#*merely based on the track titles*

[cametotheshowinsd]

I love you, it's ruining my life.

THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT || April 19th, 2024

[im-only-here-for-the-fandom]

DPxDC : The Phantom ARG

I have been watching a lot of ARG’s and conspiracy theory on youtube lately and decided to combine the two so here we go.

The ghosts in this au will be like Deadman, you can’t see him unless you have magic, a magic artifact, or highly contaminated by ectoplasm. meaning only danny and his friends Sam and Tucker who were near the portal when it activated can see the ghosts in this au, they are invisible to everyone else in Amity Park.

In the beginning, after his accident Danny believed that he was merely hallucinating the small ghost blobs and ghost animals that initially made it through the portal thinking it was only an after effect from getting an extreme shock, and it isn’t until the first ‘incident’ the mystery meat that attacked the shool cafeteria that he realizes that what he is seeing is real.

So like any self respecting teen he tells his best friends Sam and Tucker. They both reveal that they too have been seeing strange things since the accident although not as clearly as Danny, they could still see them like watching youtube in 240p. They gather after the mystery meat incident, which they have named INCIDENT-1 or IN-1 for short as they later name it, in Danny’s room afterwards to discuss what happened. They find out that other than the three of them no one seemed to see the floating lunch lady or even head her when she talked , they only reacted after the meat started gathering and taking the shape of a monster.

Sam says that they should document what they see and what is happening in amity park and the boys agree with her. Danny become the main cameraman and investigator being the only one strong enough to get close without major injury or harm and also being able to see, hear, and feel the ghosts clearest. Sam is the main documenter and researcher she’s the one that writes down their findings and goes over the videos they have to discover new findings to note down. Tucker is the main hacker and editor he hacker the cameras in the streets and school to get footage and other information that might be needed while also making sure that they can’t be tracked. Despite having their main area of expertise they all pitch in to help each other.

While documenting they start figuring out a few key details about documenting ghosts. 1 being that unless you are using an ecto-camera the less technologically adavanced the devices you use are the better results you get. 2 the stronger the ghost is the more visible they are, the stronger they are the more dangerous they are ( danny in ghost form is by far the most visible on camera, and in real life extremely clear to his friends). and finally 3 as time goes on certain objects/ places around town have started to become strange or gain peculiar features.

Jazz ,still not believing in ghosts because they are not visible ,becomes suspicious of what the Trio are doing, so they lie to her and tell her that they are making a sort of anolog horror based on their town to cope with the stress of the recent events happening.

realizing that ‘hey this actually a really nice way to destress from our problems’ and with that one lie that they told jazz the Trio became fully committed to making a full on ARG , with hidden messages, pictures and code. so with Tucker’s coding and editing skills and knowledge of ciphers and wordplay, Sam’s organizing skills and eye for hints and details, and Danny’s obsession with stars and everything space and his way with emotions, along the very much real ghosts and they were all set to make the best ARG.

They named it THE PHANTOM ARG, finishing up the last details they finally post their first video on youtube titled ‘IN-1 : Mystery Meat’. Later on once they get the hang of it they post about ‘how to deal with the ghosts’ ‘evacuation procedures’ ‘cooking with ectoplasm’ and artwork depicting the ghosts and short presentations explaining their characteristics. They even make a fully functional website thats called ‘welcom to Amity Park’ where there are hidden messages, codes and information.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

In Gotham

Bernard Dowd is watching youtube when a video thumbnail catches his eye, it looks like a strange meat monster, he was intrigued. having nothing better to do, he decides to watch it. he looks at what the chanel is about and is instantly hooked, theory’s are exploding from his mind.

he can’t wait to tell Tim about this he would absolutely love this type of mystery solving.

random ideas for this au

The GIW are a big thing in this au, they can’t take down what the trio are posting because Tucker is a hacking god.

Danny is only called to as phantom when he is a ghost never as a human ( because of this no one knows that danny is a halfa)

the trio could go by code names, polaris(danny),pharaoh(tucker),gaia(sam). or any other name you think is sutable.

all codes, ciphers, and hints are based on either science and technology(tucker), plants and animals(sam), or space and ghosts(danny).

the ghost portal accident and opening is unkown to the public and is only referd to as the Accident and people are never told what this accident is only ‘since the accident’ or ‘after the accident’.

there is an extremely hidden video that requires you to solve an impossible amount of hints and clues, that is of the portal opening. it’s called IN-0:The Accident.

(the video shows two people a man and a woman jack and maddie in hazmat suits standing in front a large metal tunnel, two kids jazz and danny siting in front of them, the scientists plug the machine but it fails, they disappointedly leave,*fast foward*, three kids, the trio are standing in front of the portal, they talk, danny puts on a hazmat and walks into the tunnel, it whirls on, the doors shut, the video glitchs as the sound of the machine starting up get louder, the screen turns black but the sound of danny screaming are loud and clear, the screaming goes on for a few minutes before suddenly cutting off, the screan clears up but its still a bit glitchy, the portal is open swirling green with sam and tucker standing in front of it, danny is nowhere to be seen)

danny may or may not be ghost king

This is my attempt at drawing the LUNCH LADY.

DANGER: ⭐️⭐️

( rating may change)

please add, use, change as much as you like. i’d love to see what you come up with and how this idea could expand.

just make sure to tag me or tag it as The Phantom ARG.

[rubyreduji]

🧸 Woooo happy anniversary/3k! =D May I ask for a Woozi drabble? I'm thinking something along the lines of the reader being a witch/magic user but she's also a witch/magic user hunter, tracking down those that misuse their power against normal folk. She goes above and beyond to hide this from Woozi but he and a few of the members just so happen to be near during one of her fights. Plot twist: he already knew! Fluffy romance, if you please. I hope this is okay, thanks so much!

— sleepover event now over!! 🧸️

the witches in the woods - ljh

summary: being a witch and a witch hunter is not always the easier, having to keep your two identities separate, but it’s the job you have to do to keep from your crush finding out

tags: fluff, witch & witch-hunter!reader, witch-hunter!jihoon, f!reader wc: 1.7k an: this made me miss watching the owl house lol </3 so some of the powers may be based off that…this is a bit more plot than fluff but i hope you enjoy!

“Pull back! They outpower us!” You hear Seungcheol’s call from your earpiece.

You know if your whole team was here you guys would be able to take them on, but your whole team isn’t here, deciding to split up earlier. The thing is your split up team couldn’t take them, but you can. You tune out Seungcheol’s orders, continuing hot on the trail of the five witches ahead of you.

You can already feel your magic coursing through your veins as you start to gain on them. It’s been so long since you’ve been in a proper fight, always relying on your team rather than your powers, keeping them a secret from anyone else.

It’s not like being a witch is uncommon in this day and age, but when you work a job with the title “Witch Hunter” it’s probably best to keep that part of your identity secret. Though you’re fairly sure that even if your team did find out it wouldn’t change anything, you don’t want to run the risk if you don’t have to. 

That being said, you quite miss using your powers and you can help but let giddiness overtake you as you chase after the other witches. You can hear their snickers of joy, thinking they’ve gotten away, but you’re not going to let that happen.

You raise your hand, feeling your mind and body connect with the woods around you. You focus your energy into the tree branches before you clench your fist and drag it down, causing all of the branches to grow down into a wall, cutting off the path from the witches. Before they even have time to process what just happened, you throw your hand back into the air, raising vines from the ground to wrap around their bodies and suspend them in the air.

“What the- there!” One of them calls, pointing at where you stand a few feet away.

“A witch!” Another shouts.

“Traitor!” The first one yells. “You’re a witch, what are you doing helping the enemy?”

“Enemy?” You spit out. “The only enemy is you guys. No witch should ever misuse their powers yet you guys run around and do nothing but commit crimes. People are getting hurt because of you!”

The man chuckles. “What’s the point of powers if you can’t enjoy them? Who cares if some people get hurt? That adds to the fun!”

You roll your eyes. You don’t know why you’re standing here listening to them. They’re the ones who are on the unfortunate side of this predicament. 

You wrap a vine around their mouths in hopes to shut them up as you reach for the anti-magic cuffs on your belt. You push the vines to the ground, pinning the witches down. You move over to them, snapping the cuffs on the loud-mouthed man who is clearly the leader of them. He curses you out the whole time and you wish you also had tape on you to shut him up.

You’ve clicked the cuff on the second person and are moving to the third when you hear a shout. “Y/N!” It’s Jihoon. 

Jihoon, the one person who absolutely can not find out you’re a witch. Not only due to your eensy weensy crush on him, but also due to the fact that he comes from the longest standing dynasty of witch hunters. 

In a mere second, your concentration is lost, the vines loosening their grips on the witches, allowing the three uncuffed ones to quickly break out of them. Out of the corner of the eye you see a flash from the trees and you recognize the figure as Jihoon.

Shit.

“Y/N, watch out!” You whip around to see a rock hurtling towards your face. You quickly shoot your hand up, stopping the rock and making it crumble into tiny pieces. A flicker of shock passes the attacking witch’s face. 

Jihoon isn’t the only one coming from a long line of powerful people. It’s not common for witches to be able to harness multiple kinds of magic, but you’re a bit special.

Normally if it was just you, you’d be able to wipe all three of the witches out, but you now have to think about Jihoon standing a few feet behind you. You don’t have much time to assess the situation either, with attacks coming at you from three ways. It’s taking all of your energy and focus just to be on defense, let alone offense.

“Y/N!” You can hear Jihoon’s approaching and you quickly create a vine to block him off from the fight.

“Jihoon, stay back! I have it covered.” A fireball shoots past your head right as you say this and you quickly pull your attention back to the fight.

You sweep your arm in one large arc, growing the ground up to trap the witches’ feet. With the few seconds of distress you’ve put them in you regrow the vines around their bodies, trapping their hands to their sides. 

You don’t allow yourself to lose focus this time, carefully placing the handcuffs securely on the final three witches’ wrists. They’re all grumbling as you do so, even one going far as to spit at your feet.

Once all five of them are firmly secured again, you finally withdraw Jihoon’s restraints. You don’t look at him as you hear him call Seungcheol through your communication devices, giving him the update on your positions and the status of the witches.

You busy yourself with getting yourself recomposed until Seungcheol and Vernon run up. “Woah,” Seungcheol mutters, looking at the damage of the woods and the vines wrapped around the witches. “Well, uhm, good work team. Let’s gather up the others and get these guys out of here.”

No one speaks about the elephant in the room as your team regroups and waits for the people from the Witch Hunter’s Association to come and pick the witches up. As soon as Seungcheol releases you all, you quickly book it, heading far away from your team.

