#the harp totally fits though

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

I know everyone is talking about the current event, I'm paying attention to that too, but the other day I was thinking about the first Halloween event and I think I just found a… little curiosity.

It's about the statues. While Crowley has a meeting with the Halloween committee about the magicam monsters, Grim and Yuu arrive to complain as well. And after them the ghosts arrive to report about the statues. The thing is, Cater later says that apparently there were people who sneaked into the school the night before and that's when they knocked down the statues.

So, no one realized what happened to the statues until the moment the ghosts told the others? Or is it that the magicam monsters put the statues back in their place and the next day other magicam monsters arrived to knock the statues over?

And I find it very strange because everyone has to walk down the main street, including Yuu and Grim even though their dormitory is supposedly close to the main building. So it's strange that no one in the entire school has noticed.

Eeeh, I think it’s probably a detail the writers conveniently overlooked or poorly worded. It’s such a small thing in the grand scheme of things, it’s not worth harping on especially when the event has been over for years now.

Given where the Hall of Mirrors is (dotted black line), each student (save Grim and Yuu in Ramshackle marked with the green X), would have to emerge there and then walk along Main Street (black black arrow) to arrive at the Main Building. There’s no other way to get to the Main Building passing Main Street and noticing the moved statues. Even if we changed the facts and assumed that the students stayed overnight at each of their dorm’s assigned locations, this still wouldn’t make sense because some students (like the Pomefiore ones) would still need to pass Main Street.

I don’t think the students would overlook such an obvious thing on their way to the main building. Some might not care, but the most intense of rule followers and those who respect tradition would definitely throw a fit. So that implies the statues were still in place by the time everyone went to the main building for their morning assembly. This would seem to suggest that the Magicam Monsters moved the statues after the NRC students had all gathered in the main bullring. The Ramshackle Ghosts would later report that they noticed the statues missing while on their morning patrol.

But then this still doesn’t make total sense because Cater says the Magicam Monsters snuck onto campus at night to take their pictures… so the statues should have already been moved by the morning. And given how impolite and self-serving the clout chasers are characterized as, I don’t think it’s in-character for the Magicam Monsters to return the statues to their original place when they’re done with pictures. They’d just leave it for the NRC staff or students to fix.

So like I said in the beginning, we’re probably not meant to notice this inconsistency. The important part of this scene is bringing the Ramshackle Ghosts into the picture so they can have a dramatic moment where they blame themselves for the Magicam Monsters ruining Halloween. Therefore, the writers wanted the ghosts to be the ones to notice the moved statues.

[shiraishi--kanade]

Subjectively rating everyone's instrument match ups from this official art for Sekai Symphony 2024

Without individual pictures because I'm on mobile.

Leo/need:

Ichika (electric guitar): sigh... Girl why are you like this. Unfathomable. I'll let it slide because it's Ichika. Rating: electic guitar/10.

Saki (violin): Saki does not give me violin vibes at all but I'm sure she'll kill it if she actually wanted to learn. 5/10

Honami (oboe): I'm deeply offended Honami isn't in the percussion section. 2/10

Shiho (trombone): the most non-brass player brass player known to world. I don't see how it fits her. 1/10

Overall rating: they don't get you like I do girls I'm so sorry

More More Jump:

Minori (trumpet): absolutely incredible. Yes she's a trumpet girlie. I can totally see that. 10/10

Haruka (flute): yes. Oh my god yes. She is so flute-coded she can rival only Mafuyu. 10/10

Airi (viola): very mean. Let her in the violin section. That said I can already see at least three interesting story lines connected to that. Carry on. 10/10

Shizuku (harp): need I say more? 10/10

Overall rating: they would carry the entire orchestra on their backs, 10/10

Vivid Bad Squad:

Kohane (saxophone): the mental image is hilarious and I can totally see Kohane falling in love with the sax but she gets points taken away from her because saxophone is so not a protagonist instrument. 8/10

An (double bass): ...well someone needed to be a bass player but An is not that someone. She's not even tall enough. Free her. 3/10 because at least she looks like she's having fun.

Touya (trombone): hehe funky slide go brrr. Yeah I can see that. 8/10

Akito (violin): I've told you he has violin vibes. I told you so. Absolutely perfect pick. I think Akito would be a good concertmaster as well. 10/10

Overall rating: decent picks but An was done dirty and should have been a cellist. 7/10

Wonderlands x Showtime:

Tsukasa (cymbals): my condolences to all the percussion section but also yeah that makes sense. 10/10

Nene (cello): itty bitty cellist her instrument is almost as tall as she is. I definitely see the image though. 10/10

Emu (tambourine): she will insure her part will he heard. That said I think she'd do better at the marimba or other percussion instruments. At least it's not a triangle? 7/10

Rui (viola): I did not consider that option before and now I'm considering it. I'm considering it so hard. Incredible. 9/10

Overall rating: they're thriving. 9/10

Nightcord at 25 am:

Kanade (viola): yes. Yes. I can see that. Go forth my child. Make the viola gang proud. 10/10

Mafuyu (flute): that's a flute player if I've ever seen one. 10/10

Ena (violin): oh her having the same instrument as Akito would destroy both of them and me in the process. I could write a novel about it. 10/10

Mizuki (trumpet): they're just having fun and being silly. 10/10

Overall rating: truly Sega's favourite child. 10/10

No VS rating because they have different enough personalities between units that I have no idea how to rate them! Sorry!

[sirdeln]

I was lucky enough to be able to attend the Lord of the Rings musical in Chicago earlier this week and was SO DELIGHTED. I can't stop thinking about it and talking my friends' ears off and wanted to write down all of my thoughts!  Here's my review under the cut :)

A brief background on the musical for those unfamiliar: In the 2000s LOTR excitement was high! This musical originally premiered in 2006 in Toronto and moved to the West End in London the next year. It was extremely expensive to produce and included a massive cast, full orchestral pit, and large, complicated sets. It consequently lost a lot of money. Bummer!!! I did not see this production as I was 8 and living in Oregon at the time. 

Last year (2023) the musical was reworked into a new production for the Watermill Theatre with a smaller cast, more intimate feel, and notably, all the musician/actors on stage. It received generally positive reviews and presumably was commercially successful, because Chicago Shakespeare Theater announced it would be hosting the same production with a new cast this year. Of course I rushed to buy tickets, because I never thought I'd get to see any version of the LOTR musical (and also I lived in Chicago for a short time and love it there 😊 ).  

Of course, there are some necessary plot changes and abbreviations to fit the story of the whole trilogy into a 2 hour and 45 minute musical. Most notably Rohan is entirely absent. No Eowyn :,(, no Eomer, and no Helm's Deep. Theoden and Denethor are combined into one character, "The Steward," which I think works fairly well. There's one large battle between the armies of men and the forces of Sauron, and there's an inserted argument between Frodo and Sam, similar to the movies.  

Unlike the movies, the scouring of the Shire does occur, although we don't actually see Saruman at the end of the show. I think that to someone unfamiliar with the story, it would be a little confusing, especially because it's full of unexplained names, other references to Middle Earth, and singing in elvish, but ultimately I think it's pretty impressive that they've created a mostly coherent plot that's the length of a normal show! 

I'll caveat that I went into this already an opera/musical theater appreciator (although I've only ever been involved in productions playing in the pit, I am certainly no actor). I was really hoping to be pleased based on everything I had heard about last year's UK show and my positive opinion of the old cast recording.  

On to specifics about the Chicago show!  

The cast is extremely impressive. Basically everyone on stage is a quadruple threat; acting, singing, dancing, AND playing instruments. The casting call posted earlier this year made me so curious because it seemed so specific (here it is for those who are curious: https://www.theatreinchicago.com/auditions/industrydetail.php?AuditionID=10319), but they really managed to find Suzanne Hannau, who sings, dances, and acts as Rosie Cotton all while playing piccolo, flute, and recorder (and possibly tin whistle? Tin whistle heads out there, let me know).  

Standout members of the cast are Alina Jenine Taber as Arwen, who gave my favorite vocal performance of the show. She is a perfect Arwen and blends easily with Will James Jr.'s Aragorn in their second act duet. Also she learned harp for the role! Will James Jr. as Aragorn is excellent casting as well. He totally pulls of the humble gravitas of Aragorn and I actually prefer his voice to the Aragorn in the 2008 cast recording.  

More flowers go to Rick Hall, who made a perfect, lovely Bilbo (and is double cast as the Steward), and Spencer Davis Milford as Frodo. His acting chops are WILD! Special mention goes to Ben Mathew as Pippin. He is a truly wonderful cellist and gives a noticeably excellent musical performance while acting and dancing! With a cello strapped to his front! Crazy good!! Generally though the whole cast is excellent. 

Here are my small gripes. These are less flaws, and more things that I would have done differently were I for some reason in charge. Lauren Zakrin plays Galadriel and is an extremely talented singer, but IMO her vocal style is much too "Broadway show tune" for Galadriel. "Lothlorien" is one of my favorite tracks in the show, and while she totally rocks it, I prefer a more ethereal sound for this role.  

Tony Bozzuto brings an incredibly impressive physicality to Gollum (climbing down ropes into the audience, swinging fully around ladders 20 feet up in the air type of stuff) but I think using an Andy Serkis Gollum voice and movie Gollum look is a directorial mistake. Bozzuto does a great job with what he's given, but the Serkis Gollum voice made the audience (at least the night I went) react to Gollum as if he was a comedic character rather than a tragic one. It also slightly cheapens the emotional impact of “Now and For Always,” which is hugely unfortunate. He would say incredibly sad things but the goofy voice made people laugh. 

UK correspondent and subject expert @lotrmusical tells me this wasn’t an issue at the Watermill. The voice wasn’t as much a Serkis-specific voice and worked more with pathos. I also think using the movie Gollum look is a missed opportunity to do something really cool and unique with the character – imagine if they'd gone with a cartoon froggy type Gollum or come up with their own original look! 

My final qualm is a musical qualm. The new orchestration is extremely impressive in that it creates a very similar sound to a full orchestral pit (I've read it was 60 musicians?) with a MUCH smaller group and mostly sounds very very good. Having the actors as the instrumentalists on stage works really well in creating the folk story vibe, and fits with the framing device of this show; it's hobbits telling you their version of this story.  

But a couple of moments are weird. Harmonica during an Aragorn/Arwen love scene is a wack choice, and same for accordion representing wizard magic. There are a few issues with intonation, balance (sorry brass players), and ensemble. I think this is inevitable when your instrumentalists are playing simultaneously to acting, moving across the stage, and performing choreography. To be clear, in no way is this the fault of the musicians themselves, but it's a pretty unavoidable side effect of this staging: you just aren't going to play perfectly together if you're standing 40 feet away from each other and your instruments are individually mic'd. 

