#did neil ever see fit to mention that or

[foxstens]

i have so many thoughts on why it seems like kevin's experience after leaving the nest was different. my main thought being that we just don't get to see it. neil joins the foxes months after kevin does and in the beginning he only interacts with kevin during practice, so that explains part of it.

in son nefes we only see kevin as he relates to exy or andrew (lmao). but also kevin spent his first month or so with wymack, so whatever might have been there we simply don't get to see. the extra content says that he only took his coat and wallet when he left the nest, and that in his first few months he struggled with missing his team, his inability to play, and with doubting his decision to leave.

kevin also spent longer than jean in the nest, timeline-wise it seems to have been closer to a decade, and if 5 years was enough to make jean forget the previous 14... sure, kevin was afforded slightly more decencies than jean - he had a car (who knows how often he got to use it), he had to travel for press reasons, and he had more clothes i guess. but taking it all into account we have no reason to assume it was easy for him.

but we just don't see a lot of kevin's struggles period. we don't see his thoughts we don't see all the ways in which his trauma manifests we don't see what other coping mechanisms he has besides drinking. the night training could partially be that but again. we don't know.

[fandom]

Top 23 of 2023

Have you been aching to get your hot little hands on 52 weeks of data around original posts, likes, reblogs, and searches, all weighted and ranked and tied up into categories with a nice little bow on top? Well, today’s your day! It should come as no surprise that Artists on Tumblr reign supreme: from stunning traditional art, jaw-dropping digital art, fanart, sculptures, textile art—you name it, basically—this year’s list shows that Tumblr truly is the home for art and artists. Thank you, Artists on Tumblr, for enriching our dashboards day after day. 

Rounding out the top three, we have two iconic shows: Good Omens is live-action, and The Owl House is animated, but both have a heck of a love story at their core. The second season of Good Omens blessed us with not one but two ineffably exquisite ships, while the final season of The Owl House broke and then healed fans’ hearts in equal measure. Thanks, @danaterrace! Actually, come to think of it, the Good Omens finale kinda did the same in reverse. Thanks to you, too, @neil-gaiman! We can’t wait for season 3. 

Speaking of heartbreak and healing, Our Flag Means Death’s second season offered both in droves. The entire cast gave stellar performances, and fans couldn’t have been happier to see the kinds of representation the show displayed. Last year’s #1 topic, Stranger Things, may have dropped a bit, but trust us, you wouldn’t know it from the amount of meta, fanart, and fics in the tag. And did you hear about the live-action adaptations of both The Last of Us and One Piece? They were a preeeetty big deal this year, too. Check ‘em out if you haven’t yet (lol, of course you have). And we’d be remiss not to mention the hugely dedicated fans, fanartists, and fic writers devoting their time to all things Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Y’all deserve a little pizza, as a treat.

2023 was also a year for blockbuster movies, which of course hasn’t escaped anybody’s notice here on Tumblr. Barbie smashed box offices worldwide and left us reeling with every re-watch. How can one describe Greta Gerwig’s pink-filled opus? It certainly is one of the movies of all time. Meanwhile, with its incredible animation and soundtrack, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse introduced us to a whole new multiverse of Spider-People, opening the portal to a veritable flood of incredible OCs. And then, of course, we got a fresh perspective on an old classic when cinephiles introduced Martin Scorscese’s cinematic masterpiece, Goncharov (1973), to a new generation of film aficionados who resoundingly agree that it is, in fact, the greatest mafia movie ever made. We’re so glad this underrated film finally got the acclaim it has long deserved.

In the realms of gaming and tech, the long-anticipated Baldur’s Gate 3 has basically become everyone’s new favorite D&D/dating sim combination. Of course, the Pokémon franchise, games, shows, and Hatsune Miku collabs remain perennial favorites. Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter, sorry, we mean of course X, made waves across the internet. Similarly, the Reddit blackout drove Redditors to new venues, and Tumblr users welcomed the folks from r/196 with open arms—we’re huge fans of your memes, y’all, and you fit right in. Welcome, we’re glad you enjoy the chaos. Here’s a fun fact: if we included post metadata in Year in Review rankings, #polls, introduced in January of 2023, would have been the #5 topic on Tumblr this year. Phenomenal. 

And, oh right. Taylor Swift had kind of a big year, what with the albums, the epic global tour, and the movie and stuff. Fantastic work, @taylorswift, the Swifties on Tumblr thank you for everything.

This is Tumblr’s Year in Review.

Artists on Tumblr

Good Omens

The Owl House

Barbie

Pokémon

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Critical Role

Goncharov

Taylor Swift

Genshin Impact

Stranger Things

The Last of Us

Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Elon Musk

196

Star Wars

Our Flag Means Death

Crowley | Good Omens

LGBTQ

Cottagecore

Baldur's Gate 3

One Piece

Aziraphale | Good Omens

[buckysgrace]

Hi. You’re amazing!

Do you ever write fluff? Like if you found out you were pregnant with Billy’s baby and at first he’s upset and doesn’t want anything to do with you but after you have the baby ( a little boy with blonde curls like Billy) he gets all emotional and wants to desperately be a better father than his dad was to him 😭

Hello! Thank you so much <3 I absolutely will write fluff!

CW: Mentions of abortion, mentions of child abuse, lots of Billy being scared and a lil mean.

Billy's son is also referenced as having blonde curls and his nose, but the rest is ambiguous!

He was scared.

Billy honestly didn't know what he was going to do. There had been many arguments with you about it, but you seemed fairly determined. You were going to have this baby, whether he wanted to be a part of the baby's life or not.

It wasn't necessarily that he didn't want to be involved, but he could feel a crushing fear spreading through him every time he thought about being a dad.

His relationship with his own dad was strained. Things weren’t the best between them. He never really had a positive father figure, someone that showed him how to stay calm even when he was frustrated. The last thing he wanted was to end up snapping at his own child.

He couldn’t be a dad.

“Not mine,” He said once you showed up with the ultrasound, the bloodwork and everything. Denial was all he could think about, all he could process. He couldn’t fuck up your life and this child’s life if he wasn’t involved. It was that simple, “I didn’t knock you up.” 

“Uh huh,” Was your dry answer, your eyes looking less than amused, “Do you want a paternity test then, William?” Came your snarky response, because you both knew the truth. This baby was his, there was no doubt in Billy’s mind about that. And it terrified him. 

“Don’t call me that.” He said as he pushed his hair off of his forehead, feeling sick as it continued to wash over him. He was going to be a dad. He was going to end up just like Neil. 

“Then don’t act like you weren’t a part of this.” You said, looking just as fearful as what he felt. He sat down on the edge of his bed, tapping his foot rapidly as he thought about how good a smoke sounded right now. He’d need a lot more to make him relax. 

“It’s still early, right?” He questioned at last, turning his attention back to you. He watched the way your eyebrows furrowed tightly together and then relaxed again. Your eyes softened, telling him what he already knew. 

“I’m not getting an abortion,” You said at last, “I’ve made up my mind. You can make your decision, but I’m not letting you walk in and out of our lives whenever you see fit. You can be a part of this baby's life or we can end this. Whatever you prefer.” You were gentle with him, setting out the options softly like you always did. You understood him better than anyone else, made him feel safe. It made him sick to think about how he was hurting the one person he really cared about. 

“Can I think about it?” He asked at last, feeling like there wasn’t anything else to do. He didn’t have an answer yet and he didn’t want to end up saying the wrong thing. He was growing angry at himself. He could only imagine what Neil would say once he found out. 

“Yeah,” You replied gently, eyes softening as you nodded your head, “But I can’t wait forever. I need to know your answer soon.” Your voice slightly wavered but he looked away, not wanting to see you so upset. 

“Yeah,” He responded as he nodded his head and placed his fingers tightly together, “I’ll let you know.” He said at last, staying put until you left. Everything was falling apart, breaking down around him. He couldn’t deal with it right now. 

Ignoring you was harder than he’d thought it would be. He looked for you everywhere he went, even though he knew he couldn’t have you. That was his own fault regardless. He’d made up his mind. It would be easier this way.

Yet, when the invitation for your baby shower arrived in his mail he felt his walls caving in. They crashed into him, making him break down as he stared at your handwritten notes on the card. He could tell just by reading it that you were excited, not afraid. He wished he could be more like you. 

