#I am showing them the wonderous world of emo music

[purplebehittindifferent]

Me slowly turning my normie cacalakey friends into fanfiction reading, cosplay creating, hyper-fixating, tumblrinas

[destinygoldenstar]

Worst ways to describe Ninjago to people

(Let me know if I should turn this into a series, or if you come up with any)

(These are all jokes)

"This is a show about how plastic makes tornadoes"

"That's Jay, the blue guy. His special power is screaming at the very top of is lungs"

"That's Kai. He's an anime protagonist. His special power is getting sidelined in everything he's ever been involved with"

"That's Cole. Best hair. No criticism" (Quote my GF)

"Society hates and torments a ten year old because he's a brat"

“See, his father is a tired old man who wants to be a better father, it’s hard when you’re an evil terrorist trying to turn the world into your personal zombie land”

"And then the child slipped on ice and fell into a snake pit, and then he was a KING"

"So there's this purple snake. He eats purple snakes. That's how you know he's a good friend"

"Also there's a pink ninja. Yeah. We don't talk about pinkie no no no no no-"

"He's always wondered who he was on the inside... turns out he's a bunch of wires"

"If he could get someone to fall in love with him, the curse would be broken. But who could ever learn to love a snake?"

"His dad didn't say NO MUSIC, he said YES MUSIC, ONLY MUSIC"

"So they have the devil himself living in their boat, and they all think he's a really good neighbor who wouldn't try to kill them while they're sleeping. Except for this one guy who is suspicious. What a hypocrite he is, am I right?"

"Do I save the entire world or do I have this one child? I'm gonna save the child, c'mere child"

"'No destiny, I AM the Green Ninja' 'NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-'"

"And then the emo child became god"

"So he died. Then he died. And then he died again."

"A machine told her that cheating was okay"

"To save her life, he gave her a piece of his heart. Literally"

"And then they were yeeted into space"

"The Flash is in this show"

"You know how they say the cake is a lie? Wrong. It's the noodles"

"The best way to make things right with your friend is to try to strike them with lightning"

"I must fulfill my daddy's wishes to start up the evil empire-but wait, why is this fire boy so pretty? I think I'll side with him"

"Dude was drunk on power holding a stick, don’t worry he’s fine, they just had to slap him with a jet”

"He was born a devil in a human's body. Then he became a devil. Then he became human again. Then he became a snake. Then he became a dead person. Then the devil again."

"Dead people are deadly allergic to water"

"What do you do when you don't know what to do with a character? MURDER THEM... and then bring them back as a ghost. Problem solved"

"A thousand year old genie wants to marry a teenage girl"

"You ever heard of Romeo and Juliet? Well Jay just said NOPE"

"A young boy became the father of an elderly man"

"Oh Lloyd, if only there was someone out there who loved you"

"And then his dad was brought back from hell to drag him along"

"They didn't die, they were transported to the middle of nowhere"

"A child grew up with his four dads, and then became thousands of years older than said four dads and tried to become a counselor to their rocky marriage"

"Cole fell into the void"

(Come up with your own when reblogging)

[ninevoltheartmusic]

It wasn't a phase: band reunions and nostalgia trips

Just over four years ago, I went to My Chemical Romance's return show at the Shrine in Los Angeles. Since then, I've been thinking about reunions and comebacks, and how we as music fans relate to them. When bands reunite, as MCR did in 2019, that reunion creates two separate sets of fans: one group that is excited about the reunion as a way to revisit the past, and another group that never left, for whom the band is not past, but has always been present.

I fall into the latter category when it comes to MCR. Since their reunion, I've spent a lot of time thinking about (and being mildly annoyed by) the fans who thought of MCR's return as a nostalgia trip, as revisiting their 'teenage emo phase'. For so many of us, MCR wasn't a phase, and the band getting back together has been something that has helped us reconnect with something that has always been part of us rather than something we left behind. I found myself at MCR shows in 2022 wondering why these other fans don't seem to realise or care that my friends and I have been here all along. Where had all these people come from? Why were the people who made fun of us in high school for liking this band suddenly showing up at their concerts?

My favourite band getting back together has been a healing experience, and one that has reconnected me with so many things I have always loved. I never stopped being an MCR fan, although I stopped being an MCR obsessive for a while during their breakup. I moved onto other things, explored different interests for a while. That was probably a very normal and healthy thing to do, but it also made me feel like I lost touch with myself for a bit. During the breakup years (2013-2019), I tried on a lot of personalities. Part of that is just growing up, but part of it was me not really being sure what the core parts of myself were. When MCR got back together, it was like a slap in the face – oh, right. That's who I am. Of course.

I was lucky enough to see MCR quite a few times on their reunion tour. Each show helped me see a bit more clearly all the things I had been missing for so long. I realised that I had never really stopped being that person who was so obsessed with MCR as a teenager, and that I could be that person again. Sort of. An older, wiser, slightly less awkward version, perhaps.

For me, MCR's reunion meant coming back to my true self, remembering that I am a creative person who loves music, who is passionate about my favourite things, who wants to make a positive impact on the world. MCR has been one of the most consistent presences in my life (that 20-year anniversary is coming faster than I'd like to acknowledge) and their comeback was not just a nostalgia trip but a reconnection to a love that has always existed, even if it was quieter for a while.

When I think about it, that's not so different from the people who just want to revisit their teenage years for a moment before returning back to their office jobs and their kids or whatever it is I imagine them doing that isn't being an obsessive 30-something music fan. They go out to the show, spend a night being teenagers again, and they realise a lot has changed, but also nothing has – that their teenage self is still a part of them, and they take that reminder into their daily lives and find comfort in it. It's not so different from my experience; it just has a different flavour.

Something about that nostalgic mindset still gets to me, though. Now that I'm at the age where nostalgia marketing is being directed towards me and my generation, I realise what a scam the whole thing is. Capitalism turns a nice feeling from remembering the past into things like the When We Were Young festival that use nostalgia as a cheap trick to get people to part with hundreds of dollars. It's nothing new, but that marketing tactic is just so uncreative, so aggravating.

In my least charitable thoughts, I think people like the organisers of WWWY don't care about music at all – they just want to make people in their thirties feel ancient, remind them that their teen years were the only time they truly felt happy and free, and then get them to spend exorbitant amounts of money on tickets to relive those youthful experiences for a day or two. The reality is that thirties isn't that old; it's an age where there is still so much room for possibility, where the best years may still be ahead. To essentially tell this generation that our prime years are far behind us is to deprive us of hope, in a way.

MCR themselves even made fun of this aspect of WWWY at their appearance in 2022, wearing makeup that made them look twice their age, skin sagging while they wore their old Revenge-era outfits. "Do you really think we're that old now?" the band seemed to ask. "Shouldn't we be doing this stuff when we're 80, not in our 30s and 40s?"

Ultimately, though, bringing music fans to the same place at the same time to see bands they love is almost always a good thing. MCR is playing WWWY again this October and instead of thinking of that other group of fans or nostalgia marketing, I'm trying to imagine the sound of that sea of people singing the opening lines of "Welcome to the Black Parade" together. It's my least favourite MCR song, and I don't totally understand the fans who haven't loved MCR for nearly every second of the last two decades, and I hate the WWWY message of "you're old and boring now except for this one day at our festival" – but hearing everyone singing "when I was a young boy / my father took me into the city" together is going to be a beautiful moment, without question. The sound of thousands of voices singing the same words never loses its power or its beauty.

I just try to remember that all ways of enjoying music are equally important. We lose something of what makes music so special when we start to prioritize certain fans over others or say that some experiences are less valid. I have tickets to see MCR at WWWY this year, and I hope to forget these annoyances and frustrations, even if only for the day. It's okay that it was just a phase for some people even if it wasn't for me. We'll all be singing "we'll carry on" together, and in that moment, the different ways we all love this band will prove to be largely the same.

[hanamiyama-basketball-club]

was lying awake last night and thinking some things that felt profound in my insomnia as one does. the characters I am most interested in are the ones that aren't very much like me most of the time (I mean everyone's got *something* relatable) bc a character or a setting for me is just like. a little world in a bubble that I can touch and enter into what it would be like to be someone completely different. and like yeah people tell me I should be able to do this for real people too but like. there is a right answer for real people and I'm probably not going to get it right and it feels weird to assume I even could and at least in fiction I can be like well I think this is what it would be like and someone else probably has a different take and that's cool isn't it. that's cool

real people are weird though how am I supposed to understand what you're feeling. I don't believe the people who think they can do it are right any more often than I am. but I can imagine being shuu facing down maybe the last time he'll ever play music and looking up at all the peeling stickers on the ceiling from the bands that burnt out before him and maybe he looks into the audience and sees their faces for the first time and maybe he imagines being them. maybe he wonders if they can tell he's choking down blood. does he want them to know, how does he want them to remember this. I'll never be in that situation, imagining it doesn't really do me much good, but it's a little capsule of feeling something completely different to what I'm feeling. like doing a stretch, I guess. I sure feel a lot of emotions but they're mostly just "pointless anger" and "childlike wonder" so it's cool that I can tap into something else for a change

and maybe you'd tell that story completely differently and that's incredible. and none of this has anything to do with the actual band who were actually playing at the show last night who I also really liked and I would like to see again sorry I promise I didn't just think about fictional emo furries

[lsdunesarchive]

Frank Iero ‘knew’ L.S. Dunes had to tour in Britain: ‘There’s something about the UK that just gets it’

Words by Rachael O'Connor Photo by Mark Beemer November 10, 2022

US Rock band L.S. Dunes is preparing to release a new album and head out on a tour of the UK

Amid the uncertainty of the pandemic and all of its devastating restrictions, Frank Iero didn’t know if he’d ever play music to a live audience again.

The guitarist and vocalist is best known for being a member of rock band My Chemical Romance, who made a surprise return in 2019 six years after they announced their split.

