#i have yet to come up with a fun name mashup for these two

[7grandmel]

Todays rip: 10/04/2024

The World Ends With PSY

Season 1 Featured on: GilvaSunner's Highest Quality Video Game Rips: Volume 7: Part mm2wood

Ripped by Metalik

Hey, it's the 10th of April - 10/4, like the 104 building! I couldn't resist!

Here's a fun fact for you: Long before I was running this blog, I was making a certain other SiIvaGunner project, and through working on it decided to reach out to the SiIvaGunner channel head, MtH of Bigger at Night (Chung Yard) fame, for the first time ever. So what was one of the first-ever things I directly told someone from the SiIvaGunner team? "Make more The World Ends With You rips". Yes, I was young(er) and stupid(er), awkward and strange, and I of course now know that good rips come to those who make them, but the sentiment holds true even today. The World Ends With You's soundtrack still means EVERYTHING to me. And, well, though we don't have many rips to go around for the game, I will continue to cherish the ones we do have: because as far back as Season 1, there have been absolute bangers within out small selection.

Now, if you've followed SiIvaGunner for any amount of time, you know about the joke of The World Ends With PSY already. It's PSY, the K-Pop legend, the man behind Gangnam Style, Gentleman and so many more hits, and perhaps more importantly, a YTPMV celebrity. He's had annual days of celebration on SiIvaGunner, one of which I covered back with One Winged PSYcho - V​.​S. Sepsyrop, and rippers have continued to find all kinds of creative ways to utilize the man's distinct sound, including the sentence-mixing marvel of Korean Idiot. Those two rips are still the only PSY-specific I've covered on here, but they lay a pretty concise groundwork, particularly the former: Most PSY rips made for SiIva utilize PSY's "eyys" and "ops" for truly next-level YTPMV-tier postings, the kind that you'll also hear in big meme medley rips like ULTRA S+G. Yet, that kind of makes The World Ends With PSY a neat novelty, in a way: in the days of Season 1 before PSY's presence on the channel was so clearly decided, one Metalik made a PSY rip that goes against the pattern all three prior mentioned rips follow.

Rather than usurping Calling's instrumentation with leads made up purely of PSY's immaculate soundscape, The World Ends With PSY is a no-nonsense mashup, between PSY's Daddy and the aforementioned game track. Calling as a song is defined by the contrast between its noisy electronic backing and its beautiful vocals, like a light trying to shine through the darkness - The World Ends With PSY, then, is as if more noise is added to that blend, with pieces of Daddy's instrumental persisting throughout the track as PSY's own vocals alternate in and out with the original vocalist. It's a really interesting mashup - PSY's always prominent within it, yet the original beauty of Calling's vocals never feel as if they're drowned out, just framed within such a different kind of noisiness. To cut a long yap short - it bangs!! It isn't the kind of vocal/instrumental mashup that wholly changes the track's tone a la My Dr. Eggman Can't Be This Evil!, but it undoubtedly IS different, yet different in a way that highlights the strengths of both tracks used.

And yes, this is a Season 1 rip nonetheless, I can certainly hear some slight cracks in the facade at points - but The World Ends With PSY remains my favorite rip the game has gotten in all of these years. Compared to some other efforts made earlier in the season, such as Three Minutes Clapping literally just being what the track name says, or Deja Vu just switching to the titular Eurobeat song at the chorus' end - funny gags for sure, but none quite feeling like a loveletter to The World Ends With You in the way I've long wanted. We've gotten a sprinkling of rips of the game since, but it was The World Ends With PSY that I first connected with all those years ago - the rip that reassured me that the game's soundtrack is still remembered and cherished by others aboard the team.

[ladyloveandjustice]

My Top Seven Anime I Watched in 2022

Here are the best of the best, alongside a few bonus good, good anime. Please note that I’m only including premieres I actually watched in 2022, and there are a few ones I haven’t gotten to yet. I only started watching Bocchi the Rock! this month (and I’m enjoying it) and I’ve heard good things about Raven of the Inner Palace, so I’m planning on checking that out.

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury

Suletta Mercury arrives at her new school with a mech named Aerial and a checklist of friendship milestones she wants to achieve after being homeschooled for years- only to immediately get involved in giant robot duels and engaged to a prickly heiress. Unbeknownst to Suletta, she’s a tool in her mother’s revenge scheme against the terrible corporation that destroyed their family, and things will only get more complicated. Sometimes a fun romp, sometimes an action-filled thriller, and saving its best twist for the very end, this might just be the anime of the year for me. The romance between the two girls at the heart of the series always has you rooting for it, it introduces you to some great kids (and a ton of cool ladies) and as a bonus, it’s wonderfully inclusive. The only think holding me back is the fact it’s not over yet! I’m praying the second season keeps up the good work.

Read my full review here.

Spy x Family

The smash hit about a spy dad, assassin mom, and telepath child who all form a ‘fake’ family- but will they develop real familial feelings? Cute, funny, nicely animated and full of wacky fights and missions, it needs no introduction. It’s just a good time! The second season isn’t quite as strong as the first, but it’s fun to watch throughout and there’s more good material coming!

Read my full reviews here and here.

Akiba Maid War

A fun genre mashup that depicts early 2000’s maid cafes engaged in violent battles over territory (similar to yakuza movies). Features a lot of outrageous comedy and the world’s most loveable terrifying murder maid in Ranko. One of my favorites of the year.

Read my full review here.

Kaguya-sama: Love is War Season 3

The romantic comedy offers some slick animation and bombastic humor as always, while featuring some truly satisfying relationship development.

Read my full review here.

Mob Psycho 100 Season 3

The final season of one of the best anime of the last decade, it offers a perfect resolution to the offbeat relationship of young psychic Mob and his con-man mentor Reigen, while making a strong final statement on the series’ themes of power, identity, self-acceptance and deception.

Read my full review here.

The Executioner and Her Way of Life

In Menou’s world, kids dropping in from Japan and gaining incredible superpowers is a common occurrence. This rarely ends well, so it’s Menou’s job to murder these teens before they can become threats. But her latest target, Akari, has powers that make her unkillable- and she has feelings for Menou! What’s an assassin to do? A darker take on the isekai formula, the show is uneven in parts, but it’s a fun ride and most importantly, full of flawed, murderous women getting in cool fights and having romantic attention for each other. I gotta love it. The world has a ton of potential, so I hope this yuri action romp will get a follow up someday.

Read my full review here.

Birdie Wing: Golf Girls’ Story

A tough teenager is embroiled in an illegal golf ring run by the mafia- you heard me- and while navigating ridiculous obstacles and dirty tactics, she becomes smitten with a rival Japanese golfer named Aoi and wants nothing more than to see her again…

I debated on whether to include this because the second season is really going to dictate how I feel about it, but it made a hell of an impression, so I had to. After all, in the first episode alone, Eve hits a golf ball through a moving train while up against someone in a clown mask. A gloriously stupid and ludicrous take on golf that only anime could do, Birdie Wing makes the most of its low budget to give a unforgettable experience. Just please don’t do a “Eve and Aoi are secretly sisters” twist in Season 2.

Read my full review here.

Bonus anime I really enjoyed:

Aharen-san wa Hakaranai (Aharen is Impossible to Understand) is a very adorable, funny anime about two ridiculous kids finding each other and has a nice trans-positive treatment of one character,

 Shikimori’s not Just a Cutie (review here) is a cute anime about a soft-hearted boy and a very cool girl who date,

Ya Boy Kongming! is an anime about famous military strategist from the Three Kingdoms era suddenly finding himself in modern Japan. He comes across a talented but unknown singer and decided to put his gift for strategy to use in managing her singing career and helping her to the top. This is just plain fun, and has a really sweet (and shippable) female friendship at it’s core by the end.

And finally, Sasaki and Miyano (review here) is a slow paced but sweet romance between two boys.

[steele-soulmate]

Tattooed Wings, CHAPTER 613, Peter Steele & OFC, Soulmate AU

SUMMARY: Mary Claire Bradley meets her soulmate- literally- the famous Peter Steele of metal group Type O Negative. But will obstacles including trauma, stalkers, and toxic family members get in the way of their life?

WARNING: mentions of child rape (nothing graphic) PTSD, milk kink, soft smut, grinding, assault, fingering, hand jobs, blow jobs, 69, P in V sex, blood, noncon rape, violence, death, vandalism, graffiti, attempted kidnapping, break-ins, wild animal attacks, terrorist attack (sabotage) consensual impregnation, bareback, impregnation kink, creampies, terrorist attacks (shootings) hit and run pedestrian accident, precipitous labor, neonatal death, abandoned baby, child intoxication, death of a minor character, injured baby, kidnapped child

WORDS: 1072

“Okay Katie, here we gooooooooooooooooooooooo…!” Ryley started up the saw and began to slice Katie’s cast off of her leg.

When Peter and I had returned with Katie for another X-ray for her broken foot six weeks previously, my husband’s doctor niece had wanted to refit Katie with another plaster cast, this one being a hot pink color. Now, we were back again for yet another X-ray and to make plans as to what we should do if the break hadn’t healed to the point where Katie could run about, then surgery would be heavily considered.

Peter had lobbied a lawsuit against the parents of one Daryll Johnson- while on the one hand I understood that there was only so much that could be done to tame the disabled child. But both little girl and Katie had Down’s Syndrome, the two special little ladies were not as wild and untamed as other children, and so this led me to believe that Daryll reined terror over his household, using his disability as an excuse every time someone would try to discipline him.

“Okay- wow.” Ryley pried the cast away from Katie’s foot and was rewarded with a bright purple bruise. “Yes, I would definitely say that we have something to be worried over. I would need to have more X-rays done before I can come to a conclusive diagnosis though.”

“Daddy, can you carry me?” Katie threw her arms up as Peter stood, taking her into his arms and following after his niece, leaving me with Elizabeth and the babies.

I smiled as Elizabeth began to wrangle the toddling babies, smiling and cooing down at them as they bopped around the exam room, doing adorable little babying things.

“Mommy?” Baby Tommy meeped as he toddled up to me. “Ca’ mesies bitday be at bouncy housey?”

“You want your fifth birthday at a bouncy housey?” I repeated. “What a fun idea!”

“I was telling the babies about a birthday party that one of the girls from my ballet class went to,” Elizabeth explained. “And oh, speaking of which, there’s a set of fraternal twins- one takes ballet, the other takes jazz. Mary Hope gave me a birthday invitation to their twelfth birthday party next month. I told her that if I was unable to attend, that I would bring a gift for her and her twin. I completely forgot about the party- I’ll get you the invitation when we get back home again, alright?”

“Ah, okay,” I hummed, understanding at once before returning my focus back onto Baby Tommy. “Let mommy and daddy talk about it, alright.”

“Their names are Mary Hope and Faith Ellan Wilson,” Elizabeth continued to chatter on. “They’re both really sweet and enjoy knitting- I taught them how to knit and they’re working on making Christmas jumpers for their parents!”

“Fun!” I knew of Elizabeth starting a knitting club at the dance studio, where she and the students would all congregate together whenever they could do so to exchange balls of colorful yarn and pattern ideas. Pictures had been posted to the dance studio’s Instagram and FaceBook pages, along with a monthly pizza party for the newfound club. So far, there were twenty four little girls already committed to the club, and the pictures of little girls in a rainbow of leotards and a mashup of colorful tights giggling as they knitted quietly together was so sweet.

@Mary_Claire_Ratajczyk_Official, Elizabeth started up a knitting club at ballet school!

#ballet #dance #bunhead #knittingclub #likemotherlikedaughter #lookatmylittlegirl #livelaughlove

@kellykent, NICE

@agrannyandherneedles, oh how it warms my withered heart seeing a new generation of little knitters hard at work!

@Pete­r_Steele===========8) AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW

@midnightshadowpuppet, #gogolittleknitters

@chocolaterobotchicken, wow, now I want to pick up knitting!

@lzziegreen, KNIT KNIT KNIT KNIT

@therealpetersteeleoffical, that’s my Bitty!

