#the second one truly captures his essence i think

[sagee-sketches]

helpsjwjdbeudbe i forgot to post this but i think it’s the best thing I’ve ever drawn

credit to @offbookkeeping for the idea, ilysm for this btw <33

[fairlyabookie]

The things you do that got them heads over heels (part 5)

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | last part!!

author's note: woohooo!! We have finally made it to the last part! I hope you all enjoyed this little compilation! I'd like to thank my recent brainrot for helping me write this much!!

Trey - baking w/ him

A sugary sweet aroma clings onto the both of you like a vice, films of powder dusting your noses as giggles flitter about in the kitchen. Strong hands, calloused yet gentle ones, cover yours, kneading away malleable dough, the muscles of Trey’s arms flexing at the right places. Just watching him felt scandalous, your ears burning up profoundly.

You asked him once upon a time if you could join him in his baking sessions - his personal time, as a means to spend more time with him. Sure, an innocent question, but one laced with intent; you had to know what was behind those delectable goods of his creation. To answer your question, he replies with a simple smile, a grin too wide to be considered cordial acceptance.

There you were, his broad frame hovering over yours, his warmth embracing you from behind. You fathom a grin from him, a tease at the ready when you falter from your kneading. Surely, Trey was distracting you terribly so, that he had moved to the next step: shaping the dough.

“Put some strength on it, [Reader]. You got this.” His voice drops to a sultry whisper, his breath brushing your ear. Heat rushes up to your cheeks, your thoughts melting to puddy when his hands cups on yours, the essence of vanilla not really helping with your rationale.

Cater- hanging out with him

Maybe you enchanted him - or maybe cursed him, to have him so memorized towards you. The way you latch onto him, guiding him to the very place he came across on MagiCam. His heart soars, taking flight to a sensation he wasn’t too familiar with. Exhilarated, he latches onto you, letting himself go to the whims of your adventures.

He may know the trendiest places out there, but letting you take the lead became an adventure. Selfies, pictures, and polaroids were a must - tangibles symbolizing your adventures together, places you went, and things you did, all encapsulated into one picture; tangible items Cater would surely cherish from the bottom of his heart. At the end of the day, he’d find himself looking back at the things he did, all with someone who he could call a friend.

In moments, Cater’s vanity was littered full of treasures, precious moments of smiles upon smiles, idle moments captured in a sweet second of bliss, where a social media post couldn’t seem to describe the magic of the moment. You truly enraptured him, his heart already yours the second you got him in a whirlwind of adventures.

“Cater, Cater! What do you think? Totally lives up to the hype, right?” You gesture to the space before him, a quaint café, a sight he had seen from a post on MagiCam. It was just as described in the video, except for you and your dazzling smile before him. Maybe it was the post prophesizing the hype, or you were bewitching him, but he had to absolutely agree.

Lilia - trip to memory lane

While memories came to him in fractals of glass in the depths of his mind, pictures were best to help jog his memories. Of course, gadgets count too - the years had passed him so quickly that everything seemed the same, technologically advanced or not.

You were a curious youth, looking through the pieces of his life with childlike naivety. From Sebek and Silver’s baby pictures to Malleus’ first tooth, you’d stumble these small moments and witness a teary-eyed Lilia watch you piece together what would be a tapestry of his family and his livelihood.

He’d not bat an eye when you stumble an age-old weapon, a relic he couldn’t recall keeping around for so long - and probably upcycled it for something. The fae would search through the banks of his memory of what was, but comes across some vague details, your befuddled expression matching his own.

“Lilia?” Your reflection peers over at the fae, his expression lost in thought somewhere. “Ah yes, my dear?” He draws a blank, retrieving the weapon from you. “All the things you have…. I can see that you treasure them so, Lilia..” “Fufu, indeed, my dear child, indeed. All of this to say that I live well and long enough to see everything..”

Leona - cuddle bug/naptime

Slumber was the one thing you craved after a long day of assignments and homework, your weary body aching for a moment’s rest. You seek shelter at a familiar face’s room, not bearing mind to your surroundings when you collapse on the bed and close your eyes.

When you come to, the scent of calendulas and rose buds drifts about, a profound warmth enveloping you. Warm breath tickles the back of your neck, sending heat up from your shoulders to your cheeks. A hand latches around your waist, holding you close but not too tight to the point of suffocation.

You glance behind, only to be met face-to-face with a slumbering Leona. Remnants of sleep linger on, your mind piecing together any memory of you coming across the third year. Alas, you barely had enough to register your thoughts when an emerald eye stares at you in quiet disapproval.

“Napping done already?” A lazy drawl rumbles from Leona, his eyes coalescing to a gorgeous shade of lush green. His gaze was watchful, picking up on any moment that may perturb his slumber - his tail wraps on your ankle, his possessive in full display. You dare not to provoke him further, facing him and his unnecessarily open neckline, itching closer to him as if seeking his warmth. A victorious smirk curls on his lips before he closes his eyes once more, you trapped in his clutches, returning to the realm of sleep once more.

[fairestwriting]

headcannons about idia who’s head over heels in love with yuu ever since the orientation ceremony (he’s such a dork your honor)

Of course they get closer over time as the story progresses ^~^

also I just wanted to say your works r so cute and unique along with how you write them!! You truly do capture the essence of the characters even when the stories r pretty short or even just simply headcannons lol <3

wahh thank you sm 🥹 i really love the characters and writing them in situations…. it makes me happy to hear people think im portraying them well

�� Idia Shroud

It’s not like he’s never had a crush on anyone before, he’d usually recognize the feeling pretty quickly even. But, that pretty much instant feeling of being drawn to this one specific stranger in the crowd, that’s definitely something new. He doesn’t understand why he’s so fixated on you right off the bat, flustered like you’re not multiple feet apart and don’t even know each other’s names. Idia’s heart races even more, being almost too late to realize he was staring at you before you glance towards him. Sure, you’re a cute stranger, but that sort of “crush at first sight” thing only belongs in cheesy dating sims and such, as far as Idia knows.

”Aah, that’s it, this school finally made me lose my mind”, he thinks, once at the ceremony, then again when your face shows up in his thoughts later. He hadn’t even heard you speak, and yet… He finds himself overthinking every bit of that non-interaction, one half of his mind firmly telling him that he’s being a weirdo for doing that at all, near completely drowned out by his worries over whether you caught him staring at you like an idiot. If this was really a crush, and not a really weird case of crossed wires, he’s probably already ruined everything for himself, right? Not that he’d have a chance otherwise—

He almost manages to get over the whole thing when the stars decide to align to laugh at him, and you two end up talking. What exactly led up to it? If you asked him how, he’d hinestly have trouble remembering. Did you end up visiting his dorm, maybe even joining his club? Did you two run into each other in the halls, anime meet-cute style? You introduced yourself, and he somehow managed to respond appropriately. Maybe he was on his phone, looking at something related to a game he likes, and you just so happened to play it too…

And it’s a known fact that the one thing that’ll get Idia to forget his own anxiety for a moment, is being prompted to talk about his interests— Whatever it was that you brought up became the thing that miraculously tied you two together. You end up exchanging contact information, both too invested in feeding each other’s excitement for a second.

