#and also he likes every movement of moonlight sonata. not just the first | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

percocet · 1 year

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Omg would u be willing to give like piano classical music recs? I just love how pianos sound but I don't know much classical music :(

HI. YES. i feel like i've been waiting for this moment all my life.

so first thing to note is that "classical music" as a genre, as the general public thinks about it, covers like. the 1600s to early 1900s. it's like saying mcr and golden era broadway music are the same genre, which drives me up the wall some days but i've also accepted it as like. general public insistence that all music composed before 1910 is somehow stuffy and elitist to listen to. ANYWAY rant aside this is all to say that the sound and style is going to differ a lot!

without further ado, here's my Certified Fresh™ piano recs for beginners <3

the famous composers you should probably listen to

rachmaninoff - piano concerto no. 2 in c minor. evgeny kissin (<333) has like thee recording ever of this (linked). it's the most famous piano concerto in the world. i've been playing this baby since i was 15 and literally every day i learn something new about it. gift that keeps giving!! and if you like this, then i'd also take a gander at the rhapsody on a theme of paganini, which is a whole piano concerto that's like theme and variations on the melody from the most famous paganini violin caprice (no. 24).

chopin - ballade no. 1 in g minor. krystian zimerman (linked) has probably the most solid recording, but i'm rlly partial to yundi li's interpretation! seong-jin cho is also incredibly impressive, i've seen him twice and his work blows me away... all of chopin's music is quintessential piano listening imo; his collection of waltzes, nocturnes, and études especially are foundational learning material! he's my fav composer of all time <3 (side note: arthur rubinstein is known as The chopin performer, but any of the people i listed will do a great job if you're looking on youtube on spotify for a version to listen to)

liszt - transcendental étude no. 12 "chasse-neige". and if you have time then wough ALL of the transcendental études and listen in order. i don't really like liszt but i worship at the feet of daniil trifonov's album i'm so serious. also gotta plug that i saw him perform live too and he is like the second coming of christ to me. my absolute favourite pianist atm.

beethoven - sonata no. 14 "moonlight". while we're in that fob mood! everybody knows the first movement but rarely do people play it well tbh 💀 the second and third movements are also very famous but they seem to fit on the second tier of the classical music iceberg, so i'll rec it anyway. harder to say who my fav beethoven performers are.. he has the most difficult repertoire for a reason! maybe claudio arrau or alfred brendel (linked), daniel barenboim for more modern recordings (and a complete set of sonatas) but he's not The best..

mozart - fantasia in d minor. sigh. so i'm not the biggest mozart fan, admittedly. but he's got an incomparable place in history, so here we are! this is probably one of the more underrated famous pieces (in comparison to like the turkish march or whatever). linked is trifonov again, but i would rec seong-jin cho's mozart album too, it's solid all around.

bach - partita no. 2 in c minor. probably the most dramatic and accessible of his partitas. you have probably heard of the well-tempered clavier at some point in your life, which is his collection of preludes and fugues! those are worth listening to if you're ever in the baroque mood. i'm so serious when i say bach's music is god to me. not the easiest listening, but worth it tbh... anyway. martha argerich (linked) is goated and one of my main inspirations in music. (and if you find yourself liking her, i'd rec her astor piazzolla interpretations like tres minutos con la realidad, great argentinian music by great argentinian musicians!)

stuff that goes so fucking ham i can only describe it as the closest humanity will ever touch divinity

godowsky - passacaglia. based off schubert's unfinished symphony but that's not super important all you need to know is that it's 20 minutes of insanity

liszt - erlkönig. this is like a veritable nightmare, musically. it's based on schubert's erlkönig and it's absolute hell. holy shit. it's so good. yuja wang (linked) is superhuman

bach (transcribed by ferruccio busoni) - partita no 2. in d minor. this partita was composed for the violin but naturally someone had to put it on the piano and make it go harder than it already does. literally a religious experience, ofc evgeny kissin had to do it to 'em

ravel (transcribed by beatrice rana) - la valse. beatrice rana is so goated, holy shit. this waltz is also musically difficult, but she just knocks it out of the park. every time i listen to this i get chills, esp towards the end. definitely worth watching as well as listening to, she's electric with it

liszt - mephisto waltz. did i say i didn't like liszt already? i feel like liszt is overrepresented here. liszt enjoyers come get your food ig. khatia buniatishvili is just crazy impressive, she's just so effortlessly virtuosic and i live in awe of her work.

this got kinda long but i think it's more bc i can't shut up.. anyway! hope you enjoy!! let me know what you think if you listen to any of this!

#classical music #recs #jukebox #anon #ask #idk how to tag this just take it lol

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marsandsaturn · 3 years

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okay but i remember some of it so my inner band kid is freaking out rn(i used to be a band kid but quit last year) so this is mu answer to kiss sal’s ask :)

“what is your opinion on the aot characters + instruments” (a summary of what i remember)

also sorry for the typos this god me really excited and i had to rush to do this :)

AOT CHARACTERS + INSTRUMENTS

eren

probably plays like guitar and probably that only because he considers that the coolest instrument and doesn’t need to learn other instruments

jean

knows guitar and piano because he wanted to impress the ladies. also somewhere on my blog i have little headcanons of jean being a country artist that writes and plays love songs

marco

plays piano and especially loves playing classical music. his favorite is clare de lune. he knows how to play other instruments but just prefers piano

connie

definitely a band kid and played trumpet. and was like one if those annoying trumpet that would mess around when an important concert was coming up and we had to take it seriously(talking from experience; 8th grade was not it lmao) but they still made you laugh

sasha

also a trumpet and surprisingly really good but she bandwagons off of connie, but she’s more serious about it than connie

levi

loves loves loves piano, and plays it quite frequently. probably was one of thise rich kids you see in movies that were forced to leard at the age 4. he became a world wide know composer. also knows like every instruments because hes a child prodigy. and like you hate him at first because those kids are rude and a snob, but then you found out that he’s actually sweet and the most caring. also he’s like that beethoven type shit. like im talking moonlight sonata (3rd movement) yeah uh huh

erwin

he played every string instruments known to man. and he’s probably one of those rude ones too. like he’s saying that orchestra is better than band. he’s that type of high schooler

armin

knows every instrument as well and is definitely a composer like levi. he loves piano and the violin and is always making songs for his friends. he just makes a song based off of the vibes they each give

historia

also a band kid and plays the flute. but she isn’t one of those sweet flutes (please know the difference between christa and historia) likes she is sweet but isn’t innocent like everyone makes her out to be. she’s probably knows all the drama but just stays out of it

mikasa

bass guitar. thats it thats the tweet. god she would be so hot playing that. my bisexual self is shaking at her playlist bass guitar. she plays in a band with eren, jean, annie and reiner

reiner

drums. like he looks like a drum kind of guy. and it’s so fucking hot too. definitely has all the men and ladies shaking in their shoes whenever he has a drum solo in a song

annie

also like levi but shes part of the band as well. her and mikasa gave everyone a bi awakening and no one can convince me other wise

hange

its canon in aot junior high that they played the guitar but i also see them play the drums like they also gave a bi awakening in that band with levi and mike when they were in college together

mike

canon in aot junior that he plays drums and thats it. i don’t see any other instruments. maybe guitar but that’s it

so this is all the people i really see play instruments and like yeah. this was rushed but this is giving me and idea for a fic :)

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lucifers-favorite-pen · 3 years

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Unfinished Lessons

Fandom: Obey me

Genre: Angst, so much angst

Pairings: Lucifer x Blair

Word Count: ~2.8k

Warnings: Mention of death, lots of sadness, lots of angst

I would just like to apologize in advance for any small errors in this writing. I literally could not to a thorough edit because reading it again made me so genuinely sad. Get a box of tissues. You have been warned.

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Context: Blair was taken from the HoL about a year ago, and was presumed dead. This broke everyone’s heart, but it broke her husband, Lucifer’s, the most. He didn’t know how to exist without her. He buried himself in his work, and in bottles, and wouldn’t let anyone console him. Not even Diavolo. When he finally was starting to learn how to be a person again, she shows back up, in chains due to trying to break into HoL, and has no recollection of him. Her once beautiful, warm black hair was a stark white, and her face looked like she had been modified slightly, like someone had tweaked the sliders in the character creation section of one of Leviathan’s RPGs. Either way, she wasn’t his wife. She was a poorly made copy of her sent here to torment him, to remind him of how he broke the vow he took to protect her when he married her.

Of course they kept her there, to interrogate her about Faerie and the people she was working for. Specifically why she was sent back to the Devildom in the first place. She was confused, and refused to believe she was who they were saying she was, and was extremely hostile.

Over the course of a month, she started to put some pieces together.

-Beel crying while pointing at a picture of him walking her down the aisle on her wedding day, begging her to believe him and to remember.

-Belphie showing her a video of their game of extreme chicken, pointing to Blair sitting triumphantly on Beel’s shoulders in knee and elbow pads as they both celebrated their victory.

-Asmo showing her her wedding dress, and gushing over how much he loved the way she looked and how well he did her hair and make up.

It was all too much evidence pointing to one conclusion. She felt a gnawing inside her chest everyday, like something was begging to be noticed, but she didn’t know what. She didn’t understand what she was feeling, sadness? Anxiety? Uncertainty? She had never felt anything but devotion and determination. How had she gone 25 years feeling only those two feelings?

She decided to go see Lucifer, the man who had been avoiding her like the plague. The man who was supposedly her husband while she was human. She had questions that she somehow knew only he could answer. She was determined to get to the bottom of this.

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

It was pretty late, but she couldn’t sleep. Her brain was going a million miles a minute with everything she had learned in the past month, and she needed to speak with him. She shrugged on a cardigan and padded down to his room, hearing a soft classical strings melody from the inside. She knocked timidly twice.

Lucifer knew who it was. That was how she knocked on his door when she first came to the Devildom, and how she knocked on his door everyday after that. Old habits die hard, apparently.

He sighed, filling his wine glass, “Come in,”.

Blair poked her head in and looked at him, making sure it was ok to come in. He glanced up at her from his work, not being able to look at her more than that, and asked in monotone, “What could you possibly need from me at this hour?”.

She hesitantly steps into the room, recognizing the music as Chopin’s Piano Concerto in E minor, specifically the second movement. She didn’t know how she knew that, as she had never heard it before, but she shook it off.

“I couldn’t sleep,” she mutters as she slowly steps toward him. Lucifer couldn’t help but crack a small smile at that. Blair didn’t sleep well her first couple months in the Devildom either. She had trouble adjusting to a new space, it seems that trait didn’t die with her either.

“And what do you expect me to do about that? Belphegor is the Avatar of Sloth, go bother him,” he says harshly, trying to get her to leave.

Blair stands her ground, and holds her head a little higher, “I just had some questions,”.

“About what?” he snaps.

“You know what,” she retorts, just as harsh. If this was what it was going to take to get what she needed, then that was that. She tried to be gentle, seeing as his brothers warned her that he was a wreck, but she wasn’t going to let him bully her into leaving.

Lucifer sighs, dropping his pen on the page and rubbing his hands over his face. He looked exhausted. She noted the dark circles beginning to form under his eyes, and the messiness of his hair. She noticed how his shirt was wrinkled, the tie was crooked, and noted the slight tremor in his hand as he brought the glass of wine to his lips. He gestured his hand out to her, silently telling her to ask away.

She looked around the room a bit before asking. Honestly, she didn’t think she would make it this far, and didn’t even know where to begin. Though, her eyes catch on a large framed painting hanging above his bed. It depicted him in a pressed tuxedo and a tail coat, sitting in a red velvet chair. On his knee sat a woman, with warm black hair, and icy blue eyes. She wore a magnificent black dress that hugged every curve perfectly with a train so long it couldn’t fit in the painting. They both looked at each other with a look of adoration and passion she hadn’t seen before. The way her hand brushed his cheek, and the way his hand held that hand so tenderly. The way his other hand came to hold her chin, and the slight curvature of his lips. It all was… familiar? The scene made her chest hurt in a way she didn’t understand.

“Is that us?” she asks, smiling and pointing to the painting. Lucifer turns to look at it as well, leaning his face on his chin as he stared.

“No,” he says, not looking at her. Her eyebrows furrow together, and she shakes her head. “But-”

“That is my wife and I on our wedding day. I had that portrait commissioned so I could capture her like that for the rest of my days. However, she wouldn't agree to be painted unless I also was in the portrait. I’m glad she insisted, I rather like how it turned out,” he says, a longing in his tone he was too tired to mask as he stared at the painting.

“But I thought-”

“You are not her. You are a pathetic excuse of a copy of her. Your cheekbones are too pronounced, your chin is too pointy, your ears are pointy, your nose is too small, and your hair-” he cuts himself off to sigh and take another swig of his beverage. His words bite at her heart and she feels an unfamiliar pressure building behind her eyes. What was going on with her?

“It’s like they tried to perfect perfection,” he mutters to himself, dragging his eyes away from the portrait and back to his glass. He manages to meet her gaze, cutting more daggers into her soul with his crimson eyes. “My wife is dead. You are not her, and you will never be her. You are a husk of the woman she was sent to torment me. A punishment for my failure to her as a husband by my father, I’m sure” he spits at her. He pours himself another glass and takes a gulp of the liquid, still staring at her even though looking at her makes his heart break all over again. He watches her look at her feet and start to pick at her nails, a tell tale sign she was nervous. She still had all the little mannerisms he studied while he was falling in love with her. She still tucked a strand of hair behind her ear when she read. She still held pencils and pens wrong, and twirled them through her fingers while she was deep in thought. She still ate all the different types of food on her plate one at a time. This was her, but it just wasn’t. He would rather fall a thousand more times, than see her like this.

“I, um, I still had one more question,” she says quietly, barely looking up to meet his gaze. He groans loudly in response, and yells, “What?!”. She flinches at his tone, an action she doesn’t remember ever doing up until this moment. He instantly regrets it, but refuses to look like he does, or to apologize for it.

“I was wondering if you could tell me the name of a piano piece? I’ve been wracking my brain trying to remember the name, and your brothers said you were familiar with classical music. I thought I’d ask,” she says, her tone small as she tried not to anger him. He sighed and rested his chin in his hand.

“I will do my best,” he says.

She nods and mutters, “Thank you,” before turning to go sit at the piano. She begins pressing keys, and he knows by the fourth note that it’s the first movement of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata. He doesn’t have the energy to stop her though, he lets her play, each note feeling like a lash on his heart.

She’s playing it well, but there’s no emotion. It’s like a robot was playing it, and he knew it was because she was incapable of feeling the emotions being conveyed in the piece. That fact stung more than he thought it would.

She got about two minutes into the piece before she stopped abruptly, taking her hands off the keys and placing them in her lap. “That’s all I know of it. I’ve never been taught how to play, I don’t even know how to read music, but I know how to play this, and I don’t know what it is. Any ideas?” she says, finally looking over at him. He had his eyes closed, and his chin was cradled in his hands. She felt an ache in her chest when she saw the shine of a single tear that had rolled down his face. He slowly opened his eyes and stared at a point in front of him that wasn’t her, before rubbing his face again and standing up from his desk. He moved silently over to a file cabinet against the wall and looked through it for a minute, before sliding out a thin book. Lucifer looked at it, and sighed quietly before moving over to the piano. Blair shifted to the side to make room for him on the bench, which he sat elegantly on as he flipped through the book. When he got to the page he needed, he set the book on the stand, took a deep breath to steady himself, and began playing.

Blair could tell he was playing the rest of the piece for her. She watched intently as his fingers glided expertly over the keys, and watched his face twist into a look of what can only be described as agony held back by sheer will power. His jaw was clenched and his eyebrows were knitted together, creating a dark storm in his eyes. He swore to himself he would never listen to this piece again. Not after what it meant to him. And here he was, playing it as if it didn’t make him feel like his chest was about explode.

He finished the piece, and heaved a great sigh of relief, the look washing away from his face and relaxing back into exhaustion. Lucifer stares at his hands for a second before saying, “The piece you were playing was the first movement of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata. I just played you the rest of it,”.

He pauses briefly, still not looking at her, “The reason you can play it without knowing how to read music, is due to muscle memory. I was teaching Blair this piece, though I begged her to let me teach her something less mainstream, nevertheless she insisted on learning it, and she practiced it diligently,”. A small, sad smile crawls across his lips as he says that, but it’s gone as soon as it appears.

