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transgenderteensurvivalguide · 4 years

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“Elliot Page doesn’t remember exactly how long he had been asking.

But he does remember the acute feeling of triumph when, around age 9, he was finally allowed to cut his hair short. “I felt like a boy,” Page says. “I wanted to be a boy. I would ask my mom if I could be someday.” Growing up in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Page visualized himself as a boy in imaginary games, freed from the discomfort of how other people saw him: as a girl. After the haircut, strangers finally started perceiving him the way he saw himself, and it felt both right and exciting.

The joy was short-lived. Months later, Page got his first break, landing a part as a daughter in a Canadian mining family in the TV movie Pit Pony. He wore a wig for the film, and when Pit Pony became a TV show, he grew his hair out again. “I became a professional actor at the age of 10,” Page says. And pursuing that passion came with a difficult compromise. “Of course I had to look a certain way.”

We are speaking in late February. It is the first interview Page, 34, has given since disclosing in December that he is transgender, in a heartfelt letter posted to Instagram, and he is crying before I have even uttered a question. “Sorry, I’m going to be emotional, but that’s cool, right?” he says, smiling through his tears.

It’s hard for him to talk about the days that led up to that disclosure. When I ask how he was feeling, he looks away, his neck exposed by a new short haircut. After a pause, he presses his hand to his heart and closes his eyes. “This feeling of true excitement and deep gratitude to have made it to this point in my life,” he says, “mixed with a lot of fear and anxiety.”

It’s not hard to understand why a trans person would be dealing with conflicting feelings in this moment. Increased social acceptance has led to more young people describing themselves as trans—1.8% of Gen Z compared with 0.2% of boomers, according to a recent Gallup poll—yet this has fueled conservatives who are stoking fears about a “transgender craze.” President Joe Biden has restored the right of transgender military members to serve openly, and in Hollywood, trans people have never had more meaningful time onscreen. Meanwhile, J.K. Rowling is leveraging her cultural capital to oppose transgender equality in the name of feminism, and lawmakers are arguing in the halls of Congress over the validity of gender identities. “Sex has become a political football in the culture wars,” says Chase Strangio, deputy director for transgender justice at the ACLU.

(Full article with photos continued under the “read more”)

And so Page—who charmed America as a precocious pregnant teenager in Juno, constructed dreamscapes in Inception and now stars in Netflix’s hit superhero show The Umbrella Academy, the third season of which he’s filming in Toronto—expected that his news would be met with both applause and vitriol. “What I was anticipating was a lot of support and love and a massive amount of hatred and transphobia,” says Page. “That’s essentially what happened.” What he did not anticipate was just how big this story would be. Page’s announcement, which made him one of the most famous out trans people in the world, started trending on Twitter in more than 20 countries. He gained more than 400,000 new followers on Instagram on that day alone. Thousands of articles were published. Likes and shares reached the millions. Right-wing podcasters readied their rhetoric about “women in men’s locker rooms.” Casting directors reached out to Page’s manager saying it would be an honor to cast Page in their next big movie.

So, it was a lot. Over the course of two conversations, Page will say that understanding himself in all the specifics remains a work in progress. Fathoming one’s gender, an identity innate and performed, personal and social, fixed and evolving, is complicated enough without being under a spotlight that never seems to turn off. But having arrived at a critical juncture, Page feels a deep sense of responsibility to share his truth. “Extremely influential people are spreading these myths and damaging rhetoric—every day you’re seeing our existence debated,” Page says. “Transgender people are so very real.”

That role in Pit Pony led to other productions and eventually, when Page was 16, to a film called Mouth to Mouth. Playing a young anarchist, Page had a chance to cut his hair again. This time, he shaved it off completely. The kids at his high school teased him, but in photos he has posted from that time on social media he looks at ease. Page’s head was still shaved when he mailed in an audition tape for the 2005 thriller Hard Candy. The people in charge of casting asked him to audition again in a wig. Soon, the hair was back.

Page’s tour de force performance in Hard Candy led, two years later, to Juno, a low-budget indie film that brought Page Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations and sudden megafame. The actor, then 21, struggled with the stresses of that ascension. The endless primping, red carpets and magazine spreads were all agonizing reminders of the disconnect between how the world saw Page and who he knew himself to be. “I just never recognized myself,” Page says. “For a long time I could not even look at a photo of myself.” It was difficult to watch the movies too, especially ones in which he played more feminine roles.

Page loved making movies, but he also felt alienated by Hollywood and its standards. Alia Shawkat, a close friend and co-star in 2009’s Whip It,describes all the attention from Juno as scarring. “He had a really hard time with the press and expectations,” Shawkat says. “‘Put this on! And look this way! And this is sexy!’”

By the time he appeared in blockbusters like X-Men: The Last Stand and Inception, Page was suffering from depression, anxiety and panic attacks. He didn’t know, he says, “how to explain to people that even though [I was] an actor, just putting on a T-shirt cut for a woman would make me so unwell.” Shawkat recalls Page’s struggles with clothes. “I’d be like, ‘Hey, look at all these nice outfits you’re getting,’ and he would say, ‘It’s not me. It feels like a costume,’” she says. Page tried to convince himself that he was fine, that someone who was fortunate enough to have made it shouldn’t have complaints. But he felt exhausted by the work required to “just exist,” and thought more than once about quitting acting.

In 2014, Page came out as gay, despite feeling for years that “being out was impossible” given his career. (Gender identity and sexual orientation are, of course, distinct, but one queer identity can coexist with another.) In an emotional speech at a Human Rights Campaign conference, Page talked about being part of an industry “that places crushing standards” on actors and viewers alike. “There are pervasive stereotypes about masculinity and femininity that define how we’re all supposed to act, dress and speak,” Page went on. “And they serve no one.”

The actor started wearing suits on the red carpet. He found love, marrying choreographer Emma Portner in 2018. He asserted more agency in his career, producing his own films with LGBTQ leads like Freeheld and My Days of Mercy. And he made a masculine wardrobe a condition of taking roles. Yet the daily discord was becoming unbearable. “The difference in how I felt before coming out as gay to after was massive,” says Page. “But did the discomfort in my body ever go away? No, no, no, no.”

In part, it was the isolation forced by the pandemic that brought to a head Page’s wrestling with gender. (Page and Portner separated last summer, and the two divorced in early 2021. “We’ve remained close friends,” Page says.) “I had a lot of time on my own to really focus on things that I think, in so many ways, unconsciously, I was avoiding,” he says. He was inspired by trailblazing trans icons like Janet Mock and Laverne Cox, who found success in Hollywood while living authentically. Trans writers helped him understand his feelings; Page saw himself reflected in P. Carl’s memoir Becoming a Man. Eventually “shame and discomfort” gave way to revelation. “I was finally able to embrace being transgender,” Page says, “and letting myself fully become who I am.”

This led to a series of decisions. One was asking the world to call him by a different name, Elliot, which he says he’s always liked. Page has a tattoo that says E.P. PHONE HOME, a reference to a movie about a young boy with that name. “I loved E.T. when I was a kid and always wanted to look like the boys in the movies, right?” he says. The other decision was to use different pronouns—for the record, both he/him and they/them are fine. (When I ask if he has a preference on pronouns for the purposes of this story, Page says, “He/him is great.”)

A day before we first speak, Page will talk to his mom about this interview and she will tell him, “I’m just so proud of my son.” He grows emotional relating this and tries to explain that his mom, the daughter of a minister, who was born in the 1950s, was always trying to do what she thought was best for her child, even if that meant encouraging young Page to act like a girl. “She wants me to be who I am and supports me fully,” Page says. “It is a testament to how people really change.”

Another decision was to get top surgery. Page volunteers this information early in our conversation; at the time he posted his disclosure on Instagram, he was recovering in Toronto. Like many trans people, Page emphasizes being trans isn’t all about surgery. For some people, it’s unnecessary. For others, it’s unaffordable. For the wider world, the media’s focus on it has sensationalized transgender bodies, inviting invasive and inappropriate questions. But Page describes surgery as something that, for him, has made it possible to finally recognize himself when he looks in the mirror, providing catharsis he’s been waiting for since the “total hell” of puberty. “It has completely transformed my life,” he says. So much of his energy was spent on being uncomfortable in his body, he says. Now he has that energy back.

For the transgender community at large, visibility does not automatically lead to acceptance. Around the globe, transgender people deal disproportionately with violence and discrimination. Anti-trans hate crimes are on the rise in the U.K. along with increasingly transphobic rhetoric in newspapers and tabloids. In the U.S., in addition to the perennial challenges trans people face with issues like poverty and homelessness, a flurry of bills in state legislatures would make it a crime to provide transition-related medical care to trans youth. And crass old jokes are still in circulation. When Biden lifted the ban on open service for transgender troops, Saturday Night Live’s Michael Che did a bit on Weekend Update about the policy being called “don’t ask, don’t tuck.”

Page says coming out as trans was “selfish” on one level: “It’s for me. I want to live and be who I am.” But he also felt a moral imperative to do so, given the times. Human identity is complicated and mysterious, but politics insists on fitting everything into boxes. In today’s culture wars, simplistic beliefs about gender—e.g., chromosomes = destiny—are so widespread and so deep-seated that many people who hold those beliefs don’t feel compelled to consider whether they might be incomplete or prejudiced. On Feb. 24, after a passionate debate on legislation that would ban discrimination against LGBTQ people, Representative Marie Newman, an Illinois Democrat, proudly displayed the pride flag in support of her daughter, who is trans. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, responded by hanging a poster outside her office that read: There are TWO genders: MALE & FEMALE.

The next day Dr. Rachel Levine, who stands to become the first openly transgender federal official confirmed by the Senate, endured a tirade from Senator Rand Paul about “genital mutilation” during her confirmation hearing. My second conversation with Page happens shortly after this. He brings it up almost immediately, and seems both heartbroken and determined. He wants to emphasize that top surgery, for him, was “not only life-changing but lifesaving.” He implores people to educate themselves about trans lives, to learn how crucial medical care can be, to understand that lack of access to it is one of the many reasons that an estimated 41% of transgender people have attempted suicide, according to one survey.

Page has been in the political trenches for a while, having leaned into progressive activism after coming out as queer in 2014. For two seasons, he and best friend Ian Daniel filmed Gaycation, a Viceland series that explored LGBTQ culture around the world and, at one point, showed Page grilling Senator Ted Cruz at the Iowa State Fair about discrimination against queer people. In 2019, Page made a documentary called There’s Something in the Water, which explores environmental hardships experienced by communities of color in Nova Scotia, with $350,000 of his own money. That activism extends to his own industry: in 2017, he published a Facebook post that, among other things, accused director Brett Ratner of forcibly outing him as gay on the set of an X-Men movie. (A representative for Ratner did not respond to a request for comment.)

As a trans person who is white, wealthy and famous, Page has a unique kind of privilege, and with it an opportunity to advocate for those with less. According to the U.S. Trans Survey, a large-scale report from 2015, transgender people of color are more likely to experience unemployment, harassment by police and refusals of medical care. Nearly half of all Black respondents reported being denied equal treatment, verbally harassed and/or physically attacked in the past year. Trans people as a group fare much worse on such stats than the general population. “My privilege has allowed me to have resources to get through and to be where I am today,” Page says, “and of course I want to use that privilege and platform to help in the ways I can.”

Since his disclosure, Page has been mostly quiet on social media. One exception has been to tweet on behalf of the ACLU, which is in the midst of fighting anti-trans bills and laws around the country, including those that ban transgender girls and women from participating in sports. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves says he will sign such a bill in the name of “protect[ing] young girls.” Page played competitive soccer and vividly recalls the agony of being told he would have to play on the girls’ team once he aged out of mixed-gender squads. After an appeal, Page was allowed to play with the boys for an additional year. Today, several bills list genitalia as a requirement for deciding who plays on which team. “I would have been in that position as a kid,” Page says. “It’s horrific.”

All this advocacy is unlikely to make life easier. “You can’t enter into certain spaces as a public trans person,” says the ACLU’s Strangio, “without being prepared to spend some percentage of your life being threatened and harassed.” Yet, while he seems overwhelmed at times, Page is also eager. Many of the political attacks on trans people—whether it is a mandate that bathroom use be determined by birth sex, a blanket ban on medical interventions for trans kids or the suggestion that trans men are simply wayward women beguiled by male privilege—carry the same subtext: that trans people are mistaken about who they are. “We know who we are,” Page says. “People cling to these firm ideas [about gender] because it makes people feel safe. But if we could just celebrate all the wonderful complexities of people, the world would be such a better place.”

Even if Page weren’t vocal, his public presence would communicate something powerful. That is in part because of what Paisley Currah, a professor of political science at Brooklyn College, calls “visibility gaps.” Historically, trans women have been more visible, in culture and in Hollywood, than trans men. There are many explanations: Our culture is obsessed with femininity. Men’s bodies are less policed and scrutinized. Patriarchal people tend to get more emotional about who is considered to be in the same category as their daughters. “And a lot of trans men don’t stand out as trans,” says Currah, who is a trans man himself. “I think we’ve taken up less of the public’s attention because masculinity is sort of the norm.”

During our interviews, Page will repeatedly refer to himself as a “transgender guy.” He also calls himself nonbinary and queer, but for him, transmasculinity is at the center of the conversation right now. “It’s a complicated journey,” he says, “and an ongoing process.”

While the visibility gap means that trans men have been spared some of the hate endured by trans women, it has also meant that people like Page have had fewer models. “There were no examples,” Page says of growing up in Halifax in the 1990s. There are many queer people who have felt “that how they feel deep inside isn’t a real thing because they never saw it reflected back to them,” says Tiq Milan, an activist, author and transgender man. Page offers a reflection: “They can see that and say, ‘You know what, that’s who I am too,’” Milan says. When there aren’t examples, he says, “people make monsters of us.”

For decades, that was something Hollywood did. As detailed in the 2020 Netflix documentary Disclosure, transgender people have been portrayed onscreen as villainous and deceitful, tragic subplots or the butt of jokes. In a sign of just how far the industry has come—spurred on by productions like Pose and trailblazers like Mock—Netflix offered to change the credits on The Umbrella Academy the same day that its star posted his statement on social media. Now when an episode ends, the first words viewers see are “Elliot Page.”

Today, there are many out trans and nonbinary actors, directors and producers. Storylines involving trans people are more common, more respectful. Sometimes that aspect of identity is even incidental, rather than the crux of a morality tale. And yet Hollywood can still seem a frightening place for LGBTQ people to come out. “It’s an industry that says, ‘Don’t do that,’” says director Silas Howard, who got his break on Amazon’s show Transparent, which made efforts to hire transgender crew members. “I wouldn’t have been hired if they didn’t have a trans initiative,” Howard says. “I’m always aware of that.”

So what will it mean for Page’s career? While Page has appeared in many projects, he also faced challenges landing female leads because he didn’t fit Hollywood’s narrow mold. Since Page’s Instagram post, his team is seeing more activity than they have in years. Many of the offers coming in—to direct, to produce, to act—are trans-related, but there are also some “dude roles.”

Downtime in quarantine helped Page accept his gender identity. “I was finally able to embrace being transgender,” he says.

Page was attracted to the role of Vanya in The Umbrella Academy because—in the first season, released in 2019—Vanya is crushed by self-loathing, believing herself to be the only ordinary sibling in an extraordinary family. The character can barely summon the courage to move through the world. “I related to how much Vanya was closed off,” Page says. Now on set filming the third season, co-workers have seen a change in the actor. “It seems like there’s a tremendous weight off his shoulders, a feeling of comfort,” says showrunner Steve Blackman. “There’s a lightness, a lot more smiling.” For Page, returning to set has been validating, if awkward at times. Yes, people accidentally use the wrong pronouns—“It’s going to be an adjustment,” Page says—but co-workers also see and acknowledge him.

The debate over whether cisgender people, who have repeatedly collected awards for playing trans characters, should continue to do so has largely been settled. However, trans actors have rarely been considered for cisgender parts. Whatever challenges might lie ahead, Page seems exuberant about playing a new spectrum of roles. “I’m really excited to act, now that I’m fully who I am, in this body,” Page says. “No matter the challenges and difficult moments of this, nothing amounts to getting to feel how I feel now.”

This includes having short hair again. During our interview, Page keeps rearranging strands on his forehead. It took a long time for him to return to the barber’s chair and ask to cut it short, but he got there. And how did that haircut feel?

Page tears up again, then smiles. “I just could not have enjoyed it more,” he says.”