In the end, he decided to go. He needed closure, as he was sure you needed to. He wasn’t sure how he was supposed to stand living in the same town as you, knowing that his child would never know him. Somehow, that made him feel even worse.

He felt lonely as the months drew on. He had no one to confide in for his problems; especially Neil and Susan. He didn’t know what to say when they questioned about your disappearance and he felt even more at a loss when they asked him if you were pregnant. A shrug of his shoulders was his answer. He really didn’t know. 

The walk up towards the little gymnasium felt odd, like he didn’t quite belong as he stared at the little balloons and elephant decorations that were spotted throughout the room. There were familiar faces; your friends and family. Some other people that weren’t quite as well known. He still felt awkward, like everyone knew that he was the one who had knocked you up and ran. 

“Hey,” You drew out as you approached him, your palm flat against the bump in front of you, “I didn’t think you’d be here.” You said slowly, literally glowing as you stood in front of him. You had a sundress on, your cheeks were warm and forehead a little sweaty. He wondered if it was from the baby. 

“I didn’t think I’d come either.” He admitted at last, hating how horrible that sounded. He just felt like he was in a rut, buried deep inside of a hole with no real way of coming out. You were like sunshine through the dirt, warming his skin as he watched you. 

“What does this mean?” You asked him at last, tilting your head as your eyes softened over his features. He wished that he had a real answer for you, to tell you how he felt. He was in love with you; deeply. He just didn’t want to hurt you either. It was complicated. 

“I really don’t know yet,” He mumbled, “It just felt right.” He decided on, unable to tell you just how much he missed you. He was nearly desperate enough to fall to his knees and beg for your forgiveness. He would if you pushed him hard enough. 

“Billy,” You drew out in exasperation, “I can’t have you doing this, being so wishy-washy. What do you want?” You asked him seriously, looking like you were close to cracking too. He wanted to reach out and touch you, to hold you. He needed to apologize. 

“I just want to be better,” He replied slowly, “I want to be here. For you and for-,” He stalled for a moment as he looked down at your baby bump, feeling like he was at a loss once again. He wasn’t sure if you wanted him in his life or not. 

“Him,” You said quickly, “We’re having a little boy.” Your eyes were glazed over in tears, your lips pulling into the tightest smile. You were clearly emotional, making him feel awful as he reached his hand forward. Your fingers met slowly, molding against one another. He felt sparks traveling up his arms, leaving him resentful of the past few months he’d wasted. 

“That’s-, that’s good,” He answered after he cleared his throat. He was already scared to be a dad, but to have a son? He feared that even more. He was sure he was following directly into Neil’s shows, “Have you decided on a name?”

“I kind of like Cash,” You stated as you rubbed at your belly, “Just feels right. C’mon, you can open the presents with me.” You explained as you tugged him along, leaving him a little jittery. He thought about pulling out a cigarette, but figured it wasn’t the right place to do it.

He felt a little lost but slowly grew more and more keen on what was happening. It was still a lot to process, but it felt right being there by your side. You were clearly excited despite everything that had happened. He was grateful that you were so open, that you didn’t hold a grudge against him.

“Where are you living at?” He asked instead, curious as to whether your living situation had changed or not. You were still living at home the last time he checked. He was slightly nervous, wondering if someone else had slipped into his spot. 

“Still with my parents,” You admitted as you shrugged your shoulders, “They were upset, but they’ve come around.” Your lips were pulled into a smile, looking less than worried. Apparently things had been fairly well for you.

“They probably hate me.” He said a moment later, sure that it was true. He couldn’t see how they wouldn’t. He had practically left you. You snapped your eyes up towards him. 

“Hate is a strong word,” You told him quickly, “But yeah, they’re not the happiest. Especially dad.” You explained slowly as you continued to rub at your baby bump. 

“Great,” He mumbled as he placed his hands in his pockets, “I’m really sorry.” He breathed out slowly, knowing his apology was more important than everything else. He meant it too. He shouldn’t have pushed you away. 

“You just disappeared,” You started slowly, “I thought you were gone.” Your voice was soft, full of hurt and distress. He felt his throat tightening, burning as he thought about how much he missed you. He was a fool to ever stray away from you, to leave you on your own. 

“I thought about it,” He told you honestly, knowing there was no point in lying, “I don’t want to be like my dad.” He replied at last, getting down to the root of the issue. He didn’t want to accidentally lash out at you or at your future child. He never wanted that for him. It would be better to be alone. 

“You won’t,” You told him quickly, sternly as he exhaled deeply, “You’re not like your dad. I promise you.” You cupped his face softly, your hands smooth and gentle against his skin. He leaned against you, craving the feeling. 

“What if I lose control?” He asked at last as he drew his eyes over your features, taking in the way you were watching him. You sighed deeply as you rubbed your fingers across his skin. You looked deep in thought as you pressed your nails gently against his stubble. 

“You never did that at your swimming classes,” You reminded him, “You should come stay with me. Move in. It would be good for our baby.” You moved your hands to his neck, then to his shoulder and down to his hands. You gripped them slowly, pressing them against your growing tummy.

He stalled for the longest time, blinking slowly as he felt like the world was freezing around him. Underneath your skin he could feel your baby moving. He gulped, eyes wide as he felt the smallest smile curling against his lips. He exhaled deeply as he looked towards you again. 

“I don’t know.” He replied nervously as he felt his heart hammering roughly inside of his chest. He chewed on his bottom lip, thinking that it would be easier. He’d be closer for you, for the baby. If he was really going to do this, he needed to be near you. 

“You don’t have to marry me or anything,” You started, “Or be with me if that’s what you want.” You said sheepishly, looking embarrassed as you quickly looked away. He felt his heart shatter a bit again, worried that he had truly hurt you. 

“You have someone else?” He asked at last, worried that you had moved on. He had done wrong, but he really did love you. You were the only one he was passionate about. He wasn’t sure how to move on if you had found someone else. 

“No,” You responded with a smile, “But I just want you to be happy. Even if it’s not with us.” You nodded your head, but looked like that was hard to admit. He didn’t want you to be alone. Not anymore. 

“You make me happy,” He said at last, “We’ll work this out. I promise.” He said as he brought your hand up to his lips, savoring the feeling of your skin against his mouth. He closed his eyes, feeling very regretful. He wouldn’t lose you again. 

When he returned home he felt odd, but not like he had in the past few months. He didn’t drink away his feelings, or drown his anger out with music. Instead, he worked on packing. He wasn’t going to be like Neil; not at all. He was going to be there for you. He was going to be there for his son. No matter how scared he was. He couldn’t let either of you down. 

“Where are you going?” Neil’s voice made him jump, surprising him as he paused with the article of clothing in his hands. He turned slowly, looking at the way Neil was leaning against the door frame. He had his hands crossed tightly over his chest, his eyebrows furrowed together tightly. His features were stoic, like he was deciding whether he should be angry or not. 

“I’m moving out,” He said as he turned away, shoving the clothes back into his bag, “I uh, found a place.” Billy replied slowly as he finished zipping up his bag. He wondered how much he’d really be able to take with him. Probably not much if his dad got angry. 

“You moving in with that bitch?” Neil tilted his head up as he spoke, like he was trying to make himself taller. His eyes were sharp, cold as his gaze cut into Billy. He felt sick as he gulped harshly, trying to keep his tone at bay. 

“Don’t call her that.” Billy responded hotly, feeling defensive of you. You weren’t anything like that and you were letting him back into your life; just like that. You were everything and more to him and he wasn’t going to let Neil speak ill of you. 

“Is the kid yours or some little bastard?” His lip curled up in disgust as he spoke, his features filling with disappointment. Billy didn’t care. He was going to be happy with you. He wouldn’t be like Neil. Not ever. 

“Mine,” He said roughly, “And don’t you ever call him that.” He snatched up his bag, taking his few items with him as he moved forward. Neil scoffed as he shook his head, irritated as Billy pushed forward.

“She’s going to ruin your life,” He grumbled as he gripped Billy’s shoulder, holding him in place for a moment, “And don’t even think about crawling back. I won’t have you.” He said threateningly, like he might change Billy’s mind.

“I won’t come back.” Billy promised, stern with his answer as he walked past him. He wouldn’t let his son suffer the same way he had. They both deserved better than this. 

