#this low key turned into a nicky appreciation post

[purpleshadow-star]

Hc that Luther let Maria keep her Christmas traditions when they got married, so Nicky grew up celebrating Christmas on Christmas Eve and opening gifts at midnight and then doing stockings and a last gift Christmas day in the morning (because Luther still wanted to do some Christmas celebrating on Christmas day).

He continues this tradition when he takes in the twins. It's an adjustment for the twins, but despite Aaron's complaining and Andrew's non-reactions, they like actually celebrating Christmas without the tension and strain that's always been connected to it all their lives due to their upbrinings. They like having a tradition with someone who actually cares about them.

When they join the Foxes, everyone is too separated to be interested in having any kind of celebration together, but after Neil's freshman year, Nicky mentions their way of celebrating, and it intrigues everyone. They all agree to go along with this way of celebrating all together (it makes Nicky cry of joy). They fly Randy and Stephanie and Erik to South Carolina and decorate Abby's house inside and out and have the best Christmas celebration Nicky ever remembers having. He's never been so happy, surrounded by family, everyone happy and having a good time.

Nicky enjoys watching the Foxes deal with the struggle of having to wait until midnight to open presents for the first time. Aaron and Andrew are used to it now after a few years, so the three of them have a good time watching everyone impatiently start to count the minutes until midnight starting at 10:30pm.

When midnight hits, cheers loud enough to wake the whole neighborhood erupt from inside the house, and Wymack has to step in to keep the tree and the mound of presents under it from being demolished. He hands presents out one by one and smiles and laughter accompany the opening of all the presents.

When everything is passed out and opened, they take some time to have their last few desserts and conversations before calling it a night. Nicky cuddles on the couch with Erik and simply lets himself soak in the joy of being able to enjoy his traditions with his new family.

[rfamess]

This cured my boredom for a little bit. Was making a few new music playlists and thought.. hmm. I wonder what kind of music the RFA listens to? So, I made this. For no reason at all.

What Kind of Music the RFA + V/Saeran Listen To:

Saeyoung/707:

- (I always see people writing that he’d listen to all star or other cringe meme songs because that’s what seems to be his entire personality, but I like to think he has more substance than that and listens to songs that don’t have to do with memes.)

- He definitely listens to rap/hip-hop.

- Can you not imagine him driving down the road in his cars, windows down, music blasting?

- He listens to his music uber loud in his headphones while working.

- His favorite artist is probably Tyler the creator, i mean, how could you not love him.

- Listens to Mac Miller when he’s sad :(

PLAYLIST:

Who Dat Boy - Tyler the Creator

Stutter - Freddie Dredd

Evil Fantasy - Freddie Dredd

Sweatpants - Childish Gambino

Bounce - Logic

Dead Wrong - Notorious B.I.G.

Movement - Oliver Tree

Stick to Your Guns - Watsky

Both - Gucci Mane

No Sleep Till Brooklyn - Beastie Boys

Can I Kick It - A Tribe Called Quest

No Limit - G Easy

Circles - Mac Miller

Broke Bitch - TMG (lol)

Bonfire - Childish Gambino

I THINK - Tyler the Creator

Good News - Mac Miller

I - Kendrick Lamar

FACE - Brockhampton

King Kunta - Kendrick Lamar

Lovely Things Suite: Knots - Watsky

Zen:

- (Similar to Saeyoung, I don’t believe Zens entire personality revolves around musicals, he probably doesn’t listen to them that often imo.)

- I like to think he’s a... well rounded individual when it comes to music

- Listens to anything and everything.

- I could see him listening to the same music as Seven, but is also very into 70s-90s rock like the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the like.

- He runs listening to all of his music on shuffle and doesn’t have a specific playlist so there’s never a certain vibe to it— it really is all over the place.