#suicide m #transphobia m #Elliot Page #transgender #representation #celebrities #actors #tv #movies #rep #trans #transmasculine #nonbinary #queer #long post

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noratilney · 2 years

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Fancast Friday #3: Might Tell You Tonight

THE STANDISHES (Delilah, Charlotte, Alicia, Abby, Andrew)

Juno Temple as Delilah Standish

Brianne Howey as Charlotte Standish

Aisha Dee as Alicia Jordan

Sofia Carson as Abigail Abby Cardenas

Diesel La Torraca as Andrew Elliott

THE COHENS (Gabriel, Isaac, Emmie)

Anthony Natale as Gabriel Cohen

Sean Berdy as Isaac Cohen

Elodie Blomfield as Emmie Cohen

MYSTIC FALLS HIGH

FRESHMEN (

SOPHOMORES

Isabel Durant as Kelsey Baker

Vanessa Marano as Alexis Barnes

Cameron Boyce as Anthony Cartullo

Owen Patrick Joyner as Peter Chase

Felix Mallard as Nathan Cooper

Connor Paolo as Brandon Edgecombe

Gage Golightly as Lauren Grant

Becca Tobin as Emily Gregory

China McClain as Morgan Hayden

Claudia Lee as Jessica Hollis

Taylor Momsen as Claire Honeycutt

Dove Cameron as Delia Honeycutt

Iman Meskini as Laila Kamoun

Maya Hawke as Rachel Kuschner

Dominic Sherwood as Jeffrey Lambert

Nicole Maines as Mary Lawrence

Curran Walters as Jason Matthews

Katie Stevens as Rory McGovern

Peyton Meyer as Connor Miller

Dylan Llewellyn as Evan Parry

Emilija Baranac as Jennifer Nielsen

Mitchell Hope as Benjamin Peterson

Victoria Justice as Michelle Porter

Brenna D'Amico as Stephanie Rand

Elise Bauman as Melissa Roberts

Sofia Black D’Elia as Hannah Sheridan

Eli Brown as Corey Wilson

Arden Cho as ? Wong

Casey Cott as Adam ?

Ashleigh Murray as Courtney ?

Kit Young as ?

Jordan Fisher as ?

Barrett Carnahan as ?

Nathaniel James Potvin as ?

Isabel May as ?

as Tristan ?

as Michael ?

as Daniel ?

as Josh ?

as Eli ?

JUNIORS (

Madison McLaughlin as Miranda Carter

Vanessa Hudgens as Veronica Delgado

Ross Lynch as Bryce Honeycutt

Danielle Galligan as Kristin Lieberman

Mae Whitman as Natalie Piper

Matthew Daddario as Scott Tucker

Willa Holland as Amy ?

SENIORS (

Sophie Cookson as Melanie Anderson

Chord Overstreet as Frederick Dean Honeycutt

Brenton Thwaites as Jesse ?

DELILAH’S BOOK CLUB

JoAnna García Swisher as ?, mom of ?, aged eight and ?, age six

Michaela Conlin as ?, mom of ?, aged nine

Anna Torv as ?, mom of ?, aged eleven, ?, age nine, and ?, age six

OTHERS (Mary McCullough, Joanna Fell)

Rachel McAdams as Mary McCullough

Sharon Belle as Joanna Fell

#fancast fridays #fancasting #might tell you tonight

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quirklessidiot · 4 years

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Title: ghosted [coward series au] Pairing: F!Reader x Miya Atsumu Genre: fluff, mild angst, expecting parents au

Synopsis: an alternate timeline where instead of breaking up over the phone, you break down and tell him you’re pregnant instead.

Warnings: mentions of abortion and early pregnancy

notes; probably would recommend to read the series but yall can read it as it is. also can i say this is also my favorite side story haha...and that is it, thank you for tuning in to coward, it has been one heck of a ride and yall have been so supportive ily all fr. If yall are interested send some drabbles, im accepting until eight uwu :3

read the series here! [ ss;; one, two, three, four ]

Ghosted.

Atsumu has been ghosted by his own girlfriend.

He doesn’t want to believe it, it was just so odd coming from you. He wants to ask around but you were never exactly close with anyone, he didn’t even know the name of the best friend that you’d mention from time to time or your family.

In that moment, he had the frightening realization.

He never knew you at all.

The blonde feels sick to the bone, he’s reduced to a hot mess these days. People telling him to move on, telling him that there are other better ones out there but Atsumu never wanted anyone else. It’s always been about you ever since that day he saw you.

Just you.

He feels light headed at the fact that he just lost one of the best things he had in life. That he’ll never find someone like you again, someone as patient or as loving as you.

The lump on his throat grows and he wants to yell out his frustrations in the walls of his quiet apartment but something stops him.

A phone call.

From an unknown number.

He gulps down his frustrations and shakily answers the call, ready to tell the other person to fuck off but when he hears your soft voice, all inhibitions are lost.

“Atsumu.” your usual calm voice filled his ears and he suddenly feels the weight of the world is removed from his shoulders, thank god you were okay.

“Y/N? sweetheart? Where are you?”

“Out.”

“Where outside exactly?” Miya Atsumu dryly asks, “It’s cold, you shouldn’t be out now and wandering about. Would you like me to pick you up-”

“I can’t do this anymore.” you suddenly cut him off and the line goes quiet. The blonde feels the world around him quiet down when he hears those words that he wished he heard wrong.

“What’s-what’s wrong? Y/N, are you alright?”

“I don’t know,” You mutter, “I’m just tired.”

“Tired of what exactly?”

“Of you, of us…”

“Y/N, are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

“Yes.” Your voice remained dead calm as if you just hadn’t broken his heart in a million pieces that moment, “Let’s stop this here now, Atsumu. Let’s break-up.”

“That’s…” He tries to keep the mood light, praying that this is one of your dark jokes, “That’s not funny, Y/N.”

“It’s not supposed to be since it’s not a joke.”

Your response was curt as usual and he doesn’t know whats worse, the fact that you’re breaking up over the phone or the fact that your tone remains composed.

“Y/N, don’t do this...Sweetheart don’t do this over the phone.” His tone seemed desperate at this point, he knows he sounds pathetic but he can’t help it. If begging was the only way to get you back next to him, he’d gladly do it. He’s desperate for you, he’s always been since the beginning, “I’m not stopping this until you tell me what's wrong between us, you have to give me something to work with Y/N. Is it something I did?”

“I don’t know.”

“What do you mean ya don’t know?” Atsumu started to raise his tone when he notices how unaffected you seem at the other line.Frustration slowly started to bubble up in him, the accent turning thicker as he got angrier, “Y/N ya can’t just disappear out of the blue and call me one day and tell me you want to break up! Do you think I’m some sort of fling? Some one-night stand or fuck buddies? We’ve been together for two years, Y/N. Two whole fucking years, What’s wrong? Do you not love me anymore?”

Silence filled the line that you could hear a pin drop.

Hesitance.

“Y/N?” he repeats your name, this time softer, he notices the ragged breathing on the other side of the line, something was wrong, “Y/N? What’s wrong? Please talk to me...”

“I-I don’t know.”

“Y/N?”

This was out of character, even for you.

“I don’t know what to do anymore.”

“Y/N? Sweetheart, What do you mean?” He feels weak when he hears those words, his anger slowly dissipating. You truly did sound tired on the other line, maybe it was really over. Maybe he should let you go.

Maybe he should stop being a selfish and desperate bastard, he'd only hurt you more if he continued this on.

“I…” he hears a very soft cry on the other line, “I’m pregnant.”

All he hears now is your cries and the fast beating of his heart, pregnant? You were pregnant?

“A-and its alright...It’s alright if you want to have nothing to do with the kid...I-I’ll find a way…” He hears you try to say on the other line as he grips his phone tight, was that why you ran away last week? For this? Atsumu lets out a shaky sigh as he hears the usual calm voice panicking and completely out of breath as if you’d just run a marathon, “...I-I-”

“Breath.” He cuts you off, his voice turning deadly calm.

You’re not sure if you should be scared or relieved by it.

“W-what?”

“Breathe for a moment and tell me where you are.” Atsumu grabs his coat and wallet, “I can’t let my pregnant girlfriend stay under the cold for too long. Let’s grab something to eat, yeah? Don’t pregnant women have cravings or some shit? You really like those red buns we got when we first hung out, right? Or that karaage chicken? There's a twenty four hour one nearby my place then you can have a hot bath and sleep here after, you still have your clothes with me.”

The blonde’s tone is nonchalant as if you just hadn’t dropped life-changing news moments ago.He finally hears the sniffles die down, “Aren’t you going to leave me?”

“Now why the fuck would I do that? I’ve been chasing after you since I first saw you. A kid ain’t going to scare me.” He grumbled, he wasn’t a wimp. Kids? Pft, bring it on, “Now where are ya, Y/N? I miss you and you have to bring me to your next doctor's appointment, I swear to god-”

“I’m at the park…” You breathe out, cutting him off as relief slowly spreads on your system, “Where we went on our first date.”

Atsumu feels his heart thump, well, what do you know. You had some theatrics up your sleeve too.

“Hey.” He softly calls out, as he exits his apartment and walks towards his destination, the cold not even bothering him the slightest because he was going to see you, “Wait for me there.”

“I-I will.”

“And I love you, you know that right?” Atsumu paused, the thought of having kids now was scary but if you chose to keep it, he wouldn’t mind. He’d be the best otosan and husband if you changed your mind he could be towards you and that unborn brat, “I love you too damn much, Sweetheart. So don’t ever forget me when you’re making these decisions.”

“I won’t.” He hears a loud sigh on the other line, as if a huge burden was released, “I...I love you too damn much too…”

Atsumu feels his brain short circuit as he hears those words from you out loud, a grin started to slowly make its way to his features as he started to sprint towards the park, “Look behind ya, sweetheart.” He exclaims through the phone when he finally sees your familiar figure facing him.

You turn around to face him and he sees the red nose and wet cheeks.

It was evident that you had been crying hard.

Ending the call and shoving the phone back in his pocket, he runs towards you instead and carefully tackles you into a hug.

“Please don’t scare me like that again.” He pleads, burying his face on your shoulders and seeping in your warmth, “Shit, I wouldn’t know what I’d do if you left me.”

You slowly and hesitantly hug him back with the same tightness, finally succumbing to his warmth.

This was nice.

You could get used to this.

Home, this was definitely what home felt like.

taglist [officially closed, ily all, this series would never be possible without all you people + other readers]

@fortheloveofiwaizumi ; @svtbitch ; @kiyoomile ; @lovedanii ; @juno-multifandom ; @gyubit17 ; @saeranoppa ; @nixxona ; @kyomihann @shorttstackk ; @intoomuchfandoms ; @yammmers ; @mx-minxx @itsmattsunshinehere ; @missingmystogan ; @volleybloop ; @imcravingyou ; @yams-wants-that-booty ; @liathachcapricious ; @pinknugget @seikamuzu ; @marigoldthoughts ; @sillykittt ; @baejinoffcl ; @alluring-akaashi ; @bnhasstuff ; @intheawks ; @bokuakadaily ; @agaassi ; @yams046 ; @dope-squish ; @chrisrue15 ; @vermillionwaves ; @demursv1ogs ; @just-snog-already ; @angmarwitch ; @simpingonothers ; @woo-youngs ; @cowward ; @chaelysian ; @sempiternal-amour ; @jungshookmeup ; @jovialnoise ; @karlitabi-rrito ; @iwaizluv ; @sugarandsoft ; @tspice283 ; @ohshirabu ; @syzygymai ; @volleybloop ; @oikaw-ugh ; @pockytokyo ; @differentballooncollection ; @keniloveshaikyuu ; @turquoiselace ; @playboygeniusphilanthropist ; @keijislut ; @notyourbitchboy

@misosamu @Etherynaw @ryaaaax @allysasteaparty @mikaashi @brownie0food @ph10xy @Chocolaterumble [hi, i can’t seem to tag u guys, i think you need to open your tags uwu]

#haikyuu imagines #haikyu!! fanfics #haikyuu scenarios #haikyuu x reader #haikyuu headcanons #miya atsumu x reader #miya atsumu imagine #miya atsumu scenarios #miya atsumu fanfiction #miya atsumu #haikyuu fluff #atsumu x reader #atsumu imagines #atsumu fluff #atsumu scenarios

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thetwstwildcard · 3 years

Note

hehehehe hateful/angy kiss and kiss between exes for any of our ships? OwO (if you have any crack ones in mind that would work too lol)

Okay so, possible new ship/dynamic and ship we've talked about before 😏 technically both are sort of angry kisses. Per usual I had too much fun so under the cut for length ~

Hateful/angry kiss: Elias x Emery

'I don't know why Vil told me to find Emery, if she really needed potion help she should find me herself. Though, I guess I can't deny an order from him' Elias sighed to himself as he wandered the dorm 'where even is she? She's always so apprehensive' he frowned momentarily 'great more interaction with people who only want one thing-'

"Freeze." A voice spoke coldly which broke Elias out of his thoughts long enough to see an arrow whiz right past him, narrowly missing him as it hit the bullseye. 'Vice dorm leader?' He thought as he looked back at who loosed the arrow only to be surprised on having to lower his gaze. "Are you just gonna stand there like a deer or are you gonna move?!" Emery hissed, normally large doll like eyes glaring at him. Contrary to her normal timidness the girl just looked angered before him. He almost stumbled over his footing as he got out of the shooting range. 'Oh right' "Emery, dorm leader told me that you needed help with potions?" "Huh?" She scowled a bit, about to set for another arrow before lowering her bow.

"Why would I need a nerd's help?" Her words and tone struck a cord in the boy as he failed at maintaining his composure "Well, I excel at potion making and dorm leader specifically told me to help you. " he smiled though gritted teeth "ha, a greenhorn who was about to lose his head is gonna teach me?" She chuckled as she stepped closer to him. She grit her teeth as she looked up at him.

"I don't need your help, pretty boy." She glared up "Dorm leader seems to think differently." His anger was starting to show in his tone as he looked down at her. This motion only annoyed Emery more. The girl clenched her jaw before lifting her bow, swiftly pulling his head down as it was now caught between the upper limb and string "Listen here and listen well. Someone like you is worthless to me, got that?"

She knocked her forehead against his, glaring directly into his eyes. Elias felt his breath hitch in his throat at her sudden action, not expecting any if this from the usually timid girl. "I-" he started, trying to pull away "Shut. Up." She hissed lowly before she smirked "of course, I could always shut you up myself?" She smirked and before he could react she kissed him abruptly. Elias froze for a second, his gasp caught between the kiss before he lightly shoved her away as he caught his breath. Her bow was still on him as Emery covered her mouth.

"Just what were you thinking!" Elias finally shouted as Emery looked up at him with her normal big eyes "W-w-w-what....?" She squeaked, her demeanor entirely different from minutes ago "Why did you.. Kiss me...?" The last words were mumbled. Emery's face went bright red "I-i..." She stammered "I-I need to go...!!" She squeaked as she ran away suddenly "Hey wait-" Elias stood there, whiplashed as he took her bow off of him and held it in his hands 'what the hell just happened???'

Kiss between exs: Chase x Juno

"Just leave me alone!!" Juno huffed as Chase continued to follow her around the dorm "Aww but you're so easy to get a rise out of, little miss fivehead~" the cat chuckled "This is why we broke up, you inconsiderate cat!!" She groaned, glaring up at his stupidly smug face "Aww, then tell me. Why did you fall for me in the first place?" His eyes gleamed as Juno frowned "I was young and stupid!" She blurted out, trying to cut the conversation short "Aren't ya still pretty young and stupid, shorty?" Chase's tail batted back and forth in amusement as Juno only got more and more frustrated.

"I am not! At least I have manners!" She shouted, stomping her foot down before striding away. Chase stopped for a moment before continuing to follow her "You won't even talk to me, for old times sake?" He feigned hurt as he shadowed her "Do you ever learn!!" She grumbled "You know you still love me, pipsqueak ~" he cooed "Do not. You are my ex for a reason!" She raged, face turning slightly red in anger "Aww, come on just admit it." Chase smiled smugly, even leaning down a bit. This was the last straw for her "You pompous cat!!' She shouted loudly, stomping on his foot which made Chase double over slightly in pain. At his reaction she gasped, though she still turned away from him.

"Juno." Chase spoke, finally not teasing. The girl turned around to look at him, not used to hearing him say her name "W-what...?" She took a step closer as Chase still held his foot. "Heh, fooled ya" he winked, pulling her close before kissing her. Juno squirmed for a bit before giving in, kissing back. As they parted Chase smirked "knew you still liked me ~" a quick slap to his cheek made him chuckle "Okay, I deserved that." He smiled, holding his jaw. Juno was red in the face, cheeks puffed slightly "You horrible dorm leader!!!"

#twst oc #twisted wonderland oc #oc #twstoc #twst ocs #emery jaeger #emery jager #chase shard #oc ships #oc writing #oc writings #I'm so used to uwu Emery that I forgot how much of a bitch she is when holding her bow 🤣

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infernwetrust · 4 years

Text

To Take Care Of [Duncan Shepherd x Jim Mason] Part 2

PART 1

Summary: Duncan comes to visit Jim in California one last time.