…Then, after you walk away from each other, it hits Idia that he has your contact information. Looking back on it, he feels like that must have been insanely lucky of him. Probably months worth of dream cards pulled from limited banners. At this point, there’s no way to deny his feelings to himself, incomprehensible as they might feel. Maybe he could dare to think he has a chance, considering you two have an interest in common… And it’s always much easier for him to talk to people over text.

That’d be getting ahead of himself, though, he thinks, the debate heavy in his mind as he proofreads his text asking if you want to play that game with him anytime soon. He covers his own eyes when he hits send, his hands feeling shaky down to the fingertips. You could send the most unremarkably polite response, he’s still going all crazy over it, even alarming Ortho with the noise he makes when he almost falls off his chair.

You play together, somehow it turns into a routine thing. You start exchanging texts, greeting each other in the halls. Idia has no idea how life just dropped that on his lap, even though he starts to feel more comfortable around you, it’s always still a little surreal. There’s always that persistent fear that he’s going to ruin everything somehow, but as much as his lower moods make him want to withdraw, he never goes through with it, a text from you arriving just in time to snap him out of the trance— Really, you must be magic, or something. So much that even if it all turned out to be a spell, he doesn’t think he’d even mind it.

if you like my work you can support me by commissioning me or tipping me on ko-fi ── ᵎᵎ ✦

[squidsquidsquidsquidsquidgame]

The Art of a perfect selfie (NOT)

character: Thanos/Choi su-bong X Fem!reader

Summary: Su-Bong decides that you both need a couple’s selfie that “truly captures your essence.

Warning: none🦑🦑

You should have known this wouldn’t be simple. When Su-Bong declared, with the utmost confidence, that you both needed a couple’s selfie that “truly captures your essence,” you naively thought that meant one or two normal pictures. Maybe something sweet, something cute. But no. No, that was never going to happen.

“Okay, stand right here,” he says, dragging you into position with the excitement of a man about to uncover some deep artistic truth. He holds his phone up, squinting at the screen. “Hmm. This angle makes my chin look weird. Let’s move.”

“You look fine.”

“I look weird,” he insists, already shifting positions. You sigh, but let him do his thing.

The next attempt lasts exactly five seconds before he yells, “Wait! I just got an idea!” He drags you toward a decorative lamp post, tries to prop his phone against a bench for a timed shot, and in the process, knocks over a nearby planter. The crash echoes through the park.

You freeze. He freezes.

Slowly, he turns to you with the guiltiest grin you’ve ever seen. “I don’t think that was my fault.”

“Oh really?” You gesture at the evidence of his crime: a poor, innocent flower pot now lying in ruins.

“Gravity,” he says sagely. “Tragic.” Eventually, you settle on a new spot, this time with Su-Bong holding the phone himself—because clearly, trusting him with props was a mistake. He grins as he throws an arm around you. “Okay, smile—wait, no! Let’s do a cool pose. Something that says, ‘power couple, but also a little bit dangerous.’”

“You want us to look dangerous?” “I mean, don’t we already?” He strikes a dramatic pose, crossing his arms and furrowing his brows like some kind of action movie hero.

“You look constipated.”

“Okay, rude.”

It takes at least a dozen more attempts—some ruined by his dramatic poses, others by sudden laughter, and one truly baffling shot where he somehow managed to photobomb himself.

“How did you even do that?” you ask, staring at the screen. In the foreground, the two of you are smiling (miraculously, a normal photo). But in the background, slightly out of focus, is another blurry Su-Bong, mid-sprint.

He blinks. “Oh. Yeah. I was running to get into position for the next one. Guess I was too fast.”

You bury your face in your hands. “We are never going to get this picture.”

“One more! No, wait—this angle makes my chin look weird. Okay, okay, last one. I swear.”

You level him with a look. “If you say ‘last one’ one more time—”

“Last one,” he whispers dramatically.

You nearly strangle him.

But finally, somehow, by some miracle, you manage to take one decent photo. In it, Su-Bong is grinning with his usual chaotic energy, one arm slung around you as he leans in close. And maybe it’s not the picture-perfect couple’s selfie he had envisioned, but looking at it, you can’t help but think—

Yeah. It really does capture your essence.

🦑🦑🦑

[stump-not-found]

Greetings! First of all, I wanted to say that I absolutely LOVE Theseus' Guide and since discovering it through Stemm's gorgeous animatics I've been obsessing over this masterpiece. The writing is immaculate! The way you bring these characters to life, with such authenticity, is truly remarkable. For a writer like me, there's nothing more satisfying than seeing your words capture the essence of a character so effectively. Your writing skills are a true joy to read! Every time Bill came into the picture I started giggling and smiling like a teenage girl lmao, he's so goofy. It took me 2 days to fully process the emotions that the end of chapter 8 stirred up in me (SO good by the way!). Reading your work brought back my love for reading fanfiction so thank you for that ^^ Throughout reading your work I found myself inspired to create a playlist based on Stanford's character as its complexity is most intriguing to me. I want to capture the essence of his changing mental state, perspective, emotions, and the complexity of his relationship with Bill. In short: Stanford's pov as a playlist. I've already collected more than 40 songs to take into consideration (I'll be working on making it into a video playlist on one of my YT channels) and so I wanted to ask if you have any songs you'd think would be fitting? That's all, can't wait for the new chapters :] Take care!

this is such a kind message, thank you so much!

i've been keeping my own TG playlist private for now, since the fic is still ongoing, but i will recommend the following:

it's sort of the song i think about when i think about chapter 8 ford, and... other things that happen later in the story

thank you again so much for the kind words!! i hope you share when done, i'd love to listen. nothing in the world brings me more joy than seeing how others view the story and the characters, and i also love to find new music!

[verdicloud]

more serious aspects of rum tum tugger

admittedly, i watch act 1 of cats wayyyyyy more than act 2. i’m not sure why, but it means i listen to “mr mistoffelees” a lot less, so it kinda slipped my mind that… rum tum tugger sings “mr mistoffelees”… 😬 but seriously watching and listening to it after a while of detox made me, weirdly, appreciate tugger’s character so much more than before.

if you don’t think tugger is a very complex character or someone worth delving into, let me offer this: we talk about john partridge being THE tugger, that he’s yet to have been surpassed or lived up to, and it’s true, but from what i’ve seen, i don’t think us fans get him quite right either. (not anyone specifically, just in a general sense.) and from what i’ve heard, other productions are great, but there’s just nothing quite like his 1998 film portrayal. i don’t just mean the swagger, but also the gravitas that he gives off. it was really lightning in a bottle. that’s how difficult it is to get his character truly right. (such is the case for a lot of cats in my opinion, but i’m being picky.)