“You can’t play the last third of the piece because,” he pauses, taking a shaky breath to steady himself as he feels the familiar knot form in his throat and heat behind his eyes. Feelings he experienced for the first time the night he proposed to her. The thought felt like a punch to the gut.

“Because I was unable to finish teaching it to her before-” he cuts himself off. He clenches his fists and jaw, shutting his eyes. He felt like his chest was going to cave in at the memories of their lessons. The image of her having finished playing what he had assigned her to work on, and looking up at him with hopeful eyes seared its way into his memories. Another image of the cute, frustrated little quirk in her brow when her fingers just wouldn’t move the way she wanted them to stabbed like a dagger in his heart.

A quick clear of this throat and another deep breath brought him back to some stable ground. He looked over at Blair, to see her eyes already on him. They were wet, and brimming with tears. Finding out what she knows now solidified that the stories she had been told, the horror of what happened to her was all true. Here sat in front of her was her husband, yet she knew nothing of the love and adoration gifted to the woman in the painting. She felt the hot tears spill down her face at the gaping hole that was just ripped through her chest.

She felt robbed.

She felt robbed of the opportunity to be a wife, to be his wife. She felt robbed of the opportunity of love and to be loved as much as the people in the painting loved each other. She felt robbed of the possibility of building a family with him. She felt robbed of the memories, and the feelings, of everything. They took everything from her. She envied the woman in the portrait to the point of anger, and to know it was once her, and to know he will never look at her like that, only made her angry.

Lucifer, as if on instinct alone, caught one of the tears falling down her face with his finger, and tucked her hair behind her painfully unfamiliar pointed ear. He cupped her face in his hands and used his thumbs to wipe away the wetness gathering under her eyes as he looked into them for the first time since the last time he saw them.

They were the same.

The same eyes he looked into when he told her he loved her for the first time. The same pools of sky blue he could look into and feel at peace whenever he was stressed. The same eyes he stared into when they stood at an altar while he promised no harm would ever become of her.

The same eyes that held sheer terror as she screamed out for him while he was frozen in place by unfamiliar magic; helpless as he watched them carrying her kicking and screaming far away from him, never to see her again.

He was unable to hold back the tears streaming down his face as he stared into his wife’s perfect, baby blue orbs.

“At least, they kept your eyes, darling” he whispered.

As if also on instinct, she brought her hands to meet his and leaned closer up to his face, like she had done many times before in a past life. He also leaned closer, wanting to feel her lips on his, just one last time, but was unable to shake the gut wrenching feeling of someone else’s hands over his, and how her face no longer fit perfectly in his cupped hands.

“No,” he whispered painfully against her lips. He rips himself away from her and strides over to brace himself against a wall. She is left breathless and empty at his sudden absence, and looks over to him. She opens her mouth to apologize.

“Please leave,” is all he says with his back turned to her. She’s frozen, unable to move as a whirlwind of emotions takes over her ability to move. Everything in her body screamed at her to hold him, to tell him everything was going to be ok. Her heart begged her to cling to the body of this stranger who wanted nothing to do with her like it was the mast of a sinking ship.

“Please, Blair” he says, his voice cracking as he says her name to her for the first time since she’s been there. This was enough to bring her out of it. She stands up and walks quickly towards the door. As she opens it, she looks back at him one last time, able to see the side of his face now. His jaw is set, his mouth is set in a straight line, but rivers of tears fall from his eyes and on to the floor beneath him. She turns, and exists through the door, shutting it softly behind her.

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Bonus Text Thread!

Blair: I want to fix this. I’m going to talk to Solomon and Satan tomorrow and gather all of the resources regarding Fae magic the Devildom has. If that isn’t enough, we’ll search the other realms as well. But I can’t do this without you, I need your help.

Blair: Please Lucifer, help me take back what they stole from me. From you. From us. Please.

Lucifer: What do you think I’ve been doing for the passed two years? We’ve exhausted all of our resources and then some trying to get you back. Even after you died, Barbatos and I tried for months after I felt our pact snap to try to get into Faerie to bring your body home. There is no hope for us, Blair. I’m sorry, go to sleep.

Blair: There has to be a way! The magic that was used to create me was said to be impossible, but here I am! None of you are familiar with Fae magic, I am. I haven’t had a chance to look over any materials, or try any spells on myself! Look, you can sit there and drink yourself into a stupor, mourning your dead wife for the rest of eternity if you really want to. I am going to do whatever it takes to get my fucking life back, and I’ll do it with or without you. So you can either help me move the process along, or you can stand idly by and suffer some more. It’s your choice.

Lucifer: ...There might be something. It’s a long shot, but it’s something. Meet me in the royal library tomorrow at 5:00. Bring Satan, and Solomon.

Lucifer: Thank you, Blair.

Masterpost

#alternate title: sadboi sonata #obey me #obey me fanfiction #obey me lucifer #obey me lucifer x mc #obey me au #obey me headcanons #obey me swd #obey me shall we date #lucifer x mc angst #lucifer x mc #obey me angst

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rqnvindr · 4 years

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hello!!! how are you??? 🥺🥺 how about osamu with a socially awkward reader who plays piano and has a crush on him ?? ❤️❤️

i am doing good and now even better since osamu is one of my fave boys aaa thank you your requesting and for waiting patiently, love !! <3

—

-osamu strikes me as someone who already listens to classical music in his free time. especially piano ballads

-one day while he’s on his way to practice, he overhears you playing and he stops in his tracks, having never heard a melody more beautiful. he follows the sound to find you delicately working your way through the keys with a soft yet concentrated expression

-curiosity ignites within him, but as much as he wants to stay and listen more, he heads back towards the gym out of fear of being late and getting scolded by kita

-you manage to catch a glimpse of him just before he leaves though, your eyes meeting briefly. your heart races upon knowing that you had just made eye contact with your crush, and he had been watching you

-unbeknownst to you, osamu couldn’t calm his heartbeat either and he kept zoning out during practice thinking about the gaze of your beautiful eyes and your talent that he never knew you had, despite knowing your name and being in the same grade as you

-everyday from that point on you go to the music room, hoping to catch his attention again with different songs, but he never shows up

-it’s not that he’s disinterested, he just feels embarrassed since you saw him last time and also doesn’t know how to approach these feelings. it takes atsumu relentlessly coaxing him to spill what’s been distracting him from practice lately to get him to come to terms with his crush on you

-you on the other hand have gotten the impression that he doesn’t like you, thinking that he only stumbled upon the music room by accident and it didn’t translate into any interest in you

-however, osamu seems to be more friendly towards you now. he smiles whenever he passes by you in the halls and you often catch him staring at you from a distance

-you decide to just shoot your shot, thinking that his actions may mean you have a chance. you can’t think of a way to verbally confess to him, but know there’s definitely another method to win him over

-you go up to him during lunch and ask him to come with you to the music room. if it had been anyone else, he would’ve been annoyed that they’d interrupted his meal time, but he couldn’t say no to your shining eyes, and his heart instantly melted when you nervously stroked the back of your neck

-no words are exchanged between the two of you along the way, and the tense atmosphere increases when he sits next to you on the piano bench, knees brushing yours slightly

-but the awkwardness is lifted the moment you start playing. the beautiful chords of the ballad grab his attention and put him under a spell, eyes fixated on every stroke of the keys. he notices your lips curving into a small smile in the middle, and it makes him smile inwardly too

-when you finish, he’s absolutely breathless. your cheeks heat up and you start to feel nervous again since he hasn’t said anything even though a few seconds have passed

-“that song is the first movement of ‘moonlight sonata’” you say, your words coming out more rushed than you had intended them to be. “it’s actually a romantic piece, and i wanted to play it here for you to tell you that i like you. i-i’m sorry i know this is a weird confession but-”

-osamu cuts you off with a kiss to your forehead, making you freeze

-“it’s not weird at all, (y/n)-san. i like you too, and that was beautiful.”

-he takes your hand, giving it an affectionate squeeze. osamu may be a guy of few words and seems indifferent to most things, but you knew there was something special radiating between the two of you, and it was proven when he spent the rest of lunch in the room with you, listening to you play more

#requested #haikyuu #haikyuu!!#haikyuu fluff #haikyuu soft hours #haikyuu x reader #haikyuu imagines #haikyuu scenarios #haikyuu headcanons #haikyuu requests #haikyuu writings #osamu miya #osamu miya x reader #osamu miya soft hours #osamu miya fluff #osamu miya imagines #osamu miya scenarios #osamu miya headcanons #inarizaki

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deobis · 4 years

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Road to Kingdom ep 6-7 Thoughts

D-1 Until the final performances! And I’m back again with a very much procrastinated review of last week’s stages. Let’s jump right into it ✈

Enjoyment Ranking:

The Boyz

Verivery

ONF

Oneus

Pentagon

TOO

Objective Ranking:

ONF

The Boyz

Verivery

Oneus

Pentagon

TOO

There isn’t much of a difference between the two rankings this week, but it did take much longer for me to decide how I would rank them. This set of performances were probably by far my favorite set of performances (though my overall favorite performance is not within the set).

Once again, let’s begin with TBZ’s performance: Quasi Una Fantasia. I will probably make another post analyzing their stage decisions and story line so I’ll try not to make this part too long. The biggest reason why TBZ’s performance is first in enjoyment is because, well, 1. I’m biased and 2. I’m a whore for classical music. The way that they incorporated not just the most famous movement of Moonlight Sonata (the third movement), but also the first two movements, was just so satisfying to someone who used to play the piano. Beethoven was one of my favorite composers (Bach being my least favorite to play oops) and I love how the arrangement of Shangri La was executed. The fact that they put the dance break in the beginning of the performance was a breath of fresh air. In terms of the dance, I thought the choreography was good, especially the beginning half. As someone who has taken contemporary lessons, I have to say they didn’t really go full contemporary. It was more hip-hop that was contemporary inspired. I would have really liked it if they had done full contemporary but that requires training and would be easiest with a strong ballet foundation. Also I don’t think it would have fully fit the rest of the song. Another thing that impressed me was their use of camera angles. You don’t know how shocked I was when they did the relay thing at the end, it was so effortless and beautiful. Also Chanhee vocals 👏 I love. Thank you king.

The reason why ONF comes in first objectively is because they were just so Clean. That performance was just CLEAN. everything just felt perfect. Though there wasn’t a very long story line, what they had was sufficient enough to keep me interested. Hyojin (I think that’s his name; the red haired member) and J-US really caught my attention for this stage. From what I understand, ONF is about to perform and Hyojin puts the headphones in his ears and it seems like the performance starts, but halfway through hes called to go up on stage. This was a very interesting choice because it shows that he was picturing the perfect stage in his head backstage. Then the end him and his teammates truly go up on stage and have the time of their lives. The use of curtains was simple but well executed. It wasn’t overdone and it wasn’t cheesy. Also it might seem like a small detail but the lighting choices in this performance were also perfect. They also all looked like they were having the time of their lives and I love that for them. The touch of bgm rain and thunder at the end was the icing on the cake. My favorite part of this performance has to be the dance. It complimented the arrangement wonderfully and there didn’t seem to be a single mistake. Oh also the breathing that they recorded for this... 😳... Anyways 🙃

Verivery gets pushed lower on the overall rankings mostly because of the mistake at the end. Verivery really went full creative this time. I think out of the 6 stages theirs was the most well thought out. The whole Aladdin story line was *chefs kiss* They kept it mysterious at first but as soon as the lamp showed up I knew exactly what the whole performance was based off of. Kangmin is Aladdin, you can see the wanted poster at the beginning, and at the end he gets dressed up by the other members/has the lamp etc. They really took small details of the original movie/story and incorporated it perfectly into their performance. The beginning is when Aladdin and Jasmine meet at the market. It builds up and when it gets to the chorus you see everyone dancing along with the stage spark thingies (I totally forgot what they were called LMAO sorry). This kind of reflects the part where Aladdin becomes a ‘prince’ and you know the whole parade/festival. Obviously next is the magic carpet and then Jafar’s (Hoyoung’s) big entrance. The black outfit and the cane made it very clear to the audience that his purpose was to be the villain. Then it’s the whole part where they go to take the lamp back from Jafar. The mistake obviously came when Hoyoung dropped the cane. This was unfortunate but overall it didn’t lower the quality of the performance. There’s a lot more to comment on, such as the fact that the entire performance was only shot with one camera, but that would make this part too long :^) The reason it ranks so high on my enjoyment ranking is because I can watch it over and over while still noticing new things each time. It gets lowered objectively because I don’t think the choreography was strong (me trying to nicely say I just didn’t like the choreography changes ksdjfhkdjhf) and the mistake is very obvious and kind of puts a break in the performance. Overall they did a great job and I am proud 👍

Oneus took a well known story and tied it nicely with Be Mine. I think the plot was a good choice and fell in line with the original theme of the song. My favorite thing was the little moon light stands. Those were such a nice touch to the stage. They captured the end and emotions of R&J very well and the choreo and arrangement were very much to my liking. The vocals really shined with this one. What I really liked were the small armor pieces to their outfits. The medieval feel was shown through their stage outfits and I commend the stylist for this. To be honest, when I first saw this performance live I thought it would be in my top 3, but then the other groups really outdid themselves. first 4 places were very hard for me to rank. It was small details and choices that made me end up with such a placement. Oneus has grown so much throughout the show and even if they don’t make it to Kingdom I hope they know that they had some legendary stages and Come Back Home is such a good song.

I know that last week I said that I was shocked that PTG placed so low, but after rewatching the performances, I kind of agree. It’s not that they did badly, but rather the other groups just did so well. PTG’s stage presence was phenomenal for Follow. The arrangement was good for their theme (though not my favorite but I definitely liked it more than the KTL arrangement). This stage also really let every individual member shine and have their own eye-catching part. And the most impressive part: their vocals. Out of all the stages, I can only confidently say that PTG were singing live (it feels like its been this way for the entire show). But I’m almost 100% sure that Follow’s vocals were live. Hui’s voice just shot through my eardrums and skjdfhdkjfhkj. I think that’s Why I was originally so shocked that they placed so low. But yeah, basically the stage was good but it wasn’t groundbreaking.

With TOO... I don’t know where to start. I originally liked the arrangement but then it started to fall off towards the end. The rap at the beginning was also very good. My favorite part was the choreography changes (I honestly like it more than the original), but then again Hard Carry was never really my cup of tea. I guess the biggest issue I had was with the theme of the performance and stylistic choices. I also didn’t like the use of autotune but that could just be me. I still enjoyed the stage but there were certainly some questionable decisions.

RTK has increased the expectation bar every single week. To be honest I’m kind of worried for the actual Kingdom show haha. The bar is going to be so high walking into Kingdom and everyone is going to have to step their game up. There isn’t really much to say about ep 6-7′s performances. I already ranted about the lack of appreciation for emotional stages last week so I’ll spare you on that this week. Anyways keep streaming and we’ll see what happens tomorrow!

#road to kingdom #the boyz #TBZ WORLD DOMINATION LETS GET IT #idk there wasnt really anything critical to say this week #they all did really well i think theyre getting the hang of doing creative stages #rather than just straight covers that you see at kcon or concerts #i hope they continue to take this creativity to their future performances #so that we can spice up award shows and kcon and stuff like that

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s-j-ace · 4 years

Text

The Same Question

Chapter Three

Characters: Shuichi Saihara, Ouma Kokichi

Words: 3360

Summary:

After Detective Shuichi Saihara encounters mysterious thief Kokichi Ouma for the first time, a game of cat and mouse ensues as both men ask themselves the same question. Why exactly does the elusive phantom thief do what he does?

This is Chapter Three, Here are Chapters One and Two

Read on AO3

[Log of Text Messages from Kaede Akamatsu’s Cellular Device]

From: Me

Hey Shuichi! How's it going? I haven't heard from you in a while. I keep forgetting I'm a human person and not a piano machine while I'm on this tour lol.

From: Shuichi! :D

Hi Kaede! I'm sorry! I forgot to check in on how your tour is going, probably because I've been kind of busy myself. How are you?

From: Me

No need to apologize silly

I'm doing ok

Just craving human interaction that isn't a graceful hand shake or an approving nod rn

Hey if you've been busy that means you're working another case, right?

From: Shuichi! :D

Haha yeah I guess.

Or at least I'm trying.

From: Me

👀

You wanna talk about it or is this one still top secret?

From: Shuichi! :D

Well

I guess there's no client or victim to protect with this one

And there's nothing really stopping me from talking about it

But it's not that interesting to be honest.

