#Johannes Grimes

[ihavenothingtosayandimsayingit]

Discography Deep Dive: GY!BE

Part 3

Slow Riot for New Zero Kanada (1999)

Label: Constellation, Kranky

Producers: Dale Morningstar

Scores

Ranking: 7

Overall Average Score: 2.9

Mixing: 2.5

Pacing: 2.5

Track Ordering: 3

Orchestral/Textural variety: 1.5

Melodic  Ingenuity: 3

Aesthetic Consistency: 5

Stand-out track: Moya

Slow Riot for New Zero Kanada is a huge moment in the early discog of Godspeed. Its long two track arc ebbs and flows gorgeously as a sonic journey checking all the boxes of true Godspeed style: the long minimalistic crescendo built upon evolving and unfurling textures of strings, drums and guitars, with interspersions of "vox pop" field recordings (the extensive interview of Blaise Bailey Finnegan III being the central character). 

Throughout "Moya" (one of the stand-out tracks in Godspeed's canon) we hear gorgeous melodic fragments germinate from the seeds of a twelve-note passacaglia. As this movement builds and transforms, the textures remain rather homogenous. While the pings of the glockenspiel are initially welcomed as a bright touch to the introduction of the twelve-note ostinato they become more awkward and out of place when the texture thickens, especially when they become tremolos. Despite this attempt of textural variety, what remains consistent is exemplary melodic ingenuity and symmetry that is consistent with Godspeed's minimalistic approach to building textures. The twelve-note ostinato doesn't show up in its complete form until 3'45" into the movement. Preceding this is a haunting seven-note motive introduced by the strings. As the twelve-note passacaglia proceeds several countermelodies spin out in a neo-baroque style finally give way to a five-note descent into the requisite field recording moment of "BBFIII". Thus, a twelve-note passacaglia is symmetrically bookended by patterns of seven (at the beginning) and five (at the end): 7+5=12.

Although less poetic than other field recordings, "BBFIII" stands out as a dramatic documentarian style, undergirded by the deft touches of guitar harmonics with a melodramatic string tremolos and drum fills. The inevitable forces of the instruments take over to create a compelling climax of riff-like power chords and four-on-the-floor drumming. This would be a fantastic ending, yet the strings enter again in a coda-like fashion with washed-out reverb more in a neo-baroque style . This seems to be a blurred and all-too-short hazy memory of the opening moments of "Moya." Although aesthetically consistent, this use of coda seems almost perfunctory when heard within the context of Godspeed's innovative endings where entire movements act as dedicated codas. To round off the structure of this diptych, Slow Riot really needs to be a triptych. This would be consistent with the baroque style alluded to throughout (which are often in three parts) and proportional to what is asked of the listener in this sonic journey. The aesthetic and imaginative demands upon the listener in this EP is one of the main reasons why it is included in this discography deep dive. It is simply unfair to attach a diminutive EP label upon this transcendent record. 

Additional Listening

Symphony No. 3, Op.36: A Symphony of Sorrowful Songs, String Quartet no.2 "Quasi una fantasia" Henryk Górecki

Passacaglia in C minor (BWV 582) Johann Sebastian Bach

"Passacaglia" from Peter Grimes Benjamin Britten

[thequietabsolute]

Top Artists — Medium Term (6 months)

Felbm

Radiohead

Bonnie "Prince" Billy

Kate Bush

Nick Drake

Midlake

Paul Simon

Simon & Garfunkel

Slowdive

Boards of Canada

Canary Room

The Beatles

Fionn Regan

Beach House

Leonard Cohen

hemlock

Vashti Bunyan

Clara Mann

Bob Dylan

The Smiths

ABBA

Grouper

David Bowie

The Clientele

Jessica Pratt

Olovson

Bill Callahan

Laura Marling

Rachel Grimes

Chet Baker

Belle and Sebastian

Sibylle Baier

Aldous Harding

Cocteau Twins

Acetone

Connan Mockasin

Fleetwood Mac

Cornelia Murr

John Martyn

Julie London

Sea Oleena

Sufjan Stevens

Meg Baird

Shannon Lay

Van Morrison

Pink Floyd

Caroline Says

Sun Kil Moon

Maxine Funke

Fairport Convention

that spotify stats page

Top Tracks — Long Term (years)

Calla — Canary Room

4 Lieder, Op. 27, TrV 170: IV. Morgen! — Richard Strauss, Jonas Kaufmann, Helmut Deutsch

6 Melodies, Op. 4 - 6 melodies, Op. 5: Allegretto — Fanny Mendelssohn, Beatrice Rauchs

Long Before Us — Rachel Grimes

Sandalwood I — Jonny Greenwood

Stabat Mater: 1. Stabat Mater — Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, Emma Kirkby, James Bowman, Academy of Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood

Thaïs / Act 2: Méditation — Jules Massenet, Joshua Bell, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Andrew Litton

Songs My Mother Taught Me, Op. 55 No. 4 — Antonín Dvořák, Alisa Weilerstein, Anna Polonsky

Elegy No. 1 in D Major — Giovanni Bottesini, Andrew Burashko, Joel Quarrington

The Carnival of the Animals, R. 125: XIII. The Swan (Arr. for Cello and Piano) — Camille Saint-Saëns, Yo-Yo Ma, Kathryn Stott

Julie With - 2004 Digital Remaster — Brian Eno

wallingford bossa — hemlock

Fantasiestücke, Op. 73: No. 1, Zart und mit Ausdruck — Robert Schumann, Sol Gabetta, Hélène Grimaud

By This River - 2004 Digital Remaster — Brian Eno

Just When You Need Yourself Most — Oberhofer

Gianni Schicchi: O mio babbino caro — Giacomo Puccini, Renée Fleming, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Charles Mackerras

Bleecker Street — Simon & Garfunkel

House of Woodcock — Jonny Greenwood

Shaker — Acetone

All The Time — Acetone

Jazz Suite No. 2: VI. Waltz II — Dmitri Shostakovich, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Riccardo Chailly

Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade, Op. 35: II. The Kalendar Prince (Excerpt) — Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Riccardo Muti, Philadelphia Orchestra

Christine — Canary Room

Me at the Museum, You in the Wintergardens — Tiny Ruins

Valse sentimentale, Op. 51, No. 6 — Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Josef Sakonov, London Festival Orchestra

Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-Flat Major, Op. 73 "Emperor": II. Adagio un poco mosso — Ludwig van Beethoven, Wilhelm Kempff, Berliner Philharmoniker, Ferdinand Leitner

Deux Arabesques, L. 66, CD 74: I. Première Arabesque — Claude Debussy, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet

Green Bus — The Innocence Mission

Lucida — Thomas Bartlett

Introduction et Allegro, M. 46 — Maurice Ravel, Oxalys

Two Thousand and Seventeen — Four Tet

When It Rains — Felbm

Lake Effect — Canary Room

Candy Says — The Velvet Underground

Serenade for Strings in C Major, Op. 48, TH 48: II. Valse — Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, Dmitri Kitayenko

Schumann: Davidsbündlertänze, Op. 6, Heft II: No. 14, Zart und singend — Robert Schumann, Jonathan Biss

Magnolia — J.J. Cale

day one — hemlock

Return From The Ice — Acetone

Requiem in D minor, K.626: 6. Benedictus — Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Anne Sofie von Otter, Barbara Bonney, Hans Peter Blochwitz, Willard White, English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner

River — Terry Reid

Where Should I Meet You? — Canary Room

This Night Has Opened My Eyes - 2011 Remaster — The Smiths

Brother — Vashti Bunyan

Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007: I. Prélude — Johann Sebastian Bach, Yo-Yo Ma

Sweeten Your Eyes — The Clientele

Knickerbocker Holiday: September Song (Arr. by Paul Bateman) — Kurt Weill, Daniel Hope, Jacques Ammon, Zürcher Kammerorchester

Funicular — Felbm

Piano Sonata No. 12 in F Major, K. 332: II. Adagio — Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Jenő Jandó

Sensuela — Column

[kasoosh]

songs that amplify my unquenchable lust for life

[avengingmikaelsonlover]

Prompt Character List......