(p.s. i meant this as in “it’s insanely difficult to capture john partridge’s essence”.)

…… yes, i know tugger is meant to be vain and rebellious and a sexy, indecisive flirt, and i do realise that the three words are just “in general” to help actors perform better, BUT, you cannot tell me that this description doesn’t water him down to a puddle :

his three words are apparently “vain, perverse, inconsequent”. “vain”? you mean the one whose first instinct was to call upon someone else more competent to help when old deut was in danger? the one who pleaded for the jellicles to listen to him, and gladly gave reasoning while hyping up misto, instead of just saying trust me bro? the one who is clearly extremely grateful and proud to be old deut’s son? and “perverse” is only true if they mean “contrary”. otherwise, his whole song shows him rejecting all the hot girls who all want him. “inconsequent”? firstly, i’m pretty sure that they’re using this word wrong. second, if they mean “not caring about consequences”, then tell that to the cat who stopped his entire party instantly just to alert the tribe of grizabella’s appearance. (and he clearly looks very disappointed when nobody liked his bagpipes gag!)

tugger is attractive, admired by many, influential, high-status and charismatic. yet, he only ever uses his prominence to do what’s best for the jellicles or what would make them happy, both individually and as a whole. in misto’s number, he steps up completely soberly when the jellicles need him the most. he hypes up misto because he knows his influence will make the cats believe in him. he gives the cats some much needed levity during times of crisis. he entertains etcetera, his biggest fan, like a singer inviting a child on stage and it shows that he cares.

i wanna talk about tugger’s design as well in terms of his character. tugger’s presence is the perfect balance of cool and warm. he is stylish and impressive, a self-assured and level-headed cat with an assertive aura, who easily keeps his composure, but at the same time, he’s inviting and open, a dutiful and shrewd cat with an incredible sense of humour, who is able to lift the hearts of those around him. this is reflected in his design, as his top half has a huge fluffy mane, but the rest of him is sleek black, yet done in a way that’s complimentary and not conflicting.

beneath the show-off, the swagger, and the sex appeal, he’s a mellow and mature tom cat who just loves to put on a good show and give the crowd exactly what they want. he’s just as serious and responsible and caring and full of love for his tribe as munkustrap is, while still being able to retain his thrilling and unruly side (which somehow makes him seem even more responsible, since he has the capacity to balance levity and soberness to the fullest extent).

people try to give him sad backstories or make him seem softer and that’s fine, but it’s a rare thing that we get such an ineffably complex and nuanced character without needing things like a drastic arc or sympathetic traits. through tugger, i’ve gained a newfound admiration for this sort of adamantine character, and this qualia of his shines through, however subtly, in every number he’s in.

i did my best, but my words probably don’t do him justice either. maybe during your next watch of cats, try to search for this feeling!

(and i think, in this way, he really embodies rock music so well. so fun and exciting and rebellious, but still able to sound so classic, solemn and heavy.)

[sunshinemoonrx]

Read: Le Morte d'Arthur

BRITISH LADS HITTING EACH OTHER WITH CHAIRS FOR 500 PAGES FEAT. TRULY RAMPANT HOMOEROTICISM

This was a really interesting read! It's not become my favourite version or anything, but for a text that's set the tone of everything made since, it definitely had some surprises for me, like there being a second lady of the lake after the first got her head cut off, or that second one also usurping Merlin's place for 70% of the story after trapping him under a rock forever.

But really, the essence of this book is that every other page we are coming across some new guy who captures knights to strip them naked in his dungeon and whip them with thorns or something. Like it's really. It's so. It's just really.

I think Tristan/Palomides was actually the pairing I was most engaged by while reading, but how intensely Gawain comes to hate Lancelot at the end (like why is this medieval Char's Counterattack) made me replay their interactions previously and then I kinda went off on a tangent of my own combining it with how intensely he loves him in the Vulgate (from quotes I've seen) and how they're characterised in Chretien (Lancelot my perfect ditzy princess...Gawain the ultimate shining paragon later brought crashing down to chaos disaster in Malory...) There's gender there. I've seen that one Gawain transgender Vulgate line and it's all lining up in my head. World's most tryhard overachiever trying desperately to fit the assigned role, turning on a dime between flawless and flailing depending on whether it's working today. I'm stitching this together from like three different versions but it's there.

Overall I was less invested in the Grail plotline due to the heavy religious nature of it--it leads to Galahad often just kind of succeeding by default because he's inherently sinless--but it did have an interesting "messing with ancient powers you don't understand" undertone, from a single strike with the lance of Longinus laying waste to a kingdom to Lancelot going comatose for a week from glimpsing 1% of God's true power or whatever. Also, Percival got to second base with the devil then made himself a eunuch, so that's fun. (Someone's done an AU where he fully goes for it and becomes a sexy fallen demon knight and Satan's boytoy, right? Right?)

And yeah, just endlessly entertained by the madlad energy I had been worried might become less prevalent the further I got from the pre-Galfridian Welsh material. Arthur bashing somebody senseless with a broken pommel, Lancelot accidentally slapping people so hard they die, Galahad bopping Gawain on the helmet so hard he decides that's enough Grail-questing and it's time to go home...British lads hitting each other with chairs.

Like I say this isn't my favourite version but because of how much it draws in and links together and how much it therefore makes me conscious of the broader canon it's what caused me to start stitching together different versions of my mind and caused my full-on descent into fixation mode.

Please don't ask me how much money I'm about to spend on a print translation of the Vulgate cycle.

[maxdibert]

I want to congratulate you on your Snape fanfic!! I’m loving it. I’m not completely up to date yet, but I only have a couple of chapters left to catch up, and let me tell you it’s fantastic! I think you capture Severus’s essence really well, showing him as completely cold and indifferent on the outside, but when we’re in his POV, his mind is constantly racing, and his thoughts are both incredibly dark and deeply profound. The way you portray him is truly amazing.

I also really like the MC, and I don’t know if this is just my impression or my personal interpretation, but she seems to “trick” the reader at first, appearing like a rather simple and potentially vulnerable girl only to later reveal herself as highly competent? Like, she has a lot of character? So much so that even Severus backs down more than once, and it all happens very naturally, nothing feels forced.

Anyway, I won’t ramble on any longer. I just wanted to say that I’m really enjoying it. Hope everything goes well for you and take care!!

