rubber Soul", his compositions were brutally honest, yet subtle: John showed you everything you wanted to know through beautiful means of expression. I love both his autobiographical songs ("Julia", "I'm Only Sleeping") and his psychedelic ones ("Strawberry Fields", "I Am the Walrus"). His play with words is great. Hot take: Lennon wrote just as good melodies as McCartney, but his melodies were just different - not as conventionally pretty (apart from "In My Life", "If I Fell"), not as "smooth", but equally good. As for his solo career, it's a bit disappointing, but "John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band" is one of the greatest albums of all time. The way John conveys his rage, pain and disappointment there is inimitable.

Paul McCartney: When it comes to ex-Beatles careers, Paul definitely wins. The number of great songs he has written - whether with Wings, with Linda or during his solo career - is mind-boggling. His versatility is impressive. Pop, music hall, indie, hard rock, ambient, classical music - you'll find it all in Paul's rich catalog. He was and is an amazing songwriter, vocalist and bassist. And, as Dylan said, he's so damn effortless. My favorite albums are: "McCartney", "RAM", "Venus and Mars", "Wings over America", "London Town", "Tug of War", "Electric Arguments".

I also like: Sinéad O'Connor, Linda Perhacs, Margo Guryan, Carly Simon, James Taylor, Fiona Apple, Paul Simon...

[dollarbin]

Dollar Bin #56:

Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?

It's not the most covered song of all time, but Carole King's masterful ode to romantic insecurity certainly earns an honorable mention alongside McCartney's Yesterday and Gershwin's Summertime. Indeed, I've got a ton of versions of Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow in my own dollar bin and they veer from shimmering to dull.

Here's the original. Despite the unfortunate stagger and unnecessarily busy arrangement (clearly, it was 1959 at this point) the Shirelles ably set the stage for WYSLMT's future greatness:

The heart of the soon-to-be ubiquitous song is solidly in place here: we are immediately doubtful that our hero will get the love she needs and deserves and, because of that concern, we offer her our own love in exchange.

A lot changed in music during the following 6 years. But the changes weren't enough to allow Dusty Springfield to perform the song at a pace which gave her room to sway. Even so, you've got to love her decision to scat and sigh alluringly between lines.

Perhaps because she didn't have Dusty's talent or range (who does?) Cher got an early chance to work through the song at a pace that allows for the song's actual pathos to begin emerging like Spring's first lonely flower. But the instrumental break before Cher's last refrain dumps sewage on her hopeful horticulture.

Amazingly, no one did the obvious thing throughout the 60's and just let the song fully breathe. Francoise Hardy takes her sweet time during her 68 version but once again a frantic charge reigns behind her:

Why didn't any of these 60's artists solve the song's riddle by embracing the sorrowful sway of longing and loss?

It's tempting to blame the men in charge. After all, even the great Linda Ronstadt, who had yet to wrench the helm of her own ship away from an all male cadre of producers and sessions musicians, was forced, after embracing worry in her opening phrases, to keep up with needlessly kick-ass drums, boisterous backing vocals and a stupid lead guitar. Trembling ache is present whenever Linda insists upon it, but that ache is given no room to pulse.

Ironically, the first evidence I can find of the song slowed down is barely listenable and done by men. But their dulled pace is born of their total lack of skill and style, not any kind of understanding. I want to punch each one of these dopes squarely in the nose.

How did Carole King survive an entire decade of people screwing up her song? She was all of 17 when she wrote WYSLMT and, by 1970, at the ripe old age of 28, she'd famously had it with men, including her lyric writing husband, dumbing down her work. Happily, King had that moment's best living example of feminine musical ownership right there in the studio with her when it came time to show the world the real meaning of WYSLMT:

King's own version, with Joni humbly and perfectly supporting, is, as it should be, the song's best known iteration. I can never get enough of its shared maturity and tone.

But I suspect that King herself, and her cat, would recommend the recently heaven-sent Roberta Flack's take of WYSLMT, recorded before Flack herself was discofied and undercut by male producers, over her own brilliant effort.

At long last Flack, building on King's Tapestry performance from earlier that same year, let's us hear the true pace and tone of longing.

There's no need for either of you to wonder any long, Carole and Roberta: we'll definitely still love you tomorrow.