- In addition to Seven’s playlist, here’s Zen’s

PLAYLIST:

Funny Face - Red Hot Chili Peppers

Santeria - Sublime

Badfish - Sublime

The Luck You Got - The High Strung

Dedicated to the One I Love - The Mamas and the Papas

Heart of Glass - Blondie

Come as You Are - Nirvana

Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison

Machu Picchu - The Strokes

Dirty Harry - Gorillaz

Love of Your Life - Red Hot Chili Peppers

The Adults Are Talking - The Strokes

Bailee - The Licks

Where is my Mind - Pixies

Hurt Like Mine - The Black Keys

Gap - The Kooks

Give it Away - Red Hot Chili Peppers

Take Me Out - Franz Ferdinand

Hoops - The Rubens

Conquest - The White Stripes

Ten Cent Pistol - The Black Keys

Yoosung:

- Yoosung likes more upbeat music, maybe more new age/alternative pop

- Listens to music every time he tries to study, but usually get distracted by it and starts to sing along instead of actually doing his work

- Is probably trying to branch out of his style, Seven and Zen try to convince him to listen to their favorite genres

- The three of them always argue about who has the best taste in music lol

- He’s constantly wondering if his music is “manly” enough (it’s okay yoosung it’s just music)

- If this dude gets drunk and hears any of this music he goes absolutely wild and dances all over the place

PLAYLIST:

Bambi - Hippocampus

Turn - the Wombats

Paris - Magic Man

Chronic Sunshine - Cosmo Pike

Death of a Bachelor - Panic! At the Disco

Silvertongue - Young the Giant

Brazil - Declan McKenna

Unbelievers - Vampire Weekend

Baseball - Hippocampus

Australia - The Shins

Prune, You Talk Funny - Gus Dapperton

Honeypie - JAWNY

Alien Boy - Oliver Tree

Satellite - Guster

So Young - Portugal. The Man

Blinding Lights - The Weeknd

Circles - Post Malone

Unbearably White - Vampire Weekend

Tiny Umbrella - Coast Modern

Way it Goes - Hippocampus

Electric Feel - MGMT

Jumin:

- this guy has 2 modes and that’s it: classical bitch or music that has words

- He appreciates the fine art of classical music and listens to it when he has work to get done or when he’s trying to relax.

- If he’s in a good mood he’ll put on a playlist that includes “music with actual lyrics!”

- It’s a dad playlist. Billy Joel, Billy Joel, Billy Joel, Elton John, The Beatles, Billy Joel.

- He likes Billy Joel. Jumin has a dad personality you can’t convince me otherwise lol

- He tried to branch out but can get very picky in his interests. “I don’t like this guitar riff— change it”

- Either way his 2 modes are apparent in his playlists

PLAYLIST:

Dreams - Fleetwood Mac

California Dreamin’ - The Mamas and the Papas

Don’t Ask Me Why - Billy Joel

Starman - David Bowie

Miss You - The Rolling Stones

Dancing in the Moonlight - King Harvest

Come and Get Your Love - Redbone

It’s Too Late - Carole King

Movin’ Out - Billy Joel

A Horse With No Name - America

I Want to Hold Your Hand - The Beatles

Honky Cat - Elton John

Vienna - Billy Joel

The Stranger - Billy Joel

Waltz in A Minor - Chopin

Hungarian Dance No. 5 in G Minor - Brahms

Waltz No. 7 in C Sharp Minor, Op. 64, No. 2 - Chopin

Souvenir de Paganini - Chopin

Solfeggietto in C Minor - Bach

Prelude in B Minor, Op. 32, No. 10 - Rachmaninoff

IV. Allegro Molto From Quartet - Yo-Yo Ma

La Fille Aux Cheveux de Lin - Debussy

Porz Goret - Yann Tiersen

Carnival of the Animals: VII. Aquarium - Camille Saint-Saëns

Carnival of the Animals: XIII. The Swan - Camille Saint-Saëns

Jaehee:

- We all know her obsession with Musicals (specifically zens)

- Other than this she listens to...well honestly I don’t know

- Her music doubles as something she can get hyped up with and something she can listen to to relax.

- She loves to dance, so a lot of her songs and just songs that she’ll never be able to refuse to move her feet to!

- She likes the old classics and then she likes Doja Cat. Lizzo? Queen.

- She’s a barb let’s be real please. you can never convince me that she’s not

PLAYLIST:

Adore You - Harry Styles

She - Harry Styles

Call Me - Blondie

Starships - Nicki Minaj

Hey Mickey - Toni Basil

Juice - Lizzo

Say So - Doja Cat

Voulez-Vous - ABBA

Waterloo - ABBA

Cuz I Love You - Lizzo

Killing Me Softly With His Song - Roberta Flack (LOL the memories associated with this song after Killing Stalking..... hahahaha BUT ITS STILL A GREAT SONG!)

