#this was REALLY HARD TO PICK SO IF I MISSED A FAVE OF YOURS TELL ME IN THE TAGS!!!!!!

[hotvintagepoll]

hotvintagepoll Hot Men Tournament rundown thoughts

I promised a final recap post and here it is! I'll try to cover the questions I saw the most as we closed out the bracket, reveal my ✨secret faves✨, and talk about the biggest surprises and turnarounds I saw in the brackets.

Yes, this will get silly.

ROUND 1

As I've mentioned before, I worked off submissions for who to include in the bracket, so if your fave was missing—that's why. I used submitted pics when I could, but many submissions didn't have one, so I tried to find decent ones in the couple of days I had to prep the first round (I didn't always succeed). By decent, I mean pics where 1) I could see the hot man's face, so not too much moody lighting, and 2) hopefully conveyed something about his vibe, even if it was a funny thing (yes, I showed Howard Keel in full Shakespeare get-up—I'm not beyond putting up a pic because I think it's funny). I didn't know all of these hotties going in, so some I had to guess with, but when I could I tried to pick shots that had a touch of the humor, class, or genre of the hot man.

For Round 1 and Round 2, I grouped the hotties by each decade, so only '60s actors ran against '60s actors, '50s against '50s, etc. Male beauty standards shifted pretty dramatically over the sixty years this tournament covers, and I didn't think it was fair to pit dramatically different styles of beauty against each other immediately.

I pitted hot men against each other based on opposing energies—hot vs cold, elegant vs rough, comedy vs drama, etc.. I wanted the polls to be interesting and I've never liked brackets where everyone is clearly in different "lanes" until the finals! I also wanted to make polls where I couldn't tell which way they would swing, so by setting matchups that felt opposite but equal, I got to be surprised by the bracket results too.

The only reason we had any three-way matchups is because the amount of men submitted didn't round to a nice bracket number. I don't like them generally and find them really hard to balance.

Secret faves from Round 1—I am a James Coburn girlie and knew he would die immediately, so that was not a shock but a bummer. I similarly knew Robert Preston is only magical to people who have seen him do His Little Dance Routines in That One Iowa Musical, but it would have been nice for him to last longer.

Surprises—Jeremy Brett was a last-minute add and I didn't think he really had a shot, so I put him in as a third wheel on the Sean Connery/Dean Martin matchup. Little did I count on the Granada girlies. (Always count on the Granada girlies.) The Elvis/Peter Falk poll was the first one to gain any momentum—Elvis was winning for the first 24 hours but then, my god, did Peter fight back. I didn't expect the Tab/Toshiro poll to make that bad a mincemeat out of Tab—people have different tastes, and I thought the people who like blonde sunny All American white boys might turn out for The Blonde Sunny All American White Boy. Sorry, Tab. I hope you've peeled yourself off the sidewalk by now. And, of course, I was SHOCKED and APPALLED that James Cagney would be obliterated by, of all people, Mr. Bing Crosby.

SHADOW BRACKET

The fervor of the Harold Lloyd and Fredric March people inspired the shadow bracket, and I couldn't be happier at the way it's gone. You were right, the original photos I had for them did suck. Cunty Harold Lloyd in his little life guard uniform was a revelation.

ROUND 2

For Round 2 I'd gotten a better sense of who was doing well and who was not, so a little of that came into play, but I mostly paired on vibes again. (I genuinely think this is a good way to make a fun, challenging bracket.)

Secret faves—Noooo not hot dilf Dick Van Dyke don't take my hot inventor dilf away uwu!!! (He was up against Marlon Brando. I would have been shocked if he'd won but for a minute there, a glorious second, it was possible.) I am also a big old softie for David Niven's particular brand of repression to the point of volcanic rupture, but he is one of many hotties who does not look good without moving and speaking so I figured he would be going.

So much beef—hey! hey you. I ran a poll asking if we are horny for dancers. Yes, was the resounding poll response. Where, then, did all the fucking dancers go? This round we lost Donald O'Connor, Fred Astaire, Harold Nicholas; Sammy Davis Jr., Danny Kaye, Frank Sinatra, and Bing Crosby all sneak into this category as well, by token of having been in the kind of big MGM bang-a-pan-and-put-on-a-show beloved bedlams we all watch at Christmastime. Round 2 voters HATED musical matchups. Except for one.

The one—SOUND OF MUSIC, the voters said, WE LOVE SOUND OF MUSIC. we will KILL the man responsible for salad dressing because of the SOUND OF MUSIC. every other dance man can die but THIS man dances a FOLK DANCE with JULIE ANDREWS in a GARDEN. I did not go into this poll with strong opinions about Christopher Plummer or Paul Newman but my god did I leave having heard all of them.

Surprises—James Edwards/Anthony Perkins matchup was a nail biter! Conrad vs Oscar kept me up at nights. Surprised to see Basil Rathbone survive against Sabu Dastagir—both very fetching, but Sabu had some top-tier propaganda. Cesar Romero put up a surprisingly stiff fight against Cary Grant (an omen for things to come).

Oh horrors—horror heroes surprisingly fell all over the place. I was sure either Bela Lugosi or Turhan Bey would sweep their three-way matchup, but Michael Redgrave of all people carried through; Boris Karloff went down against Johnny Weismuller (while holding hands with fellow fallen hottie Fred Astaire), but at least we got his guacamole recipe before he went. Delighted to see that the Venn diagram of the coalitions who support horror hero Vincent Price and funny lil guy Donald O'Connor is a circle.

Secret faves pt 2—oh yeah, I fucking love Danny Kaye and Donald O'Connor. RIP funny lil kings.

ROUND 3

For some reason this was the hardest one to make matchups for. Oh no, all the men are hot.

Secret faves—Michael Redgrave i love you SO much you're SUCH an idiot, how did you make it as far as round 3. I want you to sweep the whole thing but you should NOT be surviving this. I love you, here's a kiss, go home.

Surprises—Marlon Brando is gone! Errol Flynn is gone! Christopher Plummer exhausted himself beating the organic oreos man to death and goes out with a whimper. Beginning to actually see the roots of #mifunesweep as Tyrone Power, a hot man very different from Burt Lancaster, who was in turn very different from Tab Hunter, also gets swept under the wheels of the unbeatable toshirobus. Conrad Veidt finds that no amount of purring svelte eccentricity compares to the people who will fuck a young Lt. Columbo.

SHADOW BRACKET 2

Cannot believe it but Veidt loses this one too. Perkins sweeps and becomes Prince of the Shadow Realm!

ROUND 4

At this point I've set a formal bracket that I'm following.

Secret faves—this isn't secret anymore, but losing Jimmy Stewart hurt.

Surprises—The Gene Kelly/Jeremy Brett matchup was the diciest one all round, moving back and forth between the two by sometimes .01%. Far more surprising, however, was Cary Grant getting eliminated before the quarterfinals. Grant has never been my type, but he is famous for being THE type, so while the writing had been on the wall the whole tournament—how on earth did Michael Redgrave even get 36% in his matchup?!—seeing Grant go down was a SHOCKER. Other fallen hotties included Gregory Peck, James Dean, Harry Belafonte, and Sessue Hayakawa. Peter Falk finally met his match in Omar Sharif.

QUARTERFINALS

Secret faves—I don't know if it counts as a secret fave, tbh, as my horses in the race really went out with Stewart, but I do have a soft spot here worth mentioning. Here's my childhood dog, Keaton.

The resemblance is truly striking, and yes, he was short, fast, and not prone to smiling.

Surprises—I couldn't predict how any of these matchups would go down, but I was most interested in Keaton vs Sharif, as they are both SO hot in SUCH different ways.

SEMIFINALS:

This was such a good batch of semifinalist contestants. By this point I think we could all tell Mifune was unstoppable (though I thought Sharif might give him a run for his money), but I really didn't know which way Robeson vs Poitier would flip.

FINALS:

I wanted Sidney Poitier to pull a last-minute sweep out of nowhere, but alas, Toshiro is just THAT GOOD (maybe. I will admit that I find Toshiro's domination a little hard to believe, given the variety and hotness of all his competitors; the man is hot but all these men are hot). I'm still happy with how the tournament went.

FINAL MEDITATIONS:

Biggest shock of a dropout: the loss of Paul Newman

Biggest "you people have no taste": the loss of James Cagney

Biggest victory: Paul Robeson making it to the semifinals over often-assumed champion Gregory Peck

Biggest coalition who deserve justice: dancing men

Biggest ask character: vents anon (currently eating Laurence Olivier)

Biggest, uhh, anything: how many of you are here! I genuinely thought it would be me and 10 other people voting for the whole tournament. I'm thrilled it took off like this!

