#fever phi thoughts

[ssa-dado]

(Don't be fooled, the picture on the left is a Great Horned Owl, not Aaron Hotchner)

I’d bet five cents that 98.62% of the time, Gideon saw Hotch as a walking, 6'2" great horned owl in a suit.

"The unsub is a white male, likely in his late 30s to early 40s"

---

(Fun fact: there’s a small chance I may or may not have slipped that thought into the upcoming chapter)

[luigisfancycakes]

HI YOU MUST WRITE THIS

Bully! Luigi forcing Babyfever! Reader to fuck herself back on his dick 😵‍💫 He's so mean smacking your ass and getting so close to shooting his load deep inside your pussy just to stop right before cumming. Babyfever! Reader crying and sobbing as she bounces her ass back on him milking him until he finally grips your hips and shoots ropes of cum deep inside Readers womb

Bully! Luigi x Babyfever! Reader ꣑ৎ ᡣ𐭩۫

A/n: sorry this took so long. I had hella deadlines and then came down with a fever the second spring break started. I might rewrite this in the future because I lowkey hate this but I hope this is okay for now. 🩷😮‍💨

It was another Friday night at Phi Kappa Psi. The music was blaring and the liquor was flying as the party stays going strong. You'd spent most of the party grinding on laps, flirting with guys, and letting hands roam all over your body all for the sole purpose of trying to find a hookup. This wasn't like you at all. Sure, you partied hard, but you were never one to get down and disgusting like this. Being seen at a Phi Kappa Psi party was out of character, but openly making out with a frat boy was downright unbelievable.

Your hatred for frat boys (especially Phi Kappa Psi) wasn't a secret by any means. It was like the second you stepped on campus for the first time, Phi Kappa Psi had it out for you. They didn't have a reason for being dicks; they just were! You were so sweet and polite to them, but for some reason they declared you enemy number one. The cheap beer was fucking with you, and your desire to be bred was making your head spin.

Maybe that was why you didn't hear Luigi approaching you from behind. Luigi wraps his big, strong arms over your shoulders and lazily buries his face into your hair. "No kisses for me? I feel left out, principessa." Luigi whines mockingly into your hair. You can feel the size difference between the two of you, and you just KNOW those sexy hands of his would handle you perfectly.

"I'm off my birth control, Luigi. So, you better fuck off and find another girl to bother." You grumble in embarrassment. Yes, your body was screaming for him, but it's not like you'd ever admit that. You have been at his throat for him for months now, and you have too much pride to give him what he wants like that. A small grunt escapes Luigi's lips as his hands find your hips. "So, you got off birth control and immediately started behaving like a desperate slut at my party? Bambina, if you wanted to be bred so badly, all you had to do was ask." Luigi purrs lazily as his head lowers down to your neck. He presses gentle kisses on your neck as the tip of his cold nose tickles you slightly.

"You don't mean that" is all you can muster as his lips and tongue start to work against your neck. You didn't want to give in to his childish bullshit, but God, it was tempting. "Oh, but I do. Come on... Let me help you." Luigi mumbles as he continues attacking your neck with kisses. He slowly starts to lead you away toward his room while giving you plenty of time to stop him. His smirk only widens against your neck as he watches you willingly move towards his room.

As soon as you two enter his dorm room, you're almost immediately bent over his desk. Luigi's strong hands desperately tug at your clothes until you're left completely bare for him. His thick fingers waste no time finding your clit and rubbing sloppy circles over your pussy. "Luigi!" You whine as your legs jolt occasionally. "What is it, baby?" Luigi asks in a breathy, sultry tone. "I thought you said you said you were going to breed me?" You whine as your pussy pulses and drips all over his fingers. If Luigi wasn't planning on putting a baby in you before, he certainly was now. His dick stirs in his pants, and he grunts animalistically as his hands desperately fumble with his jeans. He positions the head of his cock right against your folds before slowly pushing in. After a few sloppy thrusts, his hands find your hips, and he finally starts to fuck you. His dick is hitting so deep and hard that you can barely think. Your vision blurs and your back arches as Luigi skillfully handles you.

"You're really liking this, aren't you, bitch? You want a baby that bad?" Luigi taunts as his thrusts turn punishing. Each thrust has you struggling not to scream as your legs shake. You're only brought out of your trance when he smacks your ass hard. "I asked you a question." Luigi growls as his thrusts get more frantic. "Yes! Yes, I want it that bad!" You squeal through desperate moans. Luigi's mouth comes down to kiss your back as he pounds you hard. "Yeah, you want it so so bad. You know our baby is going to resemble me, right? You're going to see me in our child for the rest of your fucking life." Luigi taunts you as his hands find their way to your hair. He uses your hair to pull you back on his dick lazily.

"I want to see your features in our child! Luigi, I want our kid to have your eyes and hair!" You ramble through broken sobs. Luigi's dick almost immediately starts twitching in your pussy. His thrusts are getting sloppy and erratic, which only causes you to arch your back more. Just as he's about to cum, he pulls out, leaving only the tip inside you. Before you can speak, you get silenced by a hard smack across the ass. "Show me then. Show me just how much you want my cum in your pussy," Luigi growls as he scowls. You know it's not worth fighting, so you obey and start fucking yourself back on his dick. His hand finds your clit as the other pulls your hair to guide you. Your cries echo as his grunts send jolts of pleasure straight to your pussy.

You grip the dresser as you force yourself back and forth on his dick. The lewd sounds of skin slapping and wet squelching only bring you closer to the edge as Luigi struggles to hold himself back. As your hips start slowing and jittering from overstimulation, Luigi finally grabs your hips again. Luigi's hands grip your hips as he brutally pounds into you. "Fuck, I'm going to cum!" Luigi grunts as the tip of his dick destroys your cervix.

Thick, hot spurts of cum shot inside you as his thrusts stilled. All you can do is pant and twitch as you slowly recover. "Thank you, Luigi...," you say breathlessly as you grab onto his hand. Luigi pulls you up and presses kisses all over your face. "You're welcome, bambina." Luigi pants as he holds you tight. Your hatred settles for a moment as you both melt into each other. After a few minutes you find yourself entangled with Luigi in his shitty mattress. It's not the end of your rivalry, but just for tonight, everything is at peace.

[bananadramaaa]

How would Eden handle the fact that Caleb was killed not by a random person/witch, but by Phillip? Would she know about this? Still, when your brother kills his brother, there has to be some kind of reaction

Ooooh, thanks for your question! I don't quite know how to answer that in simple words so I've decided to write a small episode about that undercut. I guess we can call it Answer in the form of Fanfiction :D

***

The whole place was filled with smoke. Sparks from the fire were flying in all directions. It was difficult to breathe. Through the fog in her head, Eden thought she heard a scream. The noise in her ears was unbearable. The aching pain in her head and the slight dizziness didn't help her concentrate. She seemed to have been pushed to the ground by this Witch. She had only one task: to keep the Witch down; don’t let her run away. Evelyn was the witch’s name, she believed. At least that's how Caleb introduced her to them. On shaky legs, Eden rose slowly, holding her head. Everything around her immediately spun. Her breathing gave her a sharp pain in her temples. The girl took her hand away from her head. There was blood. But none of that mattered. She had to find Philip and, finally, Caleb. The whole nightmare would be over… they would come home. They would finally come home…

Through the crackling of burning wood, she heard quiet sobs. The girl limped towards the sound, and through the smoke, she saw a hunched figure. It was Wit- Evelyn. Thoughts ran chaotically through her head. Where in the world is- “He killed him.” there was a low, rumbling sound as Eden found herself behind the witch. “W-What?..” the girl's voice was barely audible.

The witch turned to her sharply. The fire of hatred burned in her golden eyes, tears streaming down her freckled cheeks, her lips quivering. Eden's heart skipped a beat. There was a painful tightness in her chest.

"He killed him!” shouted Evelyn tearfully. “You killed him!" She grabbed a handful of soil and threw it at Eden. The skirt around Evelyn’s knees and part of her shirt were soaked with blood. At that moment Eden was struck with the horrific realisation. The blood wasn’t witches. The breathless body of her older brother appeared before her eyes. Caleb's body. “I-I… I!..” Eden tried to say something, but the words stuck in her throat. Her gaze locked on her brother's pale face, on the dried blood in the corners of his blue lips.

