#that's my one 'Sweet Caroline' per day lmao

[freyafrida]

i'm assuming the rec they're referring to is this lovely post by @gogandmagog, to whom i must thank for unearthing this fic, lol. i wrote this chapter back in 2012(!!!) so unfortunately i don't remember what exactly i had in mind for shirley and pencil girl (love that nickname), or if i even had more of a story in mind. i don't see myself writing another chapter for arco iris (although never say never?) BUT i did have some vague headcanons and influences so i will share them!

anyway. what did shirley say to her afterwards? i didn't have a full idea for this in my head and i'm of two minds about it! i can see him just ignoring it because whatever, he's not interested in getting his name written up on the side of the schoolhouse and it's none of his business why Pencil Girl decided to, apparently, lose her mind one day after school. i can also see him being pretty straightforward and asking her about it and being completely embarrassed that she's sweet on him and again, having zero interest in getting his name put on a Take Notice.

either way, they both pretend it didn't happen for a few years, but Pencil Girl never quite gives up her little crush on him, and she and shirley grow to be friends in adolescence after he gets over being flustered by her existence. they exchange sympathetic letters during the war, maybe get into wacky adventures as college kids, and fall in love along the way. the end.

so, some background: this is very niche, but as a kid, i was very into the boy/girl battle series by phyllis reynolds naylor (which i also wrote fic for in 2012 -- maybe that spilled into arco iris?). i didn't do it consciously, but in hindsight, i think i was inspired by the dynamic between the characters wally and caroline. wally is the most introverted of his brothers, thoughtful and quietly imaginative, while caroline is an attention-seeking theater kid who drags wally into her mischief. they're both annoyed by each other because they're middle schoolers, but they're also both imaginative and slightly lonely because everyone thinks they're weird, and they find they (unwillingly) understand each other on that more fundamental level. anyway! it's not a 1:1 comparison, but i think i was imagining shirley/pencil girl from a similar place. we know shirley isn't totally opposed to mischief (see "well-deserved spankings" in RV) and while we also know he hates to be badgered with chatter per RoI, i was also picturing him as a bit matthew cuthbert-esque, where he doesn't mind exuberance as long as he's not expected to actually respond in kind (that's how i interpret "badgering", anyway).

i was also semi-influenced by the dynamic between kyon and haruhi in the melancholy of haruhi suzumiya, haha. obviously none of this is evident in that very short chapter, but uh, that's the backstory if you're interested, or if it gives an idea of how the rest of the story might go!

i also was actually influenced by the jenny penny section of anne of ingleside! i first read that book as a teenager and tbh i took the jenny penny section and all its judgment about Dirty Houses and Fighting Adults and Not Saying Your Prayers a leetle personally, lmao. i found the blythes pretty snobbish in that story* (this livejournal post is a pretty good summary of how i felt about anne of ingleside at the time). so i also had the loose headcanon of the blythes having to deal with someone a little socially inappropriate, who they wouldn't approve of very much. again, this was way too much to be evident in the actual chapter, but this is where the whole "girl who kisses rando boys in classrooms" concept came from, if you're interested.

anyway that's how shirley/pencil girl would've gone. hope this didn't ruin it for you, nonny, and thank you for reading ❤️

* i mean, upon reread, there are actual issues with the pennys: jenny is a more intentional liar than anne ever was, and the grandma makes di show her her underwear??? weird. but also jenny is, like, the lone realistically troubled child in a book of unusually twee children, and i found her surprisingly sympathetic for that reason. anyway. i had feelings.

[the-iron-orchid]

on the touches ask game post, hand holding: tiny hands in big hands

Jinana and Julian? Or Julian and Asra? Or even Julian in the middle and Asra and Jinana in each hand. omfg wait sorry, I got compelled:

[ Touches Prompts ]

It can happen anywhere - at the Palace, in the Market, in the shop. It can happen while walking through the streets of South End, or wandering the shade-darkened forests that border Vesuvia.

Julian will feel a warm hand seek his - either tiny and ringed, or somewhat larger, but still smaller than his own. And then, from his other side, the other will follow suit. It is utterly casual, so natural that they do not give it a second thought. He wonders if they ever feel the same heart-wrenching, throat-constricting emotion that seizes him, the stinging he must blink from his eyes.

The one thing he had thought he could never have... and here it is, twice over. Something he had twice lost, and now twice regained.

It is so hard to believe sometimes, he fears that he must be dreaming, or hallucinating, or perhaps even dead, dreaming in the next life. But then, he feels two small hands, solid and real... and the two small bodies that fit so perfectly against him in the night, telling him that this is his truth.

Their truth.