I think that's everything, but I'm happy to answer addl asks. And THANK YOU to everyone for your tags, rants, impassioned propaganda, beautiful pics, and love for the hot men! See you for the ladies!

[scarletwinterxx]

loving you is easy - mark lee imagine

hiiiii, 127 cb i have been summoned😅 for the past few weeks i've been inactive on all socmeds, sorry for the very few and slow posts. anyways, let's talk Fact Check haha what's your fave track? i think mine's Parade. the vocals in that one is soooo good.

So yeah i hope you like this one, i'll be back when I can💛🌻

if you have a request or scenario you want me to do, just send me a message I'll see what I can do😊💌

For my other works you can check them out here, and for my other story series’ you can check them out here.

All works are copyrighted ©scarletwinterxx 2023 . Do not repost, re-write without the permission of author.

(gif not mine, credits to rightful owner)

"It's one plane ride away, I'll be there in 3 months"

"That's 3 months too long" he grumbles, still pouting as he zips the last of his luggage. Mark hated being away for you, too many days and nights your time zone's don't line up. By the time it's morning for you, he'll be saying goodnight.

But now, things are about to change. This will be the last time you're saying goodbye to him for a long time but he doesn't know that. For now it's your little secret.

"It'll fly by fast, just like every other time. Now come here and give me cuddles, stop pouting like a kid" you tease him, opening your arms to welcome him.

Feeling his arms go around you, you further confirmed a fact you've known for years. The two of you can be continents away from each other, but your heart will always stay with one another. Mark really has become your home and in his arms are where you feel the safest and most loved.

"If you're sad then it's gonna make me sad, I don't want the last night to be all tears" you tell him, feeling his embrace tighten against you. He kisses the top of your head a few times before letting you go.

"You're right, sorry. No more sulking, it's just 3 months then you'll come to me" he smiles at you, the cute little dimple you love so much appearing on his cheek. You stand on your tiptoe to kiss it, savoring the warmth of him against your lips.

And you were right, the 3 months did fly by fast. Mainly because you were busy packing your apartment to move to another continent. You didn't keep much apart from your stuff and some of Mark's. It's kind of hard to travel with everything so you got rid of what you can.

The only person who knew you were coming was Johnny, who is currently waiting for you at the airport. Easily spotting the 6 foot Chicago guy from a distance.

"There she is! About time you got here, I don't think I can take another day of Mark whining about how much he misses you" he jokes, giving you a quick hug and taking your stuff to carry it himself.

"He doesn't know I'm coming, I'm suppose to fly out this weekend" you tell him while following behind

"Oh believe me I know, he won't let us forget"

You chuckle at his story, just thinking about surprising Mark makes you grin.

He dropped you off at Mark's apartment, you're familiar with the place since you've stayed here every time you fly over. What he doesn't know is you're here to stay with him for good.

It did took a lot of courage to make this decision but you didn't doubt it for a second. You know there's no other place you'd rather call home than where he is.

For a couple of hours you rested, cleaned the few dishes on the sink and picked up the towel he threw on the floor. A habit you knew he had, you've had that talk with him more than a few times and he always promises he won't do it again. You let him off the hook, for now.

You were in the bedroom when you hear someone by the door. Mark entered his place, tired from the whole day of work to notice the other pair of shoes by the door.

He threw his bag by the couch, along with his coat. He then walked to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water, resting against the counter while he drinks and take a moment to look around.

This time he notices the dishes he was suppose to do this morning was gone. He brushed it off thinking he must've just forgotten he already did it. He then walked to the bedroom, the first thing he noticed was the towel that he definitely threw by the bed this morning. He remembers it because he's been thinking about it all day and how you'll be mad if you found out he threw it on the floor yet again.

He looks around, checking to see anything missing or different just in case someone broke in. But who would clean up if they're here to steal, he thoughts.

Mark then walks towards the bathroom to check, nothing there too so he walks back the bedroom. Just when he was about to go outside, you jumped out of your hiding spot to surprise him

"SURPRISE!"

"WHAT THE F- OH MY GOD WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE" you didn't even get the chance to walk towards him because he's already running to you. Picking you up in an embrace.

"Is this for real or am I dreaming?" you hear him mumble

You giggle, patting him on the back so he could put you down. "This is real silly. I'm really here" you tell him.

He grabs you by the face and kisses you. As his lips lands on yours, he knew this was really real. You're actually here with him.

You can feel him smile against your lips, tilting your head to the side to kiss him deeper. Too many days wish he was with you, now he's here and you're not going to let go that easily.

He walks backwards until the back of his legs hit the bed. Landing on it gently with you still in his arms. You straddle his legs while the two of you get lost in each others kisses.

"Okay okay wait a sec" you giggle, pushing your lover away gently. Mark follows your lips though, kissing you a few more times before he lets you go but not too far.

"When did you get here?" he asks you

"Today, Johnny picked me up at the airport so I could surprise you" you tell him, your hands intertwine around his shoulders.

"I could've come and pick you up" he pouts.

Oh your sweet sweet boy.

You smile at him, rubbing your nose against his. Feeling like you're on cloud nine now that you're back together.

"Then it wouldn't be a surprise" you tell him, speaking of surprise you can't wait to see his reaction once you tell him your news.

"How long are you staying? I can take a few days off so we can go out" he tells you excitedly.

For you he would do just about anything. He can put his world on pause, stop everything for you.

"About that..."

"What? You can't stay that long?" he asks, already feeling sad but he tries not to let you see it.

"Actually, I'm not gonna go back" you tell him, not sure how to break the news to him either

"Huh?"

"Surprise number 2 I guess, I wanted to tell you for months now but I waited until everything is settled. So yeah. I'm here to stay, that is if you're looking for a roommate?" you ask

Mark didn't say anything for a couple of seconds, your words still processing in his mind.

"You mean you're staying here, with me ? Here? and you're not going to fly back? You're staying with me?"

You can't help but laugh lightly at him, pulling him closer once again to kiss him

"I'm gonna stay right here" you whisper, looking straight into his eyes.

"But what about your work? your friends? I can't ask you to leave your life there"

"Baby you're not asking me, I want to. I have friends here too, I can call my friends there and we can visit them. Plus you're my bestfriend. As for work, it just so happened they were looking for someone to relocate here to Korea. It was like fate wanted me to be here"

"Are you sure? I don't want you to give up everything, I don't mind the flights-"

"You do, I do. We both do. We just never said it outloud because we didn't want to be sad, but all I can think of when you're not around is how much I want to be with you. To be honest it's harder for me to be there than moving here where I know I could be with you"

He looks at you, trying to find the words to say

"Are you really really sure?" he asks again

"I wouldn't be here if it wasn't. So you're stuck with me, for good" you tease a smile out of him

"It's hard for me too. It's the hardest when I'm so tired and I come back here and all I can think of is how much I want to come home to you. Every flight away from you was never easy"

"I know"

"So I guess this is your anniversary present?" he jokingly asks, you get off of his lap to stand up.

"It'll be hard to top this one" you joke

"I can just ask you to marry me" he says ever so casually, not missing how your cheeks reddened. You hit him lightly making your boyfriend laugh

"Hey, that's not fair"

"You're the one who's stuck me, you know I'm never letting you go now?"

"Good, cause I'm not going anywhere. Here's to 7 more years"

He smile at you before standing up to hug you again,

As you stare at each other eyes you can't help but feel this warm sensation in your chest. You really are home.

"I read somewhere that our cells change every 7 years or so" you mumble, he hums waiting for you to continue

"It's been 7 years since we first met, and until now I still feel the same way about you. I want every cell in my body to know what it feels like to love you, I want it to never forget how warm and lovely it feels it be in love with you. 7 years from now, 14 years and until the last cycle of this life, I want all of me to love all of you"

He stares at you, soaking each word coming out of your lips like a spell enchanting him. Making him fall even deeper in love with you.

"You know they say love isn't easy, but loving you is easy. It's like it's the only thing my heart and soul was made for. Every thought in my head, awake or even in my dreams, is always you" he tells you.

You can feel the tears starting to build up from too much happiness you're feeling right now.

"Wanna hear something crazy?" you mumble

"Do tell" he chuckles

"If you ask me to marry you right now, I'd say yes"

He smiles at you before closing the distance once again, like he just sealed a promise. Speaking a silent vow to make that come true, maybe tonight or tomorrow or 7 days/months from now. All he knows is he will live this life with you.

[idontlikeem]

What made Geno your fave?

Oh boy!

For background, I started watching hockey in fall of 2009. I was bored over the summer and decided to get into a new sport. I’d never cared about hockey because my family didn’t follow it (we are football and basketball people), so I had no particular team I had allegiance to, so I did what any reasonable prospective fan would do: I looked up the most recent championship team and scanned their roster for hot guys.