Her legs buckled, and she fell to the ground, grabbing her throat. “Philip cannot-! Phi- I-!..” she tried to say something, but all she could see in front of her eyes was her brother’s corpse. Nausea came to her throat; her breath caught. Eden gasped. She felt like she was somewhere far away, like in a fever dream. Everything that was happening to her now defied her vision of the world. It defied the patterned descriptions of the people she had hoped to believe she knew. All of her experiences — the death of her parents, Caleb's disappearance, the demonic world — were all so foreign that Eden thought for a moment that she had lost her mind. Those months were a description of the ravings of a madman. She wasn't supposed to be here, nor were her brothers… not even this witch. Everything was so wrong that she wanted to shout it out for all to hear. Even for her dead parents, buried under layers of soil so far away in the Human Realm, to hear. But all she could hear was the desperate cry of the witch, Evelyn.

***

[fangirlingao3]

Update on Current WIPS

Hey! I just wanted to let you guys know what I'm currently working on!

The Cultivate World Needs A Reset is still a WIP and just got updated. It's at 23 chapters so far.

Feral Sons is also still a WIP and just got updated. It's got 6 chapters and a prologue posted.

The Enemy of Thy Enemy Becomes Your Lover is also a WIP still. It was updated today and is up to 26 chapters (plus the prologue).

I am working a few other stories as well.

"Is Three Really a Crowd" - it will follow Zee/Cole/Kalen from TEOTEBTL. It will probably be a short story with about 5 chapters.

"Exploring Thy Self" - the final installment of Bound By Love Series following Phayu and Rain's exploration of their dynamic.

"FAFO" - an anonymous prompt fill following Vegas and Venice working together to get revenge against an enemy that attacks Pete and leaves him fighting for his life.

"Calling in A Favor" - a prompt fill about the favor that Nicolai owes Rain from the night of the announcement in Love Knows No Bounds.

"Missed Opportunity" - a prompt fill for someone requesting an AU where Rain's parents or someone else picks Rain up when his car breaks down leaving Phayu with the impression that he's dating someone.

"My Phi is A Lot Scarier Than Me" - a prompt fill with a cross over of My Gangster Oppa and LITA. It will follow Tew calls his brother for help when he's threatened by Kenji.

"My Team Love Me, Really... They Do" - a prompt fill following Venice's team of guards from The Newest Theerapanyakun and take him on an adventure in order to get him to relax. It will be ABO like the fic that I wrote previous that this prompt was inspired by.

"The Legend of the Stork" - an anonymous prompt fill fic about Porsche having baby fever and somehow managing to acquire twins.

These ARE NOT ALL of the prompts on my list, but they are the ones that have been sitting in my to-do list the longest. There are at least 5-6 more on the list and I know I've gotten a couple more submissions to the prompt sheet.

I don't write in order of submission, so if something sparks my interest or I get a plot bunny running aimlessly through my head, I will probably write that first lol.

Anyway, let me know any thoughts you have and which of these (if any) you're looking forward to!

[chaisarinawat]

Dan's expression hardly changed as Chai spoke to him, with the younger man growing slightly more anxious the more he talked. He was used to rambling when he was nervous, a habit of his where he felt like he needed to blurt out everything in his mind otherwise it would drive him nuts, and Dan allowed him to do so without interruption. Still, he worried about saying the wrong thing or making his boss angry - Chai didn't want that one bit, especially now since they were making progress.

"You - want to be close to me? What do you mean by that?"

Chai's face grew warm. He liked P'Dan a lot and meant it when he said he wanted to be close - but what way? Phi-Nong? Boss-Assistant? Friends? ...More than friends? It had been a long time since Chai had felt like he had wanted to be more than friends with another person but... if there was anyone he would be willing to try that with, it would be P'Dan...

Oh, what was he saying!! P'Dan was his boss!! Wasn't that inappropriate?

"U-um..." Chai stuttered, finding it hard to admit his thoughts now. "I-I mean... I-I like you a lot P'Dan..."

"I don't want to misunderstand anything. I hope you don't mind that I'm asking… And when you said that Japan was a misunderstanding - What did you mean? You were gonna say something else…"

Chai realised that Dan had caught onto what he had been saying earlier, before he revealed what the other had said during his fever. He supposed that he shouldn't hide it - not since he was trying to be honest with the man too. "When you were sick you said that... y-you said that you liked me?" Chai said, now a little uncertain. Looking back, maybe Dan had just been talking nonsense - he had been so sick, sometimes thoughts got muddled. What if... those weren't his actual feelings? Or what if they changed, since Japan. "You said that you thought I liked you too... I-I mean, back then, I liked you as a boss so it was a shock... But I could see how m-maybe you thought it was something more. It's kinda... turned out that way." Chai let out a nervous chuckle. What was he doing? What was he saying? God, admitting these sorts of things to his boss... if Dan didn't straight up fire him, then Chai would consider himself lucky.

Chai was glad to see that P'Dan was better, he was even able to hold a conversation, the delirium from the night before when his fever had spiked gone. It must have broken while they slept, because his boss was definitely more focussed, able to speak and respond to Chai's questions. He was somewhat confused about what they were doing on the same bed, but must've realised quickly as to the reason why since the medicine packets and the soup and water were still on the bedside table. They had both been exhausted.

The young assistant glanced away bashfully when Dan thanked him for taking care of him the night before, t

"I - was really out of it last night, huh? Thank you for, ah, for taking care of me... I didn't make it to my own bed..."

Chai glanced away bashfully, the acknowledgement making him feel warm inside. He didn't take care of Dan just for the recognition, he did it out of the goodness of his heart, but it was nice to hear those words anyway, because it made him feel like he was useful to others.

Dan was about to leave and go back to his bed when Chai spoke to him about calling him phi. His boss was giving him a weird look - like he didn't understand what was going on, as though the way Chai was acting wasn't what he was expecting. And Chai supposed that made sense, since Dan had been totally out of it the night before, not registering any of their conversation. Still, the young assistant felt a little self-conscious, thinking of a way to bring up what Dan had said in his sleep naturally so that this would make sense to him.

"It's not a big deal, Chai... If - you want to call me Phi, that's not a problem. Are you doing it because the others were saying something about it? It's - you don't have to do it, if that's the only reason. But I'd prefer it, honestly. It makes me feel closer to you. Did you want me to call you 'Nong', too"?

"W-whoa - P'Dan! Did you read my mind?" Chai shifted so he was sitting on his knees, looking at P'Dan in amazement at what he just said. That had been the reason Chai wanted to change the way he spoke with Dan, so that they could be closer to each other and rid themselves of the awkward uncomfortable tension that seemed to follow them around. If Dan was thinking the same thing, and if he preferred it, then Chai was happy to follow along. He wasn't pressured by the staff at all - but now, he truly felt like he was part of the Dragon Entertainment family. "I want to call you Phi for the same reason!"

After feeling P'Dan's forehead and hearing the other tell him that he was alright, Chai's smile grew. He was about to hop off out of the bed to see if Dan needed anything else, when the other reached up to press a palm against his forehead too. Chai froze, but not out of fear - but because Dan was actually reciprocating and he saw that as a sign of progress.

"How about you? Are you okay? Are you feeling sick?"

"I totally fine Phi," Chai assured him. "No fever at all."

"Did I do anything weird last night? Said anything? I don't remember what we talked about..."

Chai watched as Dan hesitated, the man appearing as though he were trying to think back to what he might have spoken about before passing out.

"Was it something I said? About what happened in Japan?"

Dan removed his hand, the breath he released heavy and burdened. Chai hated that his boss was still harbouring so much guilt over something that had been a complete misunderstanding, and wanted to put an end to it now. Dan didn't need reminding that what he had done wasn't right, but Chai recognised that he needed something else instead to make him feel better - reassurance.

"You said a few things, Phi," Chai told him. "You talked about your brother. I wasn't really able to make it out well. I know he's getting married to that heir - Khun Anon? You mentioned his name and that you would marry him instead." Chai explained, cocking his head to the side. Did Dan have feelings for his brother's fiancée? If that was the case, did that mean he didn't have feelings for Chai anymore? "It sounded a bit like a drama, Phi. Someone's life was getting ruined - but I don't know how or why. If it was a dream, it was a very bad one - you were moving around a lot beneath the sheets."

