#<misleading title i cried

[brucebracket]

If there's one Bruce song that's overplayed it's Dancing in the Dark. I get it, it was a big hit a long time ago. It's very 80s pop and people dig it. But it is a fucking horrible song! You can't start a fire without a spark - no fucking shit. It's trite. It's obvious. And I hate it. But Racing in the Street? A goddamn masterpiece. What a misleading title for a song that will just break you in two. Now, some guys, they just give up livin' and start dying little by little, piece by piece… but now there's wrinkles around my baby's eyes and she cries herself to sleep at night… she sits on the porch of her daddy's house but all her pretty dreams are torn she stares off alone into the night with the eyes of one who hates for just being born… Tonight my baby and me, we're gonna ride to the sea and wash these sins off our hands… Only Bruce Fucking Springsteen can wrap such heartbreak and regret up in a song ostensibly about drag racing

It's apparently a myth that the F in Bruce F. Springsteen stands for Frederick

Send me your propaganda!

[princessofmanyfaces]

Stand Alones

House of Salt and Sorrows:

A 5 star read for me. It was confusing me a lot but the plot twist was jaw dropping. This book got me back into reading and it will always have a special place in my heart. It's a 12 dancing princesses retelling.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Nächstes Jahr am selben Tag:

A 2 star read. It wasn't good and I associate this book with toothache.

⭐⭐

One Day in December:

A 1 star read. I think this was the worst book I've ever read and I never want to experience this again. The plot was not there. The romance was uninteresting. I hate the main characters.

⭐

The Bridge Kingdom:

A 3 star read. I know this is not a standalone but this is the only book on the series I've read and idk if I'll read the second book. It wasn't a bad book, it was good but it was so hyped up that I got excited and it left me disappointed.

⭐⭐⭐

We were liars:

A 4 star read. I loved the chapter lengths. Unfortunately it was kind of boring until around 200 pages but not too boring, I did stay hooked enough to keep going. And in the end I sobbed.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Dragon's Bride

A 4 star read. It was very spicy. Of course it was, it's Katee Robert. It wasn't my cup of tea but it was still well written and the characters are cute.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

To Kill A Kingdom:

A 3 star read. Another case of it got so hyped up that it disappointed me. It was good and well written but it wasn't amazing and I didn't like the love interest.

⭐⭐⭐

Daisy Jones & The Six:

A 3 star read. It was fine. It was a read out of my fantasy comfort zone. I adore Camila and I cried a lot at the end. Most of it wasn't really my cup of it either though.

⭐⭐⭐

Kingdom of Villains:

A 2 star read. Probably the most disappointing of them all. Title was very misleading. The characters weren't likeable. The plot was weird. The writing was weird. I didn't like it.

⭐⭐

[eradicatetehnormal]

Okay So I Watched Some of the 6 Hour "Riku Is Gay" Video

Disclaimer: I only watched the KH1-2 sections, the KH3 section, and Sora's Comphet section. Also, I already agree with the preset that Riku is a queer character. Sorry guys, but he is.

Personally, I think it's a good video. It's not overly malicious or angry and the evidence it presents is actually really good, though I'm in the queer spaces of the KH fandom so I've seen most of it.

I really only have 3 major issues:

The video is way too fucking long. Something like this would have benefited from being a multipart series. Also, if all you wanted was condensed proof that Riku is "gay" that's really only a 30-40 minute video. This leads me to my next point.

The title is very misleading. This isn't just a video about Riku's queerness. Hell, there's an entire portion of the video called "Sora's comphet." Most of the KH2 section is dedicated to how passionate Sora is about finding Riku. This video should not be called "Riku is gay (and why it matters)", it should be called something like "SoRiku is canon actually (It's more than a ship)" or "The queerness of KH and why it's essential."

This video has a habit of minimizing Kairi's importance to Sora. Like, they try to give the disclaimer that they don't think Kairi means nothing to Sora, but it's hard to buy it. In the KH2 section, for example, they bring up that Sora doesn't ask about Kairi until he realizes she's been captured by the organization. That's the thing though, for most of the game Sora knows where Kairi is. He saw her drift away with the islands in one and he finds out when she's been captured in 2. Don't forget he also dropped to his knees for Kairi when Saix comes to tell him what happened. Does that disprove any potential queerness Sora might have? No, especially with the scenes of the reunion. "Kairi, you've changed, but we'll always be friends :)" "RIKU OH MY GOD *cries and gets on the floor* I LOOKED EVERYWHERE FOR YOU!" Really it's more of a personal belief that shines through that the romantic love interest has to single-handedly be the most important person to you that sets me off. Though, I don't solely blame Mr. "Whatever his name is" for that. It's more of a "we live in a society" thing.

Aside from that, most of my criticisms are nitpicks. The structure is hella off with the video. He starts off by stating his beliefs and then giving the evidence. Like, dude, you have to lead with the evidence and then tell people what it means. Anyone who's skipping through the video and doesn't already agree that Riku is queer is going to get frustrated watching it and feel compelled to not take it seriously. Especially since the video is 6 fucking hours.

Arguably the KH3 and Coded sections aren't needed. The KH3 section is just theory and conjecture that he could've saved for the end of the video and the Sora and Riku of Coded are different characters than regular Sora and Riku. Can they give us insight into their relationship and their feelings? Yes, but ultimately, their circumstances are different. Feelings can manifest one way in one context and a whole other way in a different one. Regular Sora and Riku have enough evidence all on their own to carry a video.

The novel should have honestly been its own section. People are not compelled to take that seriously. It's cool that Nomura himself was impressed with the writer's understanding of the characters and had her write the novels so far, but that doesn't mean she never takes any creative liberties. It's also worth pointing out that Nomura IS NOT the only writer for the series. He's not even the main writer for the games.

Bro, you're gonna bring up the scene where Namine comes to Riku about getting him to use the darkness but not bring up the aggressively gay scene before that where Zexion makes himself look like Sora in order to defeat him because Zexion knows that Sora is his potential weakness?

But yeah, the vid has a few glaring issues, but it is great. I'm happy something like this exists where we can get all the major SoRiku talking points in one place. No hate to this man, especially for something like this.

[skiplo-wave]

My heart breaks so much for Britney. She deserved so much better. This woman has been through hell and back. I am definitely getting her memoir when it comes out next week.