Only - Nicki Minaj

Boss Bitch - Doja Cat

Go Your Own Way - Fleetwood Mac

Beez in the Trap - Nicki Minaj

Woman - Harry Styles

9 to 5 - Dolly Parton

Blame it on the Boogie - Michael Jackson

One Way or Another - Blondie

Tia Tamera - Doja Cat

Truth Hurts - Lizzo

V:

- indie boy indie boy indie boy indie boy

- Cmon just look at him he’s an indie boy

- If you’ve ever met a film student that gatekeeps music, they have the same exact taste but V won’t say shit to make you feel stupid. It’s just music bruv

- If you’ve ever been to an indie concert you know the fuckin dance you know what I’m talking about. he does that.

- Rolls a joint, pops the music off and he paints, does photography, whatever. Either way he straight vibes every single time the tunes come on.

- Low key thinks he has the best music taste. that’s just how dem indie kids roll let’s be real here.

- For some reason knows everything about every type of music. will spew facts about artists and songs at random

PLAYLIST:

Shuggie - Foxygen

Necessary Evil - Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Homage - Mild High Club

Another One - Mac DeMarco

Plants - Crumb

What Once Was - Her’s

Heart and My Car - Summer Salt

Cottage Roads - The Walters

Moonlight on the River - Mac DeMarco

Work This Time - King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard

Like Yesterday - Paul Cherry

Call it Fate, Call it Karma - The Strokes

Knowhere - Nick DeLaurentis

Escargot Blues - Guantánamo Bay Surf Club

A Side / B Side - Tipling Rock

Dark Red - Steve Lacy

That I Miss You - Vansire

Top Tier Love - Lonely Benson

Driving to Hawaii - Summer Salt

Taking Up Space - Mustard Service

She’s the Only One - King Guru

Saeran:

- emo boy emo boy emo boy

- We all know it

- As much as I’d love to say he listens to heavy death metal, there’s a part of my mind saying NO he’s not like that.

- Well he is, but he’s got more than a few single interest

- Probably listens to Nirvana, Cage the Elephant, anything similar

- Is always trying to listen to new music

- Kind of sick of Seven blasting his music all the time and listens to the opposite of hip hop whenever possible

- Honestly enjoys all types of music, but sticks to his favorites

PLAYLIST:

- All Apologies - Nirvana

- Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene - Hozier

- Soma - The Strokes

- Black Madonna - Cage the Elephant

- Hysteria - Muse

- Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High - Arctic Monkeys

- I Got Mine - The Black Keys

- Supermassive Black Hole - Muse

- Under the Bridge - Red Hot Chili Peppers

- Back Against the Wall - Cage the Elephant

- Creep - Radiohead

- Heart Shaped Box - Nirvana

- Demon Days - Gorillaz

- Bulls on Parade - Rage Against The Machine

- Matador - The Buttertones

- Holiday - Green Day

- RIP - The Licks

- London Calling - The Clash

- Loser - Beck

- What I Got - Sublime

[historic-old-guard-lover]

So I saw the previous post about the hobbies that the Old Guards have but I couldn't help but to start thinking about Nile's hobbies. Because she makes playlists and collects videogames for later in the future, do you think that she also introduced them to the others too??? Do you think that the group may have a favorite song (probably made a playlist they call their own) or even learned how to play videogames so they can play with Nile or together???

Yes and yes! I didn’t put it in the post you’re referencing because at some point I needed to stop typing, but Nile is probably the only one who owns an aux cord, so there’s no fight when she plugs her phone in on ANY car trip. (Booker might own one, but he usually just enjoys fiddling with the radio which annoys the heck out of everyone else...if Andy hasn’t detroyed the one in the car because paranoid and predates everything about it.) What Nile plays varies, but you can bet that she has a pre-battle-hype mix that she queues when they’re heading into a dangerous situation. At some point, Andy starts requesting Nile put her hype playlist on when they’re just getting groceries because it’s full of bops and bangers that DELIGHT this ancient warrior woman. Joe is of course partial to her Joe and Nicky playlist because it’s full of romantic, poetic, and beautiful songs. Nicky pretends not to care, but he smiles that smile when she puts it on for him. If you ship Book of Nile, may I suggest that Nile has a low-key (or high-key) thirst playlist that she puts on when Booker’s around? That absolute himbo of a man doesn’t realize why at first and he blushes at even the tamest tracks (she LOVES it and that’s why she made it in the first place), but he doesn’t ask Nile to change playlists (it’s our thing is what he’ll tell the others who caught on ages ago).

