#speakeasy studios

[dustedmagazine]

The Lost Days — In the Store (Speakeasy Studios)

Photo by Alicia Vanden Heuvel

In The Store by The Lost Days

Tony Molina is the West Coast’s reigning king of concise, devastating power pop, with a string of sub-30-minute albums that approach Teenage Fanclub levels of hook-and-feedback alchemy. Sara Rose Janko’s Dawn Riding inhabits a more shadowy, folk-centric space, all intricate finger-picking and looming, Gothic doom. The pair made one album, Lost Demos, together in 2021, then Janko moved to New Orleans. When a mutual friend passed away, they reconnected and began working together remotely, recording songs in their respective homes and passing them to one another online for further embellishment.

The two shared a love for Bill Fox, the brash power pop auteur behind Cleveland cult band The Mice, an early influence on Guided by Voices, and a band that like Molina (and many others), sought the sweet spot between rock ‘n roll clatter and irresistible tunefulness. Here, Molina and Janko meld wistful jangle with rainbow-after-the-thunderstorm radiance but never linger. The whole album—ten songs—plays from start to finish in 14 minutes.

The two singers take turns on lead vocals. Janko wraps “What’s On Your Mind?” in dreaming softness, her voice lingering like morning fog, while Molina spins out twining guitar parts braced by a boom-ba-boom-chick backbeat imported direct from the 1960s. Molina moves to the front for rueful “Pass the Time,” a ringer for the softer side of Teenage Fanclub.

What’s remarkable about these songs, though, is how much they do with so little time. In “For Today,” Janko metes out a small, contained parcel of real life, confiding “Seems to me the hardest part of staying sober, is any time that you come over today.” Two guitars cross each other, one climbing a steep melodic line, the other tangled in reassuring chords. The song is just about perfect — wistful, wry, instantly memorable — and it lingers only just over a minute.

The title cut comes late in the album, but it’s the clear centerpiece, with swirling harmonies and chiming guitar tones and brief rambunctious eruptions of drums. Both Janko and Molina sing this one, and there’s a bit of organ in addition to guitar, so it’s got a full, enveloping sound that’s almost what you’d call epic. Even if it does last just a couple of minutes.

Lesser bands might belabor hooks this strong, throwing in a dilutive middle eight or 16, and coming back to the well for one more chorus. In the Store strikes a pose, raises a question and makes an exit. Song after song feels like a match flame, struck suddenly, burning bright, then flicking out into smoke, every second beautiful until it’s over.

Jennifer Kelly  

[wienners]

seeing artist mutuals that are my age (especially the animators) hate digital circus really really intensely seems like watching many people react to battleblock theater and go "what do you mean this is meant for online 14 year olds and not me, an artist thats 25".

[bandcampsnoop]

7/9/23.

By the time this posts, the 2nd run of this release may be sold out (check out Molina's page...there might be some there). Slumberland Records and Speakeasy Studios SF are co-releasing this ode to The Softies and Tony Molina.

Tony Molina get the lion's share of the ode. Rose Melberg and Jennifer Sbragia (The Softies) cover the entirety of Molina's "Dissed and Dismissed". Molina covers three songs by The Softies. It's everything you think it might be.

We'd previously covered another excellent Speakeasy Studios band - The Lost Days.

[sinceileftyoublog]

The Lost Days Interview: 8-Track Document

Sarah Rose Janko & Tony Molina; Photo by Alicia Vanden Heuvel 

BY JORDAN MAINZER

The combination of lo-fi power pop and warm-hearted Americana is not one I would have chalked up to work on paper, but The Lost Days are pretty perfect. Tony Molina and Dawn Riding’s Sarah Rose Janko met at a memorial, quickly hitting it off and turning their mutual musical admiration into a full-blown home recording project. They released the Lost Demos EP in 2021, and afterwards, Molina, still wanting to churn out bursting, cassette-recorded pop songs a la Bill Fox’s first three records, started to write with Sarah’s voice in mind. The two eventually recorded these songs at Nick Bassett’s basement studio on his Yamaha MT8X 8 track; the result is The Lost Days’ debut album In The Store, out today via Speakeasy Studios SF.

Molina and Janko’s musical relationship early on was defined by all-night singing sessions and empty wine bottles; In The Store, in contrast, is a 13-minute document of alcoholism, being subsumed by it, the self-involvement of it, and ultimate recovery from it. Alongside shimmery guitar, keyboard, and organ, jangly percussion, and Janko’s sweet coo are fatalistic lyrics. “I think I’m gonna have to tell you that the present don’t look too good,” they sing on the album’s opening song. On the chugging, wiry “For Today”, they sing, in a duet of dependency, “The hardest part of staying sober is any time that you come over.” On the layered and melancholy “Long Before You Know”, Molina realizes that “Everyone will talk about when you have fallen,” toeing the line between self-awareness and egocentrism. If on Molina’s solo records he jam packs a thousand musical ideas into a runtime in the teens, on In The Store, he and Janko tell a whole story, too, at once personal and universal.

Last month, I sent Molina some questions over email about The Lost Days, working with Sarah, In The Store, and his favorite Guided By Voices record. Read his responses below, edited for clarity.

Since I Left You: How would you compare writing for another person's voice versus your own? What are the similarities and differences?

Tony Molina: For this record, the only difference was that I had to change the key of certain songs for Sarah to sing them because I have a lower register with my voice. So it wasn’t an issue as long as I had a capo on me.

SILY: A lot of the influences on this record (Bill Fox, Guided By Voices, The Beatles) are named influences in your solo records, too. Were there any newfound touchpoints for this specific project?

TM: Mainly, The Lost Days are a home recording project and not a studio entity. I had been on a Bill Fox bender for about three and a half years when I made this one, so the concept was to make the record on cassette. Bill uses a 4-track; we used a cassette 8-track. Besides Bill and the Tobin [Sprout]-era GBV classics, I’ve been wanting to make a record on cassette since my mentors and older brothers from the West Bay, Los Rabbis, Tommy Lasorda, and Broken Strings were on that tip when I was a youngster. It took me about 20 years to get the guts to do it, but it finally happened.

SILY: How do you achieve the contrast of bright, sunny melodies and harmonies with melancholy or dark lyrics?

TM: I don’t know, melodies are melodies, I’m not someone who can write a song about surfing or having pizza parties or whatever other fools do.

SILY: Many of the songs on In The Store reference alcoholism. This project was also born out of a time when you and Sarah were "singing to an audience of empty wine bottles" and frequenting a liquor store you frequented in a formative time in your career. What's your relationship with alcohol these days, especially as it pertains to music? I've read that you often don't pull from your personal life in your songwriting, but I'm wondering if this record is an exception.

TM: Yo shout out Jacksons Liquors!!! The whole album is about alcoholism and from the perspective of someone who sees the world through an alcoholic lens. The thing about alcoholics is that we have a lot in common and share similar stories and experiences. So I was touching on some things from my personal life that I think are super common among others who live a similar life. From the darkest points of addiction, struggling with recovery, and chronic relapse, to the paranoia and anxiety that comes from withdrawal. As a person in recovery, I felt like I needed to document these things at the time when I was going through it.

SILY: Songs like "Long Before You Know" and "Pass The Time" make references to other people's perception of you, and how it may or may not affect you. How often are you thinking about these outward feelings in your songwriting?

TM: These songs are also about the life of a fader, specifically the self-centeredness that comes with addiction.  

SILY: The title track is the longest song on here, with two verses and comparatively complex arrangements. What compels you to write shorter songs? Do you think you'll ever play around with more non-traditional pop song structures?

TM: I think I just do what feels right. The first time Ovens were ever on wax in ‘04 we had an 8-minute song on the compilation Letters From The Landfill. That song was long as fuck! So it kinda just depends.

SILY: What's the story behind the album art?

TM: I didn’t know what to use, so I think Sarah and I decided a liquor store and a fool getting faded in a graveyard would look sick. Sarah was down to do it, so there you go.

SILY: What's your favorite GBV album, and why?

TM: Same Place the Fly Got Smashed, hands down!!! Its a concept record about an alcoholic fool who turns into a murderer! Its got some super dark moments, and it sounds like a gloomy rainy day in Dayton. On some true Midwest darkness. There’s also some great upbeat feel good songs on it, too. But you know, “Drinker’s Peace”, “Club Molluska”, those are heavy. That is easily my favorite GBV ever and has been for a long time.

SILY: What else is next for you in the short and long term future?

TM: Some reissues of old stuff, and I still record all the time.

SILY: What have you been listening to, watching, and reading lately?

TM: I’ve been listening to Heron's self-titled and Duncan Browne’s self-titled (with bonus tracks) religiously.

[lordofdestructionm]

Wick Sable

The odd duck in the guilded cage

Despite this being a feral Mordecai and Viktor account I do occasionally like to dig into the others.