The article titles are a bit misleading. While they both agreed to the abortion, the fact is Britney wanted that baby. People are pissed at Justin. That was him 23 years ago. I would like to think he has changed, as he has a wife and children now. The media destroyed Britney. Justin fed her to them. Britney was so in love with him and she said that she thought she was going to have a family with this dude. He cheated on her. He talked about her virginity and joked about "hitting that" on TV. He wrote a song about her "Cry Me A River" and had a obvious Britney Spears look alike in that music video. Douche bag moves. All that after she aborted their child for him, because he didn't want to be a father and he certaintly didn't want her to go on having that baby without him because then he would look like a shit father. These boy band groups back in the late 90s and early 2000s had to maintain a certain image. At the end of the day, that choice should had been hers alone. It seems like there was always bad people in Britney's life helping her make decisions for her. She never had a FULL say over her life until now. I will NEVER be able to listen to "Everytime" the same way. I listened to it last night and cried. Now it makes sense. The baby-lullaby mixed in with the piano. The baby being born in the music video and her seeming to die. There was a piece of her that died. I think the drama between her and Justin was the first tipping point of her mental health crashing on top of what she was dealing with behind closed doors with her parents. Britney said that decision haunted her for years and her feelings are valid. Imagine all those feelings came back when her sister got pregnant at 16. That would had triggered me too.

Think say this in another post but even both decided keep the baby

Justin would recover not be hit as hard Britney would get burnt end of stick regardless

Crazy to imagine the timeline of that

[adamwatchesmovies]

Spy School (2008)

While I didn't enjoy this film, that doesn't mean you won't. No matter what I say, the people involved in this project did it: they actually made a movie. That's something to be applauded. With that established...

If you can get over the misleading title, preposterous story, lousy performances and broad characters… Spy School is still a bad movie. It does have a certain charm, however. Your kids will probably like it but if you watch it with them, be prepared to stifle your chuckles. Even the slightest scrutiny will make this house of cards tumble.

Thomas Miller (Forrest Landis) will tell a tall tale in a minute if he thinks it’ll get him out of trouble and loves to prank his classmates. When he stumbles upon a conspiracy to kidnap the President’s daughter (Taylor Momsen) while she’s visiting his upcoming school dance, he doesn’t know who to turn to, except for his best friend, Jackie (AnnaSophia Robb).

Don’t let that title fool ya. If you wait for spies to show up in Spy School or for some reveal that the kids are training to be junior agents… you’ll be waiting past the end credits. The closest thing we get are some scenes of Thomas in a tuxedo. I guess he tries to spy on people to find out who’s at the head of the conspiracy to kidnap the young lady but that’s a stretch.

Once you get over that initial shock, you’ve got a run-of-the-mill “boy who cried wolf” story. This plot would be over in minutes if Thomas could convince someone of what’s coming but he’s got to learn a lesson (or at least he does in theory, I’m not sure he’s learned anything by the time the adventure ends). “Spy School” is predictable at every turn, except when the filmmaking gets in the way. At one point, a man we've just been introduced to kicks away a ball in anger just as its kid owner is about to grab it. AHA! A clue! There’s no way they can be good because they’re mean to kids! Nope. It’s just a coincidence that means nothing.

Speaking of coincidences, this film is packed with them. Thomas overhears the kidnappers' phone ring as they talk about their plan. He doesn't see their face but he has a lead. Unfortunately, every adult at the school - including the janitor - has the same ringtone, meaning Thomas doesn’t know who to trust. Think about that. At several points, people have to be at the right time and at the right place in order for the boy to hold his own against the bad adults. Either they’re all very unlucky or this film’s writing is sloppy. You decide!

If that was the worst of it, you might still give Spy School a pass. Thomas Miller and AnnaSophia Robb play each other well. Generally, I’d call the kids good actors, particularly considering the material they’ve been given. The adults, however, leave much to be desired. The film’s ultimate villain, in particular, is awful. It’s as if they shot all of his scenes in reverse chronological order because he’s not good at first and then just gets worse as the picture goes on.

Spy School severely overestimates how likeable its hero is and often, the writing is so bad, so predictable you can have a good time predicting out loud what’ll happen next. The jokes you can make at the film's expense only go so far to make this an entertaining picture, however. Even kids will be disappointed, particularly since they could be watching Spy Kids instead. (April 17, 2020)

[takato1993]

Everything I watched this December rated

just going to do some quick rating of everything i watched this December with minimal to no commentary but If anyone wants more commentary feel free to message me about any movie on this list.

( 5 /10 is still average and still fine, 6/10 is above average, 4/10 is below average)

-The Univited 5/10

Jason Goes to Hell The Final Friday 5/10.

In defense of this one I think it would have worked better as a stand alone original movie

Title feels misleading tho now there no room for like a fiery Jason coming straight out of a hell portal embodying and fighting off demons or something like that.

Doctor Mordrid 7/10

Plank Face 5/10

CW torture, castration

The Muppet Christmas Carol 8/10

Predators 8/10

I didn't know there was a 2010 predators movie but It might be my favorite out of the series so far

What The Peeper Saw 3/10

WitchTrap 4/10

Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things 5/10

not what I thought it would be and also vaguely familiar I think this may have been my first exposure to the concept of zombies as a kid.

Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter 6/10

Odd Thomas 6/10

Curse of Crom: The Legend of Halloween 5/10

Curtains 4/10

Neon Maniacs 5/10

Hell Comes to Frog Town 6/10

The Company of Wolves 8/10

Demon Wind 5/10

Lifeforce 6/10

Orphan 9/10

Warm Bodies 7/10

The Dark Crystal Age of Resistance 7/10

Spiderman No Way Home 5/10

I have come to realize that i actually do like the early 2000s Spiderman movies and the flaws in this one really helped me gain this perspective back.

Crash and Burn 6/10

ideal killer robot movie possibly

The Cleanse 6/10

Dark Night of the Scarecrow 8/10

the only scarecrow themed horror movie for me.

Bloody Birthday 6/10

The Visitor (1979) 4/10

National Lampoons Vacation REWATCH 4/10

.... you know what this movie is bad actually

Evil Ed 4/10

Goodnight Mommy (2014) 5/10

CW- torture, dark themes, downer ending

Eaten Alive 3/10

Just Looking 5/10

Dave Made a Maze 6/10

this one was very fun give it a shot

Shivers 4/10

Body melt 5/10

Girls Just Wanna Have Blood 5/10

Ice Cream Man 4/10

The Love Witch (2016) 5/10

Godzilla Vs Kong (2021) 7/10

not gonna lie cried a little at the ending.

[fenimores-book-nook]

Day 1 of my sort of self-care journey

Nov. 14-2023, Tuesday.

Here is a photo I saved to my pinterest that reminds me of me:

This reminds me of myself because, well, the quote describes me very well. To prove this: I went to my brother's college choir concert recently where they sang many different kinds of songs and I cried or at least teared up to just about all of them. Even further proof: every time I watch The Greatest Showman, I cry. Because I love the music in it and the story line and the relationship that the characters build with one another. It's beautiful.

