#who's that getting wacked by a guitar???

[sp-growingpains]

STOP TAKING DOODLES SO SERIOUSLY

JUST HAVE FUN!!

Anyway, here are some things that have been plaguing my mind.

[albedomestic-airline]

The Lost Trio hcs ehhehsjhsh

aight I got motivation from someone making this so whoopity dootity here ya gooo

(Valgrace)

so, ya’ll should know by know that these three are the definition of CHAOS (aandd maybe a bit deranged)

Jason having that “scar” (it’s an undercut) and Leo and Piper just being like:

*pushes hair up* tAdAa !

J: *questioning life decisions*

and OOH OOH MOVIE NIGHTS!!!

them having them in cabin 1 ahahhagahahushh

Leo and Jason being up against each other

and Piper just with a lollipop in her mouth

all of them just bundled up on the couch or bed agauhhshss

Leo annoying Jason

going on long ass rambles about mechanics

and Jason listening in awe, just staring at him whsnshjhas

VALGRACEEEEE

ok anyways back to the trio

Piper ranting to the other two about how FUCKING ANNOYING Drew is

amd them comforting her because even girl bosses have their moments yknow

Leo suggesting they go get the Hermes kids’ help

and the other two just being like “NO”

TRAINING TOGETHER SJSHWSMI

Jason and Piper wacking tf out of each other (I stan these two they are my role models)

and Leo watching like “oOoOh !”

and him whipping out a camera to show the video to the others

then Leo and Piper wacking each other

then Leo and Jason wacking each other

I love them sm

Leo showing them things the Hephaestus cabin made

Piper showing them how chaotic yet lovely the Aphrodite cabin is

and Jason showing them how… lonely the Zeus cabin is

ooh ooh ooh Drew still being like “JaSoOoOn ;)” and Jason just full on ignoring her

like, pookie get yo ass tf outta her you dense bitch

he’s just not into you

I know for a fact that the Hephaestus cabin work with the Hermes kids A LOT

like, Hephaestus kids have knowledge on mechanics

Hermes kids can prank!

perfect combo!

maybe if we add the Britomartis cabin too…

sry I’m getting carried away aha

them going on quests together

Piper being the brains who plans for the most part (who/what to kill etc.)

Leo is the one who prepares things for the plan to go out (the machinery and contraptions)

and Jason is the person who executes the plan (aka doing most of the killing and fighting. ofc the other two are also fighting)

Coach Hedge being wary of Piper and Jason being in a room together and Piper just thinking

”but I’m gay and so is he”

I feel like Piper can play the guitar

so when Leo or Jason can’t sleep

she plays it and it knocks them out hilariously fast

them supporting each other during arguments at camp

Drew just standing next to Jason to talk to him and him being like

”ma’am, I’m gay”

(I’m a Drew hater, if you couldn’t tell)

[goggles-mcgee]

Haunted Blessings

This is a ml x dc x dp idea!

Marinette had been fighting an akuma when it happened. It was this little girl named Charlotte who got akumatized because her parents had been ignoring her requests. A friend and party-goer who was at her birthday party explained that 'Lottie' was sad because her parents were too busy to hang out with her and when her special day came, they ignored her wishes. She had wanted a princess themed party with a hired Fairy Godmother that she had seen posters of. Charlotte had apparently taken several of the flyers to put around her house so her parents wouldn't forget what she wanted. They had said they would hire the Fairy Godmother, but the day of the party came, and instead of a Fairy Godmother, Charlotte got a clown...and not a good one either. The clown who was currently stuck in a cage looked like someone bought a cheap clown costume and thought that was that. He didn't even have makeup on.

Charlotte got so upset, and when she had asked her parents why the Fairy Godmother wasn't there, her parents had sheepishly apologized and said the Fairy Godmother was too busy to come to the party. Arnie, Lottie's best friend, said that was a lie because he heard her mom talking to his about how they forgot to hire the Fairy Godmother, and the clown was all they could get last minute. Thus, Charlotte became her own Fairy Godmother. That was her akuma name and theme.

She granted 'wishes', but it was really what she thought people needed. If she hit you with her pixie dust, she could see your wants and needs, apparently. Her parents wanted, no needed, to be by her side and dote on her. That's why they became a king and queen who followed her everywhere. Marinette had been doing her best not to get hit, but Chat hadn't listened to her small plan to distract the akuma while she went back to her house to get some Miraculi that could help and instead he had nearly got them both hit.

Marinette was tired. She had just wanted to hang out with Luka for the day and just have a nice lazy day where she did nothing but lay on the closest surface and lazily existed while Luka played his guitar. But nooooooooo. So there she was trying to escape so she could go grab Vipe-ard (Luka with a new look and name), Honeycomb (Bee! Aurore), and Mossflower ( Mouse! Mireille). They needed help, bad, and her intuition had been screaming that they needed the help of the Snake, Bee, and Mouse. She thought Chat had been covering her, but he got wacked. Who knows how far and all Marinette could do was stare in disbelief and horror as she got hit but the pixie dust.

The akuma cheered but then got quiet and just looked at her for a very long time. Hawkmoth seemed to be trying to talk to Fairy Godmother, but she ignored him. The akuma flew down to her, her eyes filled with tears and said, "You've done so much for us. You're hurting yourself to protect us, and I...I made it worse. I know what you need so I'll help! I'm a good helper!"

Marinette tried to argue or anything, but she was stuck frozen by the power of the pixie dust. She could hear Chat yelling her name before she felt magic gathering at her feet. Before she fell through the now open portal she heard Fairy Godmother one more time.

"You need a break. And help! I'm sending you on a vacation!"

The next thing she knew, she was landing on a roof hard.

♡___♡___♡___♡

Danny would like to state for the record that as much as people liked to think, he knew what he was doing. The fact of the matter was he didn't. I mean, sure, sometimes he did actually know, but when it came to his ghostly powers, everyone and he included were in the dark. There were so many that developed and grew and evolved. Jazz ended up making him a detailed coded list. Now, for the most part, he knew how to use his powers and control them, but some were just so new ans he was just so busy that his newer powers took him by surprise when they acted up.

Case in point being right now. As he was fighting with Walker in the zone because of some shenanigans, he had zoned out when Walker had monologued. Danny had just been trying to free the wrongly imprisoned Infinite Beings from Walker's prison, and apparently, that was a crime, so here he was fighting when he should have been studying again. At some point, Ellie had arrived, and as much as he loved her, because he loved her so much, his Fraid instincts tended to take over if she was near a fight. He needed to protect his little sister-daughter-cousin.

It was a common thing, according to Frostbite. Danny, being the older of the Fraidmates, meant his protective instincts went a little wild when anyone he considered Fraid was in danger or something he perceived to be danger. But since he was a baby ghost still (lame), his instincts weren't easy to work around and talk sense into so he would become one-track minded.

So, really, it wasn't his fault! It was his dumb baby instincts that caused his portal powers to kick in and open a random portal to who knows where and fly like a bat out of hell to get Ellie and himself away from the danger. His portal spit them out thankfully somewhere loaded with ambient ecto, but they hit a roof hard. Not enough to break through, but enough to hurt a little. Both Halfa's groaned in unison, but it was a third groan that made them freeze.

Whilst he still had a hold on Ellie, as she was not fond of his Baby Instincts kicking in, really disliked how clingy he got. She was fine with his usual hugs. She even ought them out sometimes. But his instincts triggered her own set of Baby Instincts, and she hated it. But there was a little window of time where she would just accept it because of her Instincts and wouldn't just kick herself away, so with that in mind, Danny pulled them into a sitting position to look at presumably the only other person on the roof with them.

It was a girl! Probably around his age! She kind of gave off Liminal vibes, but like really really Baby vibes. Like newborn Liminal vibes.

Aaaaaaand his core and instincts have decided she was his responsibility because the next thing he knew, she joined in the cuddle pile courtesy of his levitation.

Great. Just great!

....Why was she dressed like a giant Ladybug?

♡___♡___♡___♡

Maybe the world was laughing at him, but Bruce had been having a relatively quiet night patrol wise. It was just him and Dick tonight, and that always left him in a somewhat nostalgic daze. He was still aware, he was always aware, but it was like his mind had been giving him a break. Most of his kids weren't going to be in the Manor for a while, missions, school trips, or just little forced vacations had them away for a time. So, while the night had been nostalgic, it had also been a touch lonely. Dick had a way of filling up any space he was in but his eldest son could only fill so much.

Bruce loved the chaos that had become his home and life because of his children. Not having them there left him feeling wrong-footed. He missed them.

Maybe it was how he wished to himself that they were home, if only to help make it still feel like home.

Maybe it was the way the carefully patrolled Crime Alley since Jason was on a forced vacation/road trip with Roy, Arsenal and Bizarro.

Maybe it was the way doing so had him reliving his meeting with his brilliant yet jaded second son.

Whatever it was, Bruce and Dick had seen two separate portals open on top of an abandoned apartment complex that was going to be condemned and rebuilt per Red Hood's plans and orders.

There was no hesitation between him and Dick as they both grappled onto the roof. Whatever danger they had been expecting, it wasn't three teens huddled together near the locked door of the roof. All three looked at the two local vigilantes in surprise and open fear. They looked to be in rough shape, and two were 98% metas. The 2% went out to whatever other possibility they could be.

The boy hissed at them and somehow wrapped his arms tighter around the two girls.

Bruce could hear Dick trying not to giggle which made him sigh.

Really...only in Gotham huh?

[hannahwatcheshorror]

THE CROW (1994)

Unexpectedly sweet horror movie set in a bleak town. Brandon Lee is the son of Bruce Lee in real life and does a really great job in the lead role as Eric Draven AKA The Crow. (RIP Brandon Lee)

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Trigger Warning Sexual Assault, Rape, Flashing Lights, mild incest(?)

This movie is rough around the edges but I think that makes it all the more endearing. There are wacky camera shots, wacky costumes, wacky characters, Hell, sometimes the main guy will just be up on a rooftop wailing on a guitar between scenes just to be cool. How did he even get equipment up there to play (it's an electric guitar)? I don't know but he did it! And then he smashes the damn thing and gets serious about killing. Anyway, here is the story.