Hello!! Ahhh, thank you so much, seriously! When I get messages like this, it makes me so incredibly happy and really motivates me to keep writing. ❤️ Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with me! ^^

Honestly, I’m so glad you feel that way. I’ve said it a thousand times, but writing Severus is a massive pain in the ass. I mean, he’s such a complex character because he presents himself one way externally, but internally, he’s incredibly complicated and has a whole intricate inner world. I always thought the best way to show this was by switching POVs—having an external perspective and then his own, full of all his mental gymnastics (because he’s got plenty of those). And I think that’s the most effective way, but also the easiest one. I’m really happy that it’s coming through!

Ooooh, now you’ve touched on an interesting topic. Yes, absolutely—the MC was designed so that the reader doesn’t really know much about her for a long time. In fact, the reader essentially becomes an extension of Severus, who judges her from the start and assumes a lot of things about her. First, because she’s a Muggle, and wizards always think Muggles are as simple as a rock. And second, because he sees her as a spoiled rich girl—superficial and a bit frivolous.

But that’s the whole point. The idea was not only that he has to hide who he really is (because he has to keep the secret of being a wizard, with everything that entails) but also to make that a major plot element—so that when everything is finally revealed, both he and the reader realize that she wasn’t the only one who didn’t truly know him. He didn’t really know her either. In reality, they both only know each other on a very superficial level, and that was something really important to highlight. That whole “we’re just sleeping together, it’s nothing serious, no emotional involvement” thing? It creates a barrier between them, and in the end, no matter how smart you think you are, you might realize that the other person was just as smart as you—if not smarter.

I’m not sure if I’m explaining myself well—it’s really early in the morning, and my brain is fried—but I think you get the idea. Hahaha.

Anyway! Thank you so, so much again. My plan is to rest this weekend and hopefully get some writing done. Let’s see if I manage to update! Sending you a huge hug, and once again, I’m super grateful. ❤️

[gnomey22]

A Microcosm of Failtopia

If you were to pick one character in Failtopia to capture the essence of the series as a whole, who would it be?

Failboat is the obvious first answer. The thing's named after him, he's the protagonist of the first season, and he's still vital to the second season, even up to the climax - But he's not the correct answer, for the simple reason that he doesn't fit Daniel's character philosophy. How so many main cast members of Failtopia work is by taking a simple idea or pre-existing character, and twisting them into something delightfully unhinged. Failboat mainly just exists to be his self-insert, he isn't as unique to Failtopia's vibe as other characters.

Mar's arguably the most important character, from an in-universe perspective. He was the one who set everything into motion in Season 1, as its villain, and he moved everything along in Season 2 as its hero. He's also the epitome of Daniel taking a pre-existing character and giving them enough quirks to differentiate them from the source. However, as a character already established elsewhere on Failboat's channel, he's also not truly emblematic of the series. He was even thrown in at the last minute for both seasons.

Another reason Failboat and Mar don't make the cut also takes out the third suspect, in that of Erica. She's very significant to both seasons, the undisputed fan-favourite, and is very arguably the best-written character in the entire series. Only problem is, she acts as the straightman foil to a lot of Failtopia's nonsense, as do Failboat and Mar to a lesser extent. A true representation of the series would lean into it, it's an omnipresent vibe, and a lot of the reason Erica works as a character is how out-of-place she is in that vibe.

One final reason none of these three are a truly fitting choice is, ironically, their importance. You'd think it'd make them a more appealing option, having more relevance to the series they're representing, but in reality, there are very few Failtopia characters who actually have an impact on the plot. These three, Friend, and Hank are really the only ones. Failtopia is almost entirely made up of secondary and tertiary characters, who do very little in the grand scheme of things, but irreplaceably add to the atmosphere of the scene whenever they're around.

To be a microcosm of Failtopia, you have to be technically irrelevant. The series is very often a disjointed collection of inexplicably well-written scenes, so the character representing it should also be that level of unpredictable and largely unimportant. They should also have a ridiculous design, and should exist to build upon a prior idea.

There's a character who fits exactly what I mean, and that character is Slapo Oopsie.

She has no reason to be an actual character at all, the only reason she exists in the first place is to add to Orion's characterisation as an unrelenting girldad. And yet, she's literally everywhere you look in Season 2! Her makeup job on Orion sticks throughout the whole campaign (fitting, when so much of S2 revolves around the makeup feature, even in the plot with Lee's face on Friend's head), and she pops up constantly in the background of outings, or as a traveller in the hub sporting various jobs with no reasonable explanation. She's not even on the party, and yet she singlehandedly provides one of the most memorable bits in the season, and she even brings about Bo's character development with a few degrees of separation, the clearest example of Daniel's improvised writing actually working. She's essentially the logical extreme of every other incidental background Mii, inserting themselves into one of hundreds of goofy complicated situations the Failtopia cast get into, except Slapo's not just here to fill a role and go, she fills every role and never goes.

Slapo is a ridiculous character from any angle, and yet she still makes enough of an impact to warrant discussion about a non-existent spinoff series dedicated to her. That's Failtopia, having no reason to be more than a goofy let's-play, but deciding to twist that format into something genuinely meaningful.

[mymindisverycomplicated]

Why "Right Where You Left Me" by Taylor Swift is the Perfect Song for Remus Lupin

On my second listen to Right Where You Left Me by Taylor Swift, a thought struck me: “This song is about Remus Lupin!” Think about it—he's the one left behind after all his friends are gone, and he never truly moves on, at least from what we see in canon. The emotional weight of his stagnation mirrors the heartbreak and frozen-in-time longing that Taylor sings about. The song captures his pain, his longing for a time when the Marauders were whole, and his struggle to reconcile with a present that feels empty without them. It’s hauntingly fitting for him, isn’t it?

This meta-analysis explores that connection—how Right Where You Left Me captures the essence of Remus’ pain, grief, and inability to move forward after the loss of the Marauders. So often, these aspects of his character are overlooked in both canon and fandom, but they are integral to understanding who he is and how he struggled so deeply in the years leading up to Prisoner of Azkaban. I also wrote a one-shot about Remus in the winter break during PoA that was inspired by this song and conveys its aspects.

Read on to see just how perfectly Taylor Swift’s lyrics align with Remus’ story—and why this song feels like it was written just for him.

Version 1:

Friends break up, friends get married (Peter's unofficial breakup with the Marauders when he betrays them as the Secret Keeper; James and Lily’s marriage before their tragic deaths)

Strangers get born, strangers get buried (Harry and the other wizarding children born during the war represent new beginnings, while the many deaths from the First Wizarding War remind us of the cost of that era.)

Trends change, rumors fly through new skies (Time passes after the war, and the wizarding world tries to move on.)

But I'm right where you left me (Remus is left behind and emotionally stuck in time after losing James, seeing Sirius imprisoned, and Peter disappearing. The weight of those events keeps him trapped in the past.)

Matches burn after the other (Life goes on for others, symbolized by matches burning, while Remus remains stagnant.)

Pages turn and stick to each other (Time may move forward, but for Remus, it feels messy and unresolved, like a story he can't finish.)