From: Me

You're talking to a girl who is on her phone rn to avoid playing hoity toity with a bunch of rich people who like dressing up fancy more than they actually appreciate music :///

Anything is an improvement tbh

From: Shuichi! :D

Haha ok

Well

So like I've been tracking some thieves for a while now.

From: Me

Oooh is this like the Novoselic case?

From: Shuichi! :D

No it's more like a series of robberies than one big robbery.

From: Me

The intrigue,,, 😲😲🤔🤔

From: Shuichi! :D

Anyway it's just a group of thieves

They just robbed this casino and it's a little frustrating

Because I looked at the security tapes and they just kind of…

Walked in…

And the thing about these guys is that they all dress up like clowns

So like it’s literally just eight clowns on the security tape coming in and picking things up and leaving and there’s other people in these videos but no one even looks at them twice????

From: Me

Ffff that’s pretty funny…

From: Shuichi! :D

Hmm.. I’d probably have found it more funny if the owner of the casino hadn’t been crying and shaking me while I watched it. They dropped one of the chandeliers on his car or something.

From: Me

What??? Chandeliers????

From: Shuichi! :D

Yeah, the boss clown dangled these chandeliers off the side of the roof to distract me while these rare videogames were being stolen. Then he broke them when he thought his crew could get away.

From: Me

How is that not interesting??? That’s super intense Shuichi!! It makes me want to play movement three of Moonlight Sonata...

From: Shuichi! :D

Is that the really fast one

From: Me

Yes!!! :DDD

I’ll make a melomaniac of you yet!

From: Shuichi! :D

Does this mean you’ll stop making fun of me for getting a C in music appreciation senior year

From: Me

Oh yeah the real reason we broke up lol

From Shuichi! :D

Haha yeah.

Uh, anyway. With the thieves.

I know they're going to land in Cairo in a few days but I don't know what they're stealing.

From: Me

Hey! Rantarou's going to Cairo tomorrow!

You want me to see if I can get you a ride on his jet?

From: Shuichi! :D

Oh no you don't have to do that

From: Me

Yeah, but I'm going to

Unless you really don't want me to but I think that you do so...

From: Shuichi! :D

I dunno

That would be very nice

I'm a little low on a travel budget and I'm in Reno Nevada right now

From: Me

Oh huh where's that

From: Shuichi! :D

In America, like eleven hours away from where you are

From: Me

So? Rantarou's a trust fund baby he could afford the detour

From: Shuichi! :D

Yeah but also like

I'm pretty sure he hates me?

From: Me

Whaaaaat

Rantarou doesn't hate you

Last time you saw him you literally helped him track down all twelve of his missing sisters

From: Shuichi! :D

Yeah but I just get the vibe that he doesn't like me

From: Me

Shuichi you have social anxiety

---

From: Me

Hey you don't hate my friend Shuichi do you

From: Avocado Hair

Hmmm…

I don’t want to be mean

From: Me

Yeah you don’t >:/

From: Avocado Hair

But I thought he was a little suspicious when I first met him…

Don’t get me wrong, Shuichi’s nice and seems reliable enough

But also he’s your ex and I don’t trust exes of my friends just on principle

From: Me

...

From: Avocado Hair

Listen obviously I think Shuichi is cool now

But also it was kind of sus when he was just creeping around your shows without introducing himself…

From: Me

I invited him to those! >>:0000

From: Avocado Hair

Yeah, I know that now

He’s a nice guy alright? Really, I do owe him one

Or twelve hah

From: Me

Great! You’re picking him up from Nevada tomorrow

From: Avocado Hair

I'm doing what now

From: Me

From: Avocado Hair

So Nevada, huh?

---

From: Shuichi! :D

Yeah but also sometimes I'm right when I think people hate me

Having social anxiety does not make that not true

From: Me

I set everything up :)) he says you're a cool guy and he'll call you when he lands in Reno

From: Shuichi! :D

That's very nice of him

From: Me

Shuichi Rantarou owes you like 12 life debts

From: Shuichi

Finding missing persons is my job, it’s hardly something to owe a life over

From: Me

Shuichi it was 12 missing persons

My mans Avocado lost track of twelve whole sisters and you found all of them and now you think he's capable of hate??? smh 😔

From: Shuichi! :D

I'm sorry okay?

From: Me

You don’t need to be!!!

---

Shuichi Saihara found himself, one week after the heist in Reno, on practically the other side of the world. He was blending in with the scattered crowd of tourists circling around the new exhibit at The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Cairo, Egypt. As he looked into the wide-eyed, gilden face of a newly dug up sarcophagus, Shuichi struggled to convince himself that this wasn’t a complete waste of time. Interpol and the Boulaq Police Department certainly seemed to think it was...

Back in Paris, Interpol hadn’t ended up giving Shuichi access to DICE’s next encrypted letter of intent. Instead, after Shuichi gave his testimony to the Paris Police and the investigation was essentially wrapped up, it seemed like Agent Kiyotaka Ishimaru decided to make an appearance just to have the pleasure of yelling at Shuichi about how many protocols he would've just broken if he were actually beholden to the employment of any law enforcement agency.

… okay that wasn't a fair characterization of Agent Ishimaru. He was a nice enough guy. He just wasn't as disillusioned with the authoritarian reality of national militias given power by systems of government forged when people still thought eating your own vomit cured smallpox. One time he gave Shuichi a juice box, and some cookies his husband made, before chewing him out, so that was pretty nice. Although maybe that was only because Shuichi had just gotten lightly stabbed by an internationally wanted drug dealer…

Regardless, Agent Ishimaru was far from pleased that Shuichi was “performing acts of covert vigilantism again,” despite the fact that Shuichi had absolutely no idea DICE was even on the flight and therefore his reactionary investigation didn’t include anything illegal, such as stalking, that would be classified as unlawful vigilantism without the backing of the appropriate law enforcement agencies.

When Agent Ishimaru was done giving a speech about Shuichi’s naivete, he ordered him to get off the case. Luckily for Shuichi the Paris Police thought he was with interpol because of this exchange, and they let him look at security tapes and flight records from the two closest airports. He’d been able to deduce their arrival at Reno, but wasn’t able to figure out what DICE’s mark would be until the heist was already under way. He’d just barely been able to stop them from stealing every single vintage game console from the Silver Legacy Resort.

After looking at tapes from the Reno-Tahoe International airport too, Shuichi had been able to deduce DICE’s next destination was Egypt, but Egypt was a country and had a lot more national landmarks than Nevada did and honestly Shuichi didn’t even know where to start looking for possible burgleables. Rantarou, a friend of Kaede's who was nice enough to give Shuichi a ride to Cairo, had asked him to check out the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities first.

Apparently Rantarou's family could trace parts of their bloodline back to old money European families which had partaken in the awful rich people trend of the 16th century where they would just rob graves in Egypt and eat parts of mummies. As a result, they had a bunch of artifacts that didn't belong to them, so Rantarou often made trips to Egypt to return as many as he could. Right now a lot of those artifacts were getting packaged to be shipped to the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, because the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities was due to be superseded by it next year. He was off somewhere mixing with Museum staff while Shuichi took stock of all the possible entrances around the exhibit.

The museum was rather crowded, and as a couple walked up behind him, Shuichi suddenly felt that he was very obviously blocking the view of the sarcophagus display he was in front of. He muttered an apology and moved away, turning around to look at a vase closer to the corner rather than the center of the room. Like most of the artifacts on display it was in a glass case, which Shuichi had noticed seemed to be of the make and model of the kind rigged up to a silent alarm system of some sort. If the cases were opened, the guards in the security booth near the front of the museum would most likely be notified. Although, the exhibit pieces in the cases themselves didn’t seem of much note to Shuichi. There were, of course, priceless artifacts held up on stands or splayed out on ornately embroidered mini-rugs inside the cases, but none of it quite seemed to fit DICE’s MO. Maybe he could look into the other exhi...bits….

Shuichi’s train of thought trailed off as he noticed that on the other side of the vase he was looking at stood a young woman in a headscarf who he could tell was giving him a weird look.

Shuichi’s inner voice made a noise that would have sounded like, “Hghhhhhh” if he were speaking out loud.

Was he in front of something again? Did he have something on his face?

Okay maybe she wasn’t looking at him and he was just being weird.

His gaze flitted up to momentarily take in the heavily makeuped face and he instantly found himself locking eyes with the very familiar dark purple irises of a complete stranger.

Shuichi did a double take as he realized that this was not, in fact, a young woman.

Wait, did he really know that? Maybe he had just assumed the thief was a guy. Shuichi squinted. How do you ask an internationally wanted thief their pronouns?

“What pronouns do you use?” Ah okay, like that. Thanks for nothing internal filter.

“His majesty/His imperial highness,” The thief replied automatically as if he already knew what Shuichi was going to ask them and had remarks prepared. “Rat/rat bastard are also acceptable.”

Shuichi took that to mean that the thief wouldn’t be offended if he referred to him with masculine terms. Ugh, wait what where was his head at right now?

Shuichi began to maneuver around the vase to apprehend him, but as he moved the thief moved at the same time, so it ended up looking like they were playing ring around the rosey with the vase display.

Shuichi stopped. The thief stopped too.

He started going around the other direction. So did he.

They stopped again.

While maintaining eye contact, Shuichi attempted to discreetly move his hand into his pocket so that he could text Rantarou that a robbery was definitely happening right now. He had gotten pretty good at typing on his phone without looking, but as he slipped his hands in his pocket the thief’s eyes followed.

If he considered that Shuichi might have been reaching for a weapon, he sure didn’t look it. The man’s posture was relaxed and as he watched the grin on his face widened impossibly.

“Is that a phone in your pocket that you’re using to discreetly notify the authorities of my presence, or are you just happy to see me?”

Uh.

Shuichi sent the text -- he had managed to type out a simple “HELP” to his most recent contact, which was probably Rantarou -- and quickly pulled his hands out of his pocket. He maneuvered them instead into a placating gesture, glancing around at the trickle of visitors wandering through the exhibits around them.

“I… Don’t want to cause any unnecessary alarm…” Shuichi started to say as he tried to think of any way to de-escalate this conversation.

“Oh, trust me,” The thief began in an earnest tone that Shuichi definitely knew not to trust. “Neither do I.”

Suddenly, the glass case lifted up and Shuichi realized the thief had somehow managed to pick the display case lock during their impromptu round of ring around the rosey. Which hopefully set off an alarm of some sort?

Yet as Shuichi glanced around he couldn’t spot any form of security in between tourists, none of whom seemed to see what was happening. Or maybe it didn’t register as suspicious to them?

It certainly registered suspicious to Shuichi, who was now looking directly at the thief’s heavily makeuped face. He didn’t look anything like the first time Shuichi saw him, except for the facial expression that seemed to indicate he could just decide to pull out a knife or jump off an airplane at any moment. Shuichi had only a moment to connect this expression to that of the black and white cat that kept knocking over the potted plants on Kaito and Maki’s balcony before the thief’s hand was raised and already coming down on the ancient vase. The priceless artifact took a nosedive off its display pedestal, and Shuichi dove to catch it.

Thankfully, Shuichi managed to grab the vase out of the air in the nick of time, just careful enough to prevent it from shattering into a million pieces on the floor. Not so thankfully, Shuichi was the one who fell on the floor instead. He hit the ground, but hey! At least the vase was fine! Then again the natural oils on his hands probably weren’t especially helpful in the grand scheme of the artifact’s preservation…

Shuichi moved to stand up, but froze as he realized that every eye on the room was on him.

Uh. Okay. Time to. Not. Freak out about that. Yep.

Oh shit oh shit oh shit they were all looking at him what if they thought he was-

Wait. Where did DICE go?

Shuichi heard a loud, sharp sound, and turned instinctively. He found that the thief had stepped behind him at some point, and had backed up to blend in with the rest of the crowd. As the sharp sound repeated, Shuichi came to the realization that the thief masquerading as a young girl had clapped. And now the man behind him was clapping to, and the woman behind him, and the lady behind her and almost instantaneously Shuichi came to the realization that the whole room was clapping, and that it was a distraction. As the clapping continued, the thief stood still as curious museumgoers pushed forward in the crowd to figure out what was going on in this corner of the display.

The thief was disappearing from view. Now was his chance.

In the brief instant Shuichi and the thief locked eyes, the detective saw his challenge. That it was not only a challenge, but a question.

Will you drop everything to chase after me?

He had to make the decision now.

Shuichi chose to stand up to his full height and turned to place the vase safely back into the display case, closing it back up.

He wouldn’t make the same mistake he made in Reno, chasing after the man whose face he knew rather than keeping in mind the nine other just as capable operatives. He was starting to learn that DICE always seemed to take two steps ahead, and that if Shuichi wanted to do something it was most likely something that would benefit their plans. So he resisted the single-minded urge to chase the thief in to instead take the preventative measure of scanning the nearby displays for anyone trying to take advantage of the distracted crowd.

He didn’t even watch as the thief disappeared into the crowd, and instead pulled out his phone.

Rantarou had replied very helpfully to his “HELP” text with a carefully chosen one word reply.

---

[Log of Text Messages from Shuichi Saihara’s Cellular Device]

From: Rantarou Amami

What

From: Me

Sorry

Don’t panic

But I am fairly certain that this museum has just been robbed

From: Rantarou Amami

...

what

From: Me

It’s a lot to explain

From: Rantarou Amami

Just call me

You were in a call with Rantarou Amami that lasted 38:56.04

From: Rantarou Amami

Hey is that interpol guy done yelling at you yet

From: Me

Oh geez

Did you hear all that?

From: Rantarou Amami

I mean like

I got the gist of it

And the gist of it seemed to be

“Shuichi! Stop being such a good detective! You’re making me look bad!”

From: Me

Oh haha

I guess that was something along the general theme

I’m not really a better detective than him though

He’s just the kind of guy whose like

RULES NEED TO BE FOLLOWED BECAUSE I DO NOT QUESTION AUTHORITY

But also I think his husband is like in a biker gang or something

From: Rantarou Amami

Come on Shuichi give yourself some more credit there

If you’re not a good detective that means that at best I’m an awful one

You found twelve missing people in one week who I had been searching for for five years

Also you literally just stopped a museum robbery

From: Me

Oh, sorry I don’t mean to be like weirdly self deprecating

But also I would contest the fact that I stopped a museum robbery with the evidence of the fact that the museum definitely still got robbed

From: Rantarou Amami

Yeah but like

The only part of the museum that didn’t get the carpets stolen from it was the room you were in

Which literally had the most valuable rug in the whole building in it

Like seriously even the carpet built into the floor of the gift shop was stolen

Also you saved that vase

One of the anthropologists here almost cried when he saw that girl push it over in the tape

From: Me

That is weird isn’t it

I think the rug being an actual exhibit might’ve been why DICE didn’t go for it

That’s not their typical MO

From: Rantarou Amami

Wow… that compliment dodge tho…

From: Me

Sorry

From: Rantarou Amami

You’re good man

Hey do you need a ride back to the hotel

Shuichi?

Hello?

…

From: Me

Oh sorry, I was doing some research

I can get back to the hotel on my own

From: Rantarou Amami

Ok, cool

From: Rantarou Amami

Hey just checking in again, did you get back to your room okay?

From: Me

Oh, yes I’m here

Actually I was just about to text you too

I’m sorry to ask so much of you Amami

But could you possibly drop me off in Taipei on your way home tomorrow?

#shuichi x kokichi #shuichi saihara #shuichi danganronpa #kokichi ouma #kokichi danganronpa #oumasai #saiouma #fanfiction #Phantom Thief AU #danganronpa v3 #drv3 #danganronpa #writing #This is later than I said I would post it but I know most people read these at 2 am anyway

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locke-writes · 4 years

Text

I wrotecha a lil something as a bit of a pick-me-up since I thought you could use one 😶 Hope you feel better soon!!

“You’re sulking.”

A statement, and an unnecessary one if Noah had ever heard one. And, indeed, he’d heard far too many for his liking in just the past 24 hours alone. His grip on the book he held tightened, carving tiny crescents into its tender leather. It was more progress made than him actually reading (he’d read over the same paragraph at least three times now).

Against what would’ve probably been the most sensible, the young man forced a reply: “Yes. Indeed, I am … sulking.” Deep inside him was a tiny thread of hope that perhaps the terseness of his tone would be enough to end it. But the thread was vastly overshadowed by a grand tapestry of truth: Erik was never one to go silent. The world couldn’t keep him silent, how could his own pupil?