Warnings: PURE SMUT, fluff, angst, swearing, drug use, emotional

WC: 3.0k

A/N: I can’t believe I literally cried writing this at 6AM lmao. If anyone likes to listen to music while they read for a real tear-jerker, I was listening to Show You by Kasbo the entire time that I was writing this. Thank you for reading! -Juno

GIF by langdonsblood

The entirety of dinner, Duncan and Jim never once stopped speaking. What they could eat in an hour turned into 2 because they always had a lot of catching up to do when Duncan was back in town or if Jim went down to D.C. It was a sight to see and the both of them couldn't stop giggling about it; how completely opposite the two dressed in the styles that they taught each other about. And when Duncan got up to stretch before clearing the table, Jim's eyes shot straight down to the print between his legs. Jim was always staring at Duncan when he had the chance. Whether it be because he simply adored the man or because he was beyond horny, he could almost never take his eyes off Duncan Shepherd if it was just the two together.

After dinner, the two made their way into the parking garage of Jim's apartment complex and into his car where they shared a joint or two... or three. It's a good thing that Jim always kept a case of water bottles in his trunk because both of them had a very serious case of cotton mouth.

"Fuck, I can't drink it fast enough." Duncan said as he gulped his water down and his cotton mouth still wasn't going away. High off his ass, Jim bursted into giggles at his boyfriend's failed attempt to get his mouth and throat wet. Mouth full of water because he happened to be drinking, of course he sprayed most of it all over his dress shirt.

"Guess I gotta take it off now." Jim said, still giggling.

"No, no." Duncan replied, licking his lips and watching as the water soaked through the material, exposing Jim's toned chest. "Leave it on."

"Okaaaaay." Jim threw his head back, sighing happily before returning his gaze back to Duncan. "So how long is this trip?"

"It isn't." Duncan answered, his eyes glossy from his high.

"What do you m-,"

"I'm not going back to D.C., Jim. I- I'm leaving everything behind. So that we don't have to keep doing this. I miss you a lot when I'm gone. No amount of texts, calls, and video chats can compare to just being here with you."

"Duncan are you se-,"

"Yes. Remember when I told you a couple months ago that I was working on something huge?"

"Yeah." Jim answered, his voice trying hard not to crack.

"I sold what I could and packed what I could. I'm having a couple things shipped down here. And I knew that if I told you while I was back in Washington you'd try to stop me, so I just did it, slowly. I'm discussing buying a house with a couple property owners out here, just have to go see them in person. I was hoping that you would mo-," Jim cut Duncan off, slamming his lips against his in a fiery kiss as he finally let some of his tears go.

"Duncan..." he said as he pulled away, leaving his forehead against his. "I always could of just moved to D.C. You know I'd drop everything for you."

"I know, but I didn't want to. You have a nice little life here in LA and out of PV. It's simple. You're away from the lime light. Private life. DC was so hectic and I was so stressed all the time. Being here with you and loving you, the sand in my toes, a whole lotta margaritas and vodka cranberries, and some of the best sex I've ever had." Jim blushed at Duncan's words.

"California is an interesting place, I can say that for sure. I love it here."

"That's something someone not from California would say." Jim chuckled, causing Duncan to laugh.

"Besides." Duncan continued. "You're still so young and full of life, Jim. DC will suck that right out of you. It's only good for a visit, I promise you that. I've never felt so fucking old."

"Duncan you're only 33."

"And you're 27."

"You're not old, Dunc. At all."

"Oh, I know that now that I've actually been doing things other than working." He winked at Jim.

"And when you're like 76 and I'm like 70, you'll still be my sexy young man."

"Very funny."

"Duncan, I love you." Jim said, turning his body slightly in his seat so that he could face Duncan a little bit better.

"I love you too."

The two sat in silence for a while, staring at each hazy eyed before their gazes finally drew their lips together again, but this time they kissed hungrily. They were handsy.

"No. Not here." Duncan moaned out as Jim's lips made their way to the side of his face and down to his neck.

"Okay. Okay. Fine. C'mon though." Jim quickly hopped out the car, Duncan following behind him. Locking the doors behind them, the two ran through the parking garage like teenage boys; giggling as Jim looked back at Duncan who was hot on his heels. When they got in the elevator, Duncan pinned Jim up against the wall, putting his lips back on his in a breathy kiss filled with hard pants and their hands roamed freely once again. Duncan gripped Jim's ass tightly, pulling him closer, when the elevator dinged. Jim grinned against Duncan's lips before taking off again down the hall. Another chase that Duncan somehow managed to keep up with. How he managed Jim's level of energy he was unsure of, but he loved it anyway.

Jim couldn't get his keys in the door fast enough, pushing it open immediately as soon he heard the click. He tossed his keys on the counter and Duncan pounced on him again. This time, he picked Jim up, Jim wrapping his legs around his waist in yet another steamy kiss, Duncan carrying him to the bed. Jim left his shades open, the moonlight that shined brightly through his window being the only source of light they had to guide them. Duncan set Jim down by the bed, quickly pulling his hoody over his head before ripping Jim's shirt clean off. Jim, too high off marijuana and Duncan's love, didn't seem to care as he fumbled with his belt before finally unbuttoning his slacks and pulling them down.

Duncan pushed Jim down onto the bed before pulling his sweats down. He climbed on top of him, sinking between his legs, planting soft kisses along the surfer boy's neck as he grinded against him through the material of his boxers. Soft kisses were soon turned into harsh sucks and love bites as Duncan left behind a few hickeys on his neck and chest. Jim whimpered underneath him, thrusting upwards for a little more friction, but Duncan planted him back down, thrusting right back. The both of them loved the feeling of the other growing hard in response to each other's touch.

Jim's breathing got heavier as Duncan trailed his tongue down his chest down to his abdomen and just above the hem of his underwear. He slowly pulled them down, leaving kisses and bites on Jim's thighs. Jim let out a low hum in approval before Duncan put him inside of his mouth.

"Mmmmm, Dunc." Jim moaned as he got to work on him. Duncan moved slowly at first, swiveling his tongue over the head. Jim propped himself up on his elbows to get a better view. He bit down on his bottom lip as his breathing became uneven. He gripped the bedsheets beside him, slowly moving his hips to try and match Duncan's rhythm. But then Duncan sped up, completely throwing Jim off. And he was a mess again, slumping back down into his mattress as he let out a deep moan. He grabbed a nearby pillow, throwing it over his face attempting to keep himself from getting to loud, but he knew was pointless. Duncan pushed Jim all the way to back of his throat, allowing for Jim to thrust even further upwards as he bit down hard on the pillow.

"Fuck." he growled as he sunk his hips back down, allowing for Duncan to start bobbing his head back up and down. He was sloppy now, slobbering all over Jim as he moaned, groaned and whined. Tossing the pillow to the side, his hands found their way in Duncan's hair, tugging gently as he brought him closer and closer to the edge.

"Fuck, baby. I'm so close." Jim moaned out, but Duncan didn't stop. Using one of his hands he massaged Jim's balls. His stomach twitched and he knew he was close and when he was right there about to spill over, Duncan stopped, flipping him over into his stomach. He quickly pulled his boxers off, getting his hand wet enough and stroking himself a few times before pouring himself inside of Jim.

"Shit..." Duncan mumbled as Jim's walls wrapped around him, inviting him in. "Still so nice and so warm." Jim bit down on his pillow for the second time tonight. Duncan slapped his ass before he began sliding in and out of Jim whose leaking erecting rubbed back and forth against the soft and warm sheets.

"Missed you so much.." Jim said, barely above a whisper, but Duncan heard him.

"I missed you too." Duncan replied in his ear, speeding up his pace, his hips rocking back and forth. Pure nostalgia filled Jim as he Duncan fucked him with the same intensity he did the first night they met, the second time they got to see each other, and the night that they made it official. Submerged in a world of pleasure, Jim closed his eyes and replayed that memory again, vividly.

"Wanna go for a walk along the boardwalk?" Jim asked Duncan as he shoved his last piece of fried Oreo in his mouth. "And I don't knooooow, maybe tell me what's on your mind? You've been awfully quiet since we sat down to take a break."

"Yeah, come on." Duncan got up rather quickly. Jim got up too throwing his trash away before the two began their walk. They walked closely together, so close that Duncan managed to slip his hand into Jim's and the two intertwined fingers.

"So you're not mad at me for something?" Jim questioned, looking over at Duncan.

"Mad at you?" Duncan asked confused before finally sighing and stopping all together, standing completely in front of Jim.

"Well yeah, you haven't been-,"

"Jim, I love you."

"I know Dunc, I love you t-,"

"No, Jim. I LOVE you. I am IN LOVE with you. I can't keep visiting you and having you visit me and not letting you know how I feel. And you know I'm not all about labels, but this is a label I want. It's a label I need." Duncan poured out. "Every moment I spend with you, I've never felt so alive. Every call we make, every text we send, every time your name or face pops up on my phone, I'm flooded with nothing, but good memories.

"And I know I can come off as a little passive sometimes or shut down, but it was never because of you Jim. I have my own issues that I'm working on. Every time I have to leave or you have to leave, I start counting down the days until I can see you again. Jim you make me so so so happy." Duncan continued. "Fuck this is a lot, just be with me Jim. Please?"

Jim threw his arms around Duncan, pulling him into the tightest hug he could manifest and when he pulled back he pushed his lips up against his in an effort to not start crying in front of all these people.

"Duncan I-," but Jim couldn't even finish his sentence before he hung his head low, arms still wrapped around Duncan's neck.

"There you guys are!" Jim's sister, Medina shouted as walked over to the two. "We've been looking for you guys for a while." Duncan drew his attention away from an emotional Jim, to smile over at Medina.

"You just told him didn't you?" she questioned, smiling right back. When Duncan had landed in California a few days before he already knew what he wanted to tell Jim, but he was nervous and they had gotten so comfortable without their label, he didn't want to ruin that. So when the opportunity presented itself, he sat down with her and poured his heart out, to her, about her brother. She did nothing, but encourage him to go ahead and tell Jim how he was feeling. She wasn't going to let him know how crazy in love Jim was with him too. She wanted Jim to do that himself.

"You knew about this?" Jim snapped his head up to look around at his sister.

"I did."

"She did. She helped me, actually. This confession probably would have been waaaay worse had I not sat down and talked it out with Medina." And for a moment, Jim let go of Duncan, throwing his arms around his sister and lifting her up off the ground in a bear hug.

"Why are you so good to me?" Jim asked her.

"Remember when all we had was each other?" she asked back. "Everyone deserves a shot at happiness Jim and you helped me find mine, so why not bring you closer to yours, hm?" Jim chuckled as he put her back down, giving her boyfriend, Calvin, a fist bump before returning his attention back to Duncan.

"Duncan, I love you too. I'm in love with you." Jim breathed out quickly before his tears could catch back up to him. "And I have so much more to say, but I'm trying so hard not to cry. For a fucking brick wall at times you sure are a tear-jerker. And be yours? I was already yours, Duncan. In my heart, I was already yours. No one was ever going to take me away from you."

"Picture pleaseeeeeee." Medina squealed as she took her phone out of her backpack. "This is too good of a moment to not capture on camera."

"Think you can hold your tears back one more time for a photo, boyfriend?" Duncan questioned, Jim's heart fluttering at the word.

"Shit, I don't know, but it has to be quick." Jim said, a mixture of laughter and a cry. "Because it's coming."

"Jim?" Duncan called out, pausing his thrusts as he held onto Jim's hips. "Why are you crying? Am I hurting you? Do you need me to stop?"

"God, no, Duncan." Jim said. "Keep going. Please. You make me so so so happy." Those words alone were enough for Duncan to realize that he and Jim were thinking about the same memory. And with our further question and without pulling out, he flipped Jim over, so that he was now on his back.

"Just like old times, huh, ocean eyes?" Duncan asked Jim, biting his lip at him. The familiar nickname gave Jim goosebumps. The moonlight illuminated the both of them to each other perfectly, casting shadows around the rest of the apartment.

"Mhmmmmm." was all Jim could get out before Duncan kissed him, slowly, tenderly, and sloppily as he slowly began to move himself in and out of him. Jim's hands tangled their way into Duncan's hair as the kiss deepened and so did Duncan's movements. He took long, deep, and slow strides in and out of Jim, wanting him to feel each and every one of them. They whispered sweet words to one another between their heavy breaths and moans.

Jim wrapped his legs around Duncan as his own pre-cum pooled and pooled against his stomach and he wanted nothing more than for Duncan to take him there again. Duncan took this as an invitation to speed up, moving a pillow behind Jim's head so that it wasn't slamming into the headboard. It was messy now, erratic, Duncan's movements. The both of them were struggling to keep themselves together, struggling to keep each other together with how good they felt. Jim clawed everywhere, especially at Duncan's hips, in an attempt to pull him right back into him when he would thrust out.

"Right there... right there... right there." Jim moaned every time Duncan slammed into his spot and before he knew it, he was coming undone underneath Duncan, hands free. Duncan noticing, grabbed Jim's cock pointing it upwards so that it painted him instead of Jim, stroking him fast as an aid. Duncan's name left Jim's mouth repeatedly as he let go, gripping at Duncan's thighs as hard as he could to stop himself from shaking uncontrollably.

The sight alone was enough to send Duncan over the edge and threw his head back, moaning out Jim's name in return as he pushed all the way in, holding himself there, releasing all of himself deep inside of Jim. He rode out his orgasm before pulling out. He was going to grab for a towel when Jim yanked him back down on the bed, climbing on top of him. He slowly trailed his tongue across Duncan's chest, getting up every last bit of himself.

"Faster clean up." Jim mumbled against Duncan's lips before laying against him all together. Duncan pulled the covers up over them before wrapping his arms around Jim, when Jim heard him sniffle. "Are you crying now?"

"No." Duncan said, obviously lying.

"Uh huh.." Jim said propping his head up on Duncan's chest to look at him. "I love you."

"I love you too. But, um, above moving in with me once I get one of those houses; would you?"

"Of course. If it means that I don't have to go a couple months without seeing you, then of course." Duncan smiled, kissing Jim on his forehead.

"Never have to worry about that again."

"Good..." Jim mumbled, beginning to doze off. Within a few minutes, Duncan found himself asleep, right along with him. Home.

Taglist: @jimmason @angelicmichael @whatcodysaid @9layerdevilfoodcake @xavierplympton @guiltyfiend @mikhalxngdon @theneverendinghunger

#cody fern #cody fern imagine #jim mason smut #jim mason imagine #tribes of palos verdes #duncan shepherd x jim mason #duncan shepherd smut #duncan shepherd #house of cards

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kyotakumrau · 4 years

Text

2020.09.27 Rolling Stone Japan - interview with SUGIZO - translation (selection)

SUGIZO talkes about how he met his friends and why was it important to him now to release a live album

Original text: Joe Yokomizo

Photos by Keiko Tanabe

Translation: kyotaku

SUGIZO is releasing the first live album in his solo career, 'LIVE IN TOKYO', on September 30th. This work delivers the two day birthday performance 'SUGIZO 聖誕半世紀祭～HALF CENTURY ANNIVERSARY FES.～' that was held last year on July 7th and August 2nd at Nakano Sunplaza, giving you a chance to not only enjoy the live atmosphere but also the magnificent collaboration with his sworn musician friends.

It's a masterpiece I'd love many people to listen to, but it might be surprising to people who only know SUGIZO from LUNA SEA and X JAPAN and not his solo work.

In this interview we will get to the bottom of it, discussing the live album, the foundations of SUGIZO's solo work and his music, and the history with the artists who joined the project.

ー It's the first time in your career you're releasing a live album, which is very unusual now that the video releases are so common. You were that happy with how those 2 days turned out?

I was planning to release a live album from before. I heard from my staff they wanted to release the material from this half century celebration, but because I've released live video works so many times I thought it's time to change my approach.

I feel that young people nowadays are not really familiar with live albums. These times we can easily watch live videos everywhere including YouTube. But back in our childhood the live album from the artist we were indulging in was a real prize. For me it was YMO, JAPAN and PiL. Miles Davids or Frank Zappa also had quite a few live releases. And, Deep Purple or Peter Framptom also had famous live albums, even as I wasn't influenced by them. With such artists, live albums in 70s and 80s were treated as extremely valuable. I have a lot of admiration for those times, so I was hoping to eventually be able do it myself.

－ I see. Before we talk about the content, I wanted to ask you when did you encounter the so called psychodelic trance music that is the foundation of your solo music?

In the mid 90s. First, I was really into hardcore techno or minimal techno in early 90s, speaking of the ambient world like The Orb or 808 STATE, I really love the scene of that time. And few years later, at the same time when I started my solo activity, European drum n bass or abstract hip hop were very popular, I was quite influenced by the club culture and music around then, and then naturally I gave myself to trance.

The first rave I went to see was Vision Quest in 2001, and from then I got even more into it. The feeling of life in the perfectly linked music and the flow of universe, like dancing with the rising sun and chilling in the afternoon, my instincts were telling me that people had a connection with this kind of music from the ancient times. Not the music from the cities, the music with roots in nature. Kind of primitive music. I found great value for music there.