After explaining about the dream, Chai quietened down for a moment to think about how he would answer the next question.

"Y-yes Phi, you brought up Japan. B-but it wasn't bad!" Chai said quickly, so that the other wouldn't interrupt him with more apologies or try to push him away. They had to bury this hatchet, and if Dan wasn't brave enough to address his feelings then Chai had to do it instead. It wasn't like him, he usually avoided confrontation of any kind - but this was important, otherwise working for P'Dan was going to be impossible.

"Phi, I forgave you for Japan a long time ago," Chai said softly. "It was a misunderstanding. I didn't know that..." That you liked me. Chai didn't finish the sentence, swallowing instead before continuing. "I didn't know you still felt so guilty. I know you're not a bad person, you're the total opposite. You're very kind to me and I really love working under you. I don't want you to feel upset over what happened anymore, especially because I don't," Chai's face heated up again as he glanced down, chewing his bottom lip a little. He didn't know if he should bring up how Dan said he liked him - he wanted to, but didn't want to embarrass the other, especially if his feelings had changed and he now liked his brother's fiancée. "I'm not scared of you, and I'm not trying to avoid you. I-I hope you know that. And I'm sorry if I acted in a way that made you think that. I really... I really want to be close to you P'Dan."

Chai could feel his heart pounding. Why did this sound like a confession? Did he also like P'Dan? Even though the man was his boss? The more he got to know him, the more Chai realised how great of a person he was.

[byproducts-of-my-imagination]

AOT College AU (part 1?)

So somewhere in the fever dream that was the past year, I got back into aot and had this whole elaborate college au planned out and this was the result

I may actually pick this back up

part of draft clearing 2022

Rush week is a god awful period of time designed to bait and trap freshmen into pledging to a fraternity or sorority.  It’s also when everyone likes to go buck wild with the parties, since classes just started and the consequences of procrastination are too far off into the future for anyone to care about.  Honestly, you regret letting Sasha drag you to the Theta Chi house, but at least she’s having fun pressed up against some blond sophomore.  There’s plenty of familiar faces, Eren (with Mikasa trailing around him as usual) is pulling Armin around and trying to get a bid for Theta Chi, even though he could’ve had a guaranteed spot at the Alpha Phi Epsilon house because his brother Zeke apparently runs the place.  Although speaking of the APE house next door, Reiner and Bertholdt are trying to get in for some reason.  Your roommate, Annie, ended up going with them too, muttering something about old friends.  

A sudden hand on your shoulder makes you jump, landing right into the arms of the notorious head of Theta Chi, Erwin Smith.  “Hey doll, can I get you anything to drink?”  he rumbles, slinging an arm over you and pulling you uncomfortably close, close enough to smell the alcohol on his breath.  

“Uh no thanks, I’d rather not,” you say, preferring to laugh at Connie and Jean getting absolutely sloshed playing beer pong.

“Well, if you need anything, and I mean anything, let me know.”  He says, practically purring in your ear before finally loosening his hold, off to go charm some other unsuspecting freshman into his bed.  

You make your way to the refrigerator, cringing at the stickiness of the floor along the way.  There’s nothing but cheap beer and some probably spiked sodas, none of which you feel like drinking at all.  As you try to close the door, a carton of orange juice falls out of the door compartment.  Perfect, you think, and upon further inspection it appears to be unopened.  You open the carton and take a swig directly from it, too lazy to search for a red solo cup.  This is the good stuff, sweet, and just the right amount of pulp.

“Is that my orange juice?”  fuck.  You look up to see the tallest man you’ve ever seen in your life, taller than even Bertholdt which is a pretty high bar to clear.

“I can put it back but I kinda already drank from the carton so…”  He shrugs and swipes the carton from you, chugging the rest of it in one go.    

“You owe me more orange juice,” he pouts, “What's your name?  I’m Mike.”  Suddenly it makes sense.  Standing before you is Mike Zacharius, the unbeatable basketball center for the Paradis Scouts.  He’s made quite a reputation for himself, well, the whole basketball team has.  

“I’m y/n.” you introduce, backing away until you feel the coolness from the kitchen counter dig into your back.  

“You don’t look like you're having a good time,” he frowns, thick arms caging you against the counter “want me to show you what a good time really is?”  You hear a deep inhale close to you, ...is he sniffing your hair?

“God, is everyone at this frat house a total douchebag?”

“Ah, sorry, girls normally like that kind of thing.” he rubs the back of his neck, a little sheepish at being called out.  

“Gross.”

“Yeah, I know.  My bad.  But I am expecting another carton of orange juice from you at some point!”

What is it with you and being dragged places against your will?  Sports isn't really your thing, but Mikasa insisted on taking you to see Eren play his first game as a starter.  Somehow he worked some voodoo magic to be able to play in official games as a freshman.  Or maybe the university just thought he would follow in Zeke’s footsteps as a sports legend.  Either way, Eren is now sporting jersey #7, as the Paradis Scout’s newest small forward.  The rest of the starting line looks intimidating as hell.  Mikasa insisted on getting front row seats, so she could see Eren play up close.  The game hasn’t even started yet but her eyes are glued tight to Eren.  

The creak of the stadium seat next to you grates on your ears, even over all the noise the crowd is making.

“Miss me?”  you turn your head so fast you almost got whiplash, greeting your long time friend with a grin.  

“Reiner!”  His chatter fades into the background far too quickly, as your gaze drifts right back to Mike, who is drinking a fucking carton of orange juice right before the game like some sort of bizarre pre game ritual.  Guess he just really loves orange juice.  

“Oh!  y/n!”  he points at his carton of orange juice and then at you, “you owe me!”

“What's that all about?”

The screech of a whistle cuts you off, and Mike is up for the tip off.  For a man of his size, he sure moves fluidly.  His long arms reach the ball long before the other team’s representative, and the ball rushes back, right into the hands of a familiar looking man with an undercut.  It isn’t until you read the name on his jersey that you remember.

“Ackerman?  Like-”

“Like my rude jerk of a cousin.”  Mikasa finishes, still refusing to take her eyes off Eren.  

You’ve only really seen Levi around a few times, but his larger than life reputation speaks for itself.  “Humanity’s strongest basketball player”, and undeniably the best point guard Paradis has ever seen in its history.  It’s because of Levi that the basketball team is the pride and joy of the school.   Well it’s a little unfair to attribute the team’s success solely to Levi, you suppose, but everyone seems to think of it like that.  

The ball’s in the opposing team's court, which means Paradis is on defense, and Mike is really shining, blocking shot after shot, catching rebounds left and right.  

“That weird center is really good,” Reiner grumbles, “gotta hand it to him.”

Against your better judgement, you buy a carton of orange juice and go with Mikasa to a party at the Ox house.  Something about celebrating the new pledges?  Whatever is happening, Eren is involved which means Mikasa is too.  Mike opens the door, and looks like an excited golden retriever when he sees the orange juice you brought.  Mikasa pushed through as soon as the door opened, leaving you with Mike while she made her way to Eren, content to be by his side.  

“I’ve been waiting for this all night!  Come chill with me.”

Maybe it was the boyish glint in his eye, or the dorky shirt he was wearing, or maybe it was the crooked smile and the way he practically shook in excitement that had you taking Mike up on his offer.  

“You’re out of my league y’know?”

“What?  I’m the one that's way out of your league.”  he grins at you, and you can’t find it in your heart to contradict him.

[thehalfbloodedwitch]

Hi Phi! (I am gonna call you Phi now 😌🙃) How are you? Are you fine now?