One year ago on Devil’s Night (the night before Halloween) Eric Draven and his fiancée Shelley are murdered in cold blood for trying to help get/keep housing for the needy. This year, Devil’s night, Eric Draven rises from his grave only to learn what happened to his beloved and get revenge. First visiting his old home he finds it in tatters, memories flood back, he remembers dying. The sickos left the cat alone which is the only good thing they did. Eric dawns some makeup, his mask, and he becomes The Crow. It should also be mentioned that there is a crow familiar that aids, guides, and/or follows Eric.

Slowly and steadily Eric makes his way through those who harmed his love, they all have silly names but serious attitude problems. After disposing of the trash, a calling card in the shape of a crow is left for whoever finds the victim. This leaves police baffled but warns the only members of the crew left that death is coming for them. Eric wants them to know. He even lets one of the minor offenders live just so the guy could be a messenger that Eric was coming (dearly departed, Eric, that is). This is all sending shockwaves up the killer crew, who don’t want to believe in ghosts but are having a hard time with all the evidence being presented to them.

Eric finally just shows up, absorbing bullets and walking around like a certain X-man, kicking all sorts of ass. The long haired baddie takes his creepy sister (is it really his sister?) and escapes. Eric has finished his vengeance, or so he thinks, and is ready to finish his dirt nap but the long haired baddie calls him out by kidnapping Eric’s kid friend, Sarah! This time the baddies realize that if they shoot at The Crow familiar they can actually hurt Eric so they do and they can! Yikes! Wack! But Eric isn’t just going to lie down and die… Again… No, this time he keeps fighting, his injured crow pecks the creepy sister's eyes out and she falls to her death. 

Last but not least is a rainy rooftop battle with the long haired baddie, there's a sword, Eric grabs a piece of the building to swing around, it was a pretty intense scene. All hope seems lost when Eric gets run through with the sword but then he turns around and sends the memories of all his sadness about Shelley dying into the baddie. All that concentrated sadness at once was so shocking to him that he fell off the roof and died! Wack! But a nice use of those horrible memories! Sarah is safe now, she will miss Eric but he is really ready to die again. And who better to greet him than Shelley, she welcomes him back as if to Heaven (her arms) and when we pan out we see their graves undisturbed. Really a beautiful story about an avenging spirit who was brought back to do a job. It may look a little silly in some lights because of the face paint and names but this is a love story of Eric and Shelley who were to be married on Halloween but their lives were cut tragically short.

[sleepybabybees]

Some more ft kortac and Los vaqueros (Farah and Alex too-)

Alejandro : Who the fuck-

Rodolfo : Language!

Alejandro : Whom the fuck-

Rodolfo : No.

----------

Alejandro : This bloodline ends with me.

Rodolfo : That's the fanciest way I've ever heard someone say "I'm gay".

-----------

Rodolfo : You’ve got to learn to love yourself.

Alejandro : But don't you hate yourself.

Rodolfo : Yeah, but this is about you. Stay focused.

-----------

Alejandro : Look, I’m glad everyone’s on the same page.

Alejandro : But it’s the last page in a book titled “we’re all going to die”.

Rodolfo : That’s not even clever.

----------

Alejandro : BE A BETTER PERSON!

Rodolfo : WHY?!

Alejandro : BECAUSE SOMEONE NEEDS TO HAVE MORALS IN THIS RELATIONSHIP, AND IT SURE AS FUCK AIN'T GONNA BE ME, SWEETHEART!

---------

Alejandro , throwing his head into Rodolfo 's lap: Tell me I'm pretty!

Rodolfo , lovingly stroking his hair: You're pretty fucking annoying, that's what you are.

---------

Farah: What? I'm not aggressive!

Alex: Last Tuesday, you wacked me with a pair of crocs and stole my chocolate chips?

Farah: Survival of the fittest, bitch.

---------

Alex: Who's in charge here?

Farah, shrugging: Usually whoever yells the loudest.

--------

Farah, texting: Alex, will you please go to sleep?

Alex, texting back: What makes you think you didn’t just wake me up?

Farah, yelling: I CAN HEAR YOU CLAPPING TO THE FRIENDS THEME EVERY TWENTY MINUTES SHUT THE FUCK UP AND GO THE FUCK TO SLEEP!

Farah, texting: Just a hunch :) You goin’ to sleep soon?

Alex, texting: I’m trying

Farah, yelling again: TRY HARDER I HAVE A 5:45 AM MEETING TOMORROW BITCH

Farah, texting: Okay, don’t stay up too late or you’ll be cranky :)

-----------

Alex: Do you love me?

Farah: We’re literally married.

Alex: Yeah, but as friends or—

-----------

Horangi: It’s quick, it’s easy, and it’s free: pouring river water in your socks!

Konig: Why would I do that?

Horangi: It’s quick, it’s easy, and it’s free!

---------

Soap: Lol. Heads up if you try to make a candle with food coloring, the food coloring will just sink to the bottom of the glass, and when the flame eventually reaches the bottom all the food coloring will catch fire and become one giant tall flame that you cannot possibly blow out and the glass will start to crack and then you’ll throw your tea on it in a panic and then the extremely hot food coloring will boil and sizzle horribly and then the glass will shatter. Please take my word on this.

Ghost: What did you do, soap?

Soap: a Mistake.

-------------

Gaz: So... what would you do if you were in bed with me?

Roach: Depends. Is your bed comfortable?

Gaz: Yes.

Roach: I'd sleep.

-------------

Price: Wow, I feel happy and I’m having so much fun!

Price:

Price: *narrows eyes* Something’s wrong here.

--------------

Price: The dinosaurs didn’t rule the earth they were just alive. Stop giving them credit for administration skills they didn’t have.

---------------

Ghost: I don’t think our death ray is working. I’m standing right in it, and I’m not dead yet.

----------------

Farah: I ran into Alex in the kitchen at 1 AM last night and when I asked him what he was doing, he just shrugged, said “these are my roaming hours,” and wandered off, strumming vaguely on a guitar...

-----------------

Soap: I’m gonna kill you.

Ghost: Get in line!

------------------

Farah: I'm gonna need a human skull but you can't ask why.

Alex: Only if you also don't ask why.

Alex: *pulls four pristine human skulls out of his bag*

Farah: ...

Farah, grabbing a skull: This one will do.

-------------

Alex: It’s nice to be wanted, you know?

Soap: Not by the law!

--------------

Ghost: I have an idea.

Alex: A good idea?

Ghost: Let's not get ahead of ourselves.

-------------

Farah: If you get in trouble, I'm gonna be like... a lawyer to you. Ok?

Alex: Okay.

*later*

Ghost: Alex! Sit down on the chair, you're in trouble.

Farah, whispering: Deny everything.

Alex, loudly: That isn't a chair.

---------------

*While the Squad is in a battle*

Alex, trying to warn about the location of an enemy: To the left!

Soap: Take it back now y'all!

---------------

Gaz: I told Roach that their ears turn red when they lie.

Price: Do they?

Gaz: No.

Price: Then why did you tell them that?

Gaz: Because I can do this.

Gaz: Hey Roach! Do you love us?

Roach, with their hands over their ears: No.

--------------

Roach: What have I done wrong?!

Ghost: Everything. For your entire life.

--------------

Soap: Hey! Wanna hear a joke?

Roach: Sure.

Soap: Your life!

Roach: Actually, my life isn’t a joke, jokes have meaning.

Soap: Roach, no.

-----------------

Horangi: Don’t worry, I know exactly what I’m doing. Everything is going to be fine!

Konig: How can you still say that?

Horangi: Because sometimes, when things get tough, denial is all we have.

----------

Konig: Do you want to explain the text you sent me last night?

Horangi: It was autocorrect.

Konig: Autocorrect wrote "You're so hot. Please step on me."?

Horangi: Yes.

-----------

Horangi, texting Konig: Konig there’s a moth on the outside of the bathroom door can you get rid of it?

Horangi: Pls hurry because I’m going to cry

Horangi: Konig

Horangi: Konig

Konig: Konig is dead. You’re next. Love, Moth.

[myrockandrollking]

Unfortunately, my grandma is the only person irl who shares my love of the Beatles, so we had a movie night and watched a Hard Day's Night and it was a blast! Here are some of my thoughts and comments on the film and some of my favorite parts/quotes (sorry if it's out of order):

• the opening is obviously iconic, I love how George and Ringo fall and almost get fucking trampled and we aren't even a minute in yet

• also the way John just laughs at them took me tf out, I love it

• "he's very c l e a n"

• Paul's grandfather was fucking helarious

• my grandma was singing all of the songs so loudly that I couldn't hear any of them 💀

• "Tell me, how did you find America?" "Turn left to Greenland"

• "What do you call that hairstyle you are wearing?" "Arthur"

• the entire part where George is mistaken for a teen model had me cackling

• "do not breathe on me, Adrian"

• "grotty" should be used more

• I love how the manager was basically just like a babysitter trying to take care of four out of control children

• I did not appreciate the Ringo's nose slander, his nose is beautiful

• Ringo's wack ass dancing was so amusing to me

• "Do I snore, John?" "Yeah, you're a window-rattler, son."

• John randomly oinking like a pig caught me off guard tbh

• Ringo being protective of his drums is literally me with my guitar

• "Put yer tongue away, it looks disgustin hangin out, all pink and naked."

• all of the songs were bangers, ofc

• all of the John in the bath scenes give me pure serotonin, I love his goofy ass

• me and my grandma sang a duet of And I Love Her when it came on and it was so fun and sweet

• I'm so sad that they didn't add "You Can't Do That" into the film since it's my favorite song on the album

• since I watched Nowhere Boy directly before this and almost cried, this line tore out my heart

• the scenes of Ringo with the kid were so random but also so wholesome

• the whole mistaken identity scene with John and the lady had me laughing and blushing, oh my God

• since my grandma is a George girl, she was simping hardcore during his song, it was so cute

• she literally yelled "I've got dibs on George!"