So, now that you have the vibe that kind of sets the tone for this, "series," if you want to call it that, we can get started. ;)

Now, the title of this may be a little misleading. I honestly didn't know what else to put as the title. This isn't going to be me doing these types of writings for a month or so and at the end of the month I'm going to be so much better than what I was. No. I believe that self care, self love, just SELF STUFF, takes a long time to figure out.

But then again, maybe the title is more accurate to this series than I think it is. I'm not really going to set a "time" of when I'm going to necessarily stop these. Maybe I could have a sort of, monthly "look how far I've come" posts. Really, I'm doing this because I think it might help me. My mental health. My lack of self love. The good stuff.

Because, truth is, I haven't been doing the best. But that's okay. Because that's life. And as long as I don't stay in this struggle and I try to better myself, that's all that matters. Not saying that the struggles I or anyone go through are worthless. No. NO, NO. They are definitely NOT worthless. The struggles we go through are what shape who you are today. And I think a lot of it depends on how you handled those struggles, too. So, here's me trying to handle my struggles *better.*

Another pinterest photo that kind of gives the vibe I'm going for. :)

Oh and yes, yes there will be many photos from pinterest that I simply just *like* or photos that I took from my days. Hope you like them. :)

Heck, I don't really know what I'm doing with this. But I know that writing down some version of my thoughts and getting them out there, somewhere, helps in some way. And besides, I am absolutely, positively, head over heels in love with writing. ;) But really, it's probably just going to be me giving little updates of what I did throughout my days, maybe I'll use it as motivation to do more self-care things. Like mindful journaling. Which I have not done in a long while. I first started mindful journaling sometime during the time I was still in high school. I want to say during my Junior year (11th grade), since that was my hardest year in high school. I remember it helping my thoughts get unscrambled a little bit.

I would find things like these on pinterest and answer them. :)

And, heck, why not, to start this whole series out, I'll answer them.

3 things I'm grateful for today - 1. My lil' burst of motivation to START this, to want to have a better mindset. 2. Romcom movies like Set it Up to help my mood. 3. And of course, comfort books like Smile by Raina Telgemeier to provide, well, comfort.

Incredible thing to remember - This feeling. This want that I have to better myself. I want to take care of my mental health, I want to be happy, and I'm going to take this step in doing so. <3

Something I learned - It is much easier to let yourself be angry at yourself and at the people around you rather than admit that you might be growing in different ways or in a different direction than them.

Feelings towards my goals - Well, since I took the initiative to start this cute lil' series, pretty good, I think. I think that doing these writings, even if it only reaches one person or just myself, will help.

Wake up and show up tomorrow - I want tomorrow to be a better day than what today was. I don't want to dwell on things that don't need to consume my thoughts or feelings. I want to "show up" with a kind of *fresh optimism.*

So, there we are. I think that that's a good start to this. :)

I may not do a daily writing like this, but I think I will aim for at least three times a week. And if I write everyday one week and the next only three, so be it. Progress is progress.

One last goodbye-pinterest photo that makes me think of optimism and freedom. :)

Until next time,

Thalia <3

P.S. Another reason why I felt like starting something like this is because of the other wonderful people on here, posting similar things, and inspiring me. :)

[crimechannels]

By • Olalekan Fagbade I never said 2023 General Elections were compromised – Athahitu Jega cries out A former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, has denied saying that the 2023 general elections was compromised. Jega was quoted to have said this at a two-day retreat organized by the Senate in Ikot Ipene, Akwa Ibom State, last week. The professor of political science at Bayero University, Kano, presented a paper titled “Electoral Reform and Democratic Consolidation in Nigeria: Review of 2022 Electoral Act (areas for further legislative actions). He was quoted to have said, “We have seen, in 2023 elections, the damaging effect of how people in the corridors of power get their client/partisan nominees appointed, without being thoroughly screened, and then they are influenced to compromise the integrity of elections.” In a terse statement on Monday signed on his behalf by his Senior Research Assistant (SRA), Princess Hamman-Obels, Jega said such report is incorrect and not an accurate reflection of his position. Hamman-Obels, who is also the Director of The Electoral Hub, an Initiative for Research, Innovation and Advocacy in Development (IRIAD), said: “The attention of Prof. Attahiru Jega has been drawn to a misleading report published in a number of online newspapers quoting him to have commented that the 2023 elections were compromised. “The report making the rounds is incorrect and not an accurate reflection of the presenter’s position. Professor Jega categorically denies making this particular comment about the 2023 polls. “As would be seen in his presentation he made at the Senate Retreat held in Ikot Ipene, Akwa Ibom State, nowhere did he make such a statement that the 2023 elections were compromised. Professor Jega hopes this rebuttal will correct the incorrect and inaccurate reporting currently making the rounds.” #Ineversaid2023GeneralelectionswerecompromisedattahiruJegacriesout

[rcbcapc]

Did Teresa Giudice get Divorced??

I came across this post via Instagram and immediately questioned its legitimacy. It seemed a little fishy. Was it true? Did Teresa Giudice from Real Housewives of New Jersey get divorced already? I confirmed via her social media that she has only been married to her new husband for one year. The picture looked like it was used out of context for people to speculate the same things so I decided to fact-check it.

I started by researching the image and it turns out I was right. First, I googled "Teresa Guidice picture crying with under eye masks." I went to Google Images and the second picture that appeared was the exact picture on Instagram. I clicked on the image and it took me to an article from hollywoodlife.com. It claimed the picture was captured on an episode of Real Housewives of New Jersey titled "Teresa Gets Married". According to the article, she received a text from a friend about her late parents and it made her cry. Underneath the same image in the article was the caption "Teresa Giudice cries in her 'RHONJ' wedding special. (Bravo)". I plugged this into Google to see if Bravo would appear and it did. It confirmed everything that I already found on hollywoodlife.com and it also confirmed it was on her wedding day. I felt pretty confident that this was true since this episode aired on the Bravo TV network. But to take it a step further, I went to the episode and watched the clip for myself. Everything was accurate and she received the text as she was getting her makeup done for her wedding. The makeup artist, also her friend, kissed her on the cheek to comfort her as she was teary. Therefore, the picture has nothing to do with her possibly getting divorced.

I still had to verify if Teresa was getting divorced or not so I first googled "is Teresa Giudice getting divorced". There were no major headlines that appeared so I clicked on Google News to see if I could get deeper. Interestingly, there was an article from Reality Tea titled "Signs That Divorce Is Around the Corner for Teresa Giudice and Luis Ruelas" published on June 20, 2023. Then, a few articles down was another article from Reality Tea published on June 21, 2023, titled "Teresa Giudice Shuts Down Rumors Her Marriage to Luis Ruelas Is in Trouble". In a way, it sounds like they debunked their own rumor. However, to stay clear of more rumors and celebrity news, I went back to Terea's Instagram page and looked more intently. I noticed her very last post with her husband was on September 5 from their vacation in Switzerland so I feel confident that all signs are pointing to the fact that they are not getting divorced.