There was Sid, of course. About my age, captain, and oh he’s cute, ok I can work with that. I did some research on his story and found it fascinating, because who doesn’t love a good golden boy narrative? A promising start.

Jordy Staal was also really cute to me, and Flower was pretty. And then we got to Geno, who the first picture I really remember seeing of him is one where he was smiling big, and as we all know he has the BEST smile.

After that, his backstory was just as interesting to me as Sid’s, in a totally different way. I mean, it sounds like a spy thriller, right? It’s crazy. And then he won the MVP that playoffs, and the highlights were up on YouTube, and wow, look at him skate. Look at him and Sid skate together, wow they’re so good. Look how Geno spins and cuts through guys out there, look how quick he is, how fast his hands are moving the puck.

I knew fuck-all about what I was watching but his skating style is so distinctive that I was able to pick him out on grainy 2009 and earlier footage with ease; let me tell you, focusing on ONE player for a full game or even period is such an underrated way to learn the sport. You see what they do when they don’t have the puck and it helps you figure out strategy, how plays develop, what defense is. Highly recommend.

He was still pretty quiet with the media then and I don’t think he was on Twitter yet, but he seemed funny and cute and I really liked his accent! And all the guys seemed to be friends, and I love that in a sports team.

It was summer so I watched a lot of the Pens’ old YouTube features. I learned about Mario and Jagr and the first set of back to back cups, and Sid’s draft, and how the team almost left the city. I learned about the rivalries with other teams, and the way the league worked, and what a salary cap is, and all the different penalties. And as it got closer to the start of the 09-10 season, I watched the road to the cup video for the run I’d just missed (it’s on YouTube now!) and there was that shot of Geno looking up, you know the one, with his scar, and that was my tipping point. The coverage of him in the Carolina series just sealed it.

He fascinates me. He’s shy but loud, funny but so publicly emotional. He’s flawed as hell but he tries so hard. He’s arrogant but he deserves to be, and he’ll never ever allow anyone to give him credit for when he’s playing well, he deflects. He’s accurately predicted the future twice. He’s so loyal it’s to the point of folly, almost. He has an unbelievable smile and rescues alley cats and is scared of big dogs. He’s a bully who’s never met a charity he didn’t contribute to.

And holy shit can he skate. Holy shit does he play beautiful, brutal hockey. He’s vicious with his stick and graceful with his hands.

And, yeah, he’s hot. That’s important to me too and I’m not sorry about that!

Anyway, I like him a lot. Thanks for sending me this ask and letting me talk about why :)

[incandescentflower]

Favorite Kiss Game

Rules: create a poll with five of your all time favorite onscreen kisses, setting any standard for qualification you choose. Then tag more friends to join in!

Tagged by @lurkingshan and @hyeoni-comb! Thank you for the tag! These games keep getting harder. This took me so long, but it was fun thinking about this one.

Sticking to BL and picking my faves with the exceptions of a couple that I have already seen out there in this game before because I think it's fun to consider some of the great BL kisses that are a little less talked about.

Ones that I would put in the top that I have already seen mentioned would be the Bad Buddy Rooftop kiss (which I feel is basically universal) the BBS beach kiss, the Old Fashion Cupcake kiss and Blueming's beach kiss.

All top notch.

The kisses that stick with me are ones that signify a change in the relationship and have been earned by the narrative. That can often be the first kiss, but is sometimes a "level up" kiss, so to speak.

Regardless, I know it's good by my physiological reaction. Every one of these I was holding my breath the entire scene.

Jiwoo and Seojoon (To My Star)

"If it's hard for you, I'll go to you." These two were early kbl kings. They showed everyone how it was done. This kiss was so powerful because it was so slowly earned by the narrative. Seojoon admired Jiwoo's strength by having walls he had built up, but he still wanted to get beyond them. Jiwoo tried to push him away, but after the confrontation, he could not keep it together and stood there raw and open. Seojoon couldn't let go and returned. And finally Jiwoo let Seojoon come to him. My feelings about season 2 are complicated, but the dynamic between these characters and the way Seojoon understood Jiwoo in this moment is unforgettable for me.

Shino and Seiryo (Seven Days)

"I couldn't sleep last night...I was thinking of you." These two are dumb dumb dummies, but the obliviousness works it's magic in this twist on fake dating. They had been dancing around being "a couple" for the time they were spending together and it was clear how much they were falling into the idea. Then Shiro confesses, the way he slowly eeks out the words, you can't help hold your breath. Seiryo puts his hand to his chest. He's panicking. But not because he doesn't want to hear that, because he *does.* Shiro reaches for him and they kiss. Their breathing is shaky, they are both trembling as their hands slowly clasp together. This kiss still gets me every time.

Yai and Jom (I feel You Linger in the Air)

"Did you miss its sound?" It's really hard to pick one kiss between Yai and Jom. If we are talking about number of kisses and the level of intense emotion, they win in my opinion in terms of totality of their chemistry that jumps off screen. I like this one in particular because it is them reuniting after the confrontation with Yai's parents and they are now loving each other more out in the open. Yai moves Jom's hand to his heart and asks him if he missed the sound of it beating and Jom's whole presence melts as he says he did.

Shin Kitae and Lee Wan (Our Dating Sim)

"I believe you still like me, no matter how hard I think about it." I love this little show so much. They infuse so much emotion in such a short series and all the kisses and affection are on point. I actually also really love when Lee Wan kisses Shin Kitae to confess, but more as a moment between them than a kiss. He first tells Shin Kitae that he likes him and Kitae's response is automatically "I like you, too" without any thought to it - because that is how much he cared about Lee Wan. Kitae's surprise from the kiss and almost immediate regret of his reaction to it is what kicked off the whole story.

I picked this kiss because it was finally truly mutual. The way they looked at each other as Kitae leaned in and then their lips touched. You could feel that whole history between them. It was clearly a kiss they had both been waiting to have for all those years.

Achi and Karan (Cherry Magic Thailand)

No secret that I love all of Achi and Karan's kisses in the Thai drama. In this scene it wasn't the line of dialog that punctuated the emotional intensity, but the wordless nod Achi gave as he confirmed he also wanted to be with Karan this way. I picked this kiss in particular because I LOVE how when Karan pulls up to check on him, Achi moves with him and chases the kiss. Excellent work by the both of them. They put such intense emotion in this scene and showed how they were both exactly where they wanted to be in that moment.

tagging @stickers-on-a-laptop @dimplesandfierceeyes @dancing-out-in-space because I think you still have done some games but no pressure at all

[shiesan]

Shu Yamino HCs + more

I think it’s gender neutral? hehehehehehe i dont proof read pardun my ass.

Classmate edition!

- Class presiden’t. He has the vibes of a class president but isn’t the actual president. I fee like Shu would decline even if the whole class wanted him as president.

-Teachers’ fave. I can imagine Shu just minding his own business, reading away, and then suddenly the teacher calls him to answer the question a classmate failed to answer. He’s not arrogant about it though, sometimes he even gets them wrong but he apologizes immediately and states that he has much to learn. The exact reason why the profs love him lots.

-Shu is one of the best seatmates! Don’t have your book? Scoot a little closer and he’ll share with you. Need some trouble with a math problem? He’s there to help. Need a cough drop, pen, paper, paracetamol, and a whole house? he has it in his bag. Everyone at the start of the school year prays that they’ll be seated next to Shu. Did I mention he smells great?

-Lunches with him. He usually packs his lunch and eats with you. On most days you guys sit somewhere a bit more breezy and quite since you guys like to have silent time and a break from your rowdy classmates. 

“Y/N, why don’t we eat near that tree today! Its not too hot outside today so I think it’ll be pleasant.”

Sure enough it was. You guys always enjoy your lunch break with each other, sometimes even bringing the other person a little dessert or snack. So cute!

- Going Home. Shu is really the sweetest. When you guys are going home he ALWAYS follows the sidewalk rule! He tries not to be to obvious about it and hopes you don’t point out anything (babu is shy). Although he can’t go home with you all the time he makes sure you’re home safe, you are a good friend of his after all . He knows some of his friends take the same route as you so he asks them if they don’t mind looking after you as well (ofc without you knowing hehe). Tells you to immediately text him when you get home and reminds you to rest first before taking a bath.

-Summer Break. Messages you and asks if you want to hang out. Honestly he just misses you since he hasn’t seen you in two weeks.

Y/n, are you busy today?

Not really. Why?

Was wondering if you wanted to hang-out? I don’t really have anything in mind though hahaha.