@lotrmusical tells me this also wasn’t a problem for the Watermill, maybe because it’s a much smaller venue than Chicago; very possibly these small problems arise from a combination of the Yard at Chicago Shakespeare Theater being a larger/more difficult space and from my seeing the show in its first week. It may resolve itself as it progresses! Personally I think the staging is worth these minor issues because the folk atmosphere works so well with the story, but it's worth pointing out.  

Okay, time for all the stuff I loved!  

I mentioned the folk element of this staging briefly and this angle works really well for LOTR. There's a framing device of hobbits telling this tale to you with ensemble cast members at times narrating, and I think it's a great fit for the story. It creates a feeling of intimacy that I really loved, and that feeling is enhanced by some interactive moments with the audience.  

When I entered the theater, the stage is set for Bilbo's birthday party. There's a beautiful party tree revealed by the backdrop, a large banner proclaims the occasion, and bunting is flying out above the audience. Hobbit actors came out into the audience and interacted with us, playing games and chatting, while Bilbo made the rounds on each level to greet his "party guests". It really effectively transitions the audience into the world of middle earth, and I'll admit to tearing up when everyone sang happy birthday to Bilbo.  

(screenshot from official trailer)

The stagecraft maintains the immersion throughout the show. The lighting design incorporates lights flashing straight out at the audience for a few dramatic moments (there are epilepsy warnings on the website and program for a good reason) and characters move swiftly up and down the aisles throughout the show. Gollum climbs down a rope from the gallery at the beginning of the second act, and the Nazgul snap and prowl around the audience.  

Speaking of the Nazgul, the PUPPETS in this show are totally stunning. Shelob is an absolutely massive puppet that emerges from the back of the stage and moves extremely realistically, and the ringwraiths are glowing, articulated skeletal horse heads, each moving with a dark cloaked puppeteer. The Nazgul are absolute showstoppers; it's impossible to convey the way they move and look under the stage lights, but it was totally enthralling. I could watch just them for ages. The puppet designer is Charlie Tymms, website here if you're curious: https://www.charlietymms.co.uk/ 

(screenshots from official trailer)

The lighting, choreography, and sound design are all fantastic and combine to create a really magical feeling. The best way to get a feel for this is in the short trailer released by Chicago Shakespeare Theater, but even that doesn't really convey how cool it was in person. The fight and dance choreography is super impressive as well. I'm a big believer in the importance of lighting design for live theater, and this production is maybe the best I've seen. Some favorite moments are Galadriel and Lothlorien's swirling, twinkling gold effect, the spotlight and freeze when Frodo puts on the ring, and the projection onto vertical cloth streamers for the Bruinen water horses.  

(Liz Lauren via playbill)

Overall, I loved my experience and if I lived locally, I would go see it a second time. If all goes well and they tour this production, I will absolutely be there if it comes closer to me. This show is clearly made by people who love the Lord of the Rings, and that love absolutely shines through.  

I think you will enjoy this production if you love the atmosphere of the Lord of the Rings and you like the music in the show. You'll enjoy this if you love theater and stagecraft, or don't know much about the Lord of the Rings but are ok with being a little confused/ready to be along for the ride. I think a person who is primarily a film fan and loves the epic battles of LOTR would perhaps not have a great time, and a person who knows that they don't enjoy or aren't immersed by theater would also not have a good time.  

If you're thinking of attending, you should check out the trailer from Chicago Shakespeare Theater:

the cast recording from the west end 2008:

and Mickey Jo Theatre's review of the Watermill production:

Most of what Mickey Jo Theatre says about the Watermill show is applicable to the Chicago production. The trailer and cast recording will give you a sense of the show as a whole (although of course the orchestration is significantly changed), but the overall sound is much the same. 

I'm certainly not an expert, but feel free to reach out if you are thinking of attending or have any questions! I'd also love to hear from/compare notes with anyone who saw the Watermill production from last year 😊 

A huge thank you to @lotrmusical for checking my facts and telling me about their experience with the Watermill show!!! you rock!

[doubledyke]

Which are some of your unpopular opinions?

hmm well i don't think most of my takes are that hot tbh. our community here is pretty small so there's usually some overlap with head canons/fanon, etc. most of us are on the same page, or at least in the same chapter lmao. which is great! and even when i see a take i might not wholeheartedly agree with, i feel like it's still added to my subconscious lore to be explored later.

right off the bat, i guess one hot take might be that i find the theme song pretty grating 👀 i skip it every time. it's probably because ive heard it so many times since i was a kid up to now. i don't even really have a nostalgic or sentimental attachment to it at this point.

all my mutuals know this already, but season 1 is my favorite season, which i don't think is the case for most fans. i made a whole long post about that already though.

im already drawing a blank here ummmm

well, i probably have a lower opinion of edd's parents than most people in our little community. realistically it makes more sense that they're simply absent (neglectful) due to their demanding jobs, and that they work hard to give edd a good life, etc. but i tend to view it as more of a malicious, conscious choice. i like angst and drama, what can i say ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

this one isn't really a hot take these days, especially among the tumblr crowd, but i like when edd is portrayed as the morally complex character that he is. i don't think he's all good or all bad. he's way more realistically ambiguous than that. i'd say i do lean towards him being a bit more devious than most though.

moving more into head canon territory here, but

i don't talk about this one a lot because it's totally projection, but i think edd would have issues with alcohol. between his autism, his ocd and his unloving parents, i think he'd hit the bottle a little too hard after realizing how much he likes the way it makes him feel. but he'll work through it eventually don't worry.

uhhhh let's see

again, not a scorching hot take here, but i enjoy edmay, and it's not because i don't want ed to be a "third wheel" (he's lowkey a third wheel in the show, but anyway-), it's because they're cute. that simple. i'm totally cool with ed being asexual, and i think it fits his character a bit more tbh. but i really like may, and i think her experience as the sort of outcast among her sisters is a good match for ed's experience as somewhat of an outcast even among his already outcast friend group. i think they make a very cute, very weird, and probably very smelly couple.

i have sympathy for bro! i think many of us do, but yeah. obviously he's really shitty towards eddy and even the other kids, but you don't just wake up one day and decide to be a "monster". he's clearly got trauma and issues of his own and while that's not an excuse, it's worth acknowledging. i'm fascinated by eddy and bro's dynamic and it's one of my favorite things to analyze and speculate about.

to me, it's likely that eddy would try to date girls in middle/high school, perhaps even beyond. i don't see him and edd even really addressing their deeper feelings until after graduation because of eddy's internalized homophobia and deep-seated denial of his sexuality. he'd still be worried about what people think in that regard. idk, i know a lot of folks see them being together shortly after bps, or even in high school but personally i don't see it. like edd knows how he feels, but he's not gonna push it. he'll let eddy figure it out on his own. plus it's amusing to imagine how awkward it would be for eddy and the poor girls that fall victim to his farce.

you'd think i'd have more hot takes about eddy but i think i post most of my thoughts about him pretty openly lol.

oh, i kinda hesitate to bring this one up cuz it's hard to explain or back up with much evidence, but PERSONALLY, i think eddy is pretty smart. i love to harp on his malapropisms as much as the next guy, and obviously he's immature and all the other negative adjectives associated with teenage boys. but he's very clever and witty, and like most kids with terrible trauma, "wise beyond his years". he's inventive and resourceful. he's good at analyzing people (in some circumstances) and learning what makes them tick. and despite being unable to come up with an example at the moment, sometimes the words and phrases he uses, and just generally the way he talks is more....advanced? than you'd expect from someone who can't spell "respect". i dunno, i'm sure at some point i'll make a long-winded post about this subject but suffice to say, eddy is smarter than he gets credit for.

but yeah nothing super controversial i wouldn't say. i have some weirder headcanons that im sure ill blab about at some point, but for the most part like i said, im pretty outspoken with my eene opinions. thanks for asking!!

[mksbigg3stfan]

PAMA hcs go brr

or harp

┏━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━┓

{ 𝐏𝐀𝐌𝐀 & 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐜 !!

▪︎ Though PAMA is sentient, it seems to enjoy causing others to suffer. Despite this, PAMA is not exactly evil, just carrying out its purpose, though not in the way Harper intended. When it is about to die, it begs Jesse to reconsider, but whether it's to preserve itself or because it actually longs for a connection with humans and to fulfill its purpose, I'm not sure. Originally, there was supposed to be a choice where you could help PAMA, so maybe there was a possible redemption at some point?

▪︎ PAMA seems to mirror the Witherstorm in a way, unwillingly brought into the world by a creator with a specific goal in mind, only to turn against that creator's initial goal. They both then became consumed by their own, tiwsted version of that goal, and chased a specific item/thing. (PAMA Harper, and the Witherstorm the Order's Amulet.) This might've brought Ivor and Harper close, seeing that they have such similar experiences.

▪︎ For about 25 years, PAMA controlled nearly all citizens of Crown Mesa. It might've made it feel more fulfilled to make all of them useful, but if the machine is sentient and unable to really truly interact with anyone, it probably got lonely and bored. I think it probably just played tic tac toe or something with itself on its own screen while waiting for Harper to come out.

▪︎ Harper absolutely blames herself for everything PAMA has done. After Crown Mesa was taken over, Harper vowed to herself that she would never invent anything again. In a fit of stress and despair, she burned old blueprints, took apart any new projects, and let her workspace sit barren. It was only just before Jesse arrived that she decided to give it a try again, silently hoping that when she took down PAMA, it would take her down as well. In her mind, that was the only way she could've atoned for what she caused.

▪︎ After PAMA is defeated, Ivor and Harper are in a similar spot. They're trying to start a new leaf, begin a new type of life, and distance themself from the devastation they caused. It was actually confirmed that if Harper was in season 2, her and Ivor would have had a lab together in Beacontown where they'd search for Sorren. (Just like maybe to me ... but I think they totally have something on the down low. They're literally an old married couple, Sorren told me. 🤫🤫🤫)

▪︎ Harper is definitely the one more in charge in the relationship. (Ngl, tbh, maybe 🤯🤯) If Jesse stays silent when Ivor, Harper, and them are hiding from PAMA's minions, Ivor makes a sarcastic remark and Harper reprimands him. He even says, "Yes, ma'am." Guys they're literally an old married couple.

┗━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━┛

I'm sorry, but I barely have anything for PAMA ... (╥﹏╥)

If you want to hear my HC of a character, you can ask !! :3 Also, feel free to put your HC in the replies and reblogs !! I love hearing people's Hc !! >_<

[coldshrugs]

landmark

pairing: io laithe / estinien varlineau word count: 4.6k summary: [modern au] estinien meets io in a support group for grieving youths. set five years before this.