Wick is a character Lackadaisy fans love but don't talk about very much. He just the rich friendly geologist with a love of illicit beverages and a crush on Mitzi. Indeed he is all those things. But I want to dig a little into what may be hidden depth (geography joke haha)

Professional dissatisfaction

When we first meet Wick he is behind his desk looking very tired and beaten down. Forcing himself to keep working late into the night with excessive coffee. Attending to a large pile of paper work for tomorrow.

His expression shifts slightly when he sees the Lackadaisy pins fall out of the envelope and realises the letter is an invitation to him (and his fellow aristocrats) to the speakeasy.

This hatred of paper work and the administrative side of his business is a recurring issue for Wick. Making the reason for his reliance on the capable and attentive Lacy very obvious. Exhaustian and too much alchohol are no doubt partly to blame, but it seems to be something that puts him in a very depressed state of mind.

But when actually on the job, overseeing the hands on work of blasting a new quarry, his mood is much more positive. Indeed he has a very real and sincere love for geology and the nitty gritty work of his business. When he first went to the Lackadaisy he was spellbound by the lime caverns themselves as much by Mitzi's charm.

Its his special interest and he will go on long unprompted monologues on the topic if given the chance. Meaning it is specifically the being trapped in his office dealing with the red tape that makes him so unhappy not the industry itself.

Its almost sad that he is the one in charge of the company rather than in a role that puts him closer to the action which seems to bring him real joy. Like someone who loves cooking being in charge of a restuarant or someone that loves drawing running an animation studio.

They love the product/industry but that doesn't mean they enjoy their specific place in it.

Unimpressed Peers

Despite Wicks enthusiasm it proves not be infectious with his fellow elite, who complain about being dragged out of town to watch something, that while very important to Wick, they clearly could not care less about (even not that quietly mocking him and his love for rocks and construction)

When the evening doesn't go to plan due to the uninvited pig farmers Wick has an interesting exchange with Edmund Church, seemingly the most prominent of the St Louis upper crust in the group. Warning him about getting any more involved with an unsavoury crowd, especially Mitzi, outside of simply enjoying the occasional drink.

Wick doesn't take kindly to the snarky criticism and borderline threat to his reputation and responds with a much more direct statement on his peers sour nature

Tracy has mentioned that Church has a role yet to play in the story and it seems safe to assume from this it may well involve Wick in a less than friendly way if he continues to associate with his "lessers" as Church and the others see things.

Despite needing to remain on civil terms to keep them invested in his business, Wick clearly has little love for them, a feeling that is mutual as they have little respect for him and see him as an oddball, only tolerating him because his talent in his field can help make them a tidy profit.

But while he doesn't appreciate Church's sniping Wick IS concerned about his reputation, but not entirely for his own sake or that of his elitist associates, but for the many people who rely on him for employment, who could be hurt by extension of he gets pulled too deep into the less than repectable world of bootlegging

Romantic life

Outside of the crush he has had on Mitzi since first meeting her at the Speakeasy, we have very little information about Wicks love life before this. Being a handsome and wealthy gentleman from a good family, you would think he would he fighting women off with a stick, maybe even be a bit of a playboy.

Instead you get the impression Wick is pretty far away from being a ladies man. Mentioning to Mitzi that he doesn't even really know how to talk to women unless its about rocks, bugs or limestone.

He is clearly attracted to her and is tempted by her to risk his reputation and by extension his business to get closer to her, but so far his fear of the very real consequences are deterring him from taking that gamble.

Though there is that personal aspect to it, it seems that in a more abstract sense Mitzi's appeal to Wick is not just in her beauty and seductive personality, but in the excitement and thrill of her Speakeasy and bootlegging operations.

In that sense Mitzi represents that touch of danger and excitement that during prohibition many otherwise law abiding citizens enjoyed indulging in illegal drinking establishments. Being* just* naughty enough to give them a fun thrill while being detached from the more brutal blood soaked aspects.

Wick is a good natured person (the worst thing he has done is shoot a duck in his youth which he was forced to do) living a very "respectable" life, but that makes the superficial glamour of the world of underground drinking establishments and secret booze stashes even more appealing. Thats why despite his concerns and responsibilities he keeps going back ,not just to Mitzi, but to the Lackadaisy specifically. It has pretty geography, a pretty owner, and an open door to a more exciting avenue of life

Its for that same reason he doesn't seem to be overly uncomfortable with lovable bi disaster Zib flirting with him at the bar. He may have no intention of reciprocating, but it couldn't be a more different experience to the world he is used to

Even if he doesn't yet want to take the full plunge it all excites him enough to keep him circling the edges.

Because despite having so much going for him there are things about his life that not only bore him but make him unhappy. Whether its piles of paperwork, dealing with much stuffier "conventional" fellow aristocrats and not wanting to be like them, or just a general lack of true passion in his life, he is clearly a man looking for something more satisfying

Whether or not he remains a "tourist" or decides to take that gamble, throw his reservations to the wind, and take a more active role in the gang, is yet to be seen...

Assuming Rocky doesn't set fire to him first of course XD

[bookished]

( a collection of fun and adventurous dialogue prompts. adjust phrasing as necessary.) feel free to make edits to better suit your muse, but please don’t edit or add on to the original post <𝟑 if you like, please consider supporting me through tips, it's highly appreciated.

"Want to try sneaking into the movie theater?"

"There's this exclusive sky bar on the top floor. I bet if we act confident enough, we could just walk right in. Ready to blend in with the high rollers?"

"You know the 'Staff Only' areas in aquariums always look so intriguing. I've got an idea involving lab coats and clipboards. Interested?"

"There's a secret passage in this art gallery that leads to a hidden exhibit. I overheard the curator talking about it. Shall we go exploring?"

"I've always wanted to see a movie from the theater's projection room. I've got a friend who works here – you get what I mean?"

"So, that exclusive restaurant is fully booked for months, but I may have 'borrowed' a couple of names from the reservation list. Feeling adventurous?"

"The old amusement park's been closed for years, but I know a way in. Imagine having all those rides to ourselves under the moonlight."

"I heard there's an underground speakeasy in this library. Apparently, you need to whisper a password to the librarian. Wanna try our luck?"

"Remember that fancy pool party we weren't invited to? I've got two waiter uniforms and a brilliant plan. You in?"

"There's a secret rooftop garden on top of that skyscraper. I bet we could talk our way past security if we pretend to be lost interns."

"I know this sounds crazy, but I found a hidden door behind the museum. Want to see where it leads after closing time?"

"The local TV station does live broadcasts from that studio. I bet with the right timing, we could sneak onto a set during a commercial break. Ready for your 15 seconds of fame?"

"I discovered a hidden hot spring in the woods just outside town. It's a bit of a hike, but imagine a midnight dip under the stars."

"There's a secret room in the library that's usually locked. I copied the key while volunteering. Want to see what forbidden books they're hiding?"

"Remember that fancy cooking class that was full? Well, I may have found a way for us to observe from the kitchen's back entrance. Hungry for some culinary espionage?"

"I know how to get onto the roof of the tallest building downtown. The view of the sunset from up there is incredible. Shall we?"

"There's a masquerade ball at the governor's mansion tonight. I've got two masks and a wild idea. Care to crash a high-society party?"

"My friend works at the zoo and says we could help feed the penguins after closing time. Interested in a secret animal encounter?"

"I heard this old theater is supposedly haunted. Want to sneak in after hours and do some ghost hunting?"

"There's a secret beach hidden behind those cliffs. The catch? We'll have to climb down a rope ladder to reach it. You up for it?"

"I found an old map of the city's underground tunnels. Fancy a subterranean adventure date?"

[retroaria]

kiyora jin: boyfriend headcanons

BLUE LOCK M.LIST | reblogs are appreciated! | enjoy !! - aria :3

a.n - I actually am in love with kiyora jin (potential self ship ngl), enjoy this dump of kiyora brain rot. no explicit warnings.

pre-boyfriend!kiyora who sees this all as one big challenge. how long can he tease and flirt with you before one of you eventually caves. he loves the exhilaration of the chase, loves the way it keeps him on his toes and makes his heart flutter. he relishes in the butterflies that swarm around his stomach when he’s with you, and can’t help but be amused by his own nervous flirtatious ramblings.

pre-boyfriend!kiyora who takes in your personality and interests like a god damn sponge. he analyzes you, but he sees it as a bit of a game, like how excited can he get you while sparking up a conversation about your interests. he also does a quick fact check on you to ensure you can find some sort of interest in the stuff he likes as well. would take you some speakeasy underground dance studio so you can cheer him on lol.

pre-boyfriend!kiyora who doesn’t say his feelings outright but definitely isn’t afraid to show you how he feels in other ways. specifically physical touch, quality time, and more-than casual flirting. he’d wrap his arm around you, grad your hand to drag you places, let you take up his free time outside of practice, give you sweet compliments at every chance he gets.