“Is that really what you intend to do this entire visit?” the Opera Ghost questioned, causing Noah to turn and face him. To his lack of surprise, Erik was not, in fact, looking back. Instead, he was busy at the organ, scribbling down whatever music was probably unfurling inside his mind. He did not at all appear bothered by Noah’s glaring, let alone deem it necessary to look up and see that he was. If he were in any better of a mood, Noah would have mused once more about the almost psychic means with which his tutor worked.

“I’m sorry,” Noah spoke coolly, “but I wasn’t aware that you of all people were able to dictate whether or not sulking was allowed.”

“Mm.” The slightest tinkling down of a quill against the ink well. “Well, far be it from me to stop you, then. Though I do request that you refrain from taking it out on my books: It’s not easy to get them down here,” came Erik’s low, husky voice. Once more, Noah found himself wishing he weren’t in such a sour mood. Normally, the simple sound of Erik talking would’ve been enough to bring him some sense of comfort – that was imply the effect of Erik’s voice. But some days, it just wasn’t enough. Some days – like today, for example – were so corrupted with the bile of shitty people and shitty circumstances that even the ethereal voice of his so-called Angel of Music were no more received than that of an actual angel’s messages to mankind.

Though, part of him was somewhat thankful that Erik didn’t intend on prying: It wasn’t out of insensitivity or a decision to just let the lad’s emotions fester, it was just Erik’s understanding that, sometimes, people didn’t wish to talk about what upset them so. Or at least, that was what Erik had assumed from his observations from afar, atop, and below; the Opera Ghost himself had never truly had the opportunity to participate and determine if it work for himself. Really, Erik’s remedies almost always equaled to one salve: Music. Surely the same might work with his own protégé, yes?

… Perhaps that was when Erik became presumptuous.

There was nothing wrong with his playing, of course: The Angel of Music was blessedly cursed to play with utmost perfection, his fingers needing to only grace the ivory keys beneath them to produce an exquisite sound. It was less like playing and more as though his fingertips were dancing.

However, this served poorly in his favor. Just this once. After all, Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata wasn’t exactly the most soothing of movements.

Noah pressed his lips together. He could feel the minor key notes dragging his soul down even further.

“Erik,” he rasped, slamming the useless book into his lap. “That’s not especially helpful.” Immediately, the playing stopped.

So much for that, Erik wanted to grouse aloud. Still, he felt that he did owe the young man some sympathy. Miserable as he could be himself, it didn’t sit right with him to see his own student appearing just as morose. A sigh of acceptance rippled through him before he questioned, “Then, if you had it your way, what might you suggest I play?”

Noah remained silent. He humored the idea of actually thinking up a response, but frankly the impact of the Sonata had done a number on him. He tried to remember something joyous. Anything from past performances or even rehearsals that he might have heard. But nothing came to mind. At least, not musically.

“I … I don’t know,” he admitted, allowing his head to lull back. Given the angled wood, it was far from the most comfortable position, but he didn’t feel motivated enough to better it.

“Never mind,” he surrendered. “Just … just play what you want, I suppose …” And thus, he went silent.

To any outsider looking in (or, at the very least, anyone with any real social experience), they might have thought it cruel that Erik took the boy’s word at face value. But that was the nature of Erik: To be ever-deceptive, even without meaning to.

To Erik, Noah had signaled for him to play something kinder. Softer. Sweeter. And while more sonorous and dulcet pieces were not quite associated with the Phantom’s brand of play, it was more than well within his wheelhouse.

When Handel’s Xerxes premiered in the previous century, it had been deemed a failure. It was only relatively recently that, from its ashes, a gem was determined: “Largo” admittedly sounded somewhat somber when played on the organ (but then, nearly all songs seem to have a lingering hint of tears hidden in every note when produced by an organ). But there was also something assuring. Much like clouds drifting along a bucolic scenery, with a wisp of promise daring to tease along the horizon … Well, at least to Erik that was what it sounded of. In his own way, this was Erik offering help. And, in his innocuous arrogance, he thought he was surely doing a better job than before at it. Perhaps in the past, Noah had praised him for his intuition more than he properly deserved …

Upon glancing back at his audience, Erik found that he was wrong.

He could barely see Noah anymore, mainly because Noah himself had changed his position: From an uncomfortable position with his head lulling, to slouched over, face in his heads. Nearly fetal if not for his feet remaining planted on the ground. From what Erik could make of it, his shoulders weren’t shaking, so he wasn’t crying. But even from this view, at this distance, Erik could feel his exhaustion. It was intense enough that the young man didn’t even so much as glance up to see what had caused his mentor to cease his playing. Nor did he care to so much as peek between the fingers pressed against his eyes as he heard footsteps slowly nearing him before stopping just short of him.

If his wits were at their usual, he would have probably been able to imagine that usually stoic and collected expression of Erik’s becoming muddled with confusion and discomfort. It would’ve been amusing, really, to see such a man uncertain of what to do. But unfortunately, Noah just wasn’t in the best state to assist him.

Truthfully, Noah wasn’t entirely sure what he wanted. He wanted to sleep, he wanted to cry, he wanted it to just be over with and yet he also wanted to just enjoy being somewhere that wasn’t up there! Even if it was dark and smelled strongly of lake and was cold –

The sudden feeling of a new fabric was startling. In fact, it was just enough to cause Noah to pick his head up just a bit. Just enough to see what was happening.

It wasn’t as though Noah had never felt Erik’s cloak before: When Noah had first been brought down to the lair, he tripped trying to get out of the boat, only to be caught in Erik’s arms. It forced him to press up against him, his face brushing against the fabric and allowing him to register Erik’s scent (a combination of roses, suspiciously expensive cologne, wood, and smoke). Since that day, he occasionally would still “trip”, but only just sparingly enough so that Erik wouldn’t suspect a thing. However, he’d felt it just enough times to know that it was made of some woolen material, and that in Erik’s limited wardrobe, it was one of the finer things he owned and took utmost care of. Probably because, during especially cold drafts, it doubled as a blanket.

But for all it was used for, Noah had to agree amongst his sorrows: Even when draped across his back, there was something about being in the cloak that made him feel … more impressive. Maybe because the owner of it was an intimidating force himself? Whatever the case, its placement truly did perplex Noah.

He looked up at Erik quizzically, only for the latter to just stare back at him. No words were spoken, but it did cause Noah to dare to imagine what Erik would say, had he known how to properly say it: “I’m trying to make you happy. I’m doing my best. Please say this is working, otherwise my next attempts will involve causing a ruckus in the opera house.”

… That last bit might have been a bit excessive, but Noah truly did believe he was close with the rest. Only he didn’t say that the cloak worked. Call him devious, but he wanted to try and see if one more thing might do. Nervously, Noah bit his lip and patted the seat beside him. It was unceremonious, but it was all he could hope to do with the way his mind was currently running.

Erik, on the other hand, appeared startled. He furrowed his brow as if to say, “Really?” Noah made no effort to say otherwise or take it back.

Erik turned his head only slightly, eyes still planted on his apprentice. “Me?” Once again, Noah said nothing to deny it.

Realistically, the image of a man feeling hesitant to sit down on furniture in his own home simply because it was occupied by a distressed lad could conjure up a few feelings. In this context, it was entertaining, given how Erik had no reason to be afraid; if anything, all the fears and hesitancies he had were conjured up in his mind. His movements were slow and calculated, as if he was prepared for Noah to reject his company at any moment. But even once his rump became planted on the cushion, no such thing happened. Instead, there was only silence. The occasional trickle of water hitting the shoreline, or a whisper of a draft running through. But other than that, nothing.

Erik didn’t have the most experience with social situations but by God, he was certain this was every person’s worst nightmare: Just sitting awkwardly in total silence while someone you care about sits next to you, not in a very good mood. He had to do something, right? After all, he’d been invited to come sit by him for a reason, yes? Surely there was … something he could do …? He racked his brain, searching through mental reference guides, trying to remember if Noah had ever mentioned things that he especially enjoyed during previous visits.

Lo and behold, one did come to mind.

… Surely there’s another, Erik insisted to himself. Realistically, there were. But of the options available, this one was all he could recall. He considered weighing the pros and cons of just sneaking upstairs and perhaps stealing a cake from somewhere or just stabbing the source of the problem when he found himself not even paying attention to his own actions. When this moment became hindsight to Erik, he still was not able to determine what had possessed him. An angel? A devil? … If it was God, why did He choose then to intervene!? Whatever the case, the deed wound up being done: His hand rested over Noah’s.

It was cold, a bit bony, and Noah wasn’t entirely certain but he suspected there were and decided not to be shocked if there were small, healed scars from the man’s various misadventures. Besides, those were small potatoes compared to the shock that even was the gesture.

“… There, there,” Erik murmured quietly. “It’s going …” Hm. Did somebody like him have the right to say that? He tried something else.

“The good thing about the future is that there’s a chance.” He deemed it appropriate to leave it at that.

A small beat of silence passed before Noah scoffed lightly. “Getting a tad profound, are we?” he joked. Normally, Erik would have scowled. The Phantom of the Opera was not one to flimflam with profundity. However, he would allow it. For now. Even the slightest hint of Noah’s usual humor was a good sign, given his track record.

“I will have you know that, given my seniority, I am one who can dictate this at least,” he tried to recover, which was a slight bit hard to do when also awkwardly attempting to offer consolation with a simple handhold. The humor of it was not lost on Noah, but exhaustion over the ordeal of all that had happened robbed him of the ability to dwell on it for too long. But acknowledgement was a start. He truly did appreciate it.

This time, the following silence was decidedly intended on both sides, allowing Erik to feel far less embarrassed about his social ineptitude. For now, this was what Noah needed: Just to be quiet together with somebody who cared. It wasn’t quite something that Erik understood himself, given his usual preference to playing music to cover up his sorrows. However, for his beloved pupil, he would gladly make an exception.

…

What he hadn’t been prepared to make an exception for, however, was when Noah finally let sleep take him. As the younger man slumped against him, face pressed against his chest, Erik remained frozen. He wondered if, perhaps, the fools running the opera above would notice if a certain employee of theirs spent a night or two elsewhere on the grounds of needing a mental health holiday.

#submission

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austerlitzborodinoleipzig · 4 years

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Ranking the GPF programs - Junior Pairs

Thought it was a bit too late to be doing that... And now Worlds are cancelled, and my country has entered full confinement mode, so let’s do this.

6 - Yulia Artemieva/Mikhail Nazarychev - Senza Parole, by Il Divo

One thing I hate is that trend to take iconic pieces of classical music and slap lyrics in italian instead of the melody. Here’s it’s Moonlight Sonata. To me it feels like a cheap way to do deep emotionsTM. So yeah. I hate the music here. The choreo is... unremarkable.

Costumes : 5/10 boring grey.

5 - Ksenia Akhantieva/Valerii Kolesov - Interstellar OST

Their last season’s SP. The music is nice, there are some nice touches here and there and a build-up to the step sequence... And since they are quite musical, the step sequence is always quite nice... Decent.

Costumes : 6/10. I like Ksenia’s new dress, with the silver top. Dislike Valerii’s silver suspenders.

4 - Diana Mukhametzianova/Ilya Mironov - Czardas, by Mario Monti

I kinda miss their crazy FS to the Crack of Doom. Music was.. WTF to put it gently, and a bit overbearing, but that was original.

But I like Czardas. Has been done a lot, but the music is great, and the choreo here is very nice. Mostly my problems here lie with the execution. M/M are still rough around the edges, and their skating skills are not the best, tho they have improved over the course of the season. They struggle with the steps, and tend to be a little wooden sometimes.

Costume: 10/10. First of all, they get bonus point because pants for the lady. Then, I just love the details, Ilya’s vest and red belt. The embroideries on both their shirt. The golden seams on Ilya’s pants. Diana’s red and green ribbons in her dress. Everything has been thought through.

3 - Annicka Hocke/Robert Kunkel - Wasting My Young Years

Here I don’t really like the music, but I like the choreo, and especially the lift. Nice execution, and Annicka always sells the mood of the program well.

Costumes : 6/10 I like Annicka’s purple and pink dress, over the white shorts. Robert is just a block of black...

2 - Apollinaria Panfilova/Dmitry Rylov - The Matrix OST

I appreciate P/R going out of their comfort zone and testing different styles of skating. This is commendable, and I think they pulled off this challenge quite well. It took some time. At the beginning of the season they tried too hard to be intense, and ended up as rushed and frantic. Their performance at Junior Worlds in that aspect was much much better. I have a problem with the step sequence tho. Again, it looks to busy and frantic. And it’s mostly because the steps are not choreographed on the music.

Costume : 9/10. Polya looks great in that pantsuit, but it doesn’t sit so well on Dima.

1 - Alina Pepeleva/Roman Pleshkov - L.O.V.E., by Michael Bublé.

A small gem. It’s not groundbreaking or anything, but it’s fun and cute. Great choreo with nice transitions here and there (that entry into the death spiral is still one my favorite of the season)

Costumes : 7/10 a bit basic but well done, and I love Alina’s red dress.

Mostly a great selection. I can’t say I hate, or even dislike any of them.

6 - Diana Mukhametzianova/Ilya Mironov - Chess

Okay. Don’t enjoy the music, and the choreo is unremarkable, but you know, it’s all right.

Costumes : 6/10 a bit old-fashioned? idk, the chess pattern is cute, but I don’t like the cut.

5 - Ksenia Akhantieva/Valerii Kolesov - Shine On You Crazy Diamond, by Pink Floyd

Again, one of those programs designed by your coaches to make you grow as an artist. Some nice touches here and there. Ksenia and Valerii definitely lack the polish and fluidity of movements to sell it, but it’s a step in the right direction.

Costumes : 5/10 actually the only thing I remember about the costumes, is that there’s pants for the lady (good)... and that’s it?

4 - Alina Pepeleva/Roman Pleshkov - Roméo et Juliette, de la haine à l’amour

One thing I like more than trashy french musicals is Russian skaters’ love for said musicals. Les Rois du Monde is an absolute BOP, and having that music be the climax and triumphant finish of P/P’s FS is everything I never knew I needed. Lots of things I like here: the death spiral, the choreo sequence, the lifts, the combined spin... Yes, it’s nice.

Costumes : 8/10 Honestly I don’t really like that type of costumes, and I did not like them on Volosozhar/Trankov either. Also the story behind the costumes : obviously that’s an hommage to V/T but, that’s mostly an hommage to the costume designer who passed away last summer. So to honor her memory, and because they had a Romeo and Juliet FS, the coaching team decided Alina and Roman should wear those costumes. Alina’s dress is Tanya’s. Roman’s costume is basically a new costume all-together because he’s taller than Maxim so alterations were made for the costume to fit.

3 - Annicka Hocke/Robert Kunkel - Do You Love Me/Cry To Me

Unpretentious fun jukebox program, that allows Annicka to shine, and show her bubbly personality. What else could you ask for?

Costumes : 9/10 Simple, but I love that summer party vibe.

2 - Yulia Artemieva/Mikhail Nazarychev - Queen medley

One of my favorite programs of the season actually. I actually like the music cuts here, and I like the energy of that FS, and how into it Yulia and Mikhail get. Also the ending pose is cool.

Costumes : 6/10 I like the idea. Yulia’s costume is cool... Mikhail’s one is weirdly cut, with a big piece of illusion fabric on the belly... Why??

1 - Apollinariia Panfilova/Dmitry Rylov - No One Ever Called Me That

That program is just a never-ending flow of gorgeous elements. It’s one of those programs that I can’t remember anything about after I finish watching it... Sounds like a failure, and it should be... Except here it works. It works because Panfilova/Rylov’s skating is so beautiful I could just watch it all day. So I don’t care if I keep forgetting what that FS looks like, because every time I watch it I experience it anew.

Costumes : 9/10. I’m not fan of white on ice, because I think it tends to melt with the surroundings, but I love the shape of Polya’s dress, I love the neckline and the details.

#figure skating #ranking programs is my passion #pairs skating

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caffeinatedfantasy · 4 years

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The Seal pt 24: Moonlight Sonata

{ Chris: [bio] [Prologue] [Story in Tumblr] [ AO3 Link From Beginning ] { this chapter contains: sexual content, mentions of violence/death }

I'd started to drift off as Mammon carried me back home, but, my head bumping his chest with each step, and all at once, I realized something and looked up at him abruptly, vision a little blurry from my tiredness, but clearing a bit with panic. I tugged on his shirt and he blinked back down at me, as if sensing my panic. He chirped. He fucking chirped at me. I would've laughed at how cute it was if I hadn't been panicking.