You picked the arcade. It’s so much fun!! You remember that after every exam you guys would go to the arcade to celebrate and memories of Shu’s radiant smile immediately warms your heart. What is this. You’ve had a crush on Shu since forever! Ignoring it was so easy back then but not anymore. Especially when everyone around you thinks that there’s something between you guys. Honestly, you wish there was. You always thought “Oh, Shu’s future partner will be so lucky,” silently hoping that it was you. 

Discarding your romantic feelings toward the man was hard, you kept asking the universe to stop giving their least experienced player the hardest quests but alas! Here you are. Infront of the arcade you and Shu frequent. Silently hoping he doesn’t show up so your heart doesn’t go crazy and you live another day. But it’s Shu we’re talking about, the oh-so lovable Shu. 

The Shu that takes your breath away.

The Shu that always makes sure that you’re okay.

The Shu that will always help you with your homework.

The Shu that will always reach out to you first when it comes to group projects.

The Shu whose whole family loves you so much so that sometimes they tell Shu to bring another bento for you.

The Shu you spend all night playing online games with.

The Shu you want to be yours.

Maybe he’ll be your Shu one day.

Your thoughts get interrupted by the sorcerer himself, Shu Yamino.

“Y/N! I bought you a _____ shake on the way here. It’s a bit melted because of the heat, hope you don’t mind.” You shake your head, smile, and take the shake he was offering you. You hugged him as a sign of gratitude and just because you missed him, even if he drove you crazy.

Shu froze for a bit. It was quite strange, the feeling that Shu felt. It was like any normal hug though, you guys hugged plenty of times! Why now does he feel like he doesn’t want to let you go.

The hug that felt like minutes came to an end as you pulled away from him and dragged him into the arcade. With a bag of tokens in each of your hands you guys spend hours and hours inside the arcade. Hours spent having so much fun with the person you love, hours creating memories to cherish forever.

You wanted to switch thing up. Although anywhere with him feels like the best place on earth, you wanted to create a new core memory with him. 

“Shu, wanna go watch the sunset?”

Boing boing boing. A basketball falls to the floor, a ball that Shu was supposed to shoot but due to shock he just froze. Realizing what the did, he picks up the ball and returns in to the machine, dusting off his hands afterwards.

“Sure!” He smiles. That sounds sweet, said his inner thoughts. Shu returned the favor, this time he was the one who took you by the hand and dragged you outside to watch the sunset. 

The mall you guys frequent is actually close to the sea. The back of the mall overlooks the vast ocean and the sun happened to be setting in that direction. Hurried steps came from the both of you as you rush outside to make sure that you would see the sunset. It confused you though. The fact that Shu, instead of letting your hand go once you got out of the arcade had intertwined them instead. You weren’t complaining. Not at all. But this gave you the idea that maybe the feelings you thought were once one sided weren’t as one sided as you thought. 

“Ey, we’re here!” Shu says as you guys get close to a railing which gave you the perfect view of the sunset.

“Yeah,” you slowly say as you catch your breath. “We made it just in time.”

The sun slowly began to leave your sight, it looked like it was lowering itself into the ocean, leaving shades of red and orange behind. 

How pretty. Both of you thought. Your eyes remain on the setting sun and Shu’s sight remains on you.

He readjusts his grip on your hand, reminding you that he was still holding it. 

You took your eyes off of the sunset and looked him in the eyes. He looked so happy. So at peace with himself.

“Shu, your hand.” he maintains eye contact with you and just says “hmm?” 

“Your hand.” You say again, this time lifting your intertwined hands. 

He just smiles and holds your hand tighter. Suddenly it felt warmer. And suddenly you found yourself in Shu’s embrace.

______________________________________________

OKAY I LIED IT WASNT ONLY HCS

Anyways, hope you guys enjoy my ass writing. Till next time

-shie-san

[distractedrighter]

i come asking more questions for miss Felicity.... 14, 16, 32, 39 (i assume in GNR?) !!

Miss Felicity has answers!!

14 - fondest memory

In the vault, she has a few:

For sure playing baseball, she’s not an athletic person by any means so it was nice to not be picked last for a sport FINALLY

Following her dad around the clinic when she was younger and eventually being old enough to help out

Study group with Amata (really just them hanging out and only studying and doing homework for half of the time)

She also values her alone time a lot, can definitely picture her in her teenage years as her dad spends more and more time in the lab snuggling with a book and playing a vinyl in her bedroom

And Jonas… my beloved… he helped her shoot her BB gun and make more elaborate shooting ranges (more than James would’ve consented). He also caught her getting drunk on wine by herself one time and she convinced him to join her. It was like drinking with your uncle.

I would give some wasteland ones but they are spoilers so they must wait…

16. Biggest regret

Not asking more questions of her dad and generally being quite shy as a kid. She could tell certain questions (about the outside world, the overseer, her mom) were a really sore subject for her dad, so to spare him she decides to stop asking him hard questions. He’s stressed enough with the clinic and the lab and being a single parent as it is. I think she also regrets being so shy/to herself during her younger years - because she can tell the vault residents don’t universally love her dad (even when he’s really nice and helps everyone?) she just decides she can’t make a scene or act out and put a bigger target on his back, so she can’t really be a normal teenager and get into trouble. It’s a different level of responsibility when you know your dad has a target on his back for some unknown reason. But then out in the wasteland she can’t really be irresponsible either, so she doesn’t get a chance to relax :(

32. Favorite weapon/weapon class

The Chinese assault rifle is her shiiiit. Technically she loves her baseball bat but I think she avoids using it because memories and also fuck up close and personal fights. The few times she has to she gets emotional and cries because it just keeps getting ruined with every hit so it goes into storage pretty quickly.

39. Fave song

Felicity doesn’t like sad songs… there’s enough of that in her life. So she only listens to fun stuff (civilization, anything goes). I also HC that she likes down in Mexico by the coasters… I read a good kink meme fill about that song with butchxlw so I’m totally normal about it now. She will also listen to classical music with no lyrics bc head empty just vibes.

Unrelated to the question but she really really hates butcher Pete. She was humming the tune under her breath (bc why does three dog have it in rotation so much!!) and Butch started laughing at her… she said idk why a song about this violent guy is so popular but it is catchy… imagine the look on her face when Butch told her it was about sex. Oh he still hasn’t let that one go.

[mrsbsmooth]

going back in time with this ask bc i feel like s3 doesn't get talked about as much as the others (even though i am enjoying the discourse about the new seasons). feel free to answer all or just pick your faves!

• best aspect of s3?

• worst aspect of s3?

• li who needs more love?

• character who you want to like but just can't?

• thoughts on the yacht trip spinoff/whatchamacallit?

• favorite quote/line/interaction (that you can remember)?

• how many times have you replayed it?

• whose routes have you done?

FINALLY SOMEONE ASKS ME ABOUT S3 I actually LOVED IT!!!!!! So thank you so much for the ask!!!!

• best aspect of s3?

The art style. I love it. MC is so cute, her outfits are incredible, I know it's Disney-esque but I hugely prefer it to S4/5!

• worst aspect of s3?

The lack of Drama. Bleugh.

• li who needs more love?

Anyone who has ever come near me with even a sniff of Season 3 knows my answer to this. Ciaran. Ciaran Ciaran Ciaran. If you give him a chance he is the sweetest, most loyal, most wonderful LI, he's so fucking cute, and he's really open and honest. I didn't write 100k+ words about the guy for nothing.

• character who you want to like but just can't?

I would say Harry, but I don't want to like him. He's a whiny child. So I'm gonna say.... Rafi. I was already hardcore sold on all my LIs by the time he came in, and he's such a lovely wonderful guy, but I can't help but get annoyed at him for how hard he grafts.

• thoughts on the yacht trip spinoff/whatchamacallit?

I hate that I fought with my LI. But it had Kerry in it so I actually love it.

• favorite quote/line/interaction (that you can remember)?

the fight. the fight between your original LI and the new one who steals you. I pretty much always did Bill's route, and if you tell him you want to be with him, he tells Ciaran/Tai 'We were really starting something really special!', but- BUT- If you've been moving/pulling away from him for the new people, he says the saddest thing ever:

'I already felt like I was losing her. I just wanted one more chance with her'.

Idk why but that absolutely BROKE me the first time I played through. I'd gone in hard on Tai and I had to replay it arrhhhhh sobbing.

• how many times have you replayed it?

All the way through? Probably 9 or 10 times?

• whose routes have you done?

Most of them are just Ciaran playthroughs because I miss him, but I've gone all the way through with Camilo, Bill, and Tai as well. I tried doing a Yas route but she's annoying.