Omggg why have I never thought of that nickname for me?? I loveee it!!! I am really really better today! Just have cold, no fever. And I really hope you have an amazing day today nor 💕💖

[jcmorrigan]

A while ago, I promised a Tales of Berseria headcanon dump, and this is all incredibly specific and based on my own reading, and I know no one else is going to agree with these exact interps or even the ships that built their foundation, but hey, here I go anyway

SEXUALITY/ROMANTIC ORIENTATION

Velvet Crowe: Lesbian. I first got an inkling she liked women in the prologue, when she was teasing around with Niko about “If you were a boy, I’d be in love.” True, she said it was a good thing neither was a boy at the time, but given how much the citizens of Aball drill ideas about marriage into Velvet’s head, it seems like a very heteronormative society and not that progressive. It’s a rural village in the middle of nowhere; what do you expect? Later on, Velvet would grieve heavily for Niko, in a way that I feel is reminiscent of a lover, and when it comes to Eleanor, she participates in “Women are mysterious creatures” rhetoric about her - the kind men usually say about women. Also has a fair share of soul-bonding moments with Magilou. I personally find more ship chemistry for her with any number of the women in ToB than any of the men.

Magilou: Bisexual. Seems to have an interest in Velvet. One particular victory screen has her joking with Phi about how if you can’t touch Velvet’s sword, everything else on her is fair game to touch. That’s wlw at least. However, her relationship with Bienfu of all things is where I get the impression she’s attracted to men - her talk of “punishing” him physically during nights at the inn read a little like innuendo to me. (Yeah, I just implied she has a sexual past with the Normin.) She also welcomes attention from all genders in general as to how amazing she is.

Eleanor Hume: WLW asexual. I don’t really have definitive subtext to point me toward ace, but I recall my own experience thinking I was morally upstanding because I wasn’t sexually active when my teenage peers were, and Eleanor, given her devotion to the Abbey and her pride in meeting its standards, just seems like she could have the same story: thinking she’s morally upstanding because she doesn’t act on any sexual urges, only to realize that’s because she doesn’t have them the way her teammates do. I already mentioned the subtext tension between Eleanor and Velvet - Velvet is the only person I can really pick out potential romantic chemistry for Eleanor with. Because of that, I’m not certain if she could also be attracted to men or not, as I don’t have any good samples.

Rokurou Rangetsu: MLM. I went back and forth between gay and bisexual for a while. For one, Rokurou has that scene when he talks about how women can break your heart worse than any danger in the field (and Eizen agrees), implying he’s had a past dating women. He also at least feigns interest in knowing about Velvet in the hot-spring bath. But this is underscored by a punchline of just wanting to make Phi sweat. Rokurou’s archetype of the heavy-drinking, optimistic idiot often comes paired with “womanizer,” but that wasn’t present here. And there was also the scene where he commented on how Velvet’s ragged outfit must be cold in Figahl only for her to scold him on ogling her - which I suppose can be read as him discreetly ogling her, but I see it more as him looking at Velvet in skimpy clothing and having the go-to reaction of how practical it must be in the weather. His chemistry with Eizen drips romantic to me, given how they share drinks and argue for fun.

Eizen: MLM. Same case as Rokurou - mentioned having his heart broken by women, and joined in on the Velvet-in-the-hot-spring discussion, but also expresses lots of affection toward Rokurou that was likely written to be platonic but comes across as very close. I’ve also seen the popularity of the Eizen/Zaveid ship, and given that Eizen told Zaveid his true name, which “can be seen as a confession of love,” there’s definitely subtext for that as well. So, again, whether gay or bi (or pan), I am not certain yet.

Laphicet: Bisexual. Obviously is attracted to the illusion of Edna and, to an extent, Velvet in the inn scene in Meirchio, but bonds with Videl intensely and devotes a major part of his life to making Videl’s dreams come true.

GENDER IDENTITY

Magilou: Transgender, identifies as very female. This was actually something I got an inkling on very early when some of her victory screens had her making jokes about her weapon in the way that some might view as phallic (I’m thinking especially of the one where Eleanor and Rokurou are talking about the benefits of short weapons, and Magilou says “Mine can be as long as I want!”). So I was of the mind that Magilou perhaps did possess a dick, and that actually got weirdly reinforced when she lifted her book-skirt to fluster Phi and he said “I wasn’t expecting that” - the joke is he was more interested in the books, but in the subtext, I’m reading that despite him definitely knowing what a cis woman’s nether regions would look like (Eleanor is his vessel), he didn’t expect something about Magilou’s lower half. So I was thinking either pre-op transgender or intersex (I’m not certain what types of gender reassignment surgery or artes would be available in Desolation). When all of a sudden, her backstory was revealed that as Legate Magillanica, she had a whole identity and a name that she erased (going so far as to say “Magillanica” is dead), as well as a background growing up in a conservative/religious household with Melchior, and, before that, being passed around to guardians who didn’t love her, leading to her feeling emotionally repressed. And all of a sudden it all fell into place: her story really parallels transitioning. So now I love to just complete the analogy. We know she was going by she/her pronouns at a young age in her traveling show, but we also know that she was exhibited at a “freak show” due to her high resonance. It’s possible she was also advertised as (insert a horrible slur about androgyny here). If she was already well-known going by she/her, Melchior would probably have wanted to keep that intact so as not to cause a stink in the Abbey. But, Melchior being the horrible person he is, he probably also thought Magilou was fit to stand as a legate where no other woman was because she was “male” to him. Anyway, by now, at least the other women on her team have seen her naked and have nothing negative to say on the subject - the party knows and they love her.

Laphicet: I actually see him as a little genderfluid based on a couple of throwaway things. For one, when the party discovers the “unicorn horn” (narwhal tusk), there’s a big discussion about how only a “maiden” pure of heart should be able to pick it up. Velvet offhandedly says Phi should pick it up anyway because it’s his quest. In the end, the myth was dismissed, but I rather like the thought that Phi sometimes identifies more female and therefore could fill the bill of being a maiden pure of heart. His/her personality also influences Innominat, whose outfit of choice is androgynous as far as gender-specific fashion conventions go (and also really spiffy). Most days, Phi is male, but some days, not as much. With his status at game’s end, it also feels a little more fitting to say that such a guardian of the world should be less adhered to one side of the binary.

NEURODIVERGENCE

Eleanor Hume: OCD and anxiety. It’s outright mentioned how she takes responsibility and guilt for everything, even things that have nothing to do with her and aren’t her fault - a telltale marker of OCD. She’s also introduced as being emotional and teased for being a “crybaby,” showing that ordinary situations can easily push her over the edge. I’m only talking main party, else Kamoana would be her own entry, but Kamoana canonically has panic attacks that manifest as fevers according to Mahina’s note, and can be “cured” with placebos. Eleanor’s arc is linked to Kamoana throughout, and the moment where this is revealed is one in which Eleanor is outlining her similarities to Kamoana and how that should mean Kamoana would resent her. I feel like this draws a pretty blatant parallel between Kamoana’s rampant anxiety and Eleanor’s, and how Eleanor jumped to the worst-case scenario only to be shown that the child she worries about has something very big in common with her that might actually be a bridge between them rather than a wall.

Eizen: Autistic. Infodumping is a major character trait of his, and there’s an entire skit dedicated to talking about how “picky” he is about his routine, needing to wear his clothing in specific ways and dock at the same place every time in Port Zekson.

[artificialqueens]

i don't want to be alone anymore (branjie) -- frenchy

a/n: hi hi!! i want to thank you all for the love on my first part of this story, i appreciate that more than you know!!! i decided to give it a second part, though both can be read on their own. & yes i am running this billy joel song title theme with the names. ps. i can be found at alaskathunder on tumblr & also now at frenchys on ao3, where these will end up eventually, along with others, i definitely plan to write more things & pairings soon. hope y'all enjoy, angels!! <3

@Bhytes1: @VanessaVanjie I’m going to Starbucks you want something?

*****

Brooke wasn’t sure how they did it, how they proceeded to shamelessly flirt online as if their private kiss hadn’t even happened only a few nights ago. If it wasn’t for the video evidence, she could have sworn that entire night was a fever dream. Part of her almost wished that she didn’t remember it so vividly, that the way Vanessa touched her and kissed her with no audience wasn’t so detailed in her head. Wished she didn’t have to stop herself from smiling when she remembered it.

It was one thing remembering and thinking about the kiss – she couldn’t change that that happened, and that she didn’t stop it. If anything, she wanted it. She knew it was partly on her for leaning into it, and for getting upset that it hadn’t lasted even longer. She couldn’t blame Vanessa for that. But she could blame Vanessa for what she said.

“At some point we have to quit pretending like this is only for the fans.”