 Denny Duquette

 Clark Kent

 Lincoln [The 100]

 Nyko [The 100]

 Marcus Kane [The 100]

 Kelly Severide

 Matt Casey

 {Ethan} Hawkins {I think that's his name}

 Jimmy Borelli

 Frank Castle

 Max [The Resident]

 Klaus Mikaelson

 Wade Wilson

 Kol Mikaelson

 Bill Cadogan [The 100]

 Elijah Mikaelson

 Russell Lightbourn [7th] [The 100]

 Finn Mikaelson

 Damon Salvatore

 Logan

 Matt Murdoch

 Shane Walsh

 Rick Grimes

 Eugene

 Paul {Jesus}

 Lex Luthor

 Negan Smith

 Aegon II {House of The Dragon}

 Robb Stark {Game of Thrones}

 Jon Snow {Game of Thrones}

 Aemond “One Eye” {House of The Dragon}

 Thoros of Myr {GOT

 Steve Rogers

 Bucky Barnes

 Thor Odinson

 Loki Laufeyson

 Pietro Maximoff

 Tony Stark

 Bruce Banner

 Winn Schott

 Jack Reacher

 Andy Barber

 Henry Delarue

 Henry 8th [Other Boleyn Girl-Tudors]

 Charles Brandon [Tudors] [Henry Cavil]

 Richard of Shrewsbury [The White Princess]

 Richard 3rd [The White Queen]

 Cesare Borgia [Borgias-2007]

 Henry [7th] [The White Princess]

 Philip Blake [The Governor]

 Reuben Palchuk

 Glenn Morrison

 Mason Lockwood

 Scott Lang

 Hope Van Dyne

 Joker [Suicide Squad]

 Harley Quinn [Suicide Squad]

 Miles Quaritch [Avatar]

 Nathanial Taylor [Terranova]

 Lucas Taylor [Terranova]

 Eddie Brock

 Eddie Brock with Venom

 Spiderman [Peter Parker] {Tom Holland]

 Hannibal Lecter [Hannibal]

 Frederick Chilton [Hannibal]

 Raoul De Chagny [Phantom of the Opera]

 Mathias Vogel [Tomb Raider 2018]

 Johann Struensee [Royal Affair]

 Ido Dyson [Alita Battle Angel]

 Geralt of Rivia {Henry Cavil} [The Witcher]

 Dusan [Downsized] {Christoph Waltz}

 Multiple Characters [From the Same Show]

 Qaletaqa Walker [Fear the Walking Dead]

 Travis [Fear the Walking Dead]

 Daryl Dixon

 Meryl Dixon

 Alexander Grayson [Dracula] {Jonathan Rhys-Meyers]

 Vlad Dracula [Dracula Untold] {Luke Evans}

 Deckard Shaw

 Owen Shaw

 Dominic Toretto

 Luke Hobbs

 Tormund Giantsbane

 Normand Nordstrom

 Dante Reyes

 Connor Slaughter

 Stephen Strange

 Erik Lehnsherr {Magneto}

 Gambit [Remy LeBeau] {Taylor Kitsch}

Kraven {Aaron Taylor-Johnson]

 Chon [Savages]

 Ben [savages]

 Ben and Chon [Savages]

 Miguel “Lado’ Arroyo [Savages]

 Haldir

 Elrond

 Thranduil

 Fili

Kili

 Thorin Oakenshield

 Miguel O'Hara

 Troy Otto

 Hector [Troy]

 Black Adam/Teth Adam

 Superman [Henry Cavil]

 August Walker [Mission Impossible? -6]

 The Collector [Guardians of The Galaxy]

 Yondu [Guardians of The Galaxy]

 Ronan [Guardians of The Galaxy]

 Carol Danvers [Marvels]

 Grant Ward [S.H.I.E.L.D.]

 Jim Shannon [Terra Nova]

 Director Mace [S.H.I.E.L.D.]

 Barry Allen [Flash TV]

 Arthur Curry

 Peter Quill {Star Lord}

 Owen Grady [Jurassic World]

 Ajax {Francis Freeman} [Deadpool]

 Zapan [Alita Battle Angel]

 Martouf [SG-1]

 Martouf/Lantash [SG-1]

 Ra [Stargate Movie]

 Zipacna [SG-1]

 Ba'al [Stargate-Multi Appearances]

 Carson Beckett [SG-A]

 Varro [SG-U]

 Wade Wilson {Alternate Universe}

 Judge Turpin [Sweeney Todd Demon Barber]

 Severus Snape

 Lucius Malfoy

 Sirius Black

 Voldemort

 Xerxes [300]

 Aaron Hotchner [BAU]

 Spencer Reid [BAU]

 Derek Morgan [BAU]

 Luke Alvarez [BAU]

 Emily Prentiss [BAU]

 Jake Riley [Containment]

 Ichabod Crane [Sleepy Hollow] {TV}

 Jack Daniels | Whiskey [Kingsman Golden Circle]

 Sam Winchester [Supernatural]

 Dean Winchester [Supernatural]

 Crowley [Supernatural]

 John Wick [John Wick]

 Joel Miller [Last of Us]

 Ned [Pushing Daisy's]

 Cleon {Empire-All Clones} [Foundation]

 Ethan Sawyer [Those Who Wish Me Dead]

 Rafael Barba [Law and Order SVU]

 Master Chief John-118 [Halo TV 2022]

 Christian Grey [50 Shades of Grey Movie Series]

 Tequila [Kingsman Golden Circle]

 Tom Chandler [Last Ship]

 Mike Slattery [Last Ship]

 Mills [65]

 Guy [Free Guy]

 Erik Green

 Phil Constantino

 Bill Kohler

 Asmodeus

 Stolas-Blitz

 Lucifer [Helluva Boss]

 Lucifer [Lucifer]

 Adam [Hazbin Hotel]

 The Ghoul [Fallout]

 Richard B. Riddick [Riddick]

 Kaulder [The Last Witch Hunter]

 Beauregard ‘Bo’ [House of Wax]

 Vincent ‘Vince’ [House of Wax]

 Sebastian Monroe [Revolution]

 Garret [Twilight]

 Emmett [Twilight]

 Carlisle [Twilight]

 Jasper [Twilight]

 Aro [Twilight]

 Caius [Twilight]

 Marcus [Twilight]

 Paul Lahote [Twilight]

 Jared Cameron [Twilight]

 Sam Uley [Twilight]

 Billy Black [Twilight]

 Charlie Swan [Twilight]

 Dimitri Belikov [Vampire Academy]

 Lucien [Underworld]

 Vasiliy Fet [The Strain]

 Gabriel Bolivar [The Strain]

 Cyrus Grissom [Con-Air]

 Sabas [Underworld]

 Braxton [The accountant]

 Griff [Baby Driver]

 Brad Bodnick [Wolf of Wall Street]

 Matt Rayburn [Wind River]

 Kandomere [Bright]

 Ransom Drysdale [Knives Out]

 John Proudstar [Gifted | X- Men] {Thunderbird}

 Warpath {John Proudstar's Brother}

 Kilgrave [Jessica Jones] [David Tenant]

 Johnny Storm [Fantastic 4] [Chris Evans]

 Miami Man [Bad Batch]

[synonymouswithanonymous]

Hyenas!

Here photographers take pictures of Johanne Milland at a hyena enclosure, at Randers Zoo, this is great! She's an animal lover who has volunteered with animals before, they're most likely raising money or awareness (or both) for the animals/rainforests. And kudos to her not being squeamish! I like how she doesn't seem to mind getting into the grime of the work. I love animals too, and zoos always need money. I hope they raise more money than they need. And also hyenas are so cute! 😊😊😊 I like how they showed how they have to leave the meat out, to make it as natural as possible for the animals. She looks beautiful here, with no makeup. No filters needed. 😊😊 And I also like how she got to bring attention to an animal that doesn't receive as much love as the "cuter" ones. All animals should be taken care of even the dangerous scavengers and predators.