But while that reunion tour proved long delayed, and live audiences as a whole seemed to be a thing of the past, Frank joined fellow musicians and friends Travis Stever, Tucker Rule, Tim Payne and Anthony Green, to keep making music.

They had to, he explains: it was a ‘lifeline’ to them, while everything else was so uncertain.

Now the music put together by these five friends has a name: L.S. Dunes, billed as an ’emo supergroup’ as it features members of MCR, Saosin, Thursday and Coheed and Cambria.

Frank isn’t too fond of that phrasing – more on that later – but speaking to him, it is abundantly clear how excited he is to tour upcoming album Past Lives with L.S. Dunes, particularly in the UKr.

Why? Because the UK gets it.

L.S. Dunes are bringing their energetic live performances to the UK next year (Picture: Mark Beemer)

‘As soon as I heard this record I was immediately like, “We need to go to the UK,”‘ he tells Metro.co.uk.

‘I don’t know if it’s the sensibilities but I’ve always felt like, whether it was My Chemical Romance, Death Spells, there’s something about the UK that just kind of gets it. And they tend to get it before anybody else.

‘There’s a certain sensibility around some of the stuff that I make. [The UK] feels like, some might say a second home but it feels like a first home for the art.’

After performing in arenas across the world with My Chemical Romance – with more to come in Australia and New Zealand next year – the New Jersey native is ready to take it back to more intimate venues with the L.S. Dunes tour.

Frank, Tucker, Anthony, Tim and Travis are doing a short but sweet trip across the UK, with shows in Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham and London’s Electric Ballroom at the end of January.

With four shows in a row, it doesn’t give the band much of a chance to explore, but as Frank puts it, ‘I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to play a lot of those places a bunch of times in the past.’

Guitarist Frank says there’s something about the UK that he ‘knew’ the band had to tour there (Picture: Luke Dickey)

‘I don’t think I’ve ever had a negative show. Even the hard ones, they teach you something. But we picked four great cities to have in a row.’

With Past Lives set for release on November 11, the guitarist says performing the songs live is his ‘biggest Want of this year,’ stressing it in such a way that you can hear the capitalisation of the word.

‘I’ve listened to this record countless times and I haven’t gotten sick of it. That’s not something that I think easily happens.

‘You get a real sense of what the band is, where it came from, and what we’re trying to put across. It’s not a light record, there are some heavy moments, musically but also emotionally in the subject matter.

‘It’s something that needs to be digested a little bit, and I am looking forward to people hearing the record the way we made it and then experiencing it live.’

The musicians desperately missed performing during the pandemic, leading to jam sessions which eventually became the new ‘supergroup' (Picture: Mark Beemer)

This is L.S. Dunes’ future: albums, touring, the roar of a live crowd. But back when it all started, in the darkest days of the early pandemic, none of it seemed possible.

‘Collectively we (the future L.S. Dunes band members) all felt the same way. Nobody knew what was going to come of it. You’re watching people lose their lives, lose their livelihoods all around you,’ Frank recalls.

‘People were scared to go outside and scared of other people. [Making music] was our way to still connect – and we didn’t even need to be in the same room together.

‘It became this lifeline of creating art and playing together and making something out of this craziness and this fear that we all had.’

A few of the future members had jammed together for a Thursday live stream in 2020, but L.S. Dunes really started life with bassist Tim and drummer Tucker contacting Frank and Travis and asking if they wanted to create original music.

‘I was never going to say no to that,’ Frank says. ‘”You want to write music with some of your best friends that are some of the best musicians you know?” Like, I definitely want to do that!’

Frank describes his bandmate as some of his ‘best friends’ and ‘the best musicians’ (Picture: Zachary Spangler)

In the basements of family homes, Dunes tracks were being created bit by bit, with the members emailing each other something new to work on every day.

At this point in its life, the group didn’t have a vocalist, and Frank admits none of the members were interested in taking on the role.

They even dabbled in the idea of being a fully instrumental band, but eventually ‘the name on all of our tongues was Anthony’ – and as soon as they heard him sing, Frank realised: ‘Oh… this is a real band.’

But Anthony had no idea what he was auditioning for: he didn’t even know who the other members of L.S. Dunes were. He simply heard the instrumental track – sent over email – and got to work.

‘The fact he jumped on it and started to write lyrics and sending tracks back immediately, without even knowing who was in the band, was testament to how much of an artist he is and how fearless he is to jump into anything,’ Frank praises the band’s frontman.

‘And how good the songs were! They moved him, without knowing who it was. So that was a big excitement for us as well.’

The result being breathtaking debut album Past Lives, with each of the 11 tracks offering something unique and, often, devastating.

Take for example 2022, the opening track and one of the three singles released from Past Lives so far. For a band founded in the middle of the pandemic, it’s to be expected there’ll be some reflection on those dark days, and the album’s opener is a gut-punch with its raw emotion: ‘If I can’t make it ’til 2022/ at least we’ll see how much I can take.’

The song was so personal, so ‘haunting and beautiful’ that Frank admits he was wary to work on Anthony’s demo at all ‘until he assured us over and over again that that’s what he wanted.’

‘It’s hard to take a song with that much weight to it and put your spin on it. You have to keep checking in and be like “Is this the right direction, how do you feel about this?”‘

But they persevered, and the final product on Past Lives is actually, Frank reveals, the first time he ever played 2022 in full.

‘I heard the song, I listened to it, I listened to what Tucker was doing, and then my first complete run-through of the song is what’s on the record,’

‘I knew I’d be chasing that performance,’ he explains, describing the song as ‘a real special one.’

And so the band is born. They have songs. An album. A name. And then they had to keep it quiet for the bones of two years.

‘It was an amazing feeling [to finally announce it] – it felt like a weight had been lifted,’ Frank grins.

‘It’s hard to keep that secret, especially when it’s something you’re so proud of and so into. It’s been hard to hold these songs in for as long as we have!’

L.S. Dunes made their debut performance at Riotfest, when they had just one single out in the world, and were playing to a crowd who had not necessarily come to see them.

‘It was like “This could be terrible,”‘ Frank recalls. ‘But it was the best first show of any band I’ve ever been in. It was insane.’

L.S. Dunes made their debut at Riotfest this year when they had just one single out, but it was ‘the best first show’ of any band Frank’s been in (Picture: Mark Beemer)

But because of this, ‘it’s hard to see what the fanbase is at the moment.’

‘It does feel like it runs the gamut of all of our bands, but also individuals that maybe weren’t fans of previous stuff but are fans of this project. That’s also what we’re trying to get across with the idea of Past Lives: this is where we’ve been, it got us to where we are now, but that’s not what this band is.

‘This band needs to be able to stand on its own two feet. I think we accomplish that in the record and it’s up to the listener to give it its chance. I think people are smart enough to do that.’

With each of the members already having stellar careers, their original bands being massive names in the scene for years, L.S. Dunes has been labeled an ’emo supergroup’ – and Frank is not exactly a fan.

‘I don’t mean to call anybody out, but it just feels lazy,’ he sighs.

‘People are way into labels of things and they like to put things in boxes. I love little containers for things, but not people and art.

‘The supergroup thing, I get it. We’ve all been in other successful bands. But really … this is just the friend group that I have. We all live kinda close to each other, and when you tour enough you become friends with people that do what you do.

‘Supergroup, I don’t know – they’re like my friends from work.’

Frank is currently on tour in the US with My Chemical Romance, after an incredible UK and Europe leg earlier this year, before L.S. Dunes was announced.

Now preparing to take Dunes on tour for the first time, Frank is ready to finish up with MCR and ‘dedicate my full brain space to all the Dunes songs.’

‘It’s been a lot!’ he reveals. ‘With My Chem, we had basically a bank of around 50 songs… and then the 11 Dunes songs were in my head. I would be rehearsing the songs we were going to do that night for My Chem, and then jump over to the Dunes set for the Riotfest Aftershock shows, then go back and forth… so my practice schedule was almost as long as the show.

‘I’m looking forward to scaling it down a little bit. I’m surprised I’m not having nosebleeds!’

L.S. Dunes’ debut album, Past Lives, is out on November 11. The UK tour kicks off in January.

[brandstifter-sys]

Pomp and Princes

Chapter 2: Knights of the Round               (Ao3)

Word Count: 1247

Rating: T+

Characters: Virgil, Remy, Remus, Roman

Warnings: genderbend, fem!remy, ftm!virgil, nonbinary!remus, mtf!roman, mild sex mention

The night before he has to go on tour, Remy drags Virgil to her favorite duo’s final concert. And he just so happens to catch a certain performer’s attention

Virgil was really busy with work, taking on extra hours to stock shelves. He had to pay for a four month supply of his medication, his part of the rent for the next two months, and food. Remy was fine with handling the rent for the next year if he wanted her to, but Virgil insisted. It was a fun argument. 

On top of all that, he had to learn twelve songs from sheet music. He recorded them when he had them down so he could listen to them while he worked. Remy got sick of hearing them over and over, but she didn't complain. Virgil was a fast learner and he was going to be awesome. But he needed to get out and live a little. 

That's why he was here, front row, by the stage, waiting for the final act with his headphones in. Remy was shaking with excitement, staring at the stage with stars in her eyes. She never did find anyone else to go with her, which meant Virgil was going to have to deal with a late night before his 5am trip. The trunk was packed up with his stuff so that was one less thing to worry about. And Remy only wanted to worry about one thing.

"Virgie can you believe—? We're gonna get to see them so close! And then we get to meet them! Roma and Remus! I'm gonna lose it!" she squealed, aware that she was talking to the air. She didn't mind, she was too busy wondering what the "princes" were up to…

"Call time in three!" a man in a polo and khakis shouted as the twins adjusted their costumes.

"Our last show together," Roma said with a smirk, "Ready?" 

"Me?" Remus asked and wiggled his mustache in thought while he adjusted his collar, "I'm ready for my next tour! Jay got a band together real quick, and he said they're not cis." 