• my grandma also doesn't laugh when she thinks stuff is funny for some reason, so it was basically just me cackling in the otherwise silent living room the whole time

• she kept looking over to me throughout the film and finally said, "man, you're all over John the whole movie, huh?" 😭

• please, she can't talk, this women literally ran up to the TV and touched George's face 🤣

• okay, I know I'm going to sound delusional as fuck but just hear me out-

During this exact particular scene:

I swear to God, for a second I thought I could smell John through the screen. So, the whole room just smelled like nothing basically, but when the camera was on John straight ahead in this scene after he's talking to the lady in the hall, my senses just exploded basically. I suddenly smelled strong tobacco and cigarette smoke, along with a clean sweet smell and citrus. It's like when someone walks by you with a lot of cologne or something and you are hit by it? It was like that with the sudden angle change when it went to this shot of John. It was the weirdest shit. I know it sounds dramatic and like I'm making it up, but weirdly enough it's happened to both me and another family member a few times with other movies, but idk why lol. Then when John went up the stairs it faded away and didn't come back. No one smokes in their house either and there was no smell like any of that in the room before, so it was really weird but also oddly comforting. Anyways, I'm probably just going insaine.

[hyperfixatingonfoolishthings]

Tiptoe... Though the window

By the window... That is where I'll be

Come tiptoe through the tulips with me~

*WACK!*

Filename_1 : "Ühh..."

(in case you can't read it ↓ .)

(why do I feel like I'm about to get hit in the head by engineers guitar by that one kid who brought those annoying ahh monsters, one of which made my hat gay?)

*mission impossible music*

[dichromaticdyke]

when i first watched season 4, i didn't love it because it felt so all over the place, both tonally and storywise. i mean, season 4 felt like it was meant to be very lore-heavy, but the only episodes that actually felt important to the story of that season were "prankklok," "writersklok," "dethcamp," "going downklok," "dethdinner," "breakupklok," and "the church of the black klok." that's 7 story-based episodes in a 12-episode season, but they're placed so sporadically, it's very jarring.

all that being said, with the hindsight of both the doomstar requiem and army of the doomstar, i understand better how the five "filler episodes" of season 4 fit within everyone's character arcs.

"fanklok" - nathan is still so disconnected from the reality of how dating works and what romantic relationships shouldn't look like that he dates a fan (and he's not even initially concerned when he finds out she's allegedly killed a bunch of people, he's more concerned that she's cheating on him). and because this relationship ends so terribly, he doesn't have the opportunity to process it or take away any meaningful lessons on how to have an adult relationship.

"diversityklok" - despite being with dethklok for years now, toki is still isolated from them. even his best attempts to grow close with them fall short. also, dethklok is powerful enough to survive bad faith racism allegations, i guess.

"motherklok" - pickles realizes that his bio family are all garbage people and it doesn't matter that they're his family—they're not good for him, and he has every right to cut them out of his life and instead focus on the family that actually cares about and appreciates him.

"bookklok" - toki stands up to skwisgaar for once in his life, and skwisgaar finally has a reckoning with the fact that his methods of...i think he was trying to encourage toki to improve...weren't helping and he has to change his approach if he still wants to have toki in his life. and he does (we never see skwisgaar aggrandize toki's playing again, though he still does have a teeny bit of that tough love stuff going on).

"dethvanity" - william feels insecure with his place in the band, driving him to extreme measures in an attempt to prove that he's not ugly—which, in this episode, is presented as him trying to prove that he's not a monster.

and then looking at the character arcs of the doomstar requiem and army of the doomstar in tandem, what do we have?

nathan learning that he doesn't have to force relationships to go a certain way and he doesn't have to shut down when they don't go the way he wants; adult relationships are about mutual respect, not obsession.

toki being recognized as a brother in the band, arguably the glue that holds them all together; he is the sunshine rainbows marshmallow man, and the band all need a force like that in their lives to keep them from going off the deep end.

pickles helping to be the maternal figure in the band, the one to be there for everyone; having a family means supporting them when you can and helping them to be the best parts of themselves, and a true family will work past the rocky parts instead of turning cold.

skwisgaar...is also there. i'm kidding, his is just more subtle; learning to admit when he's wrong or when to drop the whole guitar god diva thing, even just briefly, to let others in and recognize their importance.

william learning that his place in the band is more valuable than he could ever recognize; any ugliness or dissent isn't a reflection of who he truly is, it doesn't make him a monster, because he's more than just what the surface shows.

i'm sorry, but it's actually crazy how well this worked out with season 4 having one episode dedicated to subtle character development or character arc progression for each of the dethklok members. i still think the overall pacing of the season is wack, but looking at it like this does help.

but seriously though, how the hell did dethklok manage to not get canceled after "diversityklok" charles what kind of NDAs did you force everyone at that event to sign

[euclydya]

:0! ooh, top 5 specific synesthesia combinations? like sleep and rose gold <3 <2

LET'S SEEEEEE:

the beginning of Killing In The Name by Rage Against The Machine is a burst of rainbows to us. Each guitar chord played up til the drums really kick in is a different variation of a rainbow it's really cool. Was always our favourite song off our dad's mixtape because of it and i think he genuinely thought we liked the song so much because of the ending "fuck you I won't do what you tell me" which is SO FUCKING FUNNY TO HEAR COMING FROM A LIKE 5 YEAR OLD'S MOUTH BTW FHFJDJDIFKFOD

Tyler Joseph's voice is a VERY VIVID teal colour. His name is also teal? This is one of the reasons we named ourselves after him irl (#lore. our offline chosen name is Tyler) the other is that we wanted to name ourselves after someone we looked up to and like... Listen man. We were 14. we don't keep up with his shit anymore if he's said anything fucked up don't @ us IAIAAIAKSKDJDJDJDJXXKKDKDFI. but yeah anyways his voice is a very strong teal colour and while most musicians' voice colours get muddled by the music or even change based off other factors HIS VOICE IS ALWAYS TEAL. Really weird to us tbh!!

This one is related to the #Hyperfixation but anyways Markiplier's voice colour changes slightly based off his hair colour. Default it's like a deep red but depending on the Era™ the colour changes juuuuust slightly enough to match his hair. Like it goes from Just Deep red to say, Deep Red with Pink Flecks if we're watching a Pink Era Video™.

Speaking of. His Egos do have different coloured voices too. It will surprise nobody that Dark's voice is red and blue and Wil's voice is pink to us. Some characters and things have associated colours outside our synesthesia that overpower our synesthesia, another example of that would be alvin and the chipmunks and homestuck. anyways Google's voice is dark blue and black and silver and The Host's voice is gold and red despite Mark not doing a specific voice for the guy?? This IS based off the canon egos btw and not our fictives for once cuz our fictives all sound different from each other in-sys. fucki..nn who else...... uhhhh Actor has Mark's default red voice. Damien sounds blue. Magnum sounds like seaweed (green and teal and blue). Engineer Mark sounds pale purple? I'm not listing all his Egos we don't know all of their names actually. The Jims sound pale blue and King of the Squirrels sounds like... cherry red. just a few off the top of our head that we remember ajsjxjxjskd

For some fucking reason and this doesn't really fit the question but it IS synesthesia related nearly every time we tell someone about their voice's colour they're like "wow that's my favourite colour!" and that's so funny. our mom's voice is light blue and she's always been a fan of blue. Our sister sounds pink and purple and those have been her favourites since she was a kid. Dad's voice is black and that's HIS favourite colour. Etc. etc. etc. this happens without us knowing people's favourite colours btw and with our family it's not an Association Is Stronger thing their voices are all legit shades of their favourite colours it is so wack. world's most useless superpower for real JDJFFJFNDJFJF

-Mark

[infinibab]

back at it again with my knuxadow hadestown au

only this time,,, with a more divisive cast list!! + some explanations too! this might be a little confusing to those who aren't familiar w/ the plot of hadestown/the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, so i'll try to expand on it as much as I can.

(also would you guys believe me if i said i've actually been thinking about this au for like 6 months?)

Knuckles as Orpheus - I dunno this casting just feels like clockwork to me. Orpheus and Knuckles are both bold, earnest, and dedicated. They're both incredibly duty bound-- though they show it n different ways. Orpheus' dedication towards finishing his song parallels how Knuckles dedicates so much of his life to the ME. Hence why I can easily see Knuckles in the same situation Orpheus finds himself in. I also think it'd be fun if his Orpheus has the reputation of being naive and gullible. Like, just walk with me here. The weather is out of wack: spring isn't spring anymore, winter's lasting longer than it should, and summers are getting hotter and hotter every time. Now all of a sudden, some orphan with a guitar comes around saying he's working on a song that'll fix everything? Crazy talk-- but what they don't know is that he's telling the truth. Knuckles' Orpheus is a bit of a recluse. He does his job over at Hermes' place, and goes right back to working on his song. Nothing more, nothing less. He doesn't have time to argue with people about the legitimacy of his gift. He doesn't have time for anything. That is, until he meets Eurydice.

(Bonus: Also, also!! Performance-wise, when I think about Knuckles' Orpheus, I like to think of it as a mix of Jordan Fisher's and Justin Vernon's performances. Very nice and subdued, soft voice, but also also throw in a very fiery determination when things get rough (all this to say you guys should listen to Jordan Fisher's rendition of Wait For Me) I also draw a lot of inspiration from Hadestown's orginial concept album for Knuckles' take just in general!