[lurkingteapot]

bad buddy fandom getting-to-know-you meme!

tagged by @mahuhumaling and @galauvant, meme created by @fiercynn

note: i consider "fanworks" to pretty much everything people create related to a fandom, including but not limited to meta/analysis/discussion, gifs, fanvids/edits/fancams, filk, fanart, fanfic, fan food, fan crafts, etc. please include this note with the meme unless you have a different definition!

name and whatever you want to share about yourself I'm tpt! 30s, queer, brainweird, language nerd, been reading BL and slash and other queer lit since before the turn of the millennium and probably (hopefully) never gonna stop.

when did you watch bad buddy/join the fandom? I watched the first episode the day after it aired. Went in knowing nothing about it except the English title, which I thought was thoroughly unappealing, and the promo image. Came out of ep 1 convinced Paa was the only person with any sense on the entire show, but sufficiently intrigued (ointment sharing! Line ID shenanigans!) to keep watching. So I watched as it aired from ep 2, and when the bus stop scene rolled around, I blocked the airing time slot out in my calendar so I could watch live (which didn't work out for ALL eps, but … close enough). I did find a regular group to squee with after ep 5, but didn't really interact with fandom beyond that little bit of squeeing with friends and looking at fan art until after ep 9, I think. This was the first Thai BL show I watched week to week, and that also made it special to me.

favorite ship(s) Pat/Pran.

favorite character(s) Used to be Pran no contest, but Pat worked his way into my heart in the later episodes. couldn't choose now. they're all favourites.

favorite episode(s) I really love episodes 3-5 and 10/11. but honestly I love the show as a whole, and the episodes in the context they exist in. Except for the gun subplot.

favorite scene(s)  the opening sequence of ep 2! also episode 3 bus stop scene (and Pat's way of accomodating Pran in it), ep 4 sleepover scene, ep 5 Pat's realisation/the fight, ep 6 gate convo scene, ep 8 fight/apology scene, ep 9 hand-holding scene, ep 10 Our Song teaser scene and confrontation scenes, ep 11 affirmation/we got to go back scene and wishful thinking sequence, ep 12 bar scene.

one thing you would change about the show if you could I'd adjust the pacing of ep 12 so the fake-out is a smaller part of the whole thing proportionally.

what are your some of your favorite fanworks made by other people? It's really hard to pick. I love SO MANY. Even just the authors whose fic I list here have written more than one of my faves each. but let's see:

fic (missing scene): keeps me warm by unsungyellowraincoat (@isaksbestpillow). direct ep 8 aftermath exploration that made me ache.

fic (canon divergence): fight or flight (worth the wait) by jabber_moose (@galauvant). Ep 2 canon divergence wherein Pran is discovered under Pat's bed.

fic (AU): Pinocchio by aworkingprinter (@miscellar). In which Pran has an obvious, unsuppressable tell when he lies.

fan animation: international love song by @architectxengineer

fan art: this pic by @ thatgothsamurai was one of the first things I saw in this fandom in the way of art and it's stuck with me

(if you create fanworks) what are your favorite fanworks that you’ve made?

fic: the only truth that sticks (<5k, G) is my take on Pran's mother's backstory, told as vignettes from her school years. There's a lot I'd do differently if I wrote it now – not give her a nickname, for one – but it's nevertheless my baby; when I started it, I hadn't finished and posted any fic in over 20 years.

I had a collection of random language- and storytelling related observations about the show on twitter that I should probably copy over somewhere else at some point for preservation purposes.

there's an epic canon divergence that lives only in my friend's and my DMs and a back-up doc that I'm starting to think will never take full shape, but I love it anyway. There's also an escalating intimacy thing set vaguely pre-canon plus ep 7 to time skip that I've not added to in a year and probably won't finish, either, but again: love what I've got there.

a song that makes you think of bbs (the ones in the show don’t count lol) If it's a bittersweet love song I'm PatPraning it. But specifically: Tilly Birds' เพื่อนเล่น ไม่เล่นเพื่อน (Just Being Friendly) and pretty much the entire tracklist from the ON Thailand fanmeet, especially แดงกับเขียว (Red and Green) by TaitosmitH, แน่ใจไหม (Are You Sure) by Nont Tanont, อย่าใกล้กันเลย (We shouldn't be close) in Aof Pongsak's version, and ดวงเดือน (Moon) by Joey Phuwasit.

idk anything else you want us to know? I love this show. I love the hopeful ending. I love all the recurring characters (yes, that includes Wai and the parents), with all their flaws. I love how gently P'Aof tells this story – the way he approaches entrenched BL clichés, picks them up, examines them, and puts them back down: does it have to go this way? not for us, not for this story, let's look at how else this could go. He said he wanted to make a typical, an ordinary BL, and he did, and he didn't.

I love that I met so many nice people through our mutual love of this show. I love that we're still on the rooftop nearly two years later.

I love that there's so many sides of this fandom – analytical, transformative, curative, and everything in between.

I have completely lost track of who has and hasn't done this yet, but IF you see this and think, hey, this seems fun! and decide to do it, please tag?

[aerodaltonimperial]

Prompt: They won their match but lost each other in the months that followed. So Hook's not expecting the text he gets one afternoon on a quiet day in the middle of his bogus suspension: "What could Danhausen have done differently?"

(You know me too well and keep hitting all my damn fave tropes lmao lmao)

He's already hit the gym, had breakfast, and marathoned an entire season of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (which will never, ever go anywhere beyond himself and his Netflix account), so admittedly, he's already in a fairly odd state of mind when the text comes through, which might explain why all he can do is stare at it for several minutes stretched long and languid.

What could Danhausen have done differently?

Hook's heart thunders against his ribs.

Done differently? Is he...is he talking about them, like them as in the heavy with meaning, full of finality them Hook still finds himself choking on in the darkest parts of the night? But neither of them have bothered to reach out for months: their whirlwind tag team had slowed into only occasional lunches, then to a few erratic texts, and then...silence.

Of all the things that Hook regrets, this is easily the biggest one; the one that sometimes stumbles him when it gums up his legs, the one that still sends butterflies out into his stomach when he catches sight of the familiar face paint backstage. He's out of it, and bored, and antsy and that's the only reason that his fingers manage to type back a reply before the roar of self-preservation panic can stop them.

It wasn't your fault. Hits send.

Then his heart flares huge, swelling through his throat as he struggles to keep his food down. He shouldn't have answered. He shouldn't have--

His phone screen lights up. But Danhausen must have done something wrong.

"No," Hook whispers, to his quiet apartment, the space he barely knows anymore. Writes back: You did nothing wrong.

The seconds feel like hours.

Then why did Hook disappear? Danhausen thought we were friends.

We were friends, Hook types, and hates how awful it sounds. Past tense? Well, he certainly can't lie, not about this.

The response: What happened? Please tell me.

Hook bites down on his lip. Thinks. Hates the way his stomach has begun to churn.

Before he has time to formulate a reply, another message comes through: Danhausen misses Hook very much.

Hook misses Danhausen so much he's fairly certain he'll be devoured by the agony, but he can't...he doesn't know how to write it, explain it.

He's stuck, unable to offer an explanation that doesn't give his whole heart away. And he's too fucking scared; that's the rub. He's always been too fucking scared, and so he bolted.

He must delay far too long, because Danhausen sends another text, clearly assuming Hook is refusing the rest of the conversation: It's okay. Hook is not beholden to Danhausen. He does not need to explain anything. But

The text stops. There's nothing more. Why isn't there anything more? Hook stopped breathing two minutes ago.

Finally, the rest pops up: Danhausen thinks Hook is more valuable than anything else in the world, even if Hook never wants to speak to him again.

"What?" Hook inhales, the air cutting like glass shards along his throat. His nerves flare spiky, barbed.

He types, blindly, head spinning, you were the only thing I could think about. All the time.

He breathes. Thinks he might die right here, on his couch.

Really? His phone displays. But Hook was the only thing Danhausen wanted. All the time.

He can't...he can't mean that...

Hook writes: wanted how?

In every way possible, comes the reply.

Hook slams his thumb down on the green CALL button so hard he nearly breaks his phone. It rings once, twice, and then Danhausen picks up with a cautious, "Hook?"

"I've loved you since June," Hook says, and he doesn't know how, isn't sure how he gets the damn words out past his teeth, isn't sure how he hasn't puked by now. "D, I couldn't... I didn't know how..."

"Oh," Danhausen says, an exhale. A sigh. "Oh, Hook. We have been very foolish."

"Have we?" Hook whispers. He's too afraid to hope.

"Yes," Danhausen says, soft. "Hook. Danhausen loves you, too."

Hook swallows, his whole body shaking. "Yeah?"

"Mm." There's a pause, and some sort of scuffle in the background, noise Hook can't identify. "Hold please, Hook. Danhausen has just seen Stokely."