Wages earned and lessons learned (He spends years working odd jobs and learning hard lessons about survival, eventually landing the teaching position at Hogwarts.)

But I, I'm right where you left me (Even with the passage of time, Remus remains emotionally tied to the memories of his youth and the Marauders’ era.)

Chorus:

Help, I'm still at the restaurantStill sitting in a corner I haunt (Remus is still mentally revisiting moments from when everything was okay, unable to move on.)

Cross-legged in the dim light (A quiet, sorrowful image of someone who feels out of place in the present but at home in their grief.)

They say, "What a sad sight" (Those who know him pity him, seeing his pain but unable to truly understand the depth of it.)

I, I swear you could hear a hairpin drop Right when I felt the moment stop (This lyric perfectly reflects the moment Remus discovers Peter is alive. It’s a shattering revelation that forces him to confront long-held beliefs.)

Glass shattered on the white cloth (This lyric reflects Remus’ mind being blown once he realizes Peter’s betrayal.)

Everybody moved on, I stayed there (While the wizarding world tries to rebuild and move forward, Remus remains anchored to the past, emotionally frozen.)

Dust collected on my pinned-up hair They expected me to find somewhere (Dumbledore, McGonagall, and even Snape expect him to move on and live his life, but Remus struggles to do so.)

Some perspective, but I sat and stared (Despite the advice and expectations of others, he remains emotionally stuck, reliving the past.)

Right where you left me (This refrain encapsulates Remus’s grief and inability to move forward. He’s forever stuck in the moment when his world fell apart.)

You left me no, oh, you left me no You left me no choice but to stay here forever (The betrayals, losses, and trauma in Remus’s life leave him feeling trapped. Moving on seems impossible given the enormity of what he’s endured.)

For the second verse/bridge, I modified it a bit to fit Remus' story more and I even changed a bit of the pre-chorus. Here are the changes:

Did you hear about the boy who got frozenTime went for everybody else he won’t know itHe’s still seventeen inside his fantasiesHow it’s supposed to beDid you hear about the boy who lives in delusionWakes up every day where time’s an illusion,He’s still seventeen inside his fantasy and you’re sitting in front of me

At the restaurant, still sitting in a corner I hauntHands folded just so tight , everything used to be rightI, I could feel my stomach dropWhen I saw those boys, like shadows they stoppedGlass shattered on the white clothEverybody moved on

I, I stayed there Time weighed heavy on me, life’s cruel snare Memories we shared, they hang in the air Echoes of laughter, but I’m unaware Cause I'm right where I cause no harm, mind my business If our bond died young, I can't bear witness And it's been so long But if you ever think of what’s been gone I'm right where you left me You left me no, oh, you left me no You left me no choice but to stay here forever

Remus is a man stuck in time, and this song is the perfect soundtrack to his sorrow. 🐺#remus lupin

[earlgarden-archived]

I hear a symphony

"I used to hear a simple song, that was until you came along."

synopsis. on days where he can't sleep, he turns to you for comfort

warnings. Might be a bit ooc?

a/n. Idk why but I think of Columbina singing when I wrote this

I wrote this in honor of Dazai after chapter 109 (let's pray him and Sigma are okay)

Dazai Osamu.

In the soft glow of the moonlight, you sat beside the sleeping Dazai, reading one of your favourite novels. The room was bathed in a hushed stillness, disturbed only by the gentle rustling of the curtains and the faint chirping of crickets outside.

Dazai always had a hard time sleeping, but ever since you appeared in his life, he felt like his mind was put at ease, allowing him to sleep peacefully. However, on this particular night, his mind was filled with thoughts about his past in the mafia. His abuse from Mori, the fight against Mimic, and Oda's death. After tossing and turning for god knows how long, you began to worry about him. "Dazai, is something wrong?" Your voice breaks the silence in the room, yet Dazai doesn't respond. Sensing his inner turmoil, you try to think of a way to ease his mind. After a few seconds, you finally think of something. Before Dazai could wonder why you suddenly got so quiet, your delicate voice filled the room.

Softly, you sang a heartfelt lullaby that was sung to you when you were younger, your words caressing the very essence of Dazai's soul. Each note carried a tender affection, a indirect promise that you would be by his side through any storm. As your fingers lightly brushed against the bandages on his hand, you felt the tremor in his grip ease ever so slightly.

"Rest now, my love," you murmured, your voice like a gentle breeze. "In this world of shadows and uncertainties, I'll be your anchor, guiding you through the night."

Dazai's dark eyes met yours, a flicker of surprise and gratitude dancing within them. "Your voice... it's like a siren's call, pulling me back from the edge," he admitted, his vulnerability laid bare before you.

With a tender smile, you leaned in closer, you continue to sing, your sweet voice never wavering as you continued to serenade him. The words of the lullaby wove a tapestry of comfort around Dazai, lifting the weight of his troubles, if only for a fleeting moment.

As the minutes turned into hours, your voice remained a constant presence, a beacon of solace for the weary soul beside you. Dazai's restless demeanor gradually ebbed away, replaced by a calmness he hadn't felt in a long time.

"You truly have a gift," he finally whispered, his eyes now softened with affection. "Your voice... it's like an enchantment that banishes the demons from my mind."

In that intimate moment, your heart swelled with love for the man who had captured your heart, and you knew you would continue to sing to him whenever the shadows threatened to torture his mind.

For that night and many nights to come, your melodic lullabies became a cherished ritual, a loving gesture that lulled Dazai into a peaceful slumber. Your bond grew stronger as you found solace in each other's presence, two souls entwined in a symphony of love and understanding. And amidst the darkness of their world, your love remained an unwavering light, guiding you through the darkest hours and into a future where they could face any challenge, hand in hand.

[tobiasdrake]

Ranma 1/2 Reboot 01x07 - Hot Competition

Here we go. Time for the episode-long awaited match between Kuno Kodachi and Tendo Akane Saotome Ranma over the romantic fate of... *checks notes* ...Saotome Ranma.

Ryoga remains a clown. After spending a week training Ranma in rhythmic gymnastics, an art Ranma otherwise had zero knowledge of, Ryoga suddenly turns around and decides to try and cripple him before the match.

Rather than. Like. Sabotaging Ranma by training him incorrectly. Or just. Not offering to train him at all. Ryoga. Ryoga. What are you doing, man?

His game plan here is that Akane will suddenly become available for him to move in on if Ranma loses Ranma to Kodachi. He even convinces Akane to go to bed before pulling this stunt so she won't know he did it. But there are better ways of pulling this off, my guy, that won't immediately implicate you nonetheless.

Ryoga could learn a thing or two from the masters of Wimp Lo.

The training is a lot of fun, though.