"Not even you!" 

"I'm a marvelous maverique boy and I am going to rock the world! Without dressing like a gay hairdresser on Halloween!"

"Just make it through tonight," Roma said with a sad smile, "And you better send pics of all the places you get to see while I'm stuck in LA filming."

"You're not getting any pics of the people I screw!" Remus teased, making Roma's face scrunch up with disgust.

"Places!" the man in khakis shouted. It was time…

The dim lights in the house dimmed even further and a low hum rumbled from the speakers. Virgil paid it all no mind, but Remy was screaming and jumping as the stage backdrop lit up red and green and two spotlights landed center stage on dense fog. 

"Ladies, Lords, and Non-binary Royalty!" A voice boomed over the speakers, it was a recording of the twins' voices merged to sound like one person but it didn't work too well. The crowd erupted into cheers as ten backup dancers skipped on stage, dressed in fairytale clothes. 

"Your wait is over!" the voice boomed over the music that was picking up. The dancers on stage moved fluidly with the beat while the crowd lost its cool. 

"Oh my god, Virgie! They're starting with 'No Holding Back' I can't even!" Remy squealed, only to find Virgil still listening to his playlist—emo song, song he had to learn, emo song, song he had to learn, and so on. He was just jamming with his eyes closed, so Remy could still live if she pulled an earbud out to gush. But she didn't want to lose her hand. 

Remy didn't bother worrying about her friend, not when the duo of the evening rose up in the middle of the stage. 

Roma and Remus shared a look when the platform stopped and grinned. It was showtime! They strode forward, in sync, past the dancers and to the front of the stage. The crowd went absolutely apeshit! But a certain person in the front row caught Remus' attention as he performed. 

Virgil was too busy to care about the uproar. He was lounging in his seat, mimicking how to move his fingers on the frets for his gig. He didn't notice Remy losing her mind and squealing because Remus was looking their way, more than just once.

Truth be told, Remus was confused, there were so many people who wanted to see Pomp and Princes, so many people who would kill for a ticket, and yet someone who didn't want to pay any attention to the performance was seated in the most expensive seats! And he wasn't even a parent! He was lucky that the oddity wasn't throwing him off—just the guy's hotness. 

Roma was good at subtly keeping him on track through their entire set list, and she did a lot more talking between songs, which Remus was fine with. He was tired and sweaty and he wanted to get out of his costume and find that Gerard Way-looking hottie in the hoodie before he left. 

"Thank you so much for your support and applause!" Roma said after the second last song, "This is as you know, our last performance!" A discontented rumble reached them from the crowd. 

"I know, I know," Remus sighed, "But we're ogre it! We have to move forward. So for our last song, let's make it count. If you know the words, sing along!" 

"Where have all the good men gone and where are all the guards?" Roma sang acapella, "Where's the streetwise Hercules to fight the rising wars?" 

"Isn't there a dark knight, upon a fiery steed? Late at night, I toss and I turn and I dream of what I need!" Remus continued, butchering the lyrics. The crowd went nuts again, everyone shouting at the top of their lungs, one phrase took over the venue:

"Hit it!" 

The music started, rising in a crescendo just like the cheers from the crowd. The backup dancers were in full swing and the twins pulled their prop swords from their belts. What kind of princes wouldn't have a staged sword fight!? 

By this point, Virgil's ipod had died and he was not about to waste his phone battery. He lazily glanced at Remy, who was standing up and flipping out, and then to the stage. 

How those two managed to keep singing in key and in time and then sparring like in the Princess Bride, and then back was beyond him. He was impressed, sure, but he wanted to get out of there and out of his binder, and maybe hit up the nearest diner with Remy. He didn't expect to get any sleep that night anyway. 

"I need a hero!" Roma sang the last line of the song and fell to her knees. Remus was a few feet in front of her, and he charged, prop sword drawn. He leapt onto the air and flipped over Roma while the pyrotechnics near the back of the stage went off, silhouetting the duo. Remus stuck the landing holding his sword in the air with one hand on his hip. The crowd lost it and then the lights went out. 

"Holy shit! Virgie!" Remy screamed and grabbed her friend by the shoulders, "That was like so epic!—Ohemgee, get up! We're going backstage right now!" Virgil pushed her back and got up, rolling his neck with a satisfying pop. 

"Let's get this over with," he sighed. Remy was too happy to really dampen her mood. 

I update this on Ao3 faster than here fyi

[always-andromeda]

helllo!!!! congrats on 500 :^) you’re super talented and it was VERY deserved!!

Can I request ‘Louisa’, for Paul Dano characters?

I’m eighteen and a half, hoping to become a writer/illustrator — but maybe a teacher? I haven’t decided yet. Maybe all of the above! I like to say I’m outgoing and extroverted, but I can also be really shy and awkward. I’ve dyed my hair every color of the rainbow — and right now it’s a blueish-green and dark brown. I have seven piercings, and four tattoos — all done by myself (I take great pride in them all). My clothing style is a bit hippy-ish, but I also just like my bellbottom jeans and band-tees, so maybe grunge? I think everything about me screams ‘Californian’. I like to think I’m funny, and I’m a bit sensitive too. I don’t have a lot of friends because I like to keep my circle small, but the few friends I have mean the world to me! I can also be seen as.. obnoxious. But I like to think I’m just strong-minded! I am an advocate for what I believe in, and I have no problem standing up for myself or people who need it. I love cats, and I like kids too! I used to babysit for my mom’s friends for two years. I like to cook, and bake — though I seem to have the worst luck with making cookies. I love sushi! Going to dinner and trying new foods with people is so so fun to me — I love seeing their reactions. I love sharing the music I like, and movies. I could rewatch my favorite movies a million times. I like going on walks a lot! I like walking in the forest and showing my friends my special spots — creepy tunnels or trails with grass nearly up to my shoulders. I’m also a giver. I love giving gifts, and cooking for people. I love birthdays or just offering to buy people stuff, it makes me so happy! I think I can match peoples’ energy pretty well too. But I’m always kind of energetic. Oh! I also read tarot cards! I collect crystals (I have an impressive collection), and I’m very into astrology.

Congrats again!! I always look forward to reading your stuff (:

Author’s Note | ugh, thank you immensely for your sweet words and your request!! I hope you enjoy my pairing!!

I am pairing you with ✨ Brian!! ✨ Side Note: I’m well aware this man has five minutes of screen time in Fast Food Nation, so I will be taking some liberties in how I interpret his character!!

First and foremost, your style would probably allure Brian. He’d probably assume you to be the same brand of jaded and sardonic as he is. But as soon as he gets to know you and your personality, he’ll find himself suddenly seeing in color. You’d challenge the endless cycling routine that is his life.

And, for the love of god, take this guy out to get something other than fast food. His diet consists exclusively of Diet Pepsi and curly fries and he would lose his mind going to new restaurants. Though he might be a little weary wondering what the waiters are doing to the food before it hits the floor (because he sure as hell knows what he does to the food he prepares before it gets to the customer), he’d get a real kick out of trying something that isn’t fried or artificial.

Between your enthusiasm for getting him to try new things and exploration, you’d add some well needed substance in his life. Being a worker in the service industry, Brian often finds himself spiraling into the mindset that nothing really matters. But the way that you exude life could really shed some light on the life of this pessimistic, greasy, emo boy.

[harley-michaels-main]

hello, i was wondering if you would possibly do a Jujutsu Kaisen Match up for me

I’m Ghost, I am Aquarius born, ISTP personality, and I’m panromantic with a male lean, with any pronouns.

im 5’5, shoulder length blonde, pale ivory skin tone, Grunge aesthetic and Green/hazel eyes, I have been told by a few of my friends that I look like a middle age man who either only drinks coffee or whiskey.

I have trust issues, I tend to be stand off-ish to people and prefer to be alone in dark and quite places, though I am open and happy around people I feel like I can trust, I’m a bit chaotic and tend to get out of hand when it comes to things I am passionate about, and I like to have deep meaningful conversations with people.

I like most parts of nature, like flowers, bugs, animals, and the sounds, I listen too Grunge, emo, rock, metal, and punk bands, I do a lot of art, i enjoy drawing plants and my ocs, In my free time I do art, I read, write, and watch anime, some of my favourites are Death parade, demon slayer, and skate the infinity, I play a lot of video games, like Resident evil(I love anything horror and gory), kingdom hearts, danganronpa, and legend of Zelda:Breath of the wild.

I hate jerks, bullies, people that are clingy and/or loud, I dislike red meats, I have Emetophobia and Trypanophobia, and I hate going out to public places like stores and restaurants for long perriods of type.

Extra Facts and Notes:

-I can lift a full grown man.

-my favorite flowers are orchids, mandevilla and daisies.

-my favorite bands are My Chemical Romance, Fall out boy, Metallica, and Panic!at the disco

-I have a preference to people taller then me, or as i say "i like my men how i like my hoodies, tall and cuddly"

-hopeless romantics are also on that list

have a good day/night

Hi darling, I hope you're doing alright and the universe is treating you like the queen/king you deserve because I know for sure that your match up would.

Your Jujutsu Kaisen Match Up is...

Yuta Okkotsu

Not only does he fit the tall and cuddly type you're looking for, but he shares quite a few of the same interests as you.

He would definitely be the type to go on mature walks with you. To be able to get away from stress and to be with one of the people he cares the most about? I think yes.

He also likes to send you photos of weir plants whenever he travels and send them to you because they remind him of you.

While he isn't the type to enjoy sitting in the dark, Yuta will sit with you for as long as you'd like because he knows how you enjoy the peace and quiet.

He will also be the person to talk to you about deep conversations about the world and why the universe has such weird ways of showing signs.

However, he doesn't like to dive too deeply into these conversations because he knows how scary it can be sometimes. He doesn't want to be scared anymore, he simply wants to live a normal life with you.