Most zoos get their meat from markets, suppliers etc when feeding carnivores. Although to keep inbreeding down, in 2014 a Danish zoo put down a giraffe to feed the carnivores at the zoo. That's a bit sad, but at least the animal was used to feed others instead of just discarded. Not sure where they got the meat here, but hyenas gotta eat too. 😊😊

[brookstonalmanac]

Birthdays 1.30

Beer Birthdays

Martin Stelzer (1815)

Christian Hess (1848)

Sean Turner

Five Favorite Birthdays

Lloyd Alexander; writer (1924)

Phil Collins; rock drummer, singer (1951)

Roy Eldridge; jazz trumpeter (1911)

Gene Hackman; actor (1930)

Franklin D. Roosevelt; 32nd U.S. President (1882)

Famous Birthdays

Peter Agre; physician and biologist (1949)

Michael Anderson; English film director (1920)

Christian Bale; British actor (1974)

Marty Balin; rock musician (1942)

Les Barker; English poet and author (1947)

Luc-Marie Bayle; French painter (1914)

Francis Bradley; English philosopher (1846)

Richard Brautigan; writer (1935)

Ruth Brown; singer (1928)

Kylie Bunbury; Canadian-American actress (1989)

Gelett Burgess; author, poet, and critic (1866)

Brett Butler; comedian (1958)

Dick Cheney; war criminal, war profiteer (1941)

Shirley Chisholm; politician (1924)

Olivia Colman; English actress (1974)

Michael Dorris; writer (1945)

Ann Dowd; actress (1956)

Charles Dutton; actor (1951)

Doulas Englebart; inventor of computer mouse (1925)

Richard Greene; actor (1918)

Tammy Grimes; actress and singer (1934)

Tubby Hayes; English saxophonist and composer (1935)

Shirley Hazzard; Australian-American writer (1931)

Fred Hembeck; author and illustrator (1953)

Patrick Heron; British painter (1920)

John Ireland; actor (1914)

Horst Jankowski; German pianist and composer (1936)

Dave Johnson; Baltimore Orioles 2B (1943)

Mike Johnson; politician (1972)

Josh Kelley; singer-songwriter (1980)

Fred Korematsu; activist (1919)

Walter Savage Landor; English poet and author (1775)

Bernie Leighton; jazz pianist (1921)

Charles Martin Loeffler; German-American violinist & composer (1861)

Delbert Mann; film director (1920)

Steve Marriott; English singer-songwriter (1947)

Dick Martin; comedian (1928)

Jaishankar Prasad; Indian poet and playwright (1889)

Harold Prince; film director (1928)

Johann Joachim Quantz; German flute player & composer (1697)

Vanessa Redgrave; actor (1937)

Amrita Sher-Gil; Hungarian-Indian painter (1913)

Snagglepuss; cartoon character (1959)

Boris Spassky; Russian chess player (1937)

Payne Stewart; golfer (1957)

A. H. Tammsaare; Estonian author (1878)

Jake Thomas; actor (1990)

Barbara Tuchman; writer, historian (1912)

Wilmer Valderrama; actor (1980)

Jody Watley; singer (1959)

David Wayne; actor (1914)

Maiko Yuki; Japanese model, actor (1977)

[wweallresultspage]

2k ppv results 7/22/23 night 1

We're gonna do 10 money I. The bank matches for the 1st time ever for WWE 2k23 Money in the Bank ppv 1st one will be for

Kickoff money in the bank gay one

Big e vs xavier woods vs kofi vs tyler breeze vs dr shelpy vs goldust vs kit vs elton

Xaver woods won

Liv morgan vs sasha vs jade cargill vs queen zella vs page vs dr britt vs jacy vs mickie james Raws women's MITB MATCH

Dr britt won

Mandy vs charlotte vs sonya vs eva marie vs china vs nikki bella brie bella vs xia lu 2ND ONE WILL BE SMACKDOWN WOMEN'S MITB MATCH

Eva marie won

The hurricane vs booker t vs butch vs mankind vs edge vs big boss man vs bad bunny vs veer mahuna 3RD ONE WILL BE HARDCORE CHAMPIONSHIP MITB MATCH

Big boss man won

Becky vs bellar vs beth vs alba fire vs maryse vs wendy vs tamana vs dakota kai 4TH ONE WILL BE WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP MITB MATCH WHOEVER WINS ONLY CAN CASH IN ON WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP

Alba fire won

Bruson read vs angel vs akon vs bulldog vs braun breaker vs julius creed vs johann vs rowdy piper for the uk briefcase

Rowdy piper won

6TH ONE WILL BE FOR THE CRUISERWEIGHT DIVISION MITB MATCH

Akcara vs crux del toro vs cedric vs angel vs batman vs chad vs drew gulak vs ricochet

Cedric won

Maine event night 1

7TH ONE WILL BE FOR ECW DIVISION MITB MATCH

Bubba ray vs devon vs scott hall vs big show vs paul vs jbl vs brock vs goldberg

D von dudley

8TH ONE WILL BE FOR NXT BRAND MITB MATCH

Cameron grimes vs logan paul vs wes lee vs tony d vs julius creed braun breker vs mace

Tomorrow

undertaker vs randy vs john cena vs hogan vs shanky vs tails vs seth vs cm punk RAW MEN'S DIVISION MITB

Tomorrow

Drew vs rey vs walter vs shane mcman vs riddle vs owens vs jinder vs jhon moxley 10TH ONE WILL BE FOR SMACKDOWN MENS DIVISION MITB MATCH

tomorrow

Kevin Owens Sami Zayn vs Kevin Nash Scott Hall vs Street Profits

tomorrow

Vince vs fully

tomorrow

Joseph vs Jon Moxley FOR Joseph Championship

tomorrow

Kane vs Demon Finn Balor inferno match

tomorrow

Main event

The Finn Bray Wyatt vs Braun Strowman hell in a Cell Match

tomorrow

[jackjolene]

My Sinking City Headcanons: Miscellaneous

ersThis time around, I’ll be looking at my miscellaneous headcanons regarding The Sinking City instead of the plot points in the Cases.

For Charles, the phone booths of Oakmont serve as teleportation points. Through some interaction between Charles’ curse, and the eldritch strangeness of Oakmont, he was able to sense the phone booths. Approaching one to investigate the feeling “activated” them. Charles is able to teleport between booths by entering one, closing the door, touching the location of another booth on the map, and focusing. No one notices when he disappears or appears in the booths thanks to Oakmont’s influence.

The first time Charles teleported using the booths, he was pretty freaked out. He quickly realized how useful this was, however, and uses it often.

Charles’ boat, the Cyclops II, has the odd habit of showing up at any dock that he gets close to. At first, Charles thought that it was another boat of the same make and model, but that was dispelled when he saw the name. Like with the phone booths, he sees this as another inexplicable but useful feature of Oakmont.

Charles has a bad habit of neglecting to sleep or eat while working on a case or cases. When hunger and/or exhaustion finally catch up to him, he’ll eat enough for a horse and/or sleep for a day. 

Whenever Charles comes across someone begging in the streets, he’ll give them some bullets (either a handful of pistol, revolver, or SMG, or a whole shotgun shell or rifle bullet) to help them out.

Meeting Joy in the University Library was a breath of fresh air to Charles after Lyons and the woman behind the desk at Oakmont City Hall. She was one of the few Oakmonters that wasn’t hostile or indifferent to him being a newcomer, but welcoming.

From the start, Charles found Joy to be attractive. It wasn’t until after he put down Granny Weaver that his attraction began to become more.

Prior to going down to Cthygonnaar and during his farewells to his friends, Charles gave the articles of Deep One gold he found to Daryl Grimes and he gave the seven mystic tomes he found to Joy. He made it clear that the books were dangerous, both to read and to be known to have them, and that it was best that she didn’t put them up with the Library’s.

When Charles was choosing between restarting the cycle, ending the cycle, or breaking it, he did consider ending or breaking it. After the war, the loss of his fellow crewmates of the Cyclops, and the horrible things he had seen in Oakmont, ending it all or running away had begun to look like a good idea.

It was the good people that lived in Oakmont that influenced him to restart the cycle: Graham Carpenter, Frank, Dr. Grant, Glenn Byers, Helen Bland, Sam Shaw, Daryl Grimes, Jimmy Price, Vilma Bartosz, the Golem, Michael Robertson, the Gravedigger, and, of course, Joy Hayden. Even if Johannes van der Berg were right, and human existence was nothing but misery, Charles had no right to kill them, or to abandon them, and this applied to the rest of humanity outside of Oakmont as well.

Charles was thinking of Joy as he took the leap. He hoped the best for her as the ground came rushing up to meet him. 

If I come up with anymore headcanons, I’ll post them in a second part. Feel free to tell me which ones you like, which ones you don’t, and your own headcanons regarding this game and its protagonist. Have a good day, everyone!