Lastly, to rule out any possible divorce news, I followed the prompt in the post and clicked the link in the bio to get the full story. The link took me to a feed similar to Instagram so I clicked on the post again and it took me to celebuzz.com. The article was referring to Teresa's new co-star, Caroline Rauseo, who joined the cast of Real Housewives of New Jersey. To go a little bit further, I googled "caroline rauseo divorce". I found a YouTube video/podcast called "The Real in Reality" where the host interviewed Rauseo and she confirmed on the podcast herself that she did get a divorce.

In conclusion, I would say this article is somewhat true but very misleading. I believed, at first, that Teresa Giudice was possibly getting divorced from her husband only after a year. Obviously, that's completely false and the picture has nothing to do with her distraught over that topic. It is true that her co-star and friend, Caroline Rauseo did get divorced but it hadn't been recent. The Instagram post I found was from August 29 of this year, but the podcast where she confirmed she got divorced was from March 9 of 2022...more than a year ago.

[greywooden]

Aaaand i finished the book

[bnaz]

People have heard my groaning, but there is no one to comfort me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that You have caused it. May You bring the day You have announced, so that they may become like me. Let all their wickedness come before You, and deal with them as You have dealt with me because of all my transgressions. For my groans are many, and my heart is faint. 

Lamentations 1

[suspicious-whumping-egg]

Alec and Raina Part 14

This continues Alec's time with Hadley! Raina isn't in it but I don't have a name for the series, sorry for the misleading title. No tws other than the overarching series ones. Enjoy!

Masterlist here.

Hadley couldn’t do Alec’s corset piercings just yet, but that certainly didn’t mean they couldn’t have fun. Even just watching him whimper and beg had reminded them just how fun it was to hurt someone of their own— maybe they’d take Raina’s advice and get someone new. It wasn’t as if they could keep Alec, unfortunately. But that meant they had to make the most of the time they had.

They half dragged him into a cell, one hand clasping his wrists together to pull him by his arms and the other wrapped around a handle of a crutch. They were lucky Alec was compliant, as they’d need an arsenal of drugs even larger than Raina’s for anyone willing to physically overpower them. But he was too perfect— and too masochistic— for such things. If only they could find someone like him… But they’d have to save that for later. They had plans.

Heavy manacles hung from the walls of the cell, yet Hadley instead tied Alec up with soft emerald ropes that were for show as much as they were for purpose.

The ropes bit into Alec’s arms, legs, and waist as Hadley bound him tight to a steel, T-shaped frame. His leg stabbed with pain in protest to being forced to stand, but it wasn’t as if that was a surprise.

Hadley sat on a raised stool, winding a whip around their fingers contemplatively. They took one last moment to savor his shivers of pain, the way his legs trembled under his weight. And then they struck out with the polished leather, a sharp crack preceding the flash of bright pain that painted a stripe across Alec’s back. He let out a choked cry of surprise and pleasure, his eyes fluttering shut and his heart beginning to race in the thrill that the good type of pain brought.

Hadley laughed, flicking the whip through the air with a satisfying snap before bringing it down hard on his back once more. “I’m guessing you’re no stranger to this, hm?” they taunted. “Just let me know when you can’t take it anymore. Not even a little slut like you can last forever.”

The moan Alec failed to suppress was enough of an answer for them.

The lashes began to come down in rapid pairs, the clean pain intensifying its bite until cries of agony erupted from his lips as often as those of pleasure.

Hadley seemed to have lost interest in chatting, they were content enough to listen to his whimpers and whip him until their wrist got sore. They didn’t stop when blood began to drip down the welts, or when each lash was crisscrossed by a dozen more.

The pain was too much, far too much. Tears streamed down Alec’s face, he had long stopped trying to conceal his screams and wails. But despite it all, despite that he hardly enjoyed it anymore, he couldn’t bring himself to beg for them to stop. The pain was no longer pleasant, but it was familiar. For a second, he could forget the horror of his situation and simply focus on the brilliant agony of the lashes splitting his skin, streaks of molten lead upon his back.

His vision began to swim and his voice grew hoarse, yet he grit his teeth and endured. Blood leaked out of his fists where his nails dug into his palms, and he felt rivulets of it pouring down his back, sticky and warm; as the bitter, iron-like stench of it filled the air.

Hadley didn’t stop, so he didn’t ask them to.

And when his vision tunneled to black, when he slumped against the frame, lifeless, his lungs having forgotten how to breathe; only then did they set down the whip.

His back was a tattered mess of blood and flesh, and before bothering to check if he was alright, Hadley made sure to snap a good number of pictures. Although they’d be in massive trouble if they killed Raina’s plaything— so they wiggled two fingers under the ropes to check for a pulse on his wrist, nodding in satisfaction when they found one, then began to untie the restraints.

Alec snapped awake at a sharp burst of agony exploding across his back, and he dimly realized he was falling. But by the time he was aware, he was already spread-eagle on the concrete, his own blood adding to the rusty stains on the floor. He groaned weakly, squeezing his eyes shut and rolling onto his stomach.

Hadley stood over him, their combat boots entering the edge of his vision. “Still having fun?” They asked cheerily.

Alec shook his head pathetically, making a feeble effort to get away from them. He did nothing more than twitch uselessly. “No,” he whined. “Please… just…” Shit. He’d told himself he wouldn’t beg, yet here he was, appearing as even more of a weakling.

But luckily, he’d given Hadley the answer they wanted to hear. “Very good,” they praised sweetly, reaching down to pat his head. Alec realized sadly that they wouldn’t stroke his hair since it was in a neat topknot, not down to be played with. At least it wasn’t bloody, and at least he wouldn’t be given the opportunity to break down at the softest touch… yet he just wanted to remember what it was like to receive affection from someone other than Raina.

Hadley nodded sympathetically, grinning at his pleading, tear-filled eyes. “You’re adorable, such a good little toy,” they cooed. “I’m just gonna have to clean these out so they don’t get infected and then I’ll let you get some rest, okay?”

Before he knew what was happening, his vision flashed white and burning agony wiped all thought from his mind. Alcohol sizzled against his bleeding wounds, he writhed and sobbed helplessly before the pain slowly, slowly subsided. Hadley reached down and took his hand in theirs, a grin spreading across their lips.