If Brooke thought she was over analyzing these social media interactions before, she was even more fucked now. She only assumed this is how the fans felt on the daily, trying to decipher everything, trying to figure out if this was all Vanessa playing into the contract or using it to hint at how she really felt. How she still felt.

It was futile to put any music on as she took her time getting into drag for the viewing party tonight, where she’d be joining Phi Phi O’hara in a screening of episode 5 – the Monster Ball. No attempts at turning up said music could stop her mind from being only focused on Vanessa, on the moment they shared, on the fact that she had to spend another night reliving the honeymoon phase of their relationship on a giant screen in front of an audience.

Just as Brooke anticipated, it was rough. No. Rough was an understatement. She was conscious of how often she gazed dreamily into the screen, star-eyed. Watching them kiss, and comfort each other, and not be able to predict their fate.

She didn’t expect anyone else to notice, too.

“Can I ask you something? Without you getting defensive?” Phi Phi asked after the episode and Brooke’s consequent performance, standing against the closed dressing room door. She kept her distance, her prodding question accompanied by a sensitive color in her voice. Brooke knew she was trying her best to sound open minded, borderline empathetic.

Brooke sighed. “Shoot,” she encouraged the other queen, but didn’t look up. Phi Phi’s second question was enough to warn her that this wouldn’t be a lighthearted conversation.

“If it wasn’t for the fans. Or the publicity, or the ratings, or the – you get the point,” Phi Phi cut herself off, presuming that Brooke heard enough synonyms. “Would you care?”

Brooke stopped fiddling with her bobby pin, blinking up at Phi Phi through the mirror. “What do you mean?”

“Would you be able to stop all this weird, mysterious twitter stuff tomorrow and not give it a second thought?” Phi Phi wasn’t sure if Brooke was just deflecting, or if she was really that far removed from reality and genuinely needed the simplifying. “Not miss him in your life?” At the use of ‘him’, Brooke knew this was deeper than just not having Vanjie as a fellow queen and friend. “I know it’s none of my business, but if you could see what I saw – the way you watched that episode out there tonight – you’d be asking the same thing.” Phi Phi shrugged, and Brooke hated her for it. She hated how easily Phi Phi could get into her head and understand. Worst of all, she hated how Phi Phi saw it her duty to confront Brooke about it. Maybe she’d thank her in the future, but for now she was brimming with frustration.

“I don’t know. I don’t know, okay?” Another sigh, this one inspired by her own irritation and defeat. “One second we’re flirting and both understanding that we need to stop it before it goes too far. The next we’re –” Brooke stopped, closing her eyes as to stop herself from admitting to Phi Phi what went down the other night. Was it even a big deal? As big as she was clearly making it in her own mind?

“You’re…?” Phi Phi lifted an eyebrow, coaxing Brooke’s frustrated rant. Feelings could be spared for the truth.

Brooke took a deep breath, steadying herself, hands planted onto the table. “We kissed. Like, actually kissed. And I don’t know what her intentions are.”

“Well, I recommend figuring that out. Maybe talk to her? You guys are clearly not on awful terms, how hard could that be?” Phi Phi pressed.

You have no idea, Brooke thought. “Yeah, I’ll try. Thanks, girl,” Brooke smiled at Phi Phi, hoping her appreciation was evident.

*****

She was thrilled to finally share the photos taken of her Monster Ball looks, looks that proved successful in the challenge. She was especially thrilled at the comments regarding her final look, the one that she had fabricated herself. A storm of tulle and black fabric, off the shoulder, with a snake wrapped tastefully around her neck. The more she looked at it, the more critical, but she would defend her win.

She scrolled through the comments, smiling at the sufficient compliments and praise. How would she ever stop being appreciative of everyone who appreciated her back?

Her finger stopped scrolling upon seeing Vanessa’s Instagram handle, a blue check verifying it wasn’t a fan account.

@vanessavanjie: Put my snake around ya neck

She didn’t know whether to like it, comment some orange heart emojis and move on or to roll her eyes after what had happened the other night.

She chose a third option.

If Vanjie wants to keep playing this, then fine. I’ll play along, she thought before hitting send on the comment.

@bhytes: @vanessavanjie haven’t we already done that?

Brooke barely had time to think about the repercussions of her remark before she received a text, shocked at the speed at which Vanessa saw the comment.

Vanjie: Careful there Brooky Poo

Vanjie: Don’t want anyone getting the wrong idea

Brooke felt her heart rate speed up with no gradual increase, immediately beating fast enough to shatter through her rib-cage and land across the room only upon reading Vanessa’s messages. She took a deep breath and typed, then retyped her message a few times, wondering if Vanessa was watching the dots disappear and reappear. Wondering if it was killing her just as much as it was Brooke. When did they turn into giddy teenagers again, instead of professionals with a common goal?

Brooke: What if i do?

She decided against adding a winking face to the end of her reply, but it didn’t stop her from immediately locking her phone and throwing it to her side. God, she needed a cigarette. And maybe a cold shower now. She’d revisit that idea depending on what her phone read next.

As if on cue, she heard the buzz of the phone ring through the bed. She took a minute to gather herself – or prepare herself was maybe the better way to put it. With a reluctance she could only blame on her fear of misunderstanding, Brooke let her hand approach her phone again. It was silly, she thought, how she could fear misunderstanding Vanessa’s intentions even after her initiation of the kiss making it fairly clear how she felt about them.

Vanjie: Oh

Two minutes ago. Brooke tried to ignore the way her heart dropped at the one-word answer; one she couldn’t even see herself replying to in a way that made sense. Maybe it was best left there, and Vanessa really was just adding a playful comment that held no substance.

She was moments away from plugging her phone in for the night and setting it aside with an air of defeat, when it buzzed in her hand. A message from Vanessa. She held her breath as she slid to open it.

Vanjie: You home?

She never exhaled quicker, and never replied quicker, either.

Brooke: Text me when you’re here.

Brooke couldn’t have anticipated what came over her to make her invite Vanessa to come over, if not beg her to come, following her last text with a sharing of her location and hotel room number. All she could do was thank the universe that they were in the same city, which was rare considering their consistent interviews, appearances and performances.

She didn’t think she had been this nervous about something since they first began seeing each other, minus possibly the night that the cast was revealed. And deep within she knew that perhaps her nerves were fruitless – what guaranteed that she and Vanessa would even do anything beyond talk? She wouldn’t dare get her hopes up based on an Instagram comment that was no different than their usual flirt-mance. But she also knew that she had to take this opportunity to confront this, whatever it was.

It wasn’t long before she heard a faint, yet urgent, knock on the door, though it felt like forever. Rolling her eyes, Brooke made her way to the door to the room, opening it with a look of counterfeit annoyance. “I told you to text me when you got here, bitch.”

“Shut up,” Vanessa was quiet, fondness diminishing the harshness of her words. “Can I come in or not?”

Brooke stepped aside, allowing Vanessa to pass her and enter the dimly lit hotel room. Brooke watched her for a moment, so caught up in the way she smelled and the way her hat sat backwards on her head in the most endearing way possible that she almost forgot to close the door.

“Don’t forget to put the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign out,” Vanessa called behind her, laughing to herself before taking a seat on the edge of the bed, looking up at Brooke, who followed her into the larger area. Vanessa’s laugh didn’t linger after seeing Brooke’s humorless expression. “I was kidding.”

“You have no idea how hard it was, Vanjie, to watch that episode up there. Phi Phi actually clocked me, y’know. The way I looked at you up there. No doubt some of the fans did, too. It was the hardest thing. You don’t even know.”

“You think I wasn’t watching the same episode? I never said it was easy for me, Brooke,” Vanessa didn’t let her continue, nor did she let the incredulous laugh leave her lips, in fear of making Brooke more upset. “I don’t like watching it either.”

“I think I’m confused,” Brooke didn’t mean to change the topic so abruptly, but this had been bugging her for days. “This was your idea. It was your idea to take a break – said you knew the ‘pressures that came with TV’,” Brooke’s immediate dive into the deep end caught Vanessa off guard. If she knew that her visit would turn into her own interrogation, she would have stayed home. “You were the one who said this wouldn’t work, Jose,” Brooke stood her ground, arms folded across her chest. Vanessa didn’t like the way she looked down upon her. Cringed at the way her real name was used. “Why the change of heart?”