As for videogames, some things are just meant to be played with friends. Andy is terrible at them and the only one that Nile can get her to play long enough to get decent at are the older first-person-shooters like Call of Duty (which Andy begrudgingly appreciates is mostly historically accurate). Booker, being the youngest and a tech geek himself, was the most willing to learn so he can play a lot of the games with her. He feeds Nile’s Smash Bros/Mario Kart addiction an unhealthy amount, to the point where most safehouses will have a copy of one of those games. Joe turns out to be decent and likes historical/fantasy games, especially when they have amazing graphics and world-building, so of course Nile goes and gets him hooked on Skyrim. Nicky has terrible hand-eye coordination {edit: to clarify, just for the controllers thanks to @sixth-light for pointing out how ridiculous this may sound} and Joe’s favorite is single-player only, so he’ll just hang out with him and look up (or make Booker look up) cheat codes and fun facts. When Nile is mad that Joe is hogging the TV, she just hides the Skyrim CD in random places and puts on headphones so that when Joe comes asking where it is she can pretend she doesn’t hear him. (And yes, there’s a playlist title something like “Joe’s the Worst (Loud Gaming Jamz)” for that situation.)

[aion-rsa]

How Charlie Watts Defined The Rolling Stones’ Sound: A Musical Exploration

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Charlie Watts’ drums were the foundation of The Rolling Stones. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards wrote the songs, got the most press, and were the most visible members, but Watts dictated the style. Besides being named to Vanity Fair’s “Style” Hall of Fame, Watts kept the Stones’ sound intact and impeccable, regardless of whatever the songwriters brought into the studio. 

There is an incident recounted in the 2010 memoir Life, by Richards and James Fox, about a mid-1980s party which hits the nail on the head. Mick drunk-dialed Charlie’s hotel room in the middle of the night to invite him to a party which was raging. Jagger demanded to know “Where’s my drummer?” Watts showed up. He’d showered, shaved, put on a suit and a tie, beautiful shoes, freshly shined, and “you could smell his cologne.” He walked up to the Rolling Stones’ frontman, grabbed him by the lapel, and told him “Don’t ever call me your drummer again. You’re my fucking singer,” and punched Mick in the face.

Charlie Watts, the now, sadly late, great drummer for the Rolling Stones, didn’t capture the spotlight of his bandmates, and never became as iconic as some of his iconic contemporaries. Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham had power, and a double bass sound which could reach the bowels of the earth. Keith Moon was as much a shooting star over his kit as he was in his rock and roll life. Neal Peart had almost as many individual drum heads as Rush’s songs had time signatures, while Ringo Starr made complicated time changes sound easy.

Watts didn’t take solos, wasn’t a bombastic or showy player, and never graduated from the basic four-piece drum set, usually Gretsch in basic black, and preferably circa 1957. Even Ringo’s later Ludwig kit had five pieces. But Charlie leads the band from the bottom of his 22″ x 14″ bass drum, 16″ x 16″ floor tom, 12″ x 8″ mounted tom, and 14″ x 5″ snare. No gongs, no double bass drums.

Watts was not flamboyant. He was solid, laying down methodical beats with minimal fills, and only basic rolls. He could do them, and effortlessly, but he saved them for meaningful moments like 1968’s “Jigsaw Puzzle.” Ever-present, Watts never got in the way, even dropping eighth-note hi-hats to give room to snare. He moves seamlessly through shuffle, psychedelia, disco, reggae, or funk. Charlie drummed in riffs and hooks. They were simple, unique, and got stuck in your mind. His jazz training put a swing feel to strict patterns. He made regular rock-and-roll beats dance and bounce.

We’ve chosen an album’s worth of hot rocks that showcase Watts at his understated best. Turn it up, and appreciate a master at work.

“Come On”

The Rolling Stone’s first single, a cover of Chuck Berry’s “Come On,” was released in June 1963. Just when you think Watts will never deviate from his boogie woogie shuffle, his drum fills counterpoint the song’s break, and give the key change more importance. He rides the cymbal for just a few sparse bars before he brings the song to an almost surprised stop.

“(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”

Richards’ fuzzed out lead is the standout hook, but the tambourine couplets proved to be the key to the band’s first Number One, (“I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” from June 1964. Watts pounds the beat so relentlessly we know he will never be satisfied. This is four on the floor at its sexiest until disco, and Watts’ brief moment alone just pounds it harder.