Although there is one thing you two are at a crossroads and that is taste in music. He is definitely the type to listen to some lofi pop instead of the more hard sounding types of music.

Dont worry though he will always listen to your song recommendations at least once and there are a couple that he genuinely likes.

Oh, and lifting him up? Consider him a blushing mess. He loves that you're so strong but its somewhat embarrassing to have your much shorter S/O carry you.

Do be sure to pick him up as many times as possible. Maybe even squat him. Never skip leg day.

He is also the most romantic second year. He loves to plan little dates ror you two even if you arent able to get away for a long time.

Have half an hour between classes? You two are eating a snack in the garden. You two both happen to have a free day? Not anymore! Now you two are having a movie binge. You are only able to see each other in the hallway briefly? He's giving you a snack and a kiss on the forehead.

He also always tells you good morning and to have a good day, regardless if there was a fight the night before.

Yuta is the type of man who will try anything for you and will always be there to help you through your fears.

Alternate Choices

Toge Inumaki

Aoi Todo

Maki Zen'in

[quite-right-too]

Get To Know Me

I'm going to go ahead and tag @demdifferentstories-29 @thirdeyeblue and @deardiary17

What is your name? My name is Cody.

For how long have you had this account? I just hit 8 years yesterday!

Favourite food? I can't say I necessarily have a favorite but I do really love sushi.

Favourite drink? I am a simp for those VitaminWater drinks.

Do you have any siblings? I have three brothers and a sister (and I'm the youngest).

Do you have pets? I do! I currently have 4 dogs (Dante, Brekker, Zagreus, and Kavik) and 5 cats (Middie, Cricket, Basil, Sage, and McRib).

How old are you? 20, turning 21 in December.

How many languages do you know? I know English and have taken both Spanish and Japanese (but I'm awful at both).

What's your all time favourite movie/tv show? Doctor Who, obviously. But otherwise, it's Grey's Anatomy.

What are you enjoying to do in your free time? I play music mostly during my free time. Otherwise, I'm usually writing or working my dogs.

Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Extrovert all the way.

Your favourite music genres? Midwest emo, folk punk, and pop-punk.

Your dream place to visit? I have a lot of places I want to visit, but I think London is one of them.

Something you wish you were better at? I wish I was a bit more advanced in terms of my vocal ability, but it just takes practice.

How long do you take to respond to texts? I try to respond immediately, unless I'm asleep. Then you get a response as soon as I wake up.

Do you have any tattoos? If not, would like to? I have one for now. It's a quote that says "victory stands on the back of sacrifice", surrounded by a laurel wreath. I have some more in the works but tattoos are expensive.

What's your sexuality? I'm bisexual.

Do you like reading? If yes what's your favourite book? I don't have a favorite book but I'm working on reading Uprooted Americans, a book about Japanese Americans and the war relocation to internment camps during World War II. This is partly because my father was part of the group that was brought to Manzanar in California.

Have you ever been in love? I am currently in love with my wonderful wife.

What's your relationship status? Married!

Have you ever been heartbroken? Yes, many times. Not necessarily romantically but in many different contexts.

Best memory you could think of? So I have a brain injury, resulting in a significant amount of short-term and long-term memory loss. There are a lot, especially regarding my wife. If we choose my earliest memory, it would be when I was in preschool. It was during pickup time and I was waiting for my mom to come get me since it was getting late. My mom didn't walk in, but my older brother did. I didn't see him often since he lived with his dad so I ran up and hugged him since I was just so excited for him to be there.

Worst memory you can think of? Ah, there are also a lot here. Probably my parents' funerals. Sad, I know, but don't feel too bad about it. They were a while ago and I've worked through the trauma.

Do you have any fears? Without getting into deep psychological fears, I really don't like spiders. Too many legs.

Are you a morning or a night person? I'm a whenever-I'm-awake person.

How many pictures you have on your phone? Currently 1,480.

Who was your favourite childhood crush? My wife definitely.

Are you a romantic? Not necessarily. I like the romantic aspect in theory, but I have a hard time applying it.

What’s your dream date? Probably going somewhere adventurous. Theme parks are one big idea.

What are your hobbies? Like I said, I'm a musician. I also write, train dogs, and used to fly small planes for a bit.

[slothnh]

The Moon to His Stars

Synopsis: I have never written a multi part story before, especially without much dialogue. So I decided to challenge myself, to get myself out of the comfort zone! Reader is kinda anxious, down bad, literally Bruce Wayne without the Batman persona and without being rich. So basically just emo 😭. I used second person and no pronouns or anything for the Reader. But yeah hopefully I'll continue this?

The diner didn't always feel as lifeless as it did during the night shift. You took night shifts because you thought of it as your duty to, all of your coworkers being everything but the introverted, scared, night owl you were. It could get boring during the late hours, but that means not having to deal with anyone weird or creepy. Besides, there is someone who comes around the late evening, someone who usually isn't easy to befriend, yet opened up with ease.

Perhaps it was the fact you two were the sides of the same coin, with similar backgrounds, similar demeanor. Or how nervous you were at first, taking his order. Because he definitely could understand your social awkwardness and anxiety. Truly, he felt understood every time a conversation was struck up.

You felt like a fish stuck on a hook, and he was dragging you in, closer and closer to himself.

Mainly, it was just him talking, you listening and nodding on, trying to show that you were listening intently, hanging, latching onto his every word. You looked at him so intently, like he hung the moon and the stars upon the sky, sure, you couldn't see much of them because of the city. But you're also oh so sure, he could take them all down and put them back on again.

He liked it, you, to say the least. He never had someone to listen to him, to tell him the things he feels or says are normal or make complete perfect sense. He felt like he belonged there with you, on those late, rainy nights. The radio always playing, even during your conversations, some older songs which you remembered to play during your shift. He commented how he liked more classical, older music before, and then the next day, ever since in actuality, your shift never had any new modern songs playing.

He always ordered the same, somehow never getting bored of the same combo, 3 times a week. You always looked forward to seeing him, hoping maybe he'd start visiting every day, though, in today's economy that isn't the wisest, you knew that. Every time he did come and sit over at the counter, you'd live and cherish every moment, every word he'd say. You'd replay them like an old song you liked back in middle school, to hear the nostalgia and to remind yourself how life was back then. Of course, it wasn't the best, but nostalgia loves to paint pretty pictures and mask the bad, horrid memories.

The moments with Edward felt so real and true, you'd believe everything and everyone else was fake if he told you so. The same way you latched onto all of the words he formed into sentences. It made you feel selfish at times, to allow such a great man into your life, yet feeling like you never gave enough back.

He came into the diner 3 days a week, ordering and always tipping. You felt the whole world should hear out his wonderful mind, his ideas, and the way his mind worked was such a wonder. You wanted to take him apart, again and again, just to see how his brain works. He always left you thinking, wondering, on and on about what was going on inside of him.

All you could muster up and think about was him while waiting for the hour he will show up. His days of coming and going might be consistent, but his hours never were. Sometimes he'd show at 9 pm, but other times at 2 am. No other patrons were in the diner. It could get lonesome at times, as it always did at the dead of the night. Nothing happened in your life that had been worth noting, so your brain always came back to yearning. It became such an automatic response, sometimes it even happened without thinking.

It had been months since he started coming in during your shift, yet he never made a move. Never asked for your number or your social media. But you can't pin it all on him, you didn't make a move either. And suddenly, something just clicked.

What if he doesn't see you in that way, in that light? What if all he wanted in actuality, was a friend. He didn't have many of those in his life, from what he told you. Perhaps, he was just humoring you or pitied you for being such a lonesome creature.

What if you were just being selfish? Wanting someone so much, yet him not wanting you back?

What if, what if, what if...

The door opened, the little bell ringing along with it, just a second behind. Lifting your head off of the counter and moving your hands away that were above it, fighting a war against your scalp as you got lost in your thoughts. Your eyes locked with the last person you wanted to see. Yes, you missed him, but how can you look him in the eyes after everything that went through your head mere seconds before?

He smiled lightly, oh shit you haven't spoken a word to him. Quickly smiling, you waved at him.

"Hi.." you tried not to make it awkward, there was no reason for it to be. Sighing, this is going to be a long shift.

EDIT: I opened asks! So if you want a part 2, or have a request or anything, please ask away!!

[nn-ee-zz]

Hello! I absolutely adore your art! All your pieces are so wonderful. You’re hands down one of my favorite artists ever. May i know what fandoms are you into? Have a lovely day!

An opportunity to talk about my interests? Don't mind if I do! Thank you! I hope I don't disapoint and still remain one of your favorite artists after this

I assume fandom as in spaces online what I participate in or visit, because there are many things that I enjoy but whose fandoms I don't interact with. That specially applies to music. My social battery can only last so long.

Anime/Manga

Despite how my art looks like, I’m very drawn to shows that are colorful, endearing, and dynamic. I want fluff, friendship, sparkles, no major world-altering conflict, just overall characters having a good time and creating impactful relationships amongst each other. I love wholesome happy endings, which is great for my soft heart. I know JJBA doesnt fit that category but it’s outlandish enough to make it a lot of fun. I have a soft spot for Vento Aureo in particular.

Now, I open an exception for Junji Ito. I love inhuman horror, where the threat can't be understood nor controlled. Amazing artstyle aswell.

Books

Dostoievski, Bulgakov, Tchekov

Rip dostoievski, you would have loved Mob Psycho 100. I feel like he would really appreciate a story centered around a character discovering themselves and how to approach their own feelings and the world and people that surround him. I know russian literature has a reputation of being heavy to intrepret and digest. It tackles complicated themes, yes. However, it does that in relatable, heartfelt, and oftentimes comedic way.

