#*taps mic* your honor they are in love

[beetlebards]

beginning the agonizing process of cross-posting my backlog of art from twitter 🥲

[sweetycaramel]

Kit Voss and Randolph Bell in Season 6 ↳ 6.01 - “Two Hearts”

[kunikame]

¡ ! ❝ REDAMANCY . . ❞

╰┈➤ ❝ [26] under the moonlight ❞ | m. list | prev. | next

natsume sakasaki x reader smau

warning(s) : nothing i hope!

w/c : 631

upon entering the ballroom, you were quite literally starstruck.

the hall was gorgeously decorated with maroons and whites (natsume's colors, you noted); there were roses everywhere, cold white lighting for the entire hall, but you did spot some stage lights and an actual smaller stage in a corner. 

you were so busy admiring the decor and ambience you never noticed the redhead admiring you, or his mother slowly sauntering over in your direction. 

“hello dears, i hope you’re enjoying the party so far?”

you snapped out of your daze to notice an older woman who looked strikingly similar to the boy standing next to you, and your eyes widened a faction. “mrs. sakasaki! yes, the venue looks gorgeous!” you turned to her and bowed deeply in respect, “it’s a pleasure to meet you, i’m y/n l/n!”

the woman giggled and reached for your shoulders, pushing you to stand up, “i know, dear. my natsume talks about you all the time. i’m very happy to know you’re as lovely as he makes you out to be.”

“okay, that would be enough– don’t you have a speech to make?” the redhead steps in then, embarrassed his mother outed him like that. 

“oh dear, you’re quite right. i must go now, but i do hope we can continue our conversation later. please, excuse me,” and she walks off towards the stage, where she taps the mic to grab everyone's attention.

“hello and welcome, i’m so glad everyone could make it on this special occasion,” the woman continues her welcome speech while you unintentionally zone out. you were never quite good at paying attention during speeches– though you wish this one time you could have. then, suddenly, one of the five eccentrics saunters by in front of you, shortly followed by another with a bounce in his step.

kanata and rei, you noted.

shu follows soon enough, and inevitably wataru comes after him– the difference being wataru snatching natsume away from you with a cheeky wink and grin.

it appears you’re not the only one confused as natsume looks equally, if not more, flabbergasted as you.

with those events you finally zone back into the speech, only to suddenly see not only mrs. sakasaki standing on the podium, but also the five eccentrics, “now, please welcome these talented young men, known as the five eccentrics, to the stage to perform a song in honor of our achievements throughout the years. thank you for coming and please enjoy the rest of the night!”

natsume no longer looks as flabbergasted as before when rei tosses him a mic and the instrumental to ‘eccentric party night’ starts playing, yet you can still clearly tell nobody bothered to inform him of this happening.

the eccentrics came together in a wonderful show of flashing lights, strong vocals, fluid movements and joyous grins. clearly, they missed performing and just having fun together. the audience also enjoyed the show– how could they not, the radiant smiles of the eccentrics were, quite literally, infectious. 

that was, until the music faded and the colors of the lights changed to purple and blue. the instrumental of eccentric party night slowly merged into the instrumental of romancing cruise and the four eccentrics jumped off the podium only to switch places with sora and tsumugi and bring on another wave of joy with the newest switch song, giving the place a more romantic ambience.

just like at the concert you were invited to a while ago, natsume's winks were directed at you. 

the lyrics too, but you didn’t need to know that just yet.

the starstruck gaze you were giving natsume didn’t go unnoticed by your companions. kohaku and tsukasa shared knowing looks, while mao just stared– something akin to heartbreak in his own eyes.

╰┈➤ synopsis ❝after yumenosaki academy resident magician and eccentric sakasaki natsume asks you to “go out with him”, you immediately shut him down. so why is he dedicating a song to you at a switch concert? and why are people whispering about you being the cutest couple?❞

✩₊˚TAGLIST : @myunghology @shionszz @ikasaeki @zephestia @1072v @drihihihi @homonatsume @lialibrary @hugs4shizu @mikctp @emikoisdead @ara-arashi @disa-ster @tjjjrsj @solemn-soliloquy @bxkugzo @buns-inhiding @calxrein @gxwesn @kzmeru @valeriele3 @444neapolitain @theloverofscaramouchie @thelocal-idiot @lunalightlyy @promisedswords @gabirii @booklover-valkyriep @mahouwoageru @kazemiya @yellowdialover @engurishu @ttsukipi @6ellyache @anndangtramcam @pocchapoccha @stxrgxzxr @tamayoris @dexocore @zhenyuus @lunavixia @taruruchi // ask/comment to be added/removed! (if you’re in bold i can’t tag you)

[ghostinthehole]

taps mic, hi!! i hope you all are not sick with me yet xD alongside the zomboy plush I also made a plush of my oc, Zuri. If you've been following me for a long time, you know how much love I have poured for this one oc.

they're boyfriends, your honor....

[lurkingshan]

Thai QL Favorites Tag Game

Tagged by @telomeke and @chickenstrangers - thank you for inviting me to play! I had to keep reminding myself this is for Thai shows only, because I kept trying to include Japanese bls, my beloveds. But I got it now and I wrote way too much, as I am wont to do. :)))

Favorite Thai QL: I was just talking with @waitmyturtles about the distinction between favorite and best in comparing two major Thai bls–I Told Sunset About You and Bad Buddy. For me, ITSAY is objectively the best Thai bl ever made, in terms of its quality, fidelity to its vision, and execution of its story and themes. But Bad Buddy is my favorite. It is not without its flaws, but it is peak storytelling and it does my absolute favorite thing in any romance–it gets the couple together early in the story and lets me live in their relationship and see how they would navigate the many challenges coming their way while protecting their relationship. I’m not sure any other Thai ql drama will ever top it for me (but please do keep trying, Thailand). 

Favorite pairing: *steps on soap box, taps mic* The branded pairing system in Thai ql, while good for marketing and (sometimes) for actor relationships/chemistry and job security, is a hindrance to art and severely limits the storytelling capabilities of Thai dramas. I am not opposed to pairs who choose it working together across multiple projects, but I absolutely hate the real person shipping culture it encourages and the restrictions it places on some actors and productions. I have seen some positive signs of a loosening around these restrictions–like Earth and Mix both being allowed to play intimate scenes with other actors in Moonlight Chicken–but it still prevents actors from having more freedom to try different projects and often results in poor casting choices because everything has to be worked around a set pair instead of a more organic casting process. 

Ahem. All of that said, I think if I had to name a pair I like best and am most comfortable with, it would be Off and Gun. They work well together, their shows only get better over time, they don’t do the performative shit where they pretend they might be dating, and they seem to have a strong friendship and comfortable dynamic that insulates them somewhat from the worst of the shipper nonsense. I am very much looking forward to Cooking Crush. 

Most underrated actor: Fluke Pusit. If The Warp Effect and A Boss and a Babe didn’t convince GMMTV that this man is ready to headline his own drama, I don’t know what will! 

Favorite main character: Teh, I Told Sunset About You and I Promised You the Moon. Yes, both shows, and before you all come yell at me: I SAID WHAT I SAID. As I’ve mentioned before, Teh is a masterpiece of mess. He loves deeply and obsessively, he is passionate and mercurial in the extreme, and he is just as likely to crush you as he is to make your heart soar. In the category of emotional intensity he is unbeatable. He is fascinating to watch, and he is both infuriating and entirely legible, because every thought, feeling, and impulse are right there on his sleeve for you to see. He’s a legendary character crafted by brilliant writers and portrayed by one of the most talented young actors in Thailand, and I love him! 

Favorite side character: I am cheating and naming two: our favorite gay uncles Cheep and Dej from My Ride. I know @bengiyo feels me on this one. I love their relationship dynamic where they are constantly (lovingly) nagging at each other, I love the way they care for Mork, I love the delight they take in raising and guiding baby gays, and I even love their bad flashback wigs. 

