#teto world domination

[magurosnacks]

TETO TERRITORY ! 💥

[number1edward]

My first tweeting animations, 3 days of work, very worth it;not really

Posting this on other socials later cuz it’s 4 am and I haven’t sleept :3

[anby04]

teteteteteteto teteteteteteto teto kasane teto teto kasane teto

ahem well

[caramalart]

teto doodle

[ceask]

i should draw virtual singers

i should draw ink and error cosplaying teto and miku

[vinnythefirst]

FINNALLY IM DINT WITH THIS DRAWING!!!!!!MWUAHHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!!!!!! IT TOOK ME 6 HOURS PLEASE!!!!!! I ALMOST GAVE UP… NOW IM FINISHED I FINNALLY GET TO REST AND CAUSE WORLD DOMINATION

[fepo-productions]

I'm not dead!

[bmpmp3]

2023-2024 so far really has been the Year of Teto. maybe its the beginning of the Decade of Teto. Century of Teto.

[justewil]

mesmerizer in pjsk ... save me mesmerizer in pjsk .....

[animemusicbrackets]

Vocaloid Song Showdown!!!: Prelims Part B Brackets

You can find the preliminary brackets, as well as the full list of submissions here

ALL MATCHES CAN BE FOUND AT THIS LINK

All prelim matches were made with a random sorter. They will all be posted at noon EST, and will last for one week. There will be one winner per match that will advance (17 total winners).

The Preliminaries Part B will be released as follows:

Saturday, February 10th

Match 1:

"Honey I'm Home" by GHOST; feat. DEX

"Hyperventilation Dance" by Nashimoto We; feat. Hatsune Miku

"Spinning Sky Rabbit" by Orangestar; feat. Hatsune Miku

"Marshall Maximizer" by Hiiragi Magnetite; feat. KAFU

"Children Record" by Jin; feat. IA

Match 2:

"Remote Control" by WONDERFUL☆OPPORTUNITY; feat. Kagamine Rin & Len

"Unicorn" by Teniwoha; feat. flower

"DEAD HAND" by Ferry; feat. Yuzuki Yukari

"Drowning in a Wave of Sadness" by Neru; feat. Kagamine Len

"Mozaik Role" by DECO*27; feat. GUMI

Match 3:

"Proto Disco" by nulut; feat. flower (with KurageP, Bis, MatuMotoMoti, *Shimi, nulut)

"Meteor" by Jonsann; feat. Hatsune Miku

"SUSHI-GO-ROUND" by Utsu-P; feat. ROSE

"Town of Jade" by Mel; feat. Hatsune Miku

"Kaisei" by Orangestar; feat. IA

Monday, February 12th

Match 4:

"The Liar Witch and Gray Rainbow" by Soraru; feat. Hatsune Miku

"Testament" by Hiiragi Magnetite; feat. Hatsune Miku

"ROKI" by Mikito-P; feat. Kagamine Rin and Mikito-P

"BRING IT ON" by Giga-P; feat. Kagamine Rin & Len (with MEIKO)

"World is Mine" by ryo; feat. Hatsune Miku

Match 5:

"Mermaid" by Somari; feat. Hatsune Miku

"Waltz of Anomalies" by Hoehoe-P; feat. Hatsune Miku

"Magic Mirror" by teamOS; feat. Kagamine Rin & Len

"Doctor=Funk Beat" by nyanyannya; feat. KAITO (with maimie, Shindou Gaku, Amaoto Junca, and Dashio)

"Mirage" by Harumaki Gohan; feat. Hatsune Miku

Match 6:

"Hate it Hate it! Huge Ego!" by Wada Takeaki; feat. Otomachi Una

"*Hello, Planet." by sasakure.UK; feat. Hatsune Miku

"The Last Revolver" by MOTHY; feat. GUMI

"You’re Telling Me A SHRIMP Fried This Rice?!" by Jamie Paige; feat. Hatsune Miku

"Vita" by Hiiragi Kirai; feat. flower

Match 7:

"Witch" by Suzuki-P and Ryotai; feat. Megurine Luka (with Camui Gackpo, Kagamine Len, Kagamine Rin, Hatsune Miku)

"MONSTER" by KIRA; feat. GUMI

"Karakuri Pierrot " by 40mP; feat. Hatsune Miku (with GUMI)

"Kakome, Kakome" by Zawazawa-P; feat. Hatsune Miku and Megurine Luka

"Parade of Mediocre People" by Wada Takeaki; feat. Otomachi Una

Wednesday, February 14th

Match 8:

"Dreaming Chuchu" by emon(Tes.); feat. Megurine Luka (with Hatsune Miku and Kagamine Rin)