“Get Off My Cloud”

Watts serviced the song and the unified sound. He was the one of the most restrained beat-keepers of his generation, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t drive a song through the simplest of iconic and aggressive repetitions. For the verses, Watts plays exactly the same fill every two bars, and defines the  movement. He simplified Chris White’s beat on the Zombies’ “What More Could I Do” to its most propulsive framework on “Get off of My Cloud,” for a run which could be considered the song’s most recognizable hook.

“19th Nervous Breakdown”

After the initial stumble over Brian and Keith’s guitar opening, Charlie lays down a jazz feel for most of “19th Nervous Breakdown,” from 1966. But he takes the choruses to another level with cymbal crashes and rolling toms. Wyman brings his own individual bass rumble to bridge the strings and skins, but when Watts lets out with break intros you feel an oncoming breakdown in your nervous system.

“Paint It Black”

“Paint It, Black” from 1966 might be the most insane performance from the steadiest drummer in rock. Watts rolls, spins, fills, triplets, paradiddles, and marching bands like he’s an army of percussive attackers. This might be his answer to Ringo Starr’s performance on “Rain.” Even among the sitar, Hammond B3, and Mick’s magnetic menace, Watts cannot be denied nor ignored. He’s playing like he’s got an extra palm and we can only imagine how many red doors he could paint to drive the point home.

“Sympathy for the Devil”

Seemingly complex, because of the congas by Rocky Dijon and Wyman’s African shekere shaking, Watts’ drums on “Sympathy for the Devil” are amazingly low-key. They propel the song, and give it that hypnotic insistence. But listen as Watts restrains every urge to fill an empty space. He plays the emptiness, suspense comes between the beats, and Watts never gives in to temptation. He sticks to the basic samba rhythm, which was loosely inspired by Kenny Clarke’s “A Night in Tunisia,” and lets the evil rise to the surface with subtlety a man of wealth and taste could appreciate.

“Street Fighting Man”

“Street Fighting Man” (1968) is an auric nightmare, especially for anyone trying to recreate the sound. Watts used a 1930s practice drum kit, and mounted tambourine-sized skins to small brackets. The “marching charging feet” can almost be heard in the hollow reverb. He gets a large sound, and yet it sounds squeezed in from another room, or coming in through the windows.

“Gimme Shelter”

“Gimme Shelter,” from Let It Bleed (1969), is masterwork of suspense and exaltation. It opens with guitar licks which sound muted by an apocalyptic overcast. Jimmy Miller’s guiro lets the audience know this is no day at the beach, as opposed to the scraped wooden agogo of The Drifters’ “Under the Boardwalk.” Then Watts rains down over everyone in a thunderous downpour. While Mick looks for shelter, Watts brings the storm. Lightning doesn’t even have to strike twice, as the drums continue the same relentless current the band drowns in. The only life preserver in site is the snare. Watts is on full restraint, which makes it all the more menacing.

“Honky Tonk Women”

“Honky Tonk Women” has a more identifiable cowbell than any song other than “Mississippi Queen.” But don’t fear the reaper, death is the furthest thing from the Stones’ mind in this sordid sip of southern comfort. Charlie is so loose on this song, it feels like he’s using a love seat as a drum stool. He takes his time catching up to the band from the very beginning. It honestly feels like he has to be reminded to come in on the three-note-fill before he kicks into the groove.

“Fingerprint File”

“Fingerprint File” is not a well-known song from the band. It closes the Rolling Stones 1974 album It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll, and is the funkiest Watts has ever sounded. Richards leads through the wah-wah, Jagger is on the heavily phased rhythm guitar, Mick Taylor is on bass to free Wyman up for synthesizer. Also at the sessions are the funkmaster Billy Preston on clavinet, and Nicky Hopkins on piano. The Beatles got their title for Rubber Soul from an insult which was hurled at the Stones at the time. This song proves they are capable of more than plastic soul. Watts’ hi-hat work should be studied at Julliard.

“Emotional Rescue”/”Miss You”

A lot of bands “went disco” in the 1970s and 1980s. But The Rolling Stones produced it organically. This is mainly because of Charlie Watts. He was always a master at four-on-floor, and had already proved he’d been listening to the soul sounds of the same period. For “Miss You” from the 1978 Some Girls album, he and Wyman take the most iconic of the genre’s cliches and make it their own. Between the bass octave jumps and the Philadelphia-inspired drumming, this and “Emotional Rescue” were dance floor naturals.