[i-watch-too-many-movies]

Top 50 Songs of the 2010s

50. JPEGMAFIA- "I Cannot Fucking Wait Until Morrissey Dies"

49. The Regrettes- "I Don't Like You"

48. Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile- "Continental Breakfast"

47. Against Me!- "FUCKMYLIFE666"

46. Beyoncè- "Love on Top"

45. Noname- "Don't Forget About Me"

44. Gorillaz- "On Melancholy Hill"

43. Sleep- "Sonic Titan"

42. The 1975- "The Sound"

41. The Highwomen- "Highwomen"

40. Johann Johannson- "Mandy Love Theme"

39. Carly Rae Jepsen- "Run Away with Me"

38. Weezer- "Do You Wanna Get High?"

37. Grimes- "Oblivion"

36. Algiers- "Cry of the Martyrs"

35. FKA twigs- "Two Weeks"

34. Ariana Grande- "thank u, next"

33. LCD Soundsystem- "I Can Change"

32. Idles- "Colossus"

31. Roger Neill- "Santa Barbara, 1979"

30. Daughters- "Less Sex"

29. Kids See Ghosts- "Cudi Montage"

28. Sufjan Stevens- "Wallowa Lake Monster"

27. They Might Be Giants- "Let's Get This Over With"

26. Taylor Swift- "Style"

25. Weyes Blood- "Movies"

24. Frank Ocean- "Nights"

23. Denzel Curry- "Clout Cobain"

22. Code Orange- "Kill the Creator"

21. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds- "Distant Sky"

20. Julia Holter- "I Shall Love 2"

19. Purple Mountains- "Nights That Won't Happen"

18. Daft Punk ft. Paul Williams- "Touch"

17. Solange- "Cranes in the Sky"

16. David Bowie- "I Can't Give Everything Away"

15. Tegan and Sara- "BWU"

14. Kendrick Lamar- "Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst"

13. Sun Kil Moon- "I Watched the Film The Song Remains the Same"

12. Alvvays- "Archie, Marry Me"

11. Kero Kero Bonito- "Only Acting"

10. Paramore- "26"

9. Janelle Monáe- "Make Me Feel"

8. Car Seat Headrest- "(Joe Gets into Trouble for Using) Drugs with Friends (But Says This Isn't a Problem)"

7. Deafheaven- "From the Kettle onto the Coil"

6. M83- "Midnight City"

5. Lingua Ignota- "I Am the Beast"

4. Death Grips- "Centuries of Damn"

3. Lorde- "Liability"

2. Mount Eerie- "Soria Moria"

1. Kamasi Washington- "Truth"

[bloodofvalyriaarchive]

tag game | 5 songs from your oc’s playlist

i was tagged by @troyebakers​​, @ma-sulevin​​ and i believe... @josephseeds-rosary​​ ? i cannot remember because my brain is tiny. i’m going to tag @jacknought​​, @casino-lights​​, @nihildep​​, @spicevalleys​​, @bioshocking​​, @anniesburg​​, @callmeredhood​​, @firstaidspray​​, @dathomir​​, @outranks​, @sharkyvores​​, @idiotsix​​, @depressedggs​​ & anyone else who wants to participate ! 

1. the fine art of conversation - woody jackson 2. west country girl - nick cave & the bad seeds 3. jim - swans 4. how’s it gonna end - tom waits 5. waymore’s blues - waylon jennings

1. nobody - mitski 2. a mistake - fiona apple 3. need a little time - courtney barnett 4. ohio - cherry glazerr 5. running up that hill (deal with god) - kate bush

1. suffer well - depeche mode 2. you might think he loves you for the money - death grips 3. abc city - holograms 4. discipline - nine inch nails 5. midnight to six - decades / failures

1. cocky af - megan thee stallion 2. daddi - cherry glazerr 3. familiar patterns - pup 4. laisse tomber les filles - april march 5. dismantle me - the distillers

1. disassociative - marilyn manson 2. so heavy i fell through the earth - grimes 3. holy terrain - fka twigs& future 4. man of oil - animal collective 5. an angel held me like a child - yeule

1. boy bye - brockhampton 2. scream - grimes & aristophanes 3. cyber sex - doja cat 4. stupid - ashnikko & yung baby tate 5. humans become machines - aristophanes

1. mantra - tool 2. trust me - swans 3. blood bitch - cocteau twins 4. black lake - bjork 5.  mandy love theme - johann johannsson

1. simmer - hayley williams 2. violence - grimes 3. doomed moon - young widows 4. white lies - alice glass 5. holes - crim3s

[prairiesongserial]

12.13

There wasn’t going to be a burlesque show that night for the good people of Kill Devil Hills, but the burlesque performers weren’t planning on surrendering the tent, either. They had Ezra and a new guitar player captive, and the game of the hour was trying to find a song that both of them knew and could play. Poor Cody was having trouble keeping up, missing notes and breaking rhythm with Ezra.

Friday was wearing sequined underwear, exactly as she was meant to be. She’d spent the last hour going through costumes, now that she and the rest of the burlesque performers were at a truce. It had really only been Abernathy, the red-haired woman with the pink eyepatch, who’d had a problem with her. Abernathy had disappeared with Ezra for a while to handle something or other, and while she was away, Friday had made nice with everyone else. She’d exchanged the contentious blond wig for a bubblegum pink one that was as long as her old blue wig had been - though she still had her eye on the blond. Short hair was so convenient. She’d be back for it.

“How many routines do you put on per night?” she asked as she shimmied herself into a very tight dress. The dress was cut so low it showed almost all of the black sequined bra she had on underneath. It had not been made with the flat-chested in mind.

“That depends,” said Shoshana, one of the other dancers. Friday had decided she liked Shoshana. She was dressed in a too-big button down tucked into too-big pants belted in place. Her sun-bleached brown curls were cropped just under her ears. Most importantly, she didn’t seem to have any intention of hazing Friday. Shoshana sat on top of an unopened crate labeled “heels - very high,” chewing an unlit cigarette. “We try to stick to five minutes per routine.”

“Oh, we did them a bit longer at the Ace,” Friday said. “And with music in between. Course, we were looking for the audience to stay and buy drinks all night, not tip every girl.”

Friday started to wiggle out of the dress. It wasn’t right, and there was a red one folded in the bottom of the crate that had her eye.

“That wouldn’t work here,” Shoshana said. “People hold onto their money tighter when there’s other tents still to visit - or if they saved the burlesque show for last, when their wallet’s already light. Better to get them in and out for the next round of tippers.”

A quick audience turnover sounded like a convenient set-up for any pickpockets working the crowd, but Friday decided not to say anything. Business was business.

Friday stepped into the red dress. It was made of shot silk, giving it an iridescent shimmer. It had a long slit up the side that ended at Friday’s hip. The dress had no straps, making the sequined bra look ridiculous underneath. She twisted herself to try to take it off without taking off the dress first.

“That one looks good on you,” Shoshana said. She finally lit her cigarette, as if only just realizing she hadn’t done so already.

“Thanks,” Friday said. “How nice do you think I have to be to Abernathy to keep that blond wig?”

“Pretty nice,” Shoshana admitted. “Good thing Abernathy likes me.” She took a long drag on her cigarette. “Hey, sunshine?” she called, grinning to show off a chrome tooth.

Abernathy, draped across the piano on the other side of the tent, looked up. “What?”

“I want the blond wig,” Shoshana replied.

Abernathy frowned at her. “To give to…”

“Look at her,” Shoshana said. “She’s a mess without it. Not fit to be seen.”

Friday crossed her arms. “Well, hold on,” she said.

Abernathy slid gracefully down from the piano, a hiss of air escaping from her false leg.

The roar of a truck engine interrupted the exchange. Abernathy continued to approach, but she walked past Friday without so much as looking at her. Friday followed her out of the tent. The truck was still a ways down the road, but it definitely belonged to the circus. It was the same truck that Val and Johannes had left in that morning..

Abernathy watched it approach. Behind them, the piano came to a discordant stop, leaving Cody’s guitar alone to practice the last few bars. In seconds, Ezra had joined them outside of the tent.

“Does he have any idea what time it is?” he muttered.

The truck approached quickly, spitting up dust under the tires. It didn’t rejoin the circle where the other trucks were parked, but shuddered to a halt at an angle right in front of Friday, Abernathy, and Ezra. Johannes tumbled out of the driver’s side, not bothering to close the door.

Friday’s eyes widened. Johannes was covered in ash. For a split second, she was looking at Val stumbling out of the back door of his church. Johannes strode up to Ezra and started talking quickly, but Friday’s ears were ringing. She couldn’t hear what they were saying.