The rest of the months passed breezily, making him come to terms a little easier as your due date approached. He had done a lot of ass kissing, pleading and groveling until he got back on your good side. He brought you flowers every day, rubbed your feet after work and gave you plenty of kisses.

You complained about how you looked as the final weeks approached, but he thought that you looked beautiful. Stunning. In his opinion, you were glowing. He loved rubbing your tummy too, feeling like he got a deeper connection that way.

Your labor was messy, a little chaotic. Billy was terrified something would go wrong, but stayed close to you regardless. By the end of it, his hand was numb and his wrist aching from how tightly he’d been gripping you.

“Look at him,” You breathed out as you held the little boy in your arms, “He’s so cute.” You sniffled, looking like you were seconds away from breaking down again.

He stared and stared, memorizing his son's features as he came to terms that he was a father. He had a little boy, someone to take care of. He looked so fragile, so tiny. It made him nervous. He was fearful that he’d accidentally hurt him by holding him wrong, or by dropping him. He wasn’t sure how his rough hands were supposed to hold something so soft. 

"Billy," You breathed out quietly, making his throat grow raw as he stared down at the little boy. Soft blonde curls and the same sloped nose he had. Everything else about the little boy reminded him of you, "Are you crying?" You asked gently, making him feel even more emotional as he shook his head. 

“No,” He said hoarsely, doing everything in his power to keep from breaking down, “S’just a lot.” He mumbled as he wiped at his eyes, inhaling deeply through his nose as he tried to calm himself down. His hands were shaking, his heart thumping roughly inside of his chest. 

“I know,” You replied softly as you sat up a bit, gesturing the bundle in your arms towards him, “C’mon. You’ll feel better.” You reassured him, but he still felt hesitant. He pressed his fingertips together before he nodded, accepting the little baby from you.

Names hadn’t quite been figured out yet, but that didn’t matter at the moment. He looked healthy, his cheeks full and fists clenched together as he stretched his arms out. Billy felt a small chuckle leave his neck, fighting over the sob that was threatening to burst free.

He suddenly couldn’t remember why he had been so nervous, or scared. As his son curled against his arms it felt natural, like he already knew what he was doing. He savored the warmth, the way the little baby cooed as he adjusted him in his arms. Everything felt right suddenly.

“I won’t let anything bad ever happen to you,” He promised as he kissed his little head, sighing deeply as he snuggled his little son towards him, “Not ever. I promise.” 

[actual-changeling]

The Metatron's outfit obviously has meta reasons/the costume department and Neil decided on it for a reason, but I think that there are also in-canon ones we should talk about more.

Now, the thing most people notice immediately is the colour—angels were whites, beige, light colours that match the job and heaven's sterile whiteness. His, on the other hand, is black, a colour usually associated with hell and demons.

As a small meta reason side note: I do not think that they chose the colour to signal that he is a demon and broke them up because he has Big Evil Plans because that goes against everything Good Omens is about. The Metatron is at the top of heaven's hierarchy and only subservient to God (assuming She is actually still involved), he can have bad intentions and universe-destroying plans as an angel, the whole point is that the angel/demon dichotomy is an ideological fantasy.

Why did the Metatron himself choose that outfit though? One would assume that he would have the most pristine white clothes possible, but every single time we have seen him so far, he has been a floating head without a body.

So before he came to earth, he actively made a decision to dress the way he did. We also know that he did his research on Aziraphale and Crowley, hence his knowing that Aziraphale consumes human food and getting that coffee. The entire situation was the Metatron creating the most beneficial set-up for his plan—to convince Aziraphale to come back to heaven with him.

He knows Aziraphale likes food, but what else does he like?

Crowley.

The person we see wearing exclusively black and dark colours.

Give Aziraphale a coffee, make his subconscious associate the Metatron with Crowley based on his clothes, sweet-talk him and lie to get him attached, and then offer him everything he could have ever wanted—heaven, the ability to change heaven, and Crowley and him being angels together.

Just like his off-hand mention about consuming food, the black suit is also meant to make him seem 'other', someone who—just like Aziraphale—doesn't really fit in with all the other angels. Aziraphale sees all of that, and the conclusion he comes to is the following:

The Metatron, the Guy In Charge is like me! He understands me, and we're both different, but he still wants me to be the Supreme Archangel. It IS possible to break some rules and still be a Good Angel, I was worried for nothing, everything is fine, and he will even revise the mistake of Crowley's fall.

Consequently, Aziraphale accepted the offer and didn't even think further than his own moral qualms finally being resolved, which is exactly what the Metatron wanted.

I think he vastly underestimated their relationship though—Aziraphale almost changes his mind—but overall it was a complete, clean success for him.

For my part, I am incredibly curious if he will keep the black suit in season three, turn back into a head, or change into white/lighter clothes. Now that he has Aziraphale where he wants him, he can dial down the persuasion and manipulation techniques.

[starlightseraph]

sighhhhh…

i saw a post claiming that being uncomfortable with some of the wild rpf blogs is homophobia (or rather, that we’re only so uncomfortable with the rabid david/michael shipping because they’re both men, and not by georgia/anna stuff because they’re women), and i find that very funny.

firstly, most of us are queer to begin with, and while being queer doesn’t mean you can’t be discriminatory to other queer people, it’s important to mention.

secondly, the reason no one’s weirded out over georgia and anna is because no one is actually shipping them. it is very clearly all a joke. the whole making out thing (which i’ve now seen brought up as evidence that we’re not as uncomfortable with f/f rpf) is literally in response to neil gaiman’s tumblr joke about dottie and sadie, who are fake characters that he uses to deflect from people wanting spoilers. the fandom has imagined them as being played by georgia and anna. they won’t be, because dottie and sadie aren’t actual characters in any fictional work. no one’s saying that georgia and anna, the real people, should make out, we’re making a joke about a fake storyline that only exists in several posts on tumblr.

we’re not grossed out because the the david/michael shipping is m/m. we’re grossed out because these are real people that are being treated like puppets to serve some fantasy. not hypothetical characters created for the purpose of a gag that will never be in any official form of media. not characters in a show who don’t actually exist. actual fucking humans.

rpf stands for real person fiction. fiction. i’m not even sure this qualifies as rpf anymore; no one’s treating it as a fun, made-up story, they’re presenting it as an “investigation” into the real lives of real people. people who are strangers, people who we know almost nothing about.

rpf very often morphs into this, and i really think it’s in a class of its own.

it’s one thing to write silly little stories on ao3 using the names and personalities and likenesses of real people, it’s a completely different thing to dissect every single thing you see about someone and to come to a conclusion that just so happens to perfectly fit your ideal of their lives.

i find even the purely fictional rpf to be a bit strange and uncomfortable, but i don’t have any real moral objections to it. when it bleeds into reality, though, and the wishful thinking of fans presents as a vast, complex conspiracy, that’s straight up creepy. like i won’t even go into why it’s creepy, it should be obvious. celebrities are genuinely afraid of people like this. they’re afraid of the rumours, they’re afraid of stalkers, they feel like they can’t even have innocent fun without it being “proof” that their marriage is just for show. they hate it. i hope all these blogs know that david and michael would all but certainly be very unamused by all of this. they’d probably be a bit terrified, and also embarrassed that anything they did could possibly be interpreted in these ways. no celebrity ever signs up for this, the extent of the obsession some people have is impossible to comprehend until it’s in front of you. even if they’re used to it by now, why, in the name of god, would you pile on?

please, touch grass. smell the roses. leave the parasocial echo chamber. do something to reacquaint yourselves with the real world and how real people function. if you’re really fans, leave them and their loved ones alone.

[pharawee]

I just finished watching Love Syndrome: The Beginning and... I actually really liked what they did with the source material. It's interesting that this and the series are by the same production company and director but other than the choice of skinny jeans (someone must have been a big fan lmao) and Tuss reprising his role as Neil, the movie has a very different vibe imo.

It's also unfinished, meaning it ends on a cliffhanger with a big 'to be continued' - which probably isn't intentional seeing as they were originally aiming for a cinematic release (not to mention the sudden passing of the producer/director). I can't blame them either because I think they made the deliberate decision to mostly leave this as is to honour the director's final work:

As it is, I think the movie is a very solid piece of entertainment with some really nice acting, especially by Bix Tagon as Itt.