◆Then they discuss JUNO REACTOR, learning what kind of rhythm feels good, how working with a South African percussion team Amampondo helped them grow spiritually, especially thanks to the drummer Mabi, SUGIZO's chase of the 'black groove' to finally understand East has its own good points; he can be proud as Japanese and SUGIZO's solo activity reflects everything he's learnt.

Next, Joe asks SUGIZO for a primer of his solo work, SUGIZO lists 'Misogi', 'FATIMA', 'DO-FUNK DANCE' and 'Lux Aeterna'◆

meeting Kyo（DIR EN GREY/sukekiyo)

－ Remarkably for each of two days you invited guest vocalists. All of them are musicians you're very familiar with, could you tell us first about how you got to know Kyo (from DIR EN GREY/sukekiyo)?

From the start I was close with some people they know and their staff members. So I went to see their show and we were introduced. It was surprisingly recently, like around 2005 or 2006.

－ What was your impression when you saw DIR EN GREY for the first time?

It was the first time I felt threatened by a younger band. I'm sorry for saying this, but I haven't felt threatened or impacted by any of the younger artists, within this genre. That's why I was quite surprised with how great they are. What they're expressing, their worldview are incredible. At that time I could feel that their performance or sound are not there yet, but I could already feel the intensity of what was pouring out of them, the endless possibilities.

I was especially looking at Kyo thinking 'he's a genius'. There's no theory or detailed reasoning with him. He's just doing things by instinct. But he's good with words, good at drawing, as an artist he can express himself in so many different ways. Then, when I met him in person he was just so pure and innocent, doesn't it seem like he's not greedy at all? So it was a shock of 'a genius like this exists?'.

－ It was Kyo who wrote the lyrics for your collaboration song 'Zessai', was it a request from you?

Yes. Thinking to sing the best it'd be better if that person writes the lyrics, and when I asked [Kyo] he happily did. When I sent him a 2nd stage Mix demo asking 'it will be like this, what do you think?', he already had the singing (melody) put in. And the lyrics have been done too, when I asked 'woah, that's the actual thing?', he replied 'yup, I've done them'. It's the same with DIR. Thus, he's a genius. When an image comes to his mind he cannot wait. It all felt so fast. He's really a phenomenal creator.

－ How was the performance at the Half Century Anniversary?

I felt he definitely is someone who follows his instincts. When you stand on the stage and things get serious it totally doesn't matter if you're younger or older (as in how long you've been working in a music business). Of course there was no stage fright, I felt as a performer he's just huge, and at the same time it felt like there was mutual respect. It felt like it would be a waste to let it just finish like that. That's why I'm very happy that we can release the collaboration from the stage [on the live album].

◆Next, they talk about TERU and TAKURO (from GLAY), followed by Kiyoharu (I'm skipping here a lot)◆

－Kiyoharu said 'I've performed on various stages so I can't imagine myself losing, but when playing together with SUGIZO the pressure is very different'. Often when two different performers stand on stage together sparks will fly.

The same thing can be said about RYUICHI and SUGIZO, the spark/heat of the collision of a guitarist and a vocalist is often very attractive. In a way there's also the aesthetics of traditional rock, that the combination of Kiyoharu and SUGIZO might be able to embody this spark's attractiveness. That's why the collision on the stage makes me shudder, but also it's possible to blend together. With [the combination of] Kyo and SUGIZO there's no blending together, it feels different. And with TAKURO・TERU we're different type of people. When Kiyoharu is on stage I feel he's the same species as me.

－ It's interesting that the character of all those three groups of musicians is totally different.

That's true. I think it's amazing I could have a line-up like that, it's really by chance that they are my good friends coming from the same genre.

◆they finish the interview talking about the sound and working with Dub Master X, sound mixing for the album, SUGIZO wants the live sound to have intimate, close feeling◆

一 So how was it to complete a live album without compromising on anything?

It's a live album, but it it makes me feel like I was able to create a 'SUGIZO's Best Album'. 2 years I go I released what was meant to be my biggest compilation, but obviously the sound from the studio and from the concert have totally different types of energy. As someone who's been performing on the stage for a very long time, I'm really glad to able to pack that energy for the first time officially on an album. Of course live performance has less precision than the studio album, but performance has way more energy.

Another thing is that as you know it is difficult now to perform due to the pandemic. I haven't played live for half a year, when thinking about it, it's the first time in my music career to not play any shows for this long. That's why I'm really yearning for the stage performance, the live show. When I was still doing them it was something obvious, but now that I can't, making this album made me keenly aware how important concerts are in my life and how much I need them; and to tell the truth working on this live album was like saving myself in a way. Obviously a live album can't rival the real thing. Not even a live dvd nor a live stream can match the excitement of being there [at the show], but I worked on this album hoping to let you feel at least some percent of that feeling. At any rate, I'm really grateful to be able to create a work like a live album that inspired me so much as a child.

Btw 絶彩 feat. 京 [LIVE IN TOKYO] available here

#sukekiyo #kyo #京 #sugizo #interview #translation #kinda #絶彩 #dir en grey #sugizo half century anniversary fes

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gnicholasgnicholas · 3 years

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2021

Young Franco - Underneath (ft. Golden Vessel), Single (Mixing)

Stevan - Hope It’s Not, Single (Mixing)

Golden Vessel - Colt, Album (Mixing)

Young Franco - Fallin’ Apart (ft. Denzel Curry & Pell), Single (Mixing)

Cosmo’s Midnight - Yesteryear, Album (Mixing)

Yorke - Window Shopping, Single (Mixing)

Beso Palma - Without Measure (ft. Gia Vorne), Single (Mixing)

Cafuné - High, Single (Mixing)

G Flip x mxmtoon - Queen (Touch Sensitive rmx), Single (Mixing)

Golden Vessel - Get Forward, Single (Mixing)

Wave Racer - Left Behind, Single (Mixing)

Wave Racer - This N That (ft. LunchMoney Lewis), Single (Mixing)

Nicole Milar - Are You Kidding, Single (Mixing)

Skeleten - Biting Stone, Single (Mixing)

Arno Faraji x Two Another - Just A Phase, Single (Mixing)

Stevan - SIA, Single (Mixing)

Thandi Pheonix - Overdrive, Single (Mixing)

Mel Blue - Cleopatra, Single (Mixing)

Jalmar - La Fiesta, Single (Mixing)

Sachi - Down On My Luck, Single (Mixing)

Cosmo’s Midnight - Titanic, Single (Mixing)

Tseba - Must Be Love (ft. Electric Fields), Single (Mixing)

Hope Tala - Mad (Young Franco remix), Single (Mixing)

Andrey Azizov - TOO LOUD! (ft. Simone), Single (Mixing)

Chase Zera - Supernova, Single (Mixing)

1300 - Smashmouth, Single (Mixing)

Andrey Azizov - Braindead, Single (Mixing)

Genesis Owusu - Smiling With No Teeth, Album (Engineering)

Young Franco - Come Thru (SonReal, Jalmar), Single (Mixing)

Korky Buchek - Look @ Me, Single (Mixing)

Jack Ladder - Astronaut, Single (Engineering)

2020

Willaris. K - Chapel (ft. Wave IQ), Single (Mixing)

Stevan - Ontogeny, EP (Mixing)

Young Franco - Juice (ft Pell), Single (Mixing)

Cosmo's Midnight - Down 4 U (ft Ruel), Single (Mixing)

Genesis Owusu - Don’t Need You, Single (Engineering)

Golden Vessel - That’s Us, Single (Mixing)

Akurei - Serotonin, Single (Writing)

Angus1 - Bound (ft. Elizabeth M Drummon)

Beso Palma x Rissa - Ego, Single (Mixing)

George Maple - Fade, Single (Mixing)

Young Franco - Two Feet (ft. Pell & Dana Williams), Single (Mixing)

Jalmar - Mijo Rico, Single (Mixing)

Roland Tings - Up Close, Single (Mixing)

Winston Surfshirt - Smile, Single (Mixing)

Golden Vessel - That’s Us (ft. The Nicholas and Rei so La), Single (Mixing)

Skeleten - Mirrored, Single (Mixing)

Stevan - Just Kids, EP (Mixing)

Roland Tings - First Wave, EP (Mixing)

Golden Vessel - Midwest, Single (Mixing)

Golden Vessel - Little Bit Wild (ft. Mallrat)

Golding - Alone Together (Touch Sensitive rmx), Single (Mixing)

Juno Mamba - Siargao Dreams, Single (Mixing)

Upsidedownhead - Twice As Tough, Single (Mixing)

Nicole Milar - Boring, Single (Mixing)

Collarbones - Everything I Want, Single (Mixing)

Wave Racer - Summer Rain (ft. Kwame), Single (Mixing)

Winston Surfshirt - Apple Crumble, Album (Mixing)

2019

Mansionair - Shadowboxer, Album (Mixing, Production, tr.1,2, 5, 12,14,16)

Nicole Millar - Favours, Single (Mixing)

Kilter - No Time, Single (Mixing) Client Liaison - Champagne Affection, Single (Mixing) Arno Faraji x Milan Ring - Scalin’, Single (Mixing) Cosmo's Midnight - Have It All, Single (Mixing)

Stevan - LNT, Single (Mixing)

Arno Faraji - Bass Jumpin, Single (Mixing)

Juno Mamba - Flicker, Single (Mixing)

Muki - IKWIL, Single (Mixing)

Wave Racer - AUTO, Single (Mixing)

Stevan - Wam, Single (Mixing)

Vetta Borne - R.I.P, Single (Mixing)

Tim Ayre - Tim Ayre, EP (Mixing)

Kilter - Tmper/One In Hand, Singles (Mixing)

Rufus Du Sol - Underwater (Willaris K Remix), Single (Mixing)

Cosmo's Midnight - C.U.D.I, Single (Mixing)

Breathe - London, Single (Mixing)

Basenji - Perfect Blue (ft. Earthlings), Single (Mixing)

Sakr - Lost Steps, Single (Mixing)

ALTA - Reasons, Album, (Mixing)

Maribelle - Down For You, Single (Mixing)

Young Franco - Otherside (ft Reva De Vito & Golden Vessel), Single (Mixing)

Willaris K - Natural Selection, Single (Mixing)

Clypso - Strange Behaviour / Pop Roll Flow, Singles (Mixing)

Cosmo's Midnight - It's Love (ft Mathew Young), Single (Mixing)

London Topaz - Hideout ft Leonie Kingdom, Single (Mixing)

Riley From Earth - Just Be Over, Single (Mixing)

Roland Tings - Salt Water, Album (Mixing)

Arno Faraji - Bass Jumping, Single (Mixing)

Willaris K - Indifferent (ft Gordi), Single (Mixing)

Section 60 - AVTV Freestyle, Single (Mixing)

SKY’ HIGH - AVTV Freestyle, Single (Mixing)

breathe. - Grace, Single (Mixing)

2018 Cosmo’s Midnight - What Comes Next, Album (Mixing)

Tyde Levi - Goldchains, Single (Mixing)

Willaris. K - Alchemy, EP (Mixing)

Death Cab For Cutie - Gold Rush (Mansionair Remix), Single (Mixing)

Poloshirt - Poloshirt, EP (Mixing)

Portugal The Man - Tidal Wave (Mansionair remix), Single (Mixing)

Rhye - Song For You (Mansionair Remix), Single (Mixing)

Mel Blue - South, Single (Mixing)

Collarbones - Heavy, Single (Mixing)

Dro Carey - Atmosphere (ft Kwame, Ren & Raj Mahal), Single (Mixing)

Dro Carey - Glow Now (ft Taliwhoah & Crooked Letter), Single (Mixing)

Polographia - Heart Attack (ft Rush Midnight), Single (Mixing)

Cosmo’s Midnight - Lowkey (ft Buddy & Jay Prince), Single (Mixing)

Cosmo’s Midnight - Where You Been (ft Boogie), Single (Mixing)

Cosmo’s Midnight - Talk To Me (ft Tove Styrke), Single (Mixing)

Tyde Levi - Sober, Single (Mixing)

2017 Lucianblomkamp - Control Together, Album (Mixing)

Winston Surfshirt - Sponge Cake, Album (Production, Mixing)

Cloud Control - Treetops, Single (Mixing)

Sam Perry - Trust Myself, Single (Mixing)

Collarbones - A.I, Single (Mixing)

Roland Tings - Eyes Closed/Hedonist, Singles (Mixing)

George Maple - Kryptonite, Single (Production, Mixing)

George Maple - Hero, Single (Production, Mixing)

<2016 JOY. - Like Home, Single (Mixing)

Seekae - Turbine Blue, Single (Mixing)

Savoir - Malala, Single (Mixing)

Moon Holiday - Out of Bounds

GNL - TS012

Haliia - With You Forever, Single (Mixing)

Cliques - Dotted, EP (Writing, Mixing, Production)

Cliques - Chro, EP ((Writing, Mixing, Production)

Annie Bass - While I’m Waiting (Mixing)

Hugo Frederick - Skin, EP (Mixing)

Fishing - Shy Glow, Album (Mixing)

Giselle - Silk (Production)

Seekae - The Worry, Album (Writing, Production, Mixing)

Seekae - +DOME, Album (Writing, Production, Mixing)

Seekae - The Sound of Trees Falling On People, Album (Writing, Production, Mixing)

Video

Romance Was Born - Petals On the Wind Campaign (Engineering, Production)

Hyundai - Incredible Made Possible Campaign (Writing, Production)

Optus - This is Enterprise, reimagined (Writing, Production)

Lexus/Semi Permanent - Aperture w Toby and Pete (Writing, Production)

Sony Australia - Never Experienced Campaign (Writing, Production)

Feat. Solar Farm (Engineering)

Lynx Australia/Noisey - Live In Pitch Black (Writing, Production, Performance)

Radio National - Life Matters, Books Plus, Body Sphere, Saturday Extra, Weekend Arts themes (Writing, Production)

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nightskyhoseok · 4 years

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Éternel: Wings of Fire [BTS Dragon!AU]

Pairings: BTS x OC Genre: Fantasy, Angst, Drama Warnings: Graphic Violence, Heavy Language, Angst, Smut, lowkey hate it but lowkey proud of it at the same time???

YouTube

CHAPTER TWO: VANISHING GRACE

Chapters 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15

Word Count: 9.7K

───✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰*.:｡✧*.｡:｡*.｡✱ ───

I awoke with a strange warmth encasing me. Curious of the source, I opened my eyes, letting them adjust to the bright morning sun. I peeked over my shoulder, only to see Yoongi sleeping directly behind me, his lips dangerously close to my neck and his hands gently holding my waist, pressing me close to his body. With the immediate flush of heat to my face, I attempted to move and stand up, but I was quickly pulled back down, causing me to scream from the sudden action.

“I was sleeping just fine. Why did you have to move?” Yoongi muttered in his trademark sleepy, grumpy voice, probably pouting as well. I turned my head to look at him and my eyes met with his, although they looked like they were about to close any minute.

“Yoongi, come on, we’ve gotta get up,” I said, trying to stand again when Yoongi unexpectedly moved on top of me, pinning me down to the mattress, but still in a sleeping position. My face was probably hotter than a furnace at this point.

“Mmm, better…” The way he spoke was so seductive I swear I was going to explode right then and there. I eventually was able to wriggle out of his grasp and roll over onto the floor, and as I scrambled to my feet, Yoongi spoke up again, this time sounding more like a whine. “Ahh, you’re no fun, Princess.”

“W-What did you just call me?” I stuttered, my mouth slightly hanging open, but I quickly shook my head and regained my focus. “I’m serious, get your ass up.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Don’t act like a child. It’s an important day today.”

“If it’s so important, then let me sleep in so I have more energy.” Yoongi slowly pulled the covers over his head, only for me to yank them off, revealing his bare, milky chest.

‘When did he take off his shirt?!’ I thought, trying my hardest to look at anything else other than the faint outline of his abs.

“You’re so annoying. Get up before I bring the boys in here.”

“That the best you got, Princess?”

“Min Yoongi!”

“Yes?” He looked up innocently, flashing a small smirk with a discreet wink.

“I don’t have time for your shit!” I threw a pillow at him, yet he laid there, unfazed.

“Too bad. That’s what happens when you wake up the devil inside of me.”

“I’ve already tamed that son of a bitch a long time ago. Now get up.”

“I’ll get up if you gimme a kiss.”

“I swear to god, I’m going to kill you.” I sent him a death glare, and he returned an equally scary look, one that almost made my knees buckle beneath me.

“It’s just on the cheek.” He raised an eyebrow at my clearly unimpressed expression. “I guess I’m not getting up then.” He rolled his eyes, turning his back to me, snoring obnoxiously loud just to irritate me.