Shadow as Eurydice (just as a heads up, I'll be using he/she pronouns interchangeably for Shadow & Eurydice here. sorry if you don't see the vision but it's simply mandatory) - Again, this is like clockwork to me.... Shadow's Eurydice is one that's gone through countless losses. She's wandered this world for a long time now, and she's seen how vicious and demanding it can get. He's seen the weather grow more and more extreme as the years passed by, and the only thing he could do was watch as the harsh conditions claimed everything/everyone he's ever cared about. So, just as Eurydice does, he turns his back against the world. Rather than live, Eurydice survives. I like to think that in true Shadow nature, his Eurydice comes off a liiiiittle (read: very) arrogant. I mean who wouldn't be? Especially if you were in her shoes? Still, despite his accomplishments, Shadow's Eurydice always hungered for more. He wanted to see the world the way the old folks and gods described it. Balanced, harmonious, and just, y'know. liveable? So when she meets Orpheus, she gets to see a sliver of that world. Shadow's Eurydice greatly respects Orpheus and his dedication to his song. He tries to play it off as the respect one would have for like, a good business proposal or whatever, but in reality, he's completely enamored with Orpheus' song (and Orpheus as a whole, obviously. why else would he agree to marry him?)

more under the cut btw. this got longer than i planned

Rouge as Hermes - My GIIIIIIRRRRLLLL!!! Sorry, I will cling onto this casting choice for ages it makes sense to no one but me. Rouge is like, the one piece holding this story together. She serves as the narrator in most cases, and she's the one most familiar with all of the characters. She knows the tragedy of Orpheus and Eurydice better than anyone else. Yet despite it's tragic ending, it's still her favorite story. Rouges' Hermes isn't too different from how she usually acts. Though with Rouge, her compassion shines through the most in Hermes' character. ALSO! Another change is that Rouges' Hermes is a lot more vague in her motivations. It's never too clear why she loops the story over again, or why she hopes for better ending. But one things's for sure-- she cares for Orpheus and Eurydice dearly. It's not often she meets a soul bold enough to bicker with the Gods-- let alone two! Hermes is a dear friend to the main two. Between them, she's known Orpheus the longest, and she has quite the sweet spot for him. That's actually why she offered him a job at her little pub, which will temporarily be named The Emerald for now.

Sonic as Persephone - It's a little fucked up when you think about it. But like, it's a really fun match in my opinion. To those unfamiliar w/ the plot: Persephone is only allowed 6 months of freedom each year. Otherwise, she's stuck alongside Hades down in the underworld . Sound a little familiar? (COUGH forces COUGH). Each year, the return of Persephone marks a fun celebration. It's a sign that spring is finally returning, and that times are gonna be a little easier, just for a while. Sonic's Persephone is very lax and approachable. Everyone tends to forget that he's one of the Gods. He gets excited every time spring comes around because he finally has the freedom to stretch his legs and mingle with the living! Persephone seems to know everyone, which is a damn near impressive feat considering how much time he spends underground. But hey, don't sweat about the small stuff! Sonic's Persephone knows how to make the best of an awful situation. When he's around, it's easy to forget the situation he's fallen into. It's like a fun party, whenever spring comes. But every party has it's end. Sonic's Persephone is a lot better at hiding his discontent with the deal. He only really gives an attitude to Hades. Down underground, he tries to lighten up the mood as best as he can, but it's a little difficult when everyone down there is a mindless husk. (Another issue to take up with Mr. Hades, it seems.)

Infinite as Hades - HEAR ME OUT, OKAY. It just works I think. Infinite and Hermes are similar in the sense that when they grab a hold of power, they latch onto it with an iron grip. Hades & Infinite are both powerful and imposing figures, but behind all that bravado, there's a weakness they refuse to let anyone see. After all, if that weakness were to come to light, everything they've built would come crumbling down. I think if I were to make any changes to Infinite's Hades characterization, I think I'd make his Hades a little more outwardly cunning. Someone who seems a little more untrustworthy and slimy, despite their words and logic being perfectly sound. A sweet talker who doesn't sugarcoat their words y'know? Seems a little contradictory, but it makes sense to me. Either way, he's incredibly proud of his growing empire. It's a testament to strength and resourcefulness. Hadestown is the city of his dreams-- the city he deserves, and he refuses to let anyone ruin his chances at bringing it to fruition. Still, Infinite's Hades has gotten awfully lazy. Relying on his workers to build his empire for him. He used to value a challenge, hell, he used to seek out challenges for himself. That's how he met Persephone. But then he grew overzealous. He took it a step to far, and when Persephone lost that final challenge, that fire quelled. They were no longer on equal ground, and there was nothing else that could reinvigorate that spark.

Vector, Espio, and Charmy as The Fates (Atropos, Lachesis, and Clotho respectively) - I was actually really torn on whether I wanted the Chaotix or the Babylon Rogues as the Fates, so this might be subject to change. EITHER WAY. I like to think these three serve as a more sympathetic version of the fates? They each have their own varying opinions on the characters and the actions they take (some being more optimistic, the other being more cynical, and one serving as kind of the middle ground-- but it's never all the same). If I di stick with the Chaotix... they are gonna get up to a lot more mischief in the background. i simply won't have it any other way.

YEAH. Woah that was may longer than I thought it was gonna be, and it doesn't cover everything I have in mind about this au. this is just the tip of the iceberg tbh. also!

I don't think I'll make a lot of BIG changes to the story. except for one. S0nfinite isn't my cup of tea so I don't think I'll make Hades and Persephone's story a conventional "love turned twisted/bitter" story. I'll find a way to make it parallel Orpheus and Eurydice's story in a different way. I've got some ideas, I just have to flesh them out a little bit more.

Anyways... I hope you guys like it. Listen to hadestown and you too, can fall down the rabbit hole with me. Take your pick:

Broadway Cast Album / Orginal Cast [Live] / Concept Album (It's a completely sung-through musical so you don't have to scour for scenes for extra context. That being said, I DO reccomend finding a stage performance if you have the time. The way the set comes to life... mwah. 10s across the board.)

ok bye fr now

[myloveforhergoeson]

Part 1 - Live Through This

the tasw high school story is finally here! please enjoy the first part <3

tw: mentions of an injured bird

--

Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.

As Roxanne Somerset stared up at the motivational poster in the break room of the Project Pop radio station, it felt a little ironic. Work was work. Always has been, and always will be, even if she loved her job.

To her, it just seemed like an inevitability of life, like getting a cold or going to a new high school. 

Undoing the combination lock on her locker proved more difficult than normal this morning due to the tremors wracking her fingers. So she let out a frustrated sigh as she read over the poster again, admiring the nondescript mountain background behind the chunk of text. 

I’m so glad there’s nothing that stupid in the DJ booth.

Roxy had been awake for quite some time thanks to Project Pop - her radio show started at 2 in the morning because that’s when the station had the least amount of listeners. When she had shown up at the station three months ago begging for any job they could give her, anything that could get her connected in some way to the music industry, that was the offer they gave her. 

There wasn’t any room to think twice before she accepted, even if a 2 am to 6 am shift really blew. 

Since then, her sleep schedule had been thrown tremendously out of wack as she balanced her diurnal and nocturnal duties, so yeah, some days, work most certainly felt like work. 

The 6 o’clock DJ, Ronnie, had come in to relieve her 20 minutes ago, allowing her some time alone in the break room to scarf down her homemade breakfast burrito before changing out of her comfy sweats and into her school clothes as the tracks he was playing in the room over lazily played through the speakers. 

Showing up to school at 7:15 in the morning was already rough enough, but today, she was going to be the newest student to join the halls of Mountain Aire High. It would be stupid of her to show up wearing the most unappealing clothes known to man - especially as a mid-year transfer. 

That was why her hands were still shaking as she finally reached for the combination lock again, doing her best to focus on turning the small, metal dial to the correct numbers instead of the knot of dread forming in her stomach. 

Inevitability of life, she reminded herself as the lock finally clicked open, allowing her to open the small door and pull her black mini backpack out of the cramped space. Even if everyone else already knows everyone else, have their own assigned seats in class, and know who they can eat lunch with so they don’t have to awkwardly sit alone by the trashcans. 

Steadily drumming her fingers on the faux leather of her bag, she placed it on the break room table before glancing up at the clock. It was only 6:30, and Mountain Aire was 20 minutes away. Plenty of time to get some last-minute songwriting in. 

Though she had left her backpack and guitar in her truck during her shift, Roxy always took her songbook with her no matter where she went just in case inspiration struck and she needed to write one of her ideas down. Since deciding to transfer from Twin Pines High School to Mountain Aire halfway through her sophomore year, music was slowly coming to her far easier than it had before. 

Probably something to do with the fact she was finally writing for herself and not the asshole who had roped her into joining his stupid punk band at the beginning of her freshman year. After he had humiliated her so terribly a few months ago, she ultimately decided to switch schools entirely to ensure she never saw him again. This semester was a brand new start for her - the perfect clean slate.

Though, now she was writing for a new asshole - one of the most famous in the music industry - and his ludicrous cross-country pop star auditions. 

Whether she liked it or not, producer Gustavo Rocque was about to be her ticket out of Duluth, Minnesota once she wowed him with her portfolio of pop songs for his new star and whisk her off to Hollywood… If she could even put together a collection of songs she felt were good enough to show him. Based on his 90s career alone, he had to have over a dozen platinum records, but after Boyquake’s break up in 1999, he’d been practically radio silent. Nearly a decade later, Rocque was coming out of the woodwork and attempting to maintain his place in Hollywood history with a brand new star.

Roxy had only learned about the auditions through an ad her manager had given her to read off during her show. Rocque Records was awfully serious about trying to pull as much attendance for these auditions as possible; She was asked to read the ad off at the top of every hour. 

There was, however, one issue with these auditions. Roxanne Somerset wasn’t a singer - In fact, she was far from it. She could write, she could play the guitar, she could perform in front of a crowd, but she couldn’t sing. Nor was she interested in singing or being a pop star at all, which she knew would cause the irate man’s famous temper to flare up once she walked on stage and refused to sing for him.

All she would be able to do was present her portfolio and beg him to take her to Los Angeles. Certainly, he’d understand.

So, I shouldn’t worry about school all that much anyway, Roxy decided, jotting down a note to come back to later in red pen as she grabbed her coat and made for the parking lot outside the studio. When inspiration wasn’t striking like she had hoped, Roxy ultimately chose to head over to MAHS a bit early and find her classes instead of writing. Maybe I can worry a little bit.

Of the two cars in the lot, a black Cadillac and a rusted, blue Ford truck, it was clear which one belonged to the sixteen-year-old. 

Though, if she had the choice, she wouldn’t trade Dynamo for anything else in the world. Since her dad had found the ancient gas guzzler for such a bargain, Dynamo had been her savior since she had gotten her license right on her last birthday. Though she technically shared the vehicle with him, he was more fond of public transportation and catching rides to work from his coworkers, so Dynamo was practically hers and she just couldn’t get enough. 