[o-dasaku]

what is your actual favorite glee cover?

valid question.

have a readmore:

i have too many commitment issues to be able to definitively say just one, so have a few (okay, two) different lists:

season 1:

female solo: and i am telling you

male solo: sweet caroline, bohemian rhapsody

duet 1: hello (rachel/jesse)

duet 2: faithfully (rachel/finn)

group: don’t stop believing, keep holding on

season 2:

female solo: try a little tenderness, valerie

male solo: never going back again, somewhere only we know, as if we never said goodbye

duet 1: river deep, mountain high (mercedes/santana)

duet 2: don’t you want me (rachel/blaine)

duet 3: need you now (rachel/puck)

duet 4: i feel pretty/unpretty (quinn/rachel)

group: dog days are over (i’m not sure if it counts as a duet or group number so?)

season 3:

female solo: never can say goodbye

male solo: cough syrup

duet 1: rumor has it/someone like you (mercedes/santana)

duet 2: so emotional (rachel/santana)

duet 3: smooth criminal (santana/sebastian)

group: we are young

season 4:

female solo: being good isn’t good enough

male solo: hopelessly devoted to you

duet 1: come what may (blaine/kurt)

duet 2: we’ve got tonite (rachel/finn)

duet 3: heroes (blaine/sam)

group: some nights, homeward bound/home, don’t dream it’s over

season 5:

female solo: if i were a boy

male solo: no surrender

duet 1: whenever i call you friend (artie/tina)

duet 2: i believe in a thing called love (elliott/kurt)

duet 3: got to get you into my life (blaine/kurt)

group: on our way, take me home tonight

season 6:

female solo: tightrope, i know where i’ve been

male solo: i want to break free, they long to be (close to you)

duet 1: suddenly seymour (rachel/blaine)

duet 2: hand in my pocket/i feel the earth move (brittany/santana)

duet 3: time after time (rachel/sam)

group: rise, come sail away

then per character:

rachel:

solo: don’t rain on my parade, my man, people

duet: get happy/happy days are here again (with kurt), a boy like that/i have a love (with santana), listen to your heart (with jesse)

other: don’t speak (with blaine, finn and kurt), i melt with you (with mercedes and sam)

character fave: being good isn’t good enough

finn:

solo: i’ll stand by you, i’ve gotta be me

duet: barely breathing (with blaine)

other: you get what you give (with mercedes, puck, rachel and graduating new directioners)

character fave: losing my religion

kurt:

solo: rose’s turn, as if we never said goodbye, being alive

duet: get happy/happy days are here again (with rachel), come what way (with blaine), i believe in a thing called love (with elliott)

other: no one is alone (with blaine and rachel)

character fave: being alive

mercedes:

solo: and i am telling you, try a little tenderness

duet: river deep, mountain high (with santana), take me or leave me (with rachel), human nature (with sam)

other: shake it out (with santana and tina), my love is your love (with artie, blaine, kurt and new directions)

character fave(s): spotlight, higher ground

artie:

solo: dream a little dream of me, stronger, never going back again

duet: one love (people get ready) (with puck), scream (with mike), you’ve got to hide your love away (with kitty), whenever i call you friend (with tina)

other: breakaway (with blaine and tina)

character fave: scream (with mike)

tina:

solo: WE DESERVED A FULL I FOLLOW RIVERS

duet: more than a feeling (with blaine), whenever i call you friend (with artie), so far away (with quinn)

other: shake it out (with mercedes and santana), don’t you (forget about me) (with blaine and sam), i still haven’t found what i’m looking for (with artie, blaine and sam)

character fave(s): hung up, breakaway (with artie and blaine)

quinn:

solo: never can say goodbye

duet: i feel pretty/unpretty (with rachel), i’m still standing (with artie)

other: homeward bound/home (with finn, mercedes, mike, puck and santana), love song (with rachel and santana)

character fave(s): papa don’t preach, never can say goodbye

santana:

solo: valerie, don’t rain on my parade

duet: river deep, mountain high (with mercedes), a boy like that/i have a love (with rachel), smooth criminal (with sebastian), hand in my pocket/i feel the earth move (with brittany)

other: shake it out (with mercedes and tina), at the ballet (with isabelle, kurt and rachel)

character fave(s): landslide (with brittany and holly), girl on fire

brittany:

solo: i’m a slave 4 u, wishing and hoping

duet: i wanna dance with somebody (with santana), shout (with blaine), hand in my pocket/i feel the earth move (with santana)

other: we got the beat (with rachel and santana), come see about me (with quinn and santana)

character fave(s): dancing on my own

puck:

solo: sweet caroline, fat bottomed girls

duet: over the rainbow (with schue), one love (people get ready) (with artie), need you now (with rachel)

other: blame it on the alcohol (with artie, mercedes and santana), man in the mirror (with artie, blaine, finn, mike and sam)

character fave(s): only the good die young, no surrender 

mike:

solo: cool

duet: scream (with artie)

other: homeward bound/home (with finn, mercedes, puck, quinn and santana)

character fave: scream (with artie)

sam:

solo: billionaire, girls on film

duet: human nature (with mercedes), celebrity skin (with brittany), heroes (with blaine), wake me up before you go go (with blaine)

other: 3 (with joe and tina), don’t you (forget about me) (with blaine and tina), i still haven’t found what i’m looking for (with artie, blaine and tina)

character fave: footloose

blaine:

solo: somewhere only we know, cough syrup

duet: barely breathing (with finn), heroes (with sam), come what may (with kurt), suddenly seymour (with rachel)

other: control (with artie and quinn), don’t you (forget about me) (with sam and tina), no one is alone (with kurt and rachel)

character fave(s): something’s coming, everybody wants to rule the world

unique:

solo: if i were a boy, i know where i’ve been

duet: locked out of heaven (with unique)

other: there are worse things i could do (with cassie and santana), wide awake (with jake, kitty and tina)

marley:

solo: chasing pavements

duet: new york state of mind (with rachel), crazy/u drive me crazy (with jake)

other: you have more friends than you know (with blaine, sam and unique)

character fave: everytime

jake:

solo: let me love you (until you love yourself)

duet: crazy/u drive me crazy (with jake), everybody talks (with kitty), unchained melody (with ryder)

other: wide awake (with kitty, tina and unique)

character fave: my life

kitty:

solo: signed, sealed, delivered

duet: everybody talks (with jake), holding out for a hero (with marley), you’ve got to hide your love away (with artie)

other: hey jude (with blaine, sam and tina), wide awake (with jake, tina and unique), rise (with jane, madison, mason, roderick, skylar and spencer)

character fave: did any of kitty’s songs actually speak to her character at all lmao

ryder:

solo: everybody hurts

duet: jukebox hero (with finn), unchained melody (with jake)

other: closer (with jake and new directions)

character fave: everybody hurts

[zalrb]

Surprise! The Sequel. [TVD 1x12 Review]