pre-boyfriend!kiyora who eventually finds himself hanging over the edge of insanity every time he thinks about how he can’t call you his. the confession would be swift and almost nonchalant. he’s proud of his feelings for you and doesn’t feel the need to act shy about it once he’s ready. when you say yes he can’t help the smile that creeps across his face which he quickly tries to scrunch up so he isn’t cheesing at you like a dork.

boyfriend!kiyora who has an endless list of hidden gems and secluded spots that he takes you to regularly, places where you can both be alone and enjoy each others presence. he loves any date that involves food, likes going to food festivals and trying all the different food stands. definitely tries to feed you stuff and doesn’t see the problem if you tell him it might look a little weird to other people lol. “Whatever just try it, open up~” he’d scoff at you playfully.

boyfriend!kiyora who loves taking candid pictures of you! he has two separate albums in his phone, one for you looking stupid and one for you looking gorgeous. sometimes his cover is blown by the camera shutter sound from his phone and he has to quickly shove it back in his pocket, looking around like he very obviously was doing something sneaky.

boyfriend!kiyora who dedicates everything to you. if he scores a goal during a game, he looks over to you in the crowed, putting his hand up and pointing at you with a smile as he runs back into position. he makes playlists for you, (attempts to) make you food and desserts.

boyfriend!kiyora who makes silly little stick figure drawings of you two on restaurant napkins when you go out to eat. sometimes he leaves you little notes that he wrote on the back of random pieces of paper he came across, he’s a crafty boy lol.

boyfriend!kiyora who gets jealous rather easily but doesn’t outwardly act possessive about it. he tends to keep those feelings to himself, but if some other guy is really all over you he’d just thrust himself into the situation as aggressively as possible until they get the hint that you’re taken. overall, he trusts you so at the end of the day he knows he has no need to worry!

boyfriend!kiyora who secretly loves being the little spoon. having your arms around him makes him feel so special it warms his heart in a way he can’t describe. he lays his head down on your chest or in your lap whenever you guys are on the couch or in bed together. he loves holding you too but he'll take any chance he can get to be engulfed in your embrace.

divider credz: @cafekitsune

[justletmeon12]

Things I Personally Want to See in Season 2

In no particular order:

Alastor learns what asexuality is and finds a way to be annoying about it

Episode actually focusing on Lucifer's mental state, or at least some scattered references to the idea that one touching song with his daughter wasn't enough to "fix" anything

Valentino dies

Pentious trying to fit into Heaven interspersed with bits about his life in Hell and/or before he died

Vaggie hanging out/bonding with characters other than Charlie

Valentino dies horribly onscreen

Entire episode recounted as an anecdote on Alastor's radio program - most of the show is the events with occasional witty narration and cuts back to the studio, mostly for his commentary but occasionally for silly jokes and off-air moments. We also get to see his lead-in, some pot-shots at the Vees, and how he handles it when a fly gets into the booth (violently).

Sera tries to assassinate Pentious, or at least cover up his presence in Heaven

Emily goes to Hell - not as in falling (maybe as in falling), but at least something showing her reacting to it, possibly with some kind of sinister reprise of "Welcome to Heaven" wherein everyone else is inured to things that terrify her

Angel brings up BDSM again and Charlie actually takes him seriously/challenges her assumptions about sex negativity

Vox explicitly has some kind of Alastor shrine or cork board or something, and he's secretly trying desperately to figure out what happened during the seven-year gap

Nifty dates someone

Rosie visits the hotel

Charlie tries to ban booze in the hotel, and Husk, Angel, and Alastor (mostly because he's amused and nostalgic) create a speakeasy in the basement

Valentino is brutally murdered by one of the main cast - ideally Lucifer, Alastor, Vaggie, or Husk

St. Peter turns out to have a more normal set of facial expressions when he's not at work

Alastor's mom is officially introduced

Lucifer and Lilith have it out and get seriously divorced

One of the new sinners at the hotel is a cannibal who learned about it from the battle preparations

The hotel gets attacked and Alastor and Lucifer argue about who gets to disembowel the attackers until Charlie has to step in and scare them off. Later, once they've worked out their differences a little, they keep doing the "after you" thing until the same thing happens.

Vox does something competent

Vox blurts out that he's in love with Alastor live on-air

Angel Dust establishes that he doesn't have a problem with sex work and is fine continuing to do it post-Valentino. He just doesn't want to be exploited.

Alastor tries to fix his microphone without his full powers and embarrasses himself

Velvette does something significant

Valentino dies

[camarocarfight]

LOVE'S THE DEATH OF PEACE OF MIND

Alastor x Female Reader

Rated Mature for mentions of gore and sexual content. This could be like a 'slice of life' type of thing, but it's more like a kick in the feels.

A hunter.

A hunter had ended it all for Alastor with a single wayward bullet that had shattered his skull and extinguished his life in an instant. The bullet, having struck Alastor between the eyes, had left a single, clean entrance wound that had exited the back of his skull. Bringing with it a trail of blood and brain matter that painted the forest floor around Alastor's motionless body like a halo. Brown eyes, once harboring emotion - existence - were now glazed over, staring listless up at the heavens. Alastor never knew what hit him - his life simply torn from his body. A bizarre hunting accident is what the papers called it.

Accidents are nearly fate misnamed, however.

Never mind the hunter having mistaken a human for a deer. Said hunter was deemed a hero, having killed the illusive New Orleans serial killer that had been evading police for years. The killer that had been the beloved and famed radio host. Leaving the city shocked and disturbed that he had been right under their noses the entire time.

Alastor’s radio program had soared to immense popularity in every aspect of the population. Men enjoyed listening to the current events, kids enjoyed the swinging jazz, and women the soothing tenor of Alastor's transatlantic accented voice when he would sing. Special occasions brought the radio host and his jazz band to jazz clubs and speakeasies, drawing in massive crowds of mostly swooning women. Alastor had been New Orleans’ most sought-after bachelor.

Until he wasn't.

One evening at a jazz club, your friends dragged you to the show. Celebrations were in order, as you and your friends had just graduated nursing school. The atmosphere of the club had been electrifying. People around you danced and sang as Alastor and his band brought the small club to life. Alastor’s radio show had been one you listened to nearly every day, as you were just another girl captivated by his famous vocals. Finally, you could put a face to the name and voice. He was even more handsome than you had imagined; with a charming smile that captivated you and made you blush when he caught your gaze.

The rest of your friends were on the dance floor, flirting and dancing with service men in uniforms. Being quiet and reserved, you sat yourself at a table situated in the corner, but you could still see Alastor. Drink in hand, you sipped idly, lost in thought. A few men had ventured up to you to offer a dance, but you politely declined. Upon seeing such a display, Alastor ventured off the stage and bounded toward your table. Your eyes were wide and cheeks a burning crimson as Alastor pulled you up on stage and the two of you danced the night away. It was a Cinderella story that the town talked about for weeks.

Hearts were broken everywhere when Alastor had begun courting you, and even more so when the two of you had gotten married. Alastor wanted to give you the wedding of your dreams, and he did just that. Being as shy and reserved as you were, it was nothing grand. Just your closest friends and family. Alastor, sadly, didn't have any immediate family to invite, but yours had welcomed him with open arms. The large crowd that had greeted you two outside the church had been a welcomed surprise. Young couples and fans of Alastor's threw rice and flowers into the air, and camera bulbs flashed, capturing Alastor's proudest accomplishment. The front page of the newspaper the next morning housed a lovely photo that Alastor framed and hung in his studio.

Finding and marrying someone hadn't been part of Alastor's original plan, but he hadn't anticipated falling for you so hard either. The first instance your eyes had caught his gaze, he knew he was done for. Your reserved personality had clashed with his own boisterous and extroverted one, but it wasn't your shyness he found charming. It was your innate ability to see the good in people.

“Everyone harbors the capacity for good.”

Your words resonated within him and nearly made him rethink all of his past actions and wrongdoing. Alastor had never felt guilt before having met you. All of a sudden, he found himself standing before the divine being that was you. Selfless and unconditionally caring, he began questioning if he had done you wrong by marrying you. He was tainting you and unknowingly subjecting you to his sins. He was so undeserving of you, but he couldn't find it in himself to let you go. When Alastor looked at you, he saw everything his mother had been. Her maternal instinct and drive to nurture and protect those around her. Losing you would be like losing his mother all over again.

When the day came that you had expressed to Alastor your want for children, you hadn't expected his trademark smile to drop and for him to become angry. Alastor immediately withdrew himself from you and spent the rest of the evening brooding in his study. None of his anger had been directed at you, of course, but it concerned you why he felt the way he did about the topic. You granted Alastor his privacy, only sparing a few glances into the study throughout the evening as you went about your chores.

Alastor didn't move from his armchair until well into the night. The mantle clock on the fireplace had chimed midnight when he finally made his way to the master bedroom. You were sound asleep until the bed dipped by the weight of Alastor settling beside you, causing you to stir. Further roused by his warm lips against your neck, you turned onto your side so you were facing your husband. He was inebriated, having had more than a few glasses of Rye in his solitude. Whiskey always had a way of softening him up, but it also made him very amorous.