“Y/N, wait!” Somehow in just two words, dread fills your body. You want to run away, or even use a spell to disappear, but you know you can’t run away forever. You take a deep breath before turning around to face the one and only Lee Jihoon.

You can’t read the emotion on his face and you can’t tell if that’s a good or bad thing. Deep down you know that Jihoon won’t do anything to you, but that doesn’t help the way your throat tightens as you stare at him. You’re both still in your hunter gear and you really take in Jihoon. He looks exactly like his father, the man most notorious for locking away the most witches in the history of witch hunters.

The gear looks comfortable on his body, his boots well worn and his pants faded from prolonged use. His gloves and goggles both stick out of his pockets and his belt is well loaded with gear, Jihoon never low in stock.

You open your mouth, like you’re about to say something, but the words don’t come out and you’re glad they don’t because you’re not sure what you even want to say. You close your mouth instead.

“Can we talk?” Jihoon’s voice is soft, like he’s also unsure of his words.

“U-uhm, su-ure,” you say, hating the shakiness in your voice.

“Let’s walk.” Jihoon starts to walk, walking past you as he does. You’re forced to follow, a few steps behind him. “You know, I was never going to go into this field. I was going to be the first in my family to do something that wasn’t witch hunting, yet here I am. Ask me why?”

“…Why?”

“Because I wanted to be better than my dad. Better than the rest of my whole family.” For a second, you wonder if Jihoon is going to kill you right here on the spot. “My job as a witch hunter is to incarcerate every bad witch, and to protect every good witch from dangers coming from their own people, and from my own people.”

Your pace slows down as you listen to Jihoon talk, eventually stopping just so you can stare at him. Jihoon senses you’re not with him anymore and stops as well, turning to face you. His gaze finally meets yours for the first time since in the woods. 

“I’m not mad at you Y/N. I don’t care that you’re a witch, because you’re a good person. You’re my friend, and you’ve proved time and time again where your morals stand. Everyone on the team knows that too, so don’t be afraid. Not to mention you’re a valuable asset to us, we’d be fools to let you go over something as trivial as something you can’t change about yourself.”

Your body is flooded with relief. Your heart lightens at Jihoon’s words.

“I- thank you,” you say, tears brimming in your eyes.

Jihoon walks closer to you, so you’re face to face. “I may have…also known,” he admits.

You go slack jawed. “How?!”

Jihoon chuckles at you. “When you come from a long line of witch hunters you learn to pick up on things, and it’s not like your own lineage is too secretive. I may have also caught you using your powers one day.”

You groan, causing Jihoon to laugh again.

“I don’t know why I was so worried,” you murmur. “I know you and the guys on the team aren’t like that…but-”

“It’s okay. Don’t worry about it. I’m just glad that we’re good.”

“Yeah…good,” you mutter. You and Jihoon stand there in silence for a moment and you wonder if this is your cue to part ways. You’re about to walk away from Jihoon when he stops you.

“Y/N?”

“Yeah?”

“Actually I uh…if you wouldn’t mind, would you perhaps tell me more about witches? Maybe over dinner one night?”

You raise an eyebrow at Jihoon. “Was that an attempt…to ask me out?”

You try to hide your giddiness at the idea, choosing to tease him instead.

You watch as Jihoon’s ears turn red. “I- maybe. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be focused on the witch thing. You’re so much more than that. So Y/N, will you please do me the honors of letting me take you out for dinner, on a date? And we don’t have to talk about anything you don’t want to.”

You grin at Jihoon, wide and bright. “I would love to. And don’t worry, I’ll give you all the details about being a witch. Maybe you’ll even get to meet my parents.”

Jihoon turns even redder, and you’re not sure if it’s from the notion of him meeting your parents, or him coming in contact with some of the most powerful witches of the century. Either way, you’re sure that dating Jihoon is going to be nothing but fun.

taglist: @ckline35 @toruro @jeanjacketjesus @namjoonbaby @n4mj00nvq @lovelyhan @ovai @scorpiobitch88 @im-gemmy @lllucere @tulipgarland4 @embrace-themagic @sulkygyu @leejihoonownsmyheart @synthetickitsune @yeosayang @miraclewoozi @d0nghyck @soonhoonietrash @violetvoo @yongi-lee @spilled-coffee-cup @morklee02 @17kwans @candidupped @ressonancee @m1nghaos @1-800-jeonwonwoo @anothershorthuman @chwecardcaptor @dinoissupreme @speaknowlwt @hyneyedfiz @jwnghyuns @flwrshwa @valentxi @heavenly-mobo @pandorashbox @enhacolor @starlight-night0 @todorokiskitten @miriamxsworld @just-here-to-read-01 @sunnyteume @debsworld23 @seuomo @tinkerbell460 @feat-sun @ryuwonieebae @hotricewoozi

join my taglist: here!

[wardenparker]

Preview: Down the Rabbit Hole

Jack Daniels x female reader Co-written with @absurdthirst

When Jack accidentally shoots a civilian on a mission he takes on not only the guilt of the man’s death, but inherits his soulmate as well. To you, it’s a dream job with more perks than you can imagine - but for Jack it’s a nightmarish complication. Even more so when he starts to develop feelings.  

✨To be added to the tag list for this story, just like or comment on this post! ✨

“Jason Howe, 36, born in Northwood, New Hampshire on April 4th.”

Jack winces and curls his hand into a fist as he stands in front of the conference room table. Not having been invited to sit, nor to have the glass of ‘67 Statesman Reserve that Champ has sitting in a glass at his elbow. A drink that Jack desperately needs. “Champ, there was a gun.” Jack defends, although he knows it’s a weak excuse. Statesmen take out the bad guys, not hurt the innocent. And Jack’s killed a bystander who had nothing to do with anything.

"You've been off since Cambodia, Jack." And although Champ knows exactly why, it can't be considered an excuse. He looks back down at the file on the conference table and frowns, then keeps reading. "Two siblings. Parents both living. Soulmate so far unknown." The older man looks up, locking his eyes on Jack. "We're tracking her down."

“Why?” Jack demands, frowning at the mere idea. Statesman had never tracked down a soulmate of anyone before, why start now? “We don’t know who it is, or if they care.” He scoffs. “Better to let sleepin’ dogs lie.”

“I don’t blame you for not noticing.” Champ sighs and shakes his head before finally motioning for Jack to sit. The man is his best senior agent, his quickest set of reflexes, and his closest friend. Frankly, Champ is worried about the upheaval in Jack’s life lately. It’s affecting his perception on a base level, not to mention his work. “You didn’t come out of that fire fight unscathed, and your adrenaline was too damn high for the pain to get through to you.” Running one hand down his face, Champ huffs slightly as he sips from his own whiskey glass but still doesn’t offer Jack any. “The back of your right arm. Just above your elbow. You have a new mark, Jack.”

“Bullshit.” Jack spits, furious at the implication of what Champ is saying. “My soulmate is dead.” He reminds the older man, as if he wasn’t well aware. Hell, Champ was the one who had recruited Jack to Statesman, so he was well aquatinted with his backstory. Until this moment, he would have called the man a friend. Maybe his best friend, even though Tequila likes to claim that’s his title. “Been dead and gone for years. So there ain’t no marks on my body.”

“I don’t mean to say anything against her memory.” Champ holds up one hand in a defensive posture. With the other, he gestures to the large mirror on the conference room wall. “Roll up your sleeve and take a look for yourself. Ginger noted the appearance of scars from minor cuts and bruises and a small tattoo on your arm. None of these marks were found on the civilian that was killed or any of the other dead men that Gamma Team cleaned from the scene. Following protocols, we’re now tracking down any and all soulmates and searching databases for your exact set of new marks.” He knows it isn’t good news. It isn’t good for the agency and it isn’t good for Jack. But, despite it being a long shot, it is now more likely than not that someone out there shares these marks with him. And that makes her both a liability and a potential target. Whoever she is.

Fuck.” Jack hisses bitterly, his shoulders jerking as he shuffles out of his sports coat and tosses it down so he can start rolling up his sleeve. “Can’t Ginger remove it?” He demands, not wanting marks on his body. He hasn’t had any since the day Abigail died and he doesn’t want some other woman’s scars or tattoos on his skin either. He doesn’t have a soulmate and he doesn’t want one.

“Soulmate scars don’t work like that.” He knows Jack knows it, but he also understands the younger man’s distress as he tears his sleeve back to inspect his skin. “As far as Ginger’s nanites are concerned, that’s just your skin. No imperfections about it.”

[redstripstrawberry]

Mother of Pearl | Yandere Pantalone x Reader

Warning: Yandere themes. Drugging, demeaning language, and mentions of long-term stalking. Thank you.

Summary: Being the only child of successful business owners in Liyue meant a life of luxury. As such, you’ve developed quite a sharp eye for the top-class of materials, so much so that you pride yourself on it. It wasn’t until a meeting with the most arrogant man you’ve ever met that you felt you had to prove your skill. 

 An evening in Liyue Harbor is an evening like no other. The air is crisp and cold since the breeze flows from the ocean and swims through the streets of Liyue. The gleams of the lanterns scattered about are like stars that you can just reach out and touch. Truly a sight like no other.

But more spectacular than the scenery of Liyue Harbor at night is the commotion that goes on after when the golden glow of the sun turns into the quiet gleam of the moon. As expected of the city’s lesser-known title: “Teyvat’s Capital of Commerce,” the residents are bustling even when the fireflies blink in the darkness. You are usually more interested in the night market life than anything Liyue Harbor’s scenery had to offer. 

Hailing from Liyue Harbor meant that you’re very involved in the market, even more so than the average person since your parents are running a very successful clothing business. The night market in Liyue Harbor is a special case for you, since you’re a buyer— someone who keeps track and purchases essential materials for a business. 

Though tonight’s wander has a more important purpose than the usual browsing. You’re on the lookout for some Sango Pearls. Only the best quaility should be picked for your mother’s birthday present. As the only child of the most famous designers in Liyue Harbor, who, other than you, would know instantly about the quality of items from a mere look? You can’t think of any other name. 

So comes the evening as you set out to begin your personal quest. From your parents’ shop descending down the stairs on top of Xinyue Kiosk, you hear the loud and crowded noise of the bustling market. Across from the stairs is Mingxing Jewelry, a familiar shop where you usually do business. 

You’ve asked Xingxi to bring out the pearls for you to take a look. She lets you go at it alone since you’re always taking your time. Though having a sharp eye makes things easier, there’s multiple discussions to be had with yourself when picking exquisite items. 

The sea’s gems came in a velvet box—pure white—to showcase the multitudes of colors from the pearls. Amongst the red, pink, and purple pearls displayed, a lustrous golden pearl with a lavender sheen stood out to you the most. Under the dark sky, the light that shines from the shop’s lanterns reflects against the pearl like a mirror. Unlike the others, the gem is definitely clear and smooth all around. You hold the pearl high, seeing the light reveals its purple glow at the edges which mixes into the golden base color. Such a breathtaking pearl! 