“You were so good for me,” they praised, stroking their thumb over his palm. Such a tender motion for someone who’d tortured him minutes before. “If you can get to your room, then you can rest,” they promised. “You just have to follow me.”

Dragging himself towards the room at the end of the hall was painstaking work. His back twinged and burned with the tiniest movements, and he trembled in pain. His piercings still ached, and his leg throbbed on top of it all. He leaned heavily on the wall all the way, gritting his teeth to try and muffle the whimpers escaping his lips. But he made it, at long last.

The cell was small and nearly barren, nothing like his massive room at Raina’s house, but it had a bed. And that was all he cared about.

He collapsed facedown onto the mattress in an instant, choking back a sob. Hadley sat down next to him, leaning over to examine his wounds. “Yeah, those are pretty bad,” they said condescendingly— as if they hadn’t been the one to cause them in the first place.

But at any rate, Alec was finally left alone while Hadley left to get bandages. Yet he didn’t want them to go. He bit back a plea before he could ask them to stay, burying his face into the blankets to muffle any possible sound. He’d humiliated himself enough already.

But when the door had been cracked behind them and he heard their footsteps and the clicking of their crutch fade into the distance, he let out a soft sigh that soon turned into a second round of weeping.

He sobbed until his breaths were ragged and strained, until his eyes and head throbbed, until he was choking on his cries. His face was nearly dripping and his vision blurred with tears by the time he looked up. And he realized, with horror, that Hadley was sitting patiently on the floor, holding their phone up to record him.

They clicked off the video when he noticed them, and flashed him a wicked smirk. “Raina’s gonna love this, you sound just wonderful,” they praised. They slid their phone into a pocket and held up a roll of bandages, giving Alec a pointed glance.

“You gotta get out of bed now,” they told him. “On your knees like the cute little toy you are.”

Alec gritted his teeth at the comment and rolled off the soft mattress, easing down onto his knees and wincing at the pain the movement brought to his back and leg. Leaning up or down didn’t make it better, holding still didn’t make it better— he supposed he was doomed to suffer. Hadley began to wind the bandages around his back and he whimpered as the material irritated the wounds, it burned furiously where it pushed against the lash marks.

He kept his eyes squeezed shut the whole time until his torso was almost completely covered in bandages, keeping his jaw clenched. He was determined to not give them a reaction.

But he failed when they patted his back right over the worst of the lashes, eliciting a soft hiss from him as pain flashed up his spine. “Why’d you—?!”

Hadley just gave him a condescending grin and tugged the band from his hair, combing their fingers through the long locks that spilled down his back. “I own you until the time is up,” they said simply. “I can do whatever I want to you, no matter what you say. I’d suggest you keep me in a good mood.”

They ran their hands through his hair a couple more times, pressed a chaste kiss to his cheek, then grabbed their crutches and stood. “I’ll come check on you in a bit, okay?” They said, their tone so sweet and gentle for someone who’d brutally whipped him not even an hour ago. “Be good until then. Don’t try to get out or wander around unless you want round two of that. And don’t touch the piercings, alright?” They leaned down and kissed the top of his head, then left the room, shutting and locking the door behind them.

Alec took a deep breath, waited for the click-step of Hadley’s gait to fade into the distance, and unleashed a feral scream. One that ripped from his throat and left him breathless, one that he was sure Hadley would punish him for.

But if nothing else, it made him feel just the smallest bit better.

Taglist: @hopepetal @painsandconfusion @warm-my-whumpee-heart @dont-touch-my-soup @yesthisiswhump @infinite-olives

[bugsy-maria]

Destial (Cass x Reader)

Ok, I know that the title is misleading but this is about one-sided love.

(Y/N)'s POV

"What if he doesn't like me back?" Cass said pacing back and forth at the foot of my bed.

"There is no need to worry, Cass," I said getting up from my bed and over to him. I grabbed his hands, making him stop. "He loves you so much I know he does, anyone would be lucky to have you. you are so amazing and perfect every day," I said looking into the electric blue eyes that I loved so much.

"But what if-"

"There is no what if, if he says no then he's the one missing out. but the probability of him saying no is nonexistent. ok?" I still held his hands.

"Ok," he said back.

"You ready?" I looked at him more intently.

"I think so."

"Well, you better because it's now or never," I said smiling and walking to the door. the angel following. we both made our way to the library. we saw only Dean in there doing something on his computer. sam would have been there too but he had a date tonight that would go into the wee hours of the night. I felt a hand on my shoulder, I turned to see Cass staring at me before saying,

"I think I should do this alone, you can wait in the kitchen."

"Of course! remember what we practiced ok?" I smiled

"Of course."

"Go get 'em, tiger!" I gave a closed-eyed smile and patted him on the back. I opened my eyes to see the love of my life walk off to someone else. he looked over his shoulder and I gave a thumbs up in response. once he turned away I walked to the kitchen.

it was about 5 minutes later when I heard a crash from the library. I jolted up and ran down the hall to see Castiel's shiny blue eyes and the shadows of his wings on the wall.

"Dean go!" I shouted, I grabbed an angel blade from a drawer as dean left the bunker.

"You said that he wouldn't say no." I heard Cass' low monotone voice.

"I know but-"

"You lied to me."

"Castiel I know I lied but I did it for good reason. I gave you hope yes but it was better for you to ask him with confidence or ask him scared. now calm down before someone gets hurt!" I shouted walking to him with the blade at my side. I wasn't going to stab him, it was for insurance.

"Well he would have said no either way!" he shouted, turning to me and throwing books in my direction. I knelt over after getting hit over and over again.

"Exactly! there's no use in crying over spilled milk Cass! there is nothing you could have done." he flung the weapons display causing knives to fly at me. I screamed in pain when a knife stabbed me in the shoulder.

I did what I didn't want to do but it was obvious that he wasn't going to calm down anytime soon. I light my lighter and threw it on the holy oil circle we made months ago when we thought Michael was going to come after us. I walked over to the wall and leaned against a bookshelf. I grab my shoulder, hoping to stop some of the blood loss.

"Cass you need to calm down," I grunted

"It's easy for you to say," he mumbled, his wings now gone but his eyes still glowing a bit.

"I know how you feel Cass, but trust me when I say that you have the easy rejection."

"You don't know anything!" he shouted, staring at me, mad and not caring that he had stabbed me.

"It's a good thing he said no. if he said yes, your whole relationship would have been one-sided, and trust me you don't want that. the first real love of my life I dated for a bit. a month before he broke up with me and left me for my friend. and during that whole month, I blamed myself for him feeling bad because I loved him so much I thought that if I was the one feeling bad then he could be happy. and when we dated again I loved him so much but I also knew that if he didn't love me anymore, he'd break up with me. I knew that the relationship was one-sided so I spent that month I had with him happy but in pain. so trust me you have the easy fix." I looked at him the whole time, tears leaving my eyes, not from the pain of the knife but the pain of the memories.

his eyes dimmed and he visibly relaxed.