“God! Fine, come here.” I sighed in defeat and made my way over to the bed as Yoongi turned over with the smile of a champion. I took a breath and leaned in close to his face, ready to plant a gentle kiss on his cheek when he suddenly grabbed me and flipped me over onto my back and climbed on top of me, pinning me to the bed by my wrists as he carefully straddled my waist.

“I win,” He smirked, leaning just close enough that I could feel his breath on my lips.

“Maya! Good morning-“ I heard a voice say as the door to my bedroom swung open, revealing Hoseok who was standing in the doorway, the rest of the boys lurking behind him. As soon as their brains comprehended what was happening, both Namjoon and Seokjin scurried to cover Jungkook’s eyes, while Hoseok screamed and Jimin and Taehyung just giggled at the scene.

“Don’t you know how to knock?!” I yelled, my heart running at a million miles per hour and my face fuming with heat. I quickly pushed Yoongi off of me once his grip loosened from shock and stood up, wanting to bury my face in my hands in embarrassment. While I was busy getting all flustered, Yoongi just shrugged and picked his shirt up from the floor and threw it on.

“Namjoon-ah, I told you it’d be a bad idea to go to her room!” Seokjin argued, punching Namjoon’s chest, causing him to uncover Jungkook’s eyes and chase after Jin, who was now running away like a maniac.

“If anyone ever brings this up again, I’m throwing you out with Balki’s Nightmare,” I muttered, grabbing Yoongi’s hand to yank him out of the room and down the hall, the other boys following until we eventually caught up with Namjoon and Seokjin, the whole group now together.

“Uh, Noona, I wanted to ask earlier, what’s Balki’s Nightmare?” Jungkook asked curiously.

“Oh, well, how do I put this… it’s a dragon with nine heads.”

“Nine?” Jimin gasped, his mouth hanging open in such an adorable way.

“Don’t worry about it, there’s only one and she lives all the way up in the mountains. Anyways, forget that. We’ve got a busy day ahead of us. My servants left clothes in your wardrobes in each of your rooms. Please wear long pants and boots, but still choose something comfortable. We’re going to be traveling quite a bit today.”

With that, the group broke up and each of us headed back to our rooms to pick out our own clothes and change into them. As I changed, I found my pair of sturdy, metallic fans in my closet, and decided to bring them along, placing them in a matching holster. I met back up with the boys in front of my bedroom, as I instructed. I led them to the kitchen, where, surprisingly, breakfast was already awaiting us. A familiar dark-skinned woman with hot pink hair was standing in front of the sink, washing some dishes when I suddenly jumped onto her from behind, laughing from excitement and joy.

“Oh my god, Maya! You’re back!” She said, immediately recognizing me as she embraced me.

“It’s so good to see you, Fawn,” I smiled, pulling back to see her equally bright smile.

“Oh, who are these men?”

“Fawn, meet BTS. Boys, this is Fawn Potter.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Fawn greeted politely, bowing to the boys.

“Likewise,” Namjoon said, returning the gesture. After Hyunae, Samantha, and Minjun came down to join us, we all sat and ate breakfast, first thanking Fawn for going out of her way to cook, of course. We talked and laughed, even Minjun, who was now acting normally and more cheerful than the last time I saw him, and the boys appreciated that. Once we finished eating, Samantha and Minjun offered to clean up so I could get the boys moving, and I thanked them then led the seven outside to the nearby stables.

“Woah,” Jimin gawked in awe at the gigantic barn standing before him. I softly laughed at his reaction and headed to the door, grabbing the chain at the side to pull it down, the door slowly rising up to reveal at more than two dozen stalls lined up, a soft yellow light illuminating the inside of the barn, shining on the animals that were stationed in their stalls.

“Horses?” Taehyung pondered, looking at the animals, their coats shiny and their spirits high.

“We use the horses when we need to lay low. Plus, I don’t want you to get on dragons just yet. Might as well get you used to riding on the ground first.”

“Aw, no fair, hyung has a head start,” Jungkook pouted as he pointed to Taehyung, referencing to the past lessons he took.

“We’ve got the whole day ahead of us, Kook, don’t you worry.”

“Mistress! You’ve returned,” A familiar, fair skinned woman exclaimed as she quickly exited the tack room, jogging over to me to give a polite bow.

“Ah, Zenobia, no need to bow. It’s good to see you. We’re just gonna go for a ride.”

“I am always here for assistance,” Zenobia said as she turned to the boys, bowing deeply once again as she returned to the tack room. Castilla, the other stablehand, peeked out and greeted me and the boys, quickly returning to her task.

“Such strange names…” Seokjin commented, walking up to one of the stalls as he gently ran his fingers over the metallic nameplate screwed onto the stall door.

“Sorry about that,” I said, fumbling with a strand of my hair.

“No, it’s cool. Eros sounds beautiful,” He replied, glancing back at the nameplate to make sure he didn’t completely butcher the name. “A beautiful name for a beautiful horse.” The tall, noir horse peeked his head out and looked towards Seokjin, nudging his head against the boy’s body, practically shoving him, but in a loving way.

“He likes you.”

Seokjin smiled as he rested his hand on Eros’ muzzle, gently rubbing it while the young stallion perked his ears and flicked his tail in joy.

“I would say he’s more handsome than me, but I just don’t think that’s possible, don’t you agree?” Jin said cheekily, striking a confident pose, earning groans from the entire group.

“Oh, you two will definitely get along,” I sighed, face palming myself as I turned to the others to see which horses each of them gravitated to. I walked over to Jimin, who was petting a gray, speckled Arabian horse. “Zeta has a strong spirit. She kind of reminds me of you, Jimin.”

I could see his cheeks flush into a light tint of pink at my words, and couldn’t help but giggle at his flustered reaction. Ruffling his hair, I flashed a small smile and headed off to the others. Jungkook was entranced by the muscular horse in front of him, who was resting at the moment, but still full of grace and beauty. As I spoke to Jungkook about Gene, the horse resting right in front of us, I decided that I might as well just let them choose their own horses. After all, I probably would have chosen the same for them anyways.

I made my way over to Taehyung, his eyes wide but his smile bright as he locked his eyes onto the beautiful Azteca standing in front of him, the horse busy grooming itself to notice the gawking boy. I grinned and placed my hand on Taehyung’s shoulder, keeping my eyes locked on the horse, Juno, as I spoke up.

“He’s the pretty boy of the group. You two even have the same hair,” I commented, Taehyung gasping as he realized that in fact, both he and the gelding shared the same wavy, silver hairstyle. Eventually, Juno raised his head and stepped over to Taehyung, resting his large head on the boy’s shoulder after nuzzling his hair with his muzzle. I left them alone and headed over to Hobi, who was practically throwing heart eyes at the buckskin mare. “Hoseokie, I see you’ve chosen Vente.”

“She’s so beautiful,” Hoseok cooed, scratching behind Vente’s ear, earning a cute nicker from her, who was clearly enjoying the special treatment.

“Maya! Can you come here?” Namjoon shouted, my body traveling towards his voice immediately. “He’s a Thoroughbred, right?”

“Yes, Rani’s a Thoroughbred. He’s strong-willed, like you,” I confirmed as I subconsciously pet Rani’s dark muzzle that was poking out from the stall. “And unfortunately, he spooks easily and is also a bit of a klutz.”

“I guess that’s something we can bond over together, then.” Namjoon flashed a quick smile, turning his attention back to Rani, giving me the chance to wander off to Yoongi, who was standing in front of the Clydesdale’s stall, motionless.

“What’s wrong, Yoongs?”

“I just wanted a proper introduction with you around. Someone has to make sure this big girl won’t bite my hand off,” He chuckled as I rolled my eyes, but I was still happy he wanted to wait for me. I clicked my tongue, catching the Clydesdale’s attention. She turned towards us and stuck her head out, briefly sniffing me just to focus entirely on Yoongi, nudging him and playing with his pale blue hair.

“Wow, I’ve never seen Rhoda this affectionate.”

“What can I say? I have that effect,” Yoongi smirked, and I couldn’t help but groan at his cocky remark.

“Aren’t you the charmer? Wait here. Let me get Agro.”

“Agro?” I jogged over to the stall with the nameplate which was engraved with the word Agro in gorgeous cursive letters. Without warning the boys, I opened the stall door and began to walk down to the tack room, the gigantic Gypsy Vanner exiting the stall to follow me.

“Noona! You left the-“ Jungkook began to warn me, but I interrupted him before he could finish.

“It’s okay, I do this with her all the time,” I explained as I lifted up her tack, quickly walking to her side to raise it onto her back. As I adjusted the girth, Taehyung decided to speak up.

“So, should we get the saddles?” He asked.

“Sure. Just put it on with the pommel facing forwards and pull it up slightly behind their withers.”

“Uhh…” Namjoon droned, obviously very lost at the foreign language I was using.

“Their shoulders, Joon.”

“Ah, okay.” With that, the boys went to get their saddles and returned to their designated stalls, tacking their horses, with the help of Zenobia and Castilla, and I showed them how to bridle, which they did as well, not afraid to receive assistance from our stable hands. I grabbed Agro’s reins and tugged her outside, the rest of the boys following me. After we all gathered outside, I took Agro’s reins and threw them over her head, positioning my foot in the stirrup, proceeding to mount her perfectly from the ground. I looked up after checking to see if everything was secure, and all I could see were the boys’ shocked faces.

“You never cease to amaze me,” Yoongi laughed as Zenobia dragged a nearby mounting block to Rhoda, allowing the snowy haired boy to quickly climb on. The rest of the boys followed in his steps, and in a matter of minutes, we were all mounted and ready to go. I went over the basic riding rules, and after they all verified they understood, we set off into the forest, our horses clumping close together so we were traveling as a group.

As we leisurely trailed through the forest, we all messed around and had a few laughs, talking about normal things we’d always talk about - at least until Hoseok practically screamed when a dragon came into sight, his shrill nearly scaring me right off of Agro, even though the dragon was barely bigger than my hand.

“For god's sake, Hobi! My ass is going to go into cardiac arrest one of these days!” I scolded, turning to glare at him.

“I think I might join you,” He whimpered as he pointed forwards, hiding his face in his jacket while I looked in the direction he was pointing to. Only a few yards away from us was another multicolored dragon, resembling a dragonfly, but of course, larger and more ferocious. Tranquil jade eyes sat high within the dragon’s thick, plated skull, which gave the creature a truly frightening appearance. A slim neck ran down from its head and into a wide body, its wings standing high and proud. Its eyes bored into the boys’, but they softened once they came across the sight of me. I nodded towards the dragon, and it skittered off somewhere deeper into the forest, an eerie clicking sound following, becoming more faint as it strayed further away from us.

“I think I just wet myself,” Taehyung said jokingly, wiping off the sweat from his forehead. He leaned over to Hoseok, who was frozen still, poking him and waving his hand in front of his face, yet no response was elicited. “And Hobi-hyung passed into another life.” We laughed at his comments as we ventured deeper in, Hoseok eventually loosening up, his fear turning to joy every time we passed by a dragon. Our conversations continued as normal, until Jungkook noticed the fans on my hips and changed the topic.

“Noona, what are those?” He asked, pointing to the golden weapons holstered on either side of me with one hand, his other still holding the reins.

“Oh, these are my weapons, Kook,” I explained, causing all of the boys to widen their eyes at my confession.

“What would you need weapons for?” Seokjin asked curiously.

“As you know, every fairytale has a villain. Usually it’s just one person, but sometimes there can be pairs, groups, or even armies. And they will do everything in their power to get what they want.”

“I-I don’t understand. Why are you talking about fairytales?” Taehyung questioned.

“This life of mine is like a fairytale. My villain, Magister Mortalis, is constantly after me, but it’s not one person. It’s a whole team, and they all have one goal: to assassinate me and burn this island to the ground. Because of this, I’ve learned to fight and defend myself, and, more importantly, the island. Almost every dragon has some sort of defense mechanism, and they’re ready to fight at all times. For myself, I’ve only had to use these fans a few times in the past few years, but not for anything too serious.”

“Does that mean you’ve…”

I pulled back on Agro’s reins, the other horses shortly stopping behind her. My breath hitched and my body shriveled as I realized there was no avoiding the truth anymore. Without looking back at them, I answered coldly.

“Yes. I’ve killed,” I revealed as I lightly kicked Agro’s sides, urging her to walk, the rest of the horses automatically following.

For a moment, we all rode in silence, not daring to look at each other the entire time. I sighed quietly to myself and ran my fingers through my hair, noticing the weight being pressed on my chest. Eventually, as we neared closer to our first destination, I spoke up, my voice surprisingly quiet and reserved.

“Jungkook, can you dismount?”

Hesitantly, the young boy removed his feet from the stirrups and slid off of Gene, slowly walking over to me as I got off Agro. Before us was a small opening, leading into a cave.

As I stepped into the cave, I could feel Jungkook’s presence behind me, and I immediately stopped, turning around to gently push him all the way back to the horses.

“I need you to stay back here,” I ordered, the boy only being able to nod and gulp nervously, unable to produce any words. “Listen. Please, no matter what; don’t speak, don’t move, don’t intervene.”

I gently patted his shoulder, returning to the cave’s opening as I withdrew my fans, hitting them against each other, the sound echoing through the vast walls. Within a matter of seconds, a loud snarl replied to the sudden intrusion, which was my cue to step back into the sunlight, hold my fans in front of my body, and prepare for the creature to approach me.

An albino claw emerged from the darkness, piercing red eyes glowing as the dragon stepped out, its muscular frame and vicious appearance elevating the hair on my skin, and undoubtedly, also the boys’, who were standing by, watching as I came face to face with the ferocious beast. I stepped back as the dragon neared closer, its shoulder movements resembling that of a lion’s, ready to pounce on its unsuspecting prey.

“Jungkook, meet Quinn,” I said bluntly, causing the youngest to widen his eyes, coming to the realization that this would be his dragon. My words provoked the dragon, a loud roar erupting from its chest as it came closer to me, baring its teeth, still stained with blood from its last meal. Its wings stood proudly, spreading unconsciously as it roared again, with more ferocity than the last. “The Red-Eyed Ravager, one of the best hunting dragons in The Claim you could ever hope to find.”

I stopped in my tracks and dropped my fans, letting them clatter on the ground, prompting a questioning look from Quinn, but nevertheless, he continued to pursue me, with more caution. I dropped to my hands and knees, stretching my left leg back out as I bent my right, planting one hand on the ground, by my waist. With Quinn only a few feet away from me, I closed my eyes and reached out with my free hand, closing the distance between us as I gently placed my palm onto his snout, the steam rising from his nostrils filled with rage, but it quickly transitioned into tranquility. I fluttered my eyes open, and there the beast was, his eyes closed with a certain softness that assured me he was calm.

“Jungkook, it’s okay. You can come now,” I insisted, standing again to face him, a perplexed but intrigued expression on his face. Noticing his hesitation, I patted Quinn as I walked over to Jungkook, the beast following me over to the boy, who was now more stiff than a metal post.

“He won’t hurt me?” Jungkook questioned suspiciously.

“Of course not. That whole thing just now was for respect because I woke him up from his sleep.”

“Reminds me of someone else,” Namjoon joked, eyeing Yoongi, who was looking at the dragon with enriched eyes, but only when I shifted my gaze to him I realized he was now staring at me.

“Yoongi-ah, you’re staring.”

“Hyung’s got a crush~” Taehyung teased, earning a smack from Yoongi who then swiftly returned his attention to me.

“You have such a way with the dragons… it’s amazing,” He said, a small smile creeping onto his lips from the impressive show.

“I grew up with them, Yoongs. It only makes sense,” I smiled, gently rubbing Quinn’s head, earning a low grunt in return.

“Noona, can I?” Jungkook queried, reaching out to the dragon, prompting his question if he could pet him.

“Go ahead, he’s yours.”

Jungkook cautiously placed his hand on Quinn’s snout, a friendly purr returning from the action, causing a wide smile to appear on Jungkook’s golden face. He gently kneeled and continued to shower Quinn with love and adoration, sounds of affection eliciting from the dragon due to his actions.

“Oh, wow,” Jungkook whispered, taking in the sight of the creature before him while I grabbed my fans and secured them into my holsters.

“Quinn might seem scary at first, but once you get to know him, he’s a real sweetheart,” I said as Jungkook stood up, his smile unable to leave his lips, my eyes wandering back to the dragon. “Gyon au.” Quinn happily obeyed and ran back into his cave, disappearing into the darkness as Jungkook and I mounted our horses again, continuing on the path to the next dragon. Not even waiting a second for us to depart from the cave, the boys began to bombard me with questions. I laughed as I tried my best to listen and answer all of them.

“How many dragons are on these islands?” Hoseok asked.

“About 13,000.”

“What other hunting dragons are there?” Namjoon joined.

“Eurasian Rubyhides, Frostbiters, Japanese Vipermuzzles-“

“Don’t these species fight a lot with each other?” Jimin questioned.