Favorite scene in a QL: Teh and Oh-aew, on the floor, end of episode 3 of ITSAY. You know the one. I will never forget the raw intensity of that scene or the way I literally stopped breathing the first time I saw it. Holy shit. Honorable mention to Bad Buddy rooftop kiss, but I figure almost everyone else is going to talk about that one.

Favorite line in a QL: Ya know, when I think about great lines of dialogue, my mind invariably goes to Japanese and Korean dramas. I think that’s mostly because of my own language limitations and translation issues - Thai to English is tough and we get a lot of awkward subs as a result. But one I will always remember is from Love Sick, when Noh says to Phun: “It’s a terrible feeling, not knowing where the line between us is, isn’t it?”

Because woof, yes Noh it is!

Most anticipated QL (& why): Joining the chorus for Only Friends, because I usually love Jojo’s shows and I am here for a good time. I am also really happy we’re finally getting some Thai historicals, and am very much hoping I Feel You Linger in the Air will be great.

Healthiest relationship in a QL: This is a tough one because these are romance dramas, which means most of the romances are unhealthy by design, because that’s what the plot is about! You mostly see healthy relationships in the sides who are there to impart their wisdom (like Three and Zo in A Boss and a Babe). I will use this excuse to give a shout out to Patts from La Pluie, however, for modeling honest communication through most of the show (which was not reciprocated, which is what made the relationship unhealthy and led to the big conflict). Listen to La Pluie and communicate with your partners, fam!

Most toxic relationship in a QL: I don’t know if it’s the most toxic, but I was just talking to @bengiyo @neuroticbookworm and @wen-kexing-apologist about how much I hate the relationship dynamic that @absolutebl calls “Tom and Jerry.” This is where one person relentlessly chases the other as they vocally resist, often via negging and bullying. This came up in our My Ride discussion about Toy and Boss, and it’s also the dynamic of the main couple in My Engineer, which is why I don’t really like that drama despite Ram and King. I HATE THE TOM AND JERRY DYNAMIC SO MUCH. I don’t think it’s cute, I don’t think it’s funny, and I don’t root for these couples. 

Guilty pleasure series: I don’t feel guilty about my pleasures. :)

Most underrated series: Make it Right. I finally watched this recently thanks to @waitmyturtles and @bengiyo and it was so much better than I expected. I have written about both seasons and how much joy I got out of my watch despite the undeniable messiness of the show. This one deserves more respect as a Thai bl legacy show that paved the way for many others. 

Tagging @shortpplfedup @ginnymoonbeam @so-much-yet-to-learn @blmpff @troubled-mind @rocketturtle4 @lurkingteapot @nieves-de-sugui @syrena-del-mar @emotionallychargedtowel @slayerkitty @callipigio in case you want to play.

Feel free to ignore if not and definitely don’t feel obligated to write whole ass essays just because I’m a wordy b. :)

[wrlckd]

*taps the mic*

Your honor, i love him

[leiawritesstories]

I have a funny wedding prompt if you're up for it! I can just imagine this coming from Aelin's mouth, but also from someone else at her wedding (idk, both would be awesome really). Anyway, a bestman/maid-of-honor speech with the most odd, funny quips like "hello, I am Aelin, you may recognise me from the wedding just now" "I'd like to congratulate (name) for their speech, knowing it would be hard to follow. It was, I could hardly follow a word of it" "amazing, loyal, caring, funny.. but enough about me, I'm here to give a speech about (name)"

I LOVE THIS SO MUCH thank you for the prompt!! 

word count: 1,228

warnings: absolutely none

enjoy!!

I Propose A Toast...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aelin Galathynius was having the time of her life at her best friend’s wedding. 

Elide had asked her to be the maid of honor at her wedding practically right after Lorcan had proposed to her, still teary-eyed from the absolutely, ridiculously, completely fucking adorable way he proposed. Of course, Aelin had accepted, beaming through her happy tears. She’d been at Elide’s side for the whole wedding planning process, taking endless pictures and trying endless samples of food--hell, who was she to turn down free food?--and offering a steadying hand anytime Elide needed it. She’d been in the dressing room when Elide said yes to her dress, going so speechless when she saw the petite brunette in the simple, elegant, white silk gown with its fitted mermaid silhouette and the trailing, gauzy veil that Elide just grinned at her, nodding wordlessly. 

Now, as the drinks flowed freely and the hum of conversation echoed around the venue, Elide tapped her fork against her water glass, the chiming sound calling everyone’s attention. She cleared her throat. 

“If you’d all turn your attention towards the front of the room, I believe some of our dear friends have a few things to say.” She nodded towards Rowan Whitethorn, one of Lorcan’s oldest friends and his best man. Who, coincidentally, had been dating Aelin for almost five years now. 

Rowan turned on the microphone in his hand as he walked around to the front of the table, where he proceeded to give a short, heartfelt speech about Lorcan Salvaterre, once a tiny little dark-haired spitfire, now a big, hulking, dark-haired brooder. When he was done, he returned to his seat, passing Aelin the mic, only to have Lorcan wrap him into the biggest, manliest hug Aelin had ever seen him give, pretending like there weren’t tears in his eyes. 

She grinned as she strolled around to the front of the table, tapping a fingernail against the mic. “Well, I have to congratulate Whitethorn on that speech!” she began. “I knew it would be hard to follow...and it was.” A slight pause, giving a wicked wink to everyone. “I couldn’t follow a word of it!” She smirked at Rowan, who only rolled his eyes, laughing along with everyone else. 

“Hi, I’m Aelin, you might recognize me from the wedding, I’m the blonde who stumbled going up the steps and almost faceplanted during the procession,” she grinned, wryly recalling her near-disaster during the procession. “Luckily for all of us, I somehow stayed atop these stupid heels--really, Ells, did you have to make your bridesmaids wear these death traps? And now here we are, eating some quality food and drinking a whole lot of quality wine, all in celebration of Mr. and Mrs. Lorcan Lochan!” She shot Lorcan an evil little smirk, knowing how much he hated when she made his wedded name sound like “Lorcan Lickin’,” which, of course, she and Elide had no small amount of dirty jokes about. 

“I want to tell all of you a few things about a very special person. She is possibly the most brilliant, fearless, talented, amazing, loyal, caring, funny woman I’ve ever met...” Another dramatic pause. “But enough about me, tonight is Elide’s night!” More chuckles from the guests. “In all seriousness--words I never use, by the way--Elide Lochan is one of the most incredible people I have ever had the honor of meeting. From the day we met in, what, middle school? Grade school? I knew you were a forever friend, one of those people you just can’t forget, no matter that we lived in different countries for several years. I’ll always remember the way I squealed when I registered for dorm housing for freshman year and saw the name “Elide Lochan” as my roommate assignment. And I’ll always remember all of that year...because there were some things we’ll never get out of our heads. Right, Ells?” She grinned broadly at the brunette. “You brought me through that year, Ells, you really did. I am forever going to be in awe of your talents, whether in the lab or behind the bar. You showed everyone in your program that not only can a woman go into neurosurgery, she rules the damn field, even your attendings ask you for advice. You blaze a bright new trail everywhere you go, and I am so, so beyond honored to be standing at your side today as you finally marry the man who’s been groveling at your feet for seven years.” Laughter echoed around the venue at that. 

Aelin raised her champagne glass to the newlyweds. “To both of you--may your futures be filled with joy, laughter, and all the good things in the world!” She drank the toast and headed towards her seat, turning at the last second to deliver one last comment. “And Lorcan, if you hurt her in any way, I will rip your favorite parts into little tiny pieces.” Blowing the both of them a kiss, she took her seat to much laughter and applause, speech concluded. 