"iNSaNiTY" by CircusP and Azuralunar; feat. KAITO and SF-A2

"RRRRafflesia" by Utsu-P; feat. Hatsune Miku

"Spinning Song" by DATEKEN; feat. Kagamine Rin & Len

"Common World Domination" by Pinocchio-P; feat. Hatsune Miku

Match 9:

"The Intense Singing Voice of Hatsune Miku" by CosMo; feat. Hatsune Miku

"Heavenly You" by LonePi; feat. REML

"The Madness of Duke Venomania" by MOTHY; feat. Camui Gackpo (with KAITO, GUMI, MEIKO, Megurine Luka, and Hatsune Miku)

"Heart Democracy" by Mikito-P; feat. Hatsune Miku

"Fake Fake Psychotropic" by Kairiki Bear; feat. GUMI

Match 10:

"Jitterbug" by Kuriyama Yuri; feat. Hatsune Miku and MEIKO

"LIAR DANCE" by DECO*27; feat. Hatsune Miku

"Unfriendly Hater" by Meddmia; feat. Hatsune Miku and KAFU

"HITO mania" by Haraguchi Sasuke; feat. Kasane Teto

"Teo" by Omoi; feat. Hatsune Miku (with Kagamine Rin, GUMI, IA)

Friday, February 16th

Match 11:

"Shunran" by john; feat. Hatsune Miku

"Sand Planet" by Hachi; feat. Hatsune Miku (with Hachi)

"Triple Baka" by LamazeP; feat. Hatsune Miku (with Kasane Teto)

"Blessed Messiah and the Tower of AI" by teamOS; feat. Hatsune Miku, Kagamine Len, Kagamine Rin, Megurine Luka, Camui Gackpo, GUMI, IA, MAYU, MEIKO, and KAITO

"Datte" by Yuyoyuppe; feat. Natsuki Karin

Match 12:

"oyasumination" by ippo.tsk; feat. Eleanor Forte

"I’m Gonna Buy! Buy! Buy! " by Signal-E; feat. Luo Tianyi

"Propose" by Naisho no Pierced; feat. KAFU

"Neo-Neon" by DECO*27 and TeddyLoid; feat. Hatsune Miku (with Shiho)

"Jailbreak" by Neru; feat. Kagamine Rin

Match 13:

"Play" by shr and itsuki; feat. Matsudappoiyo

"Reckless Battery Burns" by GHOST and Vane; feat. Kevin

"Hungry Nicole" by Niru Kajitsu; feat. flower

"Tell Your World" by kz; feat. Hatsune Miku

"Gehenna" by wotaku; feat. Hatsune Miku

Match 14:

"Abstract Nonsense" by Neru; feat. Kagamine Rin

"Electric Angel (Giga-P Arrangement)" by Yasuo-P and Giga-P; feat. Kagamine Rin & Len

"Mind Brand" by MARETU; feat. Hatsune Miku

"Vampire" by DECO*27; feat. Hatsune Miku

"makka" by Yuyoyuppe; feat. Natsuki Karin

Sunday, February 18th

Match 15:

"Can't I Even Dream" by Fumii; feat. Hatsune Miku

"hand" by Avogado6; feat. Asane Ema

"Weenywalker" by youman; feat. GUMI

"Schadenfreude" by Guchiry; feat. Otomachi Una

"Alter Ego" by Misumi; feat. Hatsune Miku

Match 16:

"All I Need are Things I Like" by Pinocchio-P; feat. Hatsune Miku

"Machine Gun" by KIRA; feat. GUMI

"Love Me, Love Me, Love Me" by Kikuo; feat. Hatsune Miku

"Kimagure Mercy" by Hachioji-P and q*Left; feat. Hatsune Miku

"Seraphim on the Ring" by Mitchie M; feat. Hatsune Miku, Kagamine Rin, KAITO (with Kagamine Len)

Match 17:

"Super Nuko World" by Mafumafu; feat. IA (with Kagamine Rin)

"Love! Snow! Really Magic" by Mitchie M; feat. Hatsune Miku

"Crazy ∞ nighT" by teamOS; feat. Hatsune Miku, Kagamine Len, Kagamine Rin, GUMI, Camui Gackpo, Megurine Luka, KAITO, and MEIKO

"Nobody Makes Sense" by Pinocchio-P; feat. Hatsune Miku

"Reincarnation Apple" by Pinocchio-P; feat. Hatsune Miku

[vocaloidsongtournament]

Vocaloid Song Tournament Hall of Fame

May 2023 (Theme was My Favorite Vocaloid Songs) AND August 2023 (Theme was Popular Hatsune Miku Songs): Unknown Mother Goose by wowaka