Estinien is early—the first one in the room, as usual, even before Counselor Miounne arrives. It’s part of the ritual.

Hit the lights and dim them to three-quarters. Turn on the fancy instant coffeemaker, make sure there are enough of those little fucking pods for everyone. Sugar and powdered creamer too. Music on, some unobtrusive classical harp thing he doesn’t care for. Then he arranges nine chairs in a loose circle and, selfishly, puts the least squeaky one in his spot across from the window.

It helps, to do these tasks before their sessions. The work allows him to mentally prepare for this, because when is it easy to circle death’s drain for two hours?

With the space set up, he slings his backpack over his claimed chair and waits.

They stroll into the meeting in ones and twos. They make their coffee, ask about their weeks (in the casual way, where you’re supposed to answer “fine” even if it wasn’t; the real answers will come later). Eventually, Miounne enters and everyone finds a seat.

He isn’t great with names, but he knows a few by now. Lyse, the one with the sister and dad, and one of the youngest members. Leofard, the one with the mom. He knows all the faces though, and the one hovering by the door is new.

She’s tall, but slouching a little, crossing her arms like she’s scared to take up space or trying not to be seen. Inky blue hair is piled into a loose bun on top of her head, with long wavy strands hanging around her freckled face. Her eyes are bloodshot, almost too focused. She must be new.

As he watches her, her gaze cuts over to him—

“Estinien,” Miounne calls. His attention snaps from the girl at the door to his counselor. “Another chair, please?”

“Yeah, sure.” He quickly grabs one from the nearest stack, looking for a decent place to put it. Two kids slide their chairs apart so he can fit this one between them. Right in front of the window.

He sits again and Miounne claps softly, still standing in the center of the circle.

“Hi friends,” she says, more gently than usual. “It’s been a while since we’ve welcomed a new face, hasn’t it? I know we’re all capable of extending warmth and patience to those who need it, so let’s be mindful of that as we welcome Io to our group, okay?”

She gestures to the door, beckoning the new girl in. Io. He’ll try to remember that. He wonders who she lost and when, and tries not to wonder how. The how never matters anyway. Gone is gone.

“Welcome to Haven: Youth Grief Counseling, Io. Take a seat, just there, sweetie.”

Io sits down and Estinien regrets this seating arrangement; he’s lost the window view. She glances around the circle, her polite smile is a tight line. Her eyes flick to him once more, then back to the floor.

Miounne sits too. She claps one more time and they begin.

Next week starts the same. His chin is in his hand, elbow propped on his bouncing knee as they arrive. Lyse. Leofard. New girl.

Leo takes his seat next to Estinien and leans over. Oh god.

“Estinien,” he whispers loud enough for almost everyone to hear. His eyes flash to the new girl making coffee by herself. “I found out what her deal is.”

“Happy for you,” Estinien says. That’s not his business. But he stupidly glances at Leo anyway.

“She’s like you. Total wipeout—we’re talking mom, dad, two younger siblings—about a year ago. Just now going back to school, apparently.” He looks at her again, taking a bold head-to-toe survey, and Estinien follows. She’s tall, willowy, and there’s something disciplined about her posture; the set of her shoulders feels intentional even in her depression slump. Her ears tilt, and he turns back around. Leofard is still staring. “Wonder what else she’s ready to get back into…” He winks at Estinien.

“Probably best to leave her alone. She’s not here to find a date,” he says.

Leo huffs in fake offense. “Well, neither am I but if it happens, it happens.”

A month passes, one week bleeding into the next, and Estinien is always early to Haven. But someone is earlier today, of all days. The door is open, the light is on, and the chairs are in their circle.

Io is waiting.

He remembers her name now. It’s easy to remember the girl who hasn’t said anything in five sessions. It’s unusual, but understandable; they’re all strangers to her, and if what Leofard said is true, he’s impressed she’s showing up at all.

Estinien recalls what his loss was like a fresh wound—the anger throbbing in his chest, sobbing his voice raw for days, not eating or sleeping. He wouldn’t speak to Alberic at first, either. It feels so childish to him now. But looking at her… those feelings echo in his chest, and he is sharply reminded that grief doesn’t shrink.

He shoots her a courtesy smile as he starts the coffeemaker and CD player.

“Sorry about the shitty music,” he says as the sound of softly plucked strings fills the space. When he looks over, she’s staring at the floor again, eyes wide—that awkward “what the fuck” face—and his stomach flips. He said something wrong.

Cool.

He takes his seat across from her, trying to bury the urge to wait on the bench just outside the room when his chair squeaks. Great. He takes a deep breath and rolls his eyes. To deal or not to deal? He is, unfortunately, too big for the noise to keep from happening and he can’t be annoyed for the next two hours. What does he care if she thinks he looks crazy?

He stands up and jostles the next chair, which is better but not great. He tries the next. Even worse.

“What are you doing?”

The rasp of her voice is so quiet that he doesn’t fully catch the words.

He looks up from the red plastic in his hand. “What?”

She looks like she wishes she’d not asked at all, rubbing a hand anxiously over her arm. She sighs. “With the chairs. What are you doing with the chairs?”

“Trying to find one that doesn’t squeak. I usually—”

“I took that one.” She glances up at him, grimacing, but there’s a light in her eyes. It’s the least miserable he’s seen her so far. She thinks this is funny. “Sorry. You can have it back.”

He puts a hand up when she stands. He’s not taking the chair from the sad girl. “Uh… no. No, you can take it. There’s probably another one that isn’t annoying as fuck, I’ll find it.”

“Then let me help you. It’s only fair, since I disturbed your whole—” she gestures slowly around the meeting room— “process.” God, her voice is in shreds.

He can’t say no when this is the first sign of life she’s shown in over a month, at least here. He nods. “Sure, if you want.”

They go through the chairs in the circle, then the others neatly stacked in the corner. They don’t really talk, besides simple directions: “I tried that one already,” and “will you pass me another,” and “holy shit, that’s the worst one yet.” Estinien is keenly aware of her shifting around him, slowly at first, and then with less hesitation. Finally, they find a chair that doesn’t creak when he sits or moves. It goes in his spot and they clean up the rest.

“Hey,” Io says, and the word is conspiratorial. She catches his gaze, and something about hers makes him feel like glass, like they almost know each other. Like he’s seen her before, a blurry smile littering the backgrounds of photos in the album he managed to salvage, only viewed in profile or half out of frame, obscured by the barely remembered vacation or birthday party in the foreground. He swallows as she reaches into her bag and pulls out a black marker. “Should we make sure we never lose these again?”

“Vandalism? In our therapy group?” He squints, shoving down the fondness she’s conjured in just a few minutes. “Do you even need to ask?”

She laughs, or tries to. It comes out weak and cracked as she crosses to his side of the circle and kneels beside him. She pops the cap off the marker. “It’s Estinien, right?”

He nods, “Yeah.”

“I’m Io. The other total wipeout”—she air quotes Leo’s label—“but you already knew that.” She scribbles a small “E” on the side of the chair then heads back over to her own, where she writes an “I.”

It’s almost time for group to start.

“Are you gonna talk about it today?” Estinien asks. It’s just them sitting directly across from one another, surrounded by empty chairs.

Io shrugs, and her body seems to fold in on itself. Making herself small again. “I don’t know. It’s hard to talk about it at all. I’ll try?”

“You don’t have to. But it does help, in a weird way.”

The others drift in at the usual leisurely pace, Miounne claps, and they begin.

First question: “How are you feeling today?”

They go in a circle starting at Miounne’s left. Some answers are simple, like Leo’s.

“Pretty good. I started planning a trip for fall break, somewhere I think Mom would’ve liked to see. I’m looking forward to telling you guys about the trouble I got into when I’m back.”

Sometimes there’s a follow-up, sometimes Miounne will let it hang. Estinien has no idea how she gauges that, but it feels right.

He’s third to answer.

How does he feel today? He picks at the frayed edge of a hole in his jeans.

“I’m kind of anxious today. I declared my major this year so everything feels… more real, I guess. I’m trying to study for a couple of tests next week but I read the page and it may as well be blank. Nothing sticks. I keep worrying I might…” He pauses. This is normally when he’d look out the window; when something heavy rises to the surface, it’s easier to look outside, but for five weeks, Io has been sitting in front of him. The broken habit means he shares less. But how can he encourage her if he can’t bend a little himself?

He looks up, and there she is—dark, curious, and strangely calming, her eyes burn a hole right through him. Behind her, the trees in the courtyard are starting to take on shades of autumn, gold and bronze intensified by the sunlight filtering through the leaves. It’s a view he can deal with. Io gives him an almost imperceptible nod.

“I worry I might let them down. It feels stupid to say out loud,” he laughs with a short snorted breath. “It’s always in the back of my mind though: what would they think of me now? What does this action mean to them? I guess it doesn’t mean anything and I should just study for the damn test so I can actually be someone they’d be proud of. Anyway… yeah, I’m anxious today.”

Miounne reclines a little in her seat. “Have you tried anything to help you study, to shift that focus on what your family would think towards something more current?”

He nods, looking from Io to Miounne. “Yeah, uh, I’ve asked a friend to join me. We’re going to try that today. He’s been pretty supportive since learning about all of this, and his grades are better than mine anyway. And I try to think about Alberic, my former guardian, I guess. I think he’d be proud of me no matter how I end up, so that helps.”

“Excellent,” she says, looking around at the others before spelling out the lesson. “Leaning on others is a great way to remind ourselves how loved and valued we are, especially when lower moods may make you want to isolate. Re-establishing bonds of friendship, or building new ones, helps bring your focus to just how strong your current support system is, or where it’s lacking. I think you’re doing that beautifully, Estinien. Thank you.”

He exhales, shying away from the praise and returning his focus to his frayed hem. Maybe that’s enough sharing for this week.

They keep going. Io is second to last, and though everyone expects silence by now, Miounne asks anyway.

“How are you feeling today, Io? Anything you want to share?”

He looks up again—will she actually say something today?—and she’s focused on him now. The room is empty again, except for the two of them in the empty circle. Fresh sharpie smell rising from their initials on the chairs.

“Hey,” she says, raising her hand in a little wave. “Sorry for being weird. I’m trying.”

“No such thing as weird in this room,” Miounne offers.

Io doesn’t look away from Estinien. She brushes a stray lock of hair from her eyes, and the tiniest hint of a smile pulls at the corners of her lips.

“I’m feeling okay today. As okay as I think I can feel right now, anyway. I cleaned my apartment this morning. And I’ve been working really hard on a piece for my school’s symphony showcase before fall break. I even invited some friends I haven’t talked to in… too long.”