Sliding the key into the door and unlocking the vehicle, Roxy was quick to pile in and turn the truck on. Despite it taking a few times for the engine to turn over, the moment it roared to life, she placed her heater on the highest setting, shivering against the Minnesota-in-January cold. 

Dynamo made a weird, crackling noise as the air began to blow out, but she ignored it as she popped a cassette tape into the player to drown out the sound as she took her new route to school. The familiar tunes calmed her nerves a bit, allowing her time to tap out the guitar chords she was attempting to learn on the steering wheel as she focused on carefully navigating the icy roads. 

It had been her choice to switch schools and there was no backing out now, regardless of how nervous she truly was about the change. For now, all she had was the comforting sound of Courtney Love’s voice and the timeless guitar riffs of Hole blasting through her terrible stereo system to calm her down. 

***

“Dude, get out of the road. You’re going to get yourself killed!” Kendall Knight’s words were cautionary as he spoke in Carlos Garcia’s general direction, his breath condensating against the freezing morning air.

That was one of the things that annoyed James Diamond about his best friend; Even when they weren’t on the ice, he still acted like he was the captain of their friend group. 

I suppose that’s what happens when you’re the youngest MAHS hockey team captain in school history, the long-haired boy sighed to himself as he gripped the straps of his gear bag over his shoulder as they walked to school through a small neighborhood.

Through a poorly stifled yawn, his other friend, Logan Mitchell mumbled, “It’s too early for anyone else to even be up right now.”

As usual, Carlos ignored all of them and continued doing whatever it was he was doing in the street.

“Well, normally we wouldn’t have to be walking all the way to school either… I’m so pissed Hawkins totaled his Range Rover. We shouldn’t be all worn out before the day even starts!” Complained James, attempting to bundle further into his puffer jacket, causing Kendall to give him some nasty side eye over his shoulder. 

A fellow team member had been the one to take all four of them to Mountain Aire last semester. Considering he was an upperclassman, he felt a bit of responsibility to look after his younger teammates, and Kendall had used his ultra-charm to convince the boy they all deserved rides.

“Try to make the best out of a bad situation won’t you?” The blond strained. “Yeah, it sucks Logan lives so far away from Mountain Aire, but at least we get to spend some extra time together before class!”

“And!” Called Carlos from the road, stopping to squat down and pick up a bug while the rest continued walking. “Hawkins’ dad will probably just buy him something cooler… Like a Rubicon!”

James hated this conversation as a sixteen-year-old who was unable to drive. 

Well, not entirely unable, Hawkins had shown him the ropes in the Range Rover months leading up to his birthday, but his mother refused to let him take the driver’s test. It had been a source of tension between the two for quite some time, especially because he knew that she didn’t have any real reason not to allow him to get his license. 

Of course, he had presented her with a handful of reasons why he should be able to take the test. 

One, he’d be able to transport himself between his two houses far easier. Two, he could get himself to and from hockey practice and games without relying on his unreliable parents. Three, he would be the first of his three best friends to get their license. That point wasn’t as important, but it would still mean a lot to him. And his secret fourth reason, he would be able to get the hell out of Duluth any time he wanted to. 

While he often traveled with his mom across the country whenever she had a work trip, it wasn’t much of a vacation if he was caught up in the hotel room while she was in and out of business meetings and beauty conferences. If he had a license, he could go anywhere he wanted on his own time.

The thought itched at the back of his brain, slipping into a fantasy where he’d throw all his belongings in the back of one of his parent’s multiple cars, hop behind the wheel, and hit the gas. New York, Los Angeles, Chicago… He could go anywhere and be anyone - Hockey player or singer or model/teen heartthrob. Maybe a singing hockey player heartthrob like something out of a Varsity Vampire movie. 

It’ll happen someday, James told himself. It’s only a matter of time.

For now, he managed to jump into the conversation the other three were having about their game on Friday. They’d been training their asses off for the big game against Twin Pines all of the winter break and this week would be no exception. He cringed at the thought of their strict training regimen waiting for them after the last bell for the next four days.

Would it kill Coach Finnstock to let us have a few days off?

James could already feel the soreness of his lower leg and foot muscles from all the laps around the rink he’d make them take - Not to mention all the bruises that would adorn his beautiful body from the aggressiveness of the sport or getting slammed into the boards by some hoser on the opposing team. 

 “Woah! Look, a dead bird!” Carlos chirped, pointing to the bright red animal in the middle of the road and pulling his friend out of his own head once again. 

That was certainly too gross a sight to interest James, but he’d admit his interest was piqued when Logan trotted over and assessed the damage. “Not dead… See his little chest? He’s still breathing.”

The long-haired boy watched Kendall’s head snap to the road from his position on the sidewalk. “Is it like bleeding or something?” 

“No,” answered the helmet wearer. “But I think he probably has a broken wing.”

With a sigh, Kendall made his way over too, reaching into his hockey bag to pull out a spare towel. “Then we should probably move it, right? It’ll just be an even bigger disaster if we don’t.”

“Wait!” Logan stopped him, holding both of his hands out when he noticed the blond squat down to wrap the bird up in the white cloth. “We need to set the break before moving him. James, do you have any gauze from the med kit in your bag? I think I can make a makeshift split.”

While this was a scheme James didn’t want any involvement in, he was the only one of them to carry first aid supplies in his hockey bag. Out of the four of them, he was always the most concerned with treating his wounds during a game, lest any cut or other injury lead to a scar that marred his perfect skin. 

Besides, they still had a ways to go before they reached Mountain Aire. A small break wouldn’t kill them. 

“Yeah, let me grab it,” The boy conceded, dropping his backpack on the sidewalk by Kendall’s and carrying his equipment bag over to the scene of the accident. Mostly, he kept his focus on the contents of his bag instead of the bird on the asphalt before he pulled out the small white case and handed it off to his doctor-wannabe friend. 

The four of them were quiet while Logan worked his magic, save for their slight wincing as they sucked the cold air between their teeth and concerned noises of sympathy from Carlos whenever the bird tweeted in pain. 

Everyone had been so focused on their rescue mission, that they hadn’t noticed the ancient blue truck rounding the street corner, headed straight in their direction.

***

Roxy looked down for two seconds to check the map. Two seconds.

All it took was two seconds for her to turn the blind corner, glance at the large paper map spread out across her passenger side seat to make sure she was on the right road, and then look back up to see four teenage boys screaming in terror as she careened toward them. 

It was probably a good thing her music was so loud, it drowned out the sound of her shriek as she aggressively slammed on the brakes that would have sent her flying through the windshield if not for the uncomfortable seatbelt cutting into her shoulder.

“Jesus fucking Christ!” She yelled to no one but herself as the brake lines screeched and the car fully came to a stop, inches away from a boy wearing a black sports helmet who had thrown himself in front of his friends, arms spread out wide and eyes tightly squeezed shut. 

Behind him were three more guys, one kneeling in the middle of the road, one frozen and holding a towel to the kneeler, and another aggressively gripping the straps of a black duffel bag hanging off his shoulder with wide eyes. 

Her hand flew to the stereo to turn the music down before she unclicked her seatbelt and opened her door. 

What do you even say in a situation like this? The girl asked herself as she found herself standing between the four, her chest heaving from the anxiety coursing through her bloodstream. 

***

It’s insane for me to instantly forgive her because she’s pretty, right?

That was the question James was trying to ask his friends with his eyes as his gaze shot to Logan, Kendall, and Carlos - Mostly to make sure they were alright after almost being pancaked to the black tar under their feet. 

All four of them were frozen in place, trying to process what exactly had just occurred. 

The girl from the truck was petrified too, save for the way she had managed to get herself out of the cab. Her hand clutched at her pink sweater, knuckles almost turning pure white as she looked each one of them in the eye and cried, “I am so, so sorry! The map- I just - Are you guys okay?” 

For a moment she stepped closer to Carlos, like she was thinking about placing a hand on his shoulder in comfort before thinking better of it. The cold air was thick as the four stared back at her, watching the way her cheeks and nose reddened in the below-freezing temperature. 

“Are we-” Kendall finally pushed out, voice raising with each word. “Are we okay? You almost ran us over!”

Though the words pouring out of him were harsh, James knew it was only due to his protective nature. Anything involving his friends was of great importance to the blond and this situation was no different.

The girl’s mouth opened and closed a few times like a fish out of water. 

“Do you know anything about bird medicine? We’re trying to save this cardinal and-”

Carlos’ words were cut off by Logan yelling back, “Done! Kendall, towel, now.”

At least Logan’s focusing on what’s important…

So many things were happening at once, James almost laughed at his sarcastic thought to try and calm the rapid beating of his heart. If he’d known the day would start with such a near-life-altering event, he might have put on a bit more cover-up on the dark circles he caught forming under his eyes when he woke up that morning. Just in case anything happened to him and his friends, he still wanted to make sure he looked his best, even in the face of tragedy. 

Slowly, he watched Kendall take his eyes off the girl - still heaving and seizing her sweater - and hand the towel off to Logan. 

“I, um,” She tried, and they could hear the slight break in her voice. “I don’t know about… bird medicine. But if I can help just let me know, it’s the least I can do.”

As Logan took the towel from his friend, Carlos and Kendall directed their attention to helping him gently place the animal in their poorly constructed but fluffy cloth nest. 

There were a few more chirps, these sounding a bit more cheerful than the last, as the driver tried to apologize to James directly. 

“Like, seriously, I can’t tell you enough how sorry I am-”

In response, James just shook his head and she quickly shut her mouth. “It’s alright… Mostly.” 

At his words, she let out a loud, long breath and finally unclenched her fist from her top. The rigidness of her shoulders dissipated, falling from her ears down to where they normally rested, and the color finally began to return to her face. “I just looked down for a second to check my map… God! I’m never using one of those things again.”

“A map?” James echoed, watching as Logan finally picked the bird up from the ground, cradling it in his arms as though it were a small baby. “Are you not from here? We can help you find where you need to go.” 

In exchange for your number! He almost tacked on before deciding against it. Beside him, Kendall looked like he was attempting to shoot daggers into her chest. 