On a personal note, some works will be especially funny if you’re queer. As a queer person myself I intrepret A LOT of russian lit characters as being gay, messy, and unhinged. I say that as the highest of compliments. The people in the fandoms I'm in also agree

Dostoiesvki; Crime and Punishment, The Brothers Karamazov, The Idiot. Sad, unhinged men, powerful beautiful women, crimes.

Bulgakov; Master and Margarita!!! Bisexual criminals hanging out with the devil

Tchekov: Short stories, I especially love Ward Nº 6.

Games

I have no shame in admitting I want easy to play games. I already challenge myself with art daily, I don’t care about challenging myself in hobbies.

So I like a lot of visual novel/dating sims. I really liked The Arcana. My fave is, unfortunately, Lucio. I love mess! Love his looks and his horrible little attitude. I want a Valdemar tale. Currently, I’m also up to date with Last Legacy from the fictif app. I started Felix’s route (same with Julian from The Arcana, I went for the edgy emo one) but ended up picking Sage as a favorite. Like I said, I love mess! am currently waiting for a rime route idc if he tried to murder me

I really like Outlast as well, and have watched many, many playthroughs. Of both games. I've read the comics. Currently dormant in that fandom, but I am waiting for the new game to come out.

Youtube

I love fun and I love informative. If it's both, then it's for me. I might binge watch something from time to time, but the ones above are people whose content I've been coming back to for years.

Unhhh-Can't describe it but I love it and rewatch it often. Everyone who is a fan of Unhh is a friend of mine

Ask a Moritician-Caitlin Doughty! I'm always up do date with her channel, and I have bought all of her books. Her fandom is The Order of the Good Death basically jhdkjhaskj

Buzzfeed Unsolved- I've only recently started watching, yes, I know it ended. I'm having a lot of fun tho

Puppet History- A project with Shane Madej and Ryan Bergara, but without buzzfeed. I love history, I love puppets, I love songs.

How to Cook That- Ann Reardon my beloved! She debunks hacks, shows how to actually make them work, saves cakes, makes gorgeous food. Very clever, very wholesome (i stan dave). I also never miss a video

Jaboody Show- Not quite youtubers. They often upload their twitch streams on youtube. I don't watch them all tho. I always think 'i'll just watch 30 min of this 6 hour video' and end up watching the whole thing because they're so fun. Great to listen while working

Utsu-P - Not a youtuber, but a musician. A vocaloid producer, to be exact. Also never miss an upload. Moksha is my fave album and Unique is at close second.

Music

Speaking of Unhhh, I love the music Trixie Mattel (Brian Firkus) puts out. Yellow Cloud, and Gold always make me happy I’m alive. I don't belong to any fandom, however. I don’t stay inside genres either, I go after music for the emotions they bring in me. I spent the last few days listening to Crazier by Taylor Swift, the song she performed in the Hannah Montana movie shdjksahdjk. Some weeks prior it was Baba Yaga by Slaughter to Prevail. I have clear memories of listening to the Cheetah Girls while doing character design, too. Sometimes I listen to 20 minute videos that have snippets of a bunch of pop music from a certain year, when I need to keep up the energy. I'm the type that loves a band but doesn't even know the main singer's name. Which is great, cuz music fandoms look WILD. I'm peacefully enjoying things.

What a very long post! But this is basically it. Also shout out to 90 Day Fiance, that I keep up with because I always watch it with my mom. It's our thing. I'm in that fandom aswell cuz I love the chaos and telling my mom gossip.

Thank you for asking and for those who have read this far!

[handsomelyhiddleston]

Dark Queen, Bright King - Tom Hiddleston x Emo/Alt Reader

You and Tom were different. At your core you shared many interests and values as well as your playful natures and senses of humor, but if someone were to see you walking down the street together, they might have a few questions.

“What are you going to wear on the show?” you asked your now husband. You and Tom had been married for nearly a month after dating for about two years and he had finally convinced you to let him introduce you to the world.

“I don’t know, actually.” Tom sat down on the couch next to you and pulled you into his side. “I can’t decide between wearing the most colorfully obnoxious outfit I could get away with or pulling a Ragnarok and wearing head to toe black.”

You laughed, dragging your finger up and down Tom’s thigh. “I can’t lie, the black-on-black suit does make me feel a way…”

“Of course, you pick the black suit.” Tom teased, pulling you into a heated kiss as your fingers trailed dangerously close to his manhood.

You turned to straddle Tom’s lap, slowly unbuttoning his shirt. His hands couldn’t stay still, moving from your legs to your ass to your waist. “I didn’t pick the black suit.” You said, leaning forward to press kisses across his jaw and down his neck. “I think you should wear one of your stunning bright suits.”

“But you said…” Tom tried to reply, already having a hard time staying on topic.

“I said it makes me feel a way.” You pushed Tom’s shirt down his arms and ran your hands slowly up his torso.  “What you’re forgetting…” you pulled your shirt over your head to reveal a black lace bra, “is that you’re always making me fall further and more in love with you just by being you.”

Tom pulled you tighter to him, pressing sloppy kisses to your breasts. “God, I love you.”

The two of you could never keep your hands off of each other. This was the second time TODAY you’d made love. Slowly. Lazily. Just happy to be in each other’s embrace.

As you laid against his chest, still on the couch, and let your breathing slow back to normal you looked up at your husband. “I fell in love with you exactly as you are.” You traced invisible patterns softly into Tom’s chest with your fingertip. “I love how bold and bright and charismatic you are. I love that you like classical music and how excited you get when people ask you questions about Shakespeare and that you’re always the most polite person in the room. I wouldn’t change a thing about you.”

You could feel a laugh rumble in Tom’s chest. He pulled your hand to his lips and gently kissed it. “I’m ever grateful for that.” Tom twirled a piece of your hair between his fingers as he spoke. “I wouldn’t change a thing about you, either. I can’t wait to tell the world how much I love you.”

“How are you going to break the news that the actor behind everyone’s favorite trickster has finally settled down?”

“You’ll have to wait and see.” Tom smirked.

The two of you had met on a Broadway show set. You were in charge of make-up and costume design, and you’d hit it off with Tom straight away.

At first, he found you intriguing. Your style spectrum went from absolute tomboy to fitted dresses, but the color black was the common denominator. You had various tattoos sprawled across your skin and there really was no way to know what color hair you’d show up with the following day. He loved how sure of yourself you were and how little you worried over what those around you may or may not be thinking.

Little did he know, you thought the same of him. First, he was the most attractive person in the room whether he was wearing a ten-thousand-dollar suit or a pair of black joggers and a t-shirt. He always commanded the room with his bright disposition and you’d never once seen him have a diva moment. He was intelligent…not only with information, but emotionally.

One day after a show, while you were gently removing his stage make-up, he kept smiling up at you.

“What’s got you so happy?” you asked.

“Well, we’ve got a week break. First real break we’ve had since the show started.” His answer made sense, but you noticed his cheeks were blushing.

“You get a whole week without having to deal with me smearing things all over your face” you teased, throwing the make-up remover wipes away.

Tom cleared his throat. “I was actually hoping we could make plans?” He reached out and grabbed one of your hands in both of his.

It took you a second to realize he was being serious. “Is Mr. polite and proper asking me on a date?”

Tom laughed, ducking his head. “That depends on whether or not Ms. dark and spooky is willing to give Mr. polite and proper a chance.”

The two of you ended up spending the entire week together. You talked about film scores and music. Horror movie classics and period pieces. Your favorite projects that you’ve worked on. Friends and family. Even though the two of you looked so different, you fit perfectly into each other’s lives. That brought you to this moment, with your husband about to tell the world about your existence.

The Graham Norton show is filmed on a Thursday and aired on a Friday. You were surprised that no one had leaked the news between filming and airing.

“Welcome to the show TOM HIDDLESTON!” The audience, as usual, went wild. Graham always loved teasing Tom and making him blush, so when Tom reached out to let Graham know he wanted to announce something important and that he wanted to do it on the show, Graham booked it immediately.

“Welcome back, Tom.”

“Thanks for having me” Tom answered, greeting everyone else on the couch with him including Eddie Redmayne and Kenneth Branagh.

They talked for a minute about Tom’s latest projects and such.

“So, Tom. I hear you’ve had a lot of big things happen this year?” Graham was genuinely curious what Tom was going to announce.

“That I have.” Tom replied, looking to be thinking about them. “I mean, one…I bought a house outside of London.”

“Wonderful, wonderful. What else?” Graham continued.

“Oh, I also experienced my first mosh pit” he said so casually.

“You did what, dear?” Kenneth interjected.

“Why wasn’t I invited to this?” Eddie asked, laughing at everyone’s reaction. Eddie obviously already knew what Tom was going to announce as him and Tom had been friends since they were teenagers. Eddie was at the wedding, even.

“Hold up! Hold up.” Graham said, waving his arms. “How on God’s green earth did you end up in a mosh pit?”

“Well, thankfully I didn’t end up IN it. For my first go, I just stood very very close to it.” Tom explained, making the room laugh.

Kenneth turned to Tom. “Why were you anywhere near it?”

“Well, my wife had been asking me to go to one of…” Tom started explaining.

Graham did a dramatic double take before reaching out and grabbing Tom’s arm, interrupting his story. “Did you say your wife?”

“Yes, my wife y/n. She loves this band Bring Me The Horizon, and her friend couldn’t make it to the show so she asked me if I would go with her.” Tom had the biggest smile on his face, finally being able to talk about you.

“Screw the mosh pit and the house near London, I want to hear about your wife!” Graham pushed.

“Well, I guess the biggest thing that happened this year was that I married the love of my life.” Tom blushed, looking back at the screen. He had given the production team a few photos to show.

On screen first was a photo from your wedding. You were in a beautiful, gothy, black, long-sleeve, plunge neckline, lace dress and Tom was in an amazing dark red suit with a black shirt.

“You two look incredible.” Graham complimented, watching the photo change.

“Thank you, she’s a million times cooler than I am.” Tom laughed. “But for some reason she agreed to spend the rest of her life with me.”