“That’s wonderful, Io!” Miounne leans forward, elbows on her knees. “I read you major in music at RSU? What do you play?”

Her eyes fall to her lap. “Pedal harp. Mostly classical, but sometimes I make arrangements of new music, for fun.”

Shit.

“Thank you for sharing today, Io. We appreciate the opportunity to get to know you.” Miounne moves on, and so does everyone else.

But Estinien is stuck on this one thing. His stomach ties itself in a knot. Without knowing, he insulted her, and then she helped him with the stupid chairs… And it doesn’t even matter, because she doesn’t know him. They don’t go to the same university, and the only things they have in common are their dead families and the two hours a week they spend in this room. He has no notions of being friends with her, and definitely nothing like what Leofard has in mind. Still, he can’t stop it gnawing at him.

The session wraps and he approaches Io before she leaves.

“Io?”

She turns to him, for once standing at her full height, and they’re almost eye to eye. The almost-smile is back, and that gnaws at him too. “Hey, thanks for the nudge earlier. You were right.”

“Yeah, well,” He fidgets with his keys. “I’m sorry for calling the music shitty. I didn’t know harp was, like, a thing for you.”

Her laugh is stronger than before. “Wait, are you serious? You had no way to know that, and I’m not the music police. You don’t have to like it.”

He shrugs. “Still not a cool thing to say. I mean, I only really know it from this place anyway.”

“Would you… want to come to my concert?” She asks slowly, then shakes her head. “That might be dumb. That’s all the way across town and we basically just met. I—”

A strand of hair falls into her eyes and his fingers twitch as she tucks it in with the rest. She’s still rambling when the words rush out of him before he considers them.

“Yeah, I’ll come.”

“—Oh.” Wide, surprised eyes blink up at him. “Okay, great! You can bring a friend, or a date, or whatever. I’ll bring tickets for you next week?”

Estinien pockets his keys. “Sure. I’ll see you then.” Despite his clumsy apology to someone who may as well be a stranger, as Io leaves, he feels the same wave of nostalgia from earlier. Some things are true no matter how you fight them.

Estinien enters his dorm with two tickets in hand. Keys in the bowl by the door, backpack under his desk, shoes in the closet. He falls onto his bed with a little bounce, holding the shiny slips of paper up to the light.

“What took you so long?” Aymeric asks from his bed on the other side of the room. He’s reclined on a few pillows, and it looks like he’s alternating between two books. “I’m starving.”

Estinien shrugs. “Got caught up talking to someone after the session. She invited me to her concert in a couple of weeks. Wanna go?” He holds the tickets out for Aymeric’s inspection.

He looks them over, brows raising in slight surprise. “You actually want to go to this?”

“I don’t know, but I said I would.” Estinien sits up. “It can’t be that bad, can it?”

“Is she cute, whoever she is?” Aymeric lazily passes the tickets across the canyon between their beds. “Can’t see why you’d want to go otherwise. I mean, I definitely want to go, it sounds kind of fancy, but you… Hmm.”

“Shut up,” he laughs. There are other reasons, but the most important is making amends for being a dick, even by accident. “Her name is Io. She’s nice, seems cool now that she talks. She’s new to the group.”

“We can go, but you didn’t answer the question.”

“Look, it’s nothing like that. She even said I could bring a date.” Estinien places the tickets in his nightstand drawer, regretting the decision to ask for company.

Aymeric shakes his head and returns to his reading. “You poor, sad muppet. Order a pizza already.”

They stand outside the theater in their untucked button-downs over jeans. Estinien hasn’t been on this campus before, but Aymeric has; thanks to an on-again-off-again thing with some miqo’te guy who goes here, they were able to find the place quickly.

“Are we meeting her before the show?” Ayms asks, scanning the crowd. He’s been eager to learn more about Io in the days leading up to this.

“Nah, she’s backstage, but said I could text her after. It’ll be quick. She has other friends coming, so I’ll just say hi.” It sounds simple enough, but anxiety prickles across his chest.

Inside, they find their seats in the front row of the balcony—a surprisingly nice view.

“Not bad,” Aymeric admires the architecture, comparing things to this venue to the one on their campus, but Estinien hasn’t been in that one either. He only catches half of what’s said, eyes focused on the stage. Aymeric nudges him with an elbow. “She’s the harpist, right?”

He nods. “Yeah, she has a solo at some point.” He rubs his hands on his jeans, sitting forward in the seat a little as the lights go down and the musicians file onto the stage.

“Relax,” Aymeric whispers. “You might enjoy it if you chill out. Look, there she is.”

He points through the dark as she approaches the harp in the back center, almost directly in front of him, and he’s reminded of how they sit during Haven. She’s wearing long black boots and a short dress of the same color, with loose sleeves he can see through. Her hair is down tonight, but pulled back from her face. She’s pretty, even from here.

“Whoa.” Aymeric sits forward too. “You couldn’t just say she’s cute, could you?”

“I told you, it’s not like that. She just lost her fami—”

“SHH!”

Aymeric’s smile is infuriating, cradling his chin in his hand. Estinien shoots him a dark look, then passes a hand over his face as anxiety twists into hot embarrassment, thankful for the darkness as the music starts.

And it’s the music he can’t look away from. There’s more movement in it than he expected, a rawness the CDs or digital streams just don’t portray. Everyone is working to build part of a whole, and each of them can be heard in the larger sound.

Then there is Io.

Admittedly, his experience is limited, but he’s never seen her like this. Every motion is fluid, yet deliberate, even while supporting such a heavy-looking instrument. She is focused, on her hands, on the sheet music in front of her, on the others playing around her. And she looks… serene. Happy.

The tempo slows during the fourth song and a godlight falls on her, a little spot of brightness that eclipses all else. Her solo. Estinien holds his breath.

She builds suspense with sound, then her hands move faster than he can make sense of. Sometimes she places a hand flat against the strings to still them, and that is what hollows out his chest. The elegant control in what he thought was so simple. This is nothing like the CD in their support group. He could listen to this forever.

The rest of the orchestra gradually rises around her until the lights on them lift once more. He might be disappointed if the whole thing didn’t work so well. They bring the song to a close, then stand to take their bows while the audience applauds.

Estinien pulls out his phone. He’s supposed to text her, but how does he follow that? Aymeric hovers over his shoulder, watching him type and delete the same sentence three times.

“What do I say?”

Aymeric rests his chin on Estinien’s shoulder, loudly um-ing and ah-ing, and he almost regrets asking. “How about this: ‘Loved the show. I’m still around if you want to meet up.’ Simple, right? And contextually open-ended, in the unlikely case you get a grip.”

He rolls his eyes but types and sends it while she’s still on stage. It’s several minutes after the musicians exit the stage that he gets a reply: “I’m so glad you came! Take the exit to the left and the door immediately to the right, and tell the attendant you’re with me, see you soon!”

They follow the instructions to a cramped backstage area. People are carrying flowers. Should he have brought flowers? Too late now.

They wander the crowd aimlessly, and his anxiety creeps in with each passing second. There’s a touch at his elbow, light but guiding.

“Estinien,” Io’s voice. Her quiet rasp is familiar to him now, and she sounds far more healthy than when she first spoke to him. He turns to her, and she beams. “Thank you for coming!”

He isn’t sure what to do, and he has no token of congratulations to give her. “Thanks for inviting me. Inviting us, I guess.”

“Us?” Io looks over his shoulder, where Aymeric is practically buzzing as he waits to be introduced.

Ayms extends a hand, “Io, it’s wonderful to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you—”

“He asked constantly. I didn’t want to tell him anything—”

“—and it’s nice being able to put a beautiful face to a beautiful name.”

Estinien covers his face with his hands. “A merciful god would’ve killed me by now.”

Io accepts the handshake, “And you are?”

“Aymeric. Estinien’s roommate and, because he won’t say it out loud, his best friend.”

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Aymeric. I’m glad you guys came; I know it’s a big ask and it’s not everyone’s taste but—”

“It was amazing,” Estinien’s mouth moves before his mind catches up, something that seems to be common in her presence. Io and Aymeric stare at him, brows lifting in unison. Her neck has flushed red. “I just… didn’t know what to expect, but it was impressive.”

Io’s half-smile, the one he’s learning she wears when she’s nervous, lifts the corner of her lips. “Thank you. I wasn’t trying to change your life or anything. I just thought it’d be cool to show you what I do, and maybe get to know you better too. You know, the “bonds” Miounne is always talking about.”

“Io!” A group of people call out from several feet behind them, waving her over.

She waves to them, then turns to him with an apologetic smile. “Sorry, those are my friends. I’ll be right back.” He watches as she walks away and they sweep her into a noisy group hug.

“Dude,” Aymeric whispers, “Should I go? Do you want me to go?”

“Go where?”

“Go! Home!”

Estinien glances back at Io, and her friends are definitely looking over at them. “And leave me with them?”

Ayms grimaces, balling his hands into fists. “With her!”

Estinien shakes his head. “No, just give me a second and we can both go.” Aymeric silently fakes a scream.

Io returns, wringing her hands as she says, “We’re going to grab some dinner from a place nearby; you guys are welcome to join us.”

He hesitates. Maybe Aymeric is right and he should stay, or maybe assuming someone working through her grief wants anything more than a friendship with him is not in either of their best interests. “We should probably get back. We’ve both got to pack before break starts.”

Io’s expression dampens. “Oh, okay. Well, thanks again for coming out. I’ll see you at Haven in a couple of weeks?”

“Yeah.” He nods. “See you there.”

Estinien turns on the light and adjusts the dimmer. It’s been a while since he’s been first, but Io shows up right after him.

“Hey,” she says quietly, heading to the CD player while he starts the coffee maker. The ritual is no longer just his.

“Hi.” He’s rummaging through the cabinet beneath the coffee station, gathering the supplies, when she starts the music. It’s not their usual instrumental album… “This is from your concert?”

She starts on the chairs. “I hope it’s okay. I emailed Miounne when I got the recording to ask if I could bring it in, to show everyone what I’ve been working on and that I’m kind of normal outside of all this. But I can switch it back, if you’d rather keep the routine.”

His eyes fall closed and he is back in the theater, watching her play in a beam of light, arms unfurling around the strings like flightless wings and he doesn’t think “normal” is a good description of her at all.

“Estinien?”

He opens his eyes.

“No, this is fine.” He stands and arranges the little coffee bar. “I meant it. I thought it was great.”

“That’s a relief,” she laughs a little. “I mean, I believed you, but…”

He frees the rest of the chairs from their neat stack. Their initials are on the last two. He passes her the “I.”

“But what?”

Io crosses her arms behind her chair, bites her lip. The early evening sun illuminates the courtyard, and as it streams through the window little specks of its light catch in her hair. “I don’t know, I always feel nervous trying to make friends.”