I've read most of the novels in the Love Syndrome universe and they're actually very same-y with the same non-con kink repeated throughout pretty much every couple's story (and there's A LOT of couples). This is why Day and Itt were never my faves (especially since the tropes really be troping with these two) and tbh I wasn't really into Long and Frank's version of them either (which isn't their fault at all - I just don't think Frank was a good fit for Itt), but Nef and Bix really make them work for me this time.

For one, there's zero romanticisation. Day is positively unhinged and there's zero doubt that Itt is the victim here. The scenes between them are incredibly brutal to watch but at the same time there's this almost stageplay-like feeling to them - as if every little piece of dialogue and acting has its place and nothing is drawn out or glossed over. I really appreciated that (as difficult as their scenes were to watch). I don't think that's easy to accomplish. I saw in some of the bts that they worked closely with either an acting coach or an intimacy coordinator (or both) throughout the filming of Day and Itt's scenes and imo it really shows. As bad as it sounds because Day is such a horrible person and Itt is straightup going through hell, theirs really were the most interesting scenes in the movie for me.

According to MDL Nef and Bix are rookie actors too so kudos to them for doing an incredible job. I hope we get to see more of them especially since Day and Itt's story is far from finished and I'd really like to see if they can pull off the transition from toxic hate to toxic love (imo it didn't work at all in the series, mostly because it started with book 3).

As for Gear and Night, they chose to almost completely sanitise their story (except for the initial bet itself) which imo was a good choice because in the novel reading about the same trope over and over again got tired real fast. Night takes Gear back relatively quickly and then they just pick up where they left off (but with Night more or less in control now).

Plus, Tiger Tanawat (who btw is a Change 2561 artist) as Night is such a mood:

I already loved Rossi as Night but dang (also, I need that shirt). 🫠

There's also some cute Four and Gus moments that unfortunately (or fortunately - seeing as how the writer of the novel also seems to have an age gap kink that's better left unmentioned 😬) gloss over most of their story. Knot, Fu and Neil kind of appear but that's about it.

I wonder - providing we ever get to see the second part of this movie - if they'll scrap the horrible Neil as the villain side plot or not because I could totally do without that. 😬😬

That being said, if you thought The Effect was difficult to stomach then you probably shouldn't watch this. Love Syndrome never hides the fact what it is about but it unfortunately doesn't offer any content warnings. Its SA scenes are explicit and realistic so if that's upsetting to you please please don't watch this. 🙏

[cubbyyyy]

A post about my favorite aftg relationships/friendships because why not?

1. Andreil. Of course. I think I actually don’t need to explain more but yea, they were my favorite part in aftg. they quickly became one of my favorite shippings and in my humble opinion love isn’t even enough of a term for them. No one will ever understand another the way they understand each other. They showed me what perfect compatibility looks like because in tiktok term - no one matches each others freak the way they match each others freak. I can’t imagine a neil without an andrew. they are different enough to make the other improve and similar enough to make the other feel validated. they aren’t afraid to show their dark sides bc the other matches the dark sides.

2. Andrew and Aaron. Twinyards. After Andreil their relationship intrigued me the most. The way they seem so indifferent towards each other but caring so much anyways is just so bittersweet. I live for their improvements. The way they legitimately killed for each other is just everything. Neil making Aaron understand that Andrew did everything for him and that he did the same is just so dear to me. Yea they misunderstand each other, but the brotherly love they have for one another could burn cities.

3. Neil and Matt. I love how matt just adopted neil. Neil may be a little crazy but Matt just goes along with it. So when Neil punches a guy, Matt hypes it up. Matt caring for Neil from the start was precious to me since I still wasn’t sure about the “monsters” in the foxhole court. like they seemed honestly pretty much demanding as fuck and I just wanted Neil to have a save, rest space while figuring them out and that’s what Matt gave him. (I especially like the trio of Matt/Dan/Neil). Matt is just the definition of a best friend and I’m glad Neil has his bestie outside of the monsters.

4. Nicky and Neil. Okay hear me out - when I think about Nicky and Neil I just pretend the eden incident didn’t exist bc I can excuse a lot, especially in fiction, but sexual assault is never on the list. So I made the choice to pretend it didn’t happen (i mean the books also pretend it didn’t happen lmao). And when you see them outside of the incident, they were pretty nice. I think Nickys cheerful personality helped to loosen the tension in the team (and monsters group). I loved when Nicky flooded Neils notifications so Neil wouldn’t flinch about them anymore. I also feel like Nicky played a big role in Neils growth. Like telling him to think about more stuff besides exy. Making Neil realize he has friends now. All that stuff.

5. Andrew and Renee. I just love how they’re sparring partners and understand each other so well, that they were the jogging team where they talk about possible zombie outbreaks.

6. Kevin and Jean. They didn’t have much screen time in the aftg series and I haven’t read the tsc yet, but their relationship intrigued me. This one I could possibly even ship romantically since they are so bittersweet that I just wish to save their ending. they formed a bond so deep but yet so scarred that it’s unexplainable.

7. Allison and Renee. I love them. I love how after Seth died, Renee took care of Allison. They just seem so fitting and I’m still shook they weren’t an official thing in the books.

8. Aaron, Nicky and Andrew. The fact that Nicky took care of the twins when he was barely an adult himself is just very precious.

9. Wymack and Neil. Honestly I could put him higher, I just forgot till now to mention wymack so he’s here. The scene at the end of the kings men where Neil asks for wymacks help is just stuck with me for life.

10. Kevin and Wymack. The fact that Wymack is Kevins father surprised me at first but then it made sense? When Kevin said that his father watches all his games I was ready to shed a tear.

[kevinsbitch-panini]

fanfic friday: aftg edition

Because, Despite, Skill by codename_adler (@codename-adler)

Summary: Prompt 73: A very cathartic conversation/fight between Kevin and Jean post-canon. I want them to lay out their feelings, lots of angst, and then make up if possible. It doesn't have to be them as a romantic pairing, Jeremy could be the one to push them to have this conversation or not. "No matter what Jeremy thought he knew, no matter his meticulous observations and incessant pleas for Kevin to come and fix Jean, Kevin could see plainly that perhaps he should not have trusted the USC Captain on that one. Every time you show up on TV or any of us talk about you, he shuts his eyes for a few seconds. Like… Like he’s looking for you, inside himself. There’s nothing… There’s nothing else I can give him. I swear to you Kevin, I would if I did. I’m well aware this is most certainly going to get uglier before it gets better, but that’s a knife I can’t remove myself. Only you, Kevin. Only you. Please come home to him."

Tags: Mentioned Riko Moriyama, Mentioned Neil Josten and Andrew Minyard, Post-Canon, Getting Together, Past Kevin Day/Jean Moreau, Angst, Heavy Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fights, Catharsis, Edgar Allan Ravens (All For The Game), USC Trojans (All For The Game), Pre-The Sunshine Court, Not The Sunshine Court Compliant, Crying, Men Crying, so much crying, Kissing, no beta we die

Words: 11,038 Chapters: 2/2

i have been craving a kevin jean fanfic ever since i made this post and i thought i'd have to write it myself,,,, but @codename-adler somehow wrote a version that is better than anything i could ever dream of. this fic features (1) angst. so much angst. genuinely don't know how much angst can be fit into 3 people. (2) comfort... eventually. (3) love <3. read it!!!!!!

also the author has a fantastic tumblr so go look at it using the link above ^^^

[otdiaftg]