“That one isn’t a good pick.” A voice says from behind you. You turn your head and lock eyes with a dark-haired gentleman wearing a smile. The lenses of his glasses that frame his face shine with the lanterns, making him seem pompous. 

You feel a pinch the moment he abruptly brought up his opinion. “And why do you think so?” you reply, surprised.  

“The pearl’s reflection is purple. Sango Pearls of the best quality has a pink or reddish sheen to it, indicating the connection Orobashi, Watatsumi’s god. It’s a well-known fact with the people of Watatsumi Island,” the man answers you, informing you with an arrogant attitude.  

“Please,” you scoff off his answer, “the ‘fact’ you’re talking about is just folk’s tale. It has no meaning to the quality of the pearl itself. The pearl’s color is connected to the color inside of the shell, fun ‘fact.’ Clearly, Watatsumi Island's purple calms are the ones that make the Sango Pearl its gloss: purple.”

“Pardon me, but clearly you’ve never seen a class AAA Sango Pearl to compare it to.”

The man chuckles, clearly having fun. You can’t believe what is happening right now. It’s one thing to disagree with another about precious items but to blatantly insult you in your face? You can’t help but spit the tone right back. 

“... You’re not someone usually well-liked, aren’t you? Considering how forceful you were,” you ask him with an attitude, eyes narrowing in annoyance.

“My help is usually sought out from numerous people. My opinion has great value, honestly,” the man replies with the same smile. Something about his smile makes you irritated. 

“Ah, you don’t really look like it,” you say, switching your tone to a relaxed statement. You bring your eyes to focus on the pearl once again, but you can feel his smile flicker. Archons, does he irk you. “Well, thanks for your —unwelcome— input, but I find this pearl to match what I’m looking for.”

“ I’d agree with you, that pearl does match your tastes much better anyway.”

Clearly, there wasn’t anything wrong with what he said, but everything that comes out of his mouth seems so… underhanded.  That tone especially, it feels wrong. 

“But!” the man fumbles around in his jacket with his hands, “to apologize for my —unwelcome— input, here’s a gift for you.”

The man called over Xingxi and threw a heavy pouch of Mora that hit the counter with a hard ‘clunk.’

“Though if you really want to seek out my opinion, come by the Northland Bank and ask for ‘Pantalone.’ I’ll show you some quality pearls. That is, if you really think you’re right.” 

The gall of the man! You would’ve rejected the offer immediately out of spite if it wasn’t for that second sentence. But your pride as a child of the top designers in Liyue Harbor is in control. Your eyes are honed precisely for helping out the family business. This isn’t about a damn pearl, it was about your competence as a buyer of supplies! 

“I’d doubt that you can procure any of these ‘quality’ pearls you speak of, but I’ll come. Only to see how your preferences match up to mine.”

“I’ll look forward to it, [ ].”

You can’t with that damn smile. 

• ° • ° • ° •

“Which is why the nacre of the pearl should also count as a separate category into determining its grade,” Pantalone concludes.

“Yes, you’ve went on and on how judging the iridescence of the pearl isn’t the same as judging its color..” you roll your eyes, “but that doesn’t explain anything about why you would grade desert fox fur as the least desirable fur. You’re absolutely wrong, by the way.”

“Of course you wouldn’t understand it based on what you know, [ ]. But just like how people mistake judging a pearl’s nacre and color together, it’s the same with judging color and the pattern of a fur.” 

It’s funny how a simple chat about a pearl gradings turned into a deep and interesting conversation about fox furs. The high-class people around your age aren’t very fond of discussing the bits and pieces of precious things, just only that they have them. It’s a unexpectedly fulfilling discussion, even though Pantalone is undeniably an ass about it. 

“We should stop here since it’s getting late,” you start off, leaning against the railing. The two of you are on the bridge right out front of the bank, after you two got into a heated discussion inside that needed to be had outside. The guard hurried off after Pantalone gave him a look you didn’t get to see. 

“... I see.” Pantalone has that unreadable smile on his face. “However, why don’t you head inside for some tea to warm up? To prepare you on the way back home.”

“I think we’ll end up getting to a duel about tea leaves, and if so, I’ll leave at sunrise.” you chuckle. “Thanks, but no thanks, sir Pantalone.” 

“Please, heated discussions will not commence whatsoever. Think of it as an offering for making a new bond… with me.”

You’re surprised. A new friendship wasn’t something you thought you were going to make today, much less an asshole for a friend, but here you are. You beam at him. 

“Well then, sure.”

• ° • ° • ° •

The room is stuffy. You come to, opening your eyes as try to grasp your surroundings. What happened? Didn’t you just had tea with Pantalone a moment ago? 

“You’re awake? Good, because I was starting to get bored talking to your unconscious self.”

Pantalone reveals himself, walking into the light which hangs above you. The lenses of his glasses shine even brighter, illuminating his eyes. Pantalone is wearing his familiar close-eye smile. But now he’s horrifying that way. 

“Honestly, I didn’t expect our chemistry to be so well-matched considering that I only watched you from afar, but it went so well. Our conversations, that is. I’m so glad we started off so.. thrilling.” Pantalone starts, as he circles around you. You, whose hands are tied behind your back and your feet secured at the chair’s front legs, watch him in terror or in rage; there’s so much emotion within that you don’t have enough time to settle on which. “It’s funny, you know, how similar you are to me when I was a bit younger. Arrogant, yet so naive. It’s no wonder I felt an instant connection with you.” 

Pantalone circles back to the front, facing you. He leans in closer to you, grabbing the sides of your seat, shifting his weight to his hands. Pantalone's thumbs are barely touching your thigh. Your voice is muffled from the cloth wedged between your jaws. All you could do is squirm intensely from refusal. Panic settles in. 

“For someone who acts so high-class and knowledgeable, you can’t even comprehend real wealth. Not like the pocket change your parents make yearly, not what I can show you.” Pantalone chuckles, his teeth showing through his smile. “Adorable and naive. There’s just something about you, [ ]. You show how much of an idiot you are with your pride and knowledge, but yet stir me all the same.” 

Pantalone’s face isn’t paired with the familiar yet irritating closed-eye smile. No, the open grin with his upturned eyes is instead the most frightening expression you’ve ever seen a human make. You can see the madness in him and it’s terrifying. 

“My precious pearl,” Pantalone leans in even closer, his voice whispering into your ear, “You’re too fascinating to let go.”

[jalebi-weds-bluetooth]

The soundtrack of 'Tu hi bata mere maula' evokes a unique emotional response somehow. I wonder if its impact stems from the fact that the song is narrated by a third person, providing a description of the circumstances surrounding the two main characters. It gives the impression of being orchestrated by destiny, and I love how they intertwined the entire narrative with the concept of a divine being/God, who is portrayed as the playwright of their grand love story. There are not many songs, I suppose, that adopt the viewpoint of an observer or storyteller. What are your thoughts on this?

Hello hello,

Please don't forget to write a hello! Cause person here, not ChatGPT :)

Oh absolutely - based in Lucknow and with Arnav just not really being written as a conventional hero, there are strong themes of sufism, destined love, a difficult love and really how if fate didn't intervene - this would've never happened.

IPKKND is a love story that shouldn't have happened.

Which is why the lyrics are so pointed to destiny, to God, to whoever wrote this tale because it's their will why this is happening.

It's never about two halves coming together. It's never about each getting their perfect love.

This is an intentional, difficult love story between absolute opposites with the fundamental will of the maker. And usually title tracks are about 'oh I love her, oh I love him, oh I have feelings, oh these feelings are tough'

But IPKKND reminds us, periodically, that it's a story. A fictional story where two worlds collide only because of someone else's will. So much so that even the observer - who is more than a human but less than a God - watches the story pan in wonder.

And it's also the specific scenes they utilize this song.

It's almost always done when 'destiny' is changing.

We hear it first when Khushi hopes she and Payal get married to the same house. And we have a saying in our culture that daily, twice, Maa Saraswati sits on our tongues hence our words may come true.

And it does for Khushi and Payal.

Then we hear it during Teej when an awareness seeps into Arnav and Khushi as Khushi, unintentionally, is performing a ritual that hints at their future. And the most gorgeous part is that it is left with discomfort in characters and never verbalized that what happened was symbolic.

The discomfort in both the characters - who didn't move from their spot - is evidence that both know what it implies. Be it an atheist or a devotee.

Then we hear it when Arnav has comforted Khushi, developing and strengthening their emotional bond (which they haven't developed until this point) and when Akash and Payal are going through their worst. Again, it's such a poignant scene in the show because this changes the course of all the four characters.

And this is where we actually see, and perhaps root, for a love story between Arnav and Khushi. And such a crucial point to finally drop in the lyric "Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon?" because finally it is showing something akin of being a love story, which it wasn't until now.

Then Diwali - a moment of utter mismatch of intentions, decisions, actions and reactions.

And then, of course, during the band aid engagement because of the sheer contrast between what fate has written, what's symbolically happening, what is appropriate and what are the characters emotions.

The most powerful aspect of this song is how true this song is to IPKKND's roots. This, will always be the theme song of the show. There's no finality of love here. Just utter confusion, and a plea to God/fate that if this is your will and this is where they're going then given who they are, complimentary yet different, guide them.

It is poetic.

Love,

Jalebi

[dark-night-hero]

Imagine meeting Kartien for the first time.

Imagine being as narcissistic as your future lover Kartien. Possessing the same healing abilities and beauty. Growing up alone in such a harsh environment, it wasn't surprising you grew up and lived as one of those aggressive awakened ones. It wasn't until you were beaten and put into place of your now friend that you were able to settle down and calm down, not giving a single care about the world.

"What do you mean there an actual world ranking of awakened one based on their beauty??" "You didn't know? You were ranked second." Your friend, now adoptive sibling, spoke as if it wasn't a big deal. But it was for you. Second? Second?! "Who fuck- who's number one?" "Kartien... So- hey? Wait where are you going? (First name)??!"

Imagine going for a hunt, leaving havoc whenever you go as you went for a hunt towards the first rank when it comes to awakened one beauty. Because goddamn it all, second? You're second? Have everyone gone blind? Why should you be on the second place when you're supposed to be on the first place? You cannot accept this. Not in a million years. You need to see whoever the fuck it is that was in the first place.

Imagine the first time you met him, you never knew it was him until later. Going back to Japan for a quick break in your search hunt. Going inside a familiar expensive bar, you spotted your adoptive older sibling inside behind the bar. But that someone in front of them, one who had his back turned into you was the one which caught your attention. Just looking from behind, you can tell that they were beautiful.