@MissMittensthemotherlycat, MEOW

I giggled at the responses marching downwards in the comment section before tucking my cell phone away into my bra once more. I looked upwards as Peter came back into the exam room, his handsomely bearded face pinched with rage and worry.

“Katie needs surgery,” he announced in an abrupt tone of voice, settling the battle wounded little girl back onto the uncomfortable bed.

“Katie needs a strip of metal screwed into her foot to ensure that it heals completely,” Ryley clarified, entering the room and shutting the door behind her. “I can go grab the paperwork you need to fill out to move forward.”

“Yes please.” Peter looked PISSED. “Can you do the surgery today?”

“I’m not a surgeon, I’m a trauma room doctor” Ryley commented dryly, handing over a clipboard and a pen.

I quickly signed everything, eager to have Katie feeling well once more as she and Elizabeth had fun with the babies. Meanwhile, Ryley was telling Peter and I what to do before the surgery- don’t eat after midnight, eat a healthy meal of vegetables, lean meats and whole grain and get plenty of rest.

“Alright, that should do it now!” Ryley announced as Peter was handing her the filled out paperwork. “I’ll see you all tomorrow, alright?”

TAGLISTS ARE OPEN/ ASK BOX IS OPEN/ REQUESTS ARE OPEN/ PLOT BUNNIES ARE WELCOMED

If you liked this, then please consider buying me a coffee HERE It only costs $3!!!

PETER STEELE TAGLIST

@rock-a-noodle

@elianafilthyrose

@ch3rry-c01a

@rockstarslutt

@angelxfuckk

[hbyrde36]

Writing Poll!

Thanks @dreamwatch for the tag!!! 🥰

rules: make a 24-hour poll with the names of your wips and then for whichever wins, write one sentence for every vote it gets (but you should also write 1 sentence for every vote each of them gets!)

When it’s over I’ll post a snippet of any/all wips that get at least one vote 💜

No pressure tags: @penny00dreadful @brbsoulnomming @thisapplepielife @manda-panda-monium

Summaries below the cut:

No Vacany - (Have not started posting yet, still in the vibes/planning stage but i'm hoping to start putting it out in the next few weeks!)

When Eddie Munson arrives at the Buckingham Beach Motel to spend the summer with his BFF Chrissy and her business partner Robin, the last person he expects to see waiting in the lobby is former king of Hawkins High and asshole extraordinaire, Steve fucking Harrington.

Spicy six Summer challenge fic - Hurricane - (God, this thing needs a name! I would really like to get this one completed in the next week or so)

When a major Hurricane is projected to hit Hawkins (technically it’s more like the remnants of a hurricane, but the residents of Hawkins don’t really know the difference or care), Dustin is worried about his new friend and DM. Eddie Munson lives in a trailer, a structure not known for its resilience against severe weather. He invites the older boy to ride the storm out with him and his mom at home, unaware that she has made arrangements for them to stay with family that live far away from the storm's trajectory. He doesn’t want to leave his friend high and dry, enter Dustin’s favorite babysitter: Steve Harrington.

Steve Harrington:Vampire Hunter - (Posted up to part 7/16)

Steve Harrington is an animator. It’s a job that involves raising the dead; sometimes as a service for mourning relatives looking for closure, often as a tool for the courts to settle disputes. Steve Harrington is also a licensed vampire hunter. Two years ago, vampirism became legal in the United States, granting its undead population citizenship. With this new legal status comes a complication for Steve, as he finds himself tasked with helping the very creatures he is accustomed to killing. Speaking of complications, Steve struggles in more ways than one when he finds himself working closely with none other than Eddie Munson, an undeniably sexy several-hundred-years old master vampire. Or, The Anita Blake/Steddie mashup that nobody asked for but I’m having far too much fun with.

Life is a Game - (This is posted up to part 6 and i estimate we're roughly halfway through the story.)

‘86 baby. For the last few years, Eddie and his younger cousin Dustin, along with his friends, Mike, Lucas, and Will have been playing D&D together in the Wheeler’s basement. It’s a crazy home brew campaign that only contains loose elements from actual D&D and weaves in heavily embellished events from their real lives. They all play characters that are a version of themselves, and the many NPC’s are modeled after friends, family, and other people they know. It’s been a wild fucking ride.

- In 1983 Steve Harrington finds someone in the woods.

[melblur]

Todays rip: 24/05/2023

Hopes and Divinity+

Featured on: SiIvaGunner's Highest Quality Rips: Volume GS Ripped by Nikki+ YouTube Visuals by Netyasha Roozi

As mentioned prior, Nikki+ is a standout name on the channel and one whose rips I always seek out to listen to as soon as possible. The last rip I shouted out from them may not have made the reason for such obvious - it was a nice mashup, but not really anything out of this world. Its rips like Hopes and Divinity+ that remind me both of what makes Nikki+ such an incredible part of the team, and what makes me stay with the SiIvaGunner after all this time.

The concept is nothing new for the channel and is, really, intentionally derivative, mashing up Undertale music with Porter Robinson in the exact same way as Goodbye To The Underground did back in Season 1. Todays rip was actually released under the Nostalgia Critic Takeover of Season 3, during which rips were made with the goal of resurrecting the spirit of the channel during its first season, and in that sense Hopes and Divinity+ is an absolute triumph. It sticks to the original winning concept as described beforehand, yet embellishes it with further touches: several of the channel's most iconic inside jokes show up across the six minute runtime to add to the initial mashup, as if to show how far the channel has come since the initial Season. Its one of those rips that manages to be both a nostalgic look back at the past whilst reminding the audience of how much time has passed, helped especially by the fantastic visuals of the YouTube upload.

The track succeeds in so many ways - as a testament to Nikki+'s capabilities as a ripper, to how far the channel has come from Season 1, to Season 3, to the track's remaster in Season 5, and to how much Undertale still means to SiIvaGunner's creators and audience. Godspeed.

oh also a fun fact: the creators of these two rips, MtH and Nikki+, are actually lesbians and dating

[khoicesbyk]

Revenge.

A/N: This AU is a mashup of chapters from the new…ish book First Comes Love.

Book: First Comes Love

A/N 2: This book was cute until the LI got on my nerves. He's fine as all get out but oblivious as shit. So what happens when you decide to play his game? Read and find out!

A/N 3: In this series, you are the MC. So you get to experience all the emotional damage that comes along. Have fun!

Rated: Mature. | Contains sexual content and strong language. (You know? The usual from me. 😁) | Bolded and/or italicized words are conversations and thoughts of the characters. | Main Characters: Blake Marshall (LI) and Reader (MC) | All Characters and names: (except MC and original characters created by me) are property of Pixelberry.

Current Word Count: 8,825 words. (more or less. I stop counting after editing and re-editing. 🤷🏾‍♀️)

Tag List: @choicesficwriterscreations

If you’d like to be added to my tag list. Just reblog or dm me and I will gladly add you! 😁😘

This series is rated Mature. It is NOT reading material that is safe for those under 18. Reader discretion is STRONGLY advised!

Chapter 1.) Two Can Play That Game.

It was supposed to be the friend's trip of a lifetime. It was supposed to be you, Lino, Eve, and the finest black man in the world, Blake Marshall. Your man in your head and your heart, which makes sense given how you had always wanted him for years.  

He is pure chocolate perfection in human form. No man can touch him in the looks department, not even Adonis himself. All alone in Big Bear.  It would be perfect.  That's what it was supposed to be. 

But it wasn't.

Because Blake has a girlfriend.  And you're sitting here like "Where the hell did this spicy YT come from?" Ugh!  She's killing the whole vibe of your trip. And the fact her name is Rebecca?  If only the gods could take you now.

Becky with the straw hair has been doing everything she can to make you jealous. And sadly, it's starting to work. Every day that you've been at the resort she's had her mayo-flavored hands all over him and it's gotten harder and harder to resist the urge to bash her skull in.

She was always giggling at jokes she never heard before, speaking with ebonics she had never grown up with, and wearing trends that she had never made.

The lack of authenticity was becoming too much.  Not just because of her, but because he acts so oblivious. Like he doesn't see you standing in front of him, ready to give him everything he wants and desires. 

You know he's not in love with her and he knows he's not in love with her. And yet here we are. You have to watch them together and it's making you sick. There is no way this fine specimen of a man should be with any woman who wasn't you.

It's frustrating as all Hell. But hey, you're a Scorpio - an October Scorpio, which means you know how to use others' emotions to your advantage.

Enter Sky, your latest chess piece.

It was half serendipity and half he nearly capsized you and your friends with his huge yacht while all of you were out on the lake.  To make up for it he invited you all onto the yacht and immediately flirted with you.  And you wouldn't have cared for Sky until you caught a glance at Blake's face. 

He was jealous and failed at hiding it, which made you giddy. He clearly didn't like you talking to Sky, and you liked that.  

How dare you give attention to any man other than him? You were his. The one little starving rabbit only he could dangle a carrot in front of. That little smile on your face? Only meant for him. The way you tucked your hair behind your ear? You only did that for him. 

Well, not today. Today, you are gonna have some fun at his expense. After all, all's fair in love and war, right? 

Sky might not have been the finest man in the world, but since being around him was making Blake miserable, you could fuck him with your eyes closed. You spent that whole afternoon with Sky. You didn't know which was better - Blake being jealous or the fact he was actively ignoring little miss spicy white to focus on your conversation with Sky. When Sky absentmindedly put his hand on your thigh you spared a look at Blake, and he looked sick to his stomach. You couldn't help but smile to yourself. 

You were coming out of the lower deck bathroom when you ran smack into Blake.

"So, you and Sky huh?" he asked with an eyebrow raised. 

You roll your eyes at him, "Hello to you too, Blake."  Goddamn, he looks amazing. 

"You didn't answer my question."

"We're just talking," you reply. 

"Y'know he does have other guests and his friends."

"I'm not forcing him to talk to me, Blake. But gee thanks for accusing me of doing something that I'm not." you snap at him. 

His features soften. 

"Okay, I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to offend you."

You smirk at him.

"Don't let it happen again, Marshall."

Blake shook his head and flashed that pretty smile as he leaned against the door frame. 

"He's not your type you know," Blake said to you.

"Excuse me?" you ask.

"Sky. He's not your type," he replies, doubling down.  Fuck, his boldness was sexy.

"And how would you know?" you ask.

"Because I know you. And I know that you want and deserve someone who will treat you right. Someone who will care for and about you. And Sky isn't that guy." he replies. 

"What are you saying, Blake?"

"I'm saying that you have a type. And Sky isn't your type."

He's not wrong. But you can't exactly tell him he's right either.

"And you think you know my type?" you ask, smirking up at him. 

Blake leaned in closer tilting your chin up so you're looking into those pretty brown eyes. 

"Of course. You're an amazing woman. You deserve the world. You deserve someone who will treat you like a Queen. Someone who would care for you. Someone who would realize how delicate you are. Someone who would be gentle with your heart. Someone who would always tend to your every want, need, and desire. Sure he's gotta be aesthetically pleasing to you. But he'd have to realize and know how lucky he is to have you in his life. Like I always have." he replied.

It is taking every bit of restraint in you to not drag him into that tiny bathroom and have your way with him.

"You feel lucky to have me in your life?" you ask.

"Yes Y/N I'll always be thankful to have you in my life," he replies.

"But not in your bed...," you think.

"I know. And I'm thankful for you too," you say to him.

Just when you think he's going to say more, laughter from above deck startles you both. He steps back and smiles at you sheepishly.

"We should uh...get back above deck," he says to you.

"Yeah. Let's go," you say back.

You let him go up first before taking a deep breath and then joining others above deck. That's when Sky pulled you aside. 

"Hey Y/N. Are you busy tomorrow?" he asked.

"No, I'm not. Why?" you replied.

"Whaddaya say we go out on a date?"

And before you can answer, Blake pipes up.

"What's this now?" he asked.

"Oh! I just asked Y/N if she'd like to go out on a date with me." Sky replies.

"You did?" Blake asks him.