"What--"

"I'll call you back," Danhausen says. "Danhausen must go commit murder for you."

"Wait, wait, wait--"

"Hello, Stokely!" He hears, just before the line clicks dead, leaving Hook to stare at his phone trying to figure out what just happened and how to function normally with the euphoria mixed with trepidation flooding through his veins.

What, and he cannot emphasize this enough, the fuck?

[ghoulgirlwrites]

God Only Knows What I’d Be Without You

Pairing: Mikey Way x Female Reader

Era: The Black Parade

Requested by: Anon

Word Count: ~1500

Summary/Request: Hello! Maybe if you don't mind you could please write a black parade era mikey x reader with she/her pronouns please. I was thinking maybe he's having a bad day and she let's him sleep on her couch and (with consent:) it turns into kissing. Thank u very much!

A/N: Sorry this took SO long, but it's been a crazy year. Enjoy! Title taken from God Only Knows by The Beach Boys, one of my faves

--

You’d been best friends with Mikey since you were kids, having been next door neighbors in Jersey. Of course, you supported him when he’d started a band with his older brother, Gerard, and you were so excited when the band blew up, drawing in fans from all over the world.

Mikey had recently moved out to LA for recording, meanwhile you’d stayed in Jersey, living in an apartment with a friend you’d met in college. You missed Mikey terribly, but you’d never admit just how much. Your other friends teased you mercilessly about him already, you shuddered to think what they might do with that information.

You’d just woken up and went into the kitchen to make coffee, when your cell phone rang, Mikey’s name popping up on the screen.

“Hey!” You said, and you felt yourself beginning to smile.

“Hi,” he said, his voice stretched thin.

“What’s wrong?” You asked, immediately picking up on the exhaustion in his voice.

He sighed. “I--I messed everything up.”

You frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Just--just recording stuff. I’ll tell you more later, since I’m coming home,” he said.

“Coming home?” You asked, convinced you’d heard him wrong.

“Yeah, they kinda told me to take some time off, so I’ll land in Jersey this evening,” he said, sounding utterly defeated.

Your chest clenched. “Aw Mikes, I’m so sorry. I can pick you up from the airport and you can stay with me for as long as you need.”

“Really?” He asked.

“Yeah, totally. My roommate’s gone for the weekend and I’m sure she won’t mind even when she gets back,” you said.

“Thanks, Y/N,” he said.

“Of course. Is there anything else you need?” You asked.

“No, I should be good. My flight gets in at eight tonight,” he said.

“Sounds good. I’ll be there.”

There was a beat of silence.

“Y/N?”

“Yeah?”

“I can’t wait to see you,” he said.

“Same here.”

He gave you his flight info, then you hung up shortly after that. You quickly set out to clean your apartment to make sure it was ready for when Mikey arrived, until it was time for you to go pick him up at the airport. The drive went by quickly and soon, you found yourself at baggage claim, keeping an eye out for your tall friend.

Sure enough, you spotted his dark blonde hair from across the way and quickly ran to him. You could see the exhaustion in his eyes, but as soon as he saw you, his whole face lit up in a big grin, one that he usually reserved just for you.

He set down his bags to pull you into a big hug. You felt him press his cheek into the top of your head as you breathed in his comforting scent. It seemed crazy how much you missed him. All too soon, you both pulled away and you looked up at him.

“How was your flight?” You asked.

He sighed. “Long. I’m ready to be home with you.”

“Well, lucky for you, that’s exactly where we’re going,” you said.

You helped him carry his bags to the car and loaded them in the trunk. The drive to your place was quiet. You wanted to hear all about the recording process, but you knew that was a touchy subject for Mikey right now, so you didn’t push him. When you glanced over at him, you saw him gazing out the window, looking as if his mind was miles away from here. You weren’t sure what had happened, but you hoped the other guys hadn’t been too hard on Mikey.

You got back to your apartment and decided to order Mexican food for delivery. As you sat on your couch eating together, you turned to Mikey.

“So what happened?” You asked.

He sighed, looking away from you. “It’s just…there’s so much pressure on us to make a good record after Three Cheers and Gerard isn’t in a good place and also did I mention that the mansion where we’re staying is haunted and really creepy?”

He paused, and you tried to think of what to say next, but he wasn’t done. “So one day I couldn’t do whatever everyone expected from me and Ray yelled at me and I just…couldn’t do it anymore. That’s when I called you and said I was coming home.”

“Do they know where you are?” You asked.

He swallowed. “Yeah. I told Gerard I was leaving and I said he could tell the others. I couldn’t stay longer to tell all of them.”

“I understand.”

“I just--I don’t know what I’m going to do. I don’t know if I can finish the album like this,” he whispered.

You took his hand in yours, causing him to look up at you, pain in his hazel eyes. “Don’t think about that. I know it’s hard, but right now, you need to focus on taking care of yourself. You can stay here with me for as long as you need.”

He nodded. “Thanks, Y/N. That’s exactly what I needed to hear.”

Once the two of you finished eating, you decided to put on a movie to wind down. You found yourself snuggling into him and pretty soon, his arm was around your shoulders. Suddenly, the movie seemed utterly boring and you found yourself peeking up at Mikey. Your cheeks burned as you realized he was already watching you, but instead of looking away, he held your gaze. You both leaned in, and soon, your lips met his. His mouth was soft and warm against yours as he caressed your cheek with fingers calloused from bass playing.

Too soon, you broke away. You could see the pink in his cheeks and you guessed yours were just as red. You each turned back to the movie, as if it was suddenly the most exciting thing in the world.

Mikey didn’t last long after that. You ended up sitting on the end of the sofa with his head in your lap, running your fingers through his hair as he dozed.

The movie ended and he was still fast asleep, so you excused yourself to your own room and went to sleep, hoping he had what he needed for the night. You didn’t want to wake him to find out.

--

You awoke early the next morning. Mikey was still asleep on the couch, so you decided to put the coffee pot on and start making breakfast. The aroma of the coffee must have stirred him from his rest because you heard him groan and yawn. You poured him a cup, done up with a little cream and lots of sugar, just how he liked it. He was just sitting up and stretching when you came in the room with a mug in each hand and gave him his. He smiled gratefully at you.

“Morning,” you said.

“Morning, thanks for the coffee.”

You smiled. “Of course.”

“Can I help with breakfast?” He asked, peering over your shoulder in the direction of the kitchen.

“You don’t have to, but I wouldn’t mind the extra help,” you said.

“I’d love to!” He said, getting up from the couch and stretching again.

You’d decided to keep it simple this morning, just eggs and toast. He took over scrambling the eggs while you made the toast.

“Y/N?” He asked.

“Yeah?”

“I wanted to talk about the kiss.”

You gulped. “Okay.”

“Look, you know me. You know I don’t…I don’t do stuff like that very often. And I’d never do anything to hurt our friendship. That wasn’t just a kiss to me,” he said.

“Me neither,” you said.

You heard him take a deep breath. “And uh…there’sHello! Maybe if you don't mind you could please write a black parade era mikey x reader with she/her pronouns please. I was thinking maybe he's having a bad day and she let's him sleep on her couch and (with consent:) it turns into kissing. Thank u very much!…there’s another reason why I left. I mean…that I left and came here.”

“What is it?” 

He was quiet for a moment, as if he was weighing what he’d say next. “I like you. A lot. And I just thought…that even if I lost MCR, that at least I’d have you. Is that stupid?”

You shook your head. “No, of course not! I like you too, Mikes. I’ve been trying to think of a way to tell you for ages, but I guess you beat me to it.” You couldn’t help but smile.

He returned your smile. “Guess so.”

“And for what it’s worth, I don’t think you’ll lose MCR. I just think you need a little break and soon you’ll be back and better than ever. And I know the album’s gonna be great.”

“You haven’t heard it yet!”

“That’s how much I believe in you.”

You finished making breakfast and ate together. The two of you found it hard to keep from grinning at each other, and pretty soon, your cheeks ached. After breakfast, you decided to lay back down together in your bed, Mikey curled up behind you, his arm draped around your waist. It was the most comfortable you’d been in ages.