The Charlie Watts Orchestra – “Stompin at the Savoy”

Charlie Watts is known as a one band man, but he’s been playing with jazz ensembles on the side almost throughout the Rolling Stones’ later periods. He’s toured and recorded with his own big band jazz unit, the Charlie Watts Orchestra, which included Jack Bruce on cello. As you can hear in “Stompin at the Savoy,” Watts is an expert ensemble player, who really lets go when having a good time.

Casual mentions

Watts drives “Not Fade Away,” a Stones cover of a Buddy Holly classic, with a tumultuous take on the Bo Diddley beat. He completely reinvigorates its already-electric rhythm, and tops from the bottom. The live version of “Midnight Rambler” contains a very subtle duet between Charlie and Mick. “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking,” from Sticky Fingers, might be the tightest riff from the rhythm section.

Charlie Watts has laid his last grooves, but he’s left volumes of inspiration. 

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

The post How Charlie Watts Defined The Rolling Stones’ Sound: A Musical Exploration appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/3yeBW0C

[nomorelonelydays]

Last night, I was lying down in my pile of garbage and I thought to myself, 'hey, self -- what about hockey players as various mythical creatures?" So if you're down to indulge the idea, I've got a couple thoughts? Like, for one, Nephilim Sidney, AKA: angelic strategic/militaristic leadership capabilities, devotion and loyalty, strong moral compass, and unbelievable beauty, BUT human goose honk laugh, sense of humor, occasional lack of gracefulness, and fully functioning sex drive, all (1/11)

More under cut. Like a lot more. But it’s an epic so highly recommend

rolled into one. Ever since he was just a kid, people have debated whether being a Nephilim means he gets some kind of unfair advantage, or if it just means he's got a huge, self-righteous stick up his ass -- disregarding the fact that, even if he does have angel blood, Sidney is still partially human, with fully human feelings. Then, because I am the Angst Gremlin, Gremlin of the Angst, Geno, with his relaxing charm, easy confidence, clever hands, even cleverer tongue, and, quite frankly,(2/11)

really big dick, is an incubus. While technically still a demon, he's not really into filleting the souls of the innocent or any medieval shit like that, he just gets laid a lot and needs sex energy to stay alive. Regardless, everyone is on edge for Sid and Geno to meet, hoping beyond hope that the two young men the future of the Pens Organization is riding on don't want to kill each other on sight. So, people take it as a pretty big surprise when they get along fine. Sid keeps his cross (3/11)

necklace on under the collars of his shirts (just in case they'd bump into each other), their hotel rooms are always on opposite ends of the hall (because Geno would like to be respectful and he knows that his post-game feedings can occasionally be a little loud), Sidney keeps a special lid on his water bottle so it doesn't get confused with anyone else's -- especially Geno's (we'll say that holy water is basically the electrolyte-infused gatorade version of water for Sidney, so that's (4/11)

what he drinks), and, Geno does all pre-game snacking in locked, empty training rooms (because "pre-game snacking" usually means calling one of his routine hookups and making them orgasm via phone sex, and even if he sometimes does it in Russian, it'd be rude to do it in front of everyone, and extra rude to do it in front of Sid). The first time they're so hyped from a victory that they spontaneously hug each other while undressing in the locker room, they both worry that they hurt each (5/11)other somehow, before realizing that they're fine, and Sid's just like, "It felt really good, actually. A lot of the time, people hold me at a distance to be respectful -- and I appreciate it -- but it's nice to just feel normal." However, Sid didn't realize that Geno was holding back with physical contact as much as he was, that saying what he said would mean G would start touching him as much as he touches everyone else, or that, when allowed, G wound up touching people /a lot/. Or, how (6/11)