Following the rest of the dinner and short speeches and Elide and Lorcan’s first dance, which brought almost everyone to tears as they watched the very happy couple sway to “I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You,” the rest of the wedding guests slowly migrated onto the dance floor, laughing and dancing to a whole variety of songs. Aelin shared several dances with the bridesmaids, yell-singing at the top of their slightly tipsy lungs. 

And she shared the first slow dance with Rowan, whose warm, strong hand laced with hers as the dreamy, waltzlike song began, pulling her into his arms. She leaned against him, looping her arms around his neck, grinning up at him as they swayed along, sharing in their dear friends’ happy day. 

This could be us, Aelin realized, letting her mind conjure up the scene: her white dress, made backless just for Rowan, against his dark suit, a single kingsflame in his lapel to match the bouquet she carried, swearing to be each other’s eternity. 

Then she shut off that train of thought, refusing to allow herself to ruin Elide’s wedding day by wishing on distant stars. 

Rowan’s thumb caressed her waist, his touch pulling her back into reality. “You alright, Fireheart?” he whispered, green eyes sparking with concern. 

“More than alright,” she reassured him. “Just...thinking, Ro.” 

Somehow, he seemed to understand, not pressing her any further. “I loved your speech,” he grinned. “Just like you to threaten to castrate Lorcan.” 

She smirked. “If he hurts Ells, that should be the last of his concerns. That woman could rewire his brain if she wanted to.” 

“Already has,” Rowan murmured. “None of us know what happened to good old grumpy Lorcan, the second he met Elide he did a full 180 and turned into old sappy Lorcan.” 

It was Aelin’s turn to laugh. “Like you’re much better, you’re a total simp and you know it, baby.” 

“Am not,” he protested. 

She arched a golden brow. “So who was gushing to his mother about how gorgeous I looked in my bridesmaid dress, then?” 

Silence. 

“Rowan...” 

“Fine,” he mumbled, flushing a little. “Yeah, I’m a total simp for you, baby.” 

The little smile she gave him could have lit up his house. “I love you.” 