"Now if you promise to be calm we can work through it. we can go see a movie, or even stay in and watch tv all day and never leaving your bed. you can cry all you want and I'll be there for you and you'll soon be out and about in no time. it'll be ok, and I'm not lying this time." I got up and walked to the ring of fire.

"That sounds nice." a sad smile spread across his face.

"Ok." I grabbed a bottle of water from the table and poured it onto the fire. I went up to him and hugged him. it hurt like hell because of the knife on my arm but I didn't care. I just wanted him to be happy again. I felt him snake his arm around me. we stood like that for some time before I felt the knife get pulled from my arm, but was soon healed.

"Sorry for hurting you," he mumbled when I let go, still holding onto his hand.

"No need, want to go into hiding now?" I looked into his blue orbs that looked at the ground. with a quiet 'yes' we were on our way. we spent weeks in his room watching all of the stupid tv shows that were on Netflix. he cried all that he could and I was there for him the whole way.

"How do you know how to comfort me in this situation if you never been through it before," he mumbled into my chest, about two daying into the third week.

"Sam did the same thing with me when I found out that the person I loved didn't love me back." I smiled while petting his hair.

"Did you ever tell them that you loved them?"

"No, but they told me that they loved someone else and wanted my help to tell them."

"I'm sorry." he sniffled

"No, it's not your fault you loved someone else." I smiled. "But that's what love makes you do, you let them go so they could be happy. cause at the end of the day, it's not being with them that makes you happy, it's seeing them being happy. wether it's with you or not."

"Thank you."

"Of course." I kissed the top of his head, resting my head on the bedboard, closing my eyes.

[nikkywrites]

A Siren's Pearl

Prompt: "I need you" || Fictober Day 1

Guess I'm doing Fictober now. Also guess I'm titling these. That's definitely going to come back to bite me in the butt. Original writing. Enjoy!

*****

Masy weeps like tales of goddesses gone. Cheeks glimmering in moonlight, tears sparkling. "I need you," she cries, voice like bells and song. Her desperation only heightens her beauty, which is why Lorilee has to deny her.

She steps back. Warning shivers through the links of her spine. Her heart, spelled and beating, bids her to listen. "I can't stay," she says, voice tight in her battle against her baser instinct to flee.

If it was something that would work, she would. But escaping a siren's grasp was a difficult matter, as complex and delicate as lace.

"You have to." Her eyes, dark like void and hunger and temptation, latch onto hers.

This too, is dangerous. A siren's gaze was near as bad as one's song.

"My father calls for me. Mother is ill," she says in misleading truth, appealing to her sort-of-lover, sort-of-jailer's weakness in thinking the moon is her mother. "If I do not leave now, I shall never lay eyes on her again." That much is true.

She's spent a moon's full cycle here, which is all she needed. Masy's pearl sits stolen in her pocket, safe for her to touch due to the effects of the bite dug into her neck. A siren's result of labor was acid to touch, unless the bearer carried a piece of the siren willingly given with them. A bite given in the height of passion. A lock of the siren's hair personally braided on their wrist. A piece of nail chipped and caught in their bone.

The formermost was the most viable of the three. People died from the third, pierced and bleeding and dead before their fingers ever grazed the pearl. The second option was a token of long friendship years in the making. Impossible without falling completely under their spell. And the first? It was easier to angle for, than the others. Though it was still near impossible.

Taking the lace she's so carefully woven and picking it apart, tearing apart her own fruits of labor.

But Lorilee succeeded. The bite had hurt, excruciating as the pleasure, but it was worth it. Would be, if she managed to leave.

"But you can't!"

Lorilee lowers her eyes. To display guilt and keep Masy's song (not a literal one, as most think) of tears and shame and shaking hands, from pulling her further in. She could keep it at bay, some, but weeks of exposure has worn her defenses thin. The call of it messes with her psyche, sways her heart, makes her think Masy truly alone and lonely. Making her believe in the story.

She mustn't believe in it. If she does, she is lost.

Her voice shakes. Purposeful, or instinct? She does not know. "I do not wish to leave you." And a part of her doesn't. The part that Masy's song reaches begs her to stay. How could she think of abandoning her, as so many have done? How can she think of leaving? Isn't Masy all she's ever wanted?

It's simple, now, to see why so many have failed.

But Lorilee is determined, fueled by her sister's ghost and empty grave. She set out knowing that she'd have to cut off a sliver of her soul and leave it. She knew a part of Masy would latch onto her and make her think the farce was real. That she was loved.

"I'd stay if I could," she adds on. That is... less true. Was only so under a certain frame and perspective. If Masy was human and innocent and wouldn't eventually kill her, she would, probably.

"But..." Masy's lip wobbles. "I need you to stay. Everything is empty without you."

Despite knowing this is a trick, her heart thuds painfully.

"As it will be for me," she says. It already is. It always has been. Auralia lost her life for this, months ago, and it'd broken something unrepairable in her chest. "But I fear it will be emptier to not hear my mother's final words. And I can return." She can, technically. Nothing makes it impossible. But she won't. Can't. For her sanity. For her family. For Auralia.

Masy presses her hands to her chest, as if her still heart felt the same pain Lorilee's did, though it's impossible. "Please." She pries one hand off her chest to reach for her. Beseeching. Waiting. Expecting.

Lorilee takes a step back. Lets her grief show. "I can't." She presses her fingertips to Masy's; gentle, mourning, and pulls away. "I'm sorry."

And she thinks she might be.

She slips her hand into her pocket. "I'm sorry, Masy." She turns. Leaves.

Masy ups the volume and pitch of her cries.

Lorilee keeps walking. Away from the lake. Through the night, her own cheeks wetting.

As the sun starts to brighten the sky, she slips the pearl from her pocket. It sits, ice and guilt, in her palm. A piece of Masy. A piece of Auralia. A piece of so many dead. With her other hand, she grabs the tiny reed flute, presses it to her lips. Ensures that her grip is secure on the pearl. She blows.

A high, light pitch. Wind stirs. Her eyes shut.

When she opens them, she is home.

*****

So... I might come back to this? Write more of this world in future Fictober pieces if I see the opportunity because I like this world now. This is my curse. I need to stop creating cool worlds on what's just supposed to fill a prompt.

[clumsytornado]

ML HM SIDE NINO AU

(Yes I know the title sucks but I'll think of something better)

Nino felt lonely.