[hella1975]

hey hella here's my ethel cain commentary, songs in no particular order it's just my faves I had thoughts on. also my favorite song is strangers and my favorite album was preacher's daughter

a house in nebraska: love this one, the yearning is insane, don't know why bbgirl picked nebraska though. you could pick a state anywhere in the midwest and you pick nebraska? like I get it's for the Vibes but was there no other state that properly captured the Vibes? also it could just be the brainrot talking but this song is sooo [REDACTED] (the "house in nebraska" being the [REDACTED] ofc)

sun bleached flies: "god loves you, but not enough to save you." god loves you, but not enough to save you. god loves you, but not enough to save you. god loves you, but NOT ENOUGH TO SAVE YOU. GOD LOVES YOU, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO- anyway. ethel cain unrelease this. ethel cain put this thing back where it came from or so help me

western nights: I just really like this one. it's a really pretty song. until you look up the lyrics. naturally.

american teenager: "I don't need anything from anyone, It's just NOT MY YEAR, BUT I'M ALL GOOD OUT HERE! SAY WHAT YOU WANT, BUT SAY IT LIKE YOU MEAN IT WITH YOUR FISTS FOR ONCE!!!" love this song love this song love this song

hard times: this one is so heartbreaking, I hear this and my mood takes an instant cliff dive. it's almost as bad for my mental state as your saddest great achievement by lucy eaton. I don't even have daddy issues. also the thing you said about this apparently being about sa makes this so much worse when I listen to it and instinctively go "oh this is so [blorbo with daddy issues]" and then I remember it's about sa and I feel uncomfortable and I'm like "oh it's not THAT serious for the blorbo though ://" it sounds very general though so it'll probably still make it onto blorbo playlists

inbred: you were so right about this song using lyricism most artists would shy away from, "pissing on the stove to put it out" "sucking on the back of his leg to stay warm" "touch me till i vomit" this is such a Gross song (affectionate) I love this one so much

head in a wall: something about the guitar chords in this one appeals to me so much. it feels familiar? classic? idk but I like it

golden age: all I have to say is miss cain maybe should take this one back too methinks

crush: "LOW SLUNG BAD BITCH BABY COME AND GET YOU SOME" this slaps. no notes.

strangers: "I tried to be good, am I no good? am I no good? am I no good? with my memory restricted to a polaroid in evidence, I just wanted to be yours, can I be yours? can I be yours? just tell me I'm yours, if I'm turning in your stomach and I'm making you feel sick" :(((( I am obsessed with this one it's so everything to me, it makes me insane. especially the cannibalism part bc I love weird shit in songs (also I think I have a slight fascination with cannibalism and I think it's bc I read a book about the donner party at 12) also there's something about how the lyrics at the end are listed as "mama just know that I love you (I do)" but no matter what I try to hear it sounds like she's saying "mama just know that I love you (and I lied to you)" but anyway the way she's being devoured by her lover? the mommy issues? the winn dixie name drop? she went off with this one

ptolmaea: I love this song it's so distressing. I need more Evil Music that is an Actively Harmful Listening Experience. very cathartic. however, I listen to music when just like. doing dishes and shit. I can't have my hands in dirty dishwater and be hearing "make it stop make it stop make it stop stop stop stop stop stop STOP AAAAAAHHHHH" however, it probably would be good to listen to when I'm sitting in my hammock in the woods, if I wanted to feel like I was in a found footage horror movie

family tree (intro): "jesus can always reject his father, but he can not escape his mother's blood" "swinging by my neck from the family tree" I'm so. I'm sooo. I'm eating drywall. I'm gonna stick my hand in a wood chipper. I'm gonna shove my head in the dirt. what the fuck. I love when people interpret jesus as a complicated figure. I don't fuck with christianity but from a narrative and artistic standpoint there is. so much. also you bringing [REDACTED] into this makes me feel so mentally ill

also I wrote all of this before looking up the lyrics on genius and shit got twice as interesting for the preacher's daughter album when I looked it up. what the fuck. I love narratives

real ones know that this ask and the journey it went on entitles rori to every horrible mean thing she says to me. i deserve it

[everyonewooeverywhere]

pookie I dunno anything about riize but I'd love for you to show me their pictures and ramble about your fave <3

hehehe ok~~~

this should go w/o saying, but i am ot7 all the way. so you know...fuck sm actually

anyway~

this shit is kinda long...sorry not sorry

picking a fave is really really hard for me soooo...i'm just gonna talk about all of them if ya don't mind 😀 (i am wonbin & anton biased though...i think)

so, talent-wise, i've been a pretty big fan of shotaro for a while. he is such a phenomenal dancer. like his rhythm and body control is fucking insane.

here are some must watches of him dancing : 1 | 2 | 3

other than his talent, i love listening to him talk 🫠 he's pretty soft-spoken and his little giggle? 😔 i love him

eunseok is a cheeky bitch, and i love him for it. he gives the energy that he would relentlessly make fun of his partner. it's like his love language.

also his cheekbones??? higher that god fr

i've always wanted to just pat sungchan on the head. like *pat pat* you know? granted dude is tall as fuck so he'd have to crouch down so i could give him a good pat, but i feel like he'd be willing.

i also randomly think about his verse in "90's love" like once a month ✌️

one thing i love about wonbin is that he will always serve cunt. genuinely, the face card goes so fucking hard i cannot.

personally, this little "mysterious pretty boy" persona sm has got him doing cracks me up because boo just wants to be silly 24/7. and he is. go watch a couple episodes of "we riize" and i promise you will understand.

SPEAKING OF FACE CARDS. good god 🫠

genuinely fuck sm for depriving us of seunghan. this man is actually so stunning that i can't breathe.

other than just a pretty face though i could genuinely fall asleep to the sound of him just talking. his deep raspy voice is the kinda shit that actually makes me melt.

also is just a silly guy. baby come home i miss you 🥺

sohee gives major toddler energy. like not in the sense that he's immature, but he is like riize's child. they love him. i love him. we all love him.

i honestly do feel like in another universe him and i would be great friends though. idk he just gives me that vibe.

fun fact about me....the closer an idol i like gets to my age the more delusional i get because like, would i go for a 25+ yo man rn?? fuck no. but someone less than a year older than me?? of course 😌 (i have a whole "subunit" of idols that fit into this don't worry. ask me about sometime i'd love to spill)

anyway, that rant aside, i fucking love anton (for many more reasons than us being close in age 💀). he is genuinely so fucking hilarious (source: riize tiktok captions). i'm in love with his energy. we would definitely vibe well together i can just tell.

he's also so college!bf coded (ofc he is he's literally 20 💀). BUT i'm currently hunting my campus for my anton lee dupe.

[huntinglove]

Peaches, pond, and moonlight for the selfship game!

Hi hi!! Thank you so much for the ask!! I'll answer these for my current faves!!

Peaches - How did you and your F/O meet?

I met Charlie because of a blind date! The app we were both using was really strict about not sharing your personal information through the chats, so we agreed to meet up and talk face to face! I was actually using the app to find some friends, because I had just moved into town, but... I'm glad we went a step further.

I ended up being a few minutes late and when I got there he was nowhere to be seen, I thought he had left so I went to a cafe to relax instead. I'm not sure how he found me, but he ended up buying me a slice of cake and sending me a note, apologizing for being late! I decided to join him in his booth and have our date anyways!

He was absolutely sweet and adorable all the way throughout it all and we even shared the slice of cake while we got to know each other! I caved and ended up telling him that I was already in love with him afterwards, he was blushing and smiling so hard he ended up passing out because of what I said (⁠╥⁠﹏⁠╥⁠)

I met Alma when I was staying on campus during the night! I had to finish and submit an assignment to one of my professors, so I ended up staying there until a little bit over two in the morning... When I went to take the elevator so I could go home, the thing got stuck and I guess Alma heard me calling for help and decided to give me a hand!

When they approached me I was... Terrified! They crawled out of the elevator's walls like something straight out of a horror movie, I think it made me black out for a second...

Once I woke up again, they were very kind and patient and we talked for a good while, just getting to know each other! They gave me some tips about my essay's hypothesis, I helped them pick a name for themselves because they didn't remember the one from when they were alive and they even told me about how they passed away...

They decided to help me out because I was nice to them, so they lowered the elevator to the ground floor and opened the doors so I could leave! We kept in close contact after that, both because I started staying late more often and because I took a job as the campus' night guard!

I met Mychael on the day I went looking for my missing cat... I guess I was a bit unprepared because I didn't think it'd take as long as it did, I forgot to pack water and food before I went into the woods. I also remember stepping in a circle of mushrooms and passing out because of the spores.

When I woke up, I was in a cozy looking cabin, laying in bed and covered by a soft blanket. My body couldn't move at all, and that's when Mychie showed up! He gave me some medicinal tea to help me regain movement and relax, asked if I was okay and was very kind and caring overall.

I don't know why, but I swear I thought he was a cosplayer when I first looked at him... I didn't mind it when he told me that he wasn't human, especially with how adorable he looks!

Pond - How do you get along with your F/O’s friends?

Charlie is quite shy and struggles a bit with befriending people, so I haven't met any of his friends yet, but we spend most of our time with one another anyways! I'm sure we'll get along great when we get to know each other though, anyone who's kind to him already has my trust!