“I love you, Fireheart,” he whispered, kissing her slowly as the song faded. 

~~~

TAGS: please lmk if you want to be added/removed! 

@charlizeed

@cretaceous-therapod

@clea-nightingale

@autumnbabylon

@flora-shadowshine

@julialovebooks

@nerdperson524

@morganofthewildfire

@rowanaelinn

@wesupremeginger

@story-scribbler

@nicolivesinbooks

@mackenzieclutt

@stardelia

@gracie-rosee

@shanias-world

@mybloodrunsblue

@swankii-art-teacher

@wordsafterhours

@cookiemonsterwholovesbooks

@violet-mermaid7

@holdthefrickup

@goddess-aelin

@rowaelinismyotp

@dealfea

@irondork

@themoonthestarsthesuriel

@live-the-fangirl-life

@the-key-to-me-myself-and-i

@chronicchthonic14

@whispers-in-the-darkest-heart

@thetriplets

@hanging-from-a-cliff

@jorjy-jo

@rowaelinrambling

@thegreyj

@silentquartz

[butterfluffy]

HI FLUFFFFF!! ITS BEEN A WHILE! congrats on 200!!! so happy for you!! I've been gone so ill read what you've written so far 😳👉👈 hope you have fun on this event!! honestly i wasn't gonna send in anything cuz I've been listening to Japanese songs recently but then yt recommended a song that made me go !!

anyways, do you mind me asking for portgas d ace x male or gn reader with the song "I was made for lovin' you" by KISS? i just think ace would def sing this song on the top of his lungs when this song comes on if you catch my drift, fits him well i suppose!.. go crazy on the scenario, i wanna see what you'd make of it, have fun!!

“made for lovin' you”

⠀⠀ੈ♡˳· singing you a song, ace proved to everyone that he truly is made for lovin' you, and only you.

⠀⠀➧ r. fluff | p. d. ace × gn!reader | oneshot / song fic

⠀⠀➧ warnings — none! mistakes and swearing may be present though.. so do ignore them, thanks! ah, and ‘girl’ is used to call reader, bcs of the song.

⠀⠀➧ requests are closed until further notice!

⠀⠀꒰ 🍨 ꒱ notes: welcome to my “sing me a song” event made to honor this account reaching 200+ followers! visit it to see my other works on this special!

reqested by: @maaarshieee — thx for the request marhal koh, and yeah, after listening to the song, i confirm that ace will defo sing this song on the top of his lungs. 😚💋

Having a party held to have fun, music then blasted from the speakers, voices of the Whitebeard Pirates filling the Moby Dick with noise.

“Marco, can ya press 11419 for me? I'm gonna sing, hehe!” Thatch exclaims with a big smile on his face as he held the mic in his hand while the phoenix did what he ordered.

“Alright, here's "I Was Made For Lovin’ You" by KISS, now get into singing, yoi!” Cheering for his friend, Marco then grabbed himself a pint of beer, waiting for the song to begin as he sat beside you and Thatch who vibed with the background music.

“Wait,” You suddenly mutter, eyes squinting to read the song title flashed on the screen. “..I Was Made For Lovin’ You.” You read, soon later being struck by a realization.

“Holy shit, Thatch... That song...” Looking at him with eyes filled with shock, you then looked around, searching for your lover, Ace, who doesn't seem to be anywhere near the karaoke.

“Okay, it's not too late, stop the song now, please...” You plead, only to be shrugged off by the man beside you who already started singing. “No thanks, I'm singing, hehe!”

“...Mmm, yeah! Tonight, I want to give it all to you~” He sung, ignoring you completely, just grooving with the music, causing you to face palm, knowing what's gonna happen soon later...

“In the darkness, there's so much I want to do..” Cheers surfacing by the man's singing, you slowly shook your head. “And tonight, I want to lay it at your feet..~”

And just as you expected. He's already here. The second division captain is here. Ace, your lover is. He's practically zooming towards you three upon hearing the familiar song on the other side of the ship.

“Ah, Ace, hey—HEY THE MIC!” Thatch exclaims as soon as the mic in his hand disappeared, being snatched by the raven-haired male that took a deep breath, looking at you with a big grin in his face.

“'Cause girl, I was made for you.. And girl, you were made for me..” He continued for the brunette man, eyes locked with yours as he sung with a husky voice.

He's serenading you, and it honestly is lovely, yet embarrassing—obvious from your face that flushed red all over. Though you admit, Ace does have a great voice.

“I was made for lovin' you, baby, you were made for lovin' me. And I can't get enough of you, baby, can you get enough of me?” Taking your hand, Ace then pulled you close to him, making you two the spotlight in this party.

“Tonight, I want to see it in your eyes,” Making your hand touch his chest, Ace then smirked. “Feel the magic, there's something that drives me wild...”

“And tonight, we're gonna make it all come true,” Tapping his feet on beat, Ace jumped up the stage, lifting you up as if you were air and making you stand by him as he sung.

“'Cause girl, you were made for me, and girl, I was made for you...~” Placing a quick kiss on your lips, Ace smiled, making you feel the music flow through along with the heat of his kiss that lingered on your lips.

“I was made for lovin' you, baby, you were made for lovin' me..!” Head bobbing, he then started dancing, hands on your hips, not leaving it as you sang along your lover.

“..And I can't get enough of you, baby! Can you get enough of me~?” Teasing you with another kiss and suddenly pulling your body into his, the crowd that formed around you two ran wild, with cheers of playful ‘ooh's.’

“I was made for lovin' you, baby, you were made for lovin' me—c'mon babe, dance!” “Alright, alright...!” Swaying your hips, Ace made you dance with him along with the crew that joined in, also singing and dancing together with you two.

“And I can give it all to you, baby, can you give it all to me..!?” Spinning you around like a top before giving you a light push to lower your body close to the ground then catching it, sending a wink at your gasping self. “Ace..!”

Oh, can't get enough, I can't get enough, I can't get enough...

“Damn you, Ace, I was supposed to be the one to sing that!” Thatch argued, voice drowned by the background singers that were singing on behalf of Ace who was busy admiring you.

“Well, Thatch, this song is mine. And only I can sing it for my one and only—Y/n!” Chuckled fire-fist, embracing you tightly as he spoke proudly, ticking his fellow division captain that sighed in defeat, crossing his arms with an eye roll. “..Tsk, yeah yeah, you sweet-ass couple.”

Head turning to each other, you and Ace soon bursted laughing by Thatch's comment before returning to the mic that is in the middle of you two.

“..I was made for lovin' you, baby!” Ace exclaims before he turned the mic for you to continue what's next, “You were made for lovin' me..!”

“And I can't get enough of you, baby—” “Can you get enough of me?”

Having a duet, you and Ace exchanged lines from the song—

Oh, I was made

You were made

I can't get enough

No, I can't get enough—

...Before singing together on the iconic part of, “I was made for lovin' you, baby, you were made for lovin' me! And I can't get enough of you, baby,”

“Can you get enough of me?” Ace ends with a whisper, eyes looking through yours—staring at your soul that is tied with his, slowly closing them before landing his lips on yours, proving that he truly is made for loving you, and only you..

© butterfluffy 2022

[arcanarix]

The Plot Thickens! // CONTESTSHIPPING / SHUUKURA

AO3 || FFN 

Harley taps onto the mic and cringes from the sharp feedback. “Testing, 1, 2, 3! Testing, 1, 2, 3! Ugh! This sounds awful! Someone fix–!” 

–his wish is granted, as the sound check folks do their jobs. One of them casts a thumbs up as a queue for him to start over.

He clears his throat, eyes scanning the impressive size of the crowd. If he has to guess, the amount of people who have arrived for this heist may fill up the entirety of the Indigo League stadium up to five times! Might he be exaggerating–he often is–he doesn’t really know or really care. This is not just a publicity stunt, you see. As always, there are ulterior motives in the world of Harley Davidson. 

“Excellent!” For emphasis, he clears his throat once more, shielding his mouth with a balled fist. “Welcome to the Slateport Grand Heist! I know the Ribbon Cup season has ended for the Hoenn region yet again, and things have gotten far too quiet to our liking. So let me set the scene–you are all cordially encouraged to embark on a scavenger hunt for a rare breed of a shiny Zorua. Its beauty is unmatched, and it’s a perfect addition to your team if you’re needing a new teammate! Not only are you going to win that Zorua to add to your party, you also win a delicious sum of cash! Don’t miss out! Sign up here! And please welcome my dear sponsor, Maybella Maple!” 

He gestures wide, loud, and proud to her as she steps onto the podium. Behind her, a huge projection screen to showcase her true ethereal beauty. She has grown well into herself in the last decade, establishing herself as a five-time Ribbon Cup winner and even upstaging Soledad and Drew! In this moment, she looks like a Queen gazing down at her subjects with a softness in her eyes, and a twinkle of that fiery, lively energy she has always possessed in her soul.

She has never dimmed in her light–not even when Harley tried to before.

Harley can’t help but respect that now.

May beams at the crowd as they roar and cheer, even earning a few wolf whistles which makes her blush just a bit from embarrassment. She lowers the mic to her level. 

“Hi everybody! If you do decide to enter this exciting heist, then we’d be more than honored to have you here! This Heist is also here to help fund for future Ribbon Cup seasons and local Pokemon Centers in the region. We hope to enhance the experience for new and old coordinators and the care which is provided in Pokemon Centers which has helped us for centuries! This is a great cause, and we wholeheartedly accept any additional donations!” 