"Yeah, he did. I was just about to give him an answer when you two walked up," you reply.

"You know I think it would be nice for Y/N and Sky to go out. It'll give the rest of us a chance to spend some time together." little miss spicy YT chimes in with a smirk.

Bitch, nobody asked you.

"You know what babe? You're right. It would be nice for them to go out. As long as they don't mind us tagging along." Blake agrees with her. 

You watched the smirk on her face fall.

"Us?" she asked him.

"Yeah. I'm Y/N's wingman. I can't let her go on a date by herself." Blake replies.

"That's a great idea! I'm down for a double date. If that's alright with you Y/N." Sky added.

They all look at you and you shrug helplessly.

"Sure. I'm good with it." 

"Awesome! We can't wait. Right, babe?" Blake asks Becky.

"Yeah...great," she replies.

You never thought you'd wind up in a situation where Blake would be jealous and it would work in your favor but here you are. On a double date with Sky, Blake, and Becky with the straw hair. You rode horses up a trail that Sky had been on dozens of times. You played it up like you were hanging off his every word. 

Occasionally you looked over to see Blake stone-faced as his little plaything droned on and on about whatever and nothing. It was eating him alive to watch you enjoy Sky and you loved it. The date, while severely awkward at times, was decent. Sky is a great guy, but Blake was right. He's not your type. 

"So what's the deal with you and Blake?" Sky asks you, catching you off guard.

"Nothing. We're just friends," you reply.

Sky chuckled. 

"Friends don't jealously demand to go on an awkward double date."

You winced. 

"That obvious?" you ask.

"It was obvious yesterday. It was just painful today," he replies.

You shake your head. 

"I'm sorry Sky. You're a great guy. It's just..." you trail off.

"No need to apologize. I get it."

"And please don't think I was trying to use you. I did have fun with you. Lost horse, picnic, and all."

"It was a pleasure. And for what it's worth if he can't see what he has with you then he's not only blind but he's an idiot. Any man would kill for a woman like you."

You felt the heat under your cheeks.

"Even you?" you ask.

"Most definitely. Matter of fact my friends and I are going to a bonfire up the road Friday. I'd love for you to go with me." he replies.

"Can my friends come?" you ask.

"Of course, even them," he replies nodding towards Blake and Rebecca.

"We'll be there." 

"Good," he says to you, "and for what it's worth I hope you get your man. But in the meantime, since your goal is to make him jealous, I know the part to play."

You regard him in a whole new light right before he helps you dismount. There's a look of trouble in his eye. Perhaps a fellow Scorpio-in-crime can be useful.

"I'll see you Friday, Y/N," he says as he hands you a small piece of paper with his number on it. 

You kiss him on the cheek right in front of Blake as you hand him your number. 

"See you Friday, Sky."

You watch him take the horses back to the stables and suddenly feel a little warm. And for the first in your life, that warmth didn't come from being around your future husband. As you walk back into the resort with Blake and Becky, Lino comes running up to the three of you. 

"Well?! How was it?" Lino asked.

"Oh, it was gre—" Becky started to reply before Lino cut her off, "not you! I was talking to Y/N!"

You snickered to yourself.

"I had a good time. Sky is a great guy. Oh! And he invited us to this bonfire Friday." you reply.

"He did?" Blake asks.

"Yeah, well he initially invited me and I asked if my friends could come," you reply.

"That's a great idea! Nothing like drinking and bonfire marshmallows to bring the gang together!" Lino piped up, "Right Blake?"

"Yeah. It's a wonderful idea." Blake deadpanned.

The envy in his tone made you hot inside. He is going to pay for flaunting his little friend in your face. 

"Well, we should all rest up for Friday.  The bonfire is gonna be fun and most of us need our beauty sleep," you comment, your eye briefly drifting over to Becky.

"You mean all of us, right?"  Becky asked.

"Right. My apologies," you say in the same sugary sweet tone.

__

Friday could not have come fast enough.

Your dress had already been picked; a bodycon in canary yellow, which bounced nicely on your brown skin. It hugged your body and accentuated all your curves. None more than the curves of your breasts. It paid to not wear a bra with this dress. With your hair in a slicked-back ponytail, and one final check of your makeup and jewelry. You slipped your wedges on and were out the door and down the hall to meet the others. 

Blake looked fine as fuck. He had that cheap ass watch Becky brought him on his wrist, but it was offset by the crisp white shirt, black jeans, and Nike sneakers he had on. He had those beautiful dreads pulled back and made you weak in the knees. And he smelled delicious thanks to that Gucci cologne you bought him for Christmas last year. 

Becky tried to copy you but couldn't. Her bodycon dress was red, and not a sexy wine red. She looked like a melted cherry slushy.  

"Hey girl," Becky greeted, exaggerated blaccent on full display.  "Hi," you said with a fake smile as she hugged you.

"You look so good. I love your weave too."

It took everything in you not to snatch that fake hair piece off her head. She knows good and damn well you are not wearing a weave. 

"Thanks, boo. Yours looks nice too."

She smiled and you almost felt blinded by the fake gold chain around her neck.

That silver on her tooth didn't help either. That fucking cap could help planes land.

"We ready to go?"  Blake asked.

"Oh yeah, baby," Becky responds, linking his arm with hers, "You know I'm always ready to go wit' you."

If Lino wasn't standing beside you holding onto your arm, you would've shanked the bitch. She was working your last goddamn nerve. 

As you all headed to the bonfire, Blake stared at your ass. Even with Blaccent Barbie next to him, he couldn't help watching the way your ass moved in that dress.

___

The bonfire was lovely, as expected. The setting sun made the burning embers look like a stock photo, the food, the wine, the music. It was all so relaxing and fun.  

"Don't you look beautiful?"  Sky greets you, pulling you to him and kissing your cheek.

"You look mighty fine too," you replied.

"I do clean up good," Sky responded, showing off his red shirt and shorts,  "Your friends look good too. I'm glad you all could make it."

"Thanks for inviting us. Now if you lot will excuse me! The fire pit is calling my name!" Lino says before disappearing into the crowd. 

"And while he's off to roast marshmallows, I'm going to drink. Toodles!" Eve says before heading to the makeshift bar.

You look over at Blake and Ms. Milk of Magnesia as they go get snacks.

"Stop looking so desperate," Sky whispers to you.

"They're all over each other," you sigh, "My plan isn't working."

"That's because you're acting interested and Blake can smell it. Men don't appreciate women when they're sweet. They want the bitches."

You nod as you finally tear your eyes away from them.

"Dance with me."

"What?" 

He holds you closer, pressing your body flush to his.

"Dance with me."

The look in his eyes is kinda hot. You nod and he leads you to the dance floor. 

"Carlos! Play a little bachata!" Sky called out to his friend behind the DJ booth.

"Sky, I don't know how to dance bachata."

"Just follow my lead."

The music changed and the bodies around them started to sway. You were surprised at how well Sky knew how to dance. His movements were fluid and his hips definitely do not lie. You two took over the dance floor. His hand on your right hip was warm and slightly intoxicating. 

"Feel better?"

"Yes."

"Good."

He spun you around so your back was flush to his chest and his arms were around you. When you looked up, Blake was looking at you as he danced with his walking jar of mayo. Your feet started to hurt so you and Sky took a break and grabbed something to drink.

"You are full of surprises, Sky. Where did you learn to dance like that?" 

"Gracias, mami.  Mi Abuela would be mortified if I didn't know how to dance to Bachata."

"You're Latino?" 

"Afro-Latino actually. My mamí is Black and my Papí is Dominican."

"Curiouser and curiouser."

He snorted. 

"My dad wanted me to grow up knowing both sides of where I come from. I've never felt ashamed of being biracial.  It is a part of me, just as perfection is a part of you."

"Stop before you make me blush."

"I'll do a lot more than that if you'll let me."

Just as you were about to answer, here comes your husband and his mangy Chihuahua.

"Well, you got off the dance floor quick."

Why does her voice sound like nails on a chalkboard?

"Needed a break and a drink." Sky replies.

"Nice moves there, Sky," Blake pipes up.

"Thanks, man. Stick around and I might teach you a few more."

You had to hide your smirk behind your glass.

"Don't mind him, babe. I think you dance divinely." 

"I think I'm good but thanks anyway, Sky."

Sky shrugged. 

"Suit yourself."

"Hey babe. Let's go grab a bite to eat."

"Okay."

They left just as you finished your wine. 

Sky snickered slightly and you playfully glared at him, "That was naughty."

"Me? Naughty? I was simply being polite," Sky purred with a shit-eating grin.

"You're such a Scorpio."

"Takes one to know one, baby."

You smirked as he sipped his drink, "So, what do you wanna do now?"

Sky smirked and looked around, "Watching all these people shake their ass around a fire...mixed with all these drinks, and then seeing you in that dress...I think you know what I wanna do."

"Do tell."

He leans in so close that you can smell the alcohol on his breath. 

"There's a waterfall not too far from here. Maybe after the party winds down I can show it to you."

You give him a Cheshire Cat grin.

"I'd love that."

"Good. In the meantime, care for another dance?"

You take his hand and head back to the dance floor. After several rounds of dancing and drinking, you were buzzed. Throughout the dancing, you swear you can feel his lips on your neck. As the night wound down you weren't sure if it was the moonlight on his skin or the alcohol in your system, but Sky was starting to look almost as fine as your man.

"You ready to go?" he whispered in your ear.

"Lead the way." 

You slip one hand in his and carry your shoes in the other. He led you deep into the woods. You were unaware that you were being followed by Blake. After convincing Lino and Eve to take the mayo jar back to the resort, he took off after you and Sky. He wanted to make sure you were safe. It's not that he doesn't trust you. Because of his jealousy, he doesn't trust Sky. 

You and Sky were giggling and chatting all the way down the moonlit path. When you got to the waterfall you were in awe. It was breathtaking. Sky softly wrapped his arms around your waist. 

"Beautiful."

He nuzzled your neck.

"Yes, you are."

You turned around in his arms to look into his eyes. The lustful look he gave you sent chills down your spine.

"I love this dress on you, mamí. But I've been dying to get you out of it," he whispered in your ear. His low husky voice made you bite your bottom lip. 

"Then take it off, Papí," you whisper back. Your tone matched his. 

"Como desées," he said to you before capturing your lips. 

Much to your surprise his lips were soft. His hands went from your hips to squeezing and palming your ass through your dress. This is what you craved. You wanted and craved attention. And although he might not be your man, Sky is willing to give you the attention you deserve. With his lips still on yours he walked you back toward the side of the waterfall. 

With the waterfall roaring beside you, you both grabbed at each other's clothes. Desperate to feel the heat of each other's skin. Sky yanked your dress off, freeing your breasts and exposing your nipples to the cool air. Sky looked down and marveled at you.

"Tan Hermosa mamí." he whispered before taking your right nipple into his mouth. 

While his mouth worked your right nipple, he used his left hand to play with your left breast. You arched your back off the stone behind you. The sensation of his warm mouth and the cool mist of the waterfall was sending you. When he finally pulled your panties down you were in heaven. 

You thought it was the daze you were in. Because you swore you could make out the shape of something moving just behind the trees. When your eyes finally adjusted that's when you saw Blake. 

"Sky wait. Blake is here," you manage to breathe out.

Sky stopped.

"You serious?"

"I don't think he realizes that I saw him."

"He wants to see you so let him. Let him watch what I do to you, and what he's missing." 

The tone in Sky's voice was all the confirmation you needed, and with shocked enthusiasm, you nodded.

"Now if you'll excuse me. I wasn't finished."

With his left hand around your neck to keep you in place, Sky went back to what he was doing. He kissed down your stomach, letting his tongue swirl and play with your belly button piercing. 

When he got to the top of your panty line, he stuck his thumb in his mouth before slipping it between your thighs and putting it directly on your throbbing clit. He rubbed your clit in small circles. Driving you crazy. Whimpering for more.

"Please..." you pleaded. 