"Wait. You didn't tell Lucifer what happened, did you?" I asked him, using my grip on his shoulders to leverage myself up to get a better look at him. His eyes went wide at the question and I realized he hadn't given it any thought either.

"No! Fuck. He'd kill me. Even though you're alright now, he-- And I don't think Solomon did either." Mammon was sounding panicked now too and, as we approached the House, let me down, finally returning to his human form as he glanced around. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. I glanced at my D.D.D., but the screen was black. I don't know if it was a dead battery or broken, and I glanced at him.

"Did he text you?" I asked him. He pulled out his D.D.D. and showed me the messages between him and Lucifer. There had been one. And Mammon had replied to it with a rather perfunctory "I'm with Chris." And one of our pre-staged "after work" selfies.

There hadn't been anything else since.

And for some reason that worried me more than if he'd been blowing up Mammon's phone. I wiggled a little bit, trying to get him to let me down. He grumbled a little at my movements, but did let me down, looking me over with a small careful frown. Lucifer would probably notice that my shirt had changed. That it clearly wasn't mine. It smelled like Solomon [that comforting scent of incense], with sleeves that were too long and a bit too tight around my chest. I frowned and looked up at Mammon. I still didn't want him to get in trouble for any of this, so...

"If Lucifer asks, we stopped so I could get something from Solomon's and I changed into this because mine had gotten dirty." I explained, nodding determinedly, and led the way towards the front of the house. I pushed open the doors, hoping that no one would have noticed anything amiss.

When it hit me.

A wave of emotion so strong that my head was ringing and I felt myself unable to breathe for a moment. There was shouting. There was trouble. Someone had... Done something? But... What? It was... It was hard to concentrate. I felt-- I felt fear and rage and despair and-- And. And Lucifer appeared in my field of vision. For one inexplicable moment, he was in his true form, his large black wings spread out behind him. The others, I saw, were behind him as well, all also in their true forms.

Staring.

At me.

The swirling chaos of emotions came from them. And I felt the flood of relief like a physical wave that I could almost see as it moved over me, nearly sweeping me off of my feet. I stumbled a little, blinking and looking over at Mammon.

Despite looking a bit concerned that I had stumbled, seemed to have noticed nothing. The 'wave' hadn't hit him. And he was still in his human guise.

When I looked back at the others, so were there. I rubbed my eyes. All of that had happened in the space of a few heartbeats, yet everything looked different. Lucifer looked the epitome of calm as he inspected me, but I knew. I knew he wasn't. I normally couldn't feel much from him, he kept everything contained so carefully, but right then... The rage was boiling over, unfocused, searching. He was furious, but none of it was directed at me, it was... I wasn't sure. He grabbed my arm, pulling me forward [the touch surprisingly gentle considering the anger I felt from him] and had me standing in front of the demon brothers.

"Wha-what's going on?" I asked uncertainly. Mammon, I could hear, was protesting faintly in the background, but he must have been able to sense Lucifer's anger as well, because he wasn't loud.

"As you can see, Chris is fine." Lucifer's voice was meant to be calming. I was sure of it. But his rage...

"Of-Of course I'm--" The wash of emotion hit me. Relief again first. Then a memory of fear and pain and anger and-- "W-Why would you think I'm not?"

I was starting to feel dizzy. I glanced at Mammon and I didn't feel reassured any. He seemed to understand something, but it seemed to trouble him. I could feel that familiar fuzzy confusion. Almost a panic at the edge of it. The brothers had stepped forward and this time it was Asmo and Levi who were touching me, hands on my arms keeping my suddenly swaying form from falling. And sending floods of emotions right into me. So fast I couldn't even process them. I was starting to breathe faster. Panic, fear, anger, and confusion hitting me in waves, as well as waves of... Things I didn't recognized.

What had happened?

I closed my eyes and felt Beel and Satan touch me as well, Lucifer taking a step back and-- And saying something to Mammon.

Rage. Fear. Relief. My chest was tight.

And someone's skin brushed mine and the feelings from before, when I was injured and writhing in pain and waiting to be healed hit me all over again. Fear. Where was Mammon? Was he okay-- ...ris, where was--? The sharp hiss of pain, crackling along my skin. Running my hands down Mammon's body, down Asmodeus' stomach, dipping under his-- The pain bit into my shoulder like a branding -- I just wanted to make some money, I just wanted a few nice things and this-- Taste of blood in my mouth from the sudden shock of it -- Why the fuck was this happening? I didn't have this problem before -- The sudden burst of emotions, of tears, biting at the corners of my eyes. -- I hadn't even gotten to fucking eat anything and yet here I fucking -- Bile rose up in the back of my throat, the food feeling suddenly bitter to my tongue. -- Why was this happening to me? Wasn't my stay supposed to be-- Why was it my human getting hurt? It's not fair, it's not--

I gasped brokenly, stepping back away from the searching hands of the brothers, pulling away and realizing that the looks of concern had returned to their faces and that-- and that I was crying, hiccuping trying to keep them contained. I was shaking so hard I felt like I was coming apart at the seams, bursting with every emotion I'd felt, everything they'd felt, the pain, they'd--

I stumbled and nearly fell, but someone caught me around the waist as I nearly collapsed. I didn't have to look to realize it was Lucifer.

"You-You felt it." My voice was shaking, I could barely get the words out. I looked up at Lucifer, then at Mammon. "When I--"

"I thought only I'd felt it cause you'd been trying to call me--" Mammon started to say, and Lucifer cut in.

"They all felt it. And came to me to see if I knew where you were." That anger flashed up again, red hot and I could feel it burning me through his clothing and I whimpered a little. The flash of memory from when he'd tried to attacked me rose in the back of my mind and I had to close my eyes against the image for a moment. He froze and looked down at me, his eyes were the red they were in his true form, the red glow surrounding them, despite that he was otherwise in his human form.

"I-I need to lie down." I was staring into those red eyes. I felt like I was drowning in them, unable to tear myself away, clinging unto his suit lapels. I wanted to-- I needed to-- Something. It was like I was drowning, slowly losing air. He picked me up and, ignoring the protesting of his brothers, walked down the hall with me still in his arms. I stayed staring at those eyes. They didn't make me feel calm, exactly. But it was like he was lending me the same pride he relied on to keep others from noticing when he was upset. Like he was giving me air. And I realized that at some point he'd slipped off a glove and his hand was under the back of my shirt, resting against my skin. He was doing it on purpose. I heard him tell Mammon to explain to the others what had happened, and when I heard the start of a grumble, I'd tiredly agreed with the idea, passing the buck to the Avatar of Greed.

Lucifer passed by my room, I noted absently, and went straight to his, closing and locking the door behind us. I was still staring at him, and the moment he slid his hand away from me, another wave came and hit me and I staggered a bit, grabbing for his hand. He hadn't put on his glove back on, and he let he stand there for a moment, watching me.

"You're an empath." He stated. It wasn't really a question. Satan must have told him. Or how I was acting was enough of a indicator. Clinging to him and his sin and the idea of pretending everything was fine in order to keep up appearances was doing just enough to let me fucking focus, at least. I nodded at the question, muttering out a 'Y-yeah' in response. The red of his eyes still held my full attention. But it wasn't working the same anymore. I could feel the other emotions starting to slip back in and it was making me breath faster. I'd been feeling fine earlier and now I was on the verge of a meltdown and what the fuc-- "What happened?"

And I told him, the words coming out as a rush and I didn't know how much he understood and how much I'd just mumbled out in half-coherent mutterings.

I skipped the parts about lying to him and let him infer that for himself because I was sure he'd figured that out and I didn't want to risk him getting mad at me right then, but I told him that Mammon not answering when I'd gotten off work had worried me [and why, how the memory of my mother's death had burned in the back of my mind in panic, how it had felt so familiar that I'd nearly felt sick from it and that feeling came rushing up as I merely mentioned it], and how I'd felt like I was being watched and knew I shouldn't have run and yet I had and that had been when I'd been attacked, while I'd been trying to call through Mammon through the connection [I'd mentioned I'd done it to Asmo before, though left out the method I'd used, and, notably, Belphegor's involvement because I still didn't know how I was going to handle that because fucking hell], how I'd been attacked from behind and tried to call Mammon but ended up calling Solomon instead and how Vepar had healed me before disappearing.

And I was squeezing his hand so tightly during all of this that I swear if he wasn't a demon that I'd have broken it at this point and I just... I hiccoughed a little bit, biting down on my lip to try to keep everything under wraps.

"You need to release those emotions." He told me, stepping away and moving towards his record player. He, luckily, didn't put on the TSL record I'd had Levi lend him, but rather something else. The one that apparently people killed themselves after hearing because fuck that would have been terrible right now. No, it was just some slow, calming classical. My mind wasn't connecting what it was, though, and really, did it matter? I was breathing too fast when he stepped back away, the brother's emotions still somehow filtering up to me from this distance. I wasn't even touching them and-- He was right I did need to release them. I needed to ignore them, to quiet them, to--

He was back over by me, and his hand was on my cheek and it did help calm me. Not wanting to be seen falling apart in front of him, since he already thought me weak, I knew he did. Because I was, there wasn't really any denying that. But it also-- I leaned into his touch, his hand still ungloved, skin against mine. He started to pull away again and I panicked: I didn't want to lose that touch, my hand laying on top of his and my eyes snapping open and connecting back with his. I wanted to--

"Please..." The words came out on their own. Without giving it much thought, I grabbed hold of his tie and pulled him down towards me and caught his lips in a desperate kiss. Fuck. I didn't want him to stop touching me and I didn't know if it was the whirl of emotions or Asmo's influence or the fact that I hadn't gotten laid in months or the fact that Lucifer was just so fucking gorgeous, and he was always giving me that slightly condescending look that got me riled and he was right now being so kind it was painful and I was pouring all of my frustration at him, at this, and my need to just stop thinking for a little bit into that kiss and just as I was starting to wonder if I shouldn't have--

When I felt him lifting me as he kissed me back, one hand on my back, the other under my thigh and I wrapped my legs around his waist as he carried me to his bed, setting me on the edge. My hands were desperately seeking purchase, trying to find more skin to touch. His coat had already been left on the floor behind us and my fingers were already at work at the buttons of his waist coast and his lips were travelling down my jaw and oh gods was he good at this. I felt him nip at my neck, teeth dragging along my skin, and I couldn't help the moan that escaped me. "Please Lucifer, just..."

The waistcoat was unbuttoned and he pulled back to slide it off of his arms and I whimpered at the loss of contact, pouting at him. "Please what?"

His voice held that same tone he used when he lectured me. The authoritative, 'this should be obvious' tone that always annoyed me and made me want to frustrate him further. Made me want to push his buttons just to see how far I could. But here. Now? With the hint of the amusement under the words, and the way he stared at me, his eyes looking nearly black... I reached for his belt, slipping his shirt out from his pants and sliding my hands across the planes of his stomach, hard muscle. The deliciously smooth feel of his skin under my hands with that taste of muscle-- I felt the rumble of his chuckle at my touch as he grabbed my chin, bringing my face to look up at him. "Please. What?"

He was unbuttoning his shirt with his other hand and I found myself once again not being able to look away from him, wondering for one wild moment if he was the avatar of lust, because the only thing I could think of was him laying me out on my back and fucking me til I cried, but... No, I could feel the edge of that one's emotions gnawing at me. The desire, the need, the raw hunger that made my thighs tighten and I gasped a little. The others would be soon to follow and I just-- I couldn't-- "Lucifer, please fuck me until I can't think about anything else. Please. I want you--"

That was all I needed to say before he ducked back down to capture my lips in a bruising kiss, pushing his shirt off of his sleeves. He seemed just as eager for this and I didn't take the time to even give that a question. There was a guilty part of me that didn't care who it was, as long as I was fucked blank and I knew he could do it and that's what mattered-- And he bit my neck again, harder this time, dragging a gasp out of me, bringing my attention back to him. He reached down and grabbed the back of my shirt, pulling it over my head in one easy movement. I went to slide it off the rest of the way, but he stopped me, trapping my arms in the fabric, using it to pull me forward and into another rough kiss, keeping my arms stuck in front of me. Giving him control.

Probably liked that idea with how little I listened to him normally. That idea made me grin into the kiss, the expression turning into a gasp as he bit at my bottom lip, pulling it slightly as he broke the kiss. His free hand ran up my side, and stopped right over where the wound had been hours ago. He frowned, using the shirt to turn me onto my side so that he could get a better look, running his fingers over the scar. There was a sudden wash of concern. And the pain-- I hissed a little bit at the touch. "Lucifer please..." I started and he glanced up at me again as I squirmed. As if he was considering what to do. I tried to send out the lust that I could feel from my pact with Asmo, trying to push it towards him, help him make up his mind. He smirked at me, letting me whine for a little longer before his hand moved to the edge of my pants, hardly hesitating before tearing them off as well, the movement dragging me nearly off the bed.

He let go of the shirt and his hands moved down my legs, his touch gentler now, as if he'd suddenly remembered that human = fragile, and he stopped at my calves. That conflicted expression once again crossed his face and I was focusing so much on him that I could feel it through the touch. There was that concern. My own pain. And a touch of guilt. No. More than a touch. It was coming off in waves and-- "I know what attacked you." He muttered, looking at my other calf as well, his eyes glowing with magic as he saw something I knew I couldn't.

And part of me was curious. I wanted to know, really, but... There was the edge of fear that was hitting me with the mere thought of finding out and I didn't want to go there. I didn't want to be afraid right then. I didn't want to be anything. And his feelings of guilt [it wasn't like it was his fault, but that taste of failure was a familiar one and I knew it instantly and it cut through me] and regret were hitting me the longer he focused on my legs. I whimpered, reaching down to run my fingers through his hair. "Tell me later? Please?"

He paused a moment again. Infuriatingly long, running his thumb over some sort of... Scar I couldn't see before he pressed his lips to them and nodded. The guilt and the failure slowly eased out of me, letting the lust and the need take its place. He moved up the bed, using the shirt still stuck around my arms to pull me with him, holding my arms above my head. His smile was practically feral and I twisted a little, trying to kiss him again, to press his body against mine, hooking one leg around his hips. He leaned down, teasingly close. But he didn't kiss me.

His lips going to my jaw, kissing and biting as he moved down along my neck. I was twisting, trying to shove his pants off of his hips with my legs, and he just chuckled as he came to my collarbone. He bit me there. Hard. And I gasped, arching into him. Fuck, I wanted more of that. "Please. Lucifer, please. Please just fuck me..."

I was begging at this point, my mind focusing on wanting to feel him and he seemed to be loving it as I arched into him. His hand slid between us, his fingers dipping under the edge of my panties, and I gasped when he stroked me. Everything narrowing down to wanting more. Wanting him. Wanting that touch of his hand on my cunt and I moaned. I didn't bother to be quiet. It was working, I was starting to lose focus on everything except for his touch and I felt him pull his hand away in order to undo his belt, pushing down his pants without bothering to look. His eyes were on me, I could feel them. Even as I squirmed.

He started back down my body with his mouth, biting down on my skin hard enough that I knew it was going to leave marks. And I didn't care. I wanted that. I wanted every inch of it. Every little shock of pleasure-pain that his bites were sending through my body. He stopped at my nipple and he took one into his mouth, his tongue swirling around the bud before he gently bit at it. I was starting a desperate whimpered chant of 'please, Lucifer please' as he moved further down my body, his eyes focused on my face, my expressions. I was trying to watch him, I really was, but doing that and trying to just give into the feeling wasn't exactly easy to do at the same time. And he--

And he kissed my stomach along the edge of the tattoo and his human guise fell away, leaving me to stare at him in his true form. I'd seen it before. When he'd gone to attack Luke and Beel and I'd stood in the way and he'd gone to attack me. And I knew that meant I should be scared because of that connection.

But I wasn't. If I'd been thinking, it might have surprised me.

But he was fucking gorgeous. He'd let go of the shirt at some point, hand moving to my breast instead, and I slipped myself the rest of the way free as his mouth continued to move across my stomach, past my tattoo [some part of me screamed that he shouldn't be seeing that] and I couldn't help myself. My hands went into his hair, my grip tightening around one horn as he bit into my stomach. I heard him groan at the touch, felt it against my skin. And my other hand went down to his shoulder, and I was trying to pull him up, trying to get him to stop teasing me and just fuck me, my pleas getting more intense. And he obliged, and I could feel his cock pressed against me as he nestled between my legs. And I ran my nails down his chest, taking in the burst of red on his chest, the way it stood out against the tone of his muscles.