As she steps away, Harley takes the spotlight once more, not without mouthing a ‘thank you’ to her as she gives him the space he requires to spread his arms out wide, like he’s giving the crowd a big bear hug for showing up for them. 

“We sure hope you’re ready! Sign up ends at 5PM sharp! The scavenger hunt for the Zorua begins tomorrow morning at 7AM sharp! Don’t miss out on the fun! Toodles~!” 

Harley steps away and takes in the applause, as he’s always lived for it. That’s the whole reason behind becoming a coordinator for him–the applause! The adoration! The admiration! The fame! It’s all important to him to a certain extent. It’s not as prominent of a desire now, but he still loves to gloat and showboat whenever he gets a chance to soak it all up like a sponge.

The roaring of the crowd dies down and soon they are dismissed to take care of sign ups and registration, which are held at the Pokemon Center here in Slateport. It’s good to be home. He’s forgotten what peace and relaxation is like. But he’s reminded every time he relaxes at the local beaches here. 

Harley and May retire to the back of the stadium, where they share some of the confection foods available. 

“Thanks for doing this for me, sugarplum,” he says from the bottom of his heart. This time, his sincerity is genuine. Well it has been for a long time. They’re no longer enemies or frenemies or whatever the heck people call it. “I can’t believe people actually showed up.”

“Well, why not? You’re a hot shot,” May teases, “It’s not like you to play humble.”

It’s not like her to be that observant . . . Harley only hopes she hasn’t figured out another underlying scheme of his. He may have spread a little rumor to the male identifying coordinators that winning the Zorua and the money also includes a date with this four course meal and dessert just before his eyes. If she isn’t going to date Weed Hair, then he may as well try to up the ante a little by forcing them into a little tight spot. Drew has refused to confess his feelings for the last decade or so of them all knowing each other and Harley’s grown exhausted from all of the dancing around the rosy bushes between them or whatever.

He’s had to take matters into his own hands. This time as a friend and not as some insecure POS who can’t accept there’s always going to be someone better or more talented than he is. Yes, he friggin’ says it! Leave him friggin’ be. 

Bringing a powdered donut to his lips, he hums in agreement. “No kiddin’. I’m not! So who do you think will be joining the heist?” 

“Probably everyone and their mothers,” May laughs earnestly. “It seems so fun too. I kind of wish I could enter to win that Zorua, but that doesn’t seem right since I’m helping to sponsor this event.”

“You’ve already got a golden team, hon. But I can always find a way to get another one of those Zoruas from a breeder if that’s what you want.”

“You don’t have to, but I appreciate the offer.” May sighs, bringing her glass of water to her lips. “I can’t believe how far we’ve come together. I’m really glad we became friends, Harley.” 

Harley lifts his own drink, offering a toast. “To us, hon.”

She giggles, raising her glass as well. “To us.”

Their drinkwares join together and clink, the sound seemingly reverberating through the room like a windchime. Maybe a spell has been casted–a blessing. This friendship is a blessing to them both.

Drew does learn of this Heist Harley’s hosting. He has to admit his interest is piqued. If not for any other reason, than the fact that it’s someone like Harley hosting it. 

Anything involving Harley is often a prescription for disaster in Drew’s world. He doesn’t trust that someone like him can change. Call him a skeptic. Call him a hard-ass. He doesn’t give a single crap. He’s always going to have May’s and Soledad’s back, and he’s always going to keep Harley at something much longer than an arm’s length. But no amount of space between them will ever be enough. 

Anyway, what leads him to sign up is because he’s been brought to light by an underlying motive in Harley organizing this event. Because that’s how he’s always operated before, and he’ll continue to operate that way for the rest of his life. Drew’s been raised on the philosophy of trusting patterns of behavior over someone’s words. 

Words themselves don’t sell someone’s character, after all. Anyone can say anything they want. 

Everyone with even the teensiest bit of critical thinking ability can come up with that conclusion on their own. 

Unfortunately, upon learning May is assisting him in sponsoring this event, and given May’s history of often giving Harley the benefit of the doubt in spite of knowing better . . . no one can blame Drew for wishing to investigate this event further. He’s putting on that tin hat. There’s never a pure reason behind Harley’s intentions, and those suspicions have been confirmed on his way to the Slateport Pokemon Center!

“I can’t believe Harley admitted we can ask May on a date if we win,” one contestant exclaims as he walks with his group of friends, just within earshot of Drew, who happens to be scrolling through his news feed. 

‘Old habits die hard,’ he thinks, scowling. Does he really have to rescue May AGAIN?

“Yeah, it’s not an official event but who cares? Gal’s single, gal’s famous, gal’s hot . . . “ Jackass #2 numbers off the merits of dating someone like May with those grimy probably oily as fuck disgusting fingers of his, and Drew can’t help stewing in pure agony at the thought of someone OTHER than him dating May. 

Especially if they don’t know how to treat her or appreciate her! 

“Whatever helps advertise the heist, I guess,” Jackass #3 comments, “I might decline, if I win, though.”

May not be that much of a jackass, with a little inkling of common sense and dignity! 

“Hello Drew. Good to see you again. Are you here to register?” Nurse Joy greets upon approaching the counter. 

“Yes, I’d like to enter the Slateport Heist.”

“Excellent. I have you all set up. If you’re looking for your friends, they are staying here, so you’ll run into them soon.”

Drew nods. “Thanks.”

He accepts his token and retires to his cabin. 

Yes, let the games begin, indeed. 

7 A. M. the following day comes along, and everyone’s gathered around the small stadium the city put together for Harley’s event. In the center, a medieval inspired gong, which Harley strikes to initiate the beginning of something either grand or something anticlimactic. 

Watching the contestants scramble around like headless chickens for the Zorua has been nothing short of entertaining for the Cacturne trainer, and he sits back and enjoys the show while May’s fucked off elsewhere for the time being. She monitors other areas of the city to make sure no one’s up to mischief. 

Speaking of May, she’s giggling at the prospect of all these younger trainers arguing over who deserves that Zorua. With its perfect IVs and fully trained EVs, its shiny new color, its cloaking ability . . . Zorua’s likely hiding in plain sight and these trainers are too busy arguing to see what’s right in front of them. 

She strolls through one of Slateport’s main streets and swears under her breath when she catches a familiar flash of green. A particular mossy shade of green. 

Approaching him from behind, she addresses him. 

“ . . . Drew?” 

Whipping around, Drew’s eyes widen for a brief moment before they soften immediately upon realizing that it’s her. Perfect. Just the girl he’s been looking for all of this time since the heist began. 

He needs to get her away from Harley’s scheming, grimy hands! 

“I take it you’re here because you really want that Zorua.” 

“An excellent guess, but no,” he replies, and May can’t help picking up on how his usually tense expression fades into one of pure softness. For her? Why, though? “I’m actually here for you.”

“Me?” May’s tone indicates incredulousness. Even after all of this time!? “What do I owe the pleasure?” 

“Um, why are you working on this with Harley?” 

May frowns. “We’ve established that we’ve outgrown that weird frenemy stage we had. We’re really good friends now, Drew. What’s going on?” 

Drew sighs, deciding against telling her the truth. Collaborating with Harley–or even being within Harley’s proximity–is never any good. He offers her a rose from seemingly thin air, which May graciously accepts.

“Never mind. Anyway, what’s in it for you?” 

“Nothing! It just seemed like a fun way to raise money for the Ribbon Cup.”

Things fall silent between them, but it’s comfortable. They decide to look for that Zorua together. 

They find themselves near the Slateport beach, close to where they first met. Drew looks off at the private beach area where he found May, and he can’t help but chuckle to himself. 

“What’s so funny?” May then picks up on it. “Oh. You’re thinking about how we met, huh?” 

“Yeah. On this very beach,” he says, “Hard to believe how far we’ve come.”

“Hard to believe we can stand to breathe the same air as each other.” 

Drew splutters, “I more than can just tolerate breathing the same air as you.” 

In fact, he dearly wishes to be with her for the rest of his life. He’s damn sure of it. He’s not going to admit that to her yet because he doesn’t want to scare her off.

A splash of salty water on him catches him off-guard. He turns to ese May with a mischievous grin on her face, and Drew shakes his head. 

“You rascal,” Drew teases as he joins her by the water, splashing her back. 

Suddenly, in the sand, Zorua pops out from hiding under it. Once he notices it, Drew’s mouth falls open. 

“Oh! There’s the gorgeous Zorua!” 

Zorua hops right into Drew’s arms upon recognizing him. 

Drew and May exchange a look. 

“Uh . . . do we go back to the stadium, then?” May inquires. Drew nods and they walk off, ignoring the icky wetness of their damp clothes. 