June 2023 (Theme was Popular GUMI Songs): ECHO by Crusher

July 2023 (Theme was Kamui Gakupo Songs): Dancing☆Samurai by Kanimiso-P

September 2023 (Theme was Project SEKAI Commissioned Songs): Lower One's Eyes by nulut

October 2023 (Theme was Mothy Songs) AND November 2023 (Theme was MEIKO Songs): Evil Food Eater Conchita by mothy

December 2023 (Theme was Popular Kagamine Songs): Meltdown by iroha (sasaki)

January 2024 (Theme was Megurine Luka Songs): Luka Luka★Night Fever by samfree

February 2024 (Theme was KAITO Songs): Doctor=Funk Beat by nyanyannya

March 2024 (Theme was Shuffled Vocaloid Songs): Common World Domination by Pinocchio-P

Project Voltage Mini-Tournament: Go! Bidoof Group by WONDERFUL☆OPPORTUNITY!

April 2024 (Theme was Kasane Teto Songs): Kasane Territory ~ Always Teto's Turn by oxi (composed by ZUN)

May 2024 (Theme was V Flower Songs): Villain by Teniwoha

June 2024 (Theme was, again, Popular GUMI Songs): Donut Hole by Hachi

Megpoid the Music# Mini-Tournament: Mozaik Role by DECO*27

July 2024 (Theme was Songs From The Original Project DIVA): The World is Mine by ryo (supercell)

Small-Scale Project DIVA X Tournament AND September 2024 (Theme was Project SEKAI Covers): The Lost One's Weeping by Neru

August 2024 (Theme was Shuffled Miku Songs): Rolling Girl by wowaka

Project Voltage Mini-Tournament II: I GOT YOU! by Giga

October 2024 (Theme was Kikuo Songs): Hole-Dwelling by Kikuo

Playlist of all the songs

[thewyllowetree]

Adding on to this analysis: I feel like the music itself helps to push this idea.

Something that immediately stands out to me with the instrumental is just how... busy it is. It genuinly hurts to try and isolate something from the whole because of how much there is -- the instrumental break in between verses is the worst offender because of how many rhythms and instruments are playing all at once, but there's also the myriad of sound effects sprinkled throughout.

The only thing I could really isolate was the baseline providing the bouncy beat Teto and Miku dance to throughout the song, as if it was supposed to stand out. As if you're supposed to notice the beat and how easy it is to nod your head to.

This is especially apparent if you look at some of 32ki's other works (such as Juvenile and even Circus Panic); the individual instruments and rhythms are so much clearer and it's easier to focus on one track. These two examples also aren't as fast paced as Mesmerizer, with Circus Panic being about 136 BPM and Mesmerizer having a tempo of approximately 185 BPM

(I say "about" and "approximately" because these are the numbers that I was able to match the beats to without desync, but I may be inaccurate)

Another thing I noticed with Mesmerizer (even before listening to 32ki's other works) is the mixing. Maybe this is just a me thing, but Mesmerizer's vocals don't stand out from the instrumental as much as some of 32ki's other songs (especially Miku's). Not only that, but the disconnect between the happy sound of the vocals and the actual words brings attention away from the lyrics (as strange as that sounds).

The voices don't matter. The words don't matter. It's just fast-paced and catchy, perfect for consumption in a world dominated by short-form content.

Mesmerizer is a satire of TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and the rest of the modern short-form vertical video format

A brief thematic analysis.

I'm sure there are countless people already interpreting the imagery and details in this wonderful song & MV, like here and here, so I won't spend too much time retreading that ground. Miku and Teto are dancing. Miku gets hypnotized. Teto signals for help, but gets hypnotized at the end as well.

That part is obvious enough, but that's still pretty surface-level. What is this seemingly hyperspatial horror scenario supposed to mean to us?

While checking to see if anyone before me's already come to the same conclusions as I did and if I should bother not writing this text post at all (lol), I came across udin's great analysis video. She comes to the conclusion that the song tackles themes of disillusionment with reality and the ways we indulge in escapism to relieve ourselves of the pains of the world.

I agree with that reading! From practically the very beginning, we have Miku call to us - the viewer - to push away our true feelings. Teto comes in to peddle a solution, inviting us to surrender and empty our minds - in her words, "pretending to know nothing."

You, the viewer, are a critical character in this masquerade. For nearly the entire video, Miku and Teto's eyes are unfailingly trained on you. Or, well... perhaps they can't actually see you, but they can see a camera, or whatever other aperture the point of view is supposed to be from. And they know they're being watched. (Who else would Teto be sending distress signals to?)

Let's put a pin on that for later.

udin notes very early on that Miku and Teto are, conspicuously, kept in vertical frames - very similar to the video formats of TikTok (and Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts, and whatever other clones of the format exist.) You know, just like the animator Caststation's Rabbit Hole fan MV that went viral some months ago.