The Raven King - Chapter Nine

Day: Saturday, October 14th Time: 3:10 PM EST

"Dad liked partying it up with the other rich shits of New York," Matt said, "but his party favors were drugs. He let me—encouraged me, even—to try whatever I wanted so I would fit in. When Mom realized what was going on she took time off from the circuit to get me clean. We thought I was okay until I started here. The juniors we had back then were into some pretty heavy things, and I was tempted. The only way I stayed sober was by hiding from them. Last year the monsters joined our team. It took Andrew all of two weeks to figure out something wasn't right with me, and he took it upon himself to fix things. They invited me out with them to Columbia. When we got there Andrew gave me speedballs." Neil's stomach bottomed out. "He what?" "He didn't make me take them," Matt was quick to say. "He just offered them, and I was drunk and stupid and desperate enough to say yes." "Coach should have kicked him off the team." "He should have, except Andrew cleared it with Matt's mother first," Dan said, jaw tightening a little in old anger. "She knew Matt was having a hell of a time here and she wanted him to kick the habit for good. Andrew promised he could help, so she gave him her blessing. She flew in for the summer to help walk Matt through withdrawal and asked Coach not to punish Andrew. She even offered to pay Coach for the trouble." "But—" "No harm, no foul," Allison said carelessly. When Neil stared at her, she gestured at Matt. "You can't really have an opinion on this because you weren't here then. You didn't see what Matt was like. It was pathetic. He couldn't even look any of us in the face. Look at him now. The monster's methods might have been a little extreme but they worked." "You're not really okay with this," Neil said to Matt. "What if it backfired? What if you hadn't gotten back up again?" "Andrew had too much invested in Matt's success to let him fail," Renee said, speaking slowly like she was choosing her words with great care. Neil guessed she knew Andrew's reasons better than anyone else did, given herfriendship with him. "I don't know if they've talked to you about Aaron's history, but you understand Andrew's, don't you? He's not allowed to fight his addiction. Watching Matt struggle was very hard on them both." Her reference to Aaron didn't make sense at first, but then Neil remembered. On his second trip out to Eden's Twilight he asked Andrew why he bothered with cracker dust. Andrew said they'd picked the habit up for Aaron's sake. Just the other week Nicky mentioned that Aaron used his mother's drugs, though he hadn't specified what all she'd been into. Chances were cracker dust was a paltry substitute. Watching Matt crumble under temptation would have wrecked hell on Aaron's own sobriety. Neil was starting to rethink how apathetic Andrew was about Aaron's life. Matt misinterpreted Neil's silence. "You're a year too late to get mad on my behalf, Neil. Trust me: I'm okay. I'm more than okay, really. I thought rehab was bad the first time through. The second time almost killed me. It definitely killed any chance of me being tempted ever again. I'm clean for good and I feel better than ever." Neil needed more time to figure out how to feel about this, but it wasn't his life, so he said only, "It's your fight."

Art used with permission by rainbowd00dles. Thank you @rainbowd00dles

[metatronhateblog]

The Opening Sequence Pt. 3 featuring Duck Duck what the Fuck.

So I actually decided to skip my post taking a look at the backs of the theater chairs because I feel I don't need to reiterate something that's been stated and pointed out before. And I've skipped ahead to this thing that has been plaguing @lady-of-the-puddle and myself for who knows how long. Fucking ducks.

I have a lot of thoughts, and a lot of things kinda go hand in hand so it's either a make one really fucking huge post...or I go little by little in multiple parts. I'm going to try to keep these short(ish) and in multiple parts.

So bear with me, and here we go.

By now you probably know I've been tearing the opening sequence apart piece by piece to see what it holds. Well today I'm talking about the duck with the accordion.

'Why?' you might ask, and in a very Neil fashion I wave around my pages of notes and say 'wait and see.'

If I'm remembering correctly, Peter Anderson mentioned that there's ducks with accordions in the opening sequence as a reference to a newspaper being read in the Dirty Donkey. Nothing too bizarre, not on the surface I guess?

Here is the first point in the season 2 sequence where we see the accordion duck. Our little motley crew is continuing their march into the theater and lo and behold, right there in sight is the duck. Did you catch it?

If you did, good for you, I'm proud. Can you please tell me the relevance? If you didn't, allow me to zoom in...

Here he is, hidding under the bleachers/seats/whatever you wanna call them, in what almost looks like a hidden room. Phantom of the Opera vibes much?

But then as our waltz towards the end times continues on, we see our beloved little feathered friend join in with the march, possibly to give a little serenade to trudge along to.

Don't see him again?

Right here up front, next to our mains, Aziraphale, Crowley (who appear to be leading this march towards the end), and Jimbriel and Beelzebub. Now I know there's this seemingly habit of more people/creatures, and objects joining in our march to death as the sequence goes on...but why would the duck be at the forefront? Unless maybe the characters most relevant in an episode appear at the front, hence Crowley, Aziraphale, Jimbriel, and Beelzebub. In episode 6 they're pretty damn integral to our story.

But what is up with this duck?

Now I know there's a duck of sorts in the season 1 opening sequence, and it's a strange looking thing if I ever did see one.

Here is a...completely different duck in the season 1 opening, though it appears to be covered by something...a cloth of sorts?

And he makes his appearances throughout the season 1 sequence. Sometimes he's there and sometimes he's not...in some cases there's more than one.

Hello there? Who are you and who is your little friend.

And the first thought that comes to mind is that line God says in season one when she's talking about how the ducks know when people are having a clandestine meeting, and how that would be relevant here I'm unsure. But what if the ducks are more important than we realize?

I've looked it up and found some mixed results that I don't even know how legit they are, but don't really see them as worth sharing because they don't seem to fit? So again if you have any idea behind the symbolism of ducks, please tell me. I'm desperate.

But there's more to this than I've said here.

Keep an eye out for my next update.

The Opening Sequence Pt 1 and Pt 2

Special mention Mount Zion

[turquoisepolo]

Fight So Dirty, Chapter Four

Andreil thing based off of this post. Trying to make this a thing, if all goes to plan. Read chapter three first!

Chapter Rating: PG-13

Warning(s): Implied abuse

The walk to the Foxhole court  wasn’t difficult. Not difficult for athletes, and certainly not for a man who had spent his entire life on his feet. At least, it shouldn’t have been. Neil unfortunately was sure he’d go into cardiac arrest the very moment he could see the court, heart pounding in his chest. He thought his feet were glued to the ground and was half aware of how everyone else had already gone in through the double doors, everyone but Andrew who was holding the door open and looking at him with a hint of curiosity. 

Before Andrew could ask a prying question, Neil forced himself to walk through the doors and tried to keep a poker face as he followed the rest of the group into what seemed to be the changing rooms. 

Nicky, with as friendly a smile as ever, gave him his gear. “Hopefully that fits, it’s some of Andrew’s old gear but I’ll get Coach to get you something new soon!” Neil stood there awkwardly with it in his hands and tried not to watch the others change. Unfortunately it seemed Kevin was paying far too much attention to him. “Why aren’t you putting it on?” The taller boy asked as he started buckling on his gear. Neil grappled with an explanation before Andrew shot Kevin a look that had Kevin turning away from them both and continuing to mind his own business. Before Neil could be too grateful though, Andrew stayed there, studying him and apparently not following his own rules. Neil stared back, unrelenting. There was no way he was letting Andrew intimidate him into revealing his scars, because that would inevitably lead to questions that Neil couldn’t answer.

Eventually Nicky, Kevin, and Aaron finished and filtered out of the dressing room but Andrew hadn’t made a single move to begin changing. Eventually the blonde let up and began stripping. “You can’t hide forever. I’ll break you.” 

He scowled at that and glared at Andrew’s back. “I’m not hiding anything.” 

Andrew turned around and was strapping on his gear. “Lie to all of them, but don’t lie to me. You aren’t very convincing.” With that, he left the locker room and left Neil finally alone and able to change. 

As Neil stripped off his clothes and changed into the hand-me-down uniform, he tried not to contemplate Andrew’s words too much. 

The gear was a terrible fit. Too broad around the shoulders and too small around the thighs but it was better than nothing and so he adjusted the straps and did the best to make it work. 

When Neil was done, he walked out of the locker room with the exy racquet in his hand  and saw Nicky waving him over on the other side of the plexiglass. He braced himself and walked through the double doors, grip tight on the racquet. They don’t know  was the reassuring mantra playing over and over in his head. 

Even if Kevin remembered him, he didn’t look the same from the time that they met. His hair was dyed brown, and his contacts were in. Not to mention the change in physique from a ten year old to a nineteen year old. The thought soothed his nerves mildly, and with that he walked over to the group.

“Do you know any warmups?” Kevin asked, a doubtful edge to his voice. Neil hated that Kevin was right in being unsure and shook his head. He let out a long sigh. “Watch and learn then.” 

It was obvious that Kevin didn’t think of slowing down for Neil and quite frankly Neil was quite thankful for that. He would’ve hated being treated differently.

After warmups, they were all panting - everyone besides Andrew who had decided not to participate even after Kevin’s scalding comments. Andrew’s indifference piqued Neil’s curiosity, and he stored the information away for later.

Andrew only moved when Kevin told him to get into the goal. Now would be the challenge, or so Neil thought before he saw Andrew let shot after shot fly by him and frowned. It was even more disturbing how Kevin refrained from saying anything about Andrew’s lack of participation. 