Eh. They’re going to dry off, they think. 

When they arrive back at the stadium, Harley’s relaxing on a lounge chair and enjoying the sun shining down on him. His goal must be a tan, as he’s angling a mirror to have the sun hit on his body. 

He hears the rustling of their footsteps, and he raises himself from his seat, resting his sunglasses over his head to get a view of them. 

“Oh! Excellent! Just as planned, Randy, you found Zorua!” Harley exclaims. “Well, I should say Zorua found you guys. I told it not to appear to anyone else except Drew. No one was going to be able to find Zorua by the end of the event.”

“Huh?” May cuts in, placing her hands on her hips. “Then what was the purpose of this heist anyway?” 

“Yeah,” Drew adds, “Why were you getting the male winners the opportunity to ask May out if they won?” 

“What?” May glares at Harley. “You conveniently left out that little detail! What in the world?!” 

“Sounding a bit envious there, Randy,” Harley snorts, “If you must know, I knew you were going to sign up for this heist if I put May in a jeopardizing situation. Of course nothing life-threatening. She’s just been single for too long after that jackass Brendan dated her. Lo and behold, you do enter the hunt, and not only do you earn the Zorua and the money, but you’re the one getting to ask May out on a date.”

“What were you going to do if the winner was a girl? This wasn’t well thought out,” May says, “Which is a first, coming from you.” 

Harley steps back, striking a defensive pose. His tone does indicate some sincerity but there’s no telling with Harley quite literally ever. 

He shakes his head as he vehemently disagrees. 

“I only told the men about that little addition. No girl was going to ask you out. And by the way, it wasn’t going to be a bunch of random guys, just the winner of the heist,  and I orchestrated everything so that Drew would win anyways. Like I already said, Zorua was not going to be found. Not easily. Zorua’s great at keeping itself hidden. Everything’s worked out in favor of you two finally biting the bullet and just going out already. We’re sick of you two dancing around the bush.” 

“I–!” Drew can’t even begin to express himself at that moment. He has to admit–he’s been fooled. Maybe Harley has changed for the better, in some aspects. In others, that’s still up for debate. 

Despite this, Drew may never completely warm up to Harley. 

Not even the fact that he’s dating Soledad. 

“So, Randrew Gayden, aren’t you going to finally roll for initiative like this is DND and finally give May the lovin’ on she deserves?” 

“Uhhhh . . . “ Drew’s brain may have short-circuited at that point. Picking up on that little brain fart of Drew’s, a rare moment for him indeed, May takes charge like the woman she always is because she always feels like she has something to prove. 

“Drew,” she begins, twiddling the rose he gifted her just moments prior to this interaction. “Will you take me to dinner?” 

Yep. That brain fart then escalates to a complete meltdown. His circuitry is failing him. There’s probably steam out of his ears from that system overload. 

System overload! 

May’s forehead creases. “. . . Drew? Do I have to do everything around here, or do I have to drag you to the nicest restaurant in this region?” 

“No! No, I, uh . . .” Taking a deep stabilizing breath, he finds that confidence he works so hard to fake the majority of the time. Yeah, you hear him right–fake. He’s not the sauviest of the suave, he has come to accept that. 

Especially if he can’t ask the most beautiful girl in the world out and she has to make the move first! 

He clears his throat, and meets her eyes, careful not to get too lost admiring how much those sapphire eyes resemble the deepest depths of the sea. 

“Yes, I’ll take you to dinner. Only if you let me spoil you rotten.”

Harley grimaces. “Damn, you really are living up to the name, Randy.” 

“Stop calling me that,” Drew counters.

“Over my dead body!” Harley then approaches May. “Don’t I get a thank you, hon?” 

“I’m not sure if I should thank you or slap you, but I’ll let you get away with it this time. Thanks, Harley. Now if you’ll excuse us, this is long overdue.”

“Of course, of course! Have fun ye hooligans! Farewell now!” 

Drew hooks May’s arm around his. “Where to? We’ll take a ride on Flygon.”

“I can go for something exotic and new, so surprise me, Mr Fancy Pants.”

“Anything for you.” Drew casts a dirty look at Harley over his shoulder, as if to say, ‘I’ll deal with you later.’ 

For now, he’s going to enjoy a wonderful date with a wonderful girl. 

[wannaberp]

— WHO IS MOON JORDAN?

he’s a TWENTY-TWO year old wannabe, born OCTOBER 31, 2001. he’s currently eyeing STUDIO DELTA and lives by the words “don’t ever let anyone tell you can’t because you can.”

maybe you should learn more or ask him a question.

▶ PLAY THE CLIP [ audition_tape.mp4 ]

setting up his tripod, piano, and camera in his room, jordan still was contemplating on auditioning. one part of him thought the entire idea was crazy and should just stop while he was ahead. while the other side wanted him to keep going and let no distractions interfere. since a young child, singing was one of his passions that got him through every milestone of his life. the idea of auditioning to be the next idol may seem like a joke to many, but jordan still had a hopeful heart.

quietly tapping on his mic, the young male was now sitting down in front of his personalized keyboard. “hey, hola, bonjour, and all that good stuff to the whole world out there. my name is jordan and as someone whose been inspired by this special artist that i will be covering, i will be doing the honor of using my piano and my vocal skills. hope ya’ll enjoy.” a small smile appeared across his features before clearing his throat. his hands had begun trembling slightly due to his anxiety increasing every second. luckily, no one would’ve been able to notice as he always knew how to play off being nervous at times like this.

the song that jordan was going to use for his audition was “one in a million” by the legendary and late aaliyah. the multi-talented woman had been one of his top favorite artist for quite some time. no matter where he went, he’d sing her songs and it’d extend his lifespan by 1000 more years on the planet.  “your love is a one in a million… it goes on and on and on...” with his eyes now away from the camera, they were focused on his fingers pressing against every piano key; making sure to not miss a beat in which he was successful at doing. his vocals were smooth like the cool side of the pillow and matched the slow vibe that the song had. he tried his best to turn the hit into his own, in which he figured he was doing a damn great job. his nervousness was attempting to overpower the vocalist, but he wasn’t going to allow it to ruin a once-in-a-lifetime chance. many minutes later, jordan had finally finished singing and had already ended the tape. it felt as if a big rock had been released from off his shoulders by the second he turned the camera off.

[definitely-mothman]

The Reflection of a Prince Ch 2

Summary in a Nutshell: Jade Overblot fic, mostly just a story fic but Jade/Azul is somewhat present, due to some shared childhood experiences/conflicts.

AO3 Link

Part 1

“Attention, everyone! Your Housewarden has an announcement for you!”

“You don’t have to yell at them Claude, now this is really awkward, god..”

Within the light reds and greens of Coralliadom’s central hall, the dorm’s body had been gathered before the small performance stage. At the mic was the awkwardly tapping Housewarden, a boy about 18 with waved hair tied back in a bow, a vibrant red that cradled his head like a firey bonnet. He lightly tapped the mic, which let out a piercing sound before eventually quieting and letting him speak.

“..Hey! So you guys already know for the most part, but for the freshmen who don’t, NRC and RSA always host this cross-campus kinda event. Most of it happens this following Friday but pretty much the whole week is shut down for people to visit the campuses…and all that.”

Rielle nervously shot a glance to Claude for a moment, a darker ginger with antennae jutting out from in between his eyebrows, curving and sitting above his ears. It was a glance of wanting reassurement, greeted with the slightest side eye and a small scooping motion with his right hand. The awkwardness of it all seemed to make time stand still.

“…so! Last year our cousin dorm, Octanivelle, hosted our lovely little group in their walls for the festivities, everyone who isn’t a freshman should remember that.” Each word seemed to stumble a little, like a tadpole trying to walk. “Because they hosted last year, now… we have the honor to host their entourage in our own dormitory!”

Students exchanged glances on the floor, hinting many emotions, but none positive. Claude turned, Rielle handing over his microphone.

“Hey. It’s an obligation, I’m not necessarily jumping for joy either. But we’re still going to perform our absolute best here. Octanivelle runs a tight ship, and me and Rielle intend to as well. The last thing any of you would want is for any of them to have something to mock you for.”

As opposed to Rielle’s shifting stance, his Vice Housewarden held an almost militaristic stance, and most of the dorm held a respect for his air of authority. The straight-lacedness of it made Rielle want to cringe.

“We’ll be starting preparations tomorrow, seeing as we have a week to put together decorations and also adorn the dorm with them. That isn’t including having everything wiped down, the group of you tasked with the musical performance and respective rehearsals, some cleaning up of landscaping, and what the principle has already asked of us. I know I seem to be starting way in advance, but it’d be great to get to ease up Friday when we have guests, instead of scrambling at the last minute.”