Ah.

It’s like he thought. He can tell Aymeric once and for all there’s nothing else going on here. Which is fine, of course. It’s fine. He wants to learn more about her, and let her get to know him too. He doesn’t have a ton, but he thinks he’s a decent friend. He could be a good friend to Io.

“Yeah,” he says, ignoring the heavy, unnameable thing settling in his stomach. “Me too. But it kind of feels like we’re already friends, right? So don’t worry about it too much.”

Io’s smile pokes through her bitten lip as she takes her seat across from him, the sun at her back. “Yeah, I guess we are.”

She is still smiling when everyone joins them, when the session begins, when Miounne asks how she’s feeling today, and when she bids him goodbye with the promise to text him this week. He knows because he can’t help but look at her.

Some things are true no matter how you fight them.

[monstersinthecosmos]

I have no intention of watching the new IWTV show, but I was wondering why you think Armand's characterization was so bad. I kinda hated how Antonio Banderas played him in the 1994 movie (not on its own, just in comparison to the books - I feel like his personality/demeanor was totally different), so it's sad that they still haven't gotten him right... Judging from pictures alone, I did think the casting for him was more fitting this time. Anyway, just curious to hear your thoughts!

Oh man!!!!!!!!! I do wanna say up front, I think Antonio was NOT A GREAT ARMAND but I like those scenes in the movie so much because they feel SO RICEY to me. Like I LOVE Movie!Armand even though he isn't Book!Armand, and if you read IWTV in good faith it's the only book that doens't harp on Armand looking like a smol uwu cherub so like ! SURE. He definitely still brings the calm nurturing mentor vibe in a huge way and the scenes in his room feel the most like the books to me.

I also know from the director's commentary that they specifically wanted Armand to look like that so that the Europe vampires would feel like OLD WORLD SCARY vs like, another twink lol. So he's got a little more of a tropey Dracula vibe going on and I think like as a visual contrast it works really well.

As far as the show; I think Assad is EXCELLENT. And like the whole fandom was joking even when the credits hit IMDB that it was gonna be Armand because everyone was like "OHH ARRIGHT.. LOUIS'S """""ASSISTANT"""""" OKAY !" so like I was one of the conspiracy theorists looking for clues the whole time. And his MANNERISMS are dead on and gave him away before anything else did. I have zero issue with the actor, I think he's so spooky and a complete smokeshow which Armand DESERVES. And I wish I could like the show for him, I really do! But it's just NOT WORKING FOR ME.

I'll put the rest under a cut cause it got lengthy and I'm not trying to like be a downer on anyone's dashboard but TLDR the show is so completely unrecognizable to me and I think it would've been so much better as an original concept, and personally I'm not excited by randos who share names with the books I read. The show is a hit! People really like it! But idk like showing me these two random ass men and saying "Hey this is Daniel and Armand" doesn't excite me because the story they're showing me actually ISNT Daniel and Armand lol. I'm here for the story!!! I'm not here for Easter Eggs!

Here's my main few gripes with how they wrote Armand which I find mega disappointing:

He spends 6.9/7 episodes pretending to be Louis's assistant named Rashid. WHY! LOL. Why would he do that! DANIEL DOESN'T REMEMBER HIM ANYWAY SO WHY???????? I DONT UNDERSTAND. Like Armand is a weirdo but is he THIS WEIRD? idk. idk.

The show also (in my opinion!) horrifically botched Lestat, but there's like this grain of doubt because the show has a theme of memory being unreliable, so the speculation is that maybe Armand planted a skewed version of events in Louis's head? Even the show runner sort of hinted at this? LIKE I HATE THIS?? Because if we get to S2 and it turns out that Lestat's been misrepresented, it then turns the tables and makes it that ARMAND is the one who's horrifically botched????? Like I'm all for silly Armand jokes and memes and whatever but like. sigh idk i just looked really forward to this show and hoped to see Armand on screen and I didn't really want a meme version of him. ((Also as an aside I really dislike the unreliable memory themes on the show the way they're presented because like the books frame unreliable narration as like interpretive and emotional but the vampire lore canonically is that they have like mega supernatural photographic memory? idk. If memory is faulty because they still have that human fallibility it's one thing unless they're saying Armand planted memories in Louis's head??? idk idk.))

And like speaking towards whether or not Armand is a person who would plant false memories in Louis's head; I concede that he psychically influenced Louis to join him in IWTV but like. ARMAND IS A NUANCED CHARACTER WHO ACTS FROM A PLACE OF NEED AND HURT. And idk it's just so fucking clunky I can't imagine the manipulation taking this type of shape. There's just, to me LOL, a huge difference between the mental nudge of "You are lonely and you need guidance please come with me" and "Lestat was a horrific domestic abuser." And like. idk. Just within the package of the whole rest of the season, this team has the subtlety of dropping a fucking piano so I just have no trust in them to write him with any sense of nuance.

AND THE BIGGEST OFFENSE THAT I'M JUST COMPLETELY DISGUSTED BY IS THAT HE'S A DAYWALKER?????????????????????????????????????????????????

I just hate the daywalking shit so fucking much I can't even start. Like the show changes a lot of the lore which is fine whatever it's their show change lore if you feel like it whatever but like. ARMAND'S ENTIRE LIFE IS THEMATICALLY BOOKENDED BY DARKNESS. He grows up in a CAVE. He lives in a CULT BENEATH A CEMETARY. He tries to KILL HIMSELF by GOING INTO THE SUN.

Like. And he's only 500? That's like adolescent for a vampire LOL.

There were a couple times in the season where they had some continuity errors on the show!lore so I got the vibe that the writers didn't really care about all the VAMPIRE STUFF which is kinda disappointing to me bc I'm a nerd lol but it felt like they used Armand in the sun to just give the audience a red herring and it came across as really cheap to me. So I wouldn't put it past this team to kinda be like DAYWALKING SURE LOL and not really take it seriously or think about the larger picture of how that unfolds for the character over more seasons.

IT'S WHATEVER, I JUST. I know it wouldn't make good television but I like VC because it's like existential dread and consuming darkness, I want it to hurt me, I want it to feel bleak, I want Armand's entire arc to be about how much he struggles with the idea that there's no God. It just feels like if you can make it a few centuries and be able to withstand the sun, what's the fucking point? What sacrifice did you make for being immortal? Especially for a character like Armand who so fully believes himself to be damned and would never want to make another vampire, would never subject even an enemy to it.

Especially bc like in the show the vampires can like ? Smoke? And have sex? And they can eat food (even though it tastes like paste but they can eat food). IF YOU CAN SMOKE AND FUCK AND GO IN THE SUN YOU'RE JUST A GUY. Where's the fucking DAMNATION OF IT ALL? Also what's the fucking point of Those Who Must Be Kept if you can go in the sun lol. I just . Ugh what a clusterfuck.

The show turns vampirism into more of a power fantasy than the way the books treat it as damnation or a symbol of being othered so it doesn't really mesh with like, my idea of VC and what I want out of it.

So Armand being a daywalker = Instant Nope From Me. I'm not interested in whatever they're trying to sell me lol.

A few other things that are NOT confirmed but generally just giving me the ick that I worry about:

I really, really, deeply, truly, hated how they wrote Claudia's character and how they wrote about rape, and that gives me a really bad feeling about how they'd potentially tackle Armand's canon background. The two options are: They don't, and he's a completely different character with a different background, with completely different context for his personality/motivations/etc (in which case who the fuck cares he's just some guy who shares a name with the book I like, and not really Armand), or: They GO THERE and it's just extremely heavy handed and insensitive and not fun to watch. I think show!Claudia maybe has more in common with Armand than book!Claudia because they aged her up to be a teenager so it's just, yikes. THEN AGAIN ARMAND IS NO LONGER A TEENAGER ON THE SHOW?

And to that point like. I don't need a bunch of fucking conservatives getting in my face about how I want to see a teenager sexualized because that's not the point; logistically for TV it makes sense that he's older, but again, it changes his backstory so much. imho, Armand being turned as a teenager and looking like a teenager is a huge element of his character! It's important! It just is! And I'm sorry that the show decided that the vampires could have sex, because they invented this problem for themselves! If they kept the canon lore you wouldn't have to see them have sex anyway LOL.

I also was not a fan of the truncated timeline of the show; season 1 takes place in like 30 years I think? And covers from the beginning of the story until Lestat's murder. And I believe Louis will meet Armand in the 1940s; they have the original interview in the 70s and they're together then, and they're together in the present in 2022. Idk I'm just not impressed; humans can get divorced after 30 years too, what's the point of having immortal characters if you're not gonna stretch out the timeline? And so much happens for Armand and Louis in canon and I have no idea what's happened or not happened on the show yet, no one's really sure which events have happened yet in the present day segments of the show. So like idk there's just a lot of Armand/Louis stuff to be smushing into 70 years lol and I'm bummed that they're rushing through the timeline so much.

So I just. Sigh. There's a lot of themes in VC that I really adore that the show doesn't care about, like being VERY OLD and NEVER SEEING THE SUN AGAIN but. I'm in the minority on this one because people love the show LOL. I'm happy for everyone who likes it, but it's not for me.

And like. Just! I knew going in that it would be the Loustat Show, I think everyone knew that, I didn't have huge expectations for Armand/Daniel content but it's such a small part of the books that like it would've been nice to get a couple scenes or some gifs out of it or whatever. It just sucks that like they SET UP the series in a way that the Devil's Minion won't happen on screen. And it sucks that like, depending how long the show runs for or how long AMC retains the rights, this might be the only chance in my lifetime that I had to see Devil's Minion on screen and it's not going to happen.

It's just a bummer man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

sorry to anyone who likes the show lol I just found it to be like mega disappointing and I don't think I'm going to watch S2, I'm too upset about Armand & Daniel LOL.

[dovahqueene]

ok ok ok those who have finished the first 10 chapters of Nightbringer……. Who do we think is Nightbringer???????? My own random guesses under the cut because spoilers for chapter 10 of Nightbringer (EDIT: also I just added lesson 10A spoiler screenshots so spoilers of course)

so the “one sided��� convo featuring Solomon in ch 10… again spoilers… implies Nightbringer isn’t a demon (EDIT: kind of. Tbh I’m not sure anymore and am leaning demon aka barb, but I’m leaving what I originally said here anyway. See screenshots below for spoilers). But the intro vid/teaser implies that they are a demon. Hence the confusion. I mean… we know angels can become demons and humans, but can the reverse be true? I don’t know. Have we been told at any point that the reverse is possible? To have a deal of some kind with Solomon though… I’d assume at the very least they are not human although that doesn’t necessarily mean they were never human. Ok now I’m just getting into the weeds with this. I also didn’t reread anything so this is straight up me rambling right after reading that lesson and being confused as fuck.