“Sometimes, but they know there’ll be consequences if they do.”

Before I knew it, I had answered at least a million questions and we were standing right in front of Taehyung’s dragons’ territory, a large burrowing hole right beneath my feet after I slid off of Agro, calling Taehyung to join me.

“Jesus, how big is this thing?” Taehyung babbled, intimidated by the size of the gaping tunnel standing at his feet.

“She’s a Titan Wing - still pretty small compared to the others - but I think she’ll be good for you,” I replied, leaning into the tunnel to let out a sharp, short whistle, urging Taehyung to step back immediately after the ground began to shake. From the tunnel erupted a gigantic, white, snake like dragon, covered in frills and spines with blank, hostile red eyes jutting into the boys standing underneath her as she rose into the sky. She opened her mouth, ready to let out a deafening scream, when I suddenly yelled out for her, notifying her of my presence. Her expression softened and she landed beside me, curling her body around my figure to hug me. I laughed and gave her a little pat before turning to Taehyung, who she had now noticed and was creeping towards.

“Uh, Maya, help me out here!”

“Hold out your hand.”

“Do what?!”

“Just do it Tae!”

Reluctantly, he tightly shut his eyes and followed my advice, but it turned to his favor as the dragon gently bowed her head, pushing her head so Taehyung’s palm was now resting against her scales. He peeked with one eye, and let out a loud sigh of relief, realizing he was safe.

“I think I wet myself again,” He groaned, earning a chuckle from the rest of us, even the dragon.

“Taehyung, meet Phaedra,” I introduced them to each other. “Phaedra, em ste Taehyung.”

The dragon gently nodded and blew a puff of smoke in Taehyung’s face, chuffing shortly afterwards at his awe stricken face.

“I can’t believe you can actually communicate with dragons,” Taehyung marveled, stepping back to look at me as I tended to Phaedra, brushing dirt and such off of her scales.

“Eventually you’ll have to as well,” I lied, immediately bursting out into laughter at his terrified expression. “I’m kidding, Tae. Unless one of you wants to learn Draconian.” I turned to eye the boys mounted on their horses, all of them jokingly whipping their heads away, whistling innocently and ignoring me. “Alright, alright, I get it. Languages are hard and I’m a buzzkill.” I gently pat Phaedra to let her know she could go. She nodded and slithered back into the tunnel while Taehyung and I mounted our horses, trotting off to the next dragon.

“Am I next?” Jimin asked, raising his hand politely with a small smile.

“Ah, you’re so cute, Jimin. Yes, you’re next. Come on, let’s see how well you guys can ride.” With that, I squeezed my knees together, prompting Agro to start trotting, swiftly transitioning into a canter as the boys yelled and hurried to catch up to me. Exiting the forest, we cantered into the connecting grasslands, nearby dragons whizzing their heads towards us or jumping away to avoid the path of the horses. I stood in my stirrups and grabbed a good portion of Agro’s mane, using my free hand to quickly pull out the slim whistle I had used previously to call Toothless.

As soon as I heard the familiar roar growing closer, I jumped out of my stirrups and stood on Agro’s back, holding the reins as Toothless soared in from the clouds, flying next to me, giving me a clear path to jump off of Agro and onto his back. I quickly positioned my feet and we rose into the clouds, leaving the boys and their horses to continue cantering, with Agro leading the way. As soon as Toothless broke through the clouds, my eyes landed on a Cloudjumper resting atop a cloud, stretching gracefully having just woken up from a morning nap.

“Indra, mafta ai op!” I shouted, catching the dragon’s attention fast enough that she was able to follow right behind Toothless after he looped and dived back down to the ground. I pointed to the boys, and Toothless flew down with Indra following on his tail to stop and land in front of them, of course, giving them enough space and time to react. The Cloudjumper stayed hovering in the air, twisting her head much like an owl when she noticed Jimin’s admirable stare towards her, his eyes not leaving hers even as he dismounted his horse. She softly landed and crawled over to him as he walked over to her, almost as if they were being attracted to each other by some sort of magnetic force.

“What’s her name?” Jimin beamed, showing his signature eye smile as he studied the dragon’s features.

“Indra.”

“She’s so pretty.”

Indra chirped happily at his words, slowly encasing him with her warm body - in an affectionate way of course. We laughed as she tried to snuggle up against him, but I pulled her back and sent her on her way after letting Jimin pet her for a few more minutes.

“So, are we going to talk about what you just did?” Namjoon gushed, cupping his own face in his hands, his mouth hanging wide open.

“What, the jump?”

“‘What, the jump…’ aish, this kid is going to kill me,” Seokjin groaned, burrowing his face in his palms as he let out a loud, fake sob. “It was amazing!”

“Really?”

The boys instantaneously nodded like their lives depended on it, bright smiles appearing on their faces.

“So modest,” Yoongi laughed, shaking his head.

“Hyuuuung-“ Jungkook tried to tease him, but was abruptly shut up with a pale hand over his mouth.

“Say one more word and I end you.”

“Don’t kill him, Yoongs,” I chuckled as I whispered into Toothless’ ear, sending him off to bring back a dragon. “Hoseokie, you’re up next.”

“Oh my god,” He whimpered, anxiously sliding off of Vente to stagger over to me.

“Hey, don’t worry. I chose the calmest dragon I know.”

“Well, at least we won’t need a medic on standby,” Seokjin snorted, teasing the dancer over his fears. However, I embraced him and wrapped my arms around him tightly, whispering a few words to encourage him.

“Don’t listen to him. You’ll be fine.”

After a few minutes, Toothless returned with Hoseok’s dragon, her vibrant yellow and violet scales standing out from the pale blue sky. The two landed in front of us, waiting for one another to move when I suddenly grabbed Hoseok’s hand, causing him to scream. The dragon flinched and cowered, instantly causing Hoseok to calm down and drop to his knees to comfort her, the reaction tugging at his heartstrings.

“No, no, don’t be scared! Here, look!” Hoseok cheered as he stood up, doing his usual silly dances and routines. The Skyburst, now intrigued, lifted her head and chuffed when she saw his movements in an attempt to cheer her up. She purred and rubbed her head against Hobi’s chest, pushing a smile onto his lips. “Wah~ So cute.”

“Her name is Leia. She’s pretty shy, but I think she’s already warmed up to you,” I said.

“Do all dragons have names?” He instantly face palmed himself at his question and apologized. “Sorry, that was a stupid question.”

“No, it’s not. All dragons have names, but they’re assigned by me when hatched. Maybe you guys could help me name some of the newcomers, hm?”

“I’m naming one Kumamon,” Yoongi cajoled, his lips rising into a sweet gummy smile.

“Oh, for the love of god,” I mumbled as I sent Leia and Toothless off, mounting up with Hoseok and Jimin to continue our travels, this time, heading back to the castle, but on a different route, following the largest river, The Trail Of Tears.

As we passed by the wild dragons, I noticed that the boys were no longer scared, and were now pointing out the dragons they wanted to meet, naming them as we rode past, and even interacting with them on their own.

“Namjoon, you ready?” I suddenly spoke up, prompting a surprised but soon steady expression on his sun-lit face. An explosion in the distance, but not too far away, indicated that his dragon was nearby. “All-Mother help me,” I whispered to myself as I kicked Agro’s sides, urging her to trot forward to the source of the explosion, the boys leading their horses to trail behind me.

Through the thick canopy of trees, we turned and came across a young, rocky dragon, ember glowing from its crevices as it continuously fired at the mountain’s feet, little specks of dust and rocks flying everywhere with every blast. I groaned and dropped my head in frustration, hopping off of Agro to lecture the dragon, now caught red handed.

“Phelan, krei? Nodotaim? Yu get klin mou beda.” I scolded, placing my hands on my hips. The dragon whimpered and backed down, bowing deeply to me in an attempt to ask for forgiveness. I sighed, resting my hand on his skin, made entirely out of rock, then called Namjoon over, who gleefully bent down to the dragon.

“Seems like a troublemaker,” Namjoon chuckled, turning his head to me while staying crouched in front of Phelan.

“Oh, definitely, but it can actually be useful sometimes. Just try not to destroy the entire island when you’re together, yeah?”

Phelan chuffed at my joke, but ultimately knew he had to be responsible or he would have to face the consequences. Namjoon nodded and stood up while I dismissed Phelan, lecturing him one last time to not blast any more mountains.

“Jinnie, you’re the last one!”

“Is my dragon a boy or a girl?” Seokjin asked as we began to travel along the river, the horses now in a single file formation.

“Kira is a girl, but to be honest, you can’t even tell because she acts completely different than most female Riverside Serpents.”

“Riverside Serpent? Did you come up with all of these names?” Namjoon wondered.

“Oh, no. I only named the species I discovered during my rule.”

“I still can’t believe you’re a queen, Noona,” Jungkook sighed, a shy smile creeping onto his lips.

“It all feels like a dream,” Jimin commented, observing his surroundings as he spoke.

“Ah, there she is,” I said, pointing to a white and green serpentine dragon kneeling by the river, drinking from the fast stream.

“She looks more traditional,” Seokjin observed as he quickly slid off of Eros to stand by me while I caught Kira’s attention, asking her to come closer. Her eyes roamed and scanned each of the boys until they came across Jin’s face, and an immediate purr followed, along with a gentle head butt.

“Wow, she loves you,” I snorted, surprised that she instantly took a liking to him. After a few moments of playing with Kira, Jin replied.

“Who wouldn’t?”

“Alright, Casanova, let’s get moving.” I sent Kira back to the river as Jin and I mounted up again, riding back to the castle as a group, now in a more scattered formation, with the younger boys lined up behind me, Yoongi and Namjoon on either side of me, and the other two slightly ahead, as they didn’t need me to lead since the castle was already in our sight.

“Yoongi doesn’t get a dragon?” Namjoon suddenly asked, tapping me on the shoulder to get my attention first.

“He already got one yesterday, after you boys went to your rooms,” I explained, Namjoon nodding in acknowledgement. Yoongi began to move further ahead, now out of earshot between me and Namjoon, who decided to take advantage of this opportunity.

“Soo… you and Yoongi-“

“Joon, don’t even start. It’s not like that.”

“I see the way you look at each other. What you two have is special, and I think you’d be good for each other.”

I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair, pressing my palm on my forehead in an attempt to relieve some of the pain forming in my head as I tried my best to gather my thoughts.

“Even if he did like me, I couldn’t let that get in the way of my duties. If something happened to him…” I began to express my concerns, but Namjoon simply smiled and replied in a gentle voice.

“Baby, I get it, but just think about it, okay? I promise, I’m not lying when I say that you two were made for each other,” He reassured me. Before I knew it, we had already arrived at the gates of the castle. I led the group back to the stables and we all dismounted, putting away our horses after untacking them, with the help of Zenobia and Castilla.

As we walked up the stairs of the castle, I heard distant footsteps that surely didn’t belong to either me or the boys, so with caution, I gripped onto one of my fans and discreetly unholstered it. Without warning, I turned around to whiz it at the area of the sound, the metal clanging against stone, just mere inches away from Minjun, who was hiding behind a stone pillar to protect himself. I gasped and rushed to pick up my fan, running to check if he was hurt.

“God, you’re fast,” Minjun laughed, looking over his slightly bruised hands.

“Jun, what happened?” I questioned, rubbing my fingers over the bruises.

“Agh, I ran into some assholes from the Northern Markets. They taunted me with shit about Hyunae, I couldn’t stand it.”

“Those motherfu-“

“Woah, love, watch the language,” He chuckled, placing his hand on my shoulder.

“Sorry.” I looked down sheepishly, embarrassed of my sudden, minor lash out.

“Oh, and by the way, kids, the Tramplers brought back your stuff from Seoul. They’re on your beds.” Minjun cocked his head towards the boys, a clearly insulted expression falling onto Yoongi’s face.

“What did he just call us?” Yoongi fumed to Namjoon.

“Minjun, can you check on Luthais to see if he needs any more Dreamwillow?” I asked, quickly changing the subject as Minjun nodded and left for Luthais’ hut for his task. “You’re welcome, Yoongi.”

Yoongi simply stood there with his jaw tightened as I walked past him coolly, his body trailing behind mine soon enough once he had snapped out of his shock. It was quite rare for me to perform favors for him, especially for ones he never asked for, but the ones I knew he needed.

“Hey, so, quick question. Are we getting weapons soon?” Seokjin asked suddenly, causing me to trip and fall backwards, conveniently into Yoongi’s arms, that were quick to catch me.

“You okay, sugar?” Yoongi said, concerned as I looked back at him, still in his grasp.

“Yeah, thanks,” I mumbled, clearly embarrassed as I continued walking, more carefully this time. “What the hell makes you think you’re getting weapons?”

“We are, aren’t we? I overheard your servants talking about having to give us weapons soon,” Seokjin explained.

“You are one sneaky little-“

“Don’t curse!”

“Ugh, fine. You caught me. Yes, you’re getting weapons. Armor, as well - but don’t even think for a second that’s going to be within the next 48 hours. You boys have to take flying lessons.”

“Flying lessons? As in flying on dragons, thousands of feet in the air?” Taehyung worried, his voice wavering.

“Tae, I know it seems scary, but I’m confident you boys will get the hang of it.”

“I’ve got a head start, by the way,” Yoongi bragged.

“Really? No fair!” Jungkook whined, throwing his head back in frustration.

“Suck it up, kid,” Yoongi scowled, rolling his eyes.

“Well, you guys can go explore or something, I’m heading to the studio,” I said abruptly, turning on my heels only for the boys to follow after me, all the way to the studio, tired and waiting to be used after months of neglect.

“Hell yes!” Hoseok preached, dropping to his knees to perform a fake prayer at the sight of the glorious dance studio.

“Noona, you dance?” Jungkook wondered, tilting his head slightly along with his question.

“Of course. Maybe it’s good you didn’t know - now we can have dance battles,” I smirked, winking at Hoseok as I ran over to the stereo to select a song. “What do you think I should do? No Limit by G-Eazy?”

“What about Mic Drop?” Namjoon suggested jokingly.

“Never heard of that,” I teased as I set up the music and jogged back to the middle of the room, taking my jacket off to discard of it, flying to who knows where in the room.

As the song began, I performed my best moves and let the rhythm of the beat move for me. I danced with certainty, speed, and agility. With my movements fluent and confidence sharp, I couldn’t help but smirk at the boys’ sudden shocked expressions, Yoongi’s intense stare making me unconsciously bite my lip in anticipation. They gazed at me, completely captivated by my undoubtedly sensual movements to the music, and even though the song had soon ended, they stayed speechless with their eyes wide open and jaws dropped.

“That’s it. Let’s do this,” Jimin said quickly, rushing to play Dionysus as the dance line hopped in and began to move with me to the music, all of our bodies perfectly coordinated with one another, the bass of the beats vibrating off of the walls of the studio. Within just a few minutes, the four of us had sweat dripping down our bodies, causing us to shed more layers as we continued to dance.

Once we had unanimously decided to stop for the day, I threw a water bottle to each of them after grabbing them from the conveniently placed mini fridge, sitting under the shelf holding a few white towels.

“Maya, I would have danced with you a long time ago if I knew you were that good,” Hoseok smirked, screwing the cap off of his bottle.

“Well, thanks, Hobi,” I smiled, chugging the half full bottle of water in my grasp. “You okay, Yoongs? You haven’t said anything or moved for a while.”

I glanced over at Yoongi, who was leaning against the wall, holding his jacket nonchalantly in front of his abdomen, looking off somewhere into the distance.

“I think hyung has a-“ Taehyung snickered, but was quickly shut up by Seokjin, who slapped his hand over the younger boy’s mouth.

“Don’t even say it, V,” Seokjin groaned, hiding his face in his other palm in embarrassment. I laughed and took one last sip of my water, tossing the bottle into the trash can, hidden in the far corner of the studio.

“Let’s go,” I said, slinging my jacket back over my shoulder before exiting the room, the others following me.

“So, where to next, Mistress?” Yoongi suddenly whispered in my ear, rightfully earning a kick in the shins from me.

“Shut up! You don’t speak for an hour and the first thing you say to me is that?” I could feel the heat rushing to my cheeks as I scanned his face, full of pride with a cheeky smirk to compliment it. “Wipe that stupid smirk off of your face.”

“Maybe if you give me a kiss-“

“Yoongi!”

The boys laughed as we continued to bicker back and forth, until I realized we reached where I had planned to go next. With Yoongi’s constant teasing, I needed something else to focus on before I went completely insane.

I opened the door and stepped into the room, the long chandeliers hanging from the ceiling immediately blinding me. I adjusted to see the light illuminate the cases of books built inside the walls. The royal blue couches rested on every side of the room, overlooked by the second floor, a gorgeous golden railing standing to protect the above level. Sunlight shone in through the windows, flexing across the linoleum floors, intricate floral designs softly carved into the material.