Ranma and Ryoga doing Dragon Ball Z ki-charging screams while twirling gymnastic ribbons really just. Perfectly captures the essence of this arc. And this series. And Ryoga as a character.

Akane walks in on Ranma jumping up and down on Ryoga's butt, and her only concern is that he hasn't slept.

It's ironic, because despite losing the fight, Ryoga's plan sort of worked. He did succeed in sabotaging Ranma. The only way to truly win Ryoga's challenge was not to play, though I'm not sure how you'd actually go about doing that.

In any case, point goes to Ryoga for a terribly-conceived but well-executed ambush.

I like how, despite having been abruptly and disappointingly fired from the Kodachi fight, Akane's nonetheless still competing against Kodachi. It's just that she's moved into the realm of bodyguard, protecting Ranma from Kodachi's bullshit.

She's out of the match but still in the game.

I'm sorry but this is the most cheating out of anything that anybody does in this match.

Like. All of Kodachi's cheating is super cheating so I'm not gonna complain about it. Her entire philosophy is to play dirty and neutralize her opponents before the match even gets underway. She's proud of doing that. She deserves to have her bell run by a ringer for a ringer.

But also.

I don't think you can enter an inter-school rivalry competition as "Name Withheld", a random girl not enrolled in either school, who the substitute for a competitor that forfeit picked up off the street.

Like. For all anybody knows, Akane could have paid off Olympic gold medalist Darja Varfolomeev to come to this school contest and kick Kodachi's ass. It's kind of insane that the schools agree to let Furinkan get away with this. There is something in the water in Nerima.

Uh.

Besides curses.

I mean, he does give his name, but only after he's already registered and the competition is underway.

Maybe Kodachi convinced the school boards to let Furinkan do this just so she could turn around and have Pig-Tailed Girl disqualified if she lost. But then Ranma, without even realizing it, outmaneuvered her by dumbassedly giving his real name for the competition.

Or there are no judges and the schools are entirely comfortable with naked cheating in broad daylight.

That makes sense too.

Oh yeah, they're definitely just. Super okay with cheating in broad daylight. Kodachi here establishes a precedent that any tools are acceptable even if they aren't specifically the ones for rhythmic gymnastics. Any tool. Doesn't matter what.

That is the precedent she just set.

She may not be happy that she did.

They play her Thousand-Armed attacked like it's yet another instance of Kodachi cheating because she was, in fact, using a dozen clubs at once.

But honestly, that's actually more impressive than if she was just moving her arms super-fast. Because you realize she still only has two arms, right?

That means she wasn't making a thousand strikes per second.

She was making a thousand strikes per second while juggling a dozen clubs and independently tracking the positions of each club in the air so when she let go of her current club she could grab the next and make the next attack.

The physics of the attack as initially presented are Anime Super-Speed.

The physics of the attack if she was simultaneously dodeca-wielding a dozen separate clubs and flipping back and forth between which one she was gripping at a given moment is reality-breakingly wild, and probably still within the acceptable boundaries of Martial Arts Rhythmic Gymnastics's intended ruleset.

This isn't cheating.

It's just. Unbelievably nuts. This might be the coolest speed-based attack I've ever seen. How did she even...?

Oh, of course. XD I forgot she did that. That's amazing.

This fight is so much ridiculous fun. And also it's a correct ruling because Kuno is, in fact, a tool. No cheating on display here.

That's cheating, of course. Using the rest of the gymnastics team to secretly move the ring so Kodachi can't ring out is super cheating. But at this point, we are well within the realm of Anything Goes Martial Arts. There are no rules and everything is permitted.

I love how confidently Kodachi just... stands there and takes this. She really is a master of the craft. She already knew that swing wasn't going to make it.

I kinda remember this character being forgettable? Like. She barely sticks out among Ranma's suitors in my mind.

Is.

Is Kodachi actually cool?

Kodachi honestly seems pretty cool in this fight. She's a remorseless cheater but like this is Ranma 1/2. Everyone kinda sucks here.

But she's kinda cool. If it weren't for the fact that she's the most sex pesty of a pretty sex pesty cast--

Wait. Happosai.

If she weren't the second-most sex pesty, I might actually like her.

[mermaidsirennikita]

I’ve started watching The Artful Dodger and loving it, it’s far better than Bridgerton at actually capturing the essence of a romance novel (my first thought upon seeing Jack and Belle interact was that it could’ve been ripped straight from a romance novel). Do you have any recs for tv shows or movies that have the vibes of a romance novel?

Ooh yes!

Oldie but a goodie and if anyone hasn't seen it they should (and really, the whole trilogy--the second movie gets a bad rap, but I personally so enjoy it, and I love the third movie for a lot of reasons but the "REIGNITE. OUR. LOVE." sequence is absolutely one of them, the "we are gonna FUCK THIS SHIT OUT" vibes are sooo romance novel for me). Bridget Jones's Diary. Mark Darcy is just an amazing hero. Bridget is a legend. Hugh Grant as Daniel Cleaver is PEAK Hugh Grant, and his introduction in that film is one of the greatest character intros I have ever. Seen in cinema. I see some people knock on it because of things that have aged--Bridget worrying over her weight because it's the early 2000s and super skinny was the trend, the workplace harassment. I don't give a fuck. If you haven't seen Bridget Jones's Diary, you are doing yourself a disservice.

(It is based on a book, but that book is not a romance novel. The movies are.)

Ummm speaking of Hugh Grant, Music & Lyrics is an underrated BANGER and absolutely fucking reads as a romance novel. A washed up has-been pop star begins a creative partnership with the messy neurotic woman who waters his plants? He does a flop attempt at defending her honor to do the guy who did her wrong. There's a grand gesture/grovel moment ffs. It's GREAT. The music is AMAZING. POP! Goes My Heart!

This one is borderline because it is more of a girls trip comedy, but the romance is truly centered so well and is a swoony romance and it features peak Richard Madden and it is again, so underrated. Netflix's Ibiza, dude. Buttoned up marketing girl goes on a business trip to Spain, her two best friends (who are both much wilder than her) accompany her and they go to the club one night and see DJ Richard Madden (LEOOOOO WESSSSST) and he and the main girl have this amazing meet cute that involves someone drawing a dick on her face in glow in the dark marker and him coming to the rescue, but then he has to go to a gig in Ibiza and she and her friends decide to track him down because some people are destined to go to the moon, but her destiny is to FUCK. THAT. DJ. But Harper and Leo's connection is more like love at first sight than pure horniness? I just miss movies that like, unabashedly capture zany happiness and the flutters of first love (and the sex scene is so good???). This movie is amazing and I adore it.

Bros. Look dude. I know Billy Eichner fucked up the marketing for this one. I know he's annoying as hell. Bros is objectively a romance novel movie lol. It's not as inclusive as it could/should be, I will agree with that always--but the romance arc is so good, and it is legit funny, and it has a FAILED GROVEL which we all know is one of my favorite things. And I do think it has a deeply true heart and soul and is really amazing.