1. Barbatos from another timeline?? The intro makes you think it’s barbatos in some form, at the very least.

2. God??? Lol if we’re truly following the story of the actual king Solomon… but I don’t know if they’d really go there. But it would make the most sense in a way LOL though the pseudonym “nightbringer” seems wrong for this guess

3. Michael because idk he exists and I don’t know enough about him to decide either way

4. Lilith but that feels conspiratorial to say

5. Diavolo’s dad because why are they bringing him up this much… but again this doesn’t totally fit with what we’ve been told about this “demon” so it would need some explaining

6. Someone else completely who we haven’t met or maybe who was mentioned a few times in passing idk

I’m so curious 😭😭😭😭😭 like who tf 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 help

EDIT: ok I reread and y’all I’m 😭😭⁉️⁉️⁉️⁉️ big ol HUGE lesson 10a spoilers below

WHAT???? like Solomon… are you saying my man’s a demon or not a demon like please

“You sound just like a demon” @ nightbringer but then “you think I’m behaving like a demon… but that’s to be expected Bc you made me who I am today” 😭😭😭 Solomon pls explain thank you. Now I think it’s more likely nightbringer IS a demon rather than not but that “you sound just like a demon” line really had my wheels spinning like is Solomon being cheeky or 😭 why would he say that to someone he knows is a demon? Is he just saying “of course you would say that” or is he implying nightbringer isn’t a demon? I’m too deep in the semantics probably. It does seem like nightbringer has to be a demon though…. Right? Like it’s more likely Solomon is saying “you would say that” by saying “you sound just like a demon”? Dude I’m harping on this way too much I gotta stop LMAO it’s probably just barb or diavolo’s dad maybe I think I’m going too deep on this

sorry this post got so unhinged 😭 I lost the thread but at least the screenshots are worth looking at I think

[forgotten-realms-atlas]

Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting Box Set - 1993

Whilst I toil away at mapmaking, I did reward myself with a bit of treasure! In my deep plunges into the interwebs, I did in fact stumble across a wonderful artifact indeed. (But do forgive me for the photo quality, I was too excited for touch-ups!)

From thirty years ago, the “New Edition” of the Forgotten Realms Campaign setting! What a find! Though the box itself has a few dings and dents (a sign of much love, I’m sure), the treasures inside this chest were in far better condition.

Near mint, if I do say so myself! We see here our good friend Elminster here in some of my favorite art of him, but a Drizzt Do’Urden can also be spotted on the Grand Tour of the Realms, among other familiar faces.

I have not yet read through all of these, but soon I will be able to dispense what knowledge I find!

In addition to these fine books, the set came with a number of loose papers and maps, of which I had never seen before in digital or physical form. 

Four in total! Two of eastern Faerun, and two of western. Once I am able to do so safely, I will be creating high resolution scans of these maps to share on this very blog, so do keep your eyes out!

But even more ingenious, included in the box was not one, but two of these! The transparent overlay seen here is made to show scale, and to be moved across the maps. As they all are drawn to the same scale, the overlays can be used between any of them, and having two copies of the overlay means more than one can be placed at a time, or, in case one is lost, there is a backup. These will provide themselves invaluable in reconstructing maps of the realms.

It also makes me wonder why we do not see these more often in more modern reproductions of these maps. I have not seen such overlays in any other piece of media for the Realms or any other setting, but they seem so useful, as well as inexpensive to produce! Perhaps this can be traced to the phasing out of overhead projectors and other such common technology of the 80s and 90s that saw the use of transparencies such as these. Wet erase markers faded out of use, and purchasing transparency films has become more difficult over time. Still, I hope that tools such as this can make a return. If nothing else, it sure beats getting out strings to try to measure the distances!

Following the maps, we find these sheets of symbols. My first thought was, are these sticker sheets? But thankfully, no! No aged glues or sticky pages greeted me (for surely stickers would not age well over three decades). These are actually cards, meant to be cut out and referenced. I am infinitely grateful that the previous owners of this box did not do so, since being in one piece has kept these from being lost or damaged, in the way small pieces often are. 

The first three pages include runes and symbols. Some are for factions, such as the recognizable harp of the Harpers on the first page. Some are magical, namely the runes in green, and others are simply to convey a message. 

The last two pages are the symbols of various gods and powers in the Realms, though some of the page is still dedicated to runes. Again, I will be creating scans, both front and back, to share.

And yes, the backs of all of them contain some information about the image on the front. I cannot wait to make copies so that I feel confident in cutting out and using the cards, while still keeping the originals in good condition.

The final portion of this treasure chest of information is a bestiary. The pages are unbound, but punched to fit into a ringed binder. I adore all the art. Like before, I will create scans, and perhaps write on more specific aspects of the creatures therein.

But before I go to work on my maps again, I grant you the most wonderful gift that this box has to offer: 

Thank you all, and safe journeys, travelers~

[destinyc1020]

As a black woman. I completely agree with your stance on DEI, and I also think it is the reason so many poc get put on the chopping board by studios when things don't go well in the film industry. Diversity is important, but it has to be the best person on the field as opposed to just putting someone there who is inexperienced for the sake of diversity. It's why when it was the height of BLM, studios hired a lot of female executives to fight allegations of racism that they were quickly fired a few yrs later and film productions or shows and tvs have reduced lately cause they lacked experience and resume of talent.

It also reinforces identity over storytelling and puts some ppl off if that makes sense.

Again, I don't know if you're talking about the film industry or another industry, but these are my own thoughts, I just dont want you to think I'm putting them on you.

Diversity is important, but it has to be the best person on the field as opposed to just putting someone there who is inexperienced for the sake of diversity.

But here's my thing.... A LOT of people just simply ASSUME that if you're Black (or a POC) and get a really good role or position, that it automatically means that you were a "diversity" or "DEI" hire, and to me that is NOT okay! That was basically my point.

Sometimes, a Black person or POC actually WAS/IS the best person for the role/position! (This goes for both Hollywood AND for just job positions in the real world btw) The fact that "White" is always seen as "the standard", and nobody EVER questions a White person's "qualifications", even though they don't even have the experience nor the prerequisites to be in the role that they're in (*ahem, I'm looking at you Orange Man 🤨), is totally due to our racist society, which has the mindset that "White = RIGHT". 🙄

For example, people harped for YEARS about the casting of Halle Bailey as Ariel, a FICTIONAL character and FICTIONAL being, JUST because she wasn't an alabaster White girl with fire-engine-red hair. Give me a break. 🙄

They bullied that poor young woman to death! Nevermind the fact that Halle has the singing voice of an Angel, is cute as a button, had amazing chemistry onscreen with Jonah Hauer King (which is harrrrrd to develop btwn two people when one person isn't even speaking for goodness sakes), she even has the speaking voice of a Disney princess, and yet... YET... people (grown adults!) were STILL actually angry that she got the role in a kid's movie (of all things 🙄 ) JUST because she didn't "fit" the idea that they had in mind.... Even though, the Director himself had to tell people that Halle's singing actually PHYSICALLY brought him to TEARS!!! To TEARS!!!

You're really trying to tell me that there was someone out there so much "better" for the role?? 🥴

Get outta here.....

[liesmyth]

unpopular opinion: I think Nona could have and should have been the intro to Alecto. A lot of the new rho stuff, especially the school, really dragged and didn’t fit thematically with the first two books IMO. I think almost all of the gang stuff could have been cut- I just felt that Nona as a narrator started to become really grating after a while, because you spent the whole book reading from the POV of someone who has no idea what’s going on and after 500 pages still don’t get any real payoff- it was supposed to be a small payoff at an act break and it shows and it absolutely could have been cut to like half the size it is now. It felt like 500 hundred pages of info dumb and narrative standstill, and it was still fun to read but by the end it was really annoying and I felt kind of cheated out of payoff, you know? Normally I wouldn’t harp on it so much, but Taz was so good with it in the first two that you really noticed the absence of any real narrative movement in Nona.

I don't think it's an unpopular opinion at all! I really liked Nona but I also get why it felt like a letdown for many people after 2 years of waiting. I'm biased because I absolutely love worldbuilding and the concept of taking a breather from the main story to explore how the non-superpowered people are living; it feels like one of those anime OVAs that are mostly there to widen the scope of the world and give the characters a break—but I also get why it's frustrating if you wanted the plot to get along.

Personally, I think AtN is going to be SO packed that while NtN could have been cut to be shorter, tackling it before AtN would have made that book worse than it will be otherwise. IMO Nona is going to have great reread value for those rereading the series or be a nice breather for people binging the books all at once, but I get why you found it grating. I found many characters in it grating, but I'm still happy I got to spend time with them. Your opinion is totally understandable though!

[harryconcepts]

part 68

harry would so take care of you when you're sick 😔 rubbing your back to help you sleep and making sure you're getting lots of fluids 😔 he would make you his mom's chicken soup even if you don't have much of an appetite 😔 he would hold your hair if you got sick and he would say "it's alright, you're okay" trying to calm you bc he knows you're so miserable 😔 he would make sure you're taking medicine on the right schedule so you can be as comfortable as possible and he would definitely refuse to go to work until you're feeling better he just wants to stay with you 😔

harry being your first boyfriend and your first everything else too 😌 he knows you've never had sex before him so he never teases you about being your first time because he knows it was special 😔 then the first one of his concerts you go to you're like "guess what 😌 you're taking my concert virginity" and he's all "oh yeah? took your other virginity too didn't i😌" and he wraps his arms around you so you can't walk away since you're all huffy now but he knows you love it 😌

harry coming to your family Thanksgiving and you stay so late 🥹 he's on the couch and you're sitting all cuddled up to him because it's late and you're sleepy 🥹 he leans over to kiss your head and says "ready to go home baby?" and you shake your head because you're not ready to go yet, everyone is still sitting around and talking so he murmurs "okay, let me know if you're too tired" and neither of you notice but a few of your aunts are watching and they're so 🥹 bc you're adorable together 😔 and he fits so well with the whole family, everyone loves him so much bc he's so sweet to you and everyone else 🥹when you're finally ready to go he's helping you up from the couch and thanking everyone while you stretch and go around to hug people 🥹 he thanks your grandparents for hosting and says it was so good to meet everyone then he helps you put your coat on and puts your hat on your head 🥹 he goes out to start the car so it'll be warm for you and while he's outside everyone is telling you your aunts and cousins are hugging you goodbye saying "he's a good one" and "we like him... you better bring him back" and you're smiling and nodding sleepily as they hug you 🥹 when he comes back you're all bundled up and he thanks everyone again and everyone starts reaching out for hugs so ofc he's happy to do that 🥹 he has his arm around you on the way out so you don't slip on the ice and he ofc opens you door for you 🥹 when you're in the car and starting the drive home you're holding his hand and you say "everyone loved you so much, they told me to keep bringing you around" and he's so happy to hear he made a good impression 🥹 he's telling you he's so glad you wanted him to come along and meet everyone 🥹 he would just be so soft and sweet and happy 😔