The way he- His hand moved to touch my cheek. And I felt the brush of his nails [claws? talons?] against my skin for the briefest of moments before it faded into his more human hand as he turned my face to look up at him.

And it was that damned expression again. And I blinked and nearly missed it as his human guise slid back into place, his true form disappearing. And it made that concern on his face feel worse. It hit me like a physical blow. There was a sadness to it. A guilt. And. His thumb brushed across my cheek and I realized at some part I'd started to cry. And realizing that made all of it even worse because everything came flooding back and he was looking at me like that and just-- "Please--" I started to beg, wrapping an arm around his shoulders to try to bring him closer, lifting my hips to meet him. I could tell he was still hard and I just needed him to know that I wanted this and--

And I couldn't stop crying. My body was shaking at this point as sobs wracked my body. Everything was hitting me all over again. Either he'd stopped letting his pride soak into me or it had risen past the point of me being able to stop it and there was nothing left for it but to feel it at this point.

It wasn't even the first time something like this had happened to me, either. I don't think it had been other people's emotions last time, but I'd always had enough of my own and I spent so much time trying to tame them and sometimes they just... Erupted.

I knew that was what it was as he wrapped his arms around me, cradling me against his chest as he stroked my hair. He let me rest my head against his heart, listening to it beat a rhythm against my ear as his music continued to play in the background. I shook against him and he just held me, not saying anything. Not giving me pity or trying to soothe me with dumb platitude. Just holding me and staying there. Listening to his heart and his breathe, I let it calm me, let it draw me towards sleep. I don't know how long it took, how long I cried as he held me there. But I recognized one song near the end as I began to drift off. Moonlight Sonata.

I liked that song.

#obey me #obey me fic #obey me mc #the seal obey me fic #obey me mc chris #obey me mammon #obey me lucifer

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morosemariposa · 5 years

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Catching Up on Shoma Uno

I unabashedly love Shoma Uno. I’ve been a fan and followed his career since the 2014-2015 season, his last junior season. I’ve paid attention to Shoma’s growth and development throughout his career and I’ll continue to do so until he retires and beyond that as well. I’ve been eagerly awaiting for Shoma to return since the season started and I’m excited for his start and continued development in the sport. This long post is just me floating on a sea of all the Shoma content from the past two weeks.

Friends On Ice 2019

Shoma was so cute at this ice show. I love that he’s invited to it every year and it genuinely seems like a great ice show to attend. It’s definitely one of my favorites to watch every year. Shoma in the opening number was very handsome and cute at the same time. I don’t know how he pulls it off but he does so well. Then Baseball Shoma in the finale was just the best thing ever. It’s nice to see him have fun, interacting with retired skaters, and be pressure free at these ice shows.

“Rhapsody in Blue”..........I didn’t know I needed Shoma to skate to this music. I have a list of music I want Shoma to skate to at some point in his career and I’m adding “Rhapsody in Blue” to it. I’m glad he skated to it and seeing him move in different ways is refreshing and exciting. Now that I got a glimpse, I want more. I want a “Rhapsody in Blue” program choreographed by Charlie White. I can imagine it already, beautifully choreographed movements to light, lyrical music paired with a stunning blue costume. Skating Gods make it happen.

2019 JapanOpen, Season Debut

It’s finally time for my most anticipated event from this start of the 2019-2020 season. I’ve been waiting for this event since I found out that it would be Shoma’s season debut and the first appearance of his new FP “Dancing on my Own”. When he announced that his free program would be to Callum Scott’s cover of Robyn’s “Dancing on my Own” I was excited because I like the song but more than that I love Melancholy Shoma. I love his “This Town” EX and I had hope that the program would be in a similar vane. Turns out it’s that and more. I like the program. I really like it. The more I watch it the more I like it because I see the little things he does with his body movements and I’m excited for the development of this program throughout the season. Right from the start of the performance I like the movement he does when he dances with an invisible partner. That movement is known as a move to imitate dancing and I like that it’s the opening of the program. When the the singing comes in I love the little leg dance shuffle (I don’t know what it’s called) movement Shoma does. It’s cute. Then the lyrics say, “there’s a big black sky over my town”, and the costume makes sense to me at that point. He’s the dark sky over a night satellite view of earth. Then the lyrics say, “and yeah, I know it’s stupid but I just gotta see it for myself”, and this is just Shoma’s journey this season. He’s on his own, people think it’s ridiculous but he wants to find his skating for himself. “I’m in the corner”, he’s literally in the corner of the rink. It’s on the nose and I love it. He does my favorite combo in figure skating, the 3A+1EU+3F, it’s been a while since he’s done it clean. I like the stsq, especially the little quick steps and the hop. He glides through it with ease and I know it’s going to look better later in the season. He hits some piano notes in the FCCoSP and it reminded me of how he would hit the piano notes in “Moonlight Sonata” the same way. Little details like that are why I like it, they’re subtle but effective. The cantilever on the vibrato of the song is smart, a layback ina bauer or spiral would also be effective. I like the chsq as well, the hop, the arms reaching out, the hand on the neck are my favorite parts if it. Then the classic CCoSP into the ending pose and once it’s done Shoma turns off and I thinks its a joy to see him visibly go On/Off mode at the start and end of a program. I’ve seen this performance many times. It’s not clean, there were jump issues, he only did one combination but got all his levels and I think it’s a good program for him. Like I said before I love Melancholy Shoma programs. Last but not least, team Japan greeting Shoma at the boards was the best moment of JapanOpen for me.

Carnival on Ice 2019

Shoma performing “See You Again” in a new costume and an encore consisting of the stsq from “Great Spirit” was interesting. I’ve always liked “See You Again” and I liked it even more when I learned what inspired the program. He clearly forgot some of the choreography and he even said so in the interview after the ice show. He was very cute and giggly. His encore of the “Great Spirit” stsq was erratic. He was fast and really skated to the speed of the music. He stumbled a little and addressed his mistake at the end. It was adorable. After all this content, I’m even more excited for Shoma’s season. I said this in my previous Shoma post and I’ll say it again, I believe he’ll be okay. This is an experimental and transitional season for him, he wants to find joy in competition and himself in his skating. I’m all for that. Good Luck Shoma!!

#shoma uno #i just love him so much #can i love him any more #Friends On Ice 2019 #2019 JapanOpen #Carnival On Ice 2019

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woodwind-sensei · 5 years

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Top 10 Figure Skating Programs: 2018-19 season

It’s been about a month and a half since the normal figure skating competition season came to a close, bringing us one step closer towards the next Olympic Games. With the advent of the new IJS, the programs we saw this year was nothing like we have seen before, and some of them rank among the best programs in figure skating history (that’s right, I’m going there, kids). Without further delay, here are my personal Top 10 figure skating programs from this season.

10. Mariah Bell (USA) “To Love You More” short program, choreographed by Adam Rippon

Mariah Bell missed an Olympic berth last season, mostly due to inconsistency and packaging issues. With a majority of the major U.S. ladies out of the picture this season, it was high time for Mariah to step up to the plate. I absolutely loved the upgraded packaging and content. The short program was so positive in spirit, and it was a pleasant surprise to see Adam Rippon’s competitive choreographic debut (to my knowledge) to be a job well done. I hope we see a lot more Celine Dion power ballad programs in the future.

9. Shoma Uno (JPN) “Stairway to Heaven” short program, choreographed by Mihoko Higuchi

Figure skating’s resident smol boi/silver princess Shoma Uno hit it big with this short program. Sexy, daring, and smoldering with intensity, Shoma showed his capability of the dramatic with this program. Though his inconsistency with the jumps made it hard to enjoy sometimes, he just has an x-factor on the ice that draws you in. That spread eagle after the triple axel gets me every time. It’s such a small moment, but it gets me so excited because I’m completely hooked by how statuesque he becomes in such an instant.

8. Peng Cheng/ Jin Yang (CHN) “Ophelia” short program, choreographed by Lori Nichol

Peng and Jin had been the pair that was ever the bridesmaid. When Peng was with veteran pair skater Zhang Hao and Jin with up-and-coming star Yu Xiaoyu, the federation decided to switch these two partnerships up. Yu/Zhang always got the political push, and that somewhat left Peng/Jin in the shadows. That all changed this season, and a lot of it had to do with this short program. They really found a style all their own: simple, uncluttered, yet packed with stunning elements and a cute and charming spirit. We’re going to be seeing them for a while, and I promise you, they will be a force to be reckoned with.

7. Wakaba Higuchi (JPN) “Energia” short program, choreographed by Shae-Lynn Bourne

Wakaba Higuchi might have had a spotty season this year, but this short program showed us why we fell in love with her in the first place. Shae-Lynn effortlessly displayed her power in this program, emphasizing Wakaba’s capability of flow and control while balancing fun and working the crowd. Japanese Nationals was the peak of this program’s life, and I certainly hope Wakaba uses this as an exhibition piece in the future. Shae-Lynn was also responsible for her legendary James Bond free skate, and will choreograph Wakaba’s short program next year to “Bird Set Free” by Sia.

6. Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) “The Piano” free skate, choreographed by Benoit Richaud

So, as all three of my online figure skating fan friends know, I am a Kaori stan. I love and appreciate children of pure sunshine with fantastic skating skills, and Kaori is just that. Though this program isn’t the best program she’s had, what I think works is that the program is built on momentum. It builds continually, reaching a climax with the choreographic sequence moving straight into that stellar triple loop. It also shows how Benoit choreography is supposed to look. Benoit Richaud uses a lot of angular movements but tries to combine it with the natural flow a skater must have over the ice. It works better on Kaori than opposed to his other big ladies’ client Bradie Tennell (USA). Bradie’s movements and angles are so sharp and harsh it seems forced and almost unwatchable, while Kaori’s smoothness over her blades is more pleasing and interesting to digest.

5. Sui Wenjing/ Han Cong (CHN) “Rain, in your Black Eyes” Free Skate, choreographed by Lori Nichol

Sui and Han made a surprising comeback after withdrawing from the Grand Prix series due to an injury and surgery to Wenjing. This program was iconic. From the very opening poses, it absolutely melted me. I don’t think it’s as good as their Blues for Klook short from a few years ago, but this free skate was overall amazing.

4. Evgenia Medvedeva (RUS) “Orange Colored Sky” short program, choreographed by David Wilson and Sandra Bezic

Evgenia’s move to Brian Orser created so much buzz, and everyone was waiting to see what she would do with choreography not from Ilia Averbukh or Daniil Gleikhengauz. I have to say, they really hit the nail on the head with this one. I thought the rebranding to the ingenue was so great, and the little touches from Sandra really brought the program to life. Those opening poses were my favorite part. It’s unfortunate that this program was eventually shelved, because I definitely liked this program more in comparison to the Tosca program, but I understand how important it is to make sure Evgenia has authority over her own skating career.

3. Gabriella Papadakis/ Guillaume Cizeron (FRA) Free Dance to Rachel Yamagata songs, choreographed by Marie-France Dubreuil

Papadakis and Cizeron continue to evolve their unique style with this amazing free dance. I was personally very curious to see how they would have topped their timeless Moonlight Sonata FD from the Olympic year, and this program is right up there with the best programs of all time. The way they look at each other throughout just draws me in. Even the softest touch with a finger puts them in total sync. My favorite moment is the twizzle sequence that really comes out of nowhere. It’s so smooth. And then that low, flat curve lift is out of this world. No one can touch this team.

2. Lim Eun-soo (KOR) “Somewhere in Time” short program, choreographed by Jeffrey Buttle

Eun-soo’s rise to the senior ranks was one of the big buzzes of the season. With a recent move to Rafael Artunyan, it looked like she was ready to take her competitive career to the next level. And this short program was BEYOND almost every program that everyone else had. Every element was beautifully woven into the choreography. She just looked stunning on the ice almost every time. The only criticism I have is that the sleeves on her costume were a bit distracting, but that’s such a minute detail on an otherwise ethereal program.

1. Satoko Miyahara (JPN) “Song for the Little Sparrow” short program, choreographed by Lori Nichol.

This was the clear standout program of the season for me. Out of all the skaters from the previous Olympic cycle, I thought it would be hardest for Satoko to keep up with the pack. But I was proved wrong, with this short program proving that artistry is still what brings the audience into a skater’s performance. Everything is so perfectly placed: every hand had a purpose, every stroke had a meaning, and it all melded together to create a masterpiece. This is what skating should be.

So many of the programs were good this year, but these 10 are the ones I want to watch over and over again. They set the bar for the Olympic cycle so high, and it’ll be interesting to see if these programs will be surpassed. We’ve already had some interesting announcements in terms of next season. I’m particularly intrigued to see Benoit Richaud work with Satoko Miyahara. The premiere of that program at Fantasy on Ice wasn’t stellar, but I’m interested to see how the program will evolve as Benoit and Satoko continue to work together. Figure skating continues to bring it with amazing programs, so next season should be an interesting ride.

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humans-are-space-orcs · 5 years

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How would an alien react to Chromesthesia? And on extension, humans who play musical instruments whilst blind/deaf.

(I don't know if this has been done yet, so sorry if you've seen something like this before. I've read a lot of 'Humans are weird' and 'Humans are space orcs' that I've had to contribute with this little thing.

Please note that I don't have Chromesthesia and this is based purely from Wikipedia. Oh and this is gonna be long cuz I love to write this kinda stuff, so get comfy.

Sorry if it's bad ;-; )

It had been a long day onboard the human station known as 'Ulysses'. Qhar'in had always wondered why humans named their ships, but he'd always forget to ask whenever he would remember. 'Yet another thing that humans do.' He thought as he entered his room, chucking his helmet onto his bed. He serves as security, slogging through ranks faster than most, on the Scientific/Civilian station. Double checking his blasters safety toggle, he set it aside on his desk next to the small pile of papers that had accumulated over the few months that he was stationed there.

His fins folded and stretched as he lifted his chest piece off, a sigh of relief excaped him as the humidifier kicked in, soaking his amphibian skin. A loud trilling sound suddenly rang behind him, a holographic button pad lighting into existence, his own language sprawled onto each button. Tapping the center most button, he answered the call.

"Greatings, how may I assist you?" Qhar'in asked, kicking off his boots, allowing his three webbed toes stretch and wiggle, doing the same with his gloves.

"Hey Qhar! You still coming round?"

"Ah! Human-Clare, of course! I'd never miss a chance to 'hang out' with my favourite human, dawg!"

"Your still shit at human linguo, but props for trying. Anyway, that's cool, can't wait for you to come over, I've been practising on the piano and I can't wait to show you!" The receiver clicked signalling the end of their communication.

"Wait, aren't you blind?" Qhar'in asked after a moment of silence, not relising that there conversation had ended.

The door slid upward with a swoosh, revealing the small brunette human standing at the other end, her shaded glasses reflecting the amphibian's image. His damp 'rock' and 'role' shirt stuck to his body like glue, it was uncomfortable but Qhar'in stuck with it since his friend gave it to him. Clare stood in the doorway with a questioning stare, her cane dragging across the floor in a slow arc.

"Hello human Clare! It has been a while since we had time to meeeet!" Qhar'in could hardly keep himself stable as Clare launched herself at him, pulling him into a tight hug, her face lighting up from hearing his voice.

"Haha! How's it going Qhar!? Come, come I have to show you something!" Clare quickly got off, pulling along her friend, the door sliding shut behind him. She led him to the living room, where a wooden piano sat in the corner by a large window overlooking the endless expanse of space.

"Human, I was sure that I miss heard you, but now that I see it I do not understand. Why do you have a piano in your home? I thought you were blind, or do humans re-grow parts of their body's?" Qhar'in scratched his dorsal fin at the back of his head.

"I am blind silly! And no, it human biology doesn't work like that. But that doesn't stop me from playing music! Besides, haven't you heard of Beethoven? He was deaf, but he could still play." Qhar'in roled his eyes as she sat down on the stool facing the keyboard. He wasn't going to lie, he was impressed by how humans could do the impossible despite whatever affliction that they may have.

"Yes, but he could still see what he was doing " He deadpanned, much to the dismay of Clare.

"Yeah, whatever! You'll also be amazed that I've found out that I've got chro, chrom, uhh, fuck what's it called again?" She snapped her fingers a few times before she seemed to remember. "Chromesthesia! That's it!"