“No, we won’t!” His blond friend cut in. “Because we’re leaving; She’s going to make us late for school and you know how Mrs. B gets when we’re not in our seats by the bell.”

At the mention of school, James noticed her light up. 

“School?”

Then, he caught her eyes wandering over to the bag slung off his shoulder proudly displaying the Mountain Aire High School logo. 

“I was trying to find Mountain Aire on the map - I’m starting there today.” 

Did I just feel my stomach flip?

Hastily, the girl continued, “I’ll give you a ride if you can just point me in the right direction.”

“We are not getting in the car with a maniac of a driver!” Kendall declared, stalking over to the sidewalk to pick up his backpack and hockey gear. 

“Oh, but-” Carlos protested before Logan cut him off, “Kendall, the bird!”

“Right!” Their near-assailant cut in, “Kendall, think about the bird… Leave it in the cab of my truck during class and we can check on it at the end of the day. I can even take it to the vet!”

Selfishly, James found this to be the perfect time to cut into the conversation. More time with the new girl and a ride to school? There couldn’t be a more wonderful combination. “Sounds like a plan! Thanks for the ride…” He trailed off, realizing she hadn’t yet introduced herself. 

“Roxanne,” She quickly answered. “Or Roxy if you think we’ve been through enough together.” 

Cute name for a cute girl.

“Well, Roxy, it’s nice to meet you. I’m James.” He grinned, joining Kendall on the sidewalk for a moment to grab his bag before walking over to her beat-up truck. “And I call shotgun!”

[dollarbin]

Nickel Bin #14:

Jerry Jeff Walker's Fading Lady

My famous brother is a show off. He sent me the text yesterday for his recent interview with one of the greatest humans still currently on the planet, Linda Thompson. Watch for it soon, probably on Aquarium Drunkard... And he returned from the Big Apple recently bragging about how he yanked Jerry Jeff Walker's Five Years Gone on vinyl outta of a dollar bin during the trip. That's a big find, folks: just take a listen to a single blissed-out track from that nearly impossible to track down record:

It's no fair: My biggest interview of late was with my cat. She said nothing and demanded heavy petting. And my last foray into the Dollar Bin turned up a Steve Cropper solo record form the early 80's that looks terrible.

(As a quick aside, it kinda looks like Walker invented the selfie on the cover of Five Years Gone; Jerry Jeff: visionary.)

Still, I'm a competitive dude by nature so I rode my bike 14 miles midday late last week in 90 degree weather to test my luck once again in the bin; surely, I figured, the dollar gods would reward such selfless dedication with my own copy of Five Years Gone.

Yeah, no. All I did was drop a few too many dollars on a copy of Circus Maximus's debut album. Turns out Jerry was in a Moby Grape style psychedelic boy band for about 15 minutes in 1967. He shared the lead with a jazz pianist who sang like Neil Diamond and played lead guitar like Sterling Morrison would after they'd each had botched lobotomies; the drummer clearly attended Joe Freakin' Lala's School of Percussion, an offshoot of Trump University; their motto, "just wack the hell out of whatever you can as fast as possible, white boy, and then call it Latin jazz," is more famous than any of their alumni. Today the band has just one claim to fame other than Jerry Jeff's presence: the bass player would soon write Linda Ronstadt one of the greatest torch songs of all time before disappearing altogether from history:

I've loved this song for a long, long - you get the idea. I see it recently was featured in some zombie apocalypse TV show and therefore enjoyed a brief renaissance; that's fitting: Linda is clearly singing about a zombie apocalypse.

Suffice it to say that my famous brother wins this latest round in the Dollar Bin: I'd trade him my copy of Circus Maximus for his copy of Five Years Gone in a hot second. And, come The Revolution, I will head immediately to his house, hatchet in hand and dodging zombies as I go, so as to lay claim to his entire record collection.

While we're at it, check this out:

Isn't it crazy how Linda Ronstadt can make even Jerry Jeff Walker sound like an average dude by comparison? Still, it's nice to hear this song sung by a fellow mortal.

But let's get to the point: happily, Circus Maximus, which, coincidentally, has a cover photo collage dedicated to that very same zombie apocalypse, does feature one track worthy of our nickel: Fading Lady. Take a listen; Jerry Jeff is starting to find his voice.

I don't know about you, but I am mesmerized pretty quickly. My wife just asked me what the hell I was doing under our bed. I told her I was counting our shoes, and I requested space to do so.

Even so, you can hear that the song could be even better. Jerry needs no boy band echo behind him; and, like Danger Bird, slower here would be even better. Happily he soon ditched the mustache and the whole 60's scene and headed for the ditch a few years before Neil Young. They'd wind up wallowing in it magnificently together until Jerry got married and cleaned himself up for good around 73; from that point forward he just sounded drunk all the time.

But he wasn't drunk enough to know that Fading Lady deserved a second pass. Listen to him truly nail the song on 69's Drifting Way of Life:

Aw yeah: that's the stuff right there folks. The great David Bromberg does his New Morning/Self Portrait Dylan thing alongside Jerry on guitar; Kenny Buttrey makes almost no sounds whatsoever on the drums and does so perfectly. And all the while Jerry Jeff effortlessly instructs us to tally up our jewels. And our shoes.

I'm on it Jerry!

[inthedayswhenlandswerefew]

If Comet is a little bit inspired by One Direction who do you picture everyone, like who is would be who. (LOL agree with the ask of Aemond pulling a Zayn but that would mean crazy fans would hate on Stargirl 😥)

Like I could picture Jace as Liam, he would be definitely the one who would never move on from the band years after it ends, Aegon I don’t know maybe a Harry maybe a Louis, Daeron could be like Niall (my baby) but who Cregan I can find the vibes 🤔

Hope Aemond and Stargirl learn to coparent healthy if they can’t be together (I’m lying I want them to get married and have more Starbabies 🤫)

Hello lovely!! 😍😍 Thank you so much for this question.

Here is how I envision the Comet Donati-One Direction parallels:

Aegon = Harry Styles. He has effortless star power, is open-minded and progressive in all sorts of ways, and makes the fangirls insane. He will always be a celebrity whether he wants to be or not. He has iconic hair. He also has a tendency to say ridiculous things when he's not reading a teleprompter. He likes drugs. His song lyrics are wack.

Aemond = Louis Tomlinson. Before the accident, he was Comet's main songwriter and level-headed leader. He was focused and ambitious without being arrogant. He was protective of the other Comet boys. He looks like an alien but is also fine af. He struggles with insecurity and feelings of unworthiness/aimlessness. He is often underappreciated.

Daeron = Niall Horan. He is everyone's unproblematic fav! He has never made an enemy in his life. Could he do calculus? Probably not, but that's okay! He loves to have a good time and meet new people. He has white boy on a beach with an acoustic guitar energy.

Cregan = Zayn Malik. He is mysterious! He gives the appearance of being composed and confident, but is secretly troubled. He is very, very, supernaturally attractive. He craves validation/security more than fame. He might disappear to raise pigs with his daughter on a farm in Lancaster, England someday.

Luke = (early) Liam Payne. He is the main song co-writer and has a pleasant but understated disposition. He is a peacekeeper. He has puppy dog energy. He is a sweet sweet cinnamon roll, too good for this world, too pure. He's a genius but humble. We have no choice but to stan!

Jace = (current) Liam Payne. He is lowkey a snake and combative at times. He is very talented but lacks ethics/direction. He is arrogant. He is a serial cheater and says problematic things. He would have absolutely no idea what to do with himself if Comet didn't exist.

[tyranitarkisser]

Detective Finnegan “Windward” Dauphin… a seasoned and perhaps a bit overconfident private investigator from out of town, Detective Windward has only recently been separated from his long-time partner (personal differences, long story!) and is struggling on his own more than he would like to admit. He has a razor sharp wit and is quick to make judgements, though his intuition isn’t always correct, and in situations where he isn’t, he’s very skilled at saving face and playing his aloof persona. He talks like an old-timey 1950s radio show host.

Mara Eleana Fusilli is a humble clairvoyant who has worked most of her life in a tent by the undersea wharf. Equipped with her unique psychic powers, her sonar abilities are leagues above other dolphins. Where many others would abuse this power for personal gain, Mara doesn’t quite know what to make of it and tries not to let it affect her personal life, preferring to help others with it instead. Because of this, she is a bit lonely and fast to cling to people that show her positive attention. She is prone to acting on impulse and getting into trouble as a result.

Trick Turntable is one half of the ocean’s first train conductor duo. She carries herself with a kind and motherly persona, ready to hear out anyone who may need assistance or god forbid, is lost. She’s very protective of her adoptive brother, Track, and the two are rarely seen apart from one another. The two of them are very interested in locomotives and it was Trick’s idea to begin the ocean’s first public transit system to ensure all whales get to their destinations safely. She is known to be a little playful and curious, too!

Track Turntable is the other half to the iconic narwhal/beluga train conductor duo. Having lost his way from the rest of his birth family as a young calf navigating northern waters during the summer time, he was subsequently found and taken in by Trick’s pod and treated like one of their own. Today he is just as helpful as his sister, though he can be a bit slow on the uptake and forgetful. (Don’t surprise him from behind or you might just get a wack in the face from his tusk!) He is the more technical-minded of the two and a skilled repairman. Growing up in Trick’s family, he picked up their light southern American accents into adulthood.

Stevie Bermuda is a slimy con man with an annoying Trans-Atlantic accent with a grandiose sense of self that has traveled much of the world’s oceans to find new dolphins to assimilate into his fraudulent causes. Everything from pyramid schemes, impersonation, fake business scams, and even cults, it doesn’t seem like anything he tries brings him any sense of personal fulfillment. He doesn’t care for love or friendship, just shallow gratification. He also seems to have an irrational fear of children and teenagers… They might just be his downfall someday! 

Kanpacho is a guitar playing cool guy that has found his home by the wharf where he met Mara. He makes most of his money by playing nice songs for visiting dolphins and cargo workers alike. He’s well liked by everyone and has a Brazilian accent.

Ben Sleepy is a dolphin that seems to get a kick out of sleeping in the most inconvenient of places. When he’s not sleep-swimming or finding an (un)comfortable spot to snuggle up in, he can be found at buffets completely decimating the shrimp bar.