Imagine how right you were, grabbing the chance to sit on the vacant seat right beside the person. You grin at your sibling, who raised a brow at your arrival. At the same time, the person you were sitting beside didn't even spare you a glance, nor did that person speak. This makes you pay more attention to them. Tapping the bar counter for a good couple of times until the person next to you turn to look at you with irritation.

"What?" "Why hello there too, handsome." You spoke with a smile. Damn it. This guy, this man is handsome. Like you have to admit, this man could be worthy of your beauty, not bad honesty. With just one look on his face, you wanted to make him yours. He has to be yours. But instead of replying to your greetings, the man just scoffs and rolls his eyes at you, causing your eyes to twitch.

Imagine the way you tried to talk to him as well as make a move on him, but this guy just ignored you like you were nobody. It you were a normal person, you would really mind or perhaps cry in embarrassment, but you aren't. Instead, you continue to talk annoy to him the whole night.

Imagine taking your time to annoy the shit of this guy before leaving, talking to your forgotten sibling across the counter before doing so and leaving without a trace but of course not before leaving your phone number for the guy. Take it or leave it, you say. You're pretty sure he was just playing hard to get. "You have an annoying one hell of a sibling." "You didn't kill them tho."

Imagine after a year of trying to track down the number one awakened one when it comes to beauty. Here you are both standing toe to toe to each other, hands on each other collar as you both look at each other with hostility.

"I can't believe I left you off the hook that night! I should have known that barely above average guy was the one holding the number one title!" "Hah! Coming from a mere number two like you?" He scoffs, refusing to let go of your collar unless you do. "Don't make me laugh. You don't even fit to fill in the second spot coming after me like this."

Imagine the way you held on into his collar tighter before using all your strength to bump your head into him. It was strange, honestly, as both of you have the power of the top fifty among the world ranking, and here you are fighting without using any of your abilities, just pure physical force.

"Oh really?! For your information, not only do I have what it takes to be the second, but I also have what it takes to be the first!" You spoke as soon as you headbutted with him. "You, on the other hand, don't even have what it takes to be my lover." "What did you say?" If looks could kill, you'll be killing each other. "I said you. Don't have what it takes to be my lover." "Says who?" "Me." "Who says I can't?" "I said you can't be. Didn't you said you can't be?" "You bi- I never said that." For the first time, he seems calm as he looks away from you.

Imagine the way you smirk, but quickly put on a fierce look once again. "You didn't? But then you rejected my advances. In the end, you can't be my lover." "I can't be your lover?" He scoffs, pulling away from you before grabbing you by our collar once again. "Listen, if there is someone who isn't have what it takes to be my lover, that would be you." This time it was your time to scoff. "Oh really? Why don't you see it for yourself then?" This time, you smirk. "Let's be each other's lover. Then we'll see who among us isn't fitted to be the lover." There was a moment of silence after that.

Imagine the way you look at him, his eyes staring back at you with some sort of unreadable look on his face. With him will holding you by your collar, you tilt your head to the side before relaxing at his touch. "Can't do it? Kartien?" You smirk, obviously provoking him. "Afraid you'll fall for me-?!"

Imagine the way your (eye color) iris widened and shaken as your words were cut off by a pair of lips. "I hate people talking nonsense." He then licked his lips, you gulp. "We'll see which one of us is scared." Letting you go, he turn his back into you, his lips unknowingly curling up into a small smile before he stops and turn around, there was no smile on his face. "Ask your siblings my number." "I gave you mine didn't I?" "I throw it." "How mean." You chuckle. Truthfully, he didn't, your phone number was saved long ago om his phone, but you didn't know that, nor will he ever admit then, now, or in the future.

[ⓒdark-night-hero] 2023°

[stergeon]

at some point i will figure out how to write the post-canon, post-empire edelgard autonomy fic of my dreams. it just feels like a very big task and maybe like with playing the dane, i’m simply not old and traumatized enough to manage it yet.

but my vision is thus: it’s set years (realistically, decades) after the end of crimson flower, when everything has gone as right as it can possibly go. fódlan is thriving. the social reforms have taken effect. the nobility system is nearly eliminated, if not entirely so, with titles made merely symbolic. social mobility, welfare, and prosperity are high. there’s an explosion in arts and culture and technology. brigid and duscur have gained independence; relations with sreng and almyra are much improved; heck, maybe they've even figured it out with dagda. in my most idealistic version, leicester and faerghus would eventually be ceded back to become autonomous regions, essentially disbanding the adrestian empire. rule is no longer hereditary, but merit-based. there's a roadmap for the future, and everything is on track—and more than that, people at all points on the power spectrum have already seen it bear fruit. with or without edelgard, it will be pursued. there's buy-in. they believe.

of course, it's not perfect—nothing can be—but edelgard's vision has been fulfilled. the people are empowered. humanity is free. fódlan has healed.

and somehow, she's had enough time to resolve her goals outside of politics, too. those who slither in the dark have been eradicated. edelgard and lysithea's second crests have been successfully removed, allowing them to live if not full lives, then substantially longer ones than they would have with their twin crests intact. who knows—maybe she finally gets around to having that wedding.

point for point, every item listed in edelgard's manifesto has been checked off. the ghosts of her past have been laid to rest. she can finally take off her crown. she can finally pursue the quiet, humble life she's wanted for so long. she can finally breathe.

... but can she?

edelgard is nothing if not driven. her intelligence, vision, and sheer willpower allowed her to plan and execute a revolution against two countries and the most powerful institution on the continent, all while she was still a teenager. as royalty, her life was never truly hers even before she became heir to the adrestian throne, with all the additional baggage of survivor's guilt and the desire for vengeance and her need to ensure nothing that happened to her can ever happen to anyone else, ever again.

so what happens when that drive has no outlet? what happens when someone who has been constantly in motion, constantly working and planning and preparing every spare second of every day since she was fourteen years old, suddenly has to stand still? what happens when someone whose hands have been bound for so long—first literally in the dungeons of enbarr, then by the weight and responsibilities of her crown—is set free?

being edelgard, she would step away from the throne, no matter how hard it was for her to give up control. she's always been focused on the endgame, and she knows that if she doesn't let go, she'll be setting the wrong tone for fódlan's future. she's too devoted to that endgame to cling to power much longer than she needs to, though i could see her making some excuses and trying to iron out just a few more things to buy herself some more time to mentally prepare before she's done for good.

but who would she be then? who is the woman without the crown? what becomes of a machine once it is no longer needed, when it has made itself obsolete? what about when that machine is a person with legs and arms and an innate unwillingness to gather dust on a shelf?

what happens when you get everything you want? what happens when all your wanting has been for others to thrive, and now you have to want only for yourself? how do you discover who you are when you've spent decades being everything for everyone else? how do you find meaning again? how do you find purpose?

after a lifetime of devotion and passion and movement, how do you learn to sit with yourself, and be quiet, and be still?

gosh, i would love to meet her. i would love to pick her brain. but boy, i do not envy the work that girl has to do.

[miguelswifey04]

Can I request a fic of Miguel O’Hara with Spider![Reader] [Female] (the two are not in an established relationship yet, but pining for each other) who is reading fanfics of him she found from one of her missions back on another Earth?

[Reader] trying to be discreet, reading probably a smut based on O’Hara and thought she was safe, but somehow he caught her.

it’s giving gwen pool 🙊 but this is such a cool CONCEPT 🎢

summary: miguel finds you reading fanfics of him that you picked up from another earth on an interdimensional mission…what will you do? better yet, how will he react??

as you swung through the bustling streets of Nueva York, you couldn't help but feel a lingering warmth in your heart whenever you thought about Miguel O'Hara. the intelligent and enigmatic hero known as Spider-Man 2099 had captured your admiration and, truth be told, your heart. you had stumbled upon some fascinating fanfiction about him during one of your interdimensional missions. it had become your secret indulgence, a way to live out your daydreams, and explore the possibility of a connection between the two. you hid this away from miguel—he does not know you’re reading comics and even fanfics of him that you’ve stumbled upon on earth 1213; where superheroes and villains don’t exist.

one evening, after an exhausting night of crime-fighting, you settled into your hidden corner high above the city. you reached into your utility belt and pulled out your tablet, navigating to the folder where you stored the fanfics you had discovered. a sly smile touched your lips as you began scrolling through the different titles and the enticing summaries of each story.

“let’s see what adventures await our Spider-Man of the future," you murmured to yourself as you selected a fanfic called "Shadows of Desire." (i can’t imagine being so delulu)

with bated breath, you immersed yourself in the imaginative world created by the talented fanfic author. the story cleverly entwined miguel’s adventures with a thrilling romantic subplot, igniting sparks of longing within your own heart.

as you read, you found yourself transported to a place where you and miguel shared intense glances, heart-pounding battles, and whispered confessions under the neon lights of their futuristic city. the author's words painted vivid images in your mind, fueling your imagination and making you yearn for a deeper connection with the hero who had stolen your heart.

page after page, you devoured the fanfic, feeling the tug of emotions and desires build within you. you couldn't help but wonder if their universe-hopping encounters were more than mere chance, if there was a deeper connection waiting to be explored. you were consumed by the fanfic you were reading of your mission partner, miguel, that miguel tracked your location. he appeared behind you but all your senses were desensitized by being so in the zone. miguel was stunned to see that you were reading fanfics of him that you picked up from earth 1213.

“i heard a little bird told me you've been reading fanfiction about me from another earth," miguel would say, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. "care to share your findings? i’m quite curious to see what people can imagine about my adventures,” his voice dripped with sarcasm.

you felt your heart drop to your stomach…you were caught and this was probably the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever experienced. you stood up quickly as you clutched the tablet onto your chest and turned around to face him. his hands were placed on his hips as he tilted his head waiting for you to say something. you had to admit to yourself you couldn’t really defend what you were reading was good—it was kind of off-putting that you are reading a fanfic from some other earth about miguel o’hara. miguel took in your nervous frame and chuckled lightly. he felt a swirl of emotions but nonetheless he was curious to hear what your excuse was.

“i-i can explain. i- was just curious, and—i picked it up from earth 1213,” your breaths were coming in short as you tried to compose yourself, “i know it’s weird but i couldn’t help but read what these writers wrote about you.” miguel chuckled as he shook his head. “jeez, you were that curious, huh?” you were surprise miguel was being sarcastic and not giving you an earful of your guilty pleasure.