He nursed your breast as he slowly rubbed your clit. You were on such a high you forgot Blake was watching you and Sky. He pulled his thumb away from you and held two fingers to your lips. 

"Suck. Now." 

You took his fingers into your mouth. Greedily sucking and licking until they were drenched with your saliva. He pulled his fingers from your mouth just to rub them along your wet entrance. You felt him plunge his fingers inside you. 

"Yessssssss!!" you cried out. 

He wrapped his right hand around your neck and squeezed as his fingers worked you over. He was quenching your thirst yet you still felt dehydrated. While Blake is your endgame, even you had to admit that Sky was pretty good in the meantime. He knew how to take care of you. 

You dug your fingernails into the rocks behind you trying to ride the building orgasmic wave. 

"Sky..." 

"Sí, así es mi amor. Tell me what you want," he whispered in your ear.

"I...want your mouth. I want you to taste me." you breathed out.

"Con gusto mami."

He trailed open-mouth kisses down the length of your body. With a wink, he threw your legs over his shoulders and feasted. With one hand braced on the rocks behind you and the other behind his head, you braced yourself.

He used his tongue to open your very slick folds to him. When his mouth found your clit it was like heaven had opened up to you. He felt good. So good. He was licking and sucking like a panther in heat. 

He drove his tongue inside you causing you to nearly fall apart. You grabbed his head and smothered his face with your pussy. This went on for what seemed like forever. And just as you were about to hit your peak he stopped.

"No! Please!" you plead. 

"Paciencia mami. obtendrás lo que quieres."

He continued to lap at you. Tasting, licking, and sucking on your most sensitive parts. It was becoming too much. 

"Oh God! I can't stand it anymore! I want you inside me! I need you inside me!" you begged. 

Hearing you beg damn near made him lose it.

"Not yet mamí. Not until I feel those pretty lips wrapped around my dick," he responded.

You can't believe this. You were about to cum and now you have to hold it to suck him off. 

He let you go and you slid to the ground before you swallowed his dick whole. He closed his eyes and slowly exhaled. He looked down and watched you suck him off. And off in the distance so did Blake.

To Sky you were intoxicating. He loved watching you swirl your tongue around his dick. Slowly going from tip to base and base to tip. Your mouth was warm, soft, and wet. 

You made sure not to neglect his balls. He watched them go in and out of your pretty mouth. When he looked over to the tree line, he saw Blake anchored in place watching you two. When he looked down to see your head bobbing back and forth his lips formed a wicked smirk. 

"Look at me mamí. I wanna see that pretty face and those pretty eyes as you suck me off." he moaned. 

Once you made eye contact with him he nearly lost it.

"Sí mami así. Keep your eyes on me." 

His voice was husky and shuddering. 

"Oh Fuck! Fuck yes! Mamí! Just like that! Show me who you are! ¡Dios esto se siente tan bien!"

Hearing him speak to you in Spanish was kinda hot. Just imagine how hot it will be when Blake finds out you're a throat goat. 

Sky was about to lose it but he knew he wanted to take you right in front of Blake. So just before he was about to cum he pulled out of your mouth. He grabbed the condom out of his pocket and bent you over the boulder next to you. He nodded to Blake with a teasing smirk, before he rammed his dick into your waiting pussy. You shrieked as he began banging you out. 

Good God this man was giving it to you so good he made your future husband's blood boil. 

Blake couldn't stand the thought of another man having his hands all over you. Especially like this. But what could he do? He has an obligation to his girlfriend. You don't. You were barely hanging on as Sky willingly gave you everything that you wanted and craved, everything Blake never gave you. 

Sky latched onto your hips for dear life as he took your hungry pussy. You were in heaven as was he. 

"Sí mami así. Take this dick! Take! Me!" he said to you through gritted teeth.

He would fill you up. Letting you feel him throbbing inside before pulling out and slamming himself back in. Over and over again. He was hitting your spot with precision. Your hair was stuck to your back thanks to the spraying from the waterfall.

"Yes! Give it to me! Fuck me! I need this! I need you!" you scream. 

Blake ruBbed harder, imagining it was him between your legs.

You clawed at the boulder underneath you. Desperate to feel Sky swallow you whole. 

"Sí asi es mi amor. You feel so good. You're so tight! ¡Tómalo mi amor!" 

Hearing the way he spoke to you as he took you continued to make Blake's stomach twist. But he couldn't stop watching. Sky was just about there, and so were you.

"Mi amor estoy tan cerca. I can't hold on much longer!" he said through gritted teeth. He wasn't the only one. 

You were at your peak. You just needed that little pu0sh. He pulled you close so that your back was flush with his chest. He got a good firm grip on your breasts and his mouth was attached to the crook of your neck as he pumped into you a few good times. When he thrust into you one last time and that was all she wrote for the two of you. Your eyes glazed over like a Krispy Kreme Doughnut as you gave into your shattering orgasm. With Sky not too far behind you. 

As you came down from your delicious climax you looked over to see if Blake was still there and he wasn't. You started to wonder how much Blake saw and what he thought. You didn't wonder for long thanks to Sky breaking your thoughts as he pulled you close to him.

"Well that was fun." he breathed out.

"Definitely. You have made quite the impression sir."

He placed featherlight kisses on your neck.

"Gracias mami. I always aim to please."

"If that's the case why are you single?" you ask.

"I could ask you the same question." 

"Touche."

He noticed you shivering so rubbed on the inside of your thighs to create some warmth.

"Ooh! If you don't stop," you warned him playfully.

"¿Te gusta esa mamí?" he whispered in your ear.

"I will have you know that my Spanish is horrible."

He chuckled before nibbling on your neck.

"Do you like that?" 

"Very much so."

"Good. Now it's getting late. And we should get back to the resort."

"Okay." 

The two of you slipped on your damp clothes and then walked back to Sky's truck and headed back to the resort.

–—

The next morning dawned bright and early as you made your way to the breakfast buffet. You grabbed two plates and had just finished filling them up when Blake and Tartar Sauce walked up.

"Well, you have a little pep in your step," it says to you.

"Well yeah. I had a great time with Sky last night."

"Oh? And what did the two of you do?"

"He took me to a secret waterfall near the bonfire. It was so pretty."

You noticed that Blake was decidedly quiet.

"And what did you two last night, Marshall?" 

"Nothing. We came back and went to bed."

Liar.  But you'll be nice and not expose him for now.

"That's a lot of food for one person. Are you really gonna eat all that?" Tartar Sauce asks.

"Oh!  Only one of these plates is mine. The other is for Sky."

Yours was piled high with waffles, strawberries and bacon on the side.  Sky's had french toast, eggs and ham.

That caught your hubby's attention.

"Wait! He's here?" he asks. 

"Yeah. We got in pretty late last night and I didn't want him walking back to his room in the dark, so I told him he could stay with me." 

Though he tried, Blake once again failed at hiding the look of jealousy on his face.

"Well, I have a breakfast delivery to make. You two have a good one," you say as you grab some apple and orange juice then head back to your room. 

As you walked away, you could feel Blake's eyes staring holes into your ass. 

You purposely spent the whole day with Sky. Flaunting it in Blake's face the same way he'd been flaunting Tartar Sauce in yours. Going on the resort zipline, playing court volleyball, learning and failing to play cricket, and so much more all while Blake watched helplessly. Occasionally you would wave or wink at him. You were teasing him and it was working. 

That night you were getting ready for a midnight swim that Sky had planned. You were just about to get dressed when there was a knock on the door. It was Blake.

"Hey. You got a minute?" he asks.

You nod before letting him in. He is looking scrumptious. But you can't let yourself get distracted. Not yet. He sits down on your bed before looking at you in your robe.

"What's with the robe?" 

"Going swimming."

"I thought the pool closed at 9:30 every night."

"It does." you say as you grab your lotion bottle, "but Sky called in a favor with the owner and we're going on a late-night swim."

Blake made a face and you caught it. 

"What was that?"

"What was what?"

"Your face."

"What about my face?"

He's trying to work your nerves. Like he always does.

"You made a face! Now why did you make a face?"

"I didn't make a face."

"Yes, you did. You made a face when I said Sky and I are going swimming."

He sighs.

"What do you know about this guy anyway?" 

You look at him sideways.

"Why do you care?"

"Just answer the question Y/N."

No, he didn't.

"Well for starters I know he has a big family," you say as you start putting on lotion.

Blake watches you intently as you slowly massage your lotion into your skin. Especially your legs.

"How big?"

"Bigger than both of ours. His mom's name is Priscilla, and his dad's name is Alphonso. His last name is Fernandez. He has an older brother named AJ. And he is a twin. And he has two twin little sisters."

"He's a twin?"

"Yeah. Sky is actually his nickname. His real name is Ezra and his twin's name is Issac. And his sisters' names are Ashley and Erica."

"Is that all?"

"Nope. His dad is the Fire Chief of Santa Clarita County. And his mom is a pediatrician. His older brother AJ is a senior analytics executive at Google. His twin owns an architecture firm in San Diego. And his sisters own a bakery together in Seattle. Oh! And you two share the same birthday."

"WHAT?!"

"Yup. You and Sky share the same birthday of 11/12."

"Nope! Nope! Nope! Dealbreaker! You are only allowed ONE November Scorpio in your life and that's me."

"You're so possessive."

"Of course I am! It's MY birthday!"

Blake groans before laying back on your bed you took advantage of the situation and straddled him. He looked up at you through his fingers. 

"Poor Marshall! Doesn't like sharing his birthday." you teased. You weren't quite sure but you could've sworn you felt a rise in his jeans.

He huffs.

"So you learned all that about him today?" 

He's avoiding the CLEARLY oversized elephant in the room.

"Yes. He's a great guy. Fun to be around." 

"Even though he's not your type?"

"Why are you so obsessed with who or what my type is?"

"Because I need to know that he can be trusted." 

"With all due respect Marshall, that's not your job."

"Yes, it is. I look out for you and you look out for me. Like always."

"You have a girlfriend Blake. If I want to see as many guys as possible then that's what I'm gonna do. So why do you care what I'm doing?"

"Do you like him?" 

"Like" is a strong word. We're just having fun, that's all." 

Blake sat up on his elbows with an eyebrow raised.

"So is Stars the one?"

What is with this line of questioning? 

"First off, his name is Sky. And second, I don't know. Why?"

"Call me curious."

"You mean nosy."

"I'm not being nosy Y/N. I'm being vigilant."

"But why?"

"Because I don't want you to wind up in another bad relationship."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!"

"I'm not trying to go through another Derek situation with you."

"Excuse me?"

"Don't take this the wrong way but you don't have the best track record when it comes to men and dating." 

You stare at him in shock.

"Are you fucking serious?!"

"I'm sorry. That didn't come out right."

You scoff as you climb off of him.

"No, it came out perfectly clear. I can't believe you would throw that in my face!"

"I didn't mean it like that, Y/N."

"You know what?! Get out! Just go!"

"Y/N wait please!" 

"No! Get out! Since you think you're so fucking funny! Get! Out!"

He got up off your bed and gently grabbed your right elbow to stop you.

"Let go, Blake!"

"Please wait!"

"I said let go!" 

"Y/N I'm sorry. I swear I didn't bring it up to hurt you."

You just stood still. Hurt, angry, and resisting the urge to turn around and kiss him. That's when he wrapped those strong arms around your waist. When you felt his beard on your shoulder, you wanted to die in his arms.

This man was toying with you. And what's worse is you were letting him. You felt his arms tighten around you. You closed your eyes in hopes that it would stop your pounding heart. 

"Are you still mad at me?"

"Yes. I can't believe you."

"Again I didn't mention him to hurt you. I swear. I mentioned him to make a point."

You scoffed. 

"And what point is that?"

He took a deep breath.

"You have a tendency to listen to and lead with your heart. And I've seen firsthand what that can do to you. Derek is proof of that."

"You're comparing apples to oranges. Sky isn't anything like Derek."

"Maybe, maybe not. But you don't know that much about him. And I'm not trying to see you get hurt again."