“Go crazy, Joon,” I whispered to Namjoon, who smiled brightly and stepped in, gravitating towards the bookshelves lined with old but beautiful books.

“What a nerd,” Seokjin muttered, but Namjoon had heard.

“If we’re going to stay here, we should learn about the dragons and history as much as we can,” Namjoon argued.

“He’s got a point, you know,” I agreed, shrugging slightly. “Do you guys want to check out the Book of Dragons? It’s got information on all the species - even though it’s a little outdated.”

“Yes!” The boys instantaneously replied, a small smile creeping onto my lips at their enthusiasm as I quickly stepped over to a special showcase, opening it to remove a large, leather book. I was about to sit down when someone grabbed my waist from behind and pulled me down onto their lap. I gasped and tried to move, but they kept me pinned down.

“Really, Yoongi?” I groaned, glaring back at him.

“I want the best view,” He simply replied, leaning the both of us back as he rested his chin on my shoulder, the rest of the boys gathering around me, standing, sitting beside me, or on the couch armrests. Yoongi snaked his arms around my waist as I opened the book to a random page, landing on the bio of the Night Fury, coincidentally.

“‘The Night Fury is the fastest, smartest, and rarest of the known species of dragons, commonly described as the ‘Holy offspring of lightning and death itself,’” Jungkook read aloud, his eyebrows cocking up as he read the last part.

“It says it’s trainable here,” Taehyung said, pointing to the written factors of the species, one of them informing that the Night Fury can, indeed, be trained. “Are there dragons that can’t be trained? Like, ever?”

“Yes, but I’ve found a way to work with them,” I answered.

“Which ones?” Hoseok asked.

“Exterminators, Frostbiters, and Venomtails are good examples. Those are just a few I can think of right now off the top of my head, sorry.”

“It’s okay. I just wanted to know what dragons I should avoid,” He grinned, sticking his tongue out playfully.

“Don’t be worried. The dragons will come around to you, eventually.”

“What does this mean?” Yoongi questioned, moving his hand to point to the words that printed Strike Class, however, I was rather focusing on how he dragged his fingers back across my thigh, waiting for an answer. “Maya?”

“Hm, what? Oh. Sorry, I got distracted, uhh… that’s the classification. Every species is placed into a class based on their characteristics or abilities.”

“So, what class is Aenaes in?” This time, alongside his question, he tightly squeezed my thigh, traveling closer to where my legs parted. I had to bite my lip to suppress a soft moan from coming out.

“H-He’s in Strike Class, too.”

“And that is…”

I quickly flipped to the page that had displayed information about the subject.

Strike Class dragons are characterized by their blazing speed, vice-like jaw strength, and extreme intelligence, as well as pin-point accuracy, powerful attacks, explosive firepower and a unique ability to allow them to navigate in their respective environments/atmosphere. The dragons in this class are some of the rarest of all dragons, some are close to extinction. They are also the most difficult to train but the most loyal once they have been trained. They are also generally among the most powerful dragons.

“Mm, cool,” Yoongi mumbled, pulling his arm back to rest around my waist. I let out a quiet sigh of relief and continued to read to the boys, informing them of the behavioral patterns of dragons, their senses, and habitats. After teaching them about a dozen species, I placed the book back and called it a day. Honestly, it was because I couldn’t stand Yoongi’s teasing anymore, so I needed to break away. I muttered a few things as I left them in the small library to escape to my room, one of the few safe havens I had here.

I groaned and pushed my messy hair back, my fingers running through the strands as I closed my eyes, throwing my head back in frustration. With a defeated sigh, I fell onto my bed and laid there, my arms spread and my knees crossed as my chest rose and fell quickly, bringing me to the realization that I was practically begging to breathe all this time. My chest tightened and my guts churned, both with embarrassment and excitement.

‘Get it together,’ I thought to myself, lifting my hand to rest my palm on my sweaty forehead. I rose from the mattress and made my way over to the double doors, pushing them open to step out onto the cool marble platform. With a deep breath, I stepped forward until I was close to the edge, and looked down, the distance between me and the ground almost immeasurable.

I pushed my hand in my pocket, pausing for a moment even though I desperately wanted to call for Toothless. I honestly didn’t want to bother him, but I did need to escape from the mess my emotions were. Hesitantly, I blew the whistle and Toothless came quickly, hovering by the platform, allowing me to leap onto his back and let him lead me wherever he desired, something I only ever did when I had too much on my mind.

Soon enough, I had come out of my thoughts to realize that Toothless was just landing on the soft sand of Talon’s Shore, a large beach just west of the castle. I smiled as I dismounted Toothless and slid off my shoes before running over to the shoreline, the waves slowly rolling in as the water parted between my toes, completely flooding my feet.

From the corner of my eye, I saw a blue and white speckled dragon emerge from the water, its wings folded neatly and its frills cleanly defining its elongated face. With a tired yawn, it shook off the water like a dog would after a bath, and turned my way, finally noticing me, now sitting in the dry sand. As it came closer, I recognized it was an adolescent female Thunderdrum, probably returning from a weary journey. She waddled over to me with her stubby legs and plopped down beside me, burrowing her way underneath my arm for attention. I laughed and gladly rested my hand on her snout, a happy chitter returning from her throat.

Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and allowed my other senses to overtake me, the sound of the waves crashing and the feeling of the Thunderdrum’s soft skin calming me down over time. As Toothless curled his body around us, I spoke to him, obviously not expecting an answer, but I did it anyways.

“Bud, I think I’m going insane,” I sighed, leaning back onto the black dragon’s body. He simply snorted in response, resting his head on his arm, his eyes leisurely shutting as he quietly rested. “I think I love him…”

The Thunderdrum chirped at my words, a cute smile accompanying her now perked ears. I huffed and gave her a small pat as I spoke up again.

“So, what do you think I should do, Yvette?” I asked, the young dragon tilting her head at my question in confusion. I giggled and translated for her, and she simply blew a puff of her hot breath in my face, proceeding to stand up and head back into the sea, her warmth leaving my side. With an exhausted sigh, I stood up and woke up Toothless, initiating a walk on the beach with him once he fully awoke. Every couple of minutes, he nudged my hand, checking to see if I was okay. I halted in my path and kneeled, rubbing his chin with affection, a sweet rumble eliciting from his throat.

After about ten minutes, I decided to head back. Toothless dropped me off on the same marble platform connected to my bedroom before soaring off into the distance, a proud roar following. I fell face first on my bed, closing my eyes as I audibly screamed out my frustration into the mattress.

There was no denying it - I loved Yoongi - yet I didn’t even know how to go about it. Knowing that he only recently broke up with his near 2-year girlfriend Sunmi just last month, even if it was forced by their companies, I couldn’t just jump on him right away. He was probably heart-broken, and I doubt he had any similar feelings to mine, so there was no point, really. It would have just gone horribly, so why bother?

I rolled over to the other side of the bed and changed out of my clothes, slipping on a mere oversized tunic that met my thighs mid-way and a pair of boy shorts. As I dragged myself to the bathroom, I flipped on the light switch and looked at myself in the mirror, almost gagging at the sight of my revolting appearance.

“God, I look like a fucking mess,” I mumbled to myself, trying to fix up my hair and wipe off the remaining smudged makeup that I had applied from yesterday. When I stepped back into my bedroom, I heard a gentle knock on the door, almost making me trip over my own feet at the sudden intrusion.

“Maya? It’s Namjoon. I wanted to talk to you,” The outside voice said, relieving me of my stress as I opened the door to reveal Namjoon, smiling sweetly to showcase his beloved dimples.

“What’s up?” I yawned, trying my best to sound more unbothered than I currently was.

“Here, sit down.” Namjoon entered and closed the door, turning the lock prior to grabbing my wrist to lead me to the bed, where he sat me down. He crawled onto the bed and laid down, his back resting comfortably against the headboard, supported by pillows, with his arms crossed in his lap.

Due to my stillness, he decided to take matters into his own hands and turned me around, pulling me back to sit in between his legs, my back now against his chest and our arms linked. I hummed and gently rested my head on his chest, turning slightly so I was more curled up than lying straight. His arms slowly moved around my waist to support my body as he spoke up.

“Where were you?”

“Down by the beach with Toothless. I needed some time alone,” I answered.

“So, tell me what’s on your mind.”

“Nothing much,” I said, shrugging my shoulders slightly.

“Baby, how many times do I have to remind you what a terrible liar you are? Something’s bothering you.” I clenched my jaw at his words, trying to find the best way out of spilling the truth.

“It’s nothing.”

“Then why did you run out of the library like it was on fire, especially after Yoongi was getting touchy with you?”

“You saw that?!” I whipped my head back with my eyes wide in shock. He simply nodded and pulled me back down in the previous position, raising one hand to play with my hair.

“I told you, he loves you.”

“Very funny, Joon.”

“Baby, I’m serious.”

“So what, are you going to tell me I can shapeshift into a dragon now?”

”Maya, I’m-“

“No. I’m sorry, but I refuse to believe that. He literally broke up with Sunmi last month, his girlfriend of 2 fucking years, and you want me to think he’s now in love with me? You’re crazy,” I snapped, stumbling to my feet as I headed for the door. Namjoon grasped my wrist and pulled me back, ceasing my movements.

“Do you hear yourself right now? Yoongi was miserable with Sunmi. He never loved her,” Namjoon explained, a glint of frustration in his obsidian eyes.

I yanked Namjoon’s hand away, walking out of the room, slamming the door behind me. My feet began to move for me, elevating from a fast walk to practically a sprint down the hall as I heard the door open again, Namjoon calling out to me, footsteps soon following. My glance whipped back at him as he chased after me when, suddenly, I bumped into someone, causing me to stumble backwards, but whoever it was had caught me before I could fall. I shifted my gaze forward, almost screaming when I saw Yoongi standing right in front of me, holding me by my waist in a dip position, protecting me from falling.

“Woah, you alright? You look like you’ve just seen a ghost,” Yoongi said, concerned as he brushed my bangs away from my eyes. I really wanted to swat his hand away and storm off, but I couldn’t even bring myself to move or speak, which ended wonderfully for me as Namjoon finally caught up to me, now hunched over and gasping for air.

“You… you are fast,” He huffed, straightening his body as his eyes wandered to Yoongi, obviously worried. “Hyung, can I talk to you?”

“Uhh, sure,” Yoongi hesitated as Namjoon led him off into another room, of which I eventually recognized as the lounge. I groaned and headed back to my room, locking the door, softly closing it behind me. I tore off my shirt, throwing it into the corner of my room, then fell onto my bed, once again yelling out my frustrations.

‘I really can’t take this anymore,’ I thought, mentally sighing. I rolled over to lie on my back when my thoughts drifted back to what Namjoon had said. I didn’t want to believe it, but maybe he was telling the truth. Maybe Yoongi never liked Sunmi. Maybe he was just pretending. Maybe he was actually in love with me all this time. Maybe.

Before I could even notice my weariness, I closed my eyes with my body still hanging off the edge of the bed and drifted off into a peaceful sleep, my mind finally blank.

───✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰*.:｡✧*.｡:｡*.｡✱ ───

Masterlist • YouTube • Instagram • Discord

#plotsofpastel #btspocnet #agh i really might rewrite everything #bts #bts fanfic #bts series #bts fantasy au #bts dragon au #bts dragon #bts angst #bts smut #bts drama #bts au #bangtan boys #beyond the scene

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unicornblossom13 · 2 years

Text

Omi: I am never going to go through puberty.

Juno: Of course you will, baby, but we’re a family of late bloomers. I didn’t until I was fourteen, nor did Chase.

Omi: Why does that matter? I am adopted.

Chase: WHAT?! Oh my Heylin, who told you?!

#xiaolin showdown #xiaolin dragon king #incorrect xiaolin showdown quotes #incorrect the xiaolin dragon king quotes #xiaolin showdown ooc #juno #omi #chase #chase young x juno #chase young x ooc

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martyslittleusedblog · 4 years

Text

Namco X Capcom and Project X Zone series Hypothetical English Voice Cast

Lots of characters means Keep Reading! I’ve done a post like this before, but I thought it needed some revising. So, here are my personal picks for the English-language voice cast of Namco X Capcom and the Project X Zone duology!

Introduced in Namco X Capcom

From Bravoman:

Bravoman: Rob Paulsen?

Black Bravoman / Anti-Bravoman: Dee Bradley Baker?

Doctor Bomb / Dr. Bakuda: Dee Bradley Baker?

Waya-Hime: Romi Dames?

From Darkstalkers:

Felicia: Janyse Jaud, Tara Strong, Andrea Libman, Tabitha St Germain, or Kimlinh Tran?

Hsien-Ko: Nicole Oliver?

Lord Raptor / Zabel Zarock: Scott McNeil

Demitri Maximoff: Paul Dobson or Michael Donovan?

Morrigan Aensland: Siobhan Flynn

Lilith Aensland: Stephanie Sheh

Huitzil / Phobos: Ward Perry

From Dino Crisis:

Regina: Stephanie Morgenstern or Elysia Rotaru

From Final Fight:

Guy: Jason Miller

Mike Haggar: Matt Riedy, Jason Simpson, or Josh Petersdorf?

From Ghosts ‘n Goblins:

Arthur: Daniel Woren

Red Arremer Joker: Ian James Corlett?

From Klonoa:

Klonoa: Eric Stitt, Brianne Siddall, Tara Strong, Cassandra Lee Morris, or Colleen Clinkenbeard?

Guntz: Chuck Huber?

Joka: Dave Mallow?

From Mega Man Legends:

MegaMan Volnutt: Susan Roman or Maxey Whitehead?

Roll Caskett: Tracy Ryan?

Tron Bonne: Caroly Larson; failing that, Tara Platt

Servbots: Elizabeth Hanna or whoever voiced them in Marvel vs. Capcom 3?

MegaMan Juno: Jef Mallory?

From Resident Evil: Dead Aim:

Bruce McGivern: Raj Ramayya?

Fong Ling: Claire O’Connor?

From Soul Edge and Soulcalibur:

Heishiro Mitsurugi: Scott Keck, Ed Cunningham, or Ray Chase?

Taki: Desiree Goyette; failing that, Cynthia Holloway

From Street Fighter:

Chun-Li: Laura Bailey; failing that, Ashly Burch or Shannon Chan Kent

Cammy White: Caitlin Glass

Juni: Michelle Ruff

Juli: Elizabeth Maxwell

Ryu: Kyle Hebert

Ken Masters: Reuben Langdon

M. Bison / Vega / Dictator: Gerald C. Rivers

Akuma / Gouki: either Keith Burgess or Richard Epcar

Sakura Kasugano: Brittney Lee Harvey

Karin Kanzuki: Lauren Landa

Rose: Gina Grad

From Strider:

Strider Hiryu: TJ Storm? Marc Biagi? (Do we want to keep the Japanese accent?)

Grandmaster Meio: Eric Newsome or Adam Harrington?

Solo: Dave Rivas

Tong Pooh: Niki Kernow

From Tales of Destiny:

Stahn Aileron: Liam O’Brien?

Rutee Katrea: Erika Lenhart

Judas / Leon Magnus: Steve van Wormer

From Tekken:

Kazuya Mishima: Jordan Byrne

Heihachi Mishima: Jamieson Price

Jin Kazama: Brad Swaile

From The Tower of Druaga:

Gilgamesh: Charles Campbell?

Ishtar: Stephanie Young

Princess Ki/Kai: Leah Clark

Druaga: Chris Cason

Quox: Wendy Powell

From Wonder Momo:

Wonder Momo: Romi Dames?

From Xenosaga:

KOS-MOS: Bridget Hoffman; failing that, Luci Christian

Shion Uzuki: Lia Sargent; failing that, Stephanie Wittels

M.O.M.O: Sherry Lynn, Cristina Pucelli, or Brittney Karbowski

Allen Ridgeley: Dave Wittenberg; failing that, Blake Shepard

Introduced in Project X Zone

From .hack//:

Kite: Mona Marshall

BlackRose: Wendee Lee

Aura: Lia Sargent

From Cyberbots:

Princess Devilotte de Deathsatan IX: Tabitha St. Germain

From Darkstalkers:

Jedah Dohma: Travis Willingham or David Kaye?

From Dead Rising:

Frank West: TJ Rotolo

From Devil May Cry:

Dante: Reuben Langdon

Lady: Kari Wahlgren; failing that, Kate Higgins

From God Eater:

Soma Schicksal: Yuri Lowenthal or Crispin Freeman?

Alisa Ilinichina Amiella: Kate Higgins or Cherami Leigh?

Lindow Amamiya: Kyle Hebert

From Mega Man X:

X: Mark Gatha; failing that, Ted Sroka

Zero: Johnny Yong Bosch (sadly, Lucas Gilbertson has retired...)

Vile: Roger Rhodes

Iris: Michelle Gazepis?