[shrekgogurt]

I have been watching one million YouTube video essays about pop culture and emphatically not writing over the past several days. This chapter was supposed to be a shorter one and now it’s shaping up to be the longest one so far and I’m deeply frustrated by it. I want it done. Only 3/6 of the POVs are “finished” (aka beta ready) and one of the Baz POVs needs a lot reworked. Narratively, it was the chapter I was least looking forward to writing and in trying to redeem it (infuse it with more emotion) it’s just getting so big. Nevertheless, so many people are out and about today so I’m serving up the first sentence of each POV.

It’s the first day of classes and I’m already in trouble.

I wouldn’t venture so far as to say I have a spring in my step, but I’m faring better than I was last month.

A man who appears to have walked fresh off the set of a k-pop music video just called Baz’s name and I’m not handling it well.

[this is the POV that needs so much reworking so instead here is one sentence I know will stay] “If you’ve been feeling part of the scenery, perhaps you should walk right out of the machinery.”

As I stare at the three gates blocking our exit, I suddenly wish Penny had more friends.

Snow is a bloody contagion.

Okay I’m a little bit just whining some more down here. But GODDAMN it! I keep reading so many beautiful masterpieces by y’all and getting so inspired and wanting to make my shit better. Which is good! But also! This chapter is now 10x harder to write because I want it to be deeper now than it originally would’ve been. And ultimately, again, that’s good! But it’s so much more effort. And I’m being really really hard on myself and the output. And it’s not currently super duper fun. More like when you know what something could be or should be but you can’t get it to shape properly. Or rather, I’m angsty about putting forth the energy to mash it all up to make it better than before. So…it’s all growth. Just a pain in the ass.

Not to mention, the key to unlocking more depth for the Baz bits is Hejira which is a fucking masterpiece. (How can I be Joni? No one can be Joni!) And he doesn’t start out there! I have to bring him to this place of reflection! And like cover the time elapsed. And it’s HARD! BOO! EVIL! I’m doing it to myself!

May the spirit of poetry hopefully overtake me. It’s terribly lacking in this chapter. (I think I’ll be forever chasing the damn high of chapter thirteen.)

Okay done whining.

Thank you for the tags today! @monbons @roomwithanopenfire @blackberrysummerblog @rimeswithpurple @forabeatofadrum @thewholelemon @artsyunderstudy @you-remind-me-of-the-babe @mooncello

Shorter list of tags because it’s late: @bookish-bogwitch @brilla-brilla-estrellita @cutestkilla @emeryhall @hushed-chorus @ileadacharmedlife @ineffable-grimm-pitch @j-nipper-95 @larkral @letraspal @messofthejess @onepintobean @prettygoododds @raenestee @theimpossibledemon @valeffelees @youarenevertooold @mitranian

[earhartsease]

gather round the fire, young friends, and let us tell you a tale of growing up a teenager in the 70s with no record player, so you bought prerecorded cassettes of albums (or friends taped them for you of course)

and after listening to those albums on cassette for 10-15 years it's finally the age of affordable CDs and CD players and you buy those albums on CD (because the tapes have worn out in service) and you discover that

a) the tracks are in a different order on the original album, because the tape producer needed to have an even number of minutes of music on each side of the tape, and

b) sometimes there are suddenly songs you've literally never heard before - and we don't mean bonus tracks like in more modern times, we mean stuff on the original LPs that they just... left off the tapes because they couldn't make them fit, and didn't tell you

and you don't know whether to feel overjoyed at new content or freaked tf out at new content, because you're a fan but you're also autistic and THEY CHANGED IT

ahem anyway, we hope you found this interesting, we realise this is an age where people are less likely to listen to whole albums, so some of you do and some don't and it's all good, we all get to enjoy music the way we want to, and we ourselves are delighted at how easy it is now to make 6 hour long playlists with drag & drop that used to take four cassettes and more than 6 hours to construct

oh yes and while we're on the subject of THEY CHANGED IT, it turns out that even with vinyl you could be surprised because back in the 60s and 70s, there were turntables designed to let you play a stack of albums, by dropping one disc at a time (up to 4) onto the turntable in turn - which led to record companies putting out some double albums on discs set up like side 1/4 and then side 2/3 so you played the two discs in turn, and then flipped them over to drop down for their other two sides next

which meant that our treasured cassette we made of someone else's copy of Don Juan's Reckless Daughter by Joni Mitchell was unbeknownst to us in the side order 1-4-2-3, and again when we got the CD we were ambushed, and it still jolts us hearing it in the right order but we learned to love it

so anyway stay safe out there and love your music any way you like