Welcome to the 12th review of season 1! As per usual, here are the guidelines: Considering that I haven’t sat down to watch a full episode of the past seasons of TVD in a few years and my memory might not be the greatest I will start with my usual disclaimer: I write my thoughts in real time so if I make a mistake at the beginning of this post, it will be corrected by the end. There will be anti-Damon and anti-Delena senitments and I feel the need to say there may be some anti-Jenna sentiments too. I will probably bring up other shows and call attention to misogynoir, racism and anti-blackness. OK. Ready? Let’s go. I love how Stefan and Elena are lying down on her bed, talking about what’s happening in the town, that level of intimacy just in the fact that they’re together on her bed and it isn’t sexual, it’s about how comfortable they are with each other. I still think it’s bullshit that Jeremy would invite the pizza guy in. I also really hate this scene because I want more details, like at least see vampire hoodie dude get into a car with the actual pizza delivery guy bleeding in the backseat. Paul’s jeans fit much better now. Omg Paul is just all chiselled features. This man is beautiful. “Oh yeah, Elena and I had a blast!” You two were barely together. Yay, more lunch! Sorry, I just couldn’t recall when they ever ate lunch so the fact that I’m seeing them eat it makes me happy because DETAILS. If only we got a class other than history that wasn’t in a dream. “If it’s what you and Matt want then it’s not about me.” We don’t ever get a conversation like this about Steroline, like Elena just kept her mouth shut and she never talks about SC as a couple, which I find telling. I also never understood why Nina uses her left hand to brush the right side of her face, like her hair out of her face, I always found that weird. Lol Elena leaves Bonnie with the bill. Of course. And doesn’t say thank you. It really annoys me that the first guy to show interest in Bonnie in the show is just using her. Ugh. Especially since they could’ve been really hot. And cute. I’m annoyed. “It’s because we’re predators, Elena. We hunt, we stalk, it’s often as exciting as the kill.” See, Stefan never once distances himself from the darker aspects of vampirism, so I don’t know where the DErs get of saying he pretends to be a saint. The way he strokes her face, omg. Matt and Caroline are so cute, their almost paint fight and the way he says, “I MEAN I thought you always told everyone else what to do.” OK so Elena and Jenna do have separate cars. “I’m really sorry it won’t be any help for your Diabolical Plan. The Sequel.” I love dry Stefan so much. It’s kind of funny watching Ian’s hyperactive eyebrows against Paul’s pretty stationary ones. “See that’s your problem, Damon, you apply all of your shortcomings to everyone else.” Ha, could say the same thing about DE shippers. So, funny story. When I had cable and would watch my teen dramas, my mother would always complain about them and say how much she hates them but then I would see her standing in the hall watching them over my back. Happened with OTH. Happened with Gossip Girl. And it happened with TVD. So I’m at the scene where Elena is doing her hair and the compass is on her bed. I remember being soooooooo into the scene, like OMG THE SUSPENSE THE COMPASS IS MOVING and then I just hear my mom yell, “She is STUPID. If you’re in a town overrun by vampires and your vampire boyfriend gives you a vampire compass that finds vampires would you not have that damn compass everywhere you go??? SHE’S AN IDIOT. What’s her name? I don’t like her.” Lol. And now eight years later, I tend to agree. It’s funny, in KDramas when a loved one’s number is saved it’s always something like “My Yoon Jae” or “My Gyu-woon” so just seeing “Elena Gilbert” on Stefan’s phone is like … aww, come on, can’t it be “My Elena”??? lol. Although tbh I probably wouldn’t like that. Kdramas get away with a lot of things that American TV can’t. Aww Stefan’s hand on Elena’s leg as they talk about the vampire. So sweet. Simple gesture but it shows his protectiveness and his need to comfort her. And then when Elena slips her hand over his to comfort him for being worried about her. My feeeeeeeeeeeeels. Also Paul is total James Dean here. Who was that person who said Ian was more James Dean than Paul? Like … WHAT? “What’s Damon doing here?” At least Bonnie looks mildly indignant. Also it takes some kind of gall to stand before Bonnie and Caroline, two people who Damon had tried to kill and not feel a type of way. I do still find Elena’s *turn to Stefan* “May I have this dance?” to be hilarious and necessary. And Stefan’s smile is amaaaaazing. Paul’s hands are kinda low on Nina’s hips, lmao. Anna’s hair is a little weird. “You’re doing that thing again, where you pretend we’re dating even though we’re not” LOL that was a little harsh. The way Anna brushes it off is cool though. I actually just noticed that when Matt walks up to Caroline and Bonnie at the Grill he’s actually smiling until Caroline is classist af. Also totally forgot that Stefan and Elena actually have a blast dancing before he pretends he won’t dip her, like they’re smiling SO goofily. And Damon is looking at them jealous for absolutely no reason because he’s hardly spent any time with Elena but seriously, that’s what love looks like Damon. The fact that Damon can call himself Stefan’s legal guardian and none of the adults side eye his relationship with Elena? When she’s supposed to be the Rory Gilmore of Mystic Falls, beloved by the town? “Tonight was so much better on paper.” Just like how the SC relationship was so much better on paper? I get it, Caroline. Lmao I’m watching all these other people dance and yeah Paul’s hands on Nina’s hips has me like mmmhmm. Lol he moved them up to her waist. Oh back to the hips. Their dance kiss is still one of my favourites, like it just shows how much he loves her. The way Damon dances with that blonde is utterly ridiculous. ALSO LOL. “My Boyfriend’s Back” is a song I did a vid to for Steroline and Stelena back in the day, I didn’t realize they played it in 1x12. It’s actually good to see Elena active in a scene. This is one of my favourite Elena’s scenes [when she fights with Noah] One of the things I actually like about the Stefan torturing Noah scene is Damon’s facial expressions in the background because he knows how much Stefan loves Elena so he’s just like lol yeah you shouldn’t play tough because he WILL make you suffer. Also seriously, Stefan’s intensity in this scene, that type of protectiveness over Elena that isn’t shown through “I will break your arm” so much love. I think I really like Mattoline because it reminds me of me and my best friend in high school and it’s really realistic. I also like the Mattoline kiss, it’s very cinematic. Also find it cute that Elena is on her couch and Stefan is making her tea in her kitchen because they’re just so at home with each other. And the way she looks at him giving her the tea, like isn’t my boyfriend so considerate? “It’s going to take a lot more than a road trip and a rescue for me to forget who Damon really is.” Oh, so the necklace was the dealbreaker then? Also, it wasn’t a road trip, he kidnapped you. Also y’all are acting like he hasn’t damaged this town and that he’s just a dick. For Stefan that makes sense but Elena honestly should not be this calm. At least with Spike, Xander and Willow only stop fearing him when there’s a chip in his head that makes it impossible for him to feed on humans so he’s no longer a threat to them. This was a weak ending.