Hey wouldn't it be crazy if the song's producer, 32ki, released Mesmerizer shorts too haha. Wouldn't that be crazy.

Wow, wild.

These short-term vertical videos are captivating & alluring. If you're reading this, it's more likely than not that you've also found yourself caught up in them at least once, scrolling through the infinite algorithmic slurry and forgetting about the real-life issues you have at hand. Would you say, then, that you felt hypnotized? Mesmerized, even?

And so these two invite us to join their world and focus on the... uh... rectangle.

Their dances are repetitive, following the same loop. Their outfits are distinct, but their choreography isn't. They're copying the same formula, repeating it ad nauseam to the best of their ability.

They're doing a fucking TikTok dance.

Back to the pin I told you about earlier, with Miku and Teto looking at a camera.

Miku sways with the camera, eyes looking directly at it like a swinging pocket watch. She's been looking at it the entire time, after all. We've been seeing her via our screen this entire time, but, again, she doesn't necessarily see us. She's beholden to the camera, which she dances for day after day, caught up in its spell. She's hypnotized by it. Eventually, she breaks.

Teto, on the other hand, resists. For a while, anyway.

Despite her being the one jumping to us with the "solution" at the beginning of the MV, there's very quickly good reason to question how much agency she has in this. She dances for the camera as well, but she doesn't want to. She's signalling for help. She wants out.

Many content creators (as much as I personally loathe the non-specificity and soullessness of the term) have struggled with the adaptation to the short-form video format, and the preference the algorithm has had for these captivating, bite-sized videos. They're catchy, and easily drive up metrics. Practically anyone who's publishing their work via video format online needs to learn to adapt or fall behind, even if that means whittling their content down to fit the frame, the time, and people's shortening attention spans. Sometimes, that means compromising on specificity and completeness... or, in other words, the true representation of a full work.

The song's writer, 32ki, has been releasing songs on YouTube for several years. Their first YouTube Short, however, was posted only a year ago: a short, whittled-down segment of their previous song, CIRCUS PANIC!!!, hoping for it to win the ProsekaNEXT song contest. It was their first song to achieve widespread popularity and hit a million views.

The shorts, however, aren't the "true" versions of the song. The full song just won't fit.

We're being mesmerized as consumers of this endless stream of content, rather than appreciators of music and art. However, that relationship isn't completely symmetrical across the plane that is the 4th wall. Miku and Teto are trapped not by their attention spans, but by a compulsion to project their "truthful acting" and peddle that window into a colorful, problem-free world.

We, as the collective audience, need not dwell on any one thing for too long - we need only swipe, and move on to the next video. However, Miku and Teto are trapped behind the screen for eternity, day after day.

They're the only characters we get to see, of course. There's no evil 3rd voice synth character that's plotting to keep them trapped in there. We can't put a face to whatever force is hypnotizing them and trapping them behind the screen. It's faceless - like the inscrutable algorithms of YouTube recommendations or the TikTok For You page, or the impersonal corporations that develop & maintain those aforementioned apps. Miku and Teto's likenesses, on the other hand, are being exploited and extracted from for their entertainment value, being strung along by that metaphorical hypnotizing force like puppets on a string.

Many people, represented by Miku, enjoy their success on such platforms. It's freeing and liberating to throw oneself wholeheartedly into such an endeavor, of course! Others, represented by Teto, harbor their doubts of the emotional veracity of such a medium, but know they have little choice lest they face destruction... perhaps not literally as a person, but as an idea.

Wouldn't it be easier just to let oneself be swept away by it and give in?

[rinlegacy]

Am im allowed request some cute core Kasane Teto icons with the songs? One-Sided Love Samba(Normal PV version of the song)Storbo Nights,Starlite★Lydian,Arifureta Sekai Seifuku,Rain With A Chance of Sweet*Drops

cute Teto icons for anon !! sorry these took so long and sorry they look so bad . i’m in the mood to do everything except make icons lol.

PVs ; One-Sided Love Samba(Normal PV version), Strobe Lights, Starlight Lydian, Common World Domination, Rain With A Chance of Sweet Drops

free to use ; i appreciate a reblog though !!

[elaines-kinnie-galore]

Rin songs (counting covers)

I’d like to state this has nothing to do with what I ship and are just random Rin song’s I’ve found on YouTube. Feel free to comment,dm or even reblog with more songs for her.

Tokyo Teddy Bear 

Lost One’s Weeping

Fear Garden (Loud Noises ect.)

I Like You, I Love You

Meltdown

I Wanna Be a Princess!