“yes. i was that curious.” you hung your head low and gulped nervously. you didn’t know what to say after but feel super embarrassed and ashamed. he actually encouraged you to open up, embracing the opportunity to delve into those creative stories that you read. he was pretty curious about them too. anyone would of you found a fanfic written about you. miguel would have a sense of humor about it, acknowledging the creative liberties taken in the tales while appreciating the underlying admiration and fascination that inspired them.

miguel poked fun of you for what you’ve been reading behind his back as he found it pretty hilarious. but you knew miguel would never let this go at all…though he was willing to keep this between you two. miguel felt prideful in a sense that you were reading these so-called fanfics about him and he couldn’t help but feel his cheeks flush a bit. yeah, you were his partner and what not but that didn’t mean he didn’t like you. you both have been pining for one another without realizing your true feelings for each other. hopefully, this incident brought you two closer and who knows maybe you both can become more than partners in missions.

[minisugakoobies]

Tag, You're It | Kang Yeosang

For @minttangerines, who requested prompt #14: they roll on top of you, cradling your head between their hands as they kiss your nose

*crosses fingers* Ok tumblr, please let the tags work now?

Title: Tag, You're It Pairing: Nightcrawler!Yeosang x Reader Genre: fluff, crack, X-Men!AU Warnings: fighting (use of superpowers); brief appearances from Beast!San, Iceman!Yunho, and Sunspot!Wooyoung; reader's powers are based on Tempo (time control), maybe a lil mutual pining?

You crouch beneath a tall tree, lush greenery blessedly granting you cover from the blazing midday sun. Sweat drips down your face as you peer around the thick trunk. No sign of your enemy anywhere.

"Annyeong!"

With a loud *BAMF*, Yeosang materializes to your left, his arm stretching out to grab you.

"Fuck!" you hiss.

Instantly, you reach out and touch time with your mind, bending it to your will. Everything around you slows down, including Yeosang. Quickly, you move away from his reach, then release your grip on time, letting everything return to normal.

"Missed me!" you taunt merrily, taking advantage of Yeosang's confusion and throwing a punch of your own. He merely teleports away. "Damn it, get back here and fight!"

All around you, the Danger Room is filled with the rest of your teammates engaging in their own battles, sparring one-on-one. You're not sure why San programmed the virtual environment to resemble the jungle of the Savage Land for this training session, but you really wish it wasn't so accurately rendered. It's too damn hot.

There's no sign of Yeosang again. How did you get so lucky as to get the teleporter for your partner? You suppose it could be worse - poor Wooyoung's currently trapped in a layer of thick cloudy ice, unable to draw enough power from the sun to burn his way out of it, so he's just kind of… slowly melting, centimeter by centimeter.

"You know you have to physically tag him to win the match, right?" you ask Yunho, who is giggling to himself as he adds another layer of ice.

Yunho just grins. You leave him to his Woo-sicle as you continue trying to track your opponent, wandering into another copse of trees.

The air is thick with humidity as you slash through some low-hanging leaves with the saber you carry on your back. You've given up on trying to wipe the sweat away - what's the point?

"Yeosang," you trill sweetly. "Come out, come out, wherever you are!"

A peal of laughter sounds above you. Glancing up, you finally spot him, dangling from a branch by his prehensile tail, swinging slightly as he smiles down at you. In the dark of boughs around him, all you can see of his face are his yellow eyes and flashing white teeth.

His demonic appearance doesn't scare you. It never did. In the weeks since he joined you and your fellow mutants at Xavier's, you've gotten to know Yeosang pretty well. He's the most gentle soul you've ever met, quiet and oh so shy.

Or at least, he used to be shy. But now that the two of you are friends, you're discovering that he's actually a little bit of a shit.

"What's wrong, Stopwatch? Something troubling you?"

You grit your teeth at his nickname for you. "Come down here already, will you? The sooner you let me tag you, the sooner we can get out of here." Slap! "Was it really necessary to program mosquitoes, San??"

From his cushy air conditioned spot in the control booth, San flashes you a peace sign.

"Why don't you come up here and let me tag you?" Yeosang shoots back.

Eyeing the massive tree, you shake your head. "There's no way I'm getting up there. Come on, Sangie, it's too fucking hot out here! If you let me win, I'll buy you a drink?"

"Resorting to bribery? Really? Tsk tsk, Professor would be so disappointed in you," Yeosang clicks his tongue. "But I mean, I guess if you can't beat me on your own…"

You roll your eyes at the obvious bait. "Why don't you come down here and say that to my face?"

"I'd love nothing more than to say it to your face, aein. Come on up."

He's also taken to calling you "aein" lately. You much prefer it to Stopwatch. Maybe too much.

Yeosang is still swaying, looking annoyingly smug, so once again, you grab hold of time and roll it to your desire. This time, you speed things up, so he's no longer swinging calmly but twisting frantically - too fast for even Yeosang's amazingly strong tail to maintain its hold on the branch. In a split second, Yeosang drops to the ground, landing tailbone first.

"Ow! Shit!"

Letting time flow naturally again, you double over in laughter.

That's when the ice sculpture that is Wooyoung suddenly explodes in a bright burst of fire. He must've melted down a hole big enough for him to absorb some solar rays. Shards of ice fly everywhere, catching the sunlight, creating a beautiful rainbow in the middle of the jungle.

"Oooh! It's snowing!"

While you're mesmerized by the pretty colors, Yeosang makes his move. Does he teleport again? Or even throw a punch or kick or take you on with his own saber? No.

He sticks his foot out as you reach for a chunk of ice, and you trip. And go down. Hard.

You lie on your back, feeling humbled. The humiliation of being defeated in the most embarrassing way possible is only amplified when he straddles your waist, grinning widely, and leans forward to cradle your face with his hands. As you blink up at him, he presses a butterfly-light kiss to the tip of your nose.

"Tag. Told you you couldn't beat me, aein. Now let me buy you a drink."

Masterlist 💜 Find me on AO3 💜 

© 2023 by minisugakoobies. Crossposted to AO3. Please do not copy or repost.

[laurelwen]

Breakdown and Comparison of the Books in Like Minds

So a careful viewer will notice that Nigel's bible and Alex's bible are clearly two completely different books. As @currentlyonstandbi also pointed out to me, the movie soundtrack underlines this by having two separate tracks titled "Nigel's Bible" and "Alex's Bible". The difference between the two is obvious in the two photos below.

We get glimpses of a few pages inside each of these books, and a side by side comparison will show that while they are different books, there are certain shared images that are suggestive of a few conclusions.

The first commonality is the use of the map insert seen above. Both maps appear to be exactly the same image, depicting the Mediterranean and the Holy Land during the time of the Crusades when the Templars were active. The map in Nigel's book is clearly larger and from the color of the paper seems to be somewhat older. Alex's map seems to be pulled from a different, newer source.

Both books also contain the same image of a man: Thomas Becket. It is hard to tell if this is merely the effect of the difference in lighting in each scene, but Nigel's version again appears somewhat yellowed, as if it was cut from an older book, while Alex's version seems more like a photocopy. Included below is the original of that image, as well as the art added in Alex's version, depicting the murder of Becket.

When Alex returns from his thwarted date with Susan, he throws Nigel's book across the room. It opens to this page, with an original pencil or charcoal drawing of a modern girl, and artwork depicting a skull inside a chalice or grail.

Alex's book also contains the same skull and cup image, but no copy of the sketch. This stands to reason, given that it appears to be an original drawing rather than an image pulled from an existing text. The same difference in paper color between the two versions is noticeable.

When we look at the images of the cover of Nigel's book (as seen in the Maraclea image above) we can see that the spine is smaller and that the pages seem to be full or nearly full. Alex's book seems to have a wider spine, and is clearly only partially filled, with many more blank pages remaining.

Conclusions and Analysis:

There are a couple different lines of thought one can pursue with this information. First: what happened to Nigel's book? We know that Alex can't have gone back to his room after Nigel died and therefore had no opportunity to hide it. We also don't actually know if he returned it to Nigel after reading it. One imagines that it would have been in either his room or Nigel's secret room, but we know from his conversations with Sally that it was found in neither location. It is possible that Alex is correct in his assertion that the Order removed it before the police could find it, or that the police chief (who was a member of the Order) had it removed from evidence.

The other possibility is that Alex was the true mastermind behind the events of the film, and that Nigel's book was an invention/exaggeration based on his OWN book to serve his depiction of Nigel. This seems less likely for one important reason: where was his book when the police investigated? Surely it would have been found, unless he had previously hidden it in some secret location never mentioned in the film.

The simplest explanation is that Nigel's book existed and was removed by the Order to preserve their secret lore, and Alex used the 9 months after Nigel's death to recreate his book from memory. We know from his conversation with Sally that he was completely engrossed by Nigel's book (though he tries to back pedal immediately after that). Obviously, he wouldn't have been able to recall or track down every piece of ephemera used, particularly not the metal badge or coin or the snippets of original documents or rare texts.

He also couldn't include the original drawing of the girl, probably done by Nigel himself and clearly placed next to the skull image as a reference to the Maraclea legend. Was this drawing meant to be Susan herself? Given that the moment this image is shown is almost certainly concurrent with the murder of Susan, it seems clear that a parallel is being drawn by the filmmaker. But unlike Susan in the movie, the hair is braided with bangs (Susan has no bangs and never appears with a braid), and the girl has an open collar showing a necklace with a cross pendant (also not in line with how Susan dresses in the film). We must also consider that this page is closer to the front of Nigel's book, implying that it has been there for a while. It's possible the drawing could have been pasted in later over whatever was on that page previously, or it could have entirely predated his interactions with Susan and Alex.

The end of the film highlights the fact that Alex believes in the Maraclea legend and obviously implies that Susan was his Maraclea. Nigel's 2 page Maraclea spread would have stood out in Alex's memory given the circumstances under which he first saw it and then the events which later transpired. While he couldn't have recreated the same drawing for his book, it is notable that he didn't attempt to create a similar spread with the skull/chalice image using another drawing or picture of a girl, including one of Susan herself.

Why didn't he?

The movie will never answer this question, but I'm firmly convinced it is because Nigel is his true Maraclea.

[everynya]

the time of the flowers. 🔔

Shu Itsuki X Caspian Duskgloom X Mika Kagehira

(a short writing for @cinderellahoneymoon, happy wedding! the title is based on le temps des fleurs…!)

The wedding cake was the hues of soft summer roses, everything from champagne to dusty red. Rather than being one cake, it was assembled from many tiny ones that arose in columns with buttercream between. Amid the pink-hued cake were fresh roses from nature's garden. It was romantic... as marriage should be.

“Kagehira,” the voice of Shu Itsuki boomed, his hardened gaze falling upon the finger that had wedged itself between the delicate frosting of the beautiful sweet creation. The expression on Mika’s face resembled one of a scared child as he yelped from the sudden beckoning of his name. “Why must you ruin your suit and the cake all in one process?”