"Whether or not I get hurt is my lesson to learn. Not yours. I get it you were there. You and Lino helped me move out of his place and move on from him and I am and always will be thankful to you for that. But it doesn't give you the right to throw one of the worst times of my life in my face."

"You're right. And again I'm sorry. I just wanted to make a point. That's all."

"Point painfully taken and noted."

He nuzzled your shoulder as he held you closer.

"How can I make sure that my #1 girl isn't mad at me anymore?"

"I thought your mom was your #1 girl."

"Okay how can I make sure my #1b girl isn't mad at me anymore?" 

You shook your head with a small smile.

"You're a mess."

"Messy messy me." he sings off-key.

Whether or not you wanted to admit it, you enjoyed this. You enjoyed being in his arms. 

"Still mad?"

One thing about Blake Marshall, he was relentless.

"No, not anymore."

"Finally! I got scared that I would have to serenade you."

You snorted.

"There is something you can do for me."

"Name it."

"Put lotion on my back?"

Blake grabbed your lotion bottle before gesturing to you to lie down on your bed. You laid down on your stomach and then felt his strong hands going up and down your back. Massaging in the lotion. It felt so good to feel his hands on you. You let out a small moan. You couldn't help it. His hands are blessed with magic.

Thankfully, Blake didn't hear you. Or at least you hoped he didn't. When he was done, all you wanted to do was fuck him in your bed.

"And done!"

"Thank you. Now beat it. I have to finish getting ready. I will meet Sky in a few."

"Just be careful Y/N. Can you do that for me?"

"Yes, dad. I'll be careful. Now go."

He shook his head and smiled softly at you before he left. This game of cat and mouse is starting to make him crack. And it was delicious to watch. 

You finished getting ready and then headed to the lobby. When you got there Sky and Blake were talking while Lino was on the phone with Felicia. The men stopped when you walked up. 

And you couldn't quite see it but you could've sworn that both guys were drooling over what you had on. You had on a military green one-piece with cutouts in all the right places, a white see-through top, and dark denim booty shorts. 

Sky was the first to speak.

"¡Ay dios mío! Te ves hermosa mamí," he says as he goes in for a hug.

"I do believe I've told you that my Spanish is hilariously bad."

"You look beautiful."

"Yeah, you do clean up nice." Blake pipes up. 

You smirked. 

"Well thank you both. I appreciate it."

Lino noticed how flirty you were being with Sky and decided to play along. 

"Since we're in a resort, why don't you two lovebirds get a room? I heard they're quite reasonable here."

You shook your head at him as Sky slipped his hand into yours.

"You ready?"

"Yeah. Let's go."

"You two have a good night," Sky said to the boys before the two of you walked outside. Blake stood there with his jaw set as he watched and Lino noticed. 

"Look at our girl Blake. She's all grown up and going on midnight rendezvous with guys. Isn't it romantic?" 

"Yeah totally romantic," Blake replied flatly.

"What's wrong with you?" 

"Nothing."

"You sure? Because it sounds like something."

"Can you just drop it, Lino?"

Lino looked at him. 

"Do my eyes and ears deceive me or is Blake Marshall jealous?" 

"I'm not jealous, Lino."

"You sure? Because you look pretty salty from where I'm standing."

Blake ran a hand down his face. 

"I don't trust him," he admitted. 

"Why?"

"We don't know anything about him!"

Lino snickers to himself.

"Awwww! Poor Blake! You're jealous! Which is kinda ironic considering Y/N is single and you're not." 

That stung. 

"I don't have to be single to care about her."

"Uh huh."

"He's not even her type Lino!"

"And why do YOU care what her type is?"

"Because."

"Because what?" Lino asks.

Blake sighed. 

"I might've screwed up."

"What did you do?" Lino asked before he took a swig from his water bottle.

"I mentioned Derek."

Lino choked and sputtered. 

"YOU DID WHAT?!"

"I wasn't trying to be mean I swear! I was just trying to make a point."

"By mentioning Dickhead of The Decade? What is wrong with you?!"

"You know how she is when she starts to fall for someone. I'm not trying to see her get her hopes up."

"While I understand that, I'm still trying to figure out why you would mention Derek of all people." 

"She doesn't exactly have the greatest track record in men."

"So you thought it was a good idea to remind her of that?"

Lino shook his head.

"I don't know why she didn't but if it were me I would've decked you."

"And I probably would've deserved it."

"Deserved what?" Eve asked as she walked up.

"Becky asleep?" Blake replies.

"Yup. She dozed off halfway through the movie. Now what is it you would've deserved?"

"Boy scout over here thought it was a good idea to tell Y/N that she has a horrible taste in men by reminding her of Derek. Aka Dickhead of The Decade!" Lino complained. 

"Blake you didn't!"

"I wasn't trying to be cruel!" Blake replies with his eyes closed.

"I don't know mentioning her ex from hell sounds pretty cruel to me." 

"Thank you!" Lino pipes up.

"Alright! I get it! I screwed up! You two don't have to keep piling on." 

"No, you fucked up Blake. And you need to fix it." Eve said to him.

Blake sighed. 

"After all of this, I need a drink. Eve you coming?" Lino asked.

"Right behind you," she replied.

Blake watched them head to the bar before looking toward the doors leading to the pool. He had to make sure you were okay. And he had to see whether or not Sky had his hands all over you.

—–

Swimming with Sky was a lot more fun than you thought it would be. Halfway down the path to the pool, Sky pulled out a blindfold and blindfolded you. Saying that he had a surprise to show you. When you got to the pool he took your blindfold off and took your breath away. 

There were rose petals and candles everywhere. It was sweet, romantic, and beautiful.

"Did you do all this?" you ask.

"I did. With a little help from your friends."

"Eve and Lino helped you?"

"Not in the way you may be thinking. I asked them what you like and they told me that you're sort of a hopeless romantic. So I went out and bought a few dozen roses and some candles. I hope you like it."

"I love it. Thank you."

"Look, I know why we're doing this. I know it's to make your man jealous but I was serious when I said any man would kill for a woman like you."

You couldn't help the blush on your cheeks. 

"Thank you. You're not so bad yourself cowboy."

"I know we have parts to play but who said we couldn't have a little fun?"

You smile at him before kissing him softly. 

"True. So wanna go for a swim? The water is warm."

"Let's go."

You two stripped down to your swimwear and jumped into the pool. It was refreshing to not have to think about Blake and his walking poor life choice. It was even more refreshing to have someone treat you the way you deserve. You two spent several minutes splashing, racing, and generally horsing around in the pool. After about an hour you were starting to get cold, so you two took a break and stretched out on a chaise lounge, and looked up at the stars. 

"This was everything. Thank you so much."

He kissed the knuckle of your right hand. 

"You're welcome. I just wanted to do something special for you."

"I appreciate it. It's nice to be wanted by someone."

"As you should be."

Sky trailed light kisses from the palm of your right hand to your wrist, up your forearm to your shoulder, and then your neck. 

"You're gonna have to stop."

"¿Por qué mami?" he whispered against your neck.

"Because I'm starting to get used to it. We're supposed to be playing our parts."

"Entonces juguemos."

"You're so giving me a Spanish lesson."

"Gladly mamí."

Sky tangled his left hand in your hair and pulled your head back and slid his tongue in your mouth. This is what you should be doing with Blake but in the meantime, there's Sky. He slid his right hand into your swimsuit cupping your breast and rubbing your nipple in circles. The sensation was enough to drive you up a wall. 

Sky kissed and sucked on your neck as he undid the top of your swimsuit. With your breasts free, Sky was able to massage and play with them much to Blake's chagrin. 

"Te quiero mami. Dame lo que necesito." 

Yup. You were definitely gonna make Blake take Spanish lessons. Because hearing it whispered in your ear is doing it for you.

You wanted him to devour you. To just gobble you up. You were getting impatient so you hurriedly took off your swimsuit and he tossed his swim trunks before having you straddle him. This gave Blake a very clear view of your very bare ass. 

"Habla mami. Tell me what you want."

"I want you to taste me."

He nibbled on your chin before going to your neck as his hands roamed your body. He slid his hands to your thighs. Massaging them open then sliding his hands in between. It didn't take him long to find your aching clit. You loved the way he played with you.

"You're so soft for me mamí."

"Must've been all that swimming."

You let out a sound that was half gasp half moan as you felt his fingers slip inside you.

"Grind on my hand mamí. Let me feel you."

Feeling his fingers move inside you, gave you all the motivation that you needed to move. This feeling was deliriously intoxicating. You wrapped your arms around his neck as you rode his fingers.

"Así es mami solo así."

Your moans started to get louder as your orgasm began to build. You could feel your muscles contract and release around his fingers. Bouncing and grinding against him building friction.

"Yes! Yes! Yes! You feel so good!"

"Take it! Tell me that you want it!"

"I want it Papí! I need it!"

Sky pumped his fingers inside of you a few more times then shoved them so deep that it sent your orgasm over the edge and you screamed. Flooding his hand. He slowly removed his hand from between your legs. He smiled wickedly at you. 

"Suck. Now!" 

He wanted to watch you taste yourself. You look him directly in the eye while you slowly lick and suck your own juices off of his fingers. 

"Fuck you are so beautiful when you do that."

He had a glint in his eyes. Half trouble half fun.

"I want you to sit on my face."

A slow smirk bloomed on your face. 

"You serious?"

"Heart attack."

You smiled wickedly at each other as he watched you stand up, he laid down, and you sat directly on his face. Your jaw fell open as you made contact with his tongue. You dug your nails into his chest and arched your back as he ferociously ate you out. 

"Oh shit! Fuck! You feel so good!" you moaned completely oblivious to your surroundings. You had no idea you were being watched. 

This was the second time Blake watched you and Sky together. And Blake was so ashamed of how hot the sex between you two was; even more of how aroused he was to watch you in the throws of passion.

With shuddered breath, he took his excitement out of his jeans and started feverishly rubbing.

You rode Sky's face like a jockey on a horse. Moving your hips and grinding into him as you buried his face in your pussy and lost yourself in the pleasure. He was doing exactly what you needed him to do. Your eyes rolled back, you shuddered, and your body shook as your second orgasm tore through you.

You got off him and noticed the satisfied smirk on his face. 

"God you taste so good."

"Thank you, Papí."

You noticed that Sky was hard as a rock. That's what you wanted. 

"Well someone is happy to see me."

Sky sat up slightly holding his dick.

"Siempre mami. Come get a taste."

He guided you to lay down on the lounge chair. So that your head was hanging of the edge. He ran his swollen head across your lips before slipping it inside your mouth. With his hands around the back of your head, he began to fuck your face. He looks ves the feeling of your mouth. It's wet, warm, and inviting. He watched your head bob up and down on his shaft in a haze. He was in heaven. Hearing the disgusting yet sexy sounds that cane from your mouth made him giddy. 

"¡Si asi es mi amor! Suck this dick!" 

Feeling his hips move was a high for you. His moans were music to your ears. 

"You feel so good mamí! Give me your mouth! Give me your throat!"

In this moment being slutted out was what you needed, wanted, and craved. Nearly choking, eye-watering, and saliva dribbling down made you feel more alive than ever.

When he shoved his dick deep into your mouth one last time, he unloaded his warm seed down your throat. When he pulled out of your mouth thoroughly satisfied. 

"¡Ay mami! ¡Eres tan buena!" he said while catching his breath.

You licked your lips just as satisfied as he was.

"Now what am I gonna do with you?" you purred.

"Whatever you want. I am yours."

You had him lay down on the lounge chair because you just had to get it out of her system. You had to ride him like a rodeo. You couldn't help it. You needed desperately to feel him inside you again. She slid down onto his dick after briefly sucking him off again and went to town. You bounced up and down on his dick riding him hard. Using him however you wanted just to get off. He enjoyed it as well. 

Feeling you pussy grip his dick drove him insane. He took advantage of the situation by grabbing your hips and thrusting his making him fuck you harder. He watched as you began to unravel. In that moment, all you cared about was your own selfish pleasure. You wrapped your arm around his neck and dug your nails into his back. 