Someone as pure as yourself should never be defiled, but Alastor couldn't help wanting to have you in the most intimate of ways. Touching you, tasting you, feeling your perfectly manicured nails scraping down his back, leaving angry red marks in their wake. His name would fall from your lips like a prayer as he moved inside you, working you both towards mutual release.

Alastor had told himself he would be nothing like his father. He wouldn't be the hateful drunk who had nearly beaten his wife within an inch of her life. Then, he would keep her afraid of him with the threat of violence at the slightest misstep. Killing that bastard brought Alastor no remorse, and he was surprised that his mother actually mourned his death. For years, he couldn't understand why anyone would feel pain over the death of someone who had inflicted so much pain upon them.

At least he hadn't until he met you. Then he came to realize that at one point, his mother and father had loved one another. Enough that they shared a life and family together. The war had taken his father from his family and returned to them the empty husk of a man so disturbed by what he saw that his mind waged war on itself and everyone around him.

Unfortunately for Alastor, if he had fathered a child that night, he would never know. He would be killed two weeks later while burying the body of his latest victim. Leaving his beloved and innocent wife to identify his body while being questioned by authorities about the hundred missing people that were found buried in the bayou. Alastor’s only regret was that you would be left to answer for his crimes. The crimes that you had been ignorant for your entire relationship.

Your heart shattered upon seeing Alastor lying there on the metal embalming table. Skin a sickly gray pallor and lips cyanotic, with a single bullet wound in the center of his forehead. The pain you felt was crushing, and agonizing sobs tore from your lips. You didn't want to believe that it was your husband lying there lifeless and not breathing. He couldn't be dead. You rested your head against his still chest and squeezed your eyes shut when you didn't hear the rhythmic beating of his heart, nor felt the rise and fall of his chest.

Alastor couldn't leave you like this - he wouldn't leave you like this. Neither of you were interested in a world without the other, and you simply couldn't see yourself carrying on without the man whom you considered your soul mate. Alastor had been the first man you loved, and he would be the last.

“Please wait for me,” you whispered against his cold lips between broken sobs. Your trembling hands cupped his face, and your thumbs stroked his cheeks. “I love you, Alastor.”

[katesimblr]

Speakeasy Bar

The fourth and final part of the Willow Creek make overs is a speakeasy bar. It is large and spreads over two floors. there is a bar area, enough tables and bar tables, a stage for a jazz or blues band, a gallery and lots of comfortable armchairs. The outdoor area also invites you to linger in the summer. So that everything colorwiseh fits together I have created a small Recolor set which complements my existing Recolors. Next to the bar is a small tailor shop with a photo studio. Nearby there is an old movie theater with two theaters. In the middle of the tree-lined square there is a modern cafe.

Thanks to all creators who made this house possible with their CC, like @animefemme69, @baufive, @billss4cc, @chicklet,  @k-hippie, @kkbsmm, @LadyMoriel, @meinkatz, @msteaqueen, @radioactivedotcom and @thetrashisoutcc ��and many many more.

Download CC

Download tray files

[drewtober]

Hey! Sorry this has taken so long--had a lot of family things come up one after another after another, and lots of work on top of all of it. Been kinda one thing after another these past few months. 🤣

TAGGING AND SUBMISSIONS

I'll open up submissions on October 1st for any pieces if anyone wishes to submit, and I'll check the tags once a day for reblogging. The tag is #Drewtober2024.

LOCATIONS

This list is mainly for quick reference or to spark an idea, but if I’ve forgotten a location in a game that you wanna illustrate go for it! I’m doing this from memory.

SCK - Paso Del Mar High School, Maxine’s Diner, Aunt’s Eloise’s house

STFD - The studio, Dwayne’s apartment, Aunt Eloise’s apartment (this is the only game I've not played, so I'm unfamiliar with all the locations).

MHM - Nancy’s room, the basement, Abby’s room, the library, the parlor, the foyer

TRT - Nancy’s room, the foyer, the library, the locker room, Marie's tower

FIN - The Royal Paladium

SSH - The exhibits, the Henrik’s lab, Nancy’s hotel room, Henrik’s hospital room, Joanna’s office, Alejandro’s office, Taylor’s office

DOG - Sally's cabin, Mickie's speakeasy, the ranger station, the woods, Em’s Emporium

CAR - Nancy’s hotel room, Joy’s office, the security office, Ingrid’s workshop, the various rides in the amusement park, Rolfe Kessler’s workshop

DDI - Katie’s boat, Jenna’s cafe, Whale World, the lighthouse, the beach, the sea caves, the smuggling tunnels

SHA - The ranch house, the stable, the farm yard, Mary’s gift shop, Dry Creek, the cliff dwellings

CUR - Nancy’s room, Linda's room, Jane’s room, the conservatory, the library, the foyer, the alchemy lab

CLK - The Lilac Inn, the tunnels, Josiah's house and barn, the mini golf course, Jim's office, Bogart's pond

TRN - The dining car, the sleeping car, Camile’s car, Jake’s car, the map room car, the dancing studio car, Fatima’s shop, the crypts

DAN - Minette’s workshop, the reception office, Dieter’s studio, the park, the sewers, Cafe Kiki, Jay Jay’s house, Noisette's stained glass safe

CRE - Big Island Mike’s property, the beach, the Hilihili labs, the volcano, Three Finger Rock jungle, Dr. Kim’s base camp

ICE - Nancy’s room + all guest rooms, the fishing shack, the Trapper Dan's Needle, Julius's cabin, the basement

CRY - Renee’s room, Bruno’s room, the library, the miniature’s room, the foyer, the garden, the cemetery, Bernie’s log and swamp, Zeke’s

VEN- Nancy and Helena's room, the ca, the flower stand, the various plazas, Antonio's office, Casa dei Giochi

HAU - The foyer/downstairs, Brendan and Caitlyn’s room/tower, Fiona’s room, the library, the castle grounds, Fiona’s bog hut, The Screaming Banshee Inn, the laboratory

WAC - Nancy and Corine’s room, Mel’s room, Izzy and Leela's room, the basement, the library, the common area, the courtyard

TOT - The basement, the farm house, the barn, the wind mills, Pa’s shop, Pa's museum

SAW - Nancy’s room, the baths, the hidden bath’s, Yumi’s apartment, the gardens, the bento stand, the pachinko parlor, the ryokan foyer, Rentaro's workshop, Takae's classroom

CAP - Nancy’s room, Karl’s office, the gift shop, the security booth, the monster’s camp, the dungeons, the glass blowing studio, the dining hall, the courtyard

ASH - River Heights police department, Toni's ice cream shop, Alexei's antique shop, Brenda's van, Nancy's house, original town hall

TMB - The camp tent, the tomb

DED - Ryan's workshop, Mason and Ellie's offices, the break room, Gray's security room, Niko's office and secret lab, the main lab

GTH - The cemetery, the crypt, the dilapidated house, the mansion parlor, the kitchen, the basement, Charlotte’s room

SPY - Nancy’s hotel room, Bridget's hotel room, Cathedral HQ and server room, Moira’s house, the training grounds, the cookie stand, the train station

MED - Pacific Run camp, the puzzle palace, the Annunaki star cave

LIE - The museum, Melina's office, the stage, the sets, the Niobe's pottery workshop

SEA - The Missti Skip, the Heerlijkheid, Magnus's cabin, the caves, the gift shop

BONUS DAYS/ALTERNATIVE DAYS

MID - Mei and Jason's hideout, the Parry house, Lauren's shop, Olivia's shop, the museum, the courthouse, the Hathorne estate and grounds, the cemetery, the tunnels,

KEY - Hungerkünstler Cafe, Oskar's exhibit, Zlaty Custom Jewelry, Aparát, Radek's marionette theater, Prague castle courtyard, St. Vitus cathedral, the alchemy lab, the astronomical clock

[arrowfleur]

✩‧₊˚ Redacted HC’s ✩‧

Part 5: Geordi and Cutie

not super sure how to go about this one so I’m gonna do some (mainly) separate HC’s

Geordi:

He’s surprisingly a little bit of a gym bro, exercise helps him clear his head

He wears and has a decent collection of bracelets

He didn’t get close with his sister until he was about 16 but now they get along crazy well

Geordi loves turtles and has quite a few turtle teddy’s

Cutie bought him the jelly-cat one

His style is very casual and comfortable

He prefers eating with chopsticks

Sometimes when he can’t sleep Geordi watches survival videos on YouTube

Geordi has been getting the same haircut for YEARS

He doesn’t like going too short

Half of Geordi’s camera roll is just pictures of nature and sunsets and he’s had to pay for extra storage

He doesn’t have many social media apps

He is very fidgety when sitting down and does that finger tap thingy when he’s nervous

He had an admirable amount of patience with everything and everyone

Except for bully’s and bad drivers. That where he draws the line, why are you in the wrong lane again what are you doing?