“Val?” she said.

A crowd was growing around the truck as Val climbed down from the passenger side. He slammed the door closed behind him. She couldn’t see him - all she got was a passing glimpse through the windshield before the sun’s glare cut her short. Friday shouldered her way past several carnies, then finally turned the corner to face him.

She was staring the past right in the face. There were streaks of ash down Val’s cheeks. And his hair - his hair had caught fire in places. His shirt alone was suspiciously clean, as if he’d been wounded and treated and covered up again.

“It’s not even four o’clock, Friday,” he said chidingly, but with the slightest smile, as he leaned back against the truck. He averted his eyes in that infuriatingly polite way he always would when she was dressed for a performance.

Whatever Friday had been about to say to him fled her mind. Two separate memories of Val were smashed together in front of her, and it didn’t make sense. His words, even his posture, took her back to how things had been before John and Cody and the whirlwind that followed - he might have said the same thing to her some late afternoon at the church, her sitting on the edge of Val’s desk while he opened every drawer in search of the right size nail for a repair. But with ash smeared across his face, Val looked like he had stepped out of one of Friday’s worst days. She felt tears prick the corners of her eyes, and grit her teeth to hold them back, feeling lost.

“It’s for work,” Friday said, finally. She paused. She wanted to touch his face, to wipe the grime away with a sponge like she had done back at the Ace while the fire was spreading - what seemed like a lifetime ago. It had helped then, being able to do something. With Val awake, she didn’t quite dare.

“What happened to you?” she asked, uneasily.

Val shook his head. “It’ll sound worse than it was. It’s okay. I was, um, foggy for the whole thing.”

Now he looked as uneasy as she felt. Friday had blown up at him when he’d left this morning, after all.

“You’re not going to tell me?” Friday said, trying not to sound upset. She was going to add, “You got hurt,” but found that she couldn’t.

Johannes’s voice cut through the conversation before Val had a chance to reply.

“Pack it in,” he hollered to the crowd that had gathered. “The show’s cancelled. We leave in an hour.”

“We already started setting up,” Ezra snapped. “We can’t strike in just an hour. If you had told us - ”

“If I’d known earlier, I would’ve told you,” Johannes snapped back at him. “We have to move. Soon. Now.”

Ezra argued, but Friday didn’t catch his reply in the clamor from the rest of the circus. Her attention fell back on Val. She felt so angry, and so stupid. She’d let Johannes bully Val into going off alone with him, when she’d known Johannes wasn’t someone to be trusted. Now something had happened that was so awful Val didn’t even want to tell her. He looked nervously past her, and Friday wasn’t convinced it was just her outfit that had him acting so cagey.

“If I tell you, you won’t be happy,” Val said slowly.

“I’m already not happy,” Friday said, then clenched her teeth, trying to reign herself in.

“Okay, enough chit-chat,” Johannes said, suddenly in the middle of their conversation. “Ketsele, you’re with me for first aid and an emergency haircut. Friday…” He waved a hand dismissively. “Go do what Ezra tells you. Some of us were burned at the stake today.”

Johannes had begun to steer Val away, though Val shrugged out from under his arm. Friday saw red. She reached out and yanked a handful of tassels on the back of Johannes’s jacket as hard as she could, throwing him off balance and forcing him to turn back.

“What?” he yelled.

“I don’t know what happened,” she threw back. “But I know it was your fault, and I’d like to see a little remorse.”

Johannes raised his eyebrows.

“You two are very similar,” he said to Val, straightening his lapels.

“Friday - ” Val began.

“No!” Friday yelled. “I will not let it slide, and I will not accept that it ‘wasn’t that bad.’ Even if you don’t tell me. I know it was bad.” It was so bad you’re shutting me out, she thought. “Val, please. He’s not good.”

“I didn’t burn him at the stake,” Johannes argued. “What the hell did I do to you?”

Nothing, yet. Friday ignored him, looking at Val instead. He left Johannes’s side, coming to stand closer to her. She was overpowered by the smell of the ocean, sweat, and ash.

“I know how it sounds,” he said quietly. “But Johannes saved my life. I trust him.”

“I know you trust him,” Friday said, frustrated. Her eyes stung, and she couldn’t tell if it was from the smoke on Val’s clothes, or if she was about to cry. “I’m trying to tell you...he’s a con artist, okay? I know he’s grifting. I just...can’t see the big picture yet.”

Val shook his head. “Look, I have to…”

Friday grabbed the end of his sleeve.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“I got singed,” Val said, with surprising humor. “Really nothing new.”

Friday nodded, and bit her lip. She wanted to hug him, but Val was already pulling away.

He smiled at her, then turned to Johannes, following the ringmaster’s lead across the camp. Johannes tried to put his arm around Val again, but Val ducked away. Friday watched him push Johannes’s head down like some rowdy kid, then fold his hands behind his back as if he hadn’t.

“You better watch it,” Johannes said, laughing. “I’m about to cut your hair.”

Friday slowly breathed out. The crowd had scattered at the announcement that everything had to be packed in an hour. The only still bodies were three she knew: Ezra, John, and the mechanic, Enis. Ezra and Enis were talking, clearly working through a problem. John was staring right at Friday.

She thought he must be staring at something behind her until he caught her eye and looked away.

“I’m gonna go change,” Friday muttered to no one.

12.12 || 12.14

[harry-leroy]

2020: Year of Opera

So, in order to expand my cultural horizons (and do this because I’ve been wanting to do this), I’m going to be trying to get through some operas this year! I’ll definitely be listening to these, and I’m going to try and find staged versions if I can - because opera is a form of theatre and performance is an important part of it. This list is based off of The Guardian’s List of Top 50 Operas, but if there’s one that you don’t see on here and recommend, let me know!

Crossed out titles will be the ones I’ve already listened to/watched, and ones with asterisks (*) by them will be ones that I’ve listened to parts of, but need to listen to the whole thing.

1) L’Orfeo - Claudio Monteverdi (1607)

2) Dido and Aeneas* - Henry Purcell (1689)

3) Guilio Cesare (Julius Caesar) - George Frideric Handel (1724)

4) Serse (Xerxes) - Handel (1738)

5) Orfeo ed Euridice (Orpheus and Eurydice)* - Christoph Willibald Gluck (1762)

6) Idomeneo - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1781)

7) Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) - Mozart (1786)

8) Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute)* - Mozart (1791)

9) Il Barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville)* - Gioachino Rossini (1816)

10) Guillaume Tell (William Tell)* - Rossini (1829)

11) Norma - Vincenzo Bellini (1831)

12) L’Elisir d’Amore (The Exilir of Love) - Gaetano Donizetti (1832)

13) Lucia di Lammermoor - Donizetti (1835)

14) Rigoletto - Giuseppe Verdi (1851)

15) La Traviata - Verdi (1853)

16) Don Carlos/Don Carlo - Verdi (1867)

17) Falstaff* - Verdi (1893)

18) Pagliacci - Ruggero Leoncavallo (1892)

19) La Bohème - Giacomo Puccini (1896)

20) Tosca* - Puccini (1900)

21) Madama Butterfly - Puccini (1904)

22) Turandot* - Puccini (1926)

23) Fidelio - Ludwig van Beethoven (1805)

24) Der Freischütz - Carl Maria von Weber (1821)

25) Lohengrin* - Richard Wagner (1850)

26) Tristan und Isolde* - Wagner (1865)

27) Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg - Wagner (1868)

28) Der Ring des Nibelungen - Wagner (1876)

29) Die Lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow) - Franz Lehár (1905)

30) Salome* - Richard Strauss (1905)

31) Der Rosenkavalier* - Strauss (1911)

32) Les Troyens - Hector Berlioz (1863/1890)

33) Carmen* - Georges Bizet (1875)

34) Manon* - Jules Massenet (1884)

35) Pelléas et Mélisande - Claude Debussy (1902)

36) The Bartered Bride - Bedrich Smetana (1866)

37) Boris Godunov - Modest Mussorgsky (1874)

38) Eugene Onegin - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1879)

39) The Queen of Spades - Tchaikovsky (1890)

40) Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk - Dmitri Shostakovich (1934)

41) War and Peace - Sergei Prokofiev (1944)

42) The Rake’s Progress - Igor Stravinsky (1951)

43) Jenufa - Leoš Janáček (1904)