This is what you wanted. This is what Blake should be giving you every night.

With a firm grip on your ass, Sky guided you up and down his shaft pushing you further and further to that climatic edge. When he brought you down onto his lap one final, your vision went white as you broke under the intense pressure of your orgasm. Sky moaned as he finished just as Blake climaxed all over his hand.

Whew! You both were spent! Clinging to each other in a haze of raw pleasure. Grinning at each other like fools.

Meanwhile, Blake was both ashamed and astonished at the fact he got off watching you fuck another man.

'Fuck, I need her,' he thought, retreating back into the shadows.

This situation couldn't happen again. Sky needed to go. Because girlfriend or not you belong only to Blake.

[justifiedandrec]

[narukoibito]

Trope mashup - 10 + 51

10 (Airport/Travel AU) and 51 (Accidentally Married)

Oh my God, you are so funny, @theroomofreq! This immediately fired up my brain. I went way overboard, but this is the most I’ve written in a long time. I had fun with my favorite two idiots. Hope you enjoy!

Please feel free to send me more trope mashups!

*

Harry slumped back into the squeaky, plastic airport chair. The woman two seats over shot him a look before leaving in a huff, her purse clutched to her chest. Great, just great.

He sighed, rubbing his forehead out of habit. A bad habit, according to his best friend, Hermione. Supposedly would induce early on-set wrinkles, as if his troublesome life weren't the cause. He looking longingly over at the bar. Would it be too early to start drinking before he even got on the flight? One could hardly blame him, after all. Even Hermione, who had insisted he take the trip, despite everything.

And now he was thinking about it again.

Fuck it, he thought, dragging his carry-on over to the bar. It took longer than it should, considering its funky wheel that kept trying to go the opposite direction as its partner. It almost made him want to laugh. Or cry.

Instead, he ordered a whiskey, neat.

Harry was fiddled with the napkin the bartender set in front of him, when a curtain of red hair leaned over the bar several seats from him.

"Gin and tonic, please," the redhead ordered.

Their eyes caught, and Harry flushed at being caught starting, but she gave him a bright smile. He felt his lips raise in response. Then he quickly looked away, back to the napkin he had all but massacred.

No, none of that. This was supposed to be about finding himself or something, or whatever Hermione had chattered on about while shoving him into the car and driving him here. She had even done the packing, if tossing whatever clean laundry he had into the bag counted. For all he knew, she had slipped a copy of Eat, Pray, Love in there. Of course, he was probably going to brood and drink the entire time. But there was no redhead or blonde or brunette in the picture.

Even if they were really fit.

"Old fashion, neat," the bartender said, placing a new napkin and the drink in front of him.

"Thanks," Harry said, taking a liberal sip, even though it burned on the way down. No more getting drawn towards pretty women who would break his heart. No matter how shiny their hair was.

There was an announcement on the overhead before an overly cheerful voice crackled through the loud speakers, "Good afternoon everyone! Or should I say 'Aloha'? Welcome everyone here at gate B24, outgoing flight from London to Kauai, Hawaii. We'll be boarding shortly. As we wait, our company likes to play a little lottery for an upgrade to first class!"

He tuned out the annoying chatter and focused instead on his drink, which was starting to make everything feel pleasantly warm and fuzzy.

"We have our lucky couple! And would you look at that, newlyweds on their honeymoon! Would Mr. and Mrs. Harry Potter come up to the podium?"

Harry promptly choked, spilling some of his drink. He turned, appalled to see the flight attendant at the podium, holding up two leis.

"Would Mr. and Mrs. Harry Potter come to gate B24′s podium to upgrade their seats?"

Not only was he going on his honeymoon alone, but he was going to have to be humiliated in an airport full of strangers? As if being humiliated in front of his family and friends wasn't enough? He needed to get out of here. Why fly to Hawaii to drown his sorrows when he could do it from the comfort of his flat?

"Mr. and Mrs. Harry Potter?" the speaker repeated.

Harry had just grabbed hold of his luggage handle when an arm looped with his.

"I can't believe we won, honey!" 

He looked down at the voice in disbelief. The redhead was smiling up at him encouragingly, a blazing look in her eye. 

"Yeah," he managed. “Wow.”

She pulled him towards the gate, waving one hand cheerfully in the air to announce their approach. Harry was too stunned to do anything but let himself be dragged along.

"Congratulations to the happy couple!" the flight attendant sang while bequeathing the leis around their necks as the crowd aww'ed and clapped. After the spectacle died down, she asked for their IDs to update their tickets. Dumbfounded, he provided his ID only to panic about his companion, but without missing a beat, she explained how she hadn’t yet had a chance to change her name. Yes, all that paperwork was such a bother, the attendant laughed in commiseration.

Next thing he knew, he was seated once again at the bar, his whiskey placed back in his hand as the redhead went back to sipping her gin and tonic. His mind was spinning with how this stranger had rescued him and how to thank her, but all he could think was how stupidly attractive he found her audacity.

"This isn’t how I imagined meeting my wife," Harry blurted like an idiot.

“Well, now we have 19 hours to get acquainted,” she laughed, the sound sending small shivers down his spine. 

“How’d you figure it out?” 

She gave him a sympathetic look.

“Jilted at the alter all over my face?” 

"Her loss,” she said, waving her ticket victoriously, pulling yet another smile out of him. “Being Mrs. Potter for five minutes has already proven to the best part of my week.”

His heart skipped a beat at her words. “I’m not sure if I should be impressed or scared by your acting.”

“I tend to think anything's possible if you've got enough nerve,” she said. “Besides...” She squinted thoughtfully at his face. He had to clamp down on the urge to flatten his hopeless hair. “Yep, you have a look about you.”

“What look?” he asked, defensively.

“Like you have a noble streak,” she declared. “If the situation were reversed, you’d have done the same for me.”

“What idiot would leave you at the alter?” He must have had more alcohol than he realized. That, or maybe it had to do with the fact that he hadn’t eaten since Saturday. His stomach rumbled as if on cue.

“See? Noble,” she laughed, rummaging in her bag. She pulled out two colorful Easter eggs. “Would you like one?”

Harry took one gratefully, peeling the wrapper. The chocolate melted on his tongue, and a familiar comfort eased through him.

“So,” Harry said, clearing his throat. “All this alcohol must be getting to me since I can’t seem to remember my wife’s name.”

“Ginny,” she said, holding out her hand. “Ginny Weasley now Potter.”

He slid his hand into hers, feeling her warm and callused fingers grip his in return. Maybe it was the fact the warm chocolate always comforted him, but Harry was feeling more happier than he could remember in the longest time.

---

Please feel free to send me more trope mashups!

[d-criss-news]

DARREN: I mean I put out a holiday album a few months early so why not be a few minutes early to a chat?

DARREN: hi friend!

DARREN: YAOOO HOMIES

DARREN: WHATS UPPP

DARREN: WHOOOO

DARREN: LETS FUCKIN GOOOOO

DARREN: THANSK FOR JOINING ME

DARREN: THIS IS SO MUCH MORE MY SPEED

DARREN: WHERE MY KIDS WHO GREW UP WITH AIM AT

DARREN: THIS IS MY POWER ZONE

DARREN: THIS IS HOW I USED TO TALK TO ALL MY FRIENDS

DARREN: SO THIS FEELS APPROPRIATE

DARREN: WELL WE GOT THREE MINUTES BEFORE THIS SHIT FIRES UP

DARREN: AND I CAN ALREADY TELL THAT RESPONDING TO ANY OF YOU IS GONNA BE RULLL HARD

DARREN: CUZ I CAN EITHER SEE YOUR NAME OR READ YOUR COMMENT

DARREN: IT'S ONE OR THE OTHER

DARREN: HAHA "GREAT FIRE OF LONDON" COMMENT WAS FUNNY

DARREN: "I'M TOO OLD TO SEE ANYTHING" I THINK WE ALL ARE, NO WORRIES

DARREN: HAPPY BIRTHDAY SAM!

DARREN: RE: ASIAN TOUR GOD I WISH

DARREN: ok i gotta get fired up, let's listen to this madness

DARREN: woah wtf we got visuals??

DARREN: oh ok

DARREN: so this is bts from the photo shoot for the album cover

DARREN: this was all in my actual house

DARREN: that i tried to make look like the house i grew up in in San Francisco

DARREN: or at least the one i spent the most christmases at

DARREN: holy shit i hope we dont gotta watch this the whole goddamn time

DARREN: so that's my actual first guitar

DARREN: i got that when i was in the third grade

DARREN: everything i know on the guitar started on that baby

DARREN: the straight hair look is supposed to be my brother Chuck

DARREN: chuck didnt actually have a mullet, these were last minute wigs, so, what ya gonna do

DARREN: ok back to the song

DARREN: check that modulation out

DARREN: i was super surprised that this song wasn't covered more

DARREN: ONE MORE MODULATION... here we GO

DARREN: the horns are fucking smashing it on this

DARREN: also little factoid: this is actually a mashup

DARREN: it's a mashup that andy williams sorta standardized so hard that we think it's ONE song

DARREN: it's actually two songs, Happy Holidays, and The holiday season

DARREN: ok hippo here we go

DARREN: i've wanted to do this version forever

DARREN: this song is so batshit that i wanted to treat it accordingly

DARREN: just make it chillhop and understated but like lowkey kinda hard

DARREN: nobody covers this song cuz they think it's so insnae

DARREN: INSANE

DARREN: which made me sad

DARREN: also no dudes ever touch it

DARREN: so if you know me, you know that i like to shine a light on things that don't get done a lot

DARREN: my face part of the song is coming up

DARREN: where the word "massage" hits with the snare

DARREN: hella swung

DARREN: also this is a very divisive song, like half of the world has no fuckin clue what it is

DARREN: while the other half is like yeah duh i love that song

DARREN: yo germany in the house!

DARREN: i also played a lot of the wacky instruments on that track

DARREN: an instrument called the nose flulte

DARREN: that's me

DARREN: wow who's sick of these visuals yet

DARREN: oh shiiiit here comes in GLAMBERT!

DARREN: so lucky to have adam on this

DARREN: this is another song that i was suprised wasn't covered more

DARREN: there are like three that are big, but none are duets

DARREN: and i wanted to do a male-male duet al la bing crosby and bob hope, from their road movies

DARREN: arranging these vocal harmonies was super fun cuz i knew I had adam to do them

DARREN: a lot of chromatic movement that i fucking LIVE for

JANETB: THIS IS SO CHAOTIC - WTF IS HAPPENING?

DARREN: JANETB it is chaotic isn't it

DARREN: and we just getting started

DARREN: god adam sounds so great, getting to vocal produce him was such a joy

DARREN: this is one of the most underrated xmas songs ever in my opinion

DARREN: alright hang on for this high note

DARREN: BAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

DARREN: AAAAAAAA

DARREN: AAAAAAA

DARREN: AAAAAAAG

DARREN: so sick. adam smashed it. love that song.

DARREN: ok this is some real shit coming up

DARREN: my deal with this album was: i was NOT going to make this album...

DARREN: ... unless i recorded this song

DARREN: this is was always one of my favorite songs ever

DARREN: and i always loved how it was a christmas song that wasn't a christmas song

DARREN: it's about winter and falling in love during the holidays and trying to make it through

DARREN: it's a superbly written song, wish i wrote it

DARREN: i encourage all of you to check out the original

DARREN: a dude by the name of Nir Z played drums on this song, straight outta israel!

DARREN: is israel in the house today! give it up for Nir

DARREN: cuz guess what, Nir also played on the original john mayer record 20 years ago which is mind blowing

DARREN: also hi everyone

DARREN: i'm sorry i cant keep up with all these comments

DARREN: so i'm saying hi to all of you

DARREN: hello hello

DARREN: hope some of you are taking time to listen to the music as well 😬

DARREN: i'm so fucking proud of this song

DARREN: something bout the way blue light on a black night... so beautiful

DARREN: wudup finland!

DARREN: anybody here know this song before this album?