Brown Sugar. PEAK Taye Diggs and Sanaa Lathan. It's a slow burn friends to lovers movie in which there is sooooo much sexual tension and so much angst and so much follow the fuck through. Also, Taye Diggs has one of the most magnificent line deliveries of all time with "riCHARD LAWson".

Imagine Me and You. The sapphic romcom we deserve. A bride falls in love at first sight with hot florist Lena Headey while walking down the aisle to marry her groom, as you do. What follows is a woman desperately trying not to cheat on her husband while experiencing extreme sexual tension with Lena Headey. Surprisingly soft and super romantic.

Lady Chatterley's Lover (2022). Required viewing for historical romance novel fans. Obviously based on a book, but again, that book is not a romance lol. The movie is. And it's one of the hottest movies in recent memory. Jack and Emma did the WORK. The kiss right before he goes down on her is maybe my favorite movie kiss of all time.

Obviously. Pride and Prejudice (2005). I shouldn't have to include this, but to be fucking clear lol. I will always maintain that while P&P (the novel) is a predecessor and a shaper of romance novels, it is not a romance novel. It is a contemporary novel with a lot of social commentary and a good love story. This movie? Makes it a full, sweeping romance with some of the best tension ever committed to screen.

Faraway. Omg, an amazing slept-on movie that is a rare romcom featuring a middle-aged woman! Basically, right when her mom dies she finds out her husband is having at min an emotional affair with his younger employee, and she also discovers her mom had a secret property on a Croatian island. She goes there, and is immediately courted by this younger real estate developer guy, but why is she constantly butting heads with the gruff guy who's been living in her mom's house????

Far and Away. Hate to recommend a Tom Cruise film, BUT it is is very romance novel, and it does star Nicole Kidman as well, and I hate to say it but those two did have bomb chemistry when they were married. The Irish accents are rough, but the plot is delightful because he's a poor guy who ends up getting roped into her scheme to leave for America (after his harebrained revenge scheme against her dad fails lol) and they live in a boarding house together pretending to be brother and sister... But like, everyone can tell they aren't because of their extremely obvious sexual tension lol.

When Harry Met Sally. Cliche, but it is a classic every romance lover should see. I'm not a big Billy Crystal fan, but his chemistry with Meg Ryan is MAGIC in this, and you really do get the sense of two people slooowly falling in love without even realizing it until suddenly they do all at once.

[avatar-legends-confessionblog]

"that 'Iroh the hypocrite' confession is a lot of words to say you don't understand

The whole point of the "Azula needs to be taken down" is it goes against what Iroh is usually about, thats not Iroh being hypocritical, that is the writers highlighting just how dangerous Azula truly is"

Of course, Iroh's 14 year old niece is so dangerous and severly deep into the propaganda of his nation and the parenting of his abusive younger brother that even he, the one who is mature enough to realize all of the topics mentioned above, is spiritually enlightened and is basically always seeing the good in everyone (proof is his weird idolization of his nephew), can't stop for a second and put himself in the shoes of this child, his own family, in order to at least understand why she is like this. That's not at all a writing that betrays the essence and themes of his character(becoming a good person after doing bad things, seeing the spiritual balance of the world and hence being able to see that people can do both good and wrong and forever trying to offer guidance for those he encounters so that they can be able to lean towards that inherent goodness, hopefully), not at all a flaw in his character, that's just him being once again Perfect and anything that opposes this idea, is definitely wrong and evil, right? Thnx for the good laugh you gave me, hopefully, I'll leave you too a bit better with this educational discussion as you did to me.

"And the sending Zuko to fight Azula has nothing to do with a power struggle between siblings, Azula had no real power, Ozai just named her fire lord to continue to manipulate her, thus Zuko fighting her wouldn't been seen the same as Iroh taking down Ozai"

Oh, so a publicly known traitor going back to his country with the intent to usurp the position of power and governance, that was given to his sister, now the publicly known figure and power of authority due to the fact she's been chosen by the ultimate authority, the phoenix king to be the leader of the nation, and is quite literally the only ruling figure staying in the country and tasked with governing it, somehow, this Traitor vs The Leader of the Nation isn't actually a power struggle being painted in action here? Do enlighten me to what it is, if you can, because I seem to have misunderstood all the politics I've studied.

"And imagine thinking Zuko's never done anything good without "the good guys" givinf him chances, as if The Blue Spirit wasn't wanted by the fire nation from before Aang even wakes up."

Of course, the Blue Spirit must've been a noble hero fighting against the Colonizing Entity and doing heroic deeds, right? I mean, the fire nation wants him captured! Of course he must've been doing something good! Two questions came to my head right now, why and for whom did he do these deeds? All I know about this character is that he does things for his own benefit, things that ultimately did serve the world good such as kidnapping the avatar and brought harm too, such as stealing from people. And guess what, all of these actions came from a place of self interest and personal gain, they didn't come from a moral sense of doing it for other people so who's to say that, perhaps, the Blue Spirit being wanted by the Fire Nation is because he would do things that would once again benefit him, such as infiltrating military groups and centers to acquire knowledge that would aid him in his search for the avatar?

"Try thinking about why things are said rather than what is said"

Believe me, I don't share my thoughts unless I'm positively assured of what I didn't and did understand and I'm always welcome, happy and ready to be proven wrong and be taught what's correct and right. Do you do that too?

X

[ofironandivory]

Author's Note: While I'm still learning about the Arcane universe through my mutuals selfships, I truly tried my best to capture the essence of your f/o in this fanfic. If it doesn't quite hit the mark, I completely understand and would not be upset with you for saying so /gen

You’re sitting on the edge of a wooden bench in Viktor’s lab, cradling a mug of coffee that’s long gone cold by now. The room hums with the low whirr of machinery and the faint, rhythmic ticking of a clock, though you doubt Viktor has noticed the passage of time. He’s hunched over his desk, his gaunt face illuminated by the soft, eerie glow of the hextech core resting beside him.

You shift your gaze to him, your heart twisting at the sight of his thinning frame and the weariness that clings to him like a second skin. He hasn’t slept in days, maybe longer, and it shows in the trembling of his hands and the dark crescents under his eyes.

“Viktor,” you call softly, your voice barely above a whisper.

He doesn’t respond, too engrossed in his notes, his mind chasing some elusive answer to a question only he can see. You set the cup down and rise, the cool stone floor chilling your bare feet as you approach him.

“Viktor,” you say again, firmer this time, resting a hand on his shoulder. He jolts slightly, as if your touch has brought him back from some far-off place.

“Emerie,” he murmurs back at you, his voice raspy and tired. His amber eyes meet yours, and for a moment, you see a flicker of something — guilt, perhaps, or the fragile remnants of the man you fell in love with.