This is the 12th time Alya has ditched him and he's exhausted of listening to her excuses about how she has to babysit her sisters when she doesn't have to.

He knows she's lying to him. He went to suprise her at her house and found Nora with the twins and Nora clearly confused since she thought Alya was with him.

He's not confronted her as of yet because she probably has a good reason for it. What makes it worse is Adrien isn't free to hang out with him either.

Or so he says.

Nino isn't stupid and Paris isn't large. It's easy to spot a blonde model talking to a certain bluenette( Not Marinette). Nino's happy Adrien has a friend in Kagami, he just wishes Adrien could tell him that instead of lying which Adrien does really well.

The lies flow smoothly out of his best friend's tongue just as easy as it was to breathe. Nino's seen him lie and honestly Adrien can convince anyone about anything. It's terrifying and amazing at the same time.

Sometimes it even fools Nino. Sometimes.

Ironically he doesn't even know if Adrien is dating Kagami and he's his best friend. He doesn't even know how to ask Adrien about it and shouldn't Adrien tell him about it?

After a week of overthinking about it he finally decides to ask Adrien about it when Alya of all people tells him that Adrien and Kagami broke up.

And he didn't even know they were dating.

He wonders why Adrien doesn't tell him. He wonders if Adrien is even affected by it because if you see the smile on his face, you'll be fooled.

He did ask Adrien about it but he said it was fine and brushed him away.

Nino had to admit it hurt but he understood, Adrien needs his own space and anyway Nino blames Gabriel Agreste for it.

Gabriel Agreste.

Nino doesn't know where to start but he knows if he does, he risks getting akumatised and he doesn't want that to happen again, not after last time.

Alya told him about a him being a sentimonster and how his senti self would have done something had it not been for Ladybug's quick thinking.

What's bad is the fact that Hawkmoth knows his identity and he used him to get to Ladybug. He won't blame Ladybug for not trusting him again.

Maybe that's why Alya is avoiding him. She's afraid.

It's the worst thought Nino could have had. He still doesn't even understand the sentimonster concept. And how does Hawkmoth have 2 miraculouses? It's confusing and depressing at the same time.

He pushes all these emotions down and listens to his music, while on the bridge. He cannot risk getting akumatised. He is done letting people down.

That's before he spots Rena Rouge and LB on the roof of a nearby building. It's suprising how close they've become or how Rena joins for every villain fight or the fact that Alya keeps lying to him eventhough he knows her identity.

He frowns before noticing a presence behind him.

He turns only to find Chat Noir looking at the duo on the roof as well.

Looks like he's not the only one who's been mislead nowdays.

"Hey Chat Noir", he greets the hero in black.

"Oh hi you're Nino right, the DJ?"

Nino doesn't know whether to be insulted that even after so many encounters Chat Noir isn't sure he's Nino or to be complimented by the fact that Chat remembers he is a DJ.

"Yep I'm the guy who makes music. So what's the hero of Paris doing talking with me and not by Ladybug's side?" he asks curious to know the answer.

"Aah well Ladybug kind of defeated the akumatised villain before I arrived so I guess i have free time now", he replies hand behind on his neck and laughing weakly.

Nino can see plainly behind his happy face. He's clearly upset but pretending not to be. Hmmmm reminds him of someone.

Chat's looking back at the fox and bug duo and his smile drops for a second. It's so subtle and lasts for such a shirt time you would miss it if you weren't watching him closely.

Nino can empathise with him and decides that since he's all alone, with Adrien doing something and Alya ditching him (even his brother Chris is on a field trip with his mom) ,he asks Chat if he wants to hang out since he has nothing to do.

He didn't even get to hang out with Chat even when he was Carapace. This might give him a chance to actually talk to the hero without the looming threat of an akuma.

Happily, Chat agrees.

While talking with Chat he figures out they have a lot of interests in common and he even let's Chat to listen to his music which Chat appreciates.

Nino's just so glad to finally have someone to talk to that he doesn't realise he's telling Chat about Alya ditching him( well not the Rena part) and Adrien never showing up.

It's kind of a relief to talk to someone who's not Alya or Adrien about these kind of things because well they wouldn't understand and he doesn't want them to know.

"So this guy Adrien he keeps leaving you hanging", Chat asks his head away from Nino.

"It's not his fault though. It's his father's fault for keeping him cooped up in the swanky mansion all day. I mean the boy needs sunlight" Nino jokes and Chat chuckles at him.

"But really the dude has a schedule of the next 3 years planned out and has absolutely no free time", Nino complains to Chat.

He still has free time to see Kagami and Marinette and anyone else who isn't you.

He pushes that thought down. No he is not doing that right now.

"I think all you have to do is talk to your friend about it. Things will go back to normal in no time" Chat replies enthusiastically.

Nino wished he shared Chat's optimism because he didn't.

"It's not just that. It's the fact that even if I do ask him something, he'll find a way to deflect the question and continue talking about some other topic. What makes it worse is his this extraordinary ability to lie. It even fools me! And what makes it even worser is that he has to lie to me! I don't know why he has to lie to me, I would support him throughout anything. I'm his best friend. If he can't trust me with his secrets, who can he trust?"

Nino didn't mean to rant but once he started, he couldn't stop and saying it out loud that Adrien didn't trust him, it made him feel more depressed. And that once joyful atmosphere created by Chat's presence deflated.

"It can't be that bad", Chat said, but even he seemed worried and a bit sad.

"I'm sorry for all of that. I shouldn't have said it", Nino sighed his head in his hands.

"Don't sweat it", Chat replied before the shriek of the ring beeping caused both of them to jump.

"Seems like I have to go. Nice talking to you Nino and don't feel bad about it okay", he said it so gently and kindly Nino could almost believe him.

In the distance he saw Alya walking to their agreed meeting spot and she was smiling.

He has to confront her. After all that talking with Chat he has to.

Alya's face beamed when she saw him. His didn't.

"Hey Nino."

"Alya."

"Wait you didn't say hey to me, is there something wrong", she worried looking at him and checking if he had a fever.

"Yes there is, you're an hour late for our date for the twelfth time", he sighed, upset and angry.

"Well you know the twins were-"

He interrupted her before she continued to make up her fictional lie.

"Cut the crap Alya, I saw Rena on the roof with Ladybug. If you didn't want me to find out you shouldn't have gone to a roof where everyone can see you", he cried out.

"Oh ummmm well" she stammered.

That's when he saw it.

The miraculous.

She had it with her. She didn't give it back to Ladybug.

"Alya why do you have your fox necklace?"he asks with dread.

Alya froze.

Alya never froze.

"I-I-I " she kept stammering, her eyes never looking at his face.

He let her go on waiting patiently for an explanation.

"I couldn't trust you."