The second photo was a candid photo from the greenroom where you met. You were concentrating on getting Tom’s stage make-up perfect and he was just staring at you, adoration clear on his face.

“As you can see, I was smitten.” Tom pointed out.

“Is that how you met?” Graham asked. Tom told the story and explained how long the two of you had been dating, then engaged, and then married.

“I’m surprised you were able to keep it private for so long” Graham commented.

As the final photo came up, Tom started explaining. “This is a photo of Y/n at one of my family gatherings.” It was a photo of you on the living room floor with his nieces and nephews. You were laying on your stomach and painting all of the kid’s nails. “We had only been together for a little over a month I believe. We had just concluded the show where we met, and I asked her to come to London with me. She was so nervous.”

“Well, it looks like she had no reason to worry.” Graham said.

“Not at all. The kids never left her side.” Tom replied, smiling as he looked at the photo. “Everyone loved her. Everyone that meets her loves her, to be honest.”

“Well, when she’s ready you’ll have to bring her on the show.” Graham suggested.

“I think having you two in a room together would be dangerous.” Tom laughed.

“Whatever could you mean?” Graham tried to act innocent, and Tom just raised his eyebrows and gave him a *you know what you did* look. “Fine, no fanfiction involved. Honest to God.”

Everyone laughed and the show moved onto Kenneth after Tom received many congratulations.

[grittyreadsfic]

hello my friends, one singular person asked for this weeks ago so i’m here with my most unhinged rec list yet: tk and nolan.

now, this one was hard to reign in, so i really didn’t. this pairing had maybe 230 fics in the tag when i first started reading hockey fic, and it’s now over 900, and i’ve read far too many of them, and that makes it so hard to parse it down. so i just...didn't!

so with that said, please enjoy so you want to get into tknp: a beginners guide to a classic case of idiots to lovers

i told myself that i couldn’t rec an author’s entire body of work but then i remembered this is my blog and i do what i want, so i did some consolidating. here’s a list of the quintessential authors for this pairing, you can start at any of their profiles and pick any of their fics at random, and it’ll be one of the best ones for the pairing, hands down.

therainbowsedge: i’d start with the summer camp fic, or the sex toys one, as both beautifully capture the true idiots to lovers nature of this pairing, but just top tier writing all around

manybumblebees: the wedding fic is so tender and port stanley is a classic, but literally pick any single fic and you’ll have a perfect tknp fic. i’m not kidding

jamesvanriemsdick: their tknp fics in their series are some of the hidden gems of this pairing (the tk heartbeat fic makes me LOSE it) but the delaware fic or the seattle fic…..there’s really something for every mood

catchascatchcan: start with era of gods because i could write literal essays on how it’s some of the best fantasy worldbuilding i’ve ever read, but then just read everything else on their account, including non tknp fics. you won’t regret it

hackysack: ao3 user hackysack has written one of two timeloop fics that i absolutely adore, and i thought about just calling that one out in particular, but all of their work deserves the attention

canary: nothing to prove was the first tknp fic i ever read and i was immediately hooked. all of their fics are a good starting place for the pairing, and just really give you a feeling for the pairing

and now, for the fic recs!

to be, despite it all by smudgedfreckles

summary: or, nolan patrick’s gender thesis, by travis konecny.

why i love it: there’s not a lot ofo nonbinary characters in media, even in fic, but this fic’s treatment of nolan and their path to figuring out their gender just feels so real and made me feel so seen. tk’s characterization is also just top notch, and it’s just a super sweet story about two people who love each other

last ones standing by makeit_takeit

summary: If you’re committed to finding your future spouse, reads the last line of the ad, and are ready to look at yourself and your love life in a whole new way, apply now.

At the bottom of the ad there’s a link, and Travis finds his finger hovering over the screen, lip still caught between his teeth.

“I mean,” he says very reasonably, speaking out loud to his empty apartment like some sort of possibly-crazy person, “just applying doesn’t mean anything. Maybe I just fill it out, and see what happens. It’s not like I’m really gonna get picked to be on TV, come on.”

He snorts out loud, just to show his apartment he hasn’t lost his grip on reality or anything; he fully understands how ludicrous that would be.

Then he clicks the link anyway, because yolo or whatever.

why i love it: what part of a married at first sight fic doesn’t make you want to immediately dive right in? the concept is fun, the execution is absolutely flawless, and it captures their dynamic so well while letting it develop naturally

motivation by connectknee

summary: Kevin knows when to back off, the article said. He knows just when to shut up and leave Patty alone, something Travis has never known how to do.

why i love it: the thing i love about this pairing is that tk is loud and in your face, and nolan’s more reserved, a little quieter, a little harder to read. this fic does a really great job of exploring how tk could feel like maybe he’s just a bit too much and is one of my favorites in terms of miscommunication

a tenderness grows by rusesdeguerre

summary: Nolan wouldn’t say that landing a job as the Philadelphia Flyers’ psychotic and probably clinically insane mascot was a childhood dream of his. Maybe tangentially: playing pond hockey in –30°C weather and pretending to be Sidney Crosby is practically a rite of passage when you grow up in Manitoba. That, and experiencing the distinct displeasure that is thousands of mosquitoes sucking your blood out when your father drags you on a father-son camping trip into the backwoods of the northern Canadian Prairies.

why i love it: this was the first fic i recced on this blog, and i stand by that decision. a fic where nolan is not only not a hockey player, but is in fact the person in the gritty suit? absolutely perfect, and so charming from start to finish

meet me at my window by springsteen

summary: Travis has lived in Philadelphia for a few years now, long enough to know there isn’t a major city in America where superheroes don’t destroy an entire city block trying to save humanity or whatever. He can deal with all the super-shit, but Travis did not sign up for getting woken up from a deep sleep because some fucker’s trying to break in through his window.

(5 times the super-villain known as "The Cat" breaks into Travis's apartment, plus 1 time Travis invites him in.)

why i love it: there’s a lot of things to love here, but the concept is just absolutely one of my all time favorite aus ever. it’s fun and charming and the perfect glimpse into a world where heroes and villains exist, and what it’s like just to be a run of the mill kind of guy existing in it. tk and nolan’s back and forth in this make it so engaging, and it’s such a top tier fic

body’s in trouble by cloudsandpassingevents

summary: “Oh, sorry,” someone says. “Didn’t know anyone else was here.”

Nolan freezes, then turns around very slowly. When he looks up, Nicklas fucking Backstrom is standing behind him in a hoodie and baggy sweats, holding the biggest bag of Swedish Fish Nolan’s ever seen in his life in one hand.

“Uh,” Nolan says around the pop tart between his teeth. “Yeah.”

What the fuck, his brain helpfully supplies.

why i love it: from nolan’s inner voice, to the way the author explores all the dynamics within the team, to the way they write the unexpected but actually, it kind of makes sense friendship between nolan and backstrom, is just absolutely fantastic. there’s a lot of moments that circle back and build on each other in a way that really just makes it super compelling

rhizomatic foundations by lighthousetowers

summary: Twenty days after he moves in with Kevin Hayes, twenty days – three months, five months, depending on how you look at it – after not talking to TK, TK shows up at the front door with a plant the size of a basketball in his hands.

TK grins. "Patty, meet Reginald." He lifts up the plant. "Reggie, meet Patty. He's going to be your new - caretaker."

"What the fuck," says Nolan, not moving a single muscle.

Or: That Nolan can hear the plant talk might as well just happen.

why i love it: this is probably my favorite magical realism fic just about ever. it’s fun and charming and a little weird, but in the best possible way. there’s such a wonderful narrative in it, and lighthousetowers always has such beautiful writing, and it really shines in this one. the dialogue and nolan’s characterization are also part of what set it apart for me as one of the best tknp fics

in the dark of any town by mengetpegged

summary: If the voice has an accent at all, it’s a flat prairie Canadian, with none of G’s French-Canadian softness at the edges. But mostly, the accent is just ‘pissed off,’ which TK believes is a default setting for ghosts.

“Who are you?” TK asks, and he doesn’t like how strained his voice sounds, doesn’t like the tinge of anxiety tinting the rise of his question. He tries to regulate his breaths—in through his nose, hold, out through his mouth—but it feels like he’s not getting enough oxygen, which makes him panic even more.

“Someone with a fucking migraine, dickhead,” the voice says. “So keep the lights off and shut the hell up.”

(or: Nolan Patrick, Hotel X Ghost)

why i love it: i’m usually not super into ghost fics, both the spooky kind and the nonspooky kind, but this one is a rare exception. it’s charming and fun and tender and it’s got some of, in my opinion, the best characterization of tk and nolan in any fic. the way the author writes their dynamic and their dialogue is just unmatched

lets_make_this_moment_a_crime.mp3 by honeydripping

summary: Travis meets Nolan at a Midtown show in 2002 when he punches Nolan in the face. He can’t help it, “Like A Movie” just goes off.

But he does feel guilty about it.

or

TK and Patty work at a bakery together. They go to punk shows to pass the time.

why i love it: idk if anyone asked for an early 2000s emo/punk/alt au but wow! i sure am glad it exists! really the vibes of this fic, as silly as that sounds, are absolutely unmatched. i love the structure with the music, the development of their relationship, and just everything about how the author wrote the setting (there’s this whole thing with tattoos in it that makes me feel absolutely insane)

you’re ripped at every edge by you’re a masterpiece by conformityissuicide

summary: “Ugh, look, this yoga teacher has it out for me, man. And I can’t go back there without at least having some of the basics down. I’ve got to win this battle.”

“Yoga isn’t really something you win at,” Hartsy starts.

Travis cuts him off, “You can win at anything if you try hard enough.”