Casper Cantor is a businessman by day and prankster by night. He is the CEO of the business that runs the undersea wharf, dealing with most of the transport and cargo shipments going in and out of the town. He is an avid fanatic of clowns and in his free time will don his jester persona and entertain others with his magic tricks. The only person that knows his secret is his daughter, Melody, of whom he is very supportive of her creative endeavors. Maybe he’s where she gets her imagination from?

Melody Cantor is a young hypochondriac dolphin and elementary school student with an irrational fear of getting wet. She can easily be identified in a crowd with her umbrella she takes with her everywhere and her yellow raincoat. She is a talented artist and poet.

Cat is a zoologist with a sprawling collection of specimens from all seven seas. She is eager to educate all who are willing to listen to her ramble about all the different species of sea slugs.

Skip is a studious young foreign exchange student. Both of his parents are busy back home being surgeons and expect great things from him, which can sometimes be stressful on an impressionable little sea lion. This doesn’t dampen his spirit though, and his best friend Melody does a great job of bringing out his creative side. He is sometimes teased by his classmates for being different, and whenever he feels homesick Trick and Track will act as his parents away from home.

Henry XVIII is the 18th in a long line of Turntable family pets and mascot for Trick and Track’s Arctic Express. He's a great listener, even if he is quite old for a nautilus. 

James Circuits is the local record shop owner, right next door to Mara’s fortune telling tent! He can be a little spacey and hangs around questionable folks but he means well... His music knowledge is all encompassing, but his favorite is classic R&B.

Pollux Cantor, like his brother Casper, is a businessman, albeit a much less successful one that can’t ever catch a break. He’s bent on moving up in Stevie’s company and doesn’t seem to realize he is being taken advantage of. He's hopelessly addicted to caffeine and remoras frequently attach themselves to him and feed on the excess.

Madame Roachè is a prideful socialite on the cutting edge of all fashion trends that hit the Arctic landscape.

[old-lorarri]

congrats on 6k lola!!! i wanted to ask for pretty girls with formula 1

i am a 5'3 indian(black hair, dark brown eyes, medium brown skin). i am an ambivert. i love taylor swift and had a one direction phase. my comfort food is fish curry rice and fried fish with papad and curd but i also love a simple pepperoni pizza, burgur-fries or maggi noodles. i am a non-vegetarian but i do love some vegan foods. i am near-sighted (i don't go a day without my glasses). i am not a competitive person and don't like taking risks. I am the therapist mom friend of the group. i love to play instruments(guitar, piano and violin) and write songs. I also write stories and am working on a book. i am an average student. i am like my mom, an old soul at heart. i tend to live in the moment, forgetting to take photos or videos of things, i love things that have sentimental value and consider my best friends family, they are my highest priority after my parents. my standard for men is to be a gentleman and get my parents' approval before dating me. my love languages are quality time, physical contact and a little of gift giving. i like playing and experimenting with hairstyles and makeup looks. i love jewellery(earrings, rings, necklace, anklets and in a few days a nose ring). when with people who i am close with, i really let my inner child out and can act weird, goofy and wack(regardless of whether they match my energy or not).

i hope this was not too much, i have never done this before.

LANDO NORRIS ─

loves that you are smaller than him aka. jokes about your height a lot

loves playing with your hair

refuses to kiss you after you have had fish curry rice or fried fish with papad and curd

says he is "social distancing from the fish that has infected his girlfriend"

asks lewis for some vegan recipes so he can impress you

the two of you talk for hours about stuff that bothers you and are basically each others therapist

makes sure to get your parents permission before dating you

buys you tones of expensive ass jewellery and loves watching you try it on

loves your weird side cuz it compliments him perfectly

[fearhims3lf]

TIMING: Current

PARTIES: @ariadnewhitlock @fearhims3lf

SUMMARY: Ariadne hears about Mateo's mean streak and decides to give him a haunt, but she quickly finds out that they both share the same nature.

WARNINGS: Insinuation of sibling death

Ghouls, ghouls, ghouls night out…!

Mateo fell into his bed, arms crossed behind his head, and an expression of euphoric satisfaction plastered across his face. His headphones blared with the last notes of the Misfits distorted guitar. They faded into the next song, and Mateo sucked his teeth, a little miffed at the opportunity he didn’t get to take. 

Too Drunk to Fuck by the Dead Kennedys roared to life, a perfect song for the man he’d been sent to kill. He was way too hammered to fuck anyone, especially the woman that stormed out of his room in disappointment. And then, with great relief to everyone, he was way too hammered to do anything ever again. Mateo chuckled to himself, closing his eyes as he thought about his latest kill. The police would have a field day trying to figure out who killed him. The mare was across the world and the next kill was already on the docket. All he needed to do was wait for the check to clear and he’d move out. 

For now, though? Well, it was time to relax with his eyes closed. Or so Mateo thought. There was a rustling at the end of his bed, and with no pets to account for, he opened his eyes to find a strange girl standing in his room. “What the fuck?!” He bursted out of bed, grabbing the bat next to his bed in preparation. It was more of a warning than anything. It wasn’t like homegirl would be able to take him…right?

“Yo, you got about ten seconds to explain before I start swinging. How’d you get in here?!”

She’d heard that this Mateo wasn’t always so nice. Ariadne didn’t know the specifics or anything, but if he was mean, then maybe, just possibly, she wouldn’t feel quite as awful about feeding from him. Maybe.

Or at least she could try harder to not feel bad, and then be on her way. She didn’t have to focus on it – on him – too much. Go in, get out, and go find Wynne and cuddle against them, maybe. Or maybe she’d just go to her apartment, because explaining what was going on to Wynne wasn’t something Ariadne was sure she could handle, right now.

What she hadn’t expected, though, was for him to be awake. She held up her hands, letting out a small squeak – this was like that doctor lady all over again, except that this time she hadn’t even done anything when he’d woken up, and at least she’d started to cause nightmares for the doctor. “I – I walked in. The door was unlocked!” She had no clue if that was true, but it seemed a good enough bet. She’d learned that more people in this town left their doors unlocked than she ever would’ve thought. “Sorry, I was just – hungry, and I wanted to see if you had any…” she scrunched up her face. “Any… ice cream. ‘Cause I was really craving cookie dough.”

“Are you shitting me right now?” There was a literal child mare in his room, and she was too dumb to even make a good cover story on the fly or cover her glowing red eyes. A laugh almost escaped Mateo, but instead, he groaned when he realized he wasn’t going to get to wack someone. He couldn’t hurt a kid. Not even if they broke into his home.

Well…he could hurt them a little.

Mateo closed the distance and lightly smacked the girl on the head, like any sensible person would do when a child did something stupid. “You do realize I’m a grown man and you’re tiny, right? Pick your battles better.” He huffed as he flashed his own glowing eyes at the girl, throwing the bat aside on his way to the kitchen. Whether or not the girl would follow, Mateo wasn’t sure, but he guessed he’d find out once he reached his freezer.

“I got cookies ‘n cream and cookie dough.” Taking both containers out, he waved them in front of his chest, teasing. “Now, you can have some, but you gotta answer some questions.” Mateo plopped the ice cream onto his dining table and went for two bowls and spoons, sliding them next to the sweets. “You in, or you out?” He took a seat, gesturing to the delicious flavors in front of him. “Personally, I like to mix them together. Put both flavors in the bowl and really go to town. But…” He waved the food off, shrugging. “Guess you won’t know unless ya talk.”

“No?” She looked at him, wide-eyed, and only then realized that his eyes were also red. What a win she’d had here, huh? Maybe somebody had mentioned him being a jerk just because of what he was, and by logic or whatever, that meant she was also a jerk. Even if Ariadne didn’t think she’d ever actually heard anybody call her that. Still, if one mare was a jerk, maybe they all were.

Except she’d never call Leila or Inge that.

“I’m not that tiny. I’m taller than a lot of my friends, actually. My cousin just says I’ve got like, tiny energy or whatever? I don’t know.” She rolled her eyes (for maybe the first time in forever) and turned on her heels to follow him. “Do you like, fake-sleep a lot, then? Because I do, but that’s mostly because I have a partner. I’m sorry I tried to feed on you, though.” Ariadne looked up at him sheepishly. 

“Got chocolate sauce? I’ll answer questions, yeah.” She looked over to him, red eyes wide. “Just – not too personal, please.” Because she didn’t want to talk about what a bad person she was, or about how she’d died in detail. “Do I get to know your name, by the way?”

Mateo couldn’t help the chortle that spilled out of him, and he rolled his eyes to compliment the reaction. “Right, right…” He drawled, waving her off. “I guess? It’s just nice to close my eyes. Sometimes there’s nothing better to do.” Her cousin was definitely right. She had tiny energy. Tinier than most people he’d met. Whether or not he’d be able to tolerate it though, was to be discovered. 

He paused, arching a brow at the mention of a partner. How old was this girl? She looked like a child. “If you pretend a lot for them, then that means they’re probably alive, then?” With a shrug, Mateo nodded and threw open the fridge to retrieve the chocolate sauce the girl requested.

 “Don’t wanna know anything too personal anyway, homie.” He popped open all the containers, getting his own bowl ready to eat. “My name’s Mateo.” The bottle of chocolate sauce clicked closed, the final touches applied. He slid the bottle, along with everything else toward the girl, gesturing for her to make her own bowl too. “What about you? Got a name I get to know?”

“I get that. I wish I could sleep, because sleeping is nice. Was nice, I guess,” Ariadne shook her head. She didn’t know why she was going on about that so much, except she was still startled and surprised enough from finding out that the dude she’d tried to feed from was also a mare that she wasn’t keeping her composure best as she could. Not that she was entirely sure what a good version of keeping her composure would have been, but still.

“Oh, they are very alive yeah. Very much so. Human and alive and the best person I’ve ever ever met.” Ariadne narrowed her eyes. “You better not feed on them, like, ever.” She knew she wasn’t much of a threat at all, but she did also know that she’d do anything that she could in order to make sure that Wynne was never harmed, at least not by a mare, at least not when she could control it.