From Resident Evil:

Chris Redfield: Roger Craig Smith; failing that, Joe Whyte

Jill Valentine: Patricia Ja Lee; failing that, Michelle Ruff

Nemesis: David Cockman

From Resonance of Fate:

Zephyr: Scott Menville

Leanne: Jessica DiCicco

Vashyron: Nolan North

From Sakura Wars:

Gemini Sunrise: Laura Bailey

Erica Fontaine: Caitlin Glass

Ichiro Ogami: Dave Wittenberg

Sakura Shinguuji: Wendee Lee

From Shining Force EXA:

Toma: Nick Tagas

Cyrille: Erin M. Cahill

Riemsianne La Vaes: Amy Provenzano

From Space Channel 5:

Ulala: Cherami Leigh (sadly, Apollo Smile is no longer voice-acting)

From Street Fighter:

Juri Han: Jessica Straus

Seth: Michael McConnohie

From Tales of Vesperia:

Yuri Lowell: Troy Baker; failing that, Grant George

Estellise Sidos “Estelle” Heurassein: Eden Riegel or Cherami Leigh?

Flynn Scifo: Sam Riegel

From Tekken:

Ling Xiaoyu: Carrie Keranen

Alisa Bosconovitch: Cristina Valenzuela; failing that, Michele Knotz

From Valkyria Chronicles:

Selvaria Bles: April Stewart or Carrie Keranen

From Xenosaga:

T-elos: see KOS-MOS

From Yumeria:

Neneko: Luci Christian or Brittney Karbowski?

Neito: Tiffany Salinas?

NOTE! Bruno Delinger (from Dynamite Cop AKA Die Hard Arcade) doesn’t have an official English voice, but if possible, I’d like to have Bruce Willis voice him; I mean, the character’s appearance seems to have been based on him.

Introduced in Project X Zone 2: Brave New World

From .hack//:

Haseo: Yuri Lowenthal; failing that, Andrew Francis

Azure Kite / Tri-Edge(?): see Kite

From Ace Attorney:

Phoenix Wright: Ben Judd, Sam Riegel, Trevor White, or Eric Vale?

Maya Fey: Lindsay Seidel or Abby Trott?

Miles Edgeworth: Seon King, Kyle Hebert, or Christopher Wehkamp?

From Darkstalkers:

Pyron: David Kaye

From Devil May Cry:

Vergil: Daniel Southworth

Nelo Angelo: David Keeley or Daniel Southworth?

From Fire Emblem:

Chrom: Matthew Mercer

Lucina: Laura Bailey

Tiki: Mela Lee

From God Eater:

Ciel Alencon: Cristina Valenzuela

Nana Kouzuki: Cassandra Lee Morris

From Mega Man X:

Sigma: Gerald Matthews or Chris Tergliafera?

From Nightshade:

Hibana: Karen Swenson

Kurohagane a (Alpha): Casey Robertson

From Resident Evil:

Leon Scott Kennedy: Paul Mercier; failing that, Matthew Mercer

Ada Wong: Megan Hollingshead or Sally Cahill?

From Resonance of Fate:

Cardinal Garigliano: Dave B. Mitchell

From Sakura Wars:

Ranmaru: Dorothy Fahn

Dokurobo: Paul St. Peter

From Shenmue:

Ryo Hazuki: Corey Marshall or Austin Tindle?

From Shinobi:

Hotsuma: Jordan Rosa

From Soulcalibur V:

Natsu: Kate Higgins?

From Space Channel 5:

Shadow: Tom Clarke Hill

From Streets of Rage:

Axel Stone: Joe Bianco and/or Oliver Raynal?

Robot Axel / Break: see Axel Stone

From Summon Night 3:

Aty: Melissa Gulden

From Tales of Vesperia:

Zagi: Roger Craig Smith

From Tekken:

Unknown (Jun Kazama): Edi Patterson?

From Xenoblade Chronicles:

Fiora: Carina Reeves

Metal Face / Mumkhar: Timothy Watson

From Yakuza:

Kazuma Kiryu: Darryl Kurylo

Goro Majima: Mark Hamill; failing that, Matthew Mercer

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thejakeformerlyknownasprince · 6 years

Note

What other fandoms are you familiar enough with to use as an AU prompt? Pokemon Trainer AU? Homestuck AU (they'd still probably die but at least there are lots of ways to come back to life)?

I’m not that familiar with Homestuck, definitely not enough to do an AU. I read the novelizations of the Pokemon show as a kid but never saw the show or played any of the video games. I did play the super-obscure Pokemon board game, but most of my trading cards were printed in Japanese (I had a strange childhood), so my experience there is, uh, probably not quite overlapping with everyone else’s.

Anyway, if you want list of all my fandoms… Boy howdy. I don’t think I can come up with them all. However, I can list everything that comes to mind between now and ~20 minutes from now when I have to end my procrastination break and go back to dissertating. So here it is, below the cut:

Okay, there is no way in hell I’ll be able to make an exhaustive list. But off the top of my head, the fandoms I’m most familiar/comfortable with are as follows:

Authors (as in, I’ve read all or most of their books)

Patricia Briggs

Megan Whalen Turner

Michael Crichton

Marge Piercy

Stephenie Meyer

Dean Koontz

Stephen King

Neil Gaiman

K.A. Applegate

Ernest Hemingway

Tamora Pierce

Roald Dahl

Short Stories/Anthologies

A Good Man is Hard to Find, Flannery O’Connor

The Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka

I Am Legend, Richard Matheson

Dubliners, James Joyce

Flowers for Algernon, Daniel Keyes

Who Goes There? John W. Campbell

The Man Who Bridged the Mist, Kij Johnson

Flatland, Edwin Abbott

I Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream, Harlan Ellison

To Build a Fire, Jack London

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, Ambrose Bier

At the Mountains of Madness/Cthulu mythos, H.P. Lovecraft

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Arthur Conan Doyle

The Things They Carried, Tim O’Brien

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Washington Irving

The Martian Chronicles, Ray Bradbury

Close Range: Wyoming Stories, E. Annie Proulx

The Curious Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson

Bartleby the Scrivener (and a bunch of others), Herman Melville

Books (Classics)

Their Eyes Were Watching God, Zora Neal Hurston

The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupery

The Secret Garden, Francis Hodgson Burnett

Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson

Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte

The Secret Annex, Anne Frank

Nine Stories, J.D. Salinger

Frankenstein, Mary Shelley

Tom Sawyer/Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee

The Bluest Eye, Toni Morrison

Slaughterhouse-Five, Kurt Vonnegut

The Stranger, Albert Camus

The Call of the Wild, Jack London

Brave New World, Aldous Huxley

Lord of the Flies, William Golding

Atonement, Ian McEwan

1984, George Orwell

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Betty Smith

The Iliad/The Odyssey, Homer

Metamorphoses, Ovid

Journey to the Center of the Earth, Jules Verne

The Time-Machine, H.G. Wells

The Tempest, Much Ado About Nothing, Twelfth Night, Romeo and Juliet, Henry V, Hamlet, MacBeth, Othello, and The Taming of the Shrew, William Shakespeare

Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead, Thomas Stoppard

Waiting for Godot, Samuel Beckett

Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood

Books (YA SF)

Young Wizards series, Diane Duane

Redwall, Brian Jaques

The Dark is Rising sequence, Susan Cooper

The Chronicles of Chrestomanci, Diana Wynne Jones

The Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis

Abhorsen trilogy, Garth Nix

The Giver series, Lois Lowry

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams

Uglies series, Scott Westerfeld

Tuck Everlasting, Natalie Babbitt

A Wizard of Earthsea, Ursula K. Le Guin

Song of the Lioness, Tamora Pierce

A Wrinkle in Time, Madeline L’Engle

Unwind, Neal Shusterman

The Maze Runner series, James Dashner

The Enchanted Forest Chronicles, Patricia C. Wrede

Sideways Stories from Wayside School, Louis Sachar

Ella Enchanted, Gail Carson Levine

Ender’s Game, Orson Scott Card

The Phantom Tollbooth, Norton Juster

Coraline, Neil Gaiman

Among the Hidden, Margaret Peterson Haddix

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, Avi

Interview with the Vampire, Anne Rice

Poppy series, Avi

The Secret Life of Bees, Sue Monk Kidd

Tithe, Holly Black

Life as We Knew It, Susan Beth Pfeffer

Blood and Chocolate, Annette Curtis Klause

Peter Pan, J.M. Barrie

The Wizard of Oz, L. Frank Baum

Haunted, Gregory Maguire

Weetzie Bat, Francesca Lia Block

Charlotte’s Web, E.B. White

East, Edith Pattou

Z for Zachariah, Robert C. O’Brien

The Looking-Glass Wars, Frank Beddor

The Egypt Game, Zilpha Keatley Snyder

The Book Thief, Markus Zusak

Homecoming, Cynthia Voigt

Alice in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass, Lewis Carroll

The Landry News, Andrew Clements

Fever 1793, Laurie Halse Anderson

Bloody Jack, L.A. Meyer

The Boxcar Children, Gertrude Chandler Warner

A Certain Slant of Light, Laura Whitcomb

Generation Dead, Daniel Waters

Pendragon series, D.J. MacHale

Silverwing, Kenneth Oppel

Good Omens, Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

Define Normal, Julie Anne Peters

Hawksong, Ameila Atwater Rhodes

Heir Apparent, Vivian Vande Velde

Running Out of Time, Margaret Peterson Haddix

The Keys to the Kingdom series, Garth Nix

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, Joan Aiken

The Seer and the Sword, Victoria Hanley

My Side of the Mountain, Jean Craighead George

Daughters of the Moon series, Lynne Ewing

The Midwife’s Apprentice, Karen Cushman

Island of the Aunts, Eva Ibbotson

The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern

The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm, Nancy Farmer

A Great and Terrible Beauty, Libba Bray

A School for Sorcery, E. Rose Sabin

The House with a Clock in Its Walls, John Bellairs

The Edge Chronicles, Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell

Hope was Here, Joan Bauer

Bunnicula, James Howe

Wise Child, Monica Furlong

Silent to the Bone, E.L. Konigsburg

The Twenty-One Balloons, William Pene du Bois

Dead Girls Don’t Write Letters, Gail Giles

The Supernaturalist, Eoin Colfer

Blue is for Nightmares, Laurie Faria Stolarz

Mystery of the Blue Gowned Ghost, Linda Wirkner

Wait Till Helen Comes, Mary Downing Hahn

I was a Teenage Fairy, Francesca Lia Block

City of the Beasts series, Isabelle Allende

Summerland, Michael Chabon

The Geography Club, Brent Hartinger

The Last Safe Place on Earth, Richard Peck

Liar, Justine Larbalestier

The Doll People, Ann M. Martin

The Lost Years of Merlin, T.A. Barron

Matilda Bone, Karen Cushman

Nine Stories, J.D. Salinger

The Tiger Rising, Kate DiCamillo

The Spiderwick Chronicles, Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi

In the Forests of the Night, Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

My Teacher is an Alien, Bruce Coville

The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles, Julie Andrews Edwards

Storytime, Edward Bloor

Magic Shop series, Bruce Coville

A Series of Unfortunate Events, Lemony Snicket

Veritas Project series, Frank Peretti

The Once and Future King, T.H. White

Raven’s Strike, Patricia Briggs

What-the-Dickens: The Story of a Rogue Tooth Fairy, Gregory Maguire

The Wind Singer, William Nicholson

Sweetblood, Pete Hautman

The Trumpet of the Swan, E.B. White

Half Magic, Edward Eager

A Ring of Endless Light, Madeline L'Engle

The Heroes of Olympus, Rick Riordan

Maximum Ride series, James Patterson

The Edge on the Sword, Rebecca Tingle

World War Z, Max Brooks

Adaline Falling Star, Mary Pope Osborne

Six of Crows, Leigh Bardugo

Children of Blood and Bone, Tomi Adeyemi

Parable of the Sower series, Octavia Butler

I, Robot, Isaac Asimov

Neuomancer, William Gibson

Dune, Frank Herbert

The Miseducation of Cameron Post, Emily M. Danforth

The Martian, Andy Weir

Skeleton Man, Joseph Bruchac

Comics/Manga

Marvel 616 (most of the major titles)

Marvel 1610/Ultimates

Persepolis

This One Summer

Nimona

Death Note

Ouran High School Host Club

Vampire Knight

Emily Carroll comics

Watchmen

Fun Home

From Hell

American Born Chinese

Smile

The Eternal Smile

The Sandman

Calvin and Hobbes

The Essential Dykes to Watch Out For

TV Shows

Fullmetal Alchemist

Avatar the Last Airbender

Teen Titans (2003)

Luke Cage/Jessica Jones/Iron Fist/Defenders/Daredevil/The Punisher

Agents of SHIELD/Agent Carter

Supernatural

Sherlock

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Angel/Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Firefly

American Horror Story

Ouran High School Host Club

Orange is the New Black

Black Sails

Stranger Things

Westworld

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Movies

Marvel Cinematic Universe

Jurassic Park/Lost World/Jurassic World/Lost Park?

The Breakfast Club

Cloverfield/10 Cloverfield Lane/The Cloverfield Paradox

Attack the Block

The Prestige

Moon

Ferris Bueler’s Day Off

Django Unchained/Kill Bill/Inglourious Basterds/Hateful 8/Pulp Fiction/etcetera

Primer

THX 1138/Akira/How I Live Now/Lost World/[anything I’ve named a fic after]

Star Wars

The Meg

A Quiet Place

Baby Driver

Mother!

Alien/Aliens/Prometheus

X-Men (et al.)

10 Things I Hate About You

The Lost Boys

Teen Wolf

Juno

Pirates of the Caribbean (et al.)

Die Hard

Most Disney classics: Toy Story, Mulan, Treasure Planet, Emperor’s New Groove, etc.

Most Pixar classics: Up, Wall-E, The Incredibles

The Matrix

Dark Knight trilogy

Halloween

Friday the 13th

A Nightmare on Elm Street

The Descent

Ghostbusters

Ocean’s Eight/11/12/13

King Kong

The Conjuring

Fantastic Four

Minority Report/Blade Runner/Adjustment Bureau/Total Recall

Fight Club

Spirited Away

Disturbing Behavior

The Faculty

Poets

Edna St. Vincent Millay

Marge Piercy

Thomas Hardy

Sigfried Sassoon

W. B. Yeats

Edgar Allan Poe

Ogden Nash

Margaret Atwood

Maya Angelou

Emily Dickinson

Matthew Dickman

Karen Skolfield

Kwame Alexander

Ellen Hopkins

Shel Silverstein

Musicals/Stage Plays

Les Miserables

Repo: The Genetic Opera

The Lion King

The Phantom of the Opera

Rent

The Prince of Egypt

Pippin

Into the Woods

A Chorus Line

Hairspray

Evita

Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog

Fiddler on the Roof

Annie

Fun Home

Spring Awakening

Chicago

Cabaret

The Miser

The Importance of Being Earnest

South Pacific

Godspell

Wicked

The Wiz

The Wizard of Oz

Man of La Mancha

The Sound of Music

West Side Story

Matilda

Sweeney Todd

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Nunsense

You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown/Snoopy

1776

Something Rotten

A Very Potter Musical

Babes in Toyland

Carrie: The Musical

Amadeus

Annie Get Your Gun

25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

The Final Battle

Rock of Ages

Cinderella

Moulin Rouge

Honk

Labyrinth

The Secret Garden

Reefer Madness

Bang Bang You’re Dead

NSFW

War Horse

Peter Pan

Suessical

Sister Act

The Secret Annex

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Disclaimer 1: Like a lot of people who went to high school in the American South, my education in literature is pretty shamefully lacking in a lot of areas. (As in, during our African American History unit in ninth grade we read To Kill a Mockingbird, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn… and that was it. As in, our twelfth-grade US History class, I shit you not, covered Gone With the Wind.) There were a lot of good teachers in with the *ahem* Less Woke ones (how I read Their Eyes Were Watching God and The Bluest Eye) and college definitely set me on the path to trying to find books written/published outside the WASP-ier parts of the U.S., but the overall list is still embarrassingly hegemonic.

Disclaimer 2: There are a crapton of errors — typos, misspelled names, misattributions, questionable genre classifications, etc. — in here. If you genuinely have no idea what a title is supposed to be, ask me. Otherwise, please don’t bother letting me know about my mistakes.

Disclaimer 3: I am not looking for recommendations. My Goodreads “To Read” list is already a good 700 items long, and people telling me “if you like X, then you’ll love Y!” genuinely stresses me the fuck out.

Disclaimer 4: There are no unproblematic faves on this list. I love Supernatural, and I know that Supernatural is hella misogynistic. On the flip side: I don’t love The Lord of the Rings at all, partially because LOTR is hella misogynistic, but I also don’t think that should stop anyone else from loving LOTR if they’re willing to love it and also acknowledge its flaws.

#literature #fandom #booklist #about the blogger #long post #long ass post #books #nothing to do with animorphs #Anonymous #asks

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