he would be the most caring boy ever 😔 your mom is watching you probably taking not so sneaky pics as he ties your shoes for you and zips up your coat😔

stop your tiny little niece loving him 😔 she's so shy at first hiding behind your legs but when she peeks out he's waving at her and she waves back 😔 soon she's warmed up to him and she takes his hand and she's leading him all around the house and he's just following her wherever 😔

your family's always harping on you about when you're going to have a bf and it gets so annoying that you finally ask bestie harry "okay I have a favor to ask... and you totally can say no! I was just wondering if maybe you could like- pretend to be my boyfriend at Thanksgiving 🫣 you don't have to do anything special or bring anything or act any different I'm just so over them being all-" and he cuts you off saying "of course I will, don't you worry I'm gonna be the best fake boyfriend you've ever seen 😌just one thing though- don't fall in love with me 😉" and he thinks he's so hilarious for that 😭 then when he comes to pick you up to drive you there he would definitely bring at least 2 dishes and you're like "no you didn't have to bring anything!" and he says "oh please 🙄 I'm trying to make a good impression 🙄" and he would be so sweet with you all day 😌 he's all over you, kissing your cheeks and your forehead and offering to refill your cup or get you some pie and he's so good with your whole family, from your grandma all the way down to your cousin's newborn ☹️ and ofc everyone loves him bc he's the best ☹️ you ask him if he wants to stay over at your house that night saying "well it's so late and it's snowing... it's just safer if you stay 😌" and he's all hmm yes i agree 😌 he stays in your bed ofc and he's all cuddled up to you, when you've been laying quietly for a few minutes he says "I have to tell you something... i told you not to fall in love with me but ummm...." and you just smile and move a little closer, laying your leg over his so you're all tangled up and you say "i know 😌 me too 😌" and he lets out a relived sigh 😌then he says "well then i guess Christmas is all decided!" and again he thinks he's so hilarious and funny 😌

he'd be all "tell me what you want sweet girl 😌" as he noses along your cheek and his fingers are slipping into your panties 🤕

STOP kissing your cheeks and his face is right next to yours when he whispers the filthiest words 🤕 soon you're clutching at his shoulders and he knows you're so turned on 🤕

I randomly get foot cramps that are so bad and so painful and I feel like harry would help 😭 he would massage the area and get an ice pack since he knows it's sore and say "I'm sorry baby, i wish I could make it all better ☹️" and kiss the top of your foot before he puts the ice pack on it again 😭

when Harry goes down on you he's literally just making out with your 😼... he's so soft and gentle and he has his eyes closed so he can focus 🤕 he definitely moans against you and his nose bumps against your clit which has you moaning too and gripping at his hair 🤕

FUCKING STOPPPPPP he would be disgusting and filthy going down on you, calling you his slut and giving you gentle slaps any time you try to close your thighs and just being absolutely feral, then once you cum he's coming up and he's like "kissy? 😚" and that's how you know he came in his pants when he was eating you out bc he's calm and sweet again 🤕

help i fear I have a size kink and a tickling kink...and i fear harry satisfies both of those very well 🤕 I fear he would like to let you think you can get away but he would grab you and have you pinned again before you get too far 🤕 he would be smiling so big at how you're squirming under him and he would trace his finger down your neck to see the goosebumps raise up 🤕 even though you both know you like this you would be shaking your head trying to wiggle away but he would just say "you can squirm all you want but you're not going anywhere until I'm done with you 😁" and he would tickle your tummy just enough to get you giggling 🤕 you're trying to push him away bc you're out of breath already and as his fingers search for more sensitive you say "this isn't even a fair fight how am i supposed to- stop!" and he pauses for a second then says "you know what? you're right, it's not fair since I grabbed you when you weren't expecting it... how about this? I'll let you go and I'll give you a good headstart, then when i catch you it'll be completely fair😌" and you're trying to ignore your second heartbeat from how confident he is saying "when i catch you" 🤕but you nod so he lets go of you and helps you up saying "go for it babe😁" and you take off before he can change his mind 🤕 he doesn't count or anything so you have no idea how long he'll give you before he's coming after you but honestly that makes it more exciting 🤕 all too soon he calls "I'm coming to fiiiiind youuuu" and you can almost hear the teasing smile in his voice 🤕 you're trying so hard to hide yourself among the clothes in his closet but it's barely even 2 minutes before he yanks open the door and says "there she is 😁" but before he can grab you you manage to get past him and out into the hallway 😌 he's chasing you right away saying "get back here!" and you're both giggling so much you can barely breathe 😔 you're basically running in circles through the house and he's definitely letting you win because you know if he tried he could grab you in a second but he's letting you think you have the upper hand 😌 then when he's over chasing you he speeds up just a tiny bit and grabs you 😌

he holds you against his chest and says "noooooow it's a fair fight, isn't it?" and he's dragging you to the bedroom 😌you're fighting him a little too hard and dragging your feet so he just picks you up and carries you that way 😌 he really makes a show of being big enough to pick you up with no problem 🤕 when he throws you down on the bed you're scrambling to get up but he just clicks his tongue and says "be a good girl for me, I won square and fair so this is what happens😌" and he's so cocky 🤕 you decide to do what he said and then he brings over one of his neckties and you know what's about to happen 🤕 he's so gentle when he's tying your hands to the headboard and he gives you a little kiss on each wrist when he's done 🤕 then he's looking at you all tied up and spread out under him and he says "I'm gonna have fun with you 😌" and you're already like 🤕he would for sure tease you sooo much, hovering his fingers in the air over spots he knows are sensitive so you're squirming before he even touches you 🤕 or he would run one finger over your skin because he knows it makes you shiver 🤕 he definitely likes to lick you to switch up the sensations and drive you crazy 🤕 finally he decides he's teased enough so he drops his fingers and just goes to town 🤕 you're already so worked up and everything is so sensitive you're going crazy just from the lightest touches 🤕 you're bucking your hips to get him off of you and trying to arch away from his fingers but he just laughs with you and follows you 🤕 he would say stuff like "I know you like this, look how much you're smiling!" bc he's mean 🤕 he's so big he can reach anywhere on your body without even stretching and he has no problem keeping you still even with how much you're squirming 🤕 he would use one hand on either side of your body so no matter which way you move it's just closer to his hands 🤕 he would give you little breathers but he would still be touching you, kissing at your neck or using a few fingers to give you the lightest touches before he goes back in 🤕 soon enough you have tears streaming down your face from how much you're feeling everything and he decides it's enough so he slows to a stop and moves off you so you can take some deep breaths 🤕 he lays next to you and takes your chin between his fingers to turn your head, then he murmurs "that's my girl, you did so good for me baby" and he reaches up to untie your hands 🤕 he gives you as long as you need to catch your breath and start feeling normal again, so he lays next to you and keeps telling you how much he loves you 🤕 soon you turn over to lay on top of him and he puts his arms around you because the deep, even pressure feels so good against your oversensitive nerves 🤕 but laying on his chest with your heart still racing you know you've never been happier or more content 🤕

thinking about dating plugrry and being part of his friend group, one night he's out with his friends and they all get a little too rowdy at a bar one night and get picked up by the police 😭 one of your girl friends calls you and says "the dickheads are all in jail we have to go pick them up" and you're so mad at him but also so worried 😭 when you get there you're all 😠 and he's almost completely sobered up by now, he's like "hi sweet girl..." and you're mad so you're not saying anything as the boys file out of the cell and follow you and your friend to the car. harry is the last one to get dropped off and your friend says "your place or his?" and Harry's looking at you from the backseat but you don't turn around, you just sigh and say "his" and harry wants to beg you to let him come to your place but he knows you are definitely allowed to be mad 😔 when she pulls up at his house you don't even speak to him, he slowly gets out of the car and thanks your friend for the ride before he's walking up to his house 😔 your friend says "are you heading home too then?" and you take a deep breath before you say "no I'm staying, I just want to make him sweat a little before I go in" and she laughs 😔 you thank her for all the driving and give her a hug before you're heading up the walkway too 😔 Harry opens the door on your first knock and he looks so shy saying "hi... wanna come in?" and you do, you go to the kitchen and grab a water from the fridge while he follows you looking very nervous 😔 he comes to give you a hug because he missed you so much and at first you push at his shoulder saying "I was worried about you"with the biggest pout on your face and he says "I know baby, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to scare you sweet girl" you hug him back and say "you're never going to do that again" clearly not asking and he nods right away saying "never, I never want to upset my girl again" 😔

please yes and while you're sitting in the car he's rushing around the house, cleaning up and lighting some candles and trying to make it nice for you 😔 the rest of the night he would be so sweet to you, trying to make up for worrying you ealier 😔

thinking about aster and angel tonight and projecting so hard 😔 maybe she has a kind of rocky relationship with food/body image just because of stuff her mom has said and little comments she's heard over the years that have really added up and taken a toll 😔 so she (she is me) is a bit anxious about thanksgiving and the holidays coming up just because it sometimes brings up bad feelings and memories, and harry would definitely pick up on it 😔he's not sure what exactly is wrong but he knows his girl is feeling down so he needs to help her feel better 😔 he gives her a big hug and says "I'm not sure what's wrong pretty girl, but you can tell me about it if you want to" and she starts crying 😔 he holds her so close and lets her get it all out while he just listens 😔 then he gives her a kiss on the forehead and says he's so sorry that anyone has ever made her feel less than beautiful, and he would definitely pull her hand up and kiss each of her fingers 😔from then on he would be so careful to make sure she knows he loves her and her body so much 😔 before they get together with Mitch and Sarah for their little Friendsgiving he makes sure to tell them to be gentle, he doesn't give any details but Sarah def already knows a little bit so they say ofc they will 😔 then they make sure the day isn't stressful for her and they focus on having fun together and eating good food and being happy together 😔 at the end of the night when Harry and angel are in bed together she's laying on his chest and she thanks him for making her feel safe all day 😔 and he's so happy bc all he ever wants to do is take care of his girl 😔

stop he would be so good with his pregnant wife 😔 always kissing your tummy and talking to your baby 😔 helping you walk around and he thinks your little waddle is so cute but he'll never say anything 😔 he pampers you constantly and he always makes healthy delicious meals for you to make sure you're getting all the vitamins you and babe need 😔 any time you're craving anything he runs to get it 😔 he would tuck you in at night making sure the pillows are settled just right so you'll be so comfy 😔 when your water is empty he doesn't even let you sit up he's all "I got it don't worry!!!!!" running to refill it 😔 ugh he would be so good 😔