44) Bluebeard’s Castle - Béla Bartók (1918)

45) Wozzeck - Alban Berg (1925)

46) Porgy and Bess - George Gershwin (1935)

47) Peter Grimes - Benjamin Britten (1945)

48) The Turn of the Screw* - Britten (1954)

49) King Priam - Michael Tippett (1962)

50) Le Grand Macabre - György Ligeti (1978)

Some Additional Operas not on that list that I want to listen to/finish listening to:

51) Armide - Jean Baptiste Lully (1686)

52) Proserpine (Proserpina) - Lully (1680)

53) Phaëton - Lully (1683)

54) Roland - Lully (1685)

55) Aida* - Verdi (1871)

56) Otello* - Verdi (1887)

57) Così fan tutte - Mozart (1790)

58) Parsifal - Wagner (1878)

59) Faust - Charles Gounod (1859)  

60) Les contes d’Hoffmann* - Offenbach (1881)

61) Elektra - Strauss (1909)

62) Rusalka* - Antonin Dvorák (1901)

63) La clemenza di Tito* - Mozart (1791)

64) Lakmé* - Léo Dilibes (1883)

65) La sonnambula - Bellini (1831)

66) Die Fledermaus - Johann Strauss II (1874)

67) Roméo et Juliette* - Gounod (1867)

68) Andrea Chénier - Umberto Giodano (1896)

69) Semiramide - Rossini (1823)

70) Dialogues of the Carmelites - Francis Poulenc (1956)

71) Anna Bolena - Donizetti (1830)

72) Les Huguenots - Giacomo Meyerbeer (1836)

73) Peer Gynt* - Edvard Grieg (1876)

74) Ariadne auf Naxos - Richard Strauss (1912)

75) Billy Budd - Britten (1951)

76) HMS Pinafore - Arthur Sullivan (1878)

77) Béatrice et Bénédict* - Berlioz (1862)

78) Edgar - Puccini (1889)

79) Hippolyte et Aricie - Jean-Philippe Rameau (1733)

80) The Merry Wives of Windsor - Otto Nicolai (1849)

81) Alceste - Gluck (1767)

82) Amahl and the Night Visitors - Gian Carlo Menotti (1951)

83) King Arthur* - Purcell (1691)

84) The Nose - Shostakovich (1929)

85) Castor et Pollux - Rameau (1737)

86) The Tempest - Thomas Adès (2004)

87) Die tote Stadt - Erich Wolfgang Korngold (1920)

88) Alfonso und Estrella - Franz Schubert (1822)

89) L’étoile - Emmanuel Chabrier (1877)

90) The Fairy Queen - Purcell (1692)

91) Where the Wild Things Are - Oliver Knussen (1983)

92) The Nightingale - Igor Stravinsky (1914)

93) L’enfant et les sortilèges* - Maurice Ravel (1925)

94) Punch and Judy - Harrison Birtwistle (1968)

95) Death in Venice - Britten (1973)

96) We Come to the River - Hans Werner Henze (1984)

97) Einstein on the Beach - Philip Glass (1976)

98) Taverner - Peter Maxwell Davies (1972)

99) A Midsummer Night’s Dream - Britten (1960)

100) The Prodigal Son - Britten (1968)

[cruoremprys]

Moonshine loosens the tongue (Part 1)

Pairing: Johann Coyote x Lemuel Fike Word Count:  2473 Rating: NSFT Warnings: None A/N: I really love the Moonshiners DLC for rdo and Lem is sweet and I couldn’t help myself.  It gets spicy but there’s no particular kinks.  Part 2 will happen eventually.  

  It was good to be free, to have Aunt Maggie back.  Being back in the business good too, even if he was still incredibly worried.  Lem still had nightmares.  The smell of smoke could fill his stomach with cold, heavy dread on the wrong day.  

Aunt Maggie was confident things would be different this time.  Lem didn't question her, not aloud anyway.  He still found himself constantly checking over his shoulder, nervous at any unfamiliar sounds.  He still worried she was pushing too hard and too fast.  Aunt Maggie cheated death once, he doubted that she could again.  

"We got somethin' we didn't have before."

"What?"

"Him."

She gestured to Johann, the man in the middle of a conversation with Marcel.  Lem didn't understand a word of French but Johann seemed too.  At least some of it.  Sometimes Marcel would say something and Johann just scowled.

She was right though.  It was Johann who stopped his prison transportation.  It was Johann who killed all those revenue agents.  He'd also rescued Marcel, even if the Frenchman liked to embellish his stories.  He also blew up their competitor's operation.  Aunt Maggie wouldn't say it to the cowboy's face but she was real impressed with his work.

Lem tried to thank him a few days after the rescue.  When he was feeling better, well rested and stomach full.  It was awkward at best honestly.  Johann was so goddamn quiet, his expression always difficult to read.  Lem stumbled over his words, which only got worse when Johann smiled.  

"Oh don't worry 'bout it."

He was left more confused than before, face and ears red.  There was just something about how Johann smiled.  Something real beautiful and real sad.  

It wasn't difficult to find an excuse to be around the cowboy.  Work usually cut it.  Johann was doing most of the heavy lifting as it was.  How could it hurt if Lem gave him a hand?  

Johann still didn't talk much, Lem did enough for the both of them, but he seemed to warm up in his own way.  Always patting him on the shoulder, sitting with him instead of on his own.  

The absolute worst, or best, happened in Van Horn though.  Their delivery was long done, just passing through.  Well, a stop in the saloon.  Neither of them were the best cooks.  And it wasn't difficult to tell a revenue agent apart from everyone else.  Always in stuffy suits and complaining about the mud and grime.  Lem felt the dread start settling in his gut, hand itching to draw his revolver.  He counted five or six of them....

"Too many innocent folk."

The cowboy grabbed his arm and dragged him into a small room.  Shut the door and out of habit placed a hand over Lem's mouth.  As if they weren't already in each other's space.  The room is down right tiny.  Yet he could barely hear Johann breathing as he listened.  

For once, the unfamiliar voices and sounds of footsteps didn't bother Lem.  He was far too focused on the gunslinger.  His palm was rough.  Smelled of gun powder and leather, a hint of blood.  His body radiated warm, firm and solid against Lem.  Tense.  Holding completely still until he was positive the danger was gone.

"Doesn't sound like they were lookin' for us. Good."

Johann sighs, hand moving away from the other's mouth.  Unintentionally caging Lem against the wall with his body, hands against the wood on either side of him.  His hand, shaking, comes up to brush over the cowboy's cheek.  Feeling the scars that marred his skin, the little bit of stubble.  Warm skin.  He can feel Johann tense up.  Momentarily fears Johann was going to lash out.  Hit or, even worse, throw him to the mercy of the revenue agents.

He doesn't.  

Wild blue eyes focuses on Lem's face, clearly searching.  Leans in, pressing their bodies closer.  He can feel Johann's warm breath on him.  His heart pounds wildly in his chest, deafeningly so.  

Chapped lips, Lem is sure his aren't any better, press against his.  His hands fly up to grab Johann's vest, grounding himself.  Holding himself upright even.  Lem didn't think kissing another man could feel so good but hell, it sure did.  

A small gasp escapes past Lem's lips when Johann leans back.  Almost following so they could keep kissing.  

"I ain't... "

Johann starts but quickly stops, kissing him again.  His hand comes up, fingers gently scratching at Lem's beard before cupping his cheek.  Gently nips his lower lip   

It abruptly stops as soon as it started.

"This ain't the right place for this."

Though they both linger close to each other, collect themselves really.  They couldn't go back out into the saloon dishevelled and lips red.  And Lem doesn't have words.  All he can do is just look at Johann, confused and honestly?  Aroused.  His jeans are starting to feel tight.  

Johann seems to be having the same problem too.  Awkwardly trying to adjust himself.  

"Anyone could walk in."

He explains, Lem nodding in response.  That implies they would kiss again.  That, well, they would probably do more.  

They decide to stay in Van Horn for the night.  Yeah, the revenue agents were gone, but they had set up a number of check points.  It was best to stay off the roads, right?  And the saloon owner, a loyal customer, was more than content to work out a deal with them.  

---

Moonshine always burned a little, Lem muses to himself.  Can still taste it in the back of his tongue.  He needed something to take the edge off, feeling like he was hyper aware of everything.  Especially Johann.  

"You can have the bed."  