+++

OR that time Nolan's a grumpy yoga teacher and Travis realizes he wants to bone him and prove him wrong about Travis' non-existent yoga abilities.

why i love it: listen, if you want tknp, at least one of them has to be an idiot, and this tk absolutely captures the obliviousness i love to see in him in fic. it’s such a great characterization of them both and such a great concept (and even better execution)

you form a terror pack (and i’m aware of that) by dalmatienne

summary: “Can I help you?” TK snarks, both eyebrows hiked up in a way that has earned her many elbow checks to the ribs.

The chick looks down her nose, long thick eyelashes fluttering. Red-bitten lips part to blow a florid pink bubble and TK can smell the chemical sweetness when it pops.

“Yeah,” she says in this monotonous voice that seems almost at odds with her bubble gum and neon skates. She jams her stopper into TK’s thigh again, literally inches away from where it’d really hurt. “Tie ‘em.”

why i love it: to be honest, i generally don’t read rule 63 within hrpf, but this one is just absolutely knocks it out of the park. the concept (i fuckin’ love roller derby), the characterization of nolan, the pacing, the rituals, the tone of the entire fic, it’s just all around a perfect read from start to finish

thrills and grills by bitter_leaf

summary: Travis can’t even begin to wonder what he did in a previous life to incur the wrath of this fucking cook. Travis thinks he’s a nice person, doesn’t conduct himself in any way that could be considered particularly dickish, and unless this guy has some sort of issue with hockey bros or people from the boonies, he’s not sure how he started shit without even knowing.

__

Patty has a vendetta. Travis just wants to eat his eggs in peace.

why i love it: honestly this is the enemies to lovers fic i’ve been waiting for. i remember seeing the reddit post when it first went viral and thinking it would make such a great fic premise, so stumbling across this one was just so wonderful. super engaging and fun and so hilarious to read!

nothing but room for you by fightingfuries

summary: When his agent tells him he’s going to be traded to the Devils, Nolan isn't sure how he feels about it. Might be easier if he was going somewhere farther away, like California or fucking Florida. Somewhere sun-soaked and foreign. Someplace so different from Philadelphia that he can forget he ever played for the Flyers, forget everything that happened there.

Or Nolan fucks up, gets traded, gets his shit together and falls in love. Not necessarily in that order.

why i love it: i cannot stress to you how much i love trade fics, and this one is one of my absolute favorites. the trade to the devils-so close to philly, still, but there’s more to distance than physical miles-was such an excellent choice and the split timeline adds so much to the narrative, and the emotions are real and messy and complicated in the best way

a couple of runaways (i’m glad you stayed) by overturnedgoal

summary: The person in the video he’s watching is super annoying. Some obnoxious holier than thou granola type who keeps talking about their environmental impact as if they aren’t driving a gas guzzler around, but the basic idea of living in a van, driving around wherever, camping all the time, just going hiking and swimming and seeing the whole country? It sounds pretty dope, honestly.

why i love it: i like to watch tours and conversions of vans/buses into tiny homes as a self soothing method, and this fic has the same impact that watching those do. it’s such a fun concept, and it’s so fuckin’ soft, and the dialouge between tk and nolan is just *chef’s kiss*

all candor and style in the crook of your smile by p3trichor

summary: It’s a photo of Nolan on his knees with someones’ fingers in his mouth, lips slick with spit. Travis flicks by it almost too fast and he’s only got seconds to decide if he wants to screenshot it, if he wants to just give up the ghost right then and there. Except Travis’s phone freezes momentarily and then the group refreshes, sidcros87, Bert59 and 14 others took a screenshot!

It’s gone before Travis even has time to process it and he already wasted his replay of the day on a stupid video of a stupid fish that Hayes caught.

Can you send me that screenshot Travis texts Bertuzzi before he can overthink it, his dick already stirring in his sweats. Tuzzi sends back the cry-laughing emoji and then the screenshot before Travis can be too annoyed at him.

Or, Nolan is being weird about Travis's break-up and TK is maybe not straight.

why i love it: i genuinely don’t think i have words for the amount i love this fic. it took me forever to actually read, but it’s absolutely one of my favorite fics, and it’s an absolutely riot to read. carter’s meddling and the presence of tyler bertuzzi both make it extra fun, in my humble opinion

[starrygalaxy04]

Songs That Remind Them of You (MLQC Headcannons)

Victor

Don't Go Breaking My Heart (Elton John)- Victor is a sucker for romantic-style music, and this song is no exception. He can't help but imagine dueting this song with you whenever it plays softly in the background while he's making your favorite caramel pudding.

Adore You (Harry Styles)- He would never admit it, but this man just wants to shower you in affection. His favorite moments are when he gets to hold you in his arms and he can just gaze at you with the insane amount of joy, admiration, love, and unfiltered affection that only you get to see. He's been searching for you for a very long time, and he's going to cherish every second of being with you.

Still the One (One Direction)- He would never admit he ever listens to this song because like hell is anyone going to find out that he listens to boy bands, but this song's lyrics strike all the right chords with him. He loves the message it sends because its the very message he will always reiterate to you when you feel like you're not enough or he could do better. Its you, its always been you.

Lucien

Dark Side (Kelly Clarkson)- This man has a hard time knowing that you love him and are blissfully unaware of the monster that lurks just below the surface. He often finds himself wondering if you would still love him if he were just Ares, or if you would leave after you found out all of the things he had done for the sake of progress. But every time you wrap your arms around him or smile at him, all those worries melt away because he feels true emotion when he looks at you.

Its Gonna Be Me (NSYNC)- He knows that anyone in this world can have you, and it would kill him if you chose anyone else besides him. So he wants to make absolutely sure that he will never even have to think about letting his beautiful butterfly go. He is forever yours, and you will be forever his, even if it takes an eternity for that to happen.

Line Without A Hook (Ricky Montgomery)- This song mainly applies after Lucien no longer remembers MC, because I feel like it accurately describes how he feels. He knows MC doesn't trust him and is purposefully being distant, but at the same time the feelings that the other him felt are slowly trickling in and before long he's wishing that he could fix whatever it was that was tearing MC up so bad inside. And he knows that as he is, he's no good for you. But that doesn't mean that he isn't going to ignore the voice of reason in his head like the other him did and try his hardest to be what he once was for you.

Kiro

Fight For This Love (Cheryl)- Kiro knows that with him being a huge pop idol that sometimes the pressure gets to you. And he wants you to know he is always there and will be there next to you to fight through the thick and thin. He always wants to be with his favorite person ever, and will do whatever it takes to make sure that you're okay and he can be there to experience everything life has to offer with you, and to assure you that you are worth it.

100% Pure Love (Crystal Waters)- True to the name of the song, everything that Kiro feels (well almost everything, if you get what I mean) comes from the purest parts of him. He always wants you to be the happiest you can, always making sure that you have a bright smile on your face. And he knows what you two have is something people could only dream of, and having you in his arms is the best thing that ever happened since he met you again at that convenience store.

Price Tag (Jessie J)- He knows that when you two are together, nothing else matters. He knows you're not with him just because he's Kiro the superstar, but because he's Kiro. The bubbly 22 year-old who has an affinity for sweets and puppies with an adventurous streak. And he knows that if you two are next to each other, you wouldn't need anything else to have a good time.

Gavin

Treasure (Bruno Mars)- Honey, you are the center of this man's universe. He had treasured you since the first day he laid eyes on you, and wanted nothing more than to be by your side. And now that he is, he is over the moon. He may not be able to shower you in lavish gifts like some of the others, but every single moment you two spend together more than makes up from it, whether its a picnic under the stars or a midnight flight.

What A Man Gotta Do (The Jonas Brothers)- This brings back some of his older memories, back from the high school days. He was so shy when it came to you, and he never even knew how to approach you the majority of the time. So he always watched from the distance, wondering what he could do to get you to notice him. The song allows him to reflect on those cringey memories with a smile, and let him enjoy the fact that you were his, even after all that had happened.

Loving You Tonight (Andrew Allen)- This man can't wait to come home and just lay in your arms, or have you lay in his arms. His favorite moments are the ones of pure domesticity, things he never saw between his mother and father when he was younger. It feels so pure and freeing, and just so right. He loves every moment of it, and wouldn't have it any other way.

Helios

Popular Monster (Falling in Reverse)- While Helios is indeed a person, Helios is somewhat of a character that Kiro is playing. Its the side of him that he can't show to the world. He has killed people to protect others, to protect you, and in that way, he's exactly as the title reads, a popular monster.

Therefore I Am (Billie Eilish)- As Helios, he knows that everything relies on technique and execution, so he has completely shut out emotional functions for the most part, except when he's around you. But because Kiro is such a good actor, its very hard to tell. He knows that he's that bitch, and is not afraid to prove it, being blunt about literally everything. But he also knows that you have the perseverance of a God, to the point that its stupid, but as you build the confidence that comes with the identity of your Evol, he sees you growing in a way that he could have never taught you as Kiro.

Cigarette Duet (Princess Chelsea)- Helios knows that he can't associate with you as much as when he was Kiro because Black Swan is a bitch, but one thing he always wants to make sure is that you haven't fallen down and devolved into bad habits. The one thing that didn't leave Helios was his ability to care specifically about you, and even thinking that you would get into a habit that would harm yourself makes his blood boil. So he always makes sure you've remained drug-free and that you see him just enough that it won't get him in trouble and can give you comfort.

Shaw

No Roots (Alice Merton)- Shaw's idea of you is something much like how Victor saw you in the beginning. Someone who thrust themselves into something way over their head and now had to deal with the consequences of it. The only reason he believed you was because he knew of things (the man has his ways) and decided to help you because he found you just interesting enough that he thought it might be fun. But he found himself envying the fact that you didn't have a past in this world, and that you were free to do whatever you pleased without a reputation preceding you. He didn't like the fact that it caused you pain, but thanks to his asshole of a father the idea sounded a little too good to him.