DARREN: yo ireland, oi oi oi wales!

DARREN: i would love it if this became a christmas standard, that was my goal

DARREN: ok let's kick it up a notch

DARREN: so ngl i expect there to be a faction of ppl who hate me for this song ha

DARREN: this is NOT better than the original

DARREN: i have to disagree with anyone that says that

DARREN: however

DARREN: i love this song and had to figure out how i would make this song "me"

DARREN: and thought a 60s motown take would be unique and captivating at the very least

DARREN: also the end of this song should have been a separate track

DARREN: i just forgot to do that ha

DARREN: "streetcorner carolers" is coming up at the end of this song

DARREN: technically another "original" on the album

DARREN: here it comes...

DARREN: i even put a space between this part and the "river" part

DARREN: just forgot to make it a separate track

DARREN: now it's part of the same song forever oh well ha

DARREN: yeah it's a four seasons nod

DARREN: ok guys

DARREN: this song is crazy important to me

DARREN: the first musical i was ever in was a show called fanny

DARREN: by harold rome

DARREN: this is a song from it

DARREN: a song i've always loved

DARREN: it has zero mention of christmas

DARREN: but jingle bells also doesnt mention xmas

DARREN: and what's more holiday-y than coming home and being grateful for what you have

DARREN: so the idea was to make this song sound and feel like vince guraldi

DARREN: aka super christmas-y

DARREN: the arrangement here is so gorgeous, very proud of this song too

DARREN: i hope this song can become a standard too.. that's my lofty dream

DARREN: i wanted people to hear these and feel like theyve known them their whole life

DARREN: but i guarantee youve never heard this song

DARREN: RE: FEELS LIKE AN EMBRACE, THANK YOU!! THAT WAS THE IDEA!!

DARREN: OK SO THAT'S THE END OF "SIDE 1"

DARREN: IF THIS WAS AN LP

DARREN: SO NOW THIS IS "SIDE 2"

DARREN: THIS IS ANOTHER ONE PPL DONT KNOW THAT I FLIPPED THE SCRIPT ON

DARREN: 'EAST OF WESTERLY' IS RHODE ISLAND

DARREN: I CHANGED THE ORIGINAL LYRICS TO MATCH THINGS ABOUT MY OWN LIFE

DARREN: AT THE TOP I MENTIONED ALL THE PLACES IVE DONE XMAS

DARREN: I FUCKING LOVE THIS SONG

DARREN: FLAHERTY AND AHRENS IN THE HOUSE...

DARREN: ... WHO LOVES ANASTASIA? RAGTIME? SEUSSICAL? ONCE ON THIS ISLAND?

DARREN: THE ORIGINAL IS VERY BITTERSWEET

DARREN: I WANTED TO MAKE THIS A BURNIN' BOBBY DARIN VERSION

DARREN: HA A MEL TORME SONG? DAMN THANKS

DARREN: YOURE JUST SAYING THAT CUZ YOU KNOW THATS MY GUY

RACHELGRACE: CAN YOU SAY HI TO ME PLEASE? IT WOULD MEAN THE WORLD TO ME! I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DARREN: HI RACHEL GRACE HOPE YOU LIKE THE MUSIC

DARREN: OH SOPH WE GOT MORE COMIN

DARREN: THIS IS A NEW LINE

DARREN: AS FOR THE SONGS YOU HEAR OVER AND OVER

DARREN: I HOPE YOU LOOK THIS ONE UP WHEN IT PLAYS

DARREN: THIS IS NEW, THE ORIGINAL IS MUCH MUCH SADDER:

DARREN: AND ONE OF MY FAVE LINES BUT I HAD TO CHANGE IT FOR THIS VERSION

DARREN: ENCOURAGE YOU TO ALL LOOK IT UP

DARREN: NANCY LAMOTT'S VERSION

DARREN: THIS LAST NOTE IS RIGHT AROUND WHERE I REALLY WISH I HAD A VIBRATO

DARREN: WISH I COULD DO THAT, BUT HEY, I'M A ROCK SINGER SORRY

DARREN: SO BACK TO MEL TORME

DARREN: CHET ATKINS YESSSS

DARREN: MEL TORME'S MASTERPIECE

DARREN: CAN YOU GUYS FUCKING BELIEVE MEL TORME WROTE THIS

DARREN: DOESNT THAT DRIVE YOU NUTS

DARREN: ANYWAY I ACTUALLY SAID I DIDNT WANNA DO THIS ONE

DARREN: SIMPLY CUZ IT'S TOO PERFECT AND BEEN DONE TOO MANY TIMES

DARREN: BUT ON THE DAY WE JUST DID A LIVE TAKE

DARREN: THIS IS A LIVE VOCAL WITH A GUTIAR

DARREN: THE STRINGS WERE ADDED AFTER

DARREN: IT WAS JUST TOO SOLID NOT TO INCLUDE

DARREN: AND ALSO EVEN THOUGH IT'S BEEN DONE A THOUSAND WAYS

DARREN: IT JUST REMAINS ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL TO ME SO I COULDN'T NOT HAVE IT

LANA: HOW DID YOU DECIDE WHICH SONGS TO INCLUDE?

DARREN: LANA IT TOOK ME FOREVER TO WHITTLE DOWN THE CHOICES

DARREN: I STARTED WITH ABOUT 100 SONGS

DARREN: NOT TO MENTION ALL THE ORIGNALS I WROTE...

DARREN: MAYBE ONE DAY YOU'LL HEAR THEM 😜

DARREN: OK SO THIS ONE IS DEFINITELY BACK TO ME LOVING AIM

DARREN: cuz guess what bitches i'm in my thirties

DARREN: which is insane to me

DARREN: when the fuck did that happen

DARREN: point being that this song hits super hard

DARREN: so asked a fellow millennial

DARREN: evan rachel wood

DARREN: i asked her to go full classical singing

DARREN: cuz she can do anything

DARREN: rock jazz musical theater

DARREN: and no one asks her to do this kinda shit very often

DARREN: she also recorded this in her closet at like 2 in the moring

DARREN: i facetimed her for the vocal production of this

DARREN: ha full susan boyle vibes

DARREN: i told her to go for it

DARREN: and she did

DARREN: like full david foster shit

DARREN: not really my usual thing but i wanted a david fosterish moment on this album

DARREN: it's a boy choir song after all so there's only so many places to go with it

DARREN: which is why after we took it to church i took it to the bar

DARREN: the fiddle player on this shit is INSANE

DARREN: give it up for lainey wilson

DARREN: very proud of this one

DARREN: the only full original on this album

DARREN: the fantasy was if dean martin and dolly parton did a country/jazz crossover record in the early 70s

DARREN: stuart duncan on the fiddle ladies and gentlemen

DARREN: wow

DARREN: was song order important? yeah of course

DARREN: it's all a delicate balance

DARREN: unlike most releases ppl actually listen to xmas albums in order

DARREN: if the artist is lucky that is

DARREN: damn a lotta folks from finland here... kippis!

DARREN: also insider fact, i played the original version of this very differently on guitar

DARREN: i wanted to nod to Cohen's "hallelujia" since i've been hearing that as an xmas song lately...

DARREN: ... which it isn't, but i get it. Christian imagery and all that.

DARREN: but i changed the chord structures so it sounded less like that song

DARREN: give legal team less of a headache ha

DARREN: so ive been singing this one for a long time

DARREN: again, another one thats been done a zillion times

DARREN: but i needed a smaller moment after the madness of drunk on xmas

DARREN: so there it is

DARREN: damn so many birthdays

DARREN: happy birthday to all of you

DARREN: every day is a birthday

DARREN: guys i wish touring wasn't so goddamn expensive

DARREN: srilanka in the house!

DARREN: ha re: ask ryan murphy for a loan

DARREN: ok last song here we go

DARREN: this is up there with St Patricks Day

DARREN: this is not a song you hear

DARREN: i want this to make its way into the rotation of new years songs

DARREN: who here is a regina spektor fan?

MADDIE: THANK YOU FOR INTRODUCING ME TO THIS SONG AND ST PATRICKS DAY.

DARREN: maddie you're very welcome

DARREN: thanks for listneing to the music

DARREN: and thanks to all of you who actually listen

DARREN: that's the best way to show me love

DARREN: more than anything

DARREN: ciao my italian friends

DARREN: i wish i could hop on santas sleigh and visit all of you in one fell swoop

DARREN: hola mexico!

DARREN: fave part of the song right here

DARREN: punches me in the fuckin guy

DARREN: no mention of the things it took away

DARREN: ... wow.

DARREN: what a powerful sentiment

DARREN: this song isn't about what i'm gonna do, what is my resolution...

DARREN: it's being grateful for what you DO have, what you HAVE done

DARREN: a hopeful sentiment that i try to carry with me everywhere

DARREN: and a real overlapping theme for this whole album

DARREN: so i find it fitting to end it with that

DARREN: thank you all so much for checking out the music

DARREN: this is a huge part of my own life

DARREN: and my own experience of the holidays

DARREN: and i keep a lotta shit close to the chest

DARREN: so this is arguably one of the biggest extention of myself i've ever recorded

DARREN: thank you for sharing all

DARREN: please share with friends

DARREN: and know that this isn't just some random xmas album

DARREN: it's a piece of me

DARREN: please play it during your holiday celebrations, however you choose to do that

DARREN: from start to finish

DARREN: i love yall, and i love that we got all corners of the worls here

DARREN: *world

DARREN: how cool is that

DARREN: so thank you all i love you, happy holidays- and keep an eye out...

DARREN: ... i

DARREN: i've got some goodies coming your way

DARREN: some stocking stuffers

DARREN: happy holidays everyone big hugs and so much gratitude!

DARREN: some additional gifts

DARREN: something for EVERYONE

DARREN: stay positive, stay inspired! love ya!

TEAMDARREN: SIGNED CD'S AND VINYL- CLICK SHOP NOW <<<<<<<

[biolizardboils]

head’s still full of Mother EarthBound Thoughts so im gonna spill some here. (warning this’ll be super messy and also contain big honkin’ spoilers for all three games)

for context i played and beat EarthBound after it came out on Wii U, then Mother 3 in 2015. i tried Mother 1/Beginnings at some point, but sadly my immunity to Old Game Jank doesn’t extend past the mid-90's. im a relatively young Mom Fan is what im trying to say here

i havent seen anyone here talk about the vid they put out for the Switch ports?? pls watch it its so cute and in-line with the games’ humor! lets all get to know Ness!!

im still watching Curiomatic’s Mother 3 vid daily and im still noticing new details and shit. and their website's so good too?? felt!Boney has my whole heart

my brain's been on fire imagining how the other two games would look in the same style. and like. it feels criminal to ask so soon after 1 and 2 got Switch ports, but a full 3-games-in-1 remake would be so good for the series for two big reasons:

1. it could fix 1/Beginnings' Jank and tighten its translation, bringing it in line with the other two, and

2. its the one situation i can think of that would force Nintendo to localize 3. like can you imagine if they remade the whole series and then left it in Japan?? people would have their heads!

not to mention a game with a modern 3D engine would be leagues easier to edit than the sprite-based original. cus while im scared of NoA over-censoring the game as much as the next guy, there are a few things in it that could’ve been done more sensitively, and that altering wouldn’t harm the plot if done right. i doubt i need to name specifics

also on the selfish side, i just wanna know what would change in terms of visual design. i wanna see all the enemies move in battle and Pippi with beady eyes like everyone else and how they’d officially differentiate Ninten’s design from Ness’s, and most of all i REALLY wanna see official art of Beginnings!Giygas. i wish to grasp his true form so bad it makes me look stupid

not that i dont like the fandom’s agreed-on designs!! far from it, i love them!! like Giygas having red-and-black eyes as foreshadowing is genius and whoever first came up with it deserves an award

i made a party playlist in case 3 ever got localized back when i was more hopeful about it. how far back, you may ask? i included this unironically. that far lmao

one of my fave things about the series is how, despite being made in Japan, it pays homage to so many distinctly Western pop-cultural concepts that it’s instantly nostalgic to the average English-speaker. the Spielbergian coming-of-age film, the dot-eyed yet contemplative comic strip, the kitschy B-movie monsters, the King-esque entities conveying the loss of innocence, the pairing of psychedelia with an insistence on peace over war. for a funny parody of America, it’s fascinating how right it feels at the emotional level.