Abstract Nonsense

The Celestial Fox

Alluring Secret ~ Black Vow ft. Len

Demon Girlfriend

pet♥me

Levan Polka

Childish War ft. Len

Sincerity Nature: Drastic Measures of Ignorance ft. Len (sexual mentions) / Sincerity: Drastic Treatment for Pretended Innocence (Possible mistranslated in the English as well)

The Straight-Faced Science Girl ft. Len (sexual mentions)

Romeo and Cinderella ft. Len (sexual mentions)

Paper Plane ft. Len (relationship sorta song)

Poetry of a Diva ft. Len, Teto

Karma

LiLuLiLa ft. Len

The Devil's Swing ft. Len

Proof of life

Servant of evil ft. Len (Classical)

Christmas Medley ft. Len

Chivalry ft. Len, Valshe 

ANTI THE∞HOLiC ft. Luka

Fuck you ft.Len

Undead enemy

Isolation≡Thanatos

World Domination How-To ft. Len

I Can Take My Panties Off

Daughter of Evil

Revolution ft. Len

Trick and Treat ft. Len

Onii Yuukai ft. Miku, Luka, Kaito (sexual mentions)

Kokoro

Tsukema Tsukeru

Purple Butterfly on your Right Shoulder ft. Len

Cold Back ft. Miku

DIAMOND ft. Miku

Knife ft. Len

Ladies First ft. Miku

Summer Idol ft. Miku

Promise ft. Miku

Alluring Secret ～White Vow ft. Miku

Doki Doki Yuri Gakuen ft. Miku

Even as a Female Ninja, I Want to Love ft. Miku

Reverse Rainbow ft. Miku

Soleil

Here and There

Melancholic

Contamination

too Cute!

Karakuri Burst ft. Len

Music of heavens

Sweet Magic

Beast

Maid Factor ft. Len (relationship sorta song)

Giga Cartoon Witch

Sister’s ∞ mercY

Remote Controller ft. Len

Electric Angel ft. Len

[im-fairly-whitty]

The Way You Keep Me Guessing: Coco Teacher!au

The story of how Héctor and Imelda began dating the first time. Events take place one year before the main storyline in the Coco Teacher AU.

[Chapter 1: First Date] [Chapter 2: A Professional Chat] 

Part 3: An Intervention 

Héctor was absently humming in disoriented snatches of minor key when he arrived home from work. Which Ernesto knew meant that something was bugging Héctor, and that he was trying to ignore it.

Ernesto stifled a sigh, pretending to be working on his laptop as he watched Héctor toss his keys onto the table and go to the fridge.

It was the third time this week that he’d come home in this state, and Ernesto already knew what it meant. That viper of a directora was still yanking Héctor around, like cat playing with a dying mouse, and Héctor still hadn’t pushed back.

“How was work?” Ernesto asked, reigning in his irritated disgust for the moment.

“Good.” Héctor replied absently, continuing to stare inside the fridge, like it held the answers to the universe.

“Oh yeah?” Ernesto said, “And how’s your not-girlfriend?”

“It’s...I don’t know. It's not like that, she’s just...” Héctor grimaced to himself, leaning heavily against the fridge doorway as he continued to stare at nothing. “It’s complicated.”

Ernesto wanted badly to throw something out the window. Maybe Héctor, maybe himself.

He’d actually let himself hope that post-college Héctor had grown out of this ridiculous romance nonsense. It had been years since Héctor had really gotten tangled up with a girl, since he’d spent every moment staring into space with obnoxious pining sighs. But here they were again, and once again, it was up to Ernesto to get him out of it.

“She kissed you last week, sí?” Ernesto asked, closing his laptop with a crisp snap.

“Yeah.” Héctor said, absently touching his mouth.

“And she kissed you again on Monday?”

“Well yeah, but that was kinda spur of the moment too. We were just going to talk about the first time and-”

“And how about Wednesday?” Ernesto folded his arms. “Was that ‘spur of the moment’ too when she pounced on you in the breakroom?”

“It’s not like that Ernesto, she didn’t ‘pounce’ on me.” Héctor rolled his eyes, “She’s my boss, we both know we like each other but it’s a complicated situation. I’m just following her lead.”

“She’s using you.” Ernesto said flatly, “She doesn’t actually care about you Teto, she just wants you as a make-out partner and you aren’t doing anything to stop her.”

Not that Ernesto necessarily saw anything wrong with noncommittal making out as a rule. After all, it was the all the fun with none of the commitment of an actual relationship.

But that kind of thing just didn't work for someone like Héctor.

If there was one thing Ernesto knew after spending a lifetime as Héctor’s best friend, it was that Héctor became insufferably attached to people, regardless of if they actually cared about him or not. Ernesto was sure it was a terrible side effect of having been raised by an absentee airhead of a mother for the first few years of his life, chronically starving his friend for real affection as a child.