“You need to rest,” you say, your tone gentle but unwavering.

“There is no time for rest,” he replies, his accent thick and his words laced with frustration. “Not when we are so close to a breakthrough. Do you not see? This… this could change everything.”

His gaze shifts to the hexcore, reverence and desperation mingling in his expression. You feel a pang of sorrow, knowing how much of himself he’s sacrificed for this pursuit.

“I see,” you say quietly, crouching so you’re at eye level with him. “But I also see you, Viktor. And I see what this is doing to you.”

He exhales sharply, turning away as if he can’t bear to face your concern.

“I do this for progress, for a better future,” he says, though there’s a crack in his voice that betrays his uncertainty. “For people like me who—”

“For people like you?” you interrupt, your tone sharper than you intended it to be. “You mean people who are kind, brilliant, and stubborn beyond belief? People who deserve a life outside of this lab, a life with—”

You stop yourself, the words catching in your throat. With me you think to yourself. It's all you want from him really.

He flinches, his hands clenching into fists. “I do not have that luxury, Emerie. You know this. I cannot afford to…”

“To be human?” you finish for him, your voice softening.

The silence that follows is heavy, the only sound the faint hum of the hexcore. You reach out, cupping his cheek with one hand, and he leans into your touch almost instinctively despite trying his best not to.

“You are human, Viktor,” you say, your voice trembling with emotion. “And it’s not a flaw. It’s not something you need to fix or evolve past.”

His eyes close, and for a moment, he allows himself to rest against your hand. When he opens them again, there’s a vulnerability there that takes your breath away.

“I do not wish to lose myself,” he admits, his voice barely audible. “But I fear I already have.”

“You haven’t,” you say firmly, your fingers brushing against the sharp angle of his jaw. “I’m here. I’ll always be here to remind you.”

He reaches up, his hand covering yours, and for the first time in what feels like weeks, you see the faintest hint of a smile.

“Emerie,” he whispers, his voice heavy with gratitude and something deeper, something unspoken. “You… you have grounded me in ways I cannot explain.”

You smile, though it’s tinged with sadness yet an undeniable love for the man in front of you. “And you make me see the world differently, Viktor. In ways I never thought possible.”

The moment stretches between you, fragile and precious, before he finally pulls away, his gaze flickering to the hexcore.

“I will rest,” he says, though you know it’s a compromise rather than a promise. “For a while.”

“That’s all I ask,” you reply, helping him to his feet.

As you guide him to the worn couch tucked in the corner of the lab, you can’t shake the weight of the unspoken words between you. You don’t know how long you can keep him tethered to his humanity, but for now, you’ll hold on as tightly as you can.

And as he drifts into a restless sleep, his head resting on your lap, you whisper a silent vow: You’ll fight for him, for the man beneath the scientist, the man you feel in love with, no matter how hard it was at times.

[helenofjupiter]

assigning taylor swift songs to bridgerton couples (part 2)

with explanations that no one asked for (proceed with caution)

part 1 for a, b, c and d

eloise & phillip - i hadn’t even read the book and i knew paris was their song. i feel it captures their essence. “no, i didn't see the news 'cause we were somewhere else” while benophie are just as deep in the countryside, i think philoise truly don’t care about anything that goes on in the ton. “i want to brainwash you into loving me forever” i’m not sure why this line in particular stands out to me in context of their relationship. maybe because going into it they both had their agenda. also phillip constantly thinking he has to find a way to make eloise stay forever. “confess my truth in swooping, sloping, cursive letters” i think this one is self explanatory. secondly electric touch, i was hesitant about this one cause i’m just not a fan of this song sonically but the lyrics were too on point. “just breathe, just relax, it'll be okay // just the first time ever hanging out with you” - eloise sitting in her carriage on the way to meet a man who basically proposed to her without meeting once. from phillip’s “i've gotten used to no one callin' my phone” when eloise shows up and the servant’s “hey, we got a caller” and phillip going “wtf no one comes here, you sure about that”. also “i've grown accustomed to sleeping' alone” yeah eight years will do that. “i was thinking, just one time maybe the stars align, just one time and maybe I call you mine” 

francesca & michael - so i have a story regarding this one. as i got to the second half of the book and the spice started flooding in, i felt like the need for some equally sexy music in the background and i remembered (honestly don’t know how i ever forgot) the altarpiece of taylor’s music  false god. truly all the stars aligned, while i read the words “she felt cherished. worshipped. loved” miss taylor swift sang “we'd still worship this love”. other than that it does fall into the vibes category. tho if one day we are blessed enough to actually get their season i am expecting every social media feed to be drowning in edits of  franchel to this song. but also alternatively to don’t blame me. again, sexy. well the spice in this book was just on another level and i also couldn’t figure out if taylor has a song about being in love with your cousins spouse for six years. i think this is more from michael’s perspective. i mean “i've been breaking' hearts a long time” he even broke mine by being fictional. “if you walk away i'd beg you on my knees to stay” michael stirling would absolutely do this and frankly i can’t stop picturing it. if we do get to them in the show some glorious day, this is my official plea to include this song in the soundtrack. 

gregory & lucy - speak now is the somewhat lazy choice but have you read the prologue timed to this song. “i hear the preacher say, "speak now or forever hold your peace"” the church went silent “there's the silence, there's my last chance. i stand up with shaky hands, all eyes on me” the priest stopped his drone, and every spine in every pew twisted until every face was turned to the back. to him. “horrified looks from everyone in the room but i'm only looking at you” she said nothing, but he saw her. // she looked so beautiful. i rest my case. it was really hard to pick a song for them because there’s so many twists and turns in the book so my honourable mentions are haunted (when gregory convinced everything is solved and then lucy goes and marries another man) and daylight. finally i settled with ivy. “my pain fits in the palm of your freezing hand, taking mine but it's been promised to another” i mean lucy has been promised to another man from the start of the book. it just fits them, okay (can you tell i’ve been writing this for four hours at this point).

hyacinth & gareth - dear god, hyacinth is my favourite character in the whole books series. i adore her but for the love of god i could not figure out what songs to choose for hyareth. it was truly a headache and if anyone has any suggestions, please do not hesitate to tell me. because they are such a chaotic and energetic duo, i wanted something that would fit them musically but ended up picking cowboy like me and peace. both are truly in the vibes category, i don’t have much of an explanation. in cowboy like me “and the skeletons in both our closets plotted hard to fuck this up” felt kinda reminiscent of the whole polt line with gareth and his father who wasn’t really his father. peace has a little more substance to it. in my head this is more from hyacinth, she is wild and you will never get bored with her but she can also be a lot and tiring. “you know that i'd swing with you for the fences, sit with you in the trenches. give you my wild, give you a child” this is who hyacinth is, she is a ride or die, and i truly believe she would sit in the trenches with gareth.