Lem watches as he places his hat on the table, sits down and lights a cigarette.  Takes a long drag on it before offering it to Lem.  Their fingers brush as he takes it, Lem feeling his heart jump.  He mimics Johann before letting the cigarette hang from his lips.  Watches as Johann shifts in his chair, very clearly moving to give his growing erection space.  It gives Lem a much needed ego boost.

His now free hand reaches out to let his fingertips brush over the scars at the corner of Johann's mouth.  Breathing hitches when his wrist is grabbed, his fear soothed when Johann kisses those very same fingertips.  Feels the calloused thumb softly rub into the soft skin of his wrist.

"Are you sure?"

Another drag on the cigarette before Lem puts it out, nodding.  

"I've never... with another man."

Johann leans forward, kissing the same space his thumb has been on Lem's wrist.  Keeps holding even as he stands up.  He wonders if the outlaw's heart is pounding just as wildly as his own.  

"We ain't gotta do much."

The kiss feels just as intense as it did in that small room.  Definitely not like kissing a woman.  Johann isn't soft but he's solid.  Solid and warm pressed up against him.  Finds himself leaning in just a little more, bringing his hand up to cup his face.  Mimicking what Johann has done earlier and scratching his scruffy skin.  He swallows down the groan Johann makes.  

It definitely spurs something in him too.  Johann lets go of his wrist and both hands grab his hips.  Closing any space between them.  Lem doesn't know what to do with his hands but oh lord, he doesn't want this to stop.  Besides, it might feel different but it's still kissing.  He can do that.  He knows how to do that.  Awkwardly, his hands come to rest on his shoulders.  

They both move to deepen it, trying to learn each other.  Taste each other and memorize it.  He can taste the tobacco on Johann's tongue.  Could Johann taste the moonshine on his?

"Here."

Johann pants, urging Lem towards the bed.  Pushes him down and drops to his knees.  Hands start undoing belts.  

"I... Oh shit..."

Lem moans louder than he expected too when he feels that warm hand grab his erection.  Legs instinctively spread further apart, making more space for Johann.  Those big blue eyes are looking at him and it's good he's sitting down because his knees feel weak.  He lets his fingers card through the thick hair, gently grabbing it. Johann doesn't seem to mind, hand slowly starting to work Lem's cock.  

"Just relax, yeah?"

Lem's only ever paid for a woman to do what Johann does.  Watching Johann give the head a tentative lick knocks the air out of his lungs.  He practically wheezes when Johann starts to take him into his mouth.  One firm hand his holding his hips down, which is probably for the best.  Otherwise he might thrust hard into the warmth.  And Lord, is it warm.  Wet and welcoming and all Lem can do it moan as it engulfs his cock.  Grip on Johann's hair only tightening, desperately trying to keep himself steady.  

"Shit Johann... Oh God, feels real good. Feels damn good. C-careful!"

Throwing his head back, Lem feels his erection hit the back of Johann's throat.  Can feel his nose pressed right against his groin and his throat fluttering around him.  His chest heaves, desperately trying to catch his breath.  Toes curl and uncurl, Lem daring to look down.  That sight alone is damn near enough to make him finish.  Big blue eyes tearing up, looking up at him, as Johann holds his head down.  Keeps Lem deep in his mouth and swallows.  

There's that familiar burning in his gut, pleasure pooling there.  Worried, did Johann want him to come down his throat? Lem tugs his hair.  Trying to guide Johann off his erection.  For now, at least.  

Johann looks so pretty, if that's the right word, with his face flushed and lips wet.  Strands of spit hanging between his cock and those lips.  

"Don't like it?"

His voice is a little rougher, edged with worry.  Lem shakes his head, the hand moving from his hair to cup his cheek.  Johann's eyes flutter shut and he leans into the hand, his own slowly working Lem's erection.  

"Wasn't sure if I could finish in your mouth."

He can't imagine it tastes good and Lem doesn't want to do the wrong thing.  Johann just chuckles.

"Where did you wanna finish?"

Oh.  Lem swallows, hard, cock twitching at the question.  

"... On your face."

The hand working him picks up momentum, only stopping so Johann's tongue can run along the underside.  Giving the head soft little licks and Lem swears this is how he's going to die.  Or rather, he won't be lasting long at all.  

It's impossible to keep his hips still, Johann the only thing keeping them from jerking into the touch.

"Jesus."

Lem's eyelids flutter, wanting to close them and get lost in the pleasure.  He also wants to watch Johann.  God, he's so close.  So fucking close.  

Johann gives him exactly what he asks for, slowly working Lem as he shoots his load over his face.  His lips are parted, wet, and face flushed.  Lem moans, low and rough, at the sight.  Fingers loosen their grip on thick hair, gently tucking it behind Johann's ear as he tries to catch his breath.  He feels so pleasantly exhausted now, just petting the cowboys hair.  Who seems more than content to stay there and be pet.  

Almost like he doesn't have his own incredibly hard erection pressing against the front of his jeans.  Begging for attention.  

"I ain't ever done... well, I ain't ever sucked dick before."

Lem admits when he notices it, unsure.  Still, he wants to do something.  Johann closes his eyes and leans into the hand, smiling.  

"You don't have too."

Taking a handkerchief and standing, he wipes his face clean.  Groaning as hand run up his thighs, further up until Lem is palming against the bulge.  He knew what he likes, he can only assume Johann enjoys similar things.  It gets him a low moan, pressing his hips into the touch.  Awkwardly, he gets the gun belt off.  Lays it down to the side with care.  Untucks the shirt and undoes the jeans, fingers hooking in the loops to tug them down.  Johann has to help a little and -

"Jesus Christ."

He's huge.  Not that Lem has seen enough dicks to compare, but he's obviously heavy and thick.  Lem swallows, trying to mimic the way Johann had taken his erection in hand.  Uses precum to help make his movements more slick.  It twitches and oozes more clear fluid.

The outlaws head leans to the side, eyes closed and lips still parted ever so slightly.  Panting softly.  

He looks pretty like this too.  

"Here. Sit back a little."

Lem does as Johann instructs.  He knows he needs the guidance.  When Johann straddles his lap, it's a more familiar position.  Hands immediately rest on his hips, pushing any fabric out of the way to feel skin.  Rough hands cup his face and Johann is kissing him.  Biting and sucking on his lower lip.

He's more than happy to have Johann roll and rut his hips against him.  Though he can't imagine the fabric of his shirt feels that good.  Reaches between them to take hold of Johann's cock, pumping it.  Working it like he would his own.  Feels Johann pant and moan against his cheek.  Lem must be doing it right.  

Unlike Lem, Johann doesn't make much of a sound when he finishes. Spills into his hand, cock hot and twitching, with no real warning.  Pressing sloppy kisses to Lem's cheek and jaw, still rutting into his hand.  Rides out the high as a hand snakes its way into Lem's hair.

"Next time," Johann growls into his ear, tugging his head back, "Gonna bend you over 'nd take you."

A shiver, jolt of pleasure, runs up Lem's spine.

--------------

"You mean what you said?"

It's early morning, the road's empty.  They know they need to get back to Maggie and Marcel.  Let them know they're alive and split the money.  

"What?"

"Last night," Lem tries to sound casual, like worry isn't eating away at him, "Did you mean that?"

"Oh," Johann huffs, hoping the blush on his cheeks can't be seen, "I mean, if you want a next time."

Lem chews the inside of his cheek.  The silence drags on as he tries desperately to put together words.  He didn't think he was.... well, you know, interested in that sort of thing.  Or maybe it was just Johann.  The strange gun slinging outlaw that suddenly appeared in his life.  Like a knight in shining armor.  Was he suppose to be the princess?  And here Johann was, admitting he would want to be intimate with him again.

"I'd... like that. A next time, I mean."

He just barely notices the way Johann sighs with relief, shoulders dropping.  

"Good."

[paradisecost]

"Ah, could you hand me a robe? Or another towel? Anything would be fine, as long as it covers." Lucy spoke through a crack in the bathroom door, standing behind and out of sight. She hadn't wanted to wait to shower, needing to wash away the dirt and grime of the Dee cells. [listen.]

Johannes was suffering.

Specifically, he was suffering due to the lack of space in this motel room. The walls were thin; he could hear Lucy showering just as much as he could smell the vaguely floral shampoo she had used. It was distracting. He told himself this was because he was used to smelling nothing but formaldehyde and rotting corpses on a daily basis.