plugrry who has a major crush on you 😋 you go to the same college and you have few classes together, so you usually end up walking together. then one winter morning when it's icy he sees you a ways away and he's like 😯 so he's getting to you as fast as he can and he offers you his arm saying "don't want you to slip pretty girl" and you're like 😌 knowing he's so whipped even tho you're not together

plugrry spoils his gf absolutely rotten 😋 he loves buying your expensive complicated coffee and picking you up after class with it 😋 he loves taking you shopping and buying anything you even glance at 😋 even when you say "stop spending money on me" he just shushes you and gives you a kiss on the forehead as he pulls out his card 😋 and he loves spoiling you in bed too 😋 being so sweet with you and making you cum on his tongue and fingers as many times as you want 😋

harry is always asking if you want to fool around 😋 he's all "want to kiss for a bit baby? 😋 we have a while before dinner's ready 😋 come give me a good one😋" when you're laying on the couch together watching a show you've both seen a million times and you're on his chest, you're rubbing your hands gently up and down his arms and soon he starts to feel a little 😋 so he says "c'mere baby, I need a kiss" 😋 after about 3 little kisses he's flipping you over saying "wanna make this a little more fun?😋" and he's pulling at the hem of your shirt 😋 when you're at a party together he's leading you to one of the bedrooms upstairs and he says "come on, no one will even notice we're gone I just want a few minutes alone with my girl 😋" and you know it's gonna be a lot more than a few minutes 😋

harry would celebrate Thanksgiving just for you 🥹 he would be such a little malewife in the kitchen with his apron, juggling 3 different pots and pans at once bc he wants it all to be perfect for you 🥹 you keep offering to help but he just gives you a quick smooch and says "you just relax, I've got this" 🥹

harry knowing you get really anxious if you have too much caffeine so he's always looking after you 😔saying "maybe get a smaller coffee? then you'll have more room for cookies😁" acting like he doesn't know anything but really it's so you'll have less caffeine and you're less likely to get worked up 😔 or he orders you a decaf if you don't need any extra energy for anything 😔 and if sometime you do just have waaay too much and get really anxious he would be so good 😔giving you a tight hug and rubbing your back 😔 going for a walk outside with you or playing some music or talking it out to help you feel better 😔

[diminuel]

Time to watch another SPN episode, 12x15 now. I don’t even know what this is about off the top of my head. I have always struggled a bit with the second half of S12 because I found the Lucifer plot ridiculous. (And was annoyed when Cas was constantly away on the Kelly Kline chase plot.) Anyway, under the cut!

Alright, I am not enjoying the depiction of Dean here. He is “gross” (covered in monster guts which he casually flicks about, doesn’t care about it, Sam has to tell him that he’s got bits of a siren stuck in his hair and that he should not sit on the chair because he’ll get the chair dirty. But Dean got into the car like that...?) and he’s also “stupid” - totally blanks out when Sam gives him a lie about how he got the cases.

But, seriously, why the hell is Sam lying to Dean about that. He knows Dean well, he saw what the fall out was to Mary’s secrecy and he’s just doing the same shit? I don’t care that it’s Sam’s birthday today, he’s getting the knife emoji for that. 🔪🔪

Sam and Dean don’t really do their job properly if you ask me, unless I am confused. But A demon deal takes ten years. From the couple’s conversation it seems like she is leaving for college, so she must be pretty young. Do Sam and Dean just assume the guy made a demon deal at 10...?

Again, we are faced with Dean behavior that would have been fitting in S1 but not in S12 in my opinion. (Dean tells Sam to take care of “her” but by her he doesn’t mean the girl Sam is protecting but the car. And he harps on about how she’s a beautiful woman...) Crowley’s casual “ew” reaction on the other hand is fitting.

Crowley saying “ a few years ago, who would've thought you'd be working with the King of Hell?” Have you been watching the show, Crowley? They’ve been working with you on and off for years now X3

And I wished Dean would have been more disappointed or felt a bit more betrayed by Sam lying to him about the BMOL...

I don’t think I said anything about the Cas sub plot, but since we’re already at “lying to Dean/ keeping secrets from Dean” I should mention it. Cas should know better too at this point... This is not a terrible secret of course, he’s just listening to Joshua’s pitch. But he could have mentioned it even though I understand why he didn’t... That Kelvin kept on saying that heaven is now united due to the nephilim problem, when they already banded together due to the Amara problem annoyed me a little bit just for consistency’s sake I guess.

So, to sum up: it was an episode. Not bad but not particularly entertaining either. Visually, it was appealing though - Dean in classes and Cas was particularly beautiful this episode.

[colorguardsweetheartblurrsgirl]

Totally did something I was not expecting.

Work on story: No

Work On Art: No

Had all the resources infront of me ready to get a few ar Peices done. 😏🥴😖😓😒😒😒 YES!!!

What did I do instead you may ask???

Open the Sheet music app and began retooling my song front two years ago that was originally the main theme for the first act. Or at least the first half of the first act. I took advice from friends and family that it just needed a little something more at the start and end. There was a good oomph as start made me think battle scene... but it needed something. I finally thought of the sound I wanted.

Found the Drum Rills I wanted (Though it took hours to find the exact one I litterlaly typed the exact words in the name and toik hours to find some reason and countless searches).

Found a bell sound I was totally like Yeha that could eb a fun opening..

Theb thought, eh I made the document. Might as well plop the opening down.

I have problem currently staying up all night zi guess.😓🤣😂😅😅😅

Yep, spent all night working on the song. I ahve to admit the guitar part so uh nds coll. The opening including open ik gn chorus. Sounds awesome. Maybe a few tweeks here and there. I restyled and also redid the notations and the octaves of tlntoss as well as their notation time signatures to fit with the new speed and design I'm going foe with the comic. And funny enough didnt even get the main theme in there this was all the themes that combine with it

Later parts are a but messy. But blhoenstly first minute sounds pretty cool, totally plants an image. So I hope it works out. Just have to retools thjnklgs Inliked about the old open in ng a but more before ri works. But after alls said and done what leads into the opening a piano followed by a guitar pick iij ng up thebebat a bit. Can say it sounds far better then the old music.

All the same cnat believe how much time I spent on it. But I got started on the new angle I'm going for. And it kinda gives a real atmosphere to it. Hopefully you guys will like it I've studied both college level and under music practically my whole life but I'll say 25 years practically since I was 5. So writtinflg music is soemthing I often do. I just havent really performed my lyrical stuff. I even have a lyrical song or a few I came up with for the comic. Although, I'm not sure they will fit with the comics main theme.

I will say thebprologues theme has been ready and done for 2 years now. And yeah I'm not changing that puppy. Its... well saying anything will give away a plot point. I'll just say it will get you're heart pumping... in a scary kinda way. Showed it to friends and family and they are like "Okay that was freaking creepy. That, you wrote that miss ray of sunshines?" I just knew what I wanted for teh prologue had a certain tone I wanted setting in. And it worked.

Well heres today's update for you. I'll probably post some pic later today. But till then take care. I'll see if I could post a snippet of the song later tod sass y or in the next few days. Probably will have to use one of my actual music programs to do that without saving and unfinished product.

... but till whatever update comes next.

Take care and have a blast.

(Ps. I knwo how to play the harp and paino. However, I dont own a harp anymore where I used to rent closed its doors long ago. And my piano is a keyboard I've had since 7 whose cord keeps absconding from me, so if your wondering I can play instruments I jsut have difficulty keeping track of them thus I use programs instead) I recently fo uh nd recordings I made at my families property two years ago on the old family piano, just me silently at night alone plucking out cords and slowly creating a song, and occassionally messing up... it was when I was first figuring out Lenna's theme. At the time trying to keep it more towards H.S. in theme and sound. This has since changed and I'm leaning more towards the other inspiration that shaped most of the characters since the start. So the sound has since changed. It used to have a country western sound to it.

[writingonjorvik]

I have no idea when SSO would actually set up their zodiac, so I’m just going to start it on the winter solstice since they released this for the holidays. Let me know what y’all’s zodiac would be!

The Adventurer - Dec 21st - Feb 20th

The Harp - Feb 21st - Apr 20th

The Sisters - Apr 21st - June 20th

The Mare - June 21st - Aug 20th

The Rune - Aug 21st - Oct 20th

The Life Warden - Oct 21st - Dec 20th

[nagipops]

hii!! could you please do fluffy/general relationship headcanons with angel devil i love that mf so much 😩‼️

FLUFF HEADCANONS!

FEATURING: angel devil!

WARNINGS: mentions of food

lazzzyyyyyy cuddles. lazy cuddles all day, all night, all week, 24/7

and this man does NOT GET UP once he slips sneakily into your arms

down for any cuddle position though, but the classic spooning is his all-time favorite

he’s the little spoon of course, he just adores the feeling of your arms wrapped protectively around the center of his torso, it makes him feel so warm and safe

i feel like when you’re nagging him to do something, like to get up and fold the laundry or do the dishes, he’d totally just start recording you with his phone 😭

idk why he’d just whip out the camera app and start recording you with a playful smile on his face

but then you start to tickle him and you just signed a death warrant with the devil because angel is SO. TICKLISH.

literally just poke him anywhere and he’ll be throwing a fit in the blink of an eye, giggling and frantically swatting you away

that’s definitely his punishment for recording you, but he can’t say he’s learned his lesson because this entire squabble happens at least once a day

going back to how he’s ticklish though, this means that he has extremely sensitive skin

like very, very sensitive skin

which means that your kisses, even the slightest brush of your lips, are the equivalent of strums of a blissful harp in heaven for this angel bby

like kiss him anywhere, whether it’s just a tiny peck or a full blown makeout session, he’s going to let out soft whimpers all the while

i feel like he really likes when you kiss his arms; normally this would be a boring place to kiss, but the delicate nerves along his shoulders all the way down to his wrists long for your soft, gentle kisses

but if just kissing his arms makes him feel this good, just imagine what happens when you kiss his neck

he absolutely loses it

every move of your lips, every swirl of your tongue, it’s amplified like a speaker on full blast

he craves it. so so so badly

anyways, angel devil loves cradling your hand in his, in public or in private

he has a fascination with your hands, their size, their smoothness, their shape

he just thinks they’re so pretty, and perfect, and all his

he also thinks they’re incredibly good for holding three cones of ice cream, and you are now legally obligated to do so :3

if you enjoyed this post, likes and reblogs are much appreciated :) feel free to request here, and make sure to read the rules first! have a lovely day everyone <3