Sad Girl (Lana Del Rey)- Shaw often found you moping around at first, mourning the fact that you had lost everything. But in the end, he was the one who helped you get over it, getting you back to your normal self. He still catches glimpses of that depressed look in your eyes, and always makes sure to lighten up on the teasing when he does see it. He never got the chance to be a kid and grow up properly, so he couldn't fathom exactly how hard it was for you. But he still tried.

White Tee (CORPSE)- We all know Shaw would be more into the punk style, and his music taste is no exception. He likes listening to mostly emo style music, and dabbles into a little bit of everything when he feels like it. However, this song mixes together his anger at the world for giving him such a shit childhood and the fact that with you he feels like he can start fresh. Because even though everyone else falls into the same category with him, you were different, and he wanted to explore that kind of different.

[child-of-hurin]

Ainulindalë, in the Silmarillion:

[transcript: Then Ilúvatar spoke, and he said: ‘Mighty are the Ainur, and mightiest among them is Melkor; but that he may know, and all the Ainur, that I am Ilúvatar, those things that ye have sung, I will show them forth, that ye may see what ye have done. And thou, Melkor, shalt see that no theme may be played that hath not its uttermost source in me, nor can any alter the music in my despite. For he that attempteth this shall prove but mine instrument in the devising of things more wonderful, which he himself hath not imagined.’

The Words of Húrin and Morgoth, in the Children of Húrin:

[transcript: ‘You say it,’ said Morgoth. ‘I am the Elder King: Melkor, first and mightiest of all the Valar, who was before the world, and made it. The shadow of my purpose lies upon Arda, and all that is in it bends slowly and surely to my will. But upon all whom you love my thought shall weigh as a cloud of Doom, and it shall bring them down into darkness and despair. Wherever they go, evil shall arise. Whenever they speak, their words shall bring ill counsel. Whatsoever they do shall turn against them. They shall die without hope, cursing both life and death.’]

Thoughts:

1. Tolkien’s Evil is barren. Even at his most glorious moment of rebellion/evil, Melkor cannot reinvent what he is trying to usurp, only imitate. He’s literally telling Húrin the same thing Eru told him long ago, that there is no escaping his design/will.

2. Melkor as the OG Turambar trying to master his fate, lol. No wait... I actually like small Melkor-Túrin parallels... I’m still emo over that fic where Melkor haunts Túrin in the post-Dagorath world :’)

[kieraelieson]

Dance Break!

Written by @kieraelieson and @stillebesat

Roman suddenly jumped up, a sparkle in his eyes, as he turned, seeking out the first person he can find and holding out his hand. “Dance with me!”

Virgil scoffed, firmly keeping his hand by his side, ignoring how it had begun to lift in response to Roman’s offer in the first place. He wanted to trust him, but at the same time it wasn’t easy to forget the possibility that Princey would just let him fall on his face.

“Do you want broken toes?” He asked, raising an eyebrow. “Find someone else.”

Roman kept his hand outstretched. “We can clear a space. Not a single toe will be in danger. Please, Virgil? Dance with me!”

He waved his other hand, which served to clear the room of almost everything in it.

He made it seem so easy. But it wasn’t like Virgil had ever danced with anyone before. He doubted Roman would be able to fully avoid Virgil’s uncoordinated feet from tripping them up.

And yet...Princey had called him by name. It lessened the chances that this was all a trick. That this might actually turn out...well.

Swallowing down the panic rising in his throat, he held out his hand. “The moment I trip I’m out.”

Roman practically glowed. He tamped down his excitement just a bit, trying not to overwhelm Virgil right at the start. He took Virgil’s hand, pulling him up and into a slow spin.

“You’ll do wonderfully,” he said confidently, smiling brightly. “No need for fancy steps, just happy moving.”

Just happy moving? What was that even supposed to mean?

Virgil gritted his teeth, heart pounding in his chest as he grabbed onto Roman’s arm with his other hand, his feet shuffling along the carpet as Princey moved them in a circle. “Isn’t being Fancy your thing though?” He managed to get out, glancing up to Roman before quickly looking back down at his feet.

Geez he was bright. How could his crappy dancing skills make Princey that happy?

“Well of course I love being fancy!” Roman gladly admitted. “But there’s more to dancing than being fancy, dancing is about moving your body and having fun.”

He stepped a bit faster and farther, careful not to trip Virgil. He flashed him a big smile. “Relax a little and have fun with it!”

Relax? Virgil looked up with a glower, not liking at all that he was being forced to actually lift his feet to keep pace with Princey. “You’re seriously telling me, Anxiety, to relax?”

Still...nothing had gone wrong.

Yet.

Roman met Virgil’s glower with another smile. “I am! You’re doing really well already, I’d love to see you open up and enjoy yourself.”

He let go of Virgil to do a quick twirl and then held his hands out again. He hoped Virgil could have some fun with this like he was. Though already he was incredibly excited that Virgil was even dancing with him at all.

The world swirled around him as Princey spun him out and back in, his feet nearly tripping over themselves as he made a grab for Roman’s hands. “I thought you said nothing fancy.” He hissed, squeezing them. “Warn me next time or I am purposely stepping on your feet.”

He hadn’t fallen though. And as they kept moving...he could feel himself relaxing to the consistent pattern of their steps.

“You did it perfectly!” Roman said excitedly. “But yes, I’ll warn you next time.”

He led Virgil in a careful dance across the room, his excitement and happiness showing up in flashes of color sparking from each footstep. He didn’t quite register when it had started, but there was now a background of music synced up to their uneven steps.

“Thank you,” he said sincerely. “For dancing with me.”

Virgil offered his own small smile in return, more at ease now that he finally had the rhythm down. “You’re welcome, I suppose.” He gave a half shrug. “Thanks for the...ah.” He looked away feeling his cheeks warm. “For the encouragement.”

“I’m happy to give encouragement to someone as naturally talented as you,” Roman said with a charming smile. “I’d be pleased to dance with you any day.”

He lifted one arm a bit, preparing for a twirl. “Want to try a spin again?”

Virgil scoffed. Naturally talented? Ha. Just because Princey was good at leading didn’t mean that he was naturally talented. Still. This was more fun than he’d expected it to be. “Sure. Let’s try it.” He said, letting go of Princey’s other hand so he could move out away from him.

Roman beamed, spinning Virgil. This was honestly one of his favorite parts of dancing with a partner. It just felt so right. Perhaps the only thing he liked better was being spun himself. But this was a very close second.

“See? You’re a natural at this. You made it look glorious.”

Virgil shook his head, gripping onto Princey until his vision cleared. At least he hadn’t nearly tripped over his feet this time. Again with the encouragement. Again with the compliments. Roman really was in a good mood today. “So what brought this on?” He asked as they circled about the room. “The dancing. Something happen?”

“Not especially,” Roman said, leading the dance in a wide circle around the room. “I felt happy, and I wanted to dance. But then you accepted to do it with me! I feel like I could conquer a dragon with the happiness of this moment alone!”

Conquer a dragon...because they were dancing? He would never understand Princey’s logic or why this was how he wanted to express his happiness. But Virgil couldn’t say he...minded it much. Though the never ending compliments were weirding him out. “Don’t get used to it, Princey.” He said, letting go of him to move into another spin. “I have an image to keep.”

Roman just smiled. It didn’t have to happen again, though he’d be very happy if it did, but this one time was enough fun and wonder even if it didn’t. He spun Virgil around, pressing down the urge to interrupt the dance with bouncing up on his toes excitedly.

“Of course, I’d never want to hurt your image as the resident grumpy emo,” he said, half joking.

Ah. A nickname. Finally. He’d begun to wonder if Princey had forgotten how to use them in his bid to keep things...friendly.

Virgil smirked right back. “Good.” He took a step closer to Roman, placing a hand on his chest. “My turn.” He said raising his arm as he gave him a gentle shove back. “Spin, Princey.”

Roman very nearly gasped out loud, and then spun, practically sparkling as he finished his spin. He felt a sudden strong impulse to grab Virgil in a hug. But instead he led in a rather more exuberant and fast dance than they’d been doing, though he still was careful to be mindful of what Virgil could keep up with.

And he thought Princey couldn’t make himself sparkle more. Apparently he’d been wrong. “Ro--” He gasped out after the third lap around the room at the faster tempo. “Low Energy Emo here.” He never got this active, moved around for this long.

“Oh.” Roman said, realizing they’d been dancing for a while. “Of course.” He slowed things down a few seconds before stopping entirely.

He felt brimful of excited energy. Whatever it was he did next, it was getting a triple dose of pure creativity.

“Thank you for dancing with me, Virgil. I truly enjoyed it.”

He let out a slow breath. He had been looking forward to not moving...but now that they’d stopped...it was a weird feeling.

“Ah...You’re...ummm.” Agh. He awkwardly patted Roman’s shoulder before taking a step back, pulling his hood over his head, hoping the shadows would hide the heat in his face. “Welcome. Glad you...liked?”

“I did,” Roman said with a smile. “I won’t hold you back from your regularly scheduled brooding any longer then. Thank you!”

But despite his intentions, he didn’t turn away quite yet, a part of him unwilling to let the moment go. But he didn’t have anything else to say.

Right. Right. Virgil hesitated a moment longer before giving a two fingered salute. “Next time...I’ll lead.” He said, managing to smirk before hurriedly syncing out to his room before he could panic over how stupid that sounded.

Him? Lead?! Ha. He grabbed his headphones, shoving them over his ears.

But...Princey had seemed to enjoy the one spin he’d done for him. It...it might not hurt to try that move again...later...much much later when he wasn’t about to psyche himself out about the whole thing.

A massive smile took over Roman’s whole face before he also sunk out, going to his room. He grabbed a pillow from his bed and squeezed it tight, spinning around and around and around, his room lit up by flashes of light and color and sound.

There was going to be a next time! And Virgil would lead!

He flopped down, taking in a big long breath. Ideas spun all around him, ripe for the taking. Wonderful amazing ideas, many of which were rather centered around dancing.