There was nothing romantic of the way Shu would scold people…

As the angered groom began his stern proclamation at the shorter ones actions, Caspian arrived at the scene with utensils and plates in hand. It didn’t expect his partner in crime to have been caught so quickly, not noticing the interaction at first.

“Mika, I found a knife to cut the cake while Shu is go-…ne.”

He paused in his tracks, eyes darting between Mika’s panicked expression attempting to instruct him to leave the scene alive and Shu’s serious face with the slight twitch of his brow as he now pinched the bridge of his nose at the twos antics. He quickly composed himself, standing at the side of the man who was practically waiting to be beheaded at the mere fact he may have ruined their wedding day.

“Your highness, we meant no harm…Isn’t cake meant to be eaten? Isn’t life meant to be lived?” Caspian asked, almost playfully. It was far different from the way he would often carry himself, as if this day had bloomed a precious flower in his heart. He may not have been the only one.

“Hm, that’s no reason to do it so…indecently!” Shu could feel his face contort into a grimace, especially when Mika licked his finger that he removed from the cake and left a hole in the soft buttercream. The caught man shuddered at the taste, quickly repulsed by the high quality. “I would have much preferred this after our dance, it ruins the structure of things. Order exists even amongst joy.”

Mika shrunk a bit at his displeased tone, but he wouldn’t be causing neither of his husbands any stress on a day such as today. It was difficult to read what the air was between Caspian and Shu as they glared at one another. Yet, when he saw the smiles teetering at the corners of their lips, he sighed in relief.

“I’m sure this cake here is still pretty, I take it that we can serve the guests some slices now anyway! I’ll cut an’ serve it all myself!” He declared, almost proud of himself to take the initiative. Caspian halted him quickly, shaking his head.

“You’ll only mess it up, I’d be much more fit for the task.” He boasted, watching Mika’s smile turn down as he whined at the mere idea.

The two proceeded to go back and forth slowly, turning whatever had initially occurred into a different kind of spectacle. A few heads had already turned beforehand at the sight, some amused by the interaction shared and others completely lost.

Shu’s voice cut between them, as it always did in the commanding way it always struck them still.

“That’s enough! You’re both to cut and serve this cake, I expect every slice equal and for none to go to waste. Do you hear me? If it is to be eaten, then it shall be done with precision.” And as he always did, Shu pulled at the strings of his sweet dolls who shared a glance and nodded certainly.

That was when Shu’s hardened look cracked a bit, watching the two move slowly to rearrange the rose colored wedding cake into several slices of a sweet dessert for the attendees of the event to enjoy. He shook his head slowly, feeling a smile almost break through his facade.

Such foolish dolls…They were only human, after all. As they all were. They had never felt more human as they did right now, with a golden ring adorning each of their fingers. It was not only the time of flowers, but of romance. But of life.

[jamneuromain]

Wishful Thinking Chpt. 9

Andy Barber x You (Reader), no use of Y/N

Alternate Universe - College AU

Summary: A new semester. A new task. A new boyfriend, your previous professor, Andy Barber. Everything seems to be going on the right track. So why didn't it?

Warning: Angst, possessive behavior, inappropriate teacher-student relationship, power imbalance, age difference, cheating, explicit language, toxic dom/sub relationship, more arguments

A/N: This fic has some disturbing themes, and discusses potentially upsetting topics. Please read through the warning before engaging with the fic. As I have said, the fic has mentioned a number of (potentially) triggering and heavy topics, you don't have to engage further if you feel uncomfortable about one or more topics.

A/N 2: Aaaaaaaaaaaaand I'm back! I'm feeling way better and I'm merging towards my social life as well. I did a litte editing and changing on part 8 where they argued. But it doesn't affect the plot. Feel free to check it out :3 Two more chapters and WT will be completed (I hope I'll get it done by December based on my current speed lmao)

Wishful Thinking M. List Dancing in the Daydream M. List

From joannaklein@dwightuniversity.edu.cn

Dear all,

I hope this reaches you well. This email is to remind those of you who have yet to submit your form for assigning a supervisor…

You have been looking at this email for quite some time. Opening the link at the bottom of this email too. But you haven’t made a move yet.

You have thought about having Andy as your supervisor, but that idea sounded like a lifetime ago. And now, there’s no way you’d let Andy be your supervisor.

How are you going to face him? This is more than just some misunderstanding from last semester. This is you two breaking up. Broken up. Whatever.

You are not making him your supervisor.

Taking a deep breath, you text a reply to the message your barely-friend Fiona sent you half an hour ago.

Fiona: Are you going to choose Barber as your supervisor?

You: No. Klein.

A few more messages come from Fiona after you send it. But you ignore them, knowing that she’d be asking dumb questions.

No, probing questions like “what are you going to write for your dissertation” or “should I include my pilot study into my dissertation” or other things that she wants to make an impression in front of her supervisor without “borrowing” from your answers first.

Bitch.

You feel like screaming. Which you did, after punching your mattress and burying your head into the pillow. Only lifting your head when you are completely out of breath.

With everything that happened with Andy, Laurie, Fiona and your schoolwork, it feels like nothing could alleviate you from the endless mess of self-doubt and self-hatred. Hating others as well. Hating your friend choices. Hating your boyfriend choices. Hating your school which led you to him. Hating everyone and every being on this very planet.

Hating yourself.

“Fucking hell.” You mumble to yourself. Pulling your laptop close to fill in the form for dissertation supervisors.

Typing word for word of your dissertation title, and selecting “Joanna Klein” as your preferred supervisor.

I hate my life. The idea keeps floating in your head like the obnoxious bubbles in a soda can, spritzing tiny drops of irritating reality into your face.

Andy has just received the email from Joanna Klein to all available lecturers and professors about supervising students in their dissertations.

He found the familiar name – your name – in a heartbeat. Merely sticking out his lips and making what Laurie would call “a bitch face”, as he found your name under the list of students under the supervision of Joanna Klein.

The pure imagination of pulling the strings behind your dissertation, of having a say in what you could not refuse, seeing you writhing under his grasp, gets his blood pumping in his veins.

He’s probably sick to the bones. One brief moment of clarity tells him so. To get high just to watch you struggling in his control. The adrenaline rush of knowing you are helpless, having no one to turn to but him.

He probably needs help.

But who needs help, when you, the most direct and sufficing way of satisfying his hunger, practically serve your weakness on a silver platter?

Andy pulls his chair closer to the desk, makes up his mind, and starts typing on the keyboard.

He is doing what’s best for you.

You might not see it that way for now but…

You’ll understand, eventually.

Andy sits in his office. Waiting. Patiently. Tapping his fingers on the table surface, as he looks out of the window.

It has only been a while, since you last came to his office to deliver his suit and your breakup.

However, things turned rather quickly, as there was no room for argument as the final version of the list containing supervisor and their students to tutor through the dissertation was settled as the last nail in the coffin.

Five students, students that he is going to supervise, are about to enter that door. And one of them being you.

He grins, thinking of the fact that you are tied to him for the rest of the term time.

No use running. He rolls your name on his tongue silently. He’s far beyond any help could ever achieve in pulling him back. He wants you, one way or another.

He’d keep you, treat you like the precious thing he adores, if you behave.

If you do not… well, there are more than a few ways that he can think of to devour you.

He’d keep you, one way or another.

Five students, including you, walked through that door, sitting on the chairs that he prepared. You picked the seat furthest from him, in a small corner. Didn’t make eye contact. No friendly “hello”. No nothing.

He doesn’t mind.

He knows that you are still mad about your little dispute.

He will tolerate it, knowing that you still love him.

He will explain, tell you that he will fight tooth and nail for you. Tell you that you could start over. He was being unreasonable. He was frustrated and angry, and he lashed out on you, that he was sorry about it all.

Later. He will explain later.

Andy clears his throat, folding his hands on his stomach, “Today we’ll start by having a brief introduction of yourselves. You obviously know me, since I’ve taught you all, but I would still like it if you could introduce yourself to each other. You can tell us about your name, something about yourself, and also tell us about what you are planning to write for your dissertation…”

He pays no special attention to you. He comments, nods, and gives useful suggestions based on everyone’s self-introduction.

“I understand I’m asking for a lot of work in a short amount of time. However, I would expect you to produce a general frame of your dissertation by the next meeting, which is two weeks from now. In the framework, you’ll be talking about how you want to approach your topic-” He stops Fiona from scribbling on her notebook, but ignores you who are doing the same. What can he say, he favors you in the smallest of details, “I’ll send you all an email after this meeting for the framework you’ll be writing about. The topic, the details you are going to investigate, the methodology – I’m sure Professor Rifkin has explained this in her class, and also, keep an open mind when you are writing the dissertation, especially for those who are employing a qualitative method to analyze their data. Any questions?”

You are the first to rush out of his office after he declares that today’s session has come to an end.

He waits until the last student has left the floor before heading out.

The entire floor is quiet. Dead. Deserted.

His shoes barely make a sound on the soft carpet as he steps out of his office, finding you on the floor, sitting on the carpet. You have opened your laptop, but it seems blank.

You gain your consciousness when he approaches, looking up at him. A sigh leaving your lips before you speak, “You did this.”

Not a question, but a firm sentence.

You know he was behind this transfer of dissertation supervisors.

Andy neither confirms nor denies. He cocks his head slightly, looking at your tired expression, “You will need to work on your methodology. Your arguments wouldn’t be convincing if you only state the method for your dissertation.”

“Can’t we be those ex-es like friends? Stop torturing each other over the fact that we broke up? Can you just leave me alone?” You take a deep breath, saying the words that you know he will be disapproving of.

He takes a seat on the couch in the open space, about three feet from where you are sitting, but he doesn’t have to put extra pressure on his neck looking at you from above.

Andy interlaces his fingers into a fist, his thumbs tapping each other.

To tell the truth, he couldn’t. He couldn’t let go of you. Couldn’t watch you go away.

“Look-” Seeing him unresponsive to your plead, you change your tactics, switching into defiance, “If you want to be a bitch about our relationship, I will have to put in a request to the faculty about changing my supervisor.”

Andy lets out a cold, hard laugh. Raising his eyebrows in disbelief, Andy “kindly” tells you about the regulation that runs around the place: “Nice try getting rid of me, sweetheart. But even if you do, and that’s a big ‘if’, you would still have to write your dissertation, and during scoring, your dissertation would be assigned to lecturers based on your topic. And I know all your topics, sweetheart.”

Your lips visibly tremble in fear, so are your arms, “You wouldn’t.”

“Watch me.” His tone turns sharp, “I can put an A into your months of work, or an F. Your choice.”

“Yeah? And what should I do for an A?” You shut your laptop with a loud snap, jumping from the spot on the floor to your feet. Clenching your teeth and hissing like venom burns your mouth, you challenge him even further, “Suck your dick, Professor Barber?”