Well, that was something, at least. He didn’t want to know things that were too personal, and for that she was extremely grateful. “Ariadne.” She responded, “is my name.” She grabbed the chocolate sauce and fixed herself a bowl of ice cream, taking a hefty scoop into her mouth, chewing before she continued. “It’s from a myth, and I – I like it, even though I don’t think I’ve ever met anybody else with the same name as me.”

“Well that can’t be true now.” Mateo grinned confidentially, fingers interlacing as his elbows propped onto the table. “You’ve met me now, so they can’t be the best person.” It was all in jest. Sort of. Mateo’s ego was huge, but he knew better than to let that influence his entire tone. He played it safe and accompanied his statement with a laugh, waving himself off before reassuring his new mare friend. “But don’t worry. Don’t want a mare nipping at my heels while I’m trying to eat, so they’re so safe.” Mateo raised his hand, promising. “Scout’s honor, ma.” He was never a scout, but the sentiment still had to stand. At least, he thought it should. 

“Ariadne.” Not a name he’d heard before, but there was a flair to it that almost felt Latin coming off of his tongue. Had to be a culture that somewhat intersected, but that hardly mattered when they were getting to know each other and Ariadne didn’t exactly know where the name came from. Besides, there was something Mateo was far more interested in. He took a bite of his ice cream, humming at the taste. “How long you been a mare? ‘Cause it sure as hell hasn’t been very long if you’re jumpin’ around like this. And, well…” Another bite, “You got that weird moral compass thing going on.”

 “I – well, I mean, I’ve only just met you.” Her words caught in her throat, “and I – well, I’m their girlfriend and they’re my partner, so… I think they’re always gonna be the best.” Ariadne shook her head, forcing her gaze to anywhere but the other mare. Because she wasn’t sure exactly what to make of him, or what, exactly, he made of her, which was all the more confusing, but not something she could focus on right now. “But you’re very cool. I’ll say that! I just think I have to reserve best for either my best friend or the person I’m in love with.”

She pulled at the strands of her hair a moment, “I’ve – like, not more than a year. Or, a bit more than a year, but not long. Is it really that obvious?” Ariadne took a too-big bite of her ice cream. “Also, wait, what’s wrong with a moral compass? That’s good to have, I thought, right?” Though she wasn’t sure if Celene would’ve agreed, but that wasn’t something she was going to discuss with a stranger. “Also wait, what do you mean, jumping around? How else am I supposed to get places?”

Mateo rolled his eyes, unable to relate to the lovey dovey vibes Ariadne was giving off. It was all too sickly sweet for his liking. “Well I don’t do the whole…” He gestured vaguely to Ariadne with a playful grimace, chuckling as he refocused on his ice cream. “Love…relationship…thing.” Grabbing the chocolate sauce, he dowsed his bowl even further, shrugging with agreement at Ariadne’s correct assessment of who Mateo was. Though he was sure the girl was just being sweet, as she always seemed to be. It wasn’t something he could understand, but as always, to each their own. 

“Moral compass can be fine and all, but having too much of one can make you too vulnerable and naive.” Mateo huffed, taking another bite of his ice cream. “You gotta know when to let go of morals, and trust me, there are times where you gotta. Don’t make you a bad person, but being sweet all the time can be dangerous if you’re in this supernatural world.” Taking a final bite, Mateo slid his bowl off to the side, clasping his hands together on the table. 

“As far as jumping goes, you gotta know where you’re going, or shit like this happens.” Mateo gestured between the pair. “Not everyone is so nice, and not everyone is gonna be a mare like me. ‘Cause, sure, jumping around is how we get to our meals, but without strategizing, you could get fucked, and not—” Mateo stopped himself from being too crude, waving off his words dismissively. “You know. Whatever.” Shrugging, he moved from his seat to place his dirty bowl in the sink for it to soak. “But yeah. That’s what makes it obvious. Lack of planning. I was like that too when I first started, but I’m, like, five years in now.”

“Oh, well, okay. That’s fine! Lots of people don’t, probably, so…” Ariadne wasn’t sure where exactly she was going with that particular train of thought, but Mateo didn’t seem to mind too much, if at all, so maybe this was some sort of blessing of luck to balance out the utter disaster that tonight was, otherwise.

“It’s – it’s not bad. I like having morals.” She was trying her very best not to pout, because that would only make her come off as immature, and she didn’t want anybody – but especially any other mare – to think of her that way. To think of her like a little kid. Because she wasn’t. Even if Ariadne was never going to look like a full-grown adult, she still did want to be treated with respect and not just pushed to the side, or babied.

“I did know where I was going. I heard somebody say you were mean, and I prefer to feed on mean people, and so I came here, and I – we – can’t tell when somebody’s a mare, so I just didn’t know until, well, you know.” She stuffed another spoonful of ice cream in her mouth, chewed, before she rapidly shook her head again. “Not that – I didn’t know you, so that’s not me calling you mean. You seem very nice, actually! So. Yeah.” Ariadne made another face. “Not what? But okay. Well, I – I just go where I think is best. You’ve done this for five years? When does it get easier?”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Goody-goody.” He couldn’t help but roll his eyes again, glaring a little at the idea of being seen as nice. “Well, I am mean. I’m just—you’re a mare. Easier to be nice when it’s a peer.” Mateo clicked his tongue and watched with a hint of amusement on his face while Ariadne attempted to explain herself away. She definitely didn’t know what she was doing, and while Mateo wanted to tease her further, it didn’t feel like it’d be much fun. Especially considering she seemed a little more emotional. And young.

“Honestly, chica?” Mateo pursed his lips as he sifted through his memories. He couldn’t think of a specific moment when it all clicked for him, nor could he think of a general moment in time. The last five years had been such a blur. After his first kill, everything fell into place, but with Ariadne’s sense of morality, Mateo doubted she’d have a similar experience. “No idea. I just sorta…happened.” He shrugged and leaned back in his chair, balancing it on just two legs. “Think it’s different for everyone. Obviously. But I think once you settle into your life and don’t even realize time is passing, that’s when you know.”

“I thought peers were like, only people close in age to you? No offense, but you are like a fully adult adult, so I guess I never thought of it that way.” Nonetheless, Ariadne shook her head. “But okay, I’m glad you’re down to be nice to me, I like when people are nice.” She offered a tentative smile because he still seemed impossible to get a read on, even though he couldn’t be that bad given how quickly he’d turned into caring and had offered her ice cream. She still wanted to tread lightly, if only because of her near-perpetual worry that she was seconds away from messing something up big time.

“Oh.” She took another big scoop of ice cream, leaving her bowl nearly all empty, and stuffed it into her mouth to give herself a few moments to think. “Oh. Well, maybe it’ll happen to me. I hope it’ll happen to me sometime, though I dunno when I can expect that, and…” Ariadne bit down on her tongue. “Yeah, that makes sense, but also time does pass, and I guess I’m still super hyper aware of that. Did you – did the mare who made you stick around?” Part of her wanted to know if the whole up and abandon schtick was a typical thing, and she wasn’t sure which answer would disappoint her more.

“Well, I won’t always be nice, so be warned.” He rubbed at his face and chuckled, narrowing his eyes at Ariadne. How could someone be so nice all the time? Mateo didn’t get it, and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to at all. While not everyone deserved cruelty all the time, he certainly didn’t believe they deserved kindness all the time either. People were stupid and often indifferent anyway, and that’s how Mateo liked to be most days. Neutrality on humanity saved him a lot of time, and helped him avoid social interactions not unlike the one he was in now. He wished it would end, if only to avoid uncomfortable questions. 

Very much like the one about who changed him. 

“Yeah.” The man swallowed with a twitch of his nose and a clack from his chair meeting the ground again. “He-Yeah. Stuck around.” And I asked him to change me. I asked my own brother to change me and I…Mateo sniffed sharply and drummed his fingers to soothe himself slightly before he snapped at Ariadne. “Think we’re done here, chica.” He chewed at the inside of his lips and drummed faster, his posture stiffening up uncomfortably. Anxiety wasn’t something he was inflicted with enough to know how to handle it correctly, but he knew how to hide his emotions. That was the appropriate thing to do, right?

Thank you, dad. 

“You should go. We’re a few hours from sunrise and I gotta get ready for company.”

“Okay, well, I think being nice is good, but I respect your choices too!” Even if she didn’t understand them, and even if Ariadne found herself grateful that she’d met people like Leila and Inge before Mateo. He wasn’t bad! She absolutely didn’t think that, but he probably wouldn’t have wanted to help her out in the same way that the others had. Which itself had been a saving grace since she’d felt so incredibly lost and adrift.

“That – well, that’s good. You had somebody around. Mine … didn’t. Probably ‘cause she was ashamed of me, but I don’t know for sure.” And she felt her chest tighten at the thought of it, and so even if the snapping did make her jump, Ariadne was also grateful for it. Welcomed it, even in its uncomfortableness.

“Okay, okay – we can go.” She fidgeted slightly. “I mean, I can. Go. I’ll go, unless you want help setting up for your company.” Which Ariadne figured he probably very much did not, but it would’ve been rude not to at least ask, right?

There definitely was no off button for this inherent goodness inside Ariadne. It contradicted everything that Mateo had witnessed and knew of the world. He didn’t understand it, and if the conversation hadn’t veered toward their creator’s, he might’ve asked more about her perspective, or even let her stay to help him clean up what little mess there was. Mentally, he shrugged, and physically, he pushed himself from the table. 

“Don’t want help.” He huffed, scratching at his cheek and moving on as quickly as he could. On instinct, he went to the door to urge Ariadne to go through it, but quickly realized it wasn’t necessary and quickly steered himself back to his bedroom. “Just blip outta here.” For the love of god, please just blip away. Mateo plopped himself into his bed and let his face remain in his pillow for a while. Memories of Junior flooded his mind and he was thankful then that there was no need to breathe as he cried for the first time in months. 

It was a relief in one way, and a deep shame in another, but no one, not even Ariadne, had to know. Out of kindness, she’d blip away. That was the hope at least. And given that Mateo was met with silence for over half an hour, he knew he had been left to his own devices. He was alone and could leave himself buried. 

Just not in the same way he’d left Junior.