He enjoys documentaries a lot. Good background noise, pretty images and fun facts when he’s actually paying attention

His love languages are acts of service and words of affirmation

Cutie:

Their love languages are gift giving and words of affirmation

They enjoy buying scratch cards

Cutie watches Studio Ghibli movies when they’re sad

They love dear’s and bunny’s

Cutie enjoys painting theirs and Geordi’s nails

They’ve gotten good at doing little patterns

They have a fear of heights

Cutie loves ‘le chat noir’ painting and speakeasy aesthetics.

They’ve always wanted to go to one, hidden in a bar somewhere. It’s on their bucket list.

Cutie is constantly aware that someone could be perceiving them, even when they’re on their own.

They checked their entire apartment for hidden cameras when they first moved out because of this

Cutie is a firm believer that accesories make an outfit

They suit everything too, hats, glasses etc it’s very annoying

They have a large collection of really cool jackets and a lot of vintage

Cutie once tried to write their own manga and it got quite popular but they got fed up with everyone constantly asking for more so they just stopped

They’re good at art but never perused it in fear that they’d stop enjoying it,

also they’re very petty but not unreasonable

They’re not a fan of mess, if their room is cluttered so is their mind.

They’re petty but no unreasonable

Cutie is a very observant and will remember random things you said you liked in conversation you had two years ago

Sorry this one’s abit later, I picked up an extra shift last night lol. Anyways thanks for reading!

[tessa-liam]

Marabelle Series

Long Live the King - Chapter 12- 

Choices – The Royal Romance, AU – (cross-over with Rules of Engagement) 

Series Premise – An American teenager from New York City is introduced to the world of a small European country and its society of royalty, nobility, and commoners. How will her life story be transformed? Will this new adventure bring her happiness...or regret? 

Marabelle Series Masterlist

My Complete Masterlist 

Main Pairing – Crown Prince Liam Rys x F!OC Lady Sophia (Sophie) Taylor 

Other Pairings – Maxwell Beaumont x M!OC Daniel (from NYC), Drake Walker x F!OC Melanie Smithson 

Most characters belong to Pixelberry Studios 

Series Rating – M*🔞Warnings: this series will have NSFW material, drinking, crude language & innuendo. 

Not Beta’d - Please excuse all errors. 

Category – Alternate universe/on-going series/angst/fluff/cross-over with Choices Rules of Engagement 

Words: 3480

Long Live the King – Chapter 12 

Chapter Summary – Leo confides his reasons why he has decided to abdicate the throne to Liam, as Madeleine is notified by King Constantine that she is no longer the queen-in-waiting. 

Music Inspiration: I Get to Love You, Ruelle 

A/N1: Bethany Beaumont, Maxwell’s mother, is originally from the U.S. and is Barthelemy Beaumont’s second wife. Annabelle Beaumont (deceased) is Bertrand’s mother. 

A/N2: ‘Social Season’ in this AU series refers to a traditional period in the spring/summer for royalty and members of the court to take part in Balls, dinner parties and charity events. 

A/N3: Thank you to @peonierose for your ask/quote prompt, “He looks at her like he just realized what love is.” 

Monterisso

Inside the dimly lit speakeasy nestled in the small island country of Monterisso, the atmosphere was both vibrant and clandestine. The air was filled with the tang of citrus from freshly squeezed lemons, mingling with the rich aroma of aged wines and the faint scent of tobacco from elegantly smoked cigars. Soft jazz music played in the background, creating a sultry ambiance that enveloped the patrons in an air of secrecy and luxury. 

Amidst the plush velvet couches and ornate decor, Leo sat with his brother in a secluded corner of the speakeasy. The flickering candlelight cast shadows across their faces as Leo took a deep breath, steeling himself for the conversation ahead. 

Liam was already quite sure and prepared for what his brother was going to announce that evening. In talking with their father shortly after the charity polo match had ended, he learned about his brother’s contemplations and desire to abdicate the throne. The surprise being, for Liam, that his father confessed to him that he was relieved about Leo’s decision. 

"Liam," Leo began slowly, his voice low and filled with gravity. "There's something I need to tell you." He paused, sitting back in his chair as the buxom server deposited a bottle of top shelf scotch complete with Glencairn crystal tumblers on the table in front of them. 

Liam looked up at the woman, and cordially thanked her before returning his attention back to his brother. 

They sat in silence for a moment, each enjoying their scotch. The only sounds were coming from the smooth and mellow tones of a saxophone from across the room. 

Letting out his breath slowly, his eyes were fixed on the flickering candle at the center of the table. 

"I've made a decision," Leo started, his words measured. "I have decided that ... that I am abdicating the throne." He looked warily at Liam, not knowing what his reaction would be. Considering the news will profoundly affect his brother’s future trajectory, it could possibly go sideways. 

Liam looked down, nodding his head. His features reflected a mix of concern and disbelief upon hearing the words coming out of his brother’s mouth, even though his announcement was expected and forewarned by their father. 

 "Abdicate? Leo, why? You've always been committed to your duties as the crown prince." Turning to him, Liam questioned further, in a hushed tone, “why now ... what has changed?” 

Leo leaned in closer, his voice barely above a whisper now, mindful of the ears that may be listening in the secretive ambiance of the speakeasy. "I know it's abrupt, Li, for you. I have been thinking about this for a while now. I cannot ignore my heart any longer. I want a life of my own choosing, not one dictated solely by duty and tradition." 

Liam took a moment to process his brother's words, the weight of the decision settling between them the unspoken truth that both men already knew. "I understand, Leo," he finally responds after a moment, his voice filled with compassion. "Your happiness matters more than anything else to you. I know that you want your freedom.” 

As the jazz music continued to weave its melodies around them, Leo and Liam sat in quiet contemplation, they were united in their bond as brothers, even as their individual paths ahead were destined to diverge into uncharted territory. 

“But Liam.” Leo began, moving in closer and watching his brother’s reaction and facial cues. “I already knew and accepted the fact that you were the one destined to take the crown many years ago. Not me.” 

Liam raised his eyebrows in confusion but remained silent to allow Leo to continue. 

“Remember that time in Athens, Liam? I was 21 and you had just turned legal? I was showing you around town?”  

Liam sighed, chuckling, “Ah, yes ... that was the royal visit when you picked up that woman! Father was so pissed when Bastien found you at that hotel after the diplomatic summit!”   

The broad smile on Leo’s face, with his booming laugh rattled throughout the room. “Yes, yes ... it was quite the eventful trip.” Leo smirked, shaking his head. 

“But seriously, Li, it was on that trip when I realized you would make the better king.” 

“Oh, come on, Leo. You had your doubts, but you were always the natural born leader.” 

“No, Liam. It’s so much more than that. That incident with Bradshaw and Isabella Achillies at the party on the Auvernal yacht. You handled it with such grace and diplomacy.” 

‘...The deck was filled with diplomats mingling and drinking. Leo and Liam each grabbed a glass of ouzo from a passing waiter. When the sun started to set, Leo and Liam rose to leave the yacht to return to the summit being held at an uptown venue. 

“Prince Leo, are you ashamed?” Bradshaw taunted as he also rose, noticing the Rys brothers leaving his yacht. 

Leo stopped and turned around to glare at Bradshaw for that comment. All eyes were now focused on the king’s raised voice. 

“Your schoolboy brother is afraid of being tardy.”  Bradshaw ridiculed.

“Insult my brother again, and you're going over that railing, Bradshaw.” 

“Come on, Leo.” Isabella chided. “Stay and have another drink.”  

“I guess Cordonia is too weak a nation to do as it pleases.” Bradshaw turned, to grandstand in front of everyone on the yacht. "As evidenced by Prince Leo and his tedious little brother.” 

 Leo swiftly stepped up to approach him, as Bradshaw quickly retreated. 

 “You can call me a coward all you want ... but don't you dare” ... Leo seethed and stopped mid-sentence with clenched fists when Liam placed a hand on his shoulder. Knowing that Leo was losing his head and was about to blow up in front of everyone, Liam came forward, as cool headed as ever.  

“King Bradshaw, our kingdom honors and respects its neighbors, even those who do not deserve it.  

Cordonia’s strength is in our integrity.” 

Liam paused and moved forward to stand directly in front of Queen Isabella. 

“To answer the summit's call is not about being or acting like a coward. It is about acting like a king.”  

Bradshaw stayed silent with a reddened face. 

 Isabella was also silent, clearly embarrassed as their guests stopped their conversations to witness the altercation.

“Please enjoy the rest of the party while Cordonia helps to shape international policy.”’ 

...Pausing, Leo threw back his scotch; quickly refilling his tumbler as well as Liam’s...

‘Bradshaw and Isabella's jaws were on the floor. It actually embarrassed them enough that everyone else felt uncomfortable and left, abruptly ending the party.  

As Leo and Liam strolled back to the summit, Leo stopped.  