“It’s not a change of heart,” Vanessa countered, eyes lit with a newfound boldness. “It’s the… same heart, just. Tired of hiding it. Which, we can keep doing it, we don’t gotta tell anyone anything. But, B,” she stood then, moving to take hold of Brooke’s hands, forcing her to uncross her arms. “I’m not a fan of us lying to ourselves, to each other.”

“Yeah? And when you tweet another flirty reply or comment something on my next live, then what? I’m not a fan of not being able to tell the real from the fake.”

“Tell me this is fake,” Vanessa was calm when she said it, her words and the way she slid her hand to the back of Brooke’s neck serving as the only preparation for the way she brought their lips together. Brooke couldn’t act surprised, like she didn’t anticipate this after their texts and intuition that what happened in that office wasn’t a one-off thing. Her expectation helped her react faster this time, without letting Vanessa end the moment before Brooke had a chance to take action. It was a much necessary continuation of what they didn’t get to finish prior to Vanessa’s performance.

Her frustration, her passion, her longing all charged Brooke into flipping their positions, hands on Vanessa’s shoulders as she held the shorter man against the wall she had been leaning against, prompting a whimper to pass between them from Vanjie’s lips. This was no sweet reunion kiss, but one that had been months in the making.

Brooke could feel Vanessa’s smile after they parted, nothing but heat in the space between them (or lack thereof), their lips still phantoms on each other. “I’m waiting,” she whispered against Brooke’s lips, all victorious smiles. “Tell me.”

“Didn’t you already try this the other day?” Brooke didn’t return her smile, but Vanessa could hear it in her voice.

“Worked, didn’t it?” She carded her hand through the barely-there hair at the back of Brooke’s neck, oblivious to how badly Brooke wanted to kiss that damn smirk off her face. “All you been thinking about, isn’t it? Our kiss?” Brooke tried to step back, though she still felt Vanessa’s hand on her, the other one now coming up to rest on Brooke’s waist. “Shit, I gotta say, though, I think I liked this one better.”

“Yeah?” Brooke cursed herself for the teasing spirit in her voice, but for some reason, she couldn’t help it. Something about Vanessa was electrifying, intoxicating her even after a year. Kicking all her resolve and purpose under the hotel carpet.

“Mhmm,” Vanjie’s eyes lay heavy-lidded, her hunger telling through her gaze. Brooke knew due to her makeup-free face that her bedroom eyes weren’t painted on deliberately. She also knew that she held the same ache in her own body, wondered if her own eyes were as teasing as her voice. “You wanna Instagram live this or somethin’?”

Brooke found herself laughing more at the way Vanessa’s suggestive voice didn’t match her sarcastic question rather than the implication itself. “Oh, fuck off,” she laughed under her breath, swatting Vanjie’s chest as gently as possible, her hand lingering there. They both glanced down at the contact, reminding Brooke of the way their eyes had been jointly fixed on Vanessa’s hand in the room at the club, mindlessly tracing patterns into Brooke’s leg. But there was somehow more tension now, the tension only slightly more comfortable than it had been before. Less fear, but just as much caution and the question of ‘What are we doing?’ not yet obsolete.

It was Brooke who leaned in first this time with little hesitance, hand spreading out more against Vanessa’s chest, twisting delicately in her shirt. Her kisses transferred from lips, to cheek, to jaw, then placing open mouthed kisses along the shorter queen’s neck, evoking a throaty moan above her.

“C’mere,” Brooke wondered if she only imagined the rasped whisper, and she blinked back up at Vanessa, who looked desperate. Brooke noted the way her tattoo was coated red under the flush on her neck and chest, only the top of it visible from under her black T-shirt. She noted the way Vanessa’s breathing was ragged. She looked so fucked, so in disarray, and they hadn’t even taken their shirts off yet.

Brooke’s stomach knotted at just the suggestion that she had that power.

Vanessa pulled her back up, hands coming to hold the sides of Brooke’s face and kissing her with a passion that they hadn’t yet reached before. It was a kiss that guaranteed to Brooke that this wasn’t a convenient fuck, or make out, or just Vanessa feeling lonely.

“I have a flight tonight,” Brooke broke between their kiss and their gasping for breath. “God, I’d give anything to stay here. You know that, right?” She studied Vanjie’s eyes, needed to know that Vanessa understood her intentions. She’d rather do anything than have to look at the pout she looked at now on Vanessa’s face.

“You could stay. What’s one flight?” Vanessa whined, pressing kisses along Brooke’s jaw, her knee pushing between the other’s legs. “I miss you,” she breathed against Brooke’s ear, arms enveloping the taller man.

“You know it’s not that easy. This isn’t stuff we can put off, not like we put off each other. I wish I didn’t have to leave you.”

Vanessa sighed and slumped back against the wall, a hand coming up to run through her hair after the other had lifted her hat off. The broken connection between Vanessa’s flushed face and body, and her disappointed expression, broke Brooke’s heart more than she thought it would.

“That’s cool. I said what I said, and I know now that you’re not so innocent yourself, Miss Brooke Lynn, just like I said so,” Vanessa pointed a finger into Brooke’s chest accusingly, her eyes sparkling with warmth. “Who’s right again? Miss Vanessa Vanjie Isabella Mateo Hytes. Bam!” With a snap of her fingers, Vanessa pulled away from Brooke’s grasp, sliding against the wall she had been held against and back towards the door. Brooke watched her gather her things – her phone, only.

“Where are you going?”

Vanessa turned back around, puzzled. “You said you got a flight tonight. I can’t come with you.”

Brooke mimicked Vanjie’s pout from before, sitting herself down on the side of the bed and extending her arms. “You said you missed me. You made it very clear. My flight’s not until later tonight. You can stay. Until then, I mean. I want you to.”

And who was Vanessa to refuse that invitation.

[ssa-dado]

Once again, here's what Gideon pictures every time he refers to you and Hotch as "Night Owls"

[twinbluebirds-archive]

📔 Diana for Delta

send 📔 for a journal entry written by my muse

Δ Tuesday, February 3, 2043 — 2:00 AM

   (morning code: haud ignota loquor)

   Tonight is the second consecutive night I’ve had this fever. I’m not sure if I should be worried, given that I hardly ever get sick, much less for more than one day at a time; on one hand, I do have an unnaturally strong immune system, but on the other, that this illness has remained with me for so long despite such might be cause for alarm.

   Mom has been missing work to take care of me, and naturally, I’ve been missing school. She insists she doesn’t mind watching over me all day, and I know she’s telling the truth, but I still feel like her effort would be better spent on other things. I don’t blame her for feeling the way she does. Given our family’s history combined with the fact that I undeniably have been infected with some sort of virus, it shouldn’t take a mind reader to figure out why she’s so concerned. Even so, it’s very important that I don’t let myself get swept up in her intrusive thoughts. I'm determined to remain optimistic enough for both of us — or at the very least, continue to convince Mom that I am. Heaven knows she needs all the reassurance I can give her.

   Speaking of Mom, and on a much more lighthearted note, her birthday is coming up in just a couple of days. Phi and I have been collaborating on a hand-drawn card. I can’t wait until I’m in good enough health to resume our usual misadventures. Once I’ve recovered, the two of us plan to go gift shopping after school. I’ve caught Mom attempting to divert her thoughts from what she hopes we’ll get her, and the effort not to put any pressure on me is very sweet, but it’s no use. We already know exactly what she wants for her birthday.

   That’s all I can think of to write for now. I’m going to try and sleep.

   — Delta Klim

[somethingqueerisgoingonhere]

I hate driving

I let him take care of things

Thank you

Seems like such a small world

A drop in the bucket of your sacrifice

How does one begin to say thank you?

For saving my life.

And rebirthing it too.