"Chrom-what?"

"Later! Just sit down so I can show you how wrong you are!" True to her word, the moment he sat down on the nearby chouch, the room was filled with slow moving music. "It's Moonlight Sonata, by the way, first movement if you're interested." Qhar'in watched in a daze as her fingers danced along the keyboard faster that he'd geussed, utterly entranced by the music pouring out of the instrument. He had listened to piano music before and fell in love with the complex and haunting sounds it could produce. However listening to it in person was another thing all together. He could see tears the flowed out from her shade, dripping down her cheeks. Her breathing quickly grew unstable as her tears dripped onto the keys, unnoticed by Clare. Her body swayed left and right dramatically, losing herself in the music.

Qhar'in held his knees with a vice grip, worried about his friend as he watched her cry. He understood that music, as well as other things, could move a human to release liquid from their eyes, but he had never seen it untill now. Slowly the music started to fade away, the spaces between the notes grew longer and longer until she hit six notes twice, dragging them on before releasing the keys for the final time.

Silence ruled over the two of them, only broken up by the soft, sobbing sounds that came from Clare. Timidly, Qhar'in rose from his seat and strolled over to her, placing his damp hands on her shoulders.

"That was beautiful, Clare. Are you okay?" Clare sniffled, taking her shades off to wipe her eyes clear, exposing her gray, dull eyes to the world.

"Yeah, I'm fine, I just can't get over how beautiful the colours that flash are." She sniffled again, popping bher shades back on.

"Colours that flash? I don't understand. How can you see colours?" Qhar'in kneeled down beside her, lifting one of her hands to his face. It had always calmed her down for some reason. She told him it was one of the ways that she could actually 'see'. It never met sense to him.

"Right, that's the other thing I mentioned. You know how I said that I figured out that I had Chromesthesia? Well, when I hear music I can...see colours. It's hard to describe since I have no idea what they are but every time I play or listen to music. I figured that every blind person saw it so I didn't say anything."

"You're really stupid, but that is so awesome!" Qhar'in's eyes sparkled with amazement.

"I know right?" She sniffed again, wiping the leftover tears. "With every new song I hear, I see more and more unique colours that I've never seen before. You wanna hear another?"

(Well, there it is. Again, sorry if it's shit. I may love to write but that doesn't mean I'm good ;-;)

Submitted by: @Nightblade64

#humans are weird #humans are space oddities #submission

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spoiled-truth · 5 years

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The Life and Times of Agent 22: Prologue (EXCERPT)

I’m posting part of the prologue just to see how people react to it. I don’t want to write the whole fanfiction only for no one to read it due to lack of interest. So please feel more than welcome to give any advice, constructive criticism, or general comments. (Note: the fanfic is in Mrs. Beakley’s POV but back when she was a kid.)

Fingers breezed along the ivory keys, the wind pressing on the keys in perfect order. The sound was crisp yet blended together as I played with great spirit and forte. Allegro con spirito, it said up in the corner. Lively with spirit. It obviously started with forte volumes, what else would it start with? I had to shift now, quickly too. No hairpin was marked under the notes. Piano, it noted. Time didn’t exist right now, it was frozen, if anything. I shifted the volume and played the notes with the precise softness that was inked on the paper. My right hand jerked over to play the higher notes.

I didn’t want to look back, but if I could, the image that flashed in my mind for a split second consisted of everyone there sitting in their seats, speechless. The babies no longer wailing, the kids no longer chasing each other, only my fingers that flew on the keys. The mothers would stop gossiping among each other and the few fathers that attended were wide awake, in a trance. My trance.

Legato, it said. If everyone wasn’t impressed already, then get ready for them to feel the warmth and embrace that is time slowing to a stop. With the lifting of my hands, I slammed them down into a strong forte transition and forced my fingers to not lift up, not once. They were only allowed to slide along from key to key.

Beakhoven was one of, if not the most influential pianists of all time. His pieces always conveyed deep emotions that bled into your body. He could flip the mood of his music on a halfpenny. One moment the notes could be energetic and sharp, the next moment heavy and almost romantic, pick the energy and brisk pace back up and end it off with a somber conclusion. That alone would’ve been enough for me to pick up the third movement of Moonlight Sonata without a second thought. The message you send to your audience is also controlled by you and not the notes. How you manipulate each and every fragile note can be the difference between a hasty, shattered performance or an uplifting, delicate one. You can even fool people into thinking they can rest, silence covering them like a woolen blanket, and out of nowhere you pick the music back up in the most magnificent way. The main reason I chose this alongside Beakhoven’s masterful crafting of the notes in the particular piece is if you play your cards right you could practically manipulate your audience and make them feel however you wished them to feel.

If I’m honest, no, I can’t. I need to focus on one thing and one thing only. One of my fingers faltered and shifted to the wrong key. A growl rumbled in my throat. My eyes shifted back over to the keys as I got my hands back on track and my wondering mind as well.

The music began to fade. Silence. What was going on? Did I freeze up? Where was I? It didn’t feel right. My ears rang as the music escaped the small quarters.

Clap. Clap. Clap, clap, clap, clap.

Applause filled my ears. Had I finished? I turned around to face the judges, still unsure as to what happened. They didn’t look pleased. They always looked displeased, right? It wasn’t just me? I didn’t let my fear show. I got up and waited for the judges to say something. While waiting, I performed a quick bow to top off the performance.

The judges turned to one another and began to whisper among themselves. While waiting, I stood in my poise position, only looking around with my eyes. Other than my competitors, there was only one other kid I could spot out in the crowd. His name was Winfred. Winfred Arkwing. I could always feel him staring holes into my back whenever I performed. Of course, I was so into my performance that I would never notice the spine-shivering sensation until after I finished my piece.

We made eye contact, his eyes darting away from me immediately. I continued to scan the crowd in hopes of seeing my parents. It wasn’t that they didn’t care, far from it. My father worked to keep us at a comfortable amount while my mother made sure we were all warm and fed. My mother said that we would have more money if she could find a job that accepted her.

I remember first hearing that when I was five. Ever since then, people described me as persistent, a hard worker, an overachiever. I told myself that I was just trying my hardest to be my best. My parents wanted me to be the best and so did I.

“Miss Quacklin, the judges have spoken.” The three judges turned around to face me. I straightened my spine and kept my eyes wide open for their undivided attention.

The judge in the middle cleared his throat in the most elegant manner. “Points have been deducted from an incorrect note being played in the beginning at around the twenty-eighth measure.” His haughty voice began to fill my ears and bloat my head as I was being judged. It was to be expected and every time shame tried to knock me down I would kick it down and stand tall and mighty, hoping to learn from my mistakes and accidents. If I was going to be the best, I wouldn’t let my insecurities take over. Not now. Not ever.

Another judge by the name of Mr. Heronway adjusted his circular rimmed glasses which perched perfectly on his extended beak. “We also had to deduct points off for a wavering tempo. You either were too slow or too fast.” Swallowing suddenly became a difficult task. My throat was parched and my small palms became slippery and clammy with cold sweat. It would be all over soon, I told myself.

Any judge could judge me, but everyone cowered in fear when Mr. Heronway walked into a room. Not only was he a judge for piano recitals, but a judge for everyone on anything and everything. He would scrutinize people’s outfits and the way they held themselves at extravagant parties. It was as though he wanted to be Tom Buchanan himself. He carried himself like he was old money because he was old money. Every recital he would make at least one contestant cry in front of the audience. Today wouldn’t be my day, no day would be my day to cry because of him. The most he ever does is push me off my pedal of confidence, which he did at every recital.

“However,” the third judge began, “you played every single note with precision and the music exactly how it was written. You moved nearly everyone here.” Mr. Heronway turned his head in disgust at the sound of the judge complimenting my playing.

Mr. Heronway squinted his eyes and pierced my eyes. “You may take a seat now.” So I did.

Everyone got up for a fifteen minute break while the judges determined who would wear cobalt, scarlet, and ivory ribbons. While waiting, I decided to catch a fresh breath of air. Without anyone’s knowledge, I slipped out of the room and to the outdoors where the rough bricks scratched my bare arms under my feathers.

The sound of the front door opening alerted me to the only person who would’ve followed me outside. “Well, well, well. Ready to be placed in my shadow once again?” Barbara Heronway used to be just a classmate that I knew. Ever since we saw each other at piano recitals, however, all of that changed. She began to despise me even though she would land first place every time. My parents told me that she was just jealous of me. Whenever my parents said that I would always stop and wonder. If that really was the case, then why would she be jealous at someone who never achieved first place?

I decided to not respond. Instead, I turned away from her and took in the crisp autumn scenery that played before my eyes.

“Uh, hello?” Barbara said. “I’m talking to you!”

I glanced over and made quick eye contact with her. “Yeah, I know.”

She huffed. “So why aren’t you responding to me?”

I cocked an eyebrow. “Aren’t I doing that now?”

Barbara growled as I turned my whole body to face her. “Whatever!” With that, she stomped off. I shrugged before following her back in. It was getting a bit chilly anyway.

-END OF EXCERPT-

#ducktales #ducktales 2017 #fanfiction #fanfic #the life and times of agent 22 #agent 22 #bentina beakley #mrs beakley #ludwig von drake

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architectuul · 5 years

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FOMA 26: UK Post War Experiments

Ross Nesbitt has chosen post war Forgotten Masterpieces in the UK according to their influence, innovation, but above all how they have interacted with the people using them.

Scottish Secretary Willie Ross and his wife at the opening of the Red Road flats in Glasgow (1964). | Photo via Read Road Pinterest

Each building illustrates how the response of the Modern Movement to the challenges of reconstruction and planning in post-WW2 era Britain touched on many aspects of daily life: religion, education, retail, work and transport. And they all divide public opinion.

Starting with the original medieval Coventry Cathedral, destroyed by the Luftwaffe on 14 November 1940 in an air raid code-named Moonlight Sonata.

Rebuilding of the cathedral started in 1955, and by the time of the consecration it had become a symbol of hope and reconciliation. | Photo by Ross Nisbet

The attack targeted Coventry's industry, but it was clear that collateral damage and casualties would be considerable. The city was hit by 200 bombs and among many buildings also the cathedral fell. Only the tower, spire and outer wall survived.

Sir Basil Spence was the only architect to insist that the ruins of the old cathedral should remain intact. | Photo via The Twentieth Century Society

The morning after Provost Richard Howard wrote in chalk on the sanctuary walls “Father, Forgive.” On Christmas 1940 the BBC Home Service broadcast Howard’s message from the cathedral ruins. Howard’s gesture of forgiveness inspired Spence, which was chosen from over 200 architects in a competition in 1951 to design a new cathedral.

From Priory Street we find Sir Jacob Epstein’s large sculpture of Archangel Michael triumphing over the Devil. | Photo by Ross Nesbitt

The main body of the new cathedral is built from red Hollington sandstone, in unity with the ruins of the old. A high porch links them. Zigzag walls with angled windows direct light down the nave onto the altar. The floor is of polished fossil stone. Large artworks commissioned by Spence include stunning abstract stained glass windows by John Piper and Patrick Reyntiens and a tapestry behind the main altar by Graham Sutherland, thought to be the largest in the world.

The Charred Cross emphasize the reconciliation theme. | Photo by Ross Nesbitt

After the bombing, cathedral stonemason Jock Forbes noticed two burned wooden roof beams had fallen in the shape of a cross. He tied them together, forming an altar which Spence preserved on the stairs between the new and old part of the cathedral. Provost Howard took three nails from the smouldering beams to make the Cross of Nails, which became the centerpiece of the altar cross in Spence’s new cathedral.

Spence’s design draws effectively from the cathedral’s history and post-war mission. It’s an uncompromisingly modern construction but also perfectly integrated with its past. Coventry Cathedral shows the visitor the waste and loss of war without flinching, but is not a forbidding structure. Wood is used to great decorative and functional effect, giving warmth and human scale to the nave and choir. The Gethsemane chapel highlights Spence’s talent for juxtaposition and interaction: the visitor passes Spence’s harrowing crown of thorns icon to enter a warm sanctuary beneath war artist Steven Sykes’ dazzling angel mosaic in gold leaf and blue tile.

The Roger Stevens Lecture Theatre is the centerpiece of the complex of buildings for the Leeds University campus. | Photo by Ross Nesbitt

Britain saw a great expansion in education as the post-war generation grew up. The number of students and universities nearly doubled from 1960s to 1970s. Chamberlin, Powell and Bon, who had just completed the acclaimed Golden Lane Estate, were engaged as Master Planners at the University of Leeds to oversee in-house architect Geoffrey Wilson and provide expertise to the expansion of the campus. They produced a plan in two phases. An initial report recorded their enquiries and research into the existing campus and set out their vision for the new campus. It summarized the anticipated problems and posed solutions, specifying the required materials, time, space and costs. A second Development Plan focused on the maths and science precinct and features the Roger Stevens Lecture Theatre.

The design was a forward-looking city within a city, and in many ways an important trial run for the Barbican estate. The Development Plans saw Chamberlin, Powell and Bon experimenting with ideas about the principles of urban design, the integration of community and environment into a cohesive whole, and the most economic and adaptable use of space. The plans generated interest at an international level and were influential to the modern movement as a body of research and a definitive model for the modern university campus.

The building’s unconventional configuration of space does require a bit of thought to learn its signage and color coding. | Photo by Ross Nesbitt

The building contains 25 tiered lecture theaters with different capacities, a refectory and reprographics facilities. The exterior is futuristic and striking, compared to a church organ, robot or car engine by students. The refectory overlooks a lake, which is more than ornamental as it was designed to provide air conditioning for the building, same idea architects developed on a bigger scale with the Barbican Lake. The layout is deceptively simple, two gently sloping staircases link the lecture theaters and each row of seats has its own individual door, ensuring lectures are not interrupted by latecomers. Its listed status ensures the Roger Stevens Lecture Theatre's future is safe. It's another divisive building but maybe it's just waiting for the rest of us to catch up with it.

An early example of pedestrian planning, Castle Market was a multi-level complex that made maximum use of a compact site. | Photo by Ross Nesbitt

Castle Market built in stages between 1959 and 1965 was named after Sheffield Castle. It was almost entirely demolished in 1648 but the remains of the foundations are visible beneath the market. Like Park Hill and Gleadless Valley, Castle Market was a thoughtful and rewarding design, which made great use of Sheffield's famous hills and valleys. Womersley and Darbyshire recognised what made Sheffield an interesting place to build was its slopes and dips, and created a complex with soaring heights (the walkways and Rooftop Cafes) and three labyrinthine floors of markets below, all with access to the street on different levels of the Castle Hill.

Inside, Castle Market was closer to a modernist re-imagining of Istanbul's Grand Bazaar than the blandly interchangeable malls of today. It was a treasury of mid-century modern mosaics, signage and tile designs, geometric and multi-coloured in seemingly endless variety. Layer upon layer of design eras cried out from every stall, competing for the shopper's attention. Although postmodern signage was added to the walkways in the 1980s, most of Castle Market retained its original 1960s signage, including many classic "formica cafes" - one was used as a location in Shane Meadows' "This is England '88". The ascent to the Roof Top Café, with its sci-fi suspended ceiling and net curtains, offered stunning views of the city.

In Castle Market working class people bought groceries, met friends, drank tea and a gossipped. | Photo via English Cathedrals Archive

Pulp singer Jarvis Cocker had his first job there as a teenager, on John Firth's fish stall. But not everyone appreciated Castle Market. Redevelopment had been planned as early as 1996 by Sheffield City Council, who wanted to expose the remains of the castle walls in a visitors' centre.

dailymotion

And of course, the surrounding area would be purged in the name of regeneration. This act of social cleansing did not go unopposed. An anonymous request for listed status for Castle Park was made in 2011. Sheffield's Liberal Democrat City Council responded by trying to start a letter writing campaign in favour of demolition. English Heritage rejected the application: "In order to be considered for listing, 20th Century market halls should display a high degree of architectural, technological and historic interest. Those post-war market halls which have already been listed (such as Coventry) have particularly high levels of architectural innovation and artistic achievement which justify the designation of such late buildings.This is not shared by Castle Market in Sheffield."

Anyone familiar with both Coventry Market and Castle Market would agree that this comparison was patently false. Trading ceased in November 2013 and Castle Market was demolished in 2015. The markets were relocated to The Moor, on the opposite side of town. The new market is the kind of forgettable development that could have been built for any town in the UK.