She whispers it so sofly you would think that you were hearing things.

Nino stopped breathing.

If your girlfriend of 2 and a half years and your best friend cannot trust you, who will?

Nino should be angry or upset or even screaming but he's just disappointed in himself.

He can't blame Alya for it. After that recent episode of sentinino he wouldn't trust himself either.

"I'm sorry I keep lying to you but I can't telk you everything because it's too dangerous. Afther what happened last time and then even Ladybug and now Hawkmoth knows and it's so complicated"

She goes on frantically but all Nino hears is that she couldn't trust him and on top of that Adrien doesn't either.

He needs to get away. He needs to be alone.

"Sorry Alya, I -I need to go" he says quickly and turns around to get away. Away from this situation and away from these negative thoughts.

He hears her calling out to him but she doesn't follow him and maybe that's for the better really.

But seems like luck just isn't on his side.

He sees him.

Adrien

Who is supposed to be in a fencing class.

Nino calms himself down and decides not to overthink. The simplest thing is that the class got canceled or ended early or something.

Just to be sure, Nino sends Adrien a text asking him if he's free now.

Nino observes as Adrien receives the text, frowns as he reads it, and sends a reply and puts the phone back.

Nino looks at his own phone just to see that Adrien replied that he's still at his fencing class.

Adrien lied to him.

Nino wants the ground to gulp him whole.

He's not even angry at Alya and Adrien. He's angry at himself for making them not trust him. He's a terrible friend and a boyfriend.

As all those painful emotions and negative thoughts that he pushed down come rushing above and make him feel even worse.

He's so consumed by the self hate that he doesn't see the akuma coming.

Here you go @marichat-ninoir-for-life

[kojandra]

My Personal Reflection of “Do You Like Brahms?” (with specific reference to the leads)

✨ spoilers below ✨

It’s been a while since I’ve shed tears for a drama. I tried to pinpoint the reason why I was so addicted to every scene while I was watching it; even as I watched the end credits for episode 16, I still had no idea why. But as I made my way downstairs to fill my glass with water, I saw the upright piano. I saw the scores stacked neatly, a dust cover on the ivory keys, and the many many tattered repertoire books from years of commute to the academy and teaching studios, stuffing them in backpacks, and flipping the pages back and forth until the phrase is memorized. And I was reminded of the violin stuffed under my bed and the calluses that became a part of me in grade 4, and how my piano teacher didn’t like the way it sounded on the piano keys.

I remember crying through learning Bach, Bartok, and Liszt. I remember loving Kabalevsky and Chopin. I remember detesting Brahms and Schumann (Robert and Clara) because I didn’t have the emotion to do their pieces justice. I remember the hours committed to perfecting every single bar with precision and emotion.

“Do You Like Brahms?” unearthed a part of me buried with the hopes and dreams of the 10th grader who made the decision to quit music. I didn’t believe I had enough talent--scratch that--I knew I had no talent. I had nothing compared to all the other kids that played before me and after me during lessons and recitals. I picked up every single instrument in hopes that I would have a natural ease with one of them: piano, violin, guitar, flute, ukulele, percussion, and even the banjo. I so desperately wanted to be good at one instrument to play the music I wanted to and I even put in the extra hours to attempt to achieve a sliver of it.

Seeing Chae Song Ah struggle with the same issue had my heart strings tangled. The struggle that I thought was a me problem is being represented! On television! Is this what empathy feels like?

Seeing Park Joon Young lose his passion for the music because of the weight every performance meant made my heart break. And when he said “I’m not happy playing the piano” to his mother in tears, it reminded me how I said those exact same words to my mother in grade 10, asking her if I could quit, with the same heartbreak as Chae Song Ah knowing no matter how hard she tried, she could not compete with those who were born with the ‘musical sense’.

When Song Ah and Joon Young made their decision to quit music, my heart twisted into aches of despair and sadness for them. I feel like I lost it when Song Ah started asking around about the prospects after graduation for those who do not (or cannot) perform. 

I see so much of myself in her.

I stopped pursuing music in high school knowing I would only let myself down during the university admission auditions, but seeing Song Ah let her dream carry her to major in music after a business degree sparked a small firework of envy in me. How far can passion take you when “natural talent” is a roadblock? When Joon Young said one should have natural talent to succeed in music, my heart broke more for Song Ah than myself. And when she made the decision to walk away from the relationship giving her anxiety, the chamber position that took advantage of her eagerness to pursue what comes easily to others, and the careful but hard stance she took when it came to matters of the heart and herself...my heart kept breaking knowing hers was already shattered.

I know exactly what she feels.

The whole conversation about finding that conviction to the piece set me back in 2012 when I cried on the cushioned leather piano stool in the practice room for 15 minutes because I couldn’t find that conviction. 

It’s your music, so you should take control of it.

I found comfort in these words and in the characters as I watched them each tackle a part of their identity they had lost and are trying to regain control of.

I love every single character in this drama (though I feel the double love triangle is exhausting at times). I really like how the story maintains the Schumann’s and Brahms-inspired story, circling back to it at the end and with a different ending. I thought I would be disappointed knowing the title can be misleading, but I wasn’t.

Without blabbering too long, I guess what I’m trying to say, is that this drama impacted me in ways I will never forget (and it has me learning to love piano again). Maybe one day, I will find the emotion to commit to the pieces by Brahms and Schumann. And maybe one day, I will grasp the conviction to own “Revolution” by Chopin--the one piece I’ve always loved but felt like it could never be mine.

The smallest moment in your life is when your crescendo begins.

Thanks to this drama, I’m playing the piano again. My passion for music is still a little callused (and I’m still hesitant to play some notes for fear that my lack of “natural talent” will seep through the fingers), but I’m regaining that confidence to try again thanks to all the characters in this drama.

I can’t believe this drama also had me rooting for the development of the relationship of the main leads (though I always knew they would end up together). I had the chance to see a really pure love with a mature approach to the way they handle their relationship, which stays really true to the fact that they are in their late twenties. And my heart absolutely broke for the second leads, not completely shattering until Jung Kyung’s flashbacks of her time in love with Hyun Ho.

I’m sad I didn’t watch this sooner, but maybe I put it off knowing I would be a hot mess once I did.

I am not really one to critique dramas heavily and I was tearing up too often to find an outwardly flaw anyways. I am not certain I will have the courage to watch certain scenes again because of the power they have against me.

A well-casted, well-written, inspiration piece for me. I am attached. Whole heartedly attached. 

And as a post script: this is a very comforting drama for a rainy day.

Post post script: I thought this was going to be a “do you like Messi?” pt. 2 hahahahaha (don’t kill me, but wfkbj stans, wya?)