Ernesto could play the noncommittal game with the best of them, he could keep himself from caring, but not Héctor. Héctor cared deeply about everything and Ernesto had seen him deeply hurt by thoughtless and flippant women their whole lives.

Imelda was not going to be added to that list.

“She’s not using me, she’s not like that.” Héctor said, frowning as he finally pulled the milk out of the fridge. “We’re just taking it slow. If I let her lead then I won’t spook her away by accident, we’re just both a little unsure right now.”

“Héctor, sit down. Do you remember Luciana?” Ernesto asked, pointing at the seat across from him at the table.

“Ernesto I really don’t want to-”

“Sit down, Héctor.”

Héctor stared back at him, not breaking eye contact as he took a drink of milk right from the carton.

“Héctor.” Ernesto said.

Héctor took a long moment to screw the cap back on the milk carton and then let it drop on the table before taking a seat.

“What?”

“Back in high school you were chasing after Luciana Sanchez.” Ernesto said, choosing to ignore Héctor’s attitude. He only ever got defensive when “love” was involved, but Ernesto knew how to ignore it. “You were convinced the two of you were destined for true love in the stars or whatever, like usual, and you remember what happened?”

“It didn’t work out, it was a high school crush, Ernesto.” Héctor said, idly picking at the edge of the table.

“What happened was that she led you on Héctor. You followed her around for months, doing whatever she told you to. She’d get you to drive her around and buy her food and tell you that of course you two would be a thing, eventually. And the whole time she was seeing another guy and you were too blind to see it for an entire school year. She kept deflecting you and because you never actually pushed her on anything you looked like a fool when she finally dropped you.”

“I was a kid Ernesto,” Héctor said, looking away as he kicked his shoes off. “I don’t see what this has to do with anything.”

“It wasn’t because you were a kid Héctor, it’s because you are spineless.” Ernesto said, jabbing a finger against his laptop in emphasis. “If this Imelda woman doesn’t actually want you, then you shouldn’t be giving her the time of day. You need to be a man and push the issue, don't let her yank you around to get what she wants. You are so desperate to be liked that you hang onto women that don't deserve you Héctor. They should be going out of their way to come to you, not the other way around.”

“I just, I don't want her to think I’m coming on too strong, Ernesto.” Héctor leaned forward, ending up face-down on the table, his voice sounding very tired. “I don’t know what to do...it’s just, I didn’t think I’d get this far so fast and now I’m stuck. I can’t imagine life without her, and I don’t want to do anything to ruin what we already have!”

“If you don’t do anything it’s just going to be another Luciana all over again.” Ernesto said, sitting up a little straighter, relieved he’d broken through to Héctor so quickly. This woman really must be wearing Héctor down even more badly than he thought if Héctor had caved this easily.

“Imelda isn’t a Luciana, she’s perfect, I’m the one that’s messing up.” Héctor’s voice was muffled from being face-down on the table, but Ernesto could hear the defensiveness.

“Sure, whatever,” Ernesto rolled his eyes, “but still, if you try to ignore it it’s going to turn out the same way. What you need to do is go up to her and establish your dominance, show her you’re in control of the relationship. If she doesn't like it then she’s not worth your time anyway. But no more of this moping around alright? You’ve been a distracted mess for almost two weeks now.”

And if you can get rid of her now she won't be able to hurt you later when she drops you anyway.

“I know I need to do something, but I don't want to be a jerk.” Héctor said miserably.

“Well, what do you want?” Ernesto asked.

“Just...I don't know...an actual date would be really nice.” Héctor said, tipping his head to the side.

Ernesto sighed. His friend’s sweet naivety, even as an adult, still blew his mind sometimes. Which was why he had to protect him, otherwise the world would eat him alive.

“Okay. A real date, that seems reasonable.” Ernesto said, biting back some other suggestions he had in mind. He had Héctor’s attention and he needed to keep it if he was going to help him get rid of Imelda. “Which means that you are going to tell her that’s what you want. No more of this ‘taking is slow’ crap, you’re going to go to her door and tell her that either you get to take her out on a real date, or else you’re through, that you’re going to let her play you for free affection anymore.”

“What, right now?” Héctor asked, sitting up and looking panicked.

“Of course not you idiot, you’re a mess.” Ernesto scoffed. “Go take a shower, put something decent on, and then you’re going over there.”

“Maybe I should wait.” Héctor said, rubbing his arm nervously. “Like, a least a few days?”

“Maybe you should shut up and go take a shower.” Ernesto said, pulling open his laptop again to shut down the conversation, ignoring the whimpering whine from the other side of the table.

“But what if she doesn’t want to go out with me? What if it’s too much?”

“Then she’s not worth your time.”

“But what if I screw it up?”

“Then you’re not worth her time.”

“Ernesto.”

“Shower.”