The Spence’s project of a government office building in central London could not be more different to Coventry Cathedral. | Photo by Ross Nesbitt

After the Second World War, civil servants in London’s Whitehall were working in cramped offices built in the 19th century when government administration was smaller. With the post-war expansion of the British state, office space was needed outside the historic core of Whitehall. New offices on Queen Anne’s Gate were first planned in 1959, but the original plan of a more conventional tower block was rejected by the Royal Fine Art Commission. Planning permission for Spence’s revised design was given by the Westminster Planning Committee in 1969.

The building on 102 Petty France is in a sensitive location in central London: in view of Buckingham Palace, overlooking The Mall and two of the Royal Parks, St. James's Park and Green Park. Historically, the site was previously occupied by Queen Anne’s Mansions, London’s first high-rise housing, built from 1873-1890. Today, Victorian properties are desirable and the mansion flat format is fashionable again, but the Victorian and Edwardian media decried mansion flats as Babylonian, factory-like and out of scale with historic Georgian buildings. Londoners feared for the value of their property if a sunlight-blocking mansion flat was built nearby. At 12 storeys high, Queen Victoria complained that the Mansions blocked her view. The Mansions tested the limits of planning law, prompting the introduction of height restrictions in the London Building Acts of 1890 and 1894. During WW2, the Mansions were requisitioned as Government offices and retained until they were demolished in 1973. Many in Whitehall hoped the site would be developed with a building more sensitive to the surroundings. What was proposed shocked them.

The 102 Petty France personifies the qualities people love and hate about Brutalism in equal measure. | Photo by Ross Nesbitt

Several Members of Parliament were outraged by Spence’s model and sketches. On 4 July 1972, Lord Reigate, speaking in the House of Lords, asked the Government to intervene and halt building. Calling Spence’s design a mass of monumental masonry, he went on to predict “this unlovely lump of a building will loom over London for a long time, and will, if I may say so, if it is allowed to happen, outlive all your Lordships”. The Earl of Cork and Orrery added “Like the great Martian machines in H. G. Wells' War of the Worlds, the monsters are closing in.” Thankfully (for those of us who appreciate monsters), Lord Reigate failed.

102 Petty France is asymmetrical, angular and makes no concessions to the Georgian row houses of Queen Anne's gate. It’s a big, assertive building which succeeds in its job as a symbol of government authority and a landmark on the local skyline. Walking West from Westminster Abbey, the building draws the eye. From the North, the corner tower, resembling a knight’s helm, rises above the trees of St James’s Park. It also dominates the skyline of Green Park and is even visible from Hyde park. The heavy massing of the projecting first and second floors presents visitors with a striking bunker-like solidity. The Earl’s science fiction comparison is appropriate. The building has a unique personality lacking in most other London office buildings of the time. It’s more impactful than, for example, the works of Richard Seifert.

102 Petty France was designed as flexible office space around three cores, modification of the structural frame proved unnecessary. | Photo via Wikimedia

When the Home Office decided to move to a new headquarters in 2003, the cost of demolition outweighed traditionalists’ calls to demolish 102 Petty France. Extensive modifications were made for its current occupants, the Ministry of Justice. The building was refurbished to accommodate 2,400 staff. A multi-services chilled beam system was installed to upgrade office services. The modifications left the original character of Spence’s design intact and 102 Petty France is now an excellent example of how a Brutalist building can be recycled for the modern era.

A structure that is hard to love, but historically important and symbolic of changes in British society since it was built. | Photo via Leicester City Archive

Today, Lee Circle car park appears totally unremarkable to the casual observer, but the Tesco store and car park that opened there in in 1961 was a pioneering experiment, noteworthy for many reasons. A crowd of over 2,000 turned up to see Sid James, star of the Carry On films, open the store in 1961. The supermarket was the chain’s first expansion outside the Southeast. It entered the Guinness Book of Records as the largest store in Europe. Combining a supermarket and a homewares store, with the six-tier Auto-Magic multi-storey car park above providing space for 1050 cars, this was an entirely new retail format in the UK. The opening of the store marked the beginning of self-service shopping in the UK: for the first time, customers could browse alone, filling their own baskets or trolleys. The car park was the first in Europe to be fully automated using coin-operated barriers. Customers refuelled at the forecourt petrol station and used the (also automated) car wash. This was shockingly modern stuff for 1961 but it would become the norm over the next decade. It also illustrates the extent to which the car was prioritized in British town planning at the time, which would be a key factor in Lee Circle’s eventual decline.

The store and car park were integrated so that staff could take customers’ purchases directly to their cars. | Photo via Leicester City Archive

Details of the architect are elusive, but Lee Circle’s double-helix design (where cars ascend on one spiral ramp and descend on another, without meeting) shows they were probably inspired by the Fiat Lingotto Factory, designed by naval engineer and architect Giacomo Matté-Trucco in 1923.

The efficiency of Lee Circle’s double helix design meant that even at the peak of its popularity in the mid -1960s, queues were rare. The same cannot be said for car parks using the grid system. The complex also housed a bowling alley which featured in Ray Gosling's 1964 film 'Two Town Mad' (comparing Leicester and Nottingham), illustrating Leicester’s status as a truly modern city.

Lee Circle certainly presents a flowing maritime profile, like Streamline Moderne stripped down to the bones. | Photo via Leicester City Archive

The Tesco store closed in the early 80s (today the unit is occupied by a fabric wholesaler) but the car park remains, its concrete weathered and patched. It is still open but under-used. Shoppers were drawn back to the historic centre of Leicester by the Haymarket Shopping Centre (1973) and the Shires Centre (1991), both of which offered parking, and importantly, convenient access to newly pedestrianised shopping streets. The nearby county court and benefits office closed in 2007, reducing demand for parking further. The future of Lee Circle is under threat. Its opening was probably the heyday of this underdeveloped quarter of Leicester, where Joseph Merrick, the Elephant Man, was born a hundred years before the car park.

–

#FOMA 26: Ross Nesbitt

Ross Nesbitt was born in Scotland and lives in Nottingham, England. He likes to take photographs and has posted his work on Scavengedluxury since 2010.

#foma #forgotten masterpieces

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kumeko · 5 years

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moonlight sonata

Characters/Pairings: Corrin, Azura

A/N: Written for the @rallyspectrumzine. I love these two together. They have such a good rapport. Deeprealm question I just realized--did they bring caretakers from their world to those worlds? which makes those caretakers older than any friends on this side?

Summary: All of her friends and family were pairing off and Corrin suddenly understood intimately what a third wheel felt like. Fortunately, Azura looked like she was in the same boat.

…

A twig snapped and Corrin whipped her head, looking over her shoulder into the gloom of the forest behind her. In the starlight, the forest looked more ominous than usual, as though any manner of beast or monster could spring out of it. Her hand rested on her sword and she tensed, ready to leap up at the first sign of the enemy. “Who’s there?”

“It’s me.” Azura slowly stepped out of the shadows, her hands in front of her. Her robes flowed around her, a cool breeze from the lake ruffling through them. A nervous smile flitted over her lips as she approached Corrin. “Sorry to scare you.”

“Oh.” With a sigh, Corrin relaxed, slouching forward. To be honest, they were deep in Nohrian territory, so it would have been odd to find a Hoshidian on a dock by an unknown pond. With all that happened recently though, she was on edge and it felt like every time she tried to relax, something new and terrible happened. “It’s fine.”

“It’s odd to find you here.” The wooden dock creaked as Azura got closer. It rocked gently with each movement. She clasped her hands behind her back, looking up at the moon. “Usually, I am the one sitting by the water.”

“Yeah, that’s true.” Corrin laughed, glancing up at Azura. Even their positions were switched but Corrin didn’t want to get up. Her feet skimmed the cold water as she grounded her hands on the wood and leaned back, staring up at the moon as well. The stars glinted brightly against the black sky, millions of jewels trapped in the darkness. “Though I finally get why you come here.”

“You do?” Azura looked down, surprised. She brushed a stray hair behind her ear as a breeze rustled her veil.

“Yeah.” Corrin looked down into the water, her toe gingerly touching her reflection. Ripples distorted her murky image and she watched her face changed into something unfamiliar. “It’s very peaceful here.”

“It is.” Carefully pinching the edges of her skirt, Azura lifted the hem as she gracefully sat down next to her. It was the dancer in her, almost all of her movements looked elegant. “I like to gather my thoughts next to the water. I feel like it gives a sense of clarity.”

“It’s also quieter than the camp.” Rubbing her neck, Corrin glanced back again. While they were too far to spot the fires or hear the general ruckus of their army, she could barely make out a plume of smoke in the night sky. “Especially with all the new recruits.”

“They are a little…unruly,” Azura admitted, carefully picking her words. It was the closest to disdain or annoyance that Corrin had ever seen from her. “But I think they just miss their parents. After a few days with them, I’m sure they’ll settle down.”

“Parents,” Corrin repeated, rolling the word in her mouth. It felt strange, foreign, no matter how many times she repeated it. “I can’t believe Xander is father. Or Carmilla. Leo. Even Elise—she’s younger than me, you know?” She turned to Azura, gesturing her hands in disbelief. “How did she get married before me?”

“…even in love, there’s an element of chance?” Azura answered, unsure. She rested her cheek on a hand, crossing her other arm to cup her elbow. “Though I do understand the feeling. I can only imagine the same thing is happening over there—that Sakura, Hinako, or even Takumi is married.”

“Takumi?” Corrin snorted. Her shoulders shook as she tried to imagine it—she had only known her blood-brother for days, but it didn’t take more than a few hours to see just how hard he was to handle. “Who would marry him?”

“Umm…” Azura opened her mouth before hastily shutting it. Her fingers tapped her cheek while she scanned the darkness around them, as though the answer would emerge just as she had. With a sheepish smile, she suggested, “Maybe one of his retainers? They’re fond of him.”

Corrin looked at her incredulously. “Fond.”

“…well, Orboro shares his hatred for Nohrians?” As Corrin continued to stare at her, Azura giggled, covering her mouth. She ducked her head and admitted, “He will have a hard time.”

“That’s an understatement,” she corrected. Especially considering the hate he carried now; the last time they met—but no, she didn’t want to dwell on her regrets. On her losses. There was plenty of time to think of them in the future. Leaning back, she bemoaned to the stars, “It’s just so weird.”

Azura laughed into her hand once more, muffling the sound. It was a rare sight normally, and somehow Corrin managed to squeeze it out of her twice. “It is.”

Corrin beamed, glad that someone agreed with her for once. Especially since it was Azura—ever since they met, she’d felt a connection with her; like they were kindred spirits. Well, they did have a lot in common: both kidnapped in childhood and raised in a different kingdom, both had strange powers, both of their homelands felt like a stranger’s place.

Perhaps, in this one other thing, they shared similar feelings. Nervous, Corrin dipped a toe in the water, drawing a small circle on the surface. Fireflies floated over the watery depths, their lights pinpricks on the dark waters. “You haven’t married yet. Have you…found someone?”

“Huh?” Azura stared at her for a long moment, before averting her gaze. Her fingers fiddled with the edge of her veil. “No…I’m embarrassed to admit it, but unlike our siblings, I haven’t.”

“Me neither.” Corrin focused on the ripples extending from where her toe touched the water. She remembered the first time she’d spotted Azura by the water, looking more like a spirit than a human. “If Leo could do it, I’m sure Takumi can, but I…” The words were caught in her throat and fear ran through her. Her fingers curled, digging into the wooden deck.

Courage. She needed courage. The wind died, as though a hush had fallen over the world. Even the crickets and owls fell silent. It felt like they were in that other world, in that land that only Azura and she could go to. A place where it was only them, where no one else could overhear. Before she could stop herself, Corrin blurted, “I don’t think I can.”

“Can what?” Azura asked, cocking her head curiously. She leaned closer, brushing a stray lock behind her ear.

“Can…get married…” Corrin mumbled, flushing red. Her skin burned as Azura watched her silently. With each word, her voice got quiet and quieter. “Or…you know…do…it.”

Gods, this was a bad idea and she regretted it immediately. It was worse than fighting a battle or any of the other stupid challenges her father had given her. Hell, she’d rather get shoved off a bridge again or fight Takumi at his angriest. Quickly, she started to get up. “Never mind, I should head back, just forget it—”

Before she could pull her legs in, Azura grabbed her arm, freezing her in place. Her fingers dug into Corrin’s skin. “Don’t go. I…I understand.”

Corrin’s jaw dropped, not believing her ears. “You…what?”

“I understand.” Azura nodded shyly, letting go now. She flushed, embarrassed at the attention. “I…also feel that way.”

Dropping back onto the dock, Corrin landed a little harder than she expected and fell backwards. Her back hit the wooden planks hard, knocking the wind out of her, but Azura’s declaration had already done that. She gaped up at Azura. “Seriously?”

“Seriously,” Azura repeated, reaching down to help her up.

Corrin grabbed her hand, squeezing it tightly. Even after she sat up, she didn’t let go. “I…I thought I was alone in that. Everyone else talked about love and romance and I…I don’t know. I just never felt it. I thought maybe I just hadn’t met someone but…you feel it too.” She smiled brightly, elated. “You feel it too.”

There was something magical about the word ‘too’. Something utterly magical. A signal that she wasn’t alone. A sign that there were others.

That there was someone else out there who was just like her. Corrin leaned back, kicking her feet excitedly in front of her. She could take on any of her father’s ridiculous challenges tomorrow. Hell, she could fight a dragon if he asked.

“I’m…I’m just so happy,” Corrin chirped, bumping shoulders with her. Now that it was off her chest, a fountain of questions bubbled out from her. “When did you know?”

“Huh?” Azura had never been the most forthcoming person in the first place, but faced with an over eager Corrin, she had little room to evade. “I…I don’t know…I don’t think I really realized it until I came here and saw…well, all of the couples and their romances.”

“I think I kinda always knew.” Corrin splashed her feet slowly in the water, shivering as the cold droplets hit her ankles. “I was never really interested when I was younger and thought that, well, one day I might get interested. That maybe it was an adult thing. And then that one day never came.”

“That sounds just like you.” Azura smiled softly.

“I guess.” Biting her lip, Corrin frowned as she considered it. “I didn’t really think of war or what our two countries were up to or anything, really, until I experienced it first.” As realization dawned, her shoulders sank. No wonder her siblings had treated her like a child. “I’m a dense idiot.”

“It’s not that bad!” Azura patted her back consolingly.

Corrin shot her a baleful glare.

“It is that bad,” she amended quickly, interlacing her fingers on her lap. Azura smiled bashfully. “But that attitude of yours helped me a lot. I…I don’t feel quite as alone when I’m with you.”

Alone. Loneliness. Corrin peeked at her friend’s silhouette—it was another thing she hadn’t really thought about up to this moment, but Azura was alone here. Her siblings, blood-related or not, were back in Hoshido. Elise was the only one of Corrin’s siblings that accepted Azura with open arms.

To be alone in a crowd. It was what Corrin had felt when she had gone to Hoshido. It was what she felt while surrounded by all these couples. It was what Azura was feeling right now, in a land that was not her own, without a familiar face to seek refuge with.

Reaching out, she grabbed one of Azura’s hands and squeezed it tightly. “No, you’re not alone. From now on, neither of us are. And if there’s anything else that’s bothering you, you can tell me.”

Surprised, Azura stared at her for a long moment. Her free hand reached up to her pendant, glittering from the moonlight. Gripping it, she nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Somehow, that didn’t feel right. In the moonlight, Azura looked ethereal. Like the water that Azura loved so much, she felt just as translucent. It was hard to pin her, to understand what lay hidden behind her half-moon smiles and hooded eyes. It scared Corrin. All it would take was a single touch and Azura would disappear in the ripples. Desperately, she repeated, gripping Azura’s hand even tighter, “Anything at all. We’re friends, right?”

“Friends,” Azura echoed quietly. She glanced down at Corrin’s hand and her expression softened. Delicately, she turned her hand over and grasped back. She looked lost for words, her voice cracking. “That’s…I…thank you.”

And it wasn’t enough—Corrin could still feel the wall, even if she couldn’t see it. But it was a start; it had to be a start. One day, just like how she’d confessed her secret, Azura would confess hers.

For today, though, this was enough. Leaning back on the dock, she crossed her arms and rested her head on her palms. With a mischievous grin, she peeked at Azura. “So…do you really think Takumi’s married?”

Azura laughed and that was three times today that Corrin managed to steal one out of her.

#azura #corrin #kamui #fire emblem fates #fire emblem if #fanfiction

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