The drills went on for two more hours before Kevin decided they had had enough. Neil took off his helmet and inhaled fresh air greedily, bent over with his hands braced on his knees. 

When Neil looked up, Kevin was looking at him. He nodded. “You’re not good enough, but you’ll do.” With that he left and went to the locker room, Aaron following close behind. 

Nicky frowned at Kevin’s back and turned to Neil, shaking his head. “Don’t listen to him, Neil. You did awesome for your first time!” Then he left. This time, Andrew didn’t wait for Neil to budge and left after his cousin. 

Neil sighed and began gathering the exy balls and putting them in the bucket. He paused on the last ball, considering the weight in his hand. His mother would beat him senseless if she was here. 

But she wasn’t. She wasn’t here, neither was his father or his henchmen. No, it was Neil standing in this court, and this was his chance at something. At least for a little while and damn him if he was going to let it slip away. 

Neil walked to the locker room as the rest were exiting. He undressed quickly and went to the shower rooms, finding that there were stalls and being grateful for it. Neil showered quickly, and dressed again in his old clothes. 

He left the stadium and found the rest of the group waiting for him outside. They walked back to the dormitories. Nicky put on some old movie and Neil pretended to pay attention but he found his gaze wandering to Andrew every so often. 

Dangerous was a given, it’s the reason Neil hired Andrew. But it turned out the other was strangely perceptive, and that was a different level of danger. At some point, Andrew met his gaze and he turned quickly. Neil would have to be careful, but he would if caution would ensure that he could indulge in this fake life for as long as possible. 

[roseybunlucy]

I have so much to say about every single one of these guys! Below i'll comment on my s/o, the runner up, who I thought I would originally marry and our kid names!

This template was made by pinkcatflower and if you'd like to give it a try too, here's the link!

https://at.tumblr.com/pinkcatflower/newly-updated-fill-in-the-blank-story-of-seasons/2c1q2b17sfh5

Harvest Moon DS Cute

Commentary- I never actually played this game. I asked for it but my brother got me "Harvest Moon DS" instead, but SKYE is the reason I started playing harvest moon! When I was little I was trying to find games where I could marry and start a family. I found skye and I was swooning instantly! Now that I'm older, im too scared to buy and play the game because what if my fantasy of the guy who started my love of the series doesnt come close to who he actually is?

Harvest Moon : Sunshine Islands

Commentary- THIS was my first harvest moon game! As for Will, I cant remember exactly why I chose him since it was so long ago. Maybe I thought he was cute, I didnt like the other candidates or that I thought marrying him would help my income on the farm (Which it didnt!) But it doesnt change the fact that he'll always have a special place in my heart for being my first Harvest moon husband! I still do think he's a cutie to this day.

Who I thought i would marry - Pierre! I was on the road to him until Will came at the last minute! Lol

Child name- Maulina. I remember before the kid was born, i named my cow malina and i liked the name but i didnt want to name my child after a cow so i spelled it differently. I also remember seeing a "leak" of the child portraits, with will's kid having blonde hair and blue eyes and I thought the name was fitting for that design. I later found out that was not infact an official leak 😅

Harvest Moon : A New Beginning

Commentary - I had no patience to wait for all the bachelors to show up in this game so I regretfully rushed and married the first person that came, Neil. I was never a fan of his tsundere personality but his nervous face did make me smile after the marriage every now and then.

Who I thought I would marry/ Runner up - I remember dating allen in this game but I thought his personality was so horrible after a while I deleted the save file. I do wish I had took the time to get to know Sanjay. Thinking back on it, I couldve possibly liked him if I had talked to hime more.

Child name- I think it was Sage but im not 100% sure...

Story of Seasons

Commentary- My FAVORITE game of the series with my most FAVORITE bachelor! Mistel! His personality got me immediately! I was always caught off guard by him and blushing. Needless to say he's my number 1. With Nadi an extremely close runner up! I actually chose the picture of him that made me like him. The first time I ever saw that smirk, I had an instant crush.

Child name- Surprisingly I never married! It came out when I was in high school and I got too busy but I do sorta remember the names I was going to use! There was 4 names in total since this game gives you twins but I only remember "Drossel and Verona". I guess the art design made me feel like these names were fitting for this game. I also remember wanting to give Nadi's kids a plant based name.

Story of Seasons : Trio of Towns

Commentary- I liked Inari's ears and im a sucker for white hair. Other than that, I just wasnt a fan of any of the other bachelors

Runner up- If Inari didnt exist then I would had chosen Hinata, I like positive energetic characters.

Child name- Kana, After my child in Fire emblem Fates

Story of Seasons : Friends of Mineral Town

Commentary - Kai! I LOVE Kai! I hate putting my favorites in competitions with eachother but Kai is DEFINITELY in my top 3. He's so charming, smooth, funny and charismatic! How could I NOT like him? He's made me blush a few times too. Not to mention we both have the same favorite food!

Runner up- If Kai never showed up, I probably would have gone after Cliff, It made me sad that he came with no family, I wanted to help him go from nothing to a new found expanding family!

Child name- No child name! I got too busy with school again to marry him sadly! Plus I never thought of a name for our future kids.

Story of Seasons : Pioneers of Olive Town

Commentary- Not too much to say here. I liked Jack's normal personality, his events were cute AND he's not too bad looking himself. I never finished the game far enough to marry him.

Runner up- Ralph. I had a hard time deciding between the two. Ralph's events were pretty cute plus I liked his personality.

Rune Factory 4

Commentary- Doug! I didnt expect to like him but I was so caught off guard the first time I saw his introduction! I was like "Woah! Whos that!" He had instantly piqued my interest after that!

Runner up- I remember I had accidentally asked Dylas out in one of my other files. I had no interest in him but seeing that he liked me made me see him differently. I also had another file where I had planned dating Leon but I lost interest in that

Who I thought I would end up with- Before the game came out I looked at everyones Bio and thought I would fall for Vishnal! His design was cute and his personality seemed nice on paper but once I started playing I lost interest fast lol.

"Harvest Moon" : One World

Commentary - Jamil had the best 1st love event to pull me in. It showed how compassionate and caring he is and has to be one of my favorite events I've seen. It had me thinking about him hard enough to leave an impression on me!

Runner up- Sami. I did marry him but Jamil stole my heart.

Who I thought I would marry- Everyone except Braden

Girls

Harvest Moon DS

Commentary- Muffy is DROP DEAD GORGEOUS! And has such a cute personality! I could never understand how she had romance troubles. If she were real I'd snatch her up in a heartbeat! As for Leia, Her sweet pwrsonality and cute looks got me too. Sadly, all my hard work went in vain as my save file corrupted and I was never able to marry in the game.

Harvest Moon : Sunshine Islands

Commentary- I never really had a thing for Lily, she was more of an "If I had to choose" option because I find her pretty.

Harvest Moon : A New Beginning

Commentary- I feel like If I could, I could write a whole essay about Tina. Im surprised that she's so underrated when she literally started my awakening! Everything about her is so perfect! She made me realize Im a sucker for short hair and her peppy outlook on life and energy made me feel so refreshed. Infact the first thing she ever told me that made my heart flutter was "Let's seize the day!" and she had the cutest little smile. For some reason that moment was a core memory. I just think she's best girl. I started a new save file just for her and Ive never done that before!

Child name- We never married but I had planned on naming our daughter "Tharja" for some reason.

Rune Factory 4

Commentary- Xiao Pai is just cute! I think I liked her mom more though lol.

"Harvest Moon" : One World

Commentary- Malika is just pretty and I think her personality is neat. I feel like she teases alot.

[lastchancevillagegreen]

Weld Neil Young & Crazy Horse (Reprise) (released in 1991)

The last piece of the Neil Young puzzle that will be coming out in about three weeks in a reissue boxed set is his live album with Crazy Horse, the very excellent Weld. I bought a vinyl copy from some mail order company (the Sound Machine, perhaps or Siren Records, where ever it was I learned of their existence from Goldmine magazine, the only reason I ever bought the magazine was for it's ads) that I endlessly bought from in the 90s when I needed European copies of artists like Neil Young who I always bought on vinyl since the early, early days when I bought After The Goldrush on vinyl back when it came out. Both Young and Dylan were must buys on both CD and LP and if the US gave up on pressing vinyl I was a wise enough record fanatic to know Europe still sold these guys on vinyl. Above you see the album cover, the gatefold and then the back of the LP. Below are photos of all four of the record labels.