Ernesto refused to look up from his email as Héctor made a few more distressed noises.

“I feel like I’m going to throw up.” Héctor said, getting up from the table and heading to the bathroom.

Ernesto didn’t look over until he heard the bathroom door click shut. A few minutes later he heard the shower start.

He sighed, getting up to put the now contaminated milk back in the fridge. Getting Héctor to fight for himself was always a struggle, he was lucky Héctor was in love enough to push for it this time. It meant that Ernesto wouldn’t have to get directly involved, which may or may not have happened a few times in the past when Hector wouldn’t snap out of it.

With any luck, Imelda would drop him as soon as Héctor showed some spine. Of course it would require some clean-up afterward, there would be tears, but Ernesto had plenty of experience with taking Héctor out for the night to drink off a break-up. It was one of the realities of living with an utterly ridiculous romantic.

Ernesto set the milk back on the shelf inside the fridge, keeping it far from his own marked carton, and then closed the fridge door, glancing towards the bathroom.

Héctor always followed his heart, but someone had to step up to make sure he didn't follow it right off a cliff and hurt himself.

Ernesto shook his head, sitting back down at his computer. The sooner they got this over with the better. That woman had already confused Héctor enough, he didn't want to think about what would happen if she had the time to really get her claws in him.

Ernesto could already tell that there was something different about Imelda, for some reason she was someone who would really be able to hurt Héctor badly. 

And he did not like that at all.

***

“You can’t keep doing this Imelda, that poor man sounds like a sweetheart.” Ceci said.

“I know. He really is, I just, I don’t know what to do.” Imelda said, adjusting her phone between her shoulder and her ear as she stooped to pour food into Pepita’s bowl. “I just feel like I’m stuck, it’s like we’re in this weird limbo area, he doesn’t make any moves unless I do, but I can’t avoid it since we’re together at work all day, but I really can’t afford to have this kind of relationship. It could ruin both our careers if someone found out.”

“But you like him. A lot.” Ceci said through the phone. “Why not just go with it? You’re smart, you could make it work.”

“It’s just for fun Ceci, it’s not actually anything serious.” Imelda sighed, straightening. “And I don’t know, I just don’t think he’s my type.”

“Well, you’re awful worked up for it being just for fun.” Ceci observed, “And what is that supposed to mean, ‘your type’? Because you haven't really dated anyone seriously since we were still living on base, and they were all jerks.”

“Okay first of all, ouch, thanks for bringing that up.” Imelda rolled her eyes, taking the phone in her hand again and walking over to sit on the couch. “I don’t know, he’s just...”

“Not a jerk?”

“Well yeah, he’s very sweet, but he’s also just, he just has this energy, he’s always so happy.”

“And that’s...bad?”

“I don’t know, none of this was supposed to happen in the first place.” Imelda leaned back to lay on the couch, covering her eyes. “I guess I’m just waiting for the best opportunity to let him down easy.”

“And kissing him in the meantime.” Imelda could hear Ceci’s cool smile and arched eyebrow through the phone.

“Shut up, you don’t know me.” Imelda said.

“Uh huh.” Ceci chuckled. “Pobre Imelda, too attracted to a guy who is too sweet to cut off for no reason.”

“Stop it.” Imelda curled up on her side, shutting her eyes against her friend’s teasing.

The truth was that she’d had an uneasy feeling in her gut the last two weeks, a feeling that only seemed to go away when she was with Héctor. She knew she was being childish, that she was being unprofessional, but seeing him at work had become the highlight of every day. The way he casually brushed her arm when they stole a few minutes to talk in the breakroom together, the way he was always doing or bringing her things that she needed before she even asked, his adorably knowing smile when they ducked into her office for another “chat.”  

She liked him, a lot. Too much.

“Alright,” Ceci said, “so if you’re so dead set on ignoring this, then what exactly are you going to do about it?”

“I don’t know. I-” Imelda looked up as she was cut off by a knock at the front door. “Sorry, one second Ceci, someone’s at the door.”

Imelda got up, slipping the phone into her pocket as she walked to the front door. She briefly checked her hair in the hallway mirror, then opened the door.

A man stood on her doormat, wearing a new set of clothes than he’d worn to work, something nicer and more casual.

“Héctor?” Imelda’s heart jumped. 

“Holá, Imelda.” He said, rubbing the back of his neck, looking endearingly nervous. “I know this is really sudden, but I was wondering if you’d like to go out with me. For real, like for dinner.”

Imelda blinked, completely stunned.

“I mean, it’s, it’s because, well, I mean,” Héctor continued, tumbling over his own words in a rush, “I know that we said this is just for fun, whatever it is that we have between us right now, but I still want to try to do this right. I know this is all weird and complicated, but I don’t just want to kiss you. I mean, I really like kissing you, you seem to like kissing me too, but I just, well, like...”