Is it okay,

I wonder

To remember the love that touched me

The culture that cradled me

Hid me until I was ready to move onto the challenges that would bring me here to this moment

Wrapped to the back of my Phi Li Aang

More like a sister and a mother

Than a maid that some would call her

I see the toxicity,

I understand the problems

But it doesn’t erase love

And it doesn’t erase the respect I hold for her

She raised me

She held me

She protected me

And she hurt in the same places I hurt

Though I didn’t know it at the time

She cared for me through every fever

Every night I needed her to stay until I fell asleep

Every shower I couldnt take alone

Fierce protector

Kindest soul I’ve ever known

Family by the water she cradled to my lips

When I thought I’d never drink again

Family

Beautiful family

I’ve never known

To be known for exactly who you are

And believed in everything you entrust

What’s that like?

I think I’ll come to know.

Why do you insist I erase my history?

There’s glory in our stories

In the hardships we have carried

I won’t erase her

No matter what you think

Because she existed

And she was a part of me

[daggerzine]

Celebrity Mix Tape Party featuring Robert Vickers! (compiled by Matthew Kenneth).

Power Pop has always been the genre that might have been king. All the elements present in the commercially successful pop music of the ‘60s through early ‘70’s we heard on the radio can be found in Power Pop and yet the mass music consuming public, in their wisdom,  moved on and songs that would have been radio hits were been relegated to cult favourites in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. This playlist  takes a look at the genre investigating some of its origins and best proponents while straying into crossover genres like Punk Pop and Indie Pop from the same period. It moves on into more mainstream alternative rock from the later ‘80s and into the ‘90s but always with a nod to the roots of pop/rock. All with a bit of an Australian tilt for my benefit I assume.  I know some of these bands very well but one of the delights of these genres is that because of their low profile there’s always a new band to discover and delight.

It gets off the ground with a band from Australia that I was, in an early version, actually a member of, The Riptides. With roots in punk Tomorrow’s Tears is probably their most Power Pop single and it is concentrated burst of energy and melody that never loses its spark. The list then delves into a bit of Garage Rock with the grungy Scientists, also from Australia, and the mighty Fleshtones from New York. The Fleshtones were the first band I ever saw set up with the drummer in front (not that I’ve seen many).

In between some rather more standard New Wave of the time, The Gooch Palms, Translator  and Justin Trouble we find The Shoes, one of the greats of late ‘70s Power Pop. They were kind of band that could have been a success ten years earlier but flew well under the radar in their own time. It should be said though that despite their near perfect albums they did always seem to lack the one song that might have given them a wider audience. The elusive hit single or at least something sounded like one. In an earlier era perhaps they could have covered a great song by a contemporary artist that didn’t have a major label behind them but that wasn’t the fashion at the time; you had to write your own songs even if they weren’t quite good enough. This track, “Too Late” was as close as they got.

Also tossed in here is another Australian band, The Saints. These guys were from my neighborhood and seeing them become internationally recognized inspired me to join a band. They don’t really fit into this playlist exactly but if you have to get them in, this is the song. It was released just after the band split into two factions and I, like a lot of hardcore fans chose guitarist Ed Kuepper’s side. Here you have singer Chris Bailey who kept the name prove he could write a great ‘60s pop song and put it over as well as anyone.

We move on now to some classic British indie rock, The Jasmine Minks and Felt. Felt in particular were superb; intelligent lyrics with interesting Post Punk arrangements. They are one of my favourites of the period. With that we also have from Scotland, The Close Lobsters who were more Indie Pop with Power Pop elements. This is paired some interesting Power Pop from the US, The Paley Brothers, a fascinating duo who were influenced by East Coast Girl Groups, Phi Spector etc. in a way similar to the New York Dolls but with commercially acceptable image and production. Andy Paley ultimately found his greatest success producing  and co-writing (Brian Wilson’s comeback album) .Also the US Secret Service an obscure early band of a Power Pop/Indie legend, Mitch Easter who later played with Chris Stamey (more of him later) in the Sneakers then led the band Let’s Active. Like Andy Paley he too found greater success producing, in his case the early REM albums.

Then we have The Boys who are from the related Punk Pop genre that emerged a little after Power Pop and may be said to have ended up the more commercial genre given the success of bands like Green Day. Generation X were probably the best example but The Boys had a couple of strong singles early on, the 45s of which I remember fondly even if they don’t sound quite as good listening now.

Following up on that is one of the greats of Power Pop, The Records who’s single, “Starry Eyes” is perhaps the greatest example of the genre ever. This isn’t it but still a good song and the light melodic production is still a joy. No discussion of Power Pop is complete with a mention of The Records and it’s a high point of this playlist. Then we have another interloper, Be Bop Deluxe a Prog Rock group from English midlands in the mid ‘70s whose glammy singles toyed with the charts and always threatened to compete with Roxy Music but couldn’t quite rise to the occasion. An underrated band, certainly by me and I think a victim of the rise of Punk in the late ‘70s. Pairing them with Sniff 'n’ The Tears, a slightly later also glammy, progy UK band makes sense. Inferior to Be-Bop Deluxe but more pop and a better commercial fit for the New Wave that was then dominant in independent music at that time.

Now here is a legitimate challenger to “Starry Eyes” as Power Pop’s flag bearer. Bram Tchaikovsky’s bass driven “Girl of My Dreams” is another of those songs that should have been a mammoth hit if all the rules of popular music had remained in place. Bram Tchaikovsky came out of UK Pub Rockers The Motors but with more of a New Wave sound. It’s a juicy slice of classic pop that deserved to be better known.

The Sunnyboys, an Australian Pop Rock band who were another one that always promised more than they delivered in songwriting is next up. A great live band that thrived in the countries’ beer barn live circuit of the time they were never able to come up with the hit that you felt was their destiny the way another ‘60s based pop band, The Smithereens did in the US. A couple of newer Australian indie rock bands who have been said to owe a little to my old band, The Go-Betweens now make an appearance. One of them, RVG provide the thing most lacking in this playlist, a different  voice but also some excellent lyrics making them one of the most interesting new discoveries of this list for me. The other, Rolling Blackout Coastal Fever have already had some deserved success in the US. I don’t hear the GBs connection quite as strong in them but they are a fine rock band with the songwriting skill and musicality required for a long career producing quality albums.

We then have a couple of American artists in the mid-80s when indie was hitting its stride there. The Magnolias were from Minnesota where Twin/Tone Records had just begun to prove America could be about more than the coasts. It showed you didn’t have to leave your hometown to play and record music and the idea spread like wildfire. That helped create the network of venues across the country that made touring America finally possible for mid-sized bands from all over the world in the ‘90s. Chris Stamey, from another hotspot, North Carolina, was a real pioneer of quality songwriting, first with Mitch Easter in the aforementioned Sneakers and then with Peter Holsapple in the dBs. Oddly this track is an early (1978) single by the dBs that’s actually a cover of a Richard Lloyd of Television song that’s awfully close to Power Pop. Showing how little space there was between these genres at that time.

From there we move to the UK for four bands who well represent alternative pop music of the 90s in that country. First we have Primal Scream who used ‘60s pop arrangements to great effect to become perhaps the classic rock band of the era, at least in the UK. Then the hugely successful but short lived Stone Roses from Manchester. They were mostly too dancey for me but this track, “She Bangs the Drum” is one of the best pop singles ever. It proves if you have the melody you can get away with anything.  Also included is House of Love from the excellent Creation label who played intelligent psychedelic guitar rock. And finally we have someone I wasn’t familiar with, The Sun and the Moon who were formed out of a better known Manchester band The Chameleons. Well played and arranged post punk and another good discovery for myself.

We end with the Australian band The Church. They made beautiful albums by taking the melodic pop heard on ‘70s radio and combining it with more thoughtful lyrics creating an indie rock template that remains popular. They are a fitting end to this little journey through time and the musical museum.

https://www.mixcloud.com/matthewkenneth9/robert-vickers-mix-2/?fbclid=IwAR33Vyq9VmSZq6ef5i6l52B6fW1Ej54RsbO6FzOhwIL3zFiTIyYuLmPBwdo

[remeny-writes]

Roses are red, Violets are Adored (Viadore/katlaska/group fic)

Chapter 175

Pearl’s POV

I hung up with Adore and headed back inside. I sent an exhausted but still protesting Phi Phi back to the hotel with the promise I would text her once we knew anything. I cancelled tonight because I wouldn’t feel right leaving Fame alone, whether we are still here at the hospital or back at the hotel.