Arc which was included as a bonus disc on the Weld CD set has never been pressed on vinyl before. That is another why I'm so interested in this forthcoming big box set of LPs from Neil Young. The album is essentially nothing more than snatches of feedback, ethereal vocals snatches and if I'm not mistaken it opens with that now famous Neil Young quote, "It's all the same song!" The existence of this 30 minutes experimental comes from none other than Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore who suggested to Young that he release such an oddity. What are Thurston and Neil doing paling around together? Well, in 1990-1991 when Young and Crazy Horse were touring and recording what would become Weld, Sonic Youth (and Social Distortion) were the opening acts.

I was fortunate enough to catch Young and Crazy Horse on this tour in Bloomington, Illinois with my brother and his then wife (how many shows did the three of us see together, it seems like a mess of them, including a great show by Prince; my favorite piece of this memory is knowing we all remains friends to this day). I remember people at the arena carping about Sonic and booing them but the trio of us thought they were great. Thurston kept giving phony titles to the songs and honestly, they put on a sonic distortion of a show that was one of the noisiest and messiest shows you can imagine. And that's what you wanted! It all fit in with Young & Crazy Horse's epic sonic screeches and marathon Ragged Glory-feedback drenched songs. I often forget I saw this show mistakenly believing I didn't see Young until the early Aughts at The Fox Theatre in St Louis (I also saw him at the very first Farm Aid back when my first wife was still living and partaking in such nonsense as speed and rock and roll).

Before I lose sight of my point being here, below you will find the trio of discs that came out in 1991. It was a three CD set (not in a box, not wrapped with an obi) wrapped in shrink wrap only titled Weld with a bonus disc of Arc. Some sets were titled Arc-Weld and I've never quite understood what differentiated either set! Below you will find all three of the CD covers, followed by the jewel cases opened up. Then comes the back of the sets and I close out with a shot of the spine. You can see that Arc is distinctly the third disc (see the gatefold shots and then the spines).

Arc also came out as a stand alone release, odd as that seemed and despite having it as part of Weld, I wanted one of those weird stand alone copies. (My brother has a promo of Arc, which strikes me as even weirder!) Below is the cover of the disc, then the gatefold (the jewel case opened up) and then the back of the CD. Note there is no reference to "Disc Three" anywhere on this disc.

Here is a look at the spine of the album again showing that there is no mention of this being Disc 3 of anything for it is a stand alone release!

My rationale for posting these sets is because I'm excited for this big ol' box release of Neil Young music because this contains some of my very favorite Young music! And I wanted to be able to have the originals already lined up for comparative purposes in the future weeks!

[billyhargrove-s]

Night's like These

a/n: is billy OOC? possibly. do I care? not really <3. enjoy

request: What about Billy seeing his s/o and (step)sister getting along? Maybe they are dancing together?

relationship: billy x f!reader

warning: fluffy, mentions of Neil, I think thats it.

Many nights, Billy found himself staring at you in wonder. Tonight was one of those nights. When Neil found himself in a fit of drunken rage and Susan had practically begged Billy to take Max with him to your house for the night. Things had gotten better between the two of them, he liked to think that you were the reason for him mellowing out a bit and being nicer towards the girl. Well, then again he knew you were the reason for a lot of things. 

Just like how right now, you were blaring Kate Bush through a Karaoke machine and forcing him to listen to the two of you singing poorly as you danced around each other. An hour prior, Max had been anxious about leaving the house where her mother dealt with Neil, yet somehow you managed to calm her down with a promise of a fun filled night. 

No matter how much Billy wanted you to be all his for the night, and sweep you away, he knew how much you loved his sister and saw her as your own. Instead of interrupting the two of you and your impromptu girls night, he ordered a pizza and sat himself down on the couch, fiddling with the rings on his fingers. 

He never understood how someone so loving, and caring, wound up with him. It was like you were sent from above to set him on a straight path. After meeting you there were less fights at school, less fights with Max, and he was overall a nicer person. Of course, he was still overprotective about everything and god forbid someone looked at his girl, but with you, he felt at peace. He was carefree and never worried about anything other than being a good boyfriend to keep you happy and with him. 

He laughed as you collapsed on the couch next to him, absolutely breathless from belting the last lyrics of whatever song you were singing. Your head was in his lap, hair splayed out underneath you and Billy put his hand on your thigh, squeezing it. 

“That was great babe.” He praised, even if it was anything but. 

“Thank’s, I think I can give Kate Bush a run for her money.” You told him, reaching for his face to bring it down to your lips. He smiled into the kiss before pulling away to look down at you in total adoration. This was his life, you were his life, as much as he hated to admit it these nights where you and Max got along like you’d known each other your entire life were his favorites. He knew you’d always wanted a younger sibling, and Max was the perfect surrogate for that. 

“Hungry?” He asked playing with your hands. There was never a moment where Billy wasn’t touching you in some sort of way. He always had to have one hand on you at all moments. You were his home, and just touching you in some way made him feel secure. 

“Starving.” Max said from where she laid on the floor next to the karaoke machine, staring at the ceiling. “I think I might die if I don’t eat something soon.”

“Oh so I should cancel the pizza?” Billy asked taunting his sister causing her to roll her eyes and flick a hair tie at him. While things between the two used to be tense and that would’ve caused a screaming match, now it just felt like something normal. Like they’d grown up together and had always taunted each other for

“You do that and you’re no longer invited to girls night.” You said pouting. “You’ll have to sit in your car and think about all the fun you’d be missing out on.”

“Or the pitchy singing, my ears might thank me.” Billy teased and you playfully smacked his chest. 

“You jerk.” You told him with a laugh and he smiled lovingly at you. The doorbell to your house rang out and Max rushed to get the pizza, grabbing Billy’s wallet from the coffee table as she did. He didn’t even protest, he couldn’t care less about buying. He’d do it a thousand times if every night was like this one.  

“Have I ever said that I love you?” He asked quietly, kissing your lips in a slow and delicate way. 

“Once or twice.” You spoke giving him another soft kiss. 

“I swear I’ve said it more than that.” He said with a lopsided smile. “How could I not? You’re perfect in every possible way, and don’t even fight me on that because I’ll spend every day of the rest of my life proving it to you and reminding you how much I love you.” 

“I love you more Billy.” You whispered giving him a final kiss, sitting up as Max came back to the basement with the pizza in hand, tossing Billy his wallet. 

“Always trying to one up me.” He muttered, opening the box and taking a slice for himself. 

“Should we watch a movie?” You suggested to Max who was busy stuffing her face with a slice of pepperoni pizza. 

“Absolutely.” She said, looking like a chipmunk with the amount of food stuffed in her cheeks. 

“Alrighty you get one set up, I’ll grab some blankets.” You told her before turning to Billy. “Are you guys spending the night?” 

“If I had the opportunity I’d spend every night with you Y/n.” He said with his signature grin on his face. He knew his dad wouldn’t be as mad about not coming home if Max was with him. He’d deem is sibling bonding and wouldn’t argue as much about spending the night at his girlfriends house.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” You said, kissing his forehead and grabbing some blankets from the linen closet and throwing them at Billy. He smiled as you sat down next to him once more and spread the blanket over the two of you as Max popped a VHS tape into the player and ran to the couch, sitting on the opposite side of you. “What are we watching?” 

“Texas Chainsaw Massacure” Max said with a grin, and Billy sneakily handed her a five dollar bill as he put his arm around you. They had an unspoken deal, you hated horror movies. But Billy loved the way you curled up next to him when they were on, so Max picked a scary movie, you cuddled Billy a little bit closer and she got arcade money. 

“Oh god I hate this one.” You mumbled, even if you didn’t really hate it, you just hated trying to sleep after watching it. Billy squeezed your shoulder a little tighter and you leaned on him as the movie started. You jumped as Leatherface claimed another victim and Billy laughed as you dug your face into his shoulder. 

“Don’t worry I’ll protect you.” He whispered, kissing your temple. 

“Barf.” Max muttered from beside you, despite thinking how cute it was the way Billy was always reassuring you of your safety. 