He stopped, looking flustered as he put a hand to his forehead, closing his eyes for a moment before starting over.

“What I’m trying to say,” he said, sounding like he was consciously slowing himself down. “is I was wondering if you would join me for dinner?”

“Right now?” Imelda said, the question coming out as her brain still scrambled to process.

“Yes?” Héctor said with a crooked smile, “I mean, if you want?”

Imelda had just been wishing for the chance to let down Héctor easily, to end whatever it was that had accidentally happened between them, and here it was, the perfect opportunity literally on her doorstep.

She could turn him down right here and right now, she could finally explain that it wasn’t going to work, could apologize for leading him on, and then things could go back to normal. Her problems would be over.

“Sure, let me get my shoes, alright?” Imelda said, her smile a product of the lightheadedness that washed over her.

“Of course, yeah!” Héctor said, his face lighting up with a surprised smile, “Whatever you need, take your time.”

“Okay, I’ll be right out, just, just give me a few minutes.” Imelda said, nodding and closing the door.

She turned and stared at the hallway.

It was fine, after all, she couldn’t just say no. That would be incredibly rude after he’d gotten up the courage to come over and actually ask her out, right?

Imelda pulled on her boots, sighing at herself. If she was being honest she knew she hadn’t said yes because she was being polite. She’d said yes because she was curious. She’d said yes because, against her better judgment, she really did want to go out with Héctor Rivera.

She caught her phone as it nearly fell out of her pocket, remembering Ceci’s call.

“Hey, Ceci?” She said into the phone, pulling on a jacket as she dashed to the bathroom to touch up her hair and makeup. “Okay so don’t yell at me, but he just showed up to my apartment and now we’re going to dinner. ”

“Wait, you what? Who, Rivera?” Ceci asked.

“Yes, he just showed up and asked me if I wanted to go on a real date. I said yes.”

“Okay, well, good! Don’t mess this up hermana. Does this mean you’re actually dating now?”

“I don’t know,” Imelda said, grabbing her eyeliner off the bathroom counter and leaning forward to touch it up in the mirror. “I’m just going to see what happens. If it doesn’t go well then I have a good reason for shutting it all down.”

“Ever the optimist.” Ceci said dryly. “Call me as soon as you get back, alright?”

“I will.” Imelda said, then hung up and stuffed her phone back into her pocket.

Imelda had no idea what to expect, had no idea what she even really wanted to happen.

All she really knew was that however things ended tonight, it was going to make for quite an interesting conversation with Ceci afterward.

[selfshipconfectionery]

Yo! Calling all Vocaloids and Utau's! What song reminds you of August the most, and what do you all admire the most about him?

((Anon I would die for you I love my Vocaloid/Utau f/os sm even if I have way too many of them oops-))

Ringo Karenka! Because me and Tei sang it for him! Auggie even tried to make an mmd video for it before… he got tired and distracted (⁄ ⁄>⁄ ▽ ⁄

I really admire how he’s stuck with Utau and Vocaloid throughout the years! His special interests have come and gone but that specific one has always stayed the same ! It really means a lot to me… (◕‿◕)♡

Ringo Karenka as well, for the same reason. I think what I love the most about August is his way of thinking, which sounds silly, but he really helped me get over Len-kun and be a little less… Intense.

If Augustine were a song he’d be It’s Dark! because reasons :/

I admire him for a lot of reasons, he’s basically my big brother! He’s very fun to hang out with and he showed me what memes are so I guess his sense of humor??

Definitely Whatever Whatever Whatever. It just sounds like him ya know?

Just like Teto, I admire how he’s been interested in Vocaloid for so long! But I also love his digital art, he’s drawn me before actually! I don’t think he’d let me show you though because it’s old :(((

UUUUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHH THIS ONE LMAO because of his memory issues hehe Augustine if you’re reading this I’m sorry it’s joke

If I had to pick one thing uhhhh probably how patient he is with me HAH- But no seriously for real how does he put up with my shenanigans… 

A song that reminds me of Augustine…? Common World Domination, it fits his general aesthetic pretty well.

I really do love a lot of things about him… But I guess how comfortable I feel around him is a pretty big one. A lot of our dates are spent in silence half the time actually, we like to talk, of course, but it’s nice to just spend time with your partner… Not really doing anything, just being there together….

Negative vs Positive describes me and August’s relationship perfectly! 

If you think I can choose just one thing you are quite mistaken, Anon! It’s just too difficult there are so many traits and adorable quirks to choose from…

Kaleidoscope…. It’s very whimsical sounding, but it sounds spooky in some parts…

I admire how sweet he is and how easily he got me to open up to him…