I went up to the front desk, “hey there, can you please let me back in? I’m with Kurtis Dam-Mikkelsen.”

“Yeah,” was all the sour-faced nurse behind the glass said before pressing a button that would let me through the doors and back into the ER. For a hospital called Good Samaritans, they all seemed to be pretty fucking bitchy.

I just got back to Fame’s room as they wheeled her bed around the corner. She was barely awake but mumbled, “Hey, good timing Pearly. How’s Vi?”

“Adore said Vi was still resting when I spoke with her, they seem to be having bad dreams and their fever was still pretty high. The hospital gave Vi some new medication so hopefully that will help things.”

“Yeah, I heard them whimpering in their sleep when I talked to Danny, it was heartbreaking. Danny must be crushed.”

“He’s pretty upset, understandably. Why don’t you close your eyes and rest for a bit Pumpkin?” I suggested.

“Did they say when the police were coming?” Fame asked, panic evident in her tired eyes.

“No they didn’t but I promise I’ll wake you up if you are sleeping when they or the Dr get here. C’mon, take advantage of those meds and rest while you can.” I reached over and turned off the overhead light, it was still plenty bright in the room with the light from the hall that spilled under the cheap ugly pastel curtain. I stuck my bottom lip out and batted my eyelashes, “pweeease Famey Wamey?”

She smiled and her forehead unwrinkled for the first time since we got there, “thank you for coming with me Matt. I’m sorry you’re missing the show, you can go though, I know they will take good care of me here.”

I grabbed her hand and she held on with a vice grip, “I am not leaving you. You are totally stuck with me, now sleep woman!”

She let out a sigh, “fine!” She yawned and closed her eyes, within moments her hand relaxed in mine and I set it down gently and pulled the white scratchy blanket up to Fame’s chin.

I plopped back down in the hard chair beside the bed, looking around at all the medical instruments on the wall and the IV pole that was slowly dripping liquid into Fame’s veins. I hadn’t actually paid attention to my surroundings until now, images of being in the hospital sprang into my head. Being in pain, feeling ashamed and unsafe, having my tormentors come masquerading as friends. Wanting to die, every moment of every day, just to get away from my own thoughts. Spiraling out of control.

I pulled myself out of those dark thoughts, turning my phone on and flipping through my social media, reading anything to distract myself. I sent a message off to Phi Phi as promised, hoping she was having a nap.

Hey Pheefs, Fame is back from her MRI. No news yet, police haven’t come yet. I hope this doesn’t wake you if you are getting in a quick nap.

I had just started playing level 39 of candy crush when Phi Phi responded.

Phi Phi - I’m awake but I have red bull so it’s ok. ;) Thanks for the update. Michelle is on the warpath, she’s pretty pissed that we went to the hospital without telling her. You would think we’re all kids on a school trip and she’s a chaperone. I guess she can’t help it, it’s just the Mom in her coming out. I think she is relieved that Fame went and that you are with her but you know Michelle, she is a fan of control.

I chuckled and sent back:

Sorry you had to deal with the brunt of that, I’m sure I’ll hear about it too. Ok I will stop texting you, I know you have to paint. Have a great show! Break a lash!

I tucked my phone into my pocket and picked up a discarded old Cosmo magazine that Fame had snagged from somewhere. Someone cleared their throat before pulling the curtain back to reveal two uniformed Seattle police officers, a burly older gentleman with greying hair and a ruddy complexion only alcoholism could supply and a petite doe-eyed girl who looked like she was fresh from the academy, her dull brown hair pulled severely into a bun.

“Kurtis?” I put my hand on Fame’s shoulder, she jumped and winced before blanching at the sight of the officers.

I reached over and pulled her hand into mine, trying to radiate strength.

[lauraallafics]

48/100: That’s what friends are for

Sentence included: I’ll do it for you

Summary: Dan gets sick and Phil is a good friend

Words: 389

Warnings:  None (?)

A/N: It’s not beta’d and English is not my first language, so there might be mistakes.

Fragment: It was when Phil woke up that he found him on the sofa, his face really pale, a box of tissues next to him, and Dan wrapped around a blanket, sweating; when he thought he might have gotten sick.

Dan had been so sure that morning that he was going to be productive that he ignored the way he coughed and sneezed. He ignored the way his head pounded too. He was too focused on editing the video he had recorded the day before.

It was when Phil woke up that he found him on the sofa, his face really pale, a box of tissues next to him, and Dan wrapped around a blanket, sweating; when he thought he might have gotten sick.

Phil took his computer and passed him the thermometer. He had fever.

“Dan, you are going back to bed right now, and if you don’t get better I might take you to the hospital later.”

“But, Phil…” He was stopped by a cough.

“What?” Phil asked, helping Dan up to take him to their room, being careful with the stairs.

“I have to edit, I said I would upload the video today.” Phil sighed.

“I’ll do it for you, don’t worry.” Dan looked at him, thinking it must have been a hallucination from the fever.

“You what?”

“I’ll edit it, I have no problem with that, I can go to bed with you and you tell me what you want to do.

“Didn’t you have a video for your channel too?”

“Yeah, but I didn’t say when I would uploaded it. And it’s almost done.”

Dan felt like he was the luckiest person in the world for having Phil in his life. Phil put Dan in the bed and went down again to pick the other’s laptop. On his way up, he stopped by the kitchen and took a wet cloth to put on Dan’s forehead.

Once he was up, he gave Dan the cloth and sat next to him. Dan got closer to him, finding himself more comfortable when he was right next to Phil.

They stood the rest of the day like this until Dan fell asleep: Dan looking over Phil’s leg to see how the video was, and Phi editing and checking Dan every few minutes to see if he got worse or better.

Both of them ended up falling asleep, both videos already edited. The next day both of them would be sick, but Phil didn’t mind, and Dan would be happy with having Phil by his side the whole day.

[tholovesfood]

Ra viện phát là phi đến đây như một cơn gió 😻 Chocolate tart ưng ý nhất trong các món thử hôm nay, ganache và cream quyện với mấy em brownie xinh xinh và lớp nuts làm giảm độ ngấy, vỏ tart cũng ổn 😋 Chili cinnamon+chantilly thì hết mất chili và chanilly lun nên vị hem đc trọn vẹn, hơi bùn tẹo dù cinnamon rất thơm và khá đậm. Bánh eclair "hi sinh" anh dũng nên không chụp từ trên xuống đc 🙄 vỏ hơi mềm quá (bệnh chung của nhiều em dạng này), nhân bên trong rất ngon 👌 Chocolate bold của bạn, mềnh không uống ké nên không biết như nào nhưng mắt lé quá nhìn ban đầu tưởng mấy cục đá là marshmallow 😅 Phục vụ khá okay, do mới opening nên sẽ có nhìu điều chưa như ý nhưng mình nghĩ quán sẽ không ngừng cải thiện. Không gian sáng, thoáng đãng, các bạn nhân viên tư vấn bên quầy chocolate bars rất nhiệt tình. Còn nhiều món cưng quá nên hôm nào bớt "ngấy" sẽ quay lại thử tiếp (nay tiêu thụ hơi nhiều xong về nhà thấy high quá chừng, lol). ••• First destination after discharging from hospital, lol. Chocolate tart was delicious. Ganache, cream, tiny brownies, crunchy nuts and the tart created different textures but all-in-one bite 😋 Chili and chantilly were not available so the cinammon chocolate drink was not fulfilled in flavor though the cinammon was quite strong. Choux pastry of eclair was not crispy enough, but the filling was very tasty 👌 Chocolate bold drink was my friend's, I didn't try it. At first I thought ice cubes were marshmallow 😅 The space was spacious and nice. Staff at chocolate bars' area was attentive in introducing. I will come back to try more desserts and chocolate. Today I consumed too much that I had choco-fever I think 🤔😥 ••• #chocolate #maisonmarouhanoi #marou #chocolatelover #chocolatecake #tart #ganache #brownies #darkchocolate #cinnamon #eclair #beantobar #chocolatedrink #drinks #desserts #likesforlikes #followforfollow #instagood #instamood #ngonqua #tasty #nomnomnom #hanoi #vietnam #chocolatier #chocoholic #mobilephotography #snapseed #chocolat (at Maison Marou Hanoi)