“Aye.” A collective sound of agreement came from the student body.

Rielle took the microphone back.

“Uh, everyone in the rehearsal group is good for tomorrow, right?”

Claude murmured over to him. “I sent that out 2 days ago”

“Oh! Uh, nevermind, sorry guys, you’re good.”

Claude winced.

“So that's the meeting adjourned, right- I don’t think we have anything else to go over.”

“Yeah, we’re good-“

“Meeting adjourned! Make sure to check your emails tonight so we all stay on schedule!”

Rielle felt a buzz in his right pocket. He instinctively went to pull it out, but before he could do that Claude already was escorting him off stage.

“Rie, you know what your schedule is for tomorrow?”

“Pft, yeah. I have like. A million reminders set.”

“Ok. I just ask since you tend to forget stuff like this.”

“I know, it’s reasonable, I’m good though!”

“Ok.” Claude spoke with a sense of not really believing him, which made Rielle huff a little bit. Rielle broke off, moving towards the residential side of the dormitory.

“Are you heading up to your room?”

“Yeah, it’s nothing, just a text from dad.”

“Oh, ok- just let me know if there’s something I need to talk to the Principal about-“

Rielle was already out of earshot by the time Claude had begun speaking.

• • •

“When are you going back through the mirror? Me and mom need to know so we can meet you there.”

Rielle was typing away, stumbling on the stairs trying to text with both hands and keep an eye on if he was heading the right direction to his room.

“Uh I think Sunday? Sorry I’ve just been trying to make sure everything’s good with Claude before I head out for the week.”

“No worries, we just wanna make sure you’re there sweetie. It’s important that Grandfather gets to see the darling young prince you’re growing into.”

Ugh, it was so embarrassing when dad texted like that.

“Ok, yeah I’ll be good Sunday night, will confirm tomorrow, just in case anything comes up.”

“Alright, mom will be texting you tomorrow just in case.”

“Ok.”

Rielle slipped his phone back into his pants pocket, opening his room’s door with the key stored in his RSA jacket. Shutting the door behind him, he fell back onto the plush canopy bed, and groaned loudly to nothing and no one.

Ughhhh…there was really no winning here, was there?

Downstairs he could hear the underclassmen scrambling around and Claude directing. Why couldn’t his Vice sit still for literally 3 seconds, didn’t he just say they were going to start tomorrow? Claude expected him to be there, the underclassmen definitely expected him to be there. I mean, he was the Housewarden. Not Rielle’s first choice, but where he ended up.

And then on the other end there was dad, and this big family reunion thing he’d been hyping up for the past few days. The festival had been set in before the reunion date was set, but it’s not like he could just tell him that he couldn’t show up.

He could see it now. A call to the principal from King Pelagaeus, saying that he would not have the Coral Sea’s heir held up by “small scale school activities.” The entire festival could get rescheduled if he whined enough, and the other Housewardens would be no less than pissed at him for making them redo everything. And I mean, it would be on Rielle, wouldn’t it? For telling “daddy dearest” about it and said person throwing a hissy fit. He kinda had his hands tied on attendance.

But on the other hand, him dipping out wouldn’t sit well with the Principal, Claude, anyone in his dorm, and no one at NRC would like it either. I mean, it’s kinda rude to see people you went to elementary school with as a kid like, once a year and then not even show up right? He cared more about the dorm than he did some family members he hasn’t seen since he could form memories. But also, again, dad, hissy fit, dorm ends up mad anyways.

Ugh! This was all so stupid! There wasn’t a good decision, so the lesser was probably fulfilling familial duties over the Housewarden ones. But he couldn’t sit still with the thought of Coralliadom not having their Housewarden for the whole week, not to mention what Octanivelle would probably be saying when he didn’t show up for the event…

His phone buzzed, with the default ringtone. That was weird, Rielle thought he had set one for everyone in his contacts list. It was a DM on magicam.

“Hey, Rielle! We shared some classes in middle school together, although idk if you remember. I was just checking your story and decided to ask if everything’s alright?”

Rielle raised an eyebrow a bit. The student in the profile picture wasn’t one he had a particular memory of, but then again middle school was kind of a blur, wasn’t it? The account was legit, it was some NRC sophomore, run of the mill stuff. Rielle flipped back to the DM.

“Yeah, everything is chill rn! Is there something you wanted to ask?”

Immediate response.

“Yeah, I just saw that there’s some gala thing your family’s hosting on like, Friday right?”

“Yeah, how did you know about that?”

“Mom’s been telling me about it, since they’re decorating the Atlantica Castle already for it. She’s sent me a few photos of what they’ve gotten done already.”

“Oh. Yeah, there’s a family gala thing coming up. I’m still a bit conflicted about it, but I think I’ll be going.”

“But isn’t the Sage Island Celebration that day? Our Housewarden said that we’re all heading over to you guys’ dorm for that day. Are you just like, not going to be there?”

“Probably, although I’d like to avoid being absent for it. There’s not really a winning option right now.”

There was a period of pause, little ellipsis fading in and out for about a minute.

“That kinda sucks. Could I do anything to help with it? Literally anything, this sounds like a huge pain LOL.”

Rielle looked at the message. Something felt…off about it. But he shook it. The account was legit, he’d gotten too many spam messages to not check at this point. The account even had a legitimate phone number and email attached to it. He typed back.

“Lmao, unless you can make it to where I can be two places at once I don’t think you’ll be able to help.”

Again, an immediate response.

“Actually, I think I could maybe help with that. I’ve been practicing some potion stuff recently for finals and I’ve been waiting to try it practically.”

“What, like an illusion potion? Those only last a couple of hours at most, I’d need a stand in for at least 5 days lol.”

“No it’s not an illusion potion. I’ve been working with using potions to enchant objects to imbed them with properties. It’s cool as hell.”

“…so you're going to make an illusion potion and imbed it into a book or something to keep it up the whole week?”

“No, it’s a piece of jewelry. Really small, nobody’s even noticed I have this thing in my dorm lol. I just keep it in a small desk drawer, and redip to change what the cast properties on it are when worn. I can show you in person if you want, I’m serious about this.”

Rielle’s hands flashed a little faster over the keys.

“You’re Octanivelle, right? That’s what your profile looks like. Wouldn’t Azul notice you’re like, gone?”

“Nah, I’m just one Sophomore lol. There’s like 600 of us here. At least, it’d be less noticeable than you not being there.”

“True.”

“If you want, we can meet up tomorrow and I can switch out w you. Unless you’re heading out a different day.”

His finger hung above the screen for about a minute before answering.

“What are you wanting in return for this? I know you guys don’t do this kinda stuff for free.”

“I just need you to give me the stuff for the potion honestly, I’m partway looking for some street cred with the other sophomores yk.”

“…street cred?”

“Yeah, yk, it’s like the Benevolence dorm. So this gives me some bragging rights. That’s the only real thing I can think of rn. Everything else is just stuff I need so the fill-in works.”

“Alright. Lmao I won’t knock you for wanting to climb the pecking order ig. What is it that you’d need me to bring? Illusion potions for people have to do with things like, personal items right?”

More pausing waiting for a response.

“Yeah, illusion potions need personal items to represent parts of your appearance. So like, a strand of hair for obvious, some fingernail clippings, some spit, a song in a bottle for voice. I probably will have to borrow smthn else tho.”

“Oh, so just some gross hair and shit LOL, thank goodness it’s a necklace bc drinking that potion sounds awful. Are you needing to borrow my magic pen for the week or smthn?”

“No, I can just paint my magestone and click it in your dorm staff. I’m probably gonna need to borrow your UM for the days I’m acting as you. Idk how often you use it, but I imagine it’d be really sus if you just suddenly couldn’t use it for the whole week, yk?

“My UM? How would you transfer that over? I know your dorm got knocked for that kinda stuff a while back, but I thought it was a unique magic.”

“The Housewarden has some blanks lying around for his convenience, so I just planned to snag a paper and bring the thing up prewritten. You can hold onto the contract if you want tbh, carrying it around is just weird if I’m you.”

“Wait, you can just write yourself as the recipient like that? That’s nuts, I’m surprised I haven’t heard abt incidents with that stuff.”

“Yeah, most people are just too scared to snatch things from the Housewarden like that lol, but I have a good enough rapport to know when I’ll be good enough to grab one. It’s just a single blank, dude can just make a new one.”

“Lmao we’re both being sneaky ig.”

“LMAOOO true. So we have an agreement right? We meet up tomorrow, exchange stuff, I’ll slip and redo the necklace and slip off in your place. Just like, go on a walk near RSA and send a PM with the location attached.”