all of the little casual touches would drag the whole "being in love with Geno" thing to the forefront of Sid's mind. Eventually, when they're squeezed next to each other in a booth at a club, and G clasps his hand around Sid's thigh while laughing at a joke he'd made, Sid cracks. In a voice more nervous and less seductive than he was intending, he asks Geno if he likes touching him, and when Geno responds with, "Why you ask, Sid?" he powers on to say that if he doesn't mind touching him, (7/11)he's in his mid-twenties and has never been able to go through with losing his virginity because he just gets so worked up about it and freaks, but he trusts Geno more than anyone else, and, "if you'd be okay with it... you could make it easier for me to, well... you know... and you'd get a meal out of it?" But then G just looks at him sadly and shakes his head, and Sid feels more and more broken and nauseous by the second -- only, the hurt fades into confusion when Geno amends, "Not (8/11)because I don't want, Sid. Just... afterwards, for me, trying to feed... it would be like swallow sewer water after drinking champagne from Stanley Cup." Geno pauses, giving a wry smirk, before adding, "You're like 'Holy Grail.'" And Sid's in shock, but musters every last ounce of angelic bravery to say, "I've been in love with you for a really long time, so maybe, if you feel the same, it wouldn't be just once." And cue amazing sex. Sidenotes: Flower is most certainly a lovable, trouble- (9/11)

making imp, Tanger's the vampire who's low key really grumpy over the fact that he'll never get to see how hot he is, Olli owes all of his height to the human side of his family, because the other side are all haltijas (a type of helpful finnish gnome that needs to be treated with love and regularly fed), Conor gets pouty about having a mix of pixie and leprechaun blood, because he's just short and with how often he's accidentally walked in on Sid and Geno boning/nearly boning, no way in (10/11)hell is luck on his side, and Jake's usually cool about being an elf until the holidays come around and every chirp he gets is a quote from the 2003 Will Ferrell movie. (11/11)

Also, I have been acting in the manner of an anon-ask spiders georg, and have already harassed you with enough content for an eternity, but... a Nicky/Ovi Footnote: Ovi is a Russian species of yeti, and he sites his lineage whenever an annoying interviewer asks him about the streaks of grey and white in his hair, "You know Russia -- there is much snow, so yetis are grey. Is fine," (only, while grey is normal, white coloring for Siberian yetis is a sign of stress and premature aging, (1/7)y'know, like what happens when someone is repeatedly blamed for their franchise's inability to win things, but that's none of my business *insert the meme of kermit drinking tea*). Nicklas Backstrom is not publicly known to be a non-humanoid, however, from the second Ovi saw the lively, mesmerizing green of his eyes, and heard the musical lilt to his voice, he knew, there was just something about Nicky. Even after multiple incidences of Nicky scoring a goal in a game, Ovi definitely (2/7)

seeing Nicky present in the locker room, Nicky conveniently disappearing right as the media comes to talk with him, and Ovi running into a decorative ficus, thinking, 'when the fuck did this tree get here?' he doesn't register what's going on, but whatever, because after convincing Nicky to go out to dinner with him once a week, they work up to eating together five nights a week, then to gentle, nervous kisses, followed by not-so-gentle-or-nervous making out, and by the time his first (3/7)

sight upon waking up every morning is the bare expanse of Nicky's back or his head of golden hair resting easily against a pillow, there's so much love in his heart that there really isn't any space left to wonder what Nicky is or isn't. However, it takes one incident of Nicky practically jumping his bones while they stumble into the hotel elevator, both of them not realizing their teammate TJ is in said elevator, and TJ commenting, "Nicky the nympho, way to get it," for Alex's brain to (4/7)

put the pieces together and start screaming, "holy!!! fucking!!! shit!!! nicky's a nymph!!! of course he's a nymph!!! the world makes sense again and this doesn't do a single fucking thing to change how intensely i love him, but it was an astounding epiphany!!!" (or something like that) while he just gets this look of amazement on his face and silently mouths, "Nymph?" to Nicky. When he stops wanting to die from embarrassment, in the privacy of their hotel room, Nicky confirms it, and (5/7)

begrudgingly agrees to stop turning into a tree to avoid media scrums, so long as Alex swoops in to guide the attention away from him if it goes over three minutes. After the “conclusion to a healthy relationship conversation” sex (there’s breakup sex and makeup sex and mid-fight sex… let me have this) Nicky settles his back against the warmth radiating from Alex’s chest, and as Alex tucks his chin against the crook of Nicky’s neck, fondness blooms in his chest as he notices that Nicky (6/7)smells like a freshly cut bouquet of roses, and a forest after everything has been dampened by the rain. (7/7) I'M THE WORST FUCK THIS IS A TOTAL OF LIKE 20 FUCKING ASKS OH MY GOD I'M SORRY I NEED TO GET OUT OF MY GREMLIN CAVE AND STOP BEING A STATISTICAL OUTLIER AAAH GOD I'M SO SORRY DUDE