“Hey, can I just say that it was an impressive move back there. It takes tact and cunning to lie in a bed of snakes and avoid a bite.” 

 Liam responded, “you would have done the same if I hadn't interrupted.”  

“Huh. Yeah. No. No, I wouldn't have, honestly. You made Cordonia look good back there. You were born for this world. Cordonia is lucky to have you.”’ 

“That was the moment when I realized that you were so much more suitable to wear the crown, rather than me. The things that got me excited for those summits was the chance to meet people, to meet new women, outside of Cordonia. For you, it was negotiations, networking and diplomacy.” 

“Ah, that.” Liam shook his head. “It wasn't my finest moment, but I had to step in.” 

“You diffused the situation brilliantly. Liam. Your words about Cordonia's integrity and strength... that is what a true king embodies.” 

“I was just trying to keep the peace and uphold our principles.” 

“You did more than that, Liam. You showed me and everyone else on that yacht what it means to lead with honor and wisdom. It told me that she was in your heart. Cordonia needs someone like you to wear the crown after father.”  

Leo put his hand on Liam's shoulder. “It hit me, at that moment ... that you would make a way better king. Much better than I ever could be. It said that you have faith in this country before anyone or anything else. Liam, you are the king Cordonia needs and deserves.” 

Liam breathed out slowly; a myriad of thoughts swirling in his head. 

Leo refilled their glasses with amber liquid. 

“And I trust you to lead Cordonia into a bright future, Liam.” Leo raised his glass to propose a toast. “And you know what? Cordonia is lucky to have you as its future king.” 

“To Liam Rys. Long live the King.” 

The Beaumont Estate 

Sophie stepped into her bedroom, her mind reeling from the events of the day. The charity polo match had been a success, but the victory was bittersweet. The encounter with Neville had left her feeling shaken, confused and vulnerable.  

As she changed out of her clothes to slip into her pajamas, her thoughts returned to the moment when Neville had pushed her. The look of hatred and disdain on his face was burned into her memory. What had she ever done to deserve his cruel treatment? 

She sank onto the edge of the bed, tears stinging her eyes. Her shoulder was throbbing from the fall and her knee ached from hitting the hard ground. The day had been an emotional roller coaster, and she was mentally and physically exhausted. 

Sophie picked up her phone, hesitating. She knew Liam was busy with his brother, and she did not want to disturb him. But she wanted him; she needed to see him; to feel the warmth of his embrace and to hear his reassuring words. She placed her phone back on her nightstand and laid her head down on the pillow. 

As the night wore on, Sophie found herself drifting in and out of sleep, her thoughts consumed by the day's events. 

Sitting around the firepit on the grounds outside the estate, Maxwell and Daniel shared a bottle of wine, the night sky a blanket of darkness overhead. They laughed and chatted, the warmth of the fire keeping them comfortable in the cool evening air.

"It's nights like this that I love," Daniel said, his eyes shining as he looked up at the stars. 

When Maxwell didn’t respond, Daniel looked over at his partner.

“Maxwell?  Earth to Maxwell... you seem like you are a thousand miles away." 

"Oh, sorry, I'm just a bit tired," Maxwell apologized. 

"Is everything okay? You've seemed distracted tonight?" Daniel asked, a look of concern on his face. 

"Yeah, it's just..." Maxwell trailed off, his expression uncertain. "It's Sophie. She's been through a lot lately, and I'm worried about her." 

"Oh, the polo match?" 

Maxwell went silent as Drake plopped down in a lounger beside them. “Sorry, I’m late.” Drake took a long pull from his bottle of beer. 

“Hey Drake, glad you could make it tonight. But hey, where did Melanie go? I thought she was coming?” 

Drake scoffed, “yeah, she decided to go home.” Maxwell raised an eyebrow. 

“She was in a mood, so I asked her ‘what’s up’, and she tore a strip off me. Drawing another pull, Drake, clearly annoyed with his girlfriend, “I am in no mood for aggro tonight, so I drove her home.” 

"Hey, where's Taylor? I know she is not with Liam tonight." Drake looked around the grounds. 

"She is in her room. She wasn't feeling well, Daniel answered.

"So, Maxwell," Drake looked quizzically at him ... you were telling me that you were worried about Taylor? What's up?" 

Monterisso

“I have met someone." Leo took a moment, the flickering candlelight reflecting in his eyes as he gathered his thoughts. "Katie," he begins, "she's not Madeleine. Meeting her on that cruise was like stumbling upon a new adventure, a chance to explore life beyond the confines of royalty." 

Liam listened intently, a flicker of curiosity dancing in his eyes. "Tell me more about her," he prompted, sensing the significance of this encounter for Leo. 

"She's... different," Leo mused, a soft smile tugged at his lips. "Katie is spirited, full of life and has a thirst for adventure. With her, I feel like I can be myself, and not be the crown prince, burdened by expectations." 

"I realize that you already knew about my decision before tonight," Leo said after a while, breaking the quietude. "I wanted to apologize for not telling you sooner, for not confiding in you." 

Liam shook his head, a reassuring smile on his face. "There's no need to apologize, Leo. I understand why you made this choice, and I support you wholeheartedly." Liam never held back with his opinions for Leo’s betrothed. 

Leo let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, a weight clearly lifted from his shoulders. "Thank you, Li. Your support means everything to me.  

Liam nods, his understanding dawned in his expression. "It sounds like Katie has brought a breath of fresh air into your world." 

"She has," Leo confirmed, gratitude coloring his tone. "Being with her these past three weeks has made me realize that there's more to life than the crown, more to discover beyond the palace walls." 

Liam reached out and placed a reassuring hand on Leo's shoulder. "I'm glad you found this, Leo. Everyone deserves to find their own happiness, even if it means taking a different path that was originally planned for them." 

Leo nodded in agreement, a sense of resolve settling within him. "Thank you, Liam. Your support means everything to me." 

As they sat in the intimate corner of the speakeasy, surrounded by the whispers of jazz and the allure of hidden conversations, Leo and Liam watched as a jazz singer took to the stage and began to sing.  

"You know, Liam," Leo started, his voice carrying a note of contemplation, "with Sophie by your side, you could start thinking about the future. About heirs to the throne and building a family." 

Liam's expression softened at the mention of Sophie, his eyes reflecting a mix of love and longing. "I've thought about it," he admits, his voice filled with quiet determination. "Sophie and I have talked about our dreams, about the possibility of a future together." 

Leo nodded in agreement, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "She would make an incredible queen, Li. Her grace, her kindness, and her love for you are evident to everyone." 

"I agree," Liam responds, a warm smile of affection coloring his features. "And I couldn't imagine a better partner to share the responsibilities of ruling Cordonia and raising our children." 

"You know, Liam," Leo began, his voice carrying a note of contemplation, "with your betrothal to Sophie there would be no need for a social season.” 

Liam was taken aback by the suggestion. "Leo, you sound like father." 

"Well, Father has a point. If you are going to rule, you need to secure the throne for the next generation. The need for a queen is paramount." 

“That was before you abdicated, now, everything has changed. And, well, we are not engaged; not yet." 

"Well, maybe it's time you fixed that,” Leo looked meaningly at Liam. ‘Sophie is a perfect fit for you." 

"I appreciate your support, Leo. But it's not that simple." 

"Why not? From what I can see, you two are clearly in love. She comes from a noble house and has been accepted at court. Father and Regina think very highly of her." 

“Marrying me now comes with a lot of baggage. There's the political side of things, the court politics, and the pressure to produce an heir." 

"But that's all manageable, isn't it? Liam?” 

"Maybe. But Sophie is still new to all of this. I do not want to overwhelm her. We've had a whirlwind romance, and I don't want her to feel rushed or pressured." 

"I understand. But Liam, the longer you wait, the more you risk losing her." 

Liam understood too; all too well. According to Cordonian law at the time of a coronation, he must be betrothed. 

Cordonian Royal Palace

The following day, Madeleine sat in the opulent sitting room of the royal palace. Her fingers nervously traced the intricate patterns of the embroidered cushion beneath her. She had been summoned by King Constantine, and the weight of anticipation hung heavy in the air. 

As the throne room doors opened, King Constantine entered the sitting room, his expression somber yet composed. Beside him Liam also entered, his face a mask of conflicting emotions. 

"Madeleine," King Constantine acknowledged, his voice carrying the weight of the impending revelation. "There's something we need to discuss." 

Madeleine's heart skipped a beat, a sense of foreboding settling over her like a dark cloud. "Of course, Your Majesty," she replied, her voice steady despite the rising unease within her. 

Taking a seat opposite her, King Constantine fixed his gaze on Madeleine. "It concerns Leo," he continued, his tone measured. "He has made a decision regarding the throne." 

The mention of Leo's name caused a flurry of emotions to surge within Madeleine—hope, fear, and uncertainty mingling in her thoughts. "What decision?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. 

Liam stepped forward; his expression filled with empathy. "Leo has chosen to abdicate the throne," he revealed, his expression stoic.