Alma says they were always a loner, plus there aren't any other ghosts in the building... They say that other than being their partner, I'm also their best friend! Which is an absolute honor to me, of course!!

Mychael has an easier time befriending animals because they're not as judgemental as humans. It took quite some time for him to believe that I wasn't scared or upset by his appearance when we first met...

He jokes about his only friends being his lovely little hens in his backyard! They're all so adorable that I can't even blame him, I even got to hold and pet Sunny for a good while!

While it seems like my darlings have a certain.. pattern... I can confidently say that my friends absolutely adore them! They always have such kind things to say whenever we hang out together or when I bring them up in conversation!!

Moonlight - Freebie! Say anything you’d like about your F/O

Charlie gives the best hugs, even if he won't ever admit it himself! He holds me in a way that doesn't feel underwhelming or suffocating, it's like I was made to be in his arms, and he was made to be in his!

When we haven't been around each other for a while, he'll just hug me while we're sitting down and gently away side to side for comfort and reassurance, it's very nice!!

Alma really likes to feed my body and play with my hair whenever they possess me, though they have a rough time asking for it. They enjoy being able to experience actual bodily sensations again, and I'm more than happy to lend myself to them to help them achieve that!

Mychael is an incredibly fast learner, teaching him my first language has been very fun and easy! He has an easier time with writing and reading, compared to speech, which is absolutely understandable. He also has a lovely singing voice and I always catch him humming our favorite songs when he's working on chores or knitting!

[loki-is-my-kink-awakening]

Fave shows tag game

Rules: List 5 favourite shows (in no particular order) and answer questions accordingly.

Thanks @the-evil-stick for the tag. Your answers were amazing. I adored them.

Anyway, let's go.

Loki

The Witcher

Shadow and Bone

Midnight Mass

Our Flag Means Death

My answers below the cut.

1. Who is your favourite character in 2?

No question, it's Jaskier. My absolute baby. The main character. There is no one else.

2. Who is your least favourite character in 1?

Can I pick Kang since he manipulated Loki even when he was in the TVA and not in the sacred timeline? And everyone else he controlled.

3. What's your favourite episode of 4?

Episode 5. It's very Riley-centric and he's my fave from this show. He deals with a lot this episode.

4. What is your favourite season of 5?

Lmao, I could go out on a limb and say S2, but since we don't even have a trailer yet, I'm gonna stick with S1.

5. What's your favourite relationship in 3?

Wesper. A close second is Kanej. But Wesper are my absolute fave.

6. Who is your anti relationship in 2?

Not really into Yenralt on their own. As a poly with Jaskier, yes. Mainly, that ship needs more Jaskier in it.

Everything needs more Jaskier in it.

7. How long have you watched 1?

I've watched through twice completely and watched various parts over and over on occasion.

8. How did you become interested in 3?

The show came out on Netflix. We watched the first episode. Partner didn't like it. I went away and starred reading the books, then went back and watched the show. Then I realised I was missing something, which was Six of Crows and I started reading those books, too.

9. Who is your favourite actor in 4?

Hamish Linklater is amazing. The way he plays John/Paul is so good.

10. Which show do you prefer 1, 2 or 5?

Oooh, hard one. At the moment, with a bi bard becoming an actuality that will be shown-on-screen canon, I'm gonna go with The Witcher.

Of course, we have lots of queer rep in OFMD but I'm very obsessed with Jaskier, if you can't tell.

11. Which show have you seen more episodes of 1 or 3?

There are more episodes in Shadow and Bone, so that one.

12. If you could be anyone from 4, who would you be?

Warren Flynn. I live.

13. How would you kill off your favourite character in 5?

Buttons sets fire to the ship in a last ditch attempt to distract the big bads and let everyone escape, before he dives into the welcome arms of the sea.

14. Would a 3/4 crossover work?

Saints and God. Alina having to go to Crockett Island to get an amplifier, which is the Angel.

Or Saints vs God. Each side trying to wow more followers by having better miracles.

Could be something in it.

15. Pair two characters in 1 that would make an unlikely, but strangely okay couple.

Okay, total crack. Casey and Miss Minutes.

16. Overall, which show has the better cast, 3 or 5?

That's difficult because I love, love, love the Six of Crows characters, but I have to say Our Flag Means Death has a great cast overall.

Tagging @waterhorseyblues-ao3 @insert-witty-user-name-here @cha-melodius @mirilyawrites @mimisempai @rins-love-wins @chaos-monkeyy @johnsimms @bigpeepee @abitofboth if you or anyone else wants to do this.

[myrmica]

what are your fave ee songs? i like making big playlist of "reset my music taste" to learn 🪲

THIS IS SUCH A FUN QUESTION OOOOOHHHHHH. if i was going to recommend a single album get to heaven is a good entry point and some of their best work, and very dense in terms of ideas put into a single album and it changed my life. in terms of specific songs much deliberation is required so i had to think about it for a while... but here is a sampling that spans their entire discography:

to the blade

Well, you called him a liar And you called him a piece of dirt And never can you take it back and Never can you make it right In the final seconds I think he knew everything you are A plague on the horizon In the cold arena where you're Trapped In the moment you met In the lifetime alive

it's hard to pick definitive favorites but this IS one of them

the wheel (is turning now)

Bone, to the blade, my letter, white feather, no halves Dread, that's what the devil said, my prison, my prison, my guard

duet

But of all the dead volcanoes on Earth You just happened to retch and roll through mine There were fistfuls of hair 'Round the foot of my chair And acres of screens before me But breathing out, I swear you were real

kemosabe

Four walls and a cauldron of Kalashnikoving And our home is a trigger that I'm always pulling At the border, at the, at the border I'm at the border, at the, at the border The short spears and the weak eternal monologuing And our war is the crucible of all your longing

don't try

Don't try to hide it, no, don't try Don't try to hide it, no, don't try 'Cause it'll have you in the end

good shot, good soldier

If I promise to be good And split open the grave mouth Would you take me to paradise? If my bones just fall away And my skin is a dust cloud Would you siphon my soul from air?

white whale

Never tell me that we can't go further

cold reactor

And maybe I'll go missing in the rain If God is in the mountain he won't answer me a single question Like, "Why does everybody feel the same?" The slow degeneration and the crying out, "Oh Lord, have mercy"

violent sun

And you heard it from the whispering wall Like the miracle of anything at all There's a way that you don't ever have to be a Lunatic or an error Or a prisoner of your terror

the mariana

The devil took me underwater He filled my lungs so I could change

jennifer

Try it again, try it another way

i thought i would include more from raw data feel because it's a very good album but it's harder to separate any song out from the whole, in comparison to something like get to heaven where basically every song could be a good introduction to the band on it's own. i chose jennifer because it's a 'simpler' song that still really sells the emotional beat it's trying to hit, and because it's a good example of the thing raw data feel does where some of the returning characters and metaphors throughout everything everything's music are stripped away a little or confronted, in relation to the album's themes about talking around the things that have happened to you, or refusing to look directly at yourself.

tin (the manhole)

I can not imagine the things they did to you I can not imagine the way it feels for you I can feel the gravity rushing into me I am but a hole in the fabric of the scene I was but a drop in the ocean all along

one time i was driving at night and a fox ran across the road in front of me while this song was playing…!

qwerty finger

So how will they remember us whole when we turn into salt? And it's mine, the fault Mine the dream and the vein, home of whale flesh Make soap out of it!

two for nero

I'm sure you'll make a decent Father, there's a world war coming in

maybe an odd choice but I'm very fond of it. the sense of time passing is interesting to me: this is something you see in a lot of ee songs, a feeling of distance or wideness. these processes occurring over generations, and the narrow viewpoints a person has to look out at, or back at them from, and the ability to imagine other viewpoints though we can never actually inhabit them. in contrast to the way that a song like tin (the manhole) moves from the starting point of a single, tiny creature and the mass of its biological history into the larger, top-down perspective of a greater power—both positions looking at and interacting with humanity from the outside, two for nero shows you that process from the inside, through a conversation between two parties intimately subject to the forces of time! it also makes me think of the thing they do in UR KZ MY BF (or get to heaven, or armourland...), which is about showing you two images overlaid—very literally trying to be an auditory version of something like martha rosler's collages combining american magazine spreads with vietnam war photos. two for nero deals with the way that memory can also be a source of these overlaid images.

...forgive me i had to get at least one paragraph in

luddites and lambs

Teeth and nails, your little anatomy War on the Tyne, you're playing a lottery Bodies replete with everything, everything All of the prisoners clamouring, clamouring I decide there's nothing in my body How can I be sure there's nothing in my body?

this is the first song they ever wrote and ("partially") where the name of the band comes from, so it kinda feels like a thesis statement