“Be nice, sweetheart. I’m trying to be a friend.” Andy narrows his eyes, the threat in his tone is evident, “First of, I suggest you to be respectful when talking to me.”

You glare at him with fire burning in your eyes.

“I'm not a monster, sweetheart. But if you poke me like that, I don't mind putting a little discipline inside that pretty little brain of yours. Try to stay on my good side, yeah?” Andy stands to his full height, buttoning his suit jacket as he stands up, casually tugging the hem of his shirt and his tie. After tiding himself up, Andy lifts his hand to caress your jaw.

You jerk your head on instinct but his fingers dig into your neck, reminding you, painfully, of the night that he went overboard and fucked your throat.

His grip softens when he feels you freeze on spot. Tracing his thumb on your jawline, he murmurs, “Remember, sweetheart? I'm your Dom. I tell you something, and you do it.”

“You're not my fucking Dom.” You grit out.

“Still bratty, I see. You're a handful but I doubt there's anything that can't be solved by some punishments.”

His thumb forces you to lift your chin, even so, you refuse to look at him.

It takes you a few seconds to regain your voice, “You can't expect me to whore out myself.”

If that’s what he’s asking.

Andy presses a small kiss to your temple, whispering by your ear, “I don't really mind, sweetheart, as long as it is you.”

Some sense finally comes to you, your body shakes like a leaf in both fear and fury, you try to sound tough, but it comes out no better than a whimper, “I could report you to the board of malpractice.”

“And I have a lawyer friend, honey. He's the best in town. God knows how long a lawsuit can take. 18 months? 24?”

“Honey” was usually meant for Laurie, but he is beyond caring which endearment belongs to whom at this point.

“You're ... evil.” You want to move, but you cannot, not when he’s still having an iron grip over your neck.

“Maybe.” Andy shrugs, letting go of your neck, “Now run along before I do something evil, like fucking you over my desk.”

You pack your things as fast as you can, leaving the place without another word.

The rest of the term time passed in a blur. He attends your graduation ceremony with a heart-felt smile, knowing well that he black-mailed you into accepting his supervision and that you have an impeccable dissertation as he almost looked through every word of it, which probably violated ten faculty rules, if not twenty.

He is still clapping when you receive the graduation certificate from Joanna Klein, while he stands on the side. The next thing he knows, you are rushing towards him with a knife in your hand, carving his chest almost in half and he dies before the ambulance can reach the hospital.

His soul floats in mid-air as he watches everything pans out.

Laurie takes over everything, every property in their marriage.

You are charged with murder, serving your life-sentence in a max-security prison.

And Laurie… Laurie divorced him and marries the man she was having an affair with, decorating Andy’s house into a shit-yellow color, laughing and doesn’t have to worry about the rest of her life since she has all the money, cars, and houses that she could get their hands on…

Andy wakes up screaming.

Panting.

Taking a few seconds to realize that he is not in a ghost state and that he is still alive.

Alive. Awake. In his home. In the middle of the night.

Everything in the dream felt so real. Like it actually happened.

Andy touches his chest, where the skin and flesh are intact.

He is still alive.

He sweated through his sheet.

Another few seconds pass and he stays up, hands over his face, recalling the horrible dream.

The absolute nightmare where he told Joanna to switch you to his-

Shit.

He pulls himself over the bed and snatches his phone from the nightstand, checking his email.

The sudden blue light from his phone has him cursing. After flipping over his inbox and finding that he received the email of supervising students yesterday, but hasn’t made a move yet, he lets out an exhale of relief.

He groans and lies back to the bed. His heart still pounding frantically.

A string of curses flies out of his mouth.

Rest assured that he is not going to pull a favor and get you assigned to him.

But he wants you so bad.

How can he live when he wants you so bad and he pissed you off by saying the most harmful things that could be ever said to you?

Tag List: @geminiflanagansblog @wintasssoldier @sapphire-rogers @nouk1998 @sarahdonald87 @charmed-asylum

[ejzah]

A/N: Once again, thanks to everyone who has supported this little story and Deeks in firefighter gear.

***

The Agent and the Fireman, Part 9

After grabbing a few hours of sleep at home, everyone returned to OSP to debrief and attempt to track down the man who attacked Deeks. LAPD had put out an APB, but that hadn’t brought any leads so far.

“Ok, so the description we’re working with is a male around 5’10 with brown hair and dark clothes?” Eric confirmed, spinning around from his work center with one eyebrow arched.

“Yeah. Is that going to be a problem?” Callen asked.

“Of course not.” Eric tone suggested insult. “But it’s probably gonna take some time unless he was foolish enough to use a vehicle with a license plate.”

“Based on what we know so far, I’m guessing he didn’t,” Sam said.

Nodding, Eric started pulling up security cams in the area of the latest fire site. Beside him, Nell was reviewing all the evidence they’d gathered up to this point.

“Hey, Kensi.”

She didn’t answer, discreetly pecking out a text. Deeks’ last response had come around 4 in the morning with a quick update that he’d gotten home and was planning to sleep off a massive headache.

“Kens,” Callen repeated, smirking when she jumped and tucked her phone into her pocket.

“What?”

“Did Lieutenant Deeks tell you anything else after we left?” Callen asked, and Kensi rolled her eyes the emphasis he put on Deeks’ title.

“No. He didn’t,” Kensi answered, speaking with clipped phrasing. “Um, but he was pretty banged up last night, so he might remember something else today. I could go talk to him…” She trailed off, as though it was a mere helpful suggestion.

“Hm, what do you think, Sam? Should we let Kensi go visit her boy toy on company time?”

“Mm, I think we should let her suffer a little more. Builds character,” Sam replied with a teasing wink.

“I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about,” Kensi maintained, ignoring the buzz in her pocket that she was certain signified a new text from Deeks.

“Oh give her a break,” Nell spoke up and Kensi nodded in thanks. “Her man was hurt, she’s probably worried about him.” Nell let Kensi’s glare roll right off her back, smiling broadly before she turned back to her screen.

“That’s right. Deeks never got his boo-boos kissed,” Sam agreed.

“Ok, I think I caught our guy on a camera from a nearby gas station,” Eric—blessedly—interrupted, displaying a dark capture of a figure much as Deeks described, clothed in dark clothes. He played a 10 second clip, which showed the man darting across the street, through the parking lot, and off camera.

“This clearly isn’t the first time he’s done this,” Kensi commented. “He kept his face out of view the entire time.”

“He didn’t count on running into Deeks.”

“And when he did, it made him a little sloppy,” Sam said. “Good work, Eric. Keep checking surrounding cameras.”

“Will do.”

“And Nell, focus on men who meet the general description we have and also have a connection any of the arson sites.”

“That is going to be a very long list,” Nell warned them.

“Well, while we’re waiting on that, we’ll go down to the latest site and see if anyone in the surrounding area saw our lurker,” Callen decided.

***

In between questioning possible witnesses, Kensi checked in with Deeks. Apparently he’d been cleared to come back to work, but was restricted to the station for the next two days.

That was something of a relief. He’d had two close calls within hours of each other, and Kensi didn’t think her nerves could handle another one so soon.

She spoke to the one owners of three nearby businesses, two of whom hadn’t been open at the time of the incident and didn’t have security cameras. The third did have some footage saved, which Kensi quickly reviewed before getting a copy to send to Eric and Nell.

As she was exiting the third business, a young man in a black t-shirt and turnout pants approached her, jogging the last few yards.

“Are you Agent Blye?” he asked, certain he wasn’t one of the firefighters she’d met before.

“Yes,” Kensi answered hesitantly.

“Oh good. I’m FFT Jimenez. Lieutenant gave a very good description of you.”

Kensi didn’t know whether to be embarrassed or pleased by this information, and ultimately settled on vague curiosity.

“And is there a reason why you’re looking for me?” He nodded enthusiastically at her question.

“Yes! One of our investigators found something of interest. They’d like you and the other agents to come take a look at your convenience,” Jimenez informed her.

“Ok, let me contact my partners and we’ll be right over.”

Callen and Sam had taken the Challenger so they were probably father from the site than she was. She sent a quick text, then headed back over.

This time, no one objected or tried to redirect her when she flashed her badge and ducked under the lines of caution tape surrounding the large destruction zone. Various investigators, arson specialists, and officers collecting and bagging evidence.

She followed a marked off path, peering above the crowd until she saw Deeks standing near a hastily erected tent. His figure was unmistakable to her now. For once, he didn’t wear any part of his typical gear, instead clothed in a black uniform complete with a badge and insignia on his shoulder.

As she walked toward him, another officer passed him a clear evidence bag, which Deeks scanned thoroughly, logging it on a clipboard while the officer watched.

Kensi felt her chest swell with pride at his confidence and skill. He was sure of himself without being cocky or obnoxious, which was evident in the way the people around him looked up to him.

She’d never felt so strongly about anyone before, especially so quickly. Maybe she should be concerned about rushing in, but no one had made her smile so much in a long time. Plus, he was undeniably hot.

“Hey, I thought you were supposed to be taking it easy,” Kensi said from behind him, the warmth of her recent thoughts filtered into her voice. Turning to look over his shoulder, Deeks met her with a welcoming grin.

“Hey! I see Jimenez found you. And don’t worry, I’m solely supervising right now.” He rolled his eyes at that. “Captain Palmy has threatened to put me on cleaning duty for a month if I even think of doing anything more physical than walking.”

“Good. I approve.” Leaning closer, Kensi took his chin between her thumb and forefinger, turning his face to the side. “Here let me see.”

He now had a butterfly bandage on both temples, each gash bordered by purple and black bruising. The skin around it looked swollen and inflamed.

“Mmm,” Kensi murmured sympathetically. “That looks painful.”

“Extremely painful,” Deeks agreed playfully.

“How’s your arm?”

“8 stitches, only superficial damage, no physical restrictions,” he reported dutifully. His voice dropped a little lower. “I’d show you, but the LA Fire Department frowns upon stripping while on the job.”

“Shut up,” Kensi gasped, flushing despite herself.

She absolutely did not have an instantaneous image of Marty Deeks slowly removing his uniform piece by piece to music. She shoved his uninjured arm, hand lingering longer than she intended, which Deeks noted with a smirk.

“Ok, so what’s so important you had to call us away from canvassing?” she asked.

“One of the arson investigators found a gold lighter with an inscription on it around the spot where I tussled with the suspect. I’m betting that just might be why he came back,” Deeks replied.

***

A/N: I hope you all are still enjoying this. I’m sprinkling in the tiniest bits of procedural stuff so we can keep having Firefighter Deeks.