Madeleine's heart seemed to stop as the reality of the words sank in. Abdication meant that her dreams of becoming queen, of standing by Leo's side as his consort, were shattered. 

"I... I do not understand, why," Madeleine stammered, her mind racing to grasp the enormity of the news. "Why would he abdicate? What about our plans?" 

King Constantine sighed, his eyes reflecting a mixture of sympathy and regret. "Leo has found his own path, Madeleine," he explained stoically. "He believes it's time for a new chapter in his life, one that doesn't include the responsibilities of the crown." 

Tears welled up in Madeleine's eyes, her dreams crumbling around her like a fragile illusion. "But... but I thought..." Her voice trailed off, unable to articulate the turmoil raging within her. 

Liam reached out, offering a handkerchief as her tears began.

"I know this is difficult, Madeleine," he said softly. "But Leo's decision is his own, and we must respect it." 

As the reality of Leo's abdication sank in, Madeleine felt a mix of sadness and resignation wash over her. The future she had envisioned, the life she had planned, seemed to slip through her fingers like grains of sand. 

"I understand," Madeleine replied, her voice steadier now, masking the pain that threatened to consume her. "I will accept Leo's decision and wish him well in his new path." 

King Constantine nodded, a sense of finality settling over the conversation. "Thank you, Madeleine. Your grace and understanding in this matter are appreciated." 

As Madeleine composed herself and prepared to leave the sitting room, the sense of loss weighed heavily on her heart. The dream of being queen was no more, replaced by a stark reality she had not expected. 

With a heavy heart, Madeleine left the royal palace, her thoughts and mood now turning into anger. Consumed by thoughts of what could have been and her uncertain future that lay ahead. 

House Beaumont 

In the morning, Sophie woke to a text from Liam. 

'Sorry I missed you last night. I'll be over later today.' 

Sophie's heart pounded, her fingers trembling as she replied, 'I'll be here.' 

It was a simple message, but it spoke volumes. She had missed him, and she couldn't wait for him to return. 

She had never felt this way about anyone before, and it scared her. She knew that being with Liam was worth the risk. thinking to herself that she would do whatever it took to make their relationship work, no matter what obstacles stood in their way. 

Thanks for reading; please let me know if you would like to be added or removed from this series.

📌@bascmve01 @busywoman @kristinamae093 @differenttyphoonwerewolf @kingliam2019 @ao719 @alj4890 @emkay512 @karahalloway @twinkleallnight @malblk21 @tinkie1973 @queenmiarys @txemrn @emersyn-in-cordonia @dutifullynuttywitch @charlotteg234 @lovingchoices14

📌@choicesficwriterscreations

[bandcampsnoop]

8/26/23.

Anna Hillburg has been a fixture of the San Francisco music scene for well over a decade. She often lends her trumpet skills to friend's bands or recordings. But Hillburg has an impressive solo catalogue as well. "Tired Girls" is her 3rd album and first for Speakeasy Studios SF (we've previously posted about The Softies + Tony Molina and The Lost Days).

Yea Ming Chen plays a catchy piano line throughout "Holdin' On" - the only song currently available. Hillburg has played in Yea Ming Chen's band, but also played with Chen in the incredible Bay Area band Dreamdate - which I bought years before I started the blog.

Jason Quevers (Papercuts) recorded this and Mikey Young mastered it.

[openlategames]

Open Late Games released its first teaser for Speakeasy last week on April 25th, 2023 via a Reddit post, a Twitter announcement, a trailer release on YouTube, and making our Speakeasy itch.io link live.

Up until this point we've kept the development of our game hush hush. So who are we and what's this game all about?

Open Late Games is an independent development studio founded in 2020 with several projects in the works. Our focus is on creating games for women and the LGBTQ+ community, with an emphasis on immersive stories and quality gameplay. Our two member team is small but mighty, with experience in both creative and management fields.

As for Speakeasy, this is an erotic visual novel that might be new to our audience, but has been in production since 2021. Here's the quick info:

Join Old Hollywood heiress Cora West for a whirlwind of forbidden romance in the depths of a decadent illegal jazz club in Prohibition-era Los Angeles. Direct the heroine’s actions and determine whether she will make it out with her heart intact or lose herself in the glamor and excess.

Will you fall in love? Rule the city? Or damn it all and descend into ruin? The choice is yours.

Now come closer and we'll let you in on a little secret...

The script is complete, the demo will be ready soon, our Kickstarter will launch this summer, and our goal is to release the game before the end of the year!

Okay, that was more than one secret. When we started development on this project we made the decision not to release information until there was a solid body of work to present. As our debut title, we knew we would have a lot to prove and wanted to do this right. With the script complete, phase one of the character art finished by the amazing artist who signed on for the project in 2022, the game demo programming underway, and all the little details being drawn together, we knew it was time to let the world know about Speakeasy. 

As fans of independent games ourselves who have supported studios/individuals and watched the development of titles we were excited about, we know how it feels being on the side of the end user who's clinging to updates and waiting for the game to come out. There's a fine line between foreplay and just being a tease; we want to get all of you excited for the main event, but also for you to know that a release is within reach.

Thank you for coming on this journey with us and we can't wait to show you what comes next. 

Aura, Founder + Creative Director 

[zaebeecee]

Untitled CasinoBomb one-shot •

TW: ADDICTION, ALCOHOL

Husk was a gambler.

This was not new information to anyone who had known Husk for more than an hour. It wouldn’t surprise anyone, either, to learn that he’d played his first hand of poker before he was seven years old. Cards and dice had followed him his entire life, both to his benefit and to his detriment, as he followed the call of illicit games in the back rooms of speakeasies through the streets of Atlantic City to the shiny new casinos popping up all over the Las Vegas strip. He had won and lost more money, he thought, than Rockefeller had ever had in his accounts.

He wasn’t proud of his habit—he wouldn’t call it an addiction, not out loud, not to anyone else, not even to himself—but he wasn’t really ashamed, either. What was there to be ashamed of, really? It was a vice. He was in Hell. Everyone had at least one vice in Hell.

It’s funny, Alastor had once said, his eyes creased with mirth and his smile stretched near to the corners of his eyes, his usual malicious cruelty sharpened with intent as he stared at Husk without blinking.

Husk didn’t want to know, so he didn’t want to ask, but he knew the Radio Demon wouldn’t leave until he did. What is? he asked, putting every iota of how little he cared into those two words.

A gambling addict who works as a croupier, Alastor had answered with a laugh in his voice that was echoed by the distant ghosts of the live studio audience he carried with him everywhere. I have it on good authority that a drug dealer is expected not to rely so heavily on his own product.

Husk had snarled, which had done nothing, but he couldn’t have answered if he had wanted to. It was correct, after all, and Husk didn’t need Alastor to remind him of yet another way in which he was an idiot.

Because he knew. He had known when he was alive, and he had known after his death, too. It had been his entire existence, so much so that his body even took on attributes of the casino, and wasn’t that a reminder he didn’t need every time he looked in a mirror.

Everyone thought gambling was about winning. Whether it was Charlie trying to sus out if he was open to the group therapy sessions, or Angel Dust asking him why the hell he had kept playing after he lost, they all thought that winning was the point of gambling. You bet your money, you put it on red, the roulette favors you, and you walk away richer than you were when you sat down.

It wasn’t about winning. If it was, it wouldn’t have been so difficult to stop. It wasn’t about losing, either, though Husk had wondered if that was part of the problem in some of his lower and more pessimistic moments. No, gambling was about the moments that existed in between.

It lived in the way the dice rolled across the felt tabletop.

It lived in every tell of another player, every call and every raise, every new card dealt and every hand revealed.

It lived in the moments of the roulette wheel’s slowing momentum and the little ball searching for the pocket that would tell you if you won or if you lost.

Risk. That was what gambling was for: the thrill of the unknown, of taking a chance, of betting your rent or your food for the next week or even your fucking house on a game that could set you up for life and ruin you and you would never know which one it would be until you played. Husk had won, and he had lost, but every victory and every defeat was nothing but a little change in the long road that was the risk.

If Husk was honest with himself, he would have admitted that gambling was the only way he felt anything anymore.

Of course, Husk was never honest with himself.

The Hazbin Hotel was, for a multitude of reasons, somewhere safe for a sinner like him to set up shop. Vices were discouraged, and Charlie didn’t permit gambling for money, so the only gambling they ever did was to pawn their chores off on each other. It was almost like Alastor had done him a favor, dragging him through the ether by the throat and lashing him to the bar, even though Husk would chew his own wings off before admitting that. And the residents, too, were safe for one reason: they were predictable.

Alastor was volatile, of course, but Husk had known him for years and was fairly sure of the things that would set him off. He liked his creature comforts, he liked his schedules, and he didn’t like people disturbing his routines. Predictable.