Rielle sat up in his bed, and crossed his legs. He looked across his room, seeing the large vanity in his room, a spiraling pink coral going up towards the top. He looked back down at the message. Again, a slightly weird feeling. Like, a slight nausea in his stomach.

No, he was probably just kinda nervous. I mean, he got that same kinda feeling when he walked out of the water the first time, right? Besides. Claude was a micromanager. If the kid got caught by Claude, he would already be gone and just have to deal with it when he came back. At the worst case. Best case? No one would know. It’s not like his friends would pry into him taking a walk tomorrow, and he was used to meandering a bit when he went out and did things.

And beyond that, did he really have a better choice?

“Yeah. See you tomorrow, I’ll keep the hair and stuff in a box so I don’t lose it. I’ll even brief you on some of the celebration stuff so you can flow right.”

“Coolio! Pleasure talking.”

• • •

“…hey Jade, why’s like, your burner phone out on your desk. I thought you never used that thing lol.”

It sure was. Huh. Must have forgotten to put it back in his desk drawer.

“I was looking through some of my alternate accounts and seeing if there was anything I could gather about Coralliadom’s planning schedule. Rielle’s Vice has my normal accounts blocked, and as far as I’m aware he’s the one who’ll post updates of their process.”

“Uh…ok. You know that sounds like, hella creepy right?”

“I’m…conscious of it. My name isn’t attached for that very reason. I didn’t find anything though, so I’ll probably have to check tomorrow. Saddening.”

“Ok, whatever, it’s still creepy that you even have a burner phone.”

“‘Burner phone’ is a strong word, Floyd. I’m merely making use of an old phone. It still works, but I have better, so it’s just been relegated to side activities.”

“Can you just put that thing away, I was trying to text you earlier, and not checking your main phone was getting mad annoying.”

Jade sighed. “Ok. I have errands I need to run anyways.”

He took up the burner phone, and went into his wardrobe, opening the drawer at the bottom. In the back corner of it, a small wooden box with a latch lid, wrapped in a blanket. He unwound it, opening the box. Putting in the burner phone, there were only two items in the box. He shut the lid, rewrapped the blanket, and slipped it back into its corner.

The nautilus shell had lost some of its luster from the last time he had used it, and he would have to replace the string. But that hardly mattered.

It would work as well as ever.

[bezanime]

Generations 80: Engagement Party

Nevia and Cameron planned to informally announce their engagement at Harvestfest dinner... but the usual drama postponed it.

Cameron: "Aren't your parents active in the Willow Creek community? Have they recommend a venue?" *curious*

Nevia: "..." *pensive sigh* "I'm sure my mother would LOVE that."

Cameron: "You know we can do something else." *awkward* "It's just that my parent don't have the types of connections yours do."

Nevia: "No... It's just...." *thoughtful* "I love my mom but she loves to turn events into entire ordeals."

Cameron: "Hmm. What about your dad?"

Nevia: "He pretty much stays out of everything." *sighs* "You know what? I'll just talk to her and make our terms clear."

___

One phone call later Julie excitedly rented the Blue Velvet lounge for the party.

Julie: "Since my association successfully transformed the Blue Velvet from a dilapidated nightclub into a classy lounge, I'm sure you'll have a superb engagement party!" *overjoyed*

Nevia: "It wasn't "dilapidated" as a nightclub." *rolls eyes* "Anyways, I want this to be a small, close-nit event for our closest family and friends."

Julie: "Of course!" *happy* "I'm so glad you're entrusting me with planning this event!"

---

Finally the day of the engagement party arrived.

Cameron: "Oh wow! Is that a chocolate fountain?" *surprised*

Nevia: "Welcome to my childhood." *grabs a strawberry*

Nichole: "Congratulations you two!" *hugs* "I'm as happy now that you're joining our family as I was to help deliver CJ!"

Laurant: "Plus all of this..." *gestures at décor* "Is phenomenal!" *proud*

Cameron: "You can thank Ms. Lyon for the venue and décor." *grins*

---

Dani: "I'm so happy for you and Cameron!" *excited* "More importantly, I'm glad you two are getting married on your terms!!"

Nevia: "I really appreciate that, sis." *hugs* "Love you!"

Julie: "So?" *smiling ear-to-ear* "What do you think?"

Nevia: "It's actually really nice, mom." *smiles* "Thank you."

---

Cameron: "Hey man, thanks for coming!" *grins* "I actually wanted to ask... if you'll be my best man?

Tarik: "Yeah! I'm happy to be your best man, bro!" *hugs*

Fetia: "So when are you going to ask me to be your maid-of-honor?" *laughs*

Nevia: "Right now!" *hugs*

---

Laurant: "Hello?" *taps mic* "Can y'all hear me?"

Everyone: "Yeah we can" "Yes" "Go ahead"

Laurant: "I want thank Julie with providing us with this expensive bottle of champagne."

Everyone: *laughs*

Laurant: "I'm so proud of Cameron and Nevia for moving at their own pace. They went through it after college. Especially while raising our two grandbabies." *raises glass* "We love you and we support you."

Everyone: "Cheers!"

[himbo-kronk-stan]

Top 5 Lazytown songs for the meme

You know, this took me forever because I was originally going to take an afternoon to listen though the LT Soundtrack and really analyze for this answer- but eh screw it, being able to think of songs on the top of my head says a lot about their staying power and what they mean to me. (It also took a while bc if you save an ask you’re answering as a draft tumblr buries it.)

5. You are a Pirate; I set this as my alarm in 2018 and I still wake up to DO WHAT YOU WANT 'CAUSE A PIRATE IS FREE- YOU ARE A PIRATE! YAR HAR-

It's such a fun song, and one of those times you can tell Robbie got lost having fun with the kids. The "Wind at your back lass ware-ever you go!" lyric is so cute. Of course I can't listing to it without a jolt though my body like I just woke up, but that's worth it.

4. Always a way; I also downloaded that onto my phone in 2018- the same year a started collage and finally learned how to drive. Playing/Sinning that song prevented/helped me though a lot of panic attacks. Sometimes you just need a douse of unapologetic hopefulness and boy dose it deliver.

3. Íþróttaálfurinn; It’s so cute and fun, you bet your ass I try to sing and dance along to it alone at home, and it’s a good way to learn how to pronounce his name!

2. Good to be bad; You can hear Robbie's accent, the acting is so silly it fits wonderful with every character that has "villain" as a job title, and theirs the old mic/radio slice near the end I love that!!! I'm tempted to say this this is tied with another song but I don't want to cheat..... Wait, that's what a proper willan would do!!! This spot is tied with Wooof Woof Woof, I always play it right after Good to be Bad. It's delightfully theater kid villain and just adorable, plus it was made so Stefán could tap dance! What more could you want? I think for a sound track made to get you to dance, the best ones at it encourage that musically without having to literally tell you too (I know, I know, preschool show, but some interviews have said that they hoped different ages would respond and I remember being 5 when it aired and 13 when it came back, you lose kids in that middle with a Dora the explorer approach)

6. -Honorable Mention- LazyTown Forever; It's not technically an official song but

It's not my best singing or anything but you can defiantly hear my voice pretty prominently if you already know it, and that's soooo cool. The whole song is such a sweet thank you to Stefán and the rest of the crew, I'm really grateful I got to be apart of that.

Versti Fantur; Man it just slaps. Master of disguise is fun too but the vibe hits different. Robbie is singing is resume, Glanni is laughing to himself about a score he’s about to hit. It’s very fun sinister, the main part kinda has an Eartha Kitt Yzma vibe and then it gets all gloating cheerful just to swing back.

Thanks for the ask @lazycraze1991 that was fun!

[zazrichor]

as long as we are together

[eggocrumbs]

good morning’s and i love you’s

[dangerous-liaisons-daily]

Dear readers,

The formatting of Dangerous Liaisons Daily has started. It is time that I write a post presenting the project.

*taps mic*

Do you like sexual affairs? Do you like treason? Do you love revenge? And deceit? Yes, what about deceit? By the way, are you an average sin enjoyer? More than that, maybe? An expert sin enjoyer who will kiss all the prudes on your way to hell? Finally, do you swoon at the thought of an evil woman and/or a bastard man?

Well then, you should definitely subscribe to Dangerous Liaisons Daily, and follow the manipulative adventures of the Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont through their correspondence, in real time. You can find all the information you need on the about page of the project, where you can also subscribe if you want to.

It will start on August 3rd, 2022. Though i invite you to check your inbox a few days before. It will end on January 14th, 2023.

I wanted to set up a french version of it, but it would be too much work on such a short notice for it to be ready in august. That being said, it will happen next year. The english version of the project will be reconducted next year if you enjoy it, or if you can’t make it this year for any reason (for example, if you are reading any other ongoing newsletter).

If you have any question, you can shoot me an ask or dm me.

PS : A huge thank you to the 99 people who already subscribed at the moment i type this post! This is incredible, I am humbled and honored to receive such support!

See you soon to share gossip like the heretics we are ;)