By the time the movie came to an end, you were asleep leaning on Billy and Max was half asleep using one of the throw pillows and laying in your lap. He chuckled to himself, wishing he could capture this moment to look back on forever. He smiled and pulled you closer to him listening as you grumbled in your sleep and wrapped your arms around his waist, squeezing him in a hug before falling back asleep. He was cramped, and tired, and the couch in your basement was tiny, but he wouldn’t change a thing if it meant he could spend more nights like this.

[ingravinoveritas]

You know what's one little press tour moment we never talk about even though it's Michael being SUPER loud about his obsession with David's body again? The Most Likely game Michael and David played with Neil and John for Prime. We're 43 seconds into the video and Michael says "David keeps his cards very close... to his sylphe like chest". Why not just say chest. What the fuck haha. I also love how everyone just decides to politely ignore that comment, because it's so weird to go there, like, all right Michael, calm down. It's so extra and it's such a Michael thing to say and it comes out with so much conviction and I think it's hilarious. Especially with the man he's aggressively comparing to some sort of fairy sitting right next to him. (Sylph: "A slender graceful girl or young woman"/"an elemental spirit of the air". Okay then lmao, I mean, you can't exactly say that it doesn't somehow fit, but it's so oddly specific --)

Anon, I almost choked when I read this message, because I damn near completely forgot Michael said that (and thank you for including a link and timestamp!). Here’s a gif of the moment, which is just truly jaw-dropping (but I encourage everyone to watch the video as well for the full effect):

Everything you said is so accurate, too, because it’s not just what Michael says here, but the way he said it. He practically hisses/growls out the word “sylph,” with a mix of that carnal aggression you mentioned and a sort of...(barely) concealed possessiveness. And it is, indeed, an incredibly specific descriptor, with connotations about David’s physique that seem far more intimate than what people who are “just friends” would know about each other.

It’s also that "sylph” not only fits, but speaks to Michael thinking about David’s body and studying it long enough to have arrived at that description. And we know that he has, because one year later, Michael referred to David’s hips as being “slinky”:

So there is most definitely an established pattern of Michael being loud about his obsession with David’s body (as you so perfectly put it, Anon). There is also something inherently erotic about discussing someone’s hips, and using the word “sylph”, especially for a man (in my opinion). These particular observations demand a purposeful gaze--that is, something more than just what you would see when someone is wearing clothes.

Does this mean Michael has seen David’s naked chest, his bare hips? I would venture a guess that the answer is yes...and not just in passing, or while getting into costume during filming. It’s the sensuality of the way Michael talks, as if he has personally explored every inch of David’s sylph-like chest and slinky hips with his hands, his lips...his everything.

(Also, the question that preceded all of this was “Who is better at keeping secrets under wraps?” and David votes for himself and says “I’ve been doing secrets for a number of years now” and then comes the freaking hilarious irony of Michael saying what he did. Thank god ONE of them is good at keeping secrets...)

But yes, I love Neil and Jon just tastefully ignoring the comment and continuing on with the interview. Even though David doesn’t let his reaction show on his face, I love that he and Michael are sitting hip-to-hip (in contrast to the clearly visible space between David and Jon Hamm), and I think that says more than any words ever could.

Thank you again for bringing this up, Anon. I’m so glad we got to revisit this delightful moment. Hopefully there will be lots more to come on the GO 2 press tour. If Michael has his way, I think we will...  

[every-dayiwakeup]

You may have seen this recent addition in the Billy tag but oh my goodness people have no brain cells anymore. Here’s just a part of the post

I couldn’t fit all of the buffoonery in this post in one screenshot and it took me so much self control to just block the user and not leave a comment on their grammar or their logic.

Like, dang, ignoring that Jason literally shot at and beat Lucas up, reducing Billy to nothing more than an asshole racist, AND saying that Jason was a good boyfriend when Chrissy felt like she couldn’t even talk to him about her problems?

Yeah, I've seen it 😃🤌

It's all over, my friend 😑

I was hoping after that scene with Jason and Lucas, perhaps antis would give it a rest... but then I started seeing Jason apologists pop up.

Now, Jason is a fictional character, like Billy. If people want to... like him... they can. What really upsets me is their hypocrisy, and the unwillingness to acknowledge that the Duffers' shitty writing also applies to the characters they just love to hate.

If you want to like Jason, you can. But despite the tiktok edits, love didn't make him crazy. He wanted an excuse to go after Eddie, and I'm certain he would have gathered up a mob for he and Lucas even if Chrissy was alive.

I'm glad you brought up the fact that they're saying Jason is a "good boyfriend". Yeah, he's so great that he doesn't notice something is off about her. What he cares about is that Eddie (someone he hates) was who she chose to confide in.

I think Chrissy was afraid of Jason, and I say this because Jason has a vendetta against "freaks", and she doesn't want anyone to know about her visions because she doesn't want to be another "freak" in Hawkins.

No hate to Jason's actor, he did great. But Jason Carver is worse than Billy. I'm actually disturbed about how antis aren't using critical thinking.

They're so used to hating Billy, that it's a learned thing, and as you mentioned they clearly lack the brain capacity to unlearn that behavior.

Jason scares me more than Billy ever could- because we don't see Billy gathering up a fucking mob to kill people. We don't see Billy unleashing the basketball team on Erica and Lucas.

Jason's behavior is eerily similar to that of racist extremists and right wing movements, and for people to ignore the fact that what Jason was ordering Lucas to do is straight out of a fucking cop's mouth mind boggling.

I've seen enough dashcam videos of racist cops on the news that when he pulled out that gun and started talking I forgot this was a Sci fi show.

My point is, Jason felt real for a whole another reason than Billy did.

The Billy Hargroves of this world don't scare me. It's the Jason Carvers and the Neil Hargroves that do. And people that go on rants about hating a teenage abuse victim with no proper grammar.

Antis can't make this connection because the Duffers aren't able to either. They are as smart as their audience. They wouldn't have thought of making Robin gay without Maya. They wouldn't have thought of Billy being abused without Dacre. That brings me to my next point; THEY DON'T THINK.

Stranger Things is not as complex as they think it is. Notice how complex, real characters with any hint of a troubled life are shown (Billy, Eddie, Chrissy etc) they're killed off. Because the Duffers cannot write complex characters. And by extension they cannot write social issues.

Racism is not an aesthetic. If you bring up even a hint of it, you cannot gloss over its ugly effects. Once the Duffers attempted to bring social issues into a Sci fi story, they could have gone into depth about it. But like I said, this is a Sci fi story. And it was never supposed to feel real. If that was their intention? They failed.

I related to characters like Billy and Max more than I did El, and not because El has powers. Because Billy and Max (and their sibling dynamic) brought a new kind of darkness to the show that the creators didn't know how to handle- reality.

In a show about monsters and kids with special powers, Billy and Max were among the only characters who were more than stereotypes. They had real issues, and as I mentioned, the Duffers gloss over social issues.

The difference between them and say, Stephen King? For one, King can write and address social issues and still scare the pants off of readers. Because reality is scarier than any fictional monster. Plus he didn't try to humanize characters like Pennywise. He actually spent more time on developing his main characters, and he didn't gloss over their trauma.

In all seriousness, I blame the antis' lack of critical thinking on the Duffers. They backtrack everything. They wanted Steve to SA someone. They wanted Billy to say the n word. But if this had happened... I still wouldn't trust the Duffers to know how to handle either.

I love how fans are just now realizing how shitty the writing is- but it's not just because of Byler or Stancy. Apply the same logic you use on Eddie and use it on Billy. These characters are only amazing because of the actors, and they need to realize that.

Where was this defense of Dacre when he was being harassed online for playing Billy? The creators (and I use that term loosely) just sat back and let him take the blame for a character they only wrote to be Henry Bowers 2.0.

They wanted Dacre (as Billy) to say a slur, and he didn't. The writers wanted Billy to be racist so that he could be hated. They wanted him to spice up the story line, and further Max's character (which they failed).

This is a knock off of Stephen Kings method: that only irredeemable characters are racist or homophobic. He tells readers from the get go what characters to root for by doing that.

Plus reducing Billy to what the writers wanted him to be? They really should appreciate Dacre's push to make him more.

Also good for you, because self control is something I myself struggle with when I see this bullshit from antis. You're better than I am. I personally hate it when someone not only rants with no sense but bad grammar 😭