Niffty, too, liked her routines, though they more manifested in the form of a regular rotation of cleaning duties and a fairly strict mealtime schedule that only grew erratic when someone else wanted to use her kitchen. Aside from inappropriate comments that could come from nowhere, she didn’t shift much, and she could usually be found stabbing bugs or cooking. Predictable.

Charlie made schedules for everyone constantly, always wanting to try new group building exercises and never springing unexpected surprises on them. She took everything in stride as best she could, and her meltdowns were always private and controlled. Predictable.

Vaggie was measured, strict, and always adhered to her own moral code. If something happened and it involved Charlie, she would be by the princess’s side throughout. If it did not involve Charlie, Vaggie probably didn’t care. Predictable.

Angel Dust was also volatile, of course, but it was always in the same way. He would get angry at any insult to his profession or anyone removing his indulgences, and everything else would be met with either vulgarity, sarcasm, or some combination of the two. Predictable.

Sir Pentious was paranoid and enthusiastic, quick to anger and always taking it out on his Egg Bois. He cried at the drop of a hat and seemed, even now, to really want to be an overlord despite the fact that he didn’t have the stomach for it and would always opt for a less violent option unless he was trying to impress someone. Predictable.

But the hotel had more foot traffic than simply the staff and their two residents, though most didn’t come through very often and few stayed for any length of time. Of course, among those few was Angel Dust’s best friend and supposed partner in crime, who was stopping by the hotel with increased frequency to check up on the spider demon and get into whatever else she could find while she was there.

Cherri Bomb.

Cherri Bomb was not predictable. Or, rather, she could be relied on to be unpredictable, if that made any kind of sense at all. No one, not even Angel Dust, seemed to have any sort of idea how her mood would hold up from minute to minute and what sort of erratic change might follow. She might stab someone over an insult one day and shrug the same words off the next. She might agree with you one minute and shout at you the next, even if you hadn’t changed what you said. If she stared at you with a stony gaze and invited you to keep making your point—always a threat, in Husk’s experience—you had no idea if she was furious, or if she would start laughing and inform you she was just fucking with you.

Husk had learned more about how they cussed in New Zealand in the past month than he had in the century he had existed, all of it from sarcastically calling Cherri Australian.

At first, he hadn’t known what to expect from her. She was hardly the first one to introduce herself to the hotel’s residents by blowing up a wall, so that wasn’t even notable, but everything else made her complicated in a way that Husk hadn’t let himself contemplate in a long time. For a while he was convinced that the issue, where she was concerned, was ensuring that no one did anything to set her off and create a chain reaction that would inevitably lead to more damage to the hotel. It wasn’t long before he realized the problem was that they couldn’t make that assurance.

Cherri’s presence in the hotel was unpredictable. It was a risk. And that made it exciting. The first time Husk had that realization, he had drunk an entire bottle of Alastor’s rye to drown the thought without care for the inevitable consequences.

It hadn’t worked, because the next morning, he had a headache that rivaled those from his youth and he was still just as confused and frustrated as he had been before.

Even though Cherri had declared that she was not, in any way, interested in redemption, that didn’t stop her from coming to the hotel with increased frequency. She would often leave to Angel Dust’s room and spend hours up there with the spider demon, but sometimes, the two of them would hang out at the bar. Husk served them drinks—Angel Dust his martinis according to the extremely strict regimen Charlie had set, Cherri vodka blushes and dishes of lime that she ate down to the rind—and listened to them as they talked about their nights out and Angel bitched about his job and Cherri occasionally mentioned someone named Izzi that she never dwelled on and neither of them seemed to like. Sometimes, Sir Pentious would discover that Cherri was in the hotel, and would proceed to make an ass out of himself before retreating into his basement to hide until she was gone.

Husk wondered if he should talk Pentious through a method of actually seducing Cherri, if he was that set on it. Maybe then Husk could stop thinking about… well. Anything else. Of course, Husk barely knew anything about actual seduction himself. He hadn’t been with anyone in decades, and before that, there had been less courting and more blunt sentences that led to one night stands with people whose names he didn’t remember because he hadn’t known them in the first place. Pentious was probably better off with his fumbling on his own than taking advice from Husk, because he was likely to get the snake slapped or worse.

The air was heavy with acid rain one evening as Husk took inventory at the bar. Even with so few residents, he found himself needing to take stock and submit orders to Charlie almost as much as he would have at an actual club; these sinners were clearly taking advantage of the fact that their livers couldn’t give out, and the princess wasn’t any better with her straight Mephistophelian absinthe shots. He was almost done when he heard someone pull out a bar stool, his left ear twitching when that someone sat and began patting their hands on the bar top. “Hold your horses,” he grumbled, doing math in his head as he wrote out the whisky order.

“Look at you, so responsible,” a familiar Kiwi-accented voice said, and Husk’s ears twitched again, but he didn’t turn around. Instead, he simply tried to gauge Cherri’s mood without looking at her face. “You’re not closed?”

Husk shook his head. “Nah. I just do inventory while these assholes are otherwise engaged before Angel Dust can come along and start saying numbers at random. That wasn’t a suggestion,” he added firmly.

Cherri laughed, just a little. “Wouldn’t dream of throwin’ you off,” she said, so innocently that she wasn’t even trying to hide the fact that she was full of shit. After that, she went quiet, tapping away on her phone while waiting for Husk to finish his work.

The cat demon signed off on the order and ripped the page from the notepad, pinning it up for Vaggie to grab the next time she passed by. Husk then turned to Cherri, taking up a glass, some vodka, and a bottle of grenadine. “Angel snubbing you? I was pretty sure he came back from work.”

“Oh, he’s in his room,” Cherri said. “But he’s busy. Said I could either wait down here for him or go home.”

“Busy?” Husk echoed, frowning at her, before the light went off in his head. It didn’t help his frown. “Oh. Alastor.”

“Do you have any idea what they’re doing in there?”

“No idea,” Husk confessed, slicing up a large lime and making sure it hadn’t dried out. “Angel told me to mind my business, but I think they’re plotting something. At least, I hope they are, because anything else isn’t worth considering.”

“I don’t like him,” Cherri grumbled.

Husk smirked. “Get in line. Nobody does.” He pushed the drink and a plate of lime slices towards her. “I’m guessing you decided to wait.”

“Have you seen the weather?” Cherri snapped, gesturing sharply towards the nearest window. “You think I wanna melt my skin off?”

Husk felt the fur along his neck and the backs of his arms standing up a little. He didn’t know if that was a reflex on his part, or a response to the way the air began to smell like nitrate when Cherri got worked up. “I think you do whatever you feel like doing no matter what the weather is like.”

She stared at him for a moment before she smirked and picked up a lime slice. “Thanks,” she said, before biting into it and stripping the fruit cleanly from the rind. Her wince looked satisfied. “What do you do when the weather’s shit?”

“What I always do,” Husk said, returning to cleaning the outsides of all the liquor bottles, just in case of any alcohol on the necks. “Fuck all.”

“Do you ever leave?”

“Only under extreme duress.”

“That’s not healthy, Captain Buzzkill.” Cherri leaned on one elbow and twirled a bare lime rind between her fingers, her x-shaped pupil watching Husk contemplatively. He didn’t rise to the bait, just continuing his work and waiting her out. Finally, she said, “You should come out with me sometime.”

Husk snorted in mild amusement. “What would you want to hang out with an old curmudgeon for?”

Cherri shrugged one shoulder. “I dunno, because you could stand to loosen up and I have to deal with you every time I come here, so you might as well remember how to have some fun.”

“I don’t do fun.”

“You’re gonna.”

Husk raised an eyebrow at her and leaned one hand on the bar. “You plan to make me?”

Cherri grinned, all sharp teeth, but Husk wouldn’t have defined it as a smile. “If I have to.”

It was a surprise to both of them when Husk actually chuckled, the sound as low and rusty and unused as it was on every occasion he laughed, rare as they were. “I’d love to see that.”

Suddenly, Cherri’s expression turned serious. Suspicious, almost. “Are you hitting on me, Husk?”

Once again, the air immediately felt dangerous, and once again, Husk felt the fur on his neck standing up. Cherri wasn’t blinking, and she wasn’t speaking. Any answer he could give had the potential to offend her. Husk felt oddly exhilarated, hesitating long enough to savor the feeling that he was gambling something more vital than money. Finally, he admitted, “…frankly, I got no idea.”

Cherri’s brow furrowed over her eye, her lips pursing, before she burst into laughter that instantly destroyed the tension and told him he had won that hand. “Fuck, you’re funny,” she said in a voice that was almost fond. “Come on. Come out with me some night.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“Come on,” she wheedled.

“It’s the best you’re gonna get,” Husk warned, and she rolled her eye dramatically but seemed to drop it as she took up her drink. “You gonna drag me to some of those seedy dives you and Angel haunt?”

“Maybe,” Cherri said. If Husk was being generous to himself, he would call her tone flirtatious. “You’ll just have to take a chance.”

Husk found himself smiling, though why, he had no idea. “…well. That happens to be my specialty.”

-fin-