“--What?” Dragged out of his thoughts by Lucy’s voice, he turned towards the door then immediately turned away from it, mortified. “I--yes. A towel. Yes.” 

When he’d fetched it, he hesitated. Then he stretched out his arm as far as it would go, turning his face away to pass it through the crack in the door.

[cometcalloway]

@glidewing-bard

Lorian starts snapping his fingers urgently when he sees someone come out of the Dome.  His glasses got broken; he thinks it might be Johann, but he doesn’t care.  Fuck.  He wipes his fingers on his shirt, also wet and stained, and tries again.  Lorian is... fine.  He “never” gets nervous, and he’s not worried about anything bad happening to him between now and whenever help arrives, he’s... he’s been in battles before... he’s not worried about himself.  He motions Johann over desperately and shows him a feather, then points further down Spirale Hill, a landscape which is currently punctuated by the occasional feather pile. He’ll press the feather into Johann’s hand if he gets close enough, stained with grime and blood, and keep pointing. 

Lothric opens his eyes briefly from his hiding spot, aware enough to be annoyed, jostled awake by Lorian’s urgency.  He needs rest, and an encounter with somebody is not that.  But he supposes he can’t clean up the feathers in time, so he just closes his eyes again.

[whatscallion]

rise: ch. ix

//- A Medieval AU based on some Marvel parallels that follows Natalia Romanova in her rise to divinity.

Chapter Summary: A further look into the preparations and mindset of The Order’s secondary leader, Zemo.

Chapter Word Count: 1,394

Previous Chapters: Prologue - One - Two - Three - Four - Five - Six - Seven - Eight

Tagging: @cptsteven @blackberrywidow​ ( message / ask to get tagged! )

A void had splintered forth, allowing a decrepit necrosis to begin its eventual reign over an empire still crumbling. Years and years would pass, and the name would still be savored in the mouths of peasants and royalty alike. The name of dictatorship through faith, force feeding fear to those who knew little else. The ambitious noticed this opportunity and saw fit to grasp for shards of unyielding loyalty, warping the views of Saint Johann to that of their own convenience. By bone and blade, sects were forged in the greedy kiln of power over the masses. Intoxicating and addicting, few were able to uphold what had long ago been ingrained in their being as servitude.

Hunger turned loyalty into brashness, granting forth the cunning nature of swine disguised as men. Followers perked their ears at the New Testaments, each folded in upon itself to better suit vile tendencies. Be it sins of the flesh masked in godly offerings or tithings taken to the bottomless pockets of those spouting forth His good word on behalf of the fallen saint.

From the flames of Hell beneath, Johann wept in anger for what his legacy warped into. Those who were to strive for greatness held a ruthless edge to their endeavors, effortlessly using others to gain traction in a time of quiet chaos. It was time for the disciples to rise into ascension, their followers dutiful in their division among the sects splintered off from the mainstay. Every leader was approached in the utmost respect from a man who’s name remained coated in regality, yet his intentions rarely coincided with the selfishness of his brethren.

“I ask for help in this dire time, Brother.” Words were spoken softly, muted among the familiarity of chambers beyond an alter. “Though there is no obligation, divided we shall fall at the hands of this...this Demon.”

A moment was taken as such words were sifted through, as if a secret meaning remained veiled beneath a gruff tone and longstanding allegiance. Only the eyes shone with pensive mercy, the subtle scrape of metal against metal being the only indication that ‘brother’ was moving in a pace. Each stride was calculated, matching the former perfectly in gait and time. Neither answer to a plea for help would surprise a man such as Ivan Romanova.

“The Demon,” his counterpart spoke, voice melodic as thoughts slipped over hidden lips. “Is she not of your blood, Brother Ivan?”

The cardinal - clad in steely grays and stiff robes - disallowed his Brother to further any speech, speaking before he had the chance.

“I’m more than aware of the demise of Saint Johann, both who and why. You’re crusade against your own flesh and bone means little to me, dear Brother. I’m more than capable of handling a demon with the following I’ve gathered.” Confidence exuded from each syllable spoken forth, but surprise was lacking in Ivan’s countenance. Perhaps this was an answer he had received more than a few times prior to meeting with Brother Zemo.

There would be no prevalence in Cardinal Zemo’s foresight, this much Brother Ivan could determine as he turned his back upon a man who had once held undying faith in His word spouted forth from Saint Johann’s mouth. Vows of the devote were not without their strings as shards of humanity clattered upon the cold ground, muddled in grime and lives wasted. This would be the last encounter between the men who had stood unified beneath one crippling power, but regret was missing from a facade carved from weathered granite.

There were still others to bargain with, others who would hold grudge against the blood spilt at the abomination’s wicked hand.

A fortnight had passed since familiarity came in the way of Johann’s former ally, and a balk came at the empty warning. The elements were keen to pick off those who were weaker than they appeared, only allowing the strong the prevail. Surely, this woman would be easy for the snow to swallow whole as it blanketed the entirety of Gothamite and the surrounding hills. Blatant ignorance took the steadfast uneasiness slowly chipping away at corinthian decour. In the silence, rare was it success survived.

Paranoia battered the linens of the New Testament, as told by Cardinal with nuances of his predecessor, the likeness of the glorified bard setting the bar for those who attended. Further and further, the darkness leached, filling the cracks in walls and emptiness of corners if each building within the hardened city. Corruption was easily surmised as the catalyst of fear blossomed a plethora of gullible beings just ripe for the picking. Manipulation came easy to those who were keen to the warped light wielded as something far more grand than farce.

No longer was he Cardinal, but rather, Father. Opposition to conforming of steps already taken had Zemo veering from that of Johann’s downfall. By taking the mantle of Father, he would tend to his sheep where his own had failed in a brilliance of flickering flames. A Father would protect and lead while a Saint reveled in the glory of His legacy.

“Father,” a young man spoke with a burst of breath, attempting to collect the heaves he’d lost in his hasty retreat to the midnight cathedral. “Word from beyond the Wall.”

The cloaked man towered over the kneeling servant with each step forward he took. The gait was relaxed, calm - despite the news meant to be brought forth. A hand shrouded in intricately carved amor came forth, warmth bleeding through filigree to lift the chin of the humble.

“Yes, my Son?” The boy stared up, meeting not that of precise irises but that of the shrouded shadows in which they were all so keenly warned of.

“The Protectors - your other Shepherds,” he stammered, fear enveloping him in a childlike quiver. It did not bode well for neither within the altar. “They’ve been slain.”

Silence exuded between the pair as Father became a complete opposite portrait of the terrified child before him. As still as a statue, mercury hardened in his veins to hammer forth nails of liquid gold through bones and sinew.

“In one night?” The tone was even as velvet slipped over an unseen lip beneath a casted mask. The Shepherd received a mere nod, and every ounce of will was taken to not grind his teeth into oblivion. “Curious.”

In graceful movement, steps were taken past that of his dutiful servant, slipping down from the altar with nothing more than a casual weight upon him. It would merely be another obstacle in the way of success, and yet, there were more than enough tales woven into a cauterized reputation. The servant followed, skittish in his mousey nature.

“Father? If it’s who we believe it to be, what are we to do?” Worry was easy to contrive from his tone, yet it affected the elder not. Instead, a low rumble of a chuckle exuded forth to alleviate that which was bound to plague his followers once rumors began their inevitable circulation.

“If it is truly the Demon Widow, we are to continue as if the scourge were not trying to weasel its way past our doors. I will handle this, young child.” Annoyance was tipped with each syllable, each step, for uttering the mere name of the supposed pinnacle of The Order brought bitterness and resentment to veil his sight.

“But they say she is no Demon, Father. They say she is a God. The God Widow.”

A scoff echoed off pews and lavish walls, doing little to alleviate the terror paralyzing logic in the young Shepherd’s mind.

“She is but one woman. A woman, young boy. Far less a God than any would lead you to believe. Do not fall into that trap of horror, for all Demons feed upon it. It is what will make you weak, and surely, what will make her stronger.”

Once more, thick silence became their companion as they moved through the cavernous building, eventually flitting out onto the cobbled pathway before the house of worship. That same decorated hand fell upon the young man’s shoulder, offering feigned comfort in a time that would surely end in strife, be it on his side, or that of the crimson haired whore.

“Fear not, my son. I will not allow her to feast upon my herd.”