[twistifiedz]

"WHO ARE TWIST? - DAZED KOREA ISSUE VOL.1 (OCT 2016)

"One twist for ya mind, one twist for ya soul! Hello, We are Twist!"

TWIST Discuss DEBUT SINGLES 'ATTENTION' and 'WOW THING' & THE MEANING OF TWIST.

TWIST entered the K-pop scene with a fresh and exciting energy, debuting with double title tracks 'Attention' and 'Wow Thing', who both cite influences from 2000s pop and 90s R&B music, Twist make sure to command the public's attention and let the people know that they are here.

On the afternoon of October 1, 2016, TWIST had a magazine interview with Dazed Korea, their first-ever interview, TWIST open up to Dazed regarding their massive debut success, the meaning of the group's name, and where they want to go next.

It's been a month since your debut and you have already received two number ones on Gaon as well as your first music-show win! Did you think you this would happen so quickly?

Mina: We come from a small independent label such as JYL Records, so it is very surprising to us that the public even found out about Twist so quickly. We are very grateful for the public's reception to the music!

Sohye: It feels like a dream. To suddenly go from being a trainee and preparing for your debut for year 3 years to basically overnight success is such a new feeling. When you're in the trainee phase, you're met with many ups and downs to the point where you even doubt if you want to continue... In the end, you realize that your hard work paid off.

Your debut single album, ATTENTION, captures the essence of girl crush as well as a very powerful and intimidating image. As a group, many of you were involved in the creative process. Would this be a proper introduction to TWIST in your eyes?

Chaeyoung: I usually put my hand in the writing and composing of the music, whereas Mina will write occasionally, Hyerim also writes and produces, and both Sohye and Hyerim will come up with the image and creative direction for the music after hearing a final base of it. After careful consideration between multiple tracks, we believed that this is indeed the best introduction to TWIST.

Sohye: Chaeyoung's our main producer of the group in terms of members. She's extremely talented, especially when you learn that she's been composing music since the mere age of 12. I think Chaeyoung did a wonderful job and capturing the sound of TWIST.

Mina: For 'WOW THING', Hyerim was the main producer and that song is personally my favorite out of the three we've released. Hyerim's musical ear is interesting. She made the single by analyzing our personalities just immediately after a week in training back in 2015.

Hyerim: To continue from Mina, I made the instrumental for 'WOW THING' after watching Bratz. This was back when I was a trainee at JYL, I was quite a new trainee, but I had been partnered with these three for the group's lineup and I had made the song after being with them for a week. 'WOW THING' showcases the dynamic and different levels of how TWIST can be.

You work extremely well as a team. How did the four of you become a team?

Mina: It's been 3-4 years of me with Sohye and Chaeyoung, however, as a group, it's been one year of us four together. I meshed really well with Sohye and Chaeyoung in our trainee days, and as of 2015, Jiyeon Lee told us she found someone that would be an interesting addition to the group. Thus, we met Hyerim. Hyerim added the ace feeling that we wanted in the group.

Hyerim: I was only a trainee for a year, but I wasn't supposed to be a trainee at JYL Records. I had originally auditioned for YG Entertainment and ended up in first place, however, Jiyeon Lee actually snatched me! She gave me a tour of JYL and let me watch trainees perform and this is how I came across these three! They were performing "Survivor" by Destiny's Child and I immediately wanted to join them!

Speaking of dynamic and the versatility of TWIST, how would you describe the three songs you've released so far?

Mina: Attention is our debut single, we basically come out the gate demanding attention from the public and peers. It has a very sweet 2000s pop sound to it, and I would liken it to being inspired by Cassie's "Me & U". The choreography, made by Hyerim and Sohye, was made with the intention of being mesmerizing and give a vibe of cheerleading. This song is meant to show our dancing abilities!

Hyerim: Our double debut single, or title track, Wow Thing, has a more R&B sound to it. I previously mentioned making it after watching Bratz, however, musically, I was inspired by a Christina Aguilera track. We showcase our powerful vocals here compared to the other two tracks on the single release. I made sure that the public would know that we can sing.

Chaeyoung: Uh-Oh, the bside of the album, is an ode to 1990s hip hop. I specifically referenced the boom bap side genre with this track. While 'WOW THING' shows the vocals of TWIST, Uh Oh is meant to showcase the rap skills of TWIST.

Sohye: I came up with the overall concept of 'Uh Oh' as a response to the people in my life who didn't believe in me and had doubts of me becoming an idol. However, Chaeyoung helped put my vision to life as I'm currently working on my writing skills.

What does TWIST mean? What are your fans called?

Mina: TWIST means we can do any genre, any sound, any concept, any image by putting a twist to it. We each have individual charms that contribute to the music. We each have an input on the creative process whether its composing or coming up with the concept. We're simply putting our twist on things.

Hyerim: As for our fans, we were considering TWISTERS... but that is absolutely corny. I had to beg the members to not go for that. However, I came up with NADOS. Representing the tornado that is TWIST storming into the industry!

Sohye: That happens to be less corny. But I will add to the possibility of our fanbase becoming huge to the point where their power is equivalent to a tornado.

Would you say you have musical influences?

Chaeyoung: I feel as it may be impossible for someone to not be inspired or influenced by another act. However, I would say as a group, we look to 2NE1 for the goal of being strong of stage like them.

Hyerim: Vocally, I would love to have harmonies like Destiny's Child. I want us to be a vocal force.

Sohye: Individually, I am influenced by The Spice Girls. Each member had a specific charm to them that was quite different from the other, however, they didn't contrast or clash.

Mina: Mariah Carey's songwriting abilities and musical ear is something I would love for us to be likened too.

What are your plans after this?

Mina: Surprising fact, we do have another release planned before the end of the year! We also plan to do more promos and try to get the public to see us more. As of now, we have a couple variety shows lined up.

Do you have any words for your fans and the future ones to come?

Mina: Firstly, thank you Dazed, for having us. We're very thankful for our fans and we will work harder to show many sides of ourselves.

Sohye: I'm thankful for your immediate interest in us and I hope you stay.

Hyerim: I'm very excited for the future to come! I'm grateful for everything that has happened! May we continue to develop from here.

Chaeyoung: For our next release, we will promise to continue to raise the expectations of NADOS. We are grateful for your love.

You can listen to TWIST's debut release, ATTENTION, here.

[accountsend]

Effective B2B Contact Management: Unveiling Strategies to Harness B2B Database Leads and Elevate Sales Growth

In the ever-evolving landscape of B2B sales and marketing, the art of effective B2B contact management emerges as a critical force shaping success. This comprehensive guide delves into the intricate pathways of nurturing robust relationships, optimizing communication, and propelling substantial business growth. At the heart of this strategic journey lies the meticulously organized B2B contact database – a powerhouse for precision B2B lead generation, strategic sales leads, and amplified business development. This illuminating article embarks on a deep exploration of the core strategies that unveil the true potential of B2B databases, catalyzing a transformation from mere data reservoirs into dynamic engines driving precision and growth.

DOWNLOAD THE INFOGRAPHIC HERE

Defining a Clear Database Structure

Central to unlocking the potential of effective B2B contact management is the establishment of a crystal-clear database structure. This architectural marvel sets the stage for targeted B2B lead generation and strategic sales leads, akin to creating a roadmap for successful business development. Contacts are carefully categorized based on pertinent criteria – industry, company size, job titles, and geographic location. The creation of separate fields for pivotal contact details, encompassing names, email addresses, phone numbers, and company information, facilitates a streamlined approach for accessing crucial data. This structured foundation becomes the epicenter from which personalized B2B sales prospects are cultivated and business development thrives.

Regular Data Cleansing and Updates

Much like tending to a thriving garden, maintaining an accurate B2B contact database involves nurturing and pruning. Through consistent data cleansing practices, redundancies are eradicated, errors are rectified, and outdated information is supplanted. This meticulous process not only sharpens the efficacy of B2B lead generation but fortifies the database's integrity. The adoption of data cleansing tools or the strategic outsourcing of this task ensures the accuracy and dependability of sales leads. A refined database lays the groundwork for triumphant B2B sales endeavors.

Implementing a Centralized Database System

Efficiency and organization take center stage in the modern business ecosystem, and the implementation of a centralized database system or customer relationship management (CRM) software exemplifies this ethos. This unified platform serves as the nucleus for storing contact information, tracking interactions, and orchestrating seamless communication. A judicious selection of a system tailored to organizational requirements, boasting features such as customizable fields, tagging, and segmentation, transforms B2B lead generation and sales leads into actionable insights. This integration amplifies the potency of business development initiatives.

Segmenting Contacts for Targeted Outreach

In the dynamic realm of B2B interactions, precision is paramount. Enter the realm of contact segmentation – the art of categorizing contacts based on specific criteria that enrich B2B lead generation efforts. By grouping contacts according to industry, job roles, interests, or engagement levels, the potency of personalized outreach escalates. Each interaction becomes a personalized symphony, every correspondence speaks directly to the recipient's needs. This strategic approach metamorphoses sales leads into symbiotic partnerships, heralding a new era in business development.

Integrating the Database with Other Tools

The essence of modern business lies in interconnectedness. The harmonious integration of your B2B contact database with other tools and systems encapsulates this ethos. Picture seamless fusion with email marketing platforms, sales automation tools, and customer support systems – this synergy propels the fluid flow of data, automates repetitive tasks, and nurtures cross-functional collaboration. The integration augments B2B lead generation, amplifies business development, and charts a transformative course for your database's evolution into a hub of productivity.

Implementing Data Security Measures

In a landscape defined by digital interconnectedness, safeguarding data is paramount. Robust data security measures form an impervious barrier around the B2B contact information. Enforcing stringent password policies, limiting access to authorized personnel, and maintaining regular backups fortify defenses against potential breaches. Staying vigilant regarding data privacy regulations is a testament to your commitment to maintaining trust with B2B sales leads and partners.

Providing Training and Documentation

Empowerment extends beyond technology, encompassing adept handling of the contact management system by your team. Comprehensive training ensures flawless data entry, accurate updates, and optimal utilization of database features. In tandem, detailed documentation fosters a culture of effective database management, augmenting the value of B2B lead generation and sales prospects. As proficiency spreads, every interaction becomes an opportunity, every engagement a step towards nurturing enduring partnerships.

In summation, the art of effective B2B contact management strategies stands as the linchpin of impactful B2B lead generation, strategic sales leads, and business development. From structuring your database meticulously to integrating advanced tools such as AccountSend, each component harmonizes in a symphony of success. By embracing these strategies, you orchestrate growth, cultivate relationships, and pave a path toward enduring success in a competitive landscape. Embark on this enlightening journey, revolutionize your B2B endeavors, and witness your contact database morph into an instrumental asset fueling triumphant B2B lead generation, strategic sales prospects, and exponential growth.