speaking of psychedelia, i wanna plug this amazing prog rock cover album that deserves more love. like holy shit, youd think this is how some of these songs were always meant to be played. ive never had a drug trip cus im terrified of messing up set and setting, but to have my first while hearing this played live would probably feel beautiful

speaking of more psychedelia, last month i thought Polka Dot Tail by Ween sounded super familiar, and i just realized why: it sounds like Magicant (the second one). i might try to make a mashup later idk

ive been meaning to watch a vlog of Camp Fangamer’s EarthBound Bash 2015 for years and this week i finally did it! shit looked like so much fun, and i cant think of another game series that’d make for such an immersive event. i could only find one extended video of the Mother 3 bash they did a year later, but it seems like an equally transformative event, if not more despite Lucas being a mannequin

listen....i know people have done the math and ruled it out as a possibility....but i still really like the idea of Ninten and Ana being Ness’s parents. i just think its cute and neat and also opens up some opportunities for angst (something something the fear of your kids inheriting your personal battles)

bonus points for Lloyd being Dr. Andonuts cus i think itd be funny if he was the only character to appear in all three games

while im here confessing my fan sins, lemme add that i treat Smash Bros as canon cus it gave the world such gems as Ness’s eyes being purple and Boney having leg warmer fur

man i remember first seeing Porky in Subspace and thinking he was trapped in the spider-mech thing and i had to free him.... ah, the innocence of youth

removing Lucas from Sm4sh was a bitch move but the trailer when they put him back was honestly SO worth it. like him returning Ness’s favor from Subspace?? everyone noticing he smiled more and being so proud of him?? that was the best day of my life

speaking of bitch moves im still confused by how u get Claus, Hinawa and the Masked Man’s spirits in World of Light. like what the fuck did Nintendo mean by that shit. their placement and the fights themselves are such a specific gut-punch that its hilarious. killing two gods wont bring Claus back

but also its...nice to think that Lucas got a chance to see them again. like maybe one of the other fighters who knew his deal freed them and brought them to him, and everyone let them have a moment before they fought Galeem and Dharkon. imagine Claus being all “told ya we’d meet again someday :’) let’s go beat up that angel thing together!”

also cus Smash made me so used to it, i refer to all PSI moves as PK. even the ones that are PSI in both languages, like Magnet. PK Sue me

so like... im a twin. my sister and i love each other more than anything. we played 3 together, and quickly agreed that i was the Lucas to her Claus. what happens between them in the game is my absolute worst fear. ive had nightmares since childhood with the same basic theme -- losing her to a decision i can't sway her from -- so the final boss and the "hasty brother" line after gutted us. when youre literally linked from birth, it's hard to imagine life without, and even harder to prepare for the possibility. this game forced us to do so, and it hurt like hell, but it strengthened our bond in the process.

theres already a hundred essays about it but i love how 3′s ending manages to reflect every player’s wishes. everyone’s got their own idea of what Lucas wished for, so here’s mine:

the entire planet was purified and made habitable again

all the Chimeras were split into their original animals (but some of them chose to be friends still, so there’s at least one kangaroo and one shark that hang out often)

everyone that Porky abducted from other time periods were sent back with their memories intact (so Dr. Andonuts gets to be with Jeff again and is also less likely to be employed by another asshat)

im one of those people who thinks Lucas didn’t revive anyone who died, because it doesn’t feel right after the characters spent three years coping with it. (all the power to people who disagree tho, it’s all cool!) instead, i think he wished for a new place to honor everyone they lost, resulting in a beautiful new cemetery hidden in the sunflower field outside Tazmily. strangely, it contains lots of gravestones that no one recognizes; one with a haiku written on it, ten crosses lined up in two rows of five, even one the size of a bug; and at the very back, a swirling metal statue engraved in an alien language, lying between two stones marked “XX”.

and finally, i think Lucas wished to meet whatever force was looking after his world all this time, so he could thank them personally... and thats how you, the player, ended up in the game :)

im still utterly charmed by the image of the player, struck blind from being pulled into another world, being lead by the hand (and pokes in the back) to meet Lucas,,, like its okay sweetie you can say goodbye as many times as you need, im so goddamn proud of you!!! ill see you in Smash okay???

i think thats everything i wanna say? uhhh heres a fanmix i made six years ago

[abnerkrill]

✨ writing asks ✨

I had so much fun answering the OC asks that I'm making my own ask game 👀 kinda geared toward writers with film/TV aspirations because that’s me, but also relevant to all fiction writers. FEEL FREE to reblog, go wild with your own answers, tag your writer friends, etc!!

1. What’s your WIP title and any working titles it’s had in the past?

2. If you could write for any currently airing TV show, what would you choose and why?

3. If you could go back in time and change the series finale/ending of any TV show, what would it be and what changes would you make?

4. What’s a trope you find yourself including in almost all your works?

5. What’s a trope you hate/could never bring yourself to write?

6. What’s your OTP from your own writing and what’s their story?

7. What mashup of two writers/filmmakers matches your storytelling vibe? (___ meets ___)

8. If your WIP was being made into a film, who’d you want to direct it? (Choose an established filmmaker)

9. Who would you cast as your main character/s in the screen adaptation of your WIP?

10. If you could collab with any living writer on a full length work, who’d you choose and what would your project be?

11. What are your favorite and least favorite genres to write?

12. List the top 3 words/phrases you find yourself unintentionally writing over and over. (E.g., my characters are always furrowing their brows)

13. Your WIP is being adapted into a TV show. What song plays over the main credits and what’s the vibe/aesthetic of the credit sequence?

14. Share your WIP’s plot like it’s a Reddit “am I the asshole” post.

15. Share a line from your WIP that you’re proud of.

16. Share the most recent line from your WIP.

17. Share your top 3 strengths as a writer.

18. Share something about writing/craft you learned recently.

19. You’re given a blank check to adapt a book or book series into a TV show, miniseries, film, or film series. What book/s do you choose and which medium do you use for the adaptation?

20. You can hang out with any living author for a day, who do you choose and what do you hope you’ll talk about?

21. What’s your ideal readership, publication, or writing career path for the next 5-10 years? (Sky’s the limit, but also fine if you don’t have publication as a goal!!)

22. You’re a ~famous writer~ who has a special muse-like relationship with an actor/actress (think Greta Gerwig and Saoirse Ronan.) Who is it and which of your characters do you cast them as?

23. Which of your characters is most likely to be voted prom king/queen/monarch?

24. Which of your characters is most likely to go through life like Goob from Meet the Robinsons?

25. If you make character or story moodboards, share a recent fave!

26. If you make character or story playlists, share the tracklist from a recent fave!

27. One of your stories gets an amusement park/theme park attraction—what's it like? (Can be a ride, interactive theater event, ren faire-like immersive experience, etc...)

28. Do your character names have meanings? If not, what are some faves and how did you come up with them? If yes, what are some fave character names and their meanings?

29. Which of your characters is most likely to start a podcast, and what's it on?

30. Is there a dream story/vibe for a story you want to write someday but haven't gotten around to yet?

[7grandmel]

Todays rip [First 30 Archive] - 24/05/2023

Hopes and Divinity+

Season 5 Featured on: SiIvaGunner’s Highest Quality Rips: Volume GS

Ripped by l4ureleye YouTube Visuals by Netyasha Roozi

As mentioned prior, l4ureleye is a standout name on the channel and one whose rips I always seek out to listen to as soon as possible. The last rip I shouted out from them may not have made the reason for such obvious - it was a nice mashup, but not really anything out of this world. Its rips like Hopes and Divinity+ that remind me both of what makes l4ureleye such an incredible part of the team, and what makes me stay with the SiIvaGunner after all this time.

The concept is nothing new for the channel and is, really, intentionally derivative, mashing up Undertale music with Porter Robinson in the exact same way as Goodbye To The Underground did back in Season 1. Today's rip was actually originally made for the Nostalgia Critic Takeover of Season 3, a takeover which centered around rips resurrecting the spirit of the channel during its first season. In that sense, even before its Season 5 remaster we're covering today, Hopes and Divinity+ is an absolute triumph. It sticks to the original winning concept as described beforehand, yet embellishes it with further touches: several of the channel’s most iconic inside jokes show up across the six minute runtime to add to the initial mashup, as if to show how far the channel has come since the initial Season. Its one of those rips that manages to be both a nostalgic look back at the past whilst reminding the audience of how much time has passed, helped especially by the fantastic visuals of the YouTube upload.

The track succeeds in so many ways - as a testament to l4ureleye’s capabilities as a ripper, to how far the channel has come from Season 1, to Season 3, to the track’s remaster in Season 5, and to how much Undertale still means to SiIvaGunner’s creators and audience. Godspeed.

oh also a fun fact: the creators of these two rips, MtH and l4ureleye, are actually lesbians and dating

[idontlikeem]

SCREAM at that ask game i love it so much. okay how about... tell me how you'd combine 'it's not you, it's my enemies' with.. let's say.. 'locked in a room' (or 'unexpected virgin').

you can find the fic tropes mashup game here!

jes, i would love to tell you how i'd combine these (i’m going with ‘locked in a room’).

So this is a little bit of an early years situation. Geno’s been playing in the NHL for a season or two, he’s getting the hang of Pittsburgh and America and how charmingly weird everyone here is. He’s playing well, he’s scoring goals, and his new best friend got named captain! Life is good.

There’s just something weird he doesn’t quite understand yet, and he’s not really sure who to ask about it…

It’s just, starting partway through his first year here, whenever the Flyers come to town, or they’re playing in Wells Fargo Arena, he and Sid keep getting...locked in together.

It’s not a big deal! Sid is his best friend, and he always smells good unless it’s right after a game or practice (and even then… Well, Geno’s not going to get into the particulars of his sexual preferences, warped as they’ve been by his formative years being spent around athletes), and he’s patient with Geno’s English, and they never run out of things to talk about while they’re waiting to be found, and he doesn’t even get that pissy when it throws his routines off a little.

(Flower eyes Geno with disbelief when he expresses that, so Geno privately amends it to Sid doesn’t get that pissy at Geno about it and feels smug to himself.)

It just. It’s weird, right? And Geno can’t figure out why in the fuck it keeps happening.

And then Sid stops being so easygoing about it.

Like, it hadn’t been a great summer for Geno, either, right? They’d all been devastated after coming so close to winning it all and having to end the season empty-handed, especially in their own building. Geno had done his fair share of moping, and Sid had practically disappeared from their email chain for a few weeks. But Geno had come back ready to put the disappointment behind him and start fresh, ready to help lead the team to another chance, ready to get back to the normal rhythm of Penguins hockey. Penguins hockey, which includes not-quite-predictable intervals of being locked into confined spaces with his captain, who’d apparently acquired a pair of cheekbones over the offseason? Not that Geno’s been looking. Much.

Sid’s pacing around the first time it happens this year at home, though, pulling at his curls and muttering to himself. Geno’d settled himself against the back wall of the storage closet after he spread his blanket down (he’s started carrying a bag packed with two blankets and a variety of snacks and drinks when they play the Flyers, and whenever the guys laugh at him about it he just puts his nose in the air, because they’re not the ones getting stuck places without provisions, are they?), but Sid had turned down the pack of Reese’s Geno had offered with an inaudible, cranky mutter.

Geno’s watching him curiously as he finishes the first of four Gatorades he’d packed this morning when Sid finally bursts out, “I’m sorry!”

He thinks about it for a minute, tilting his head. “Sorry for not take candy? Sorry for walk, walk, walk, not settle? Not sure what you mean, Sid.”

Sid groans and slides down the wall, pulling his knees up to his chin. “I’m sorry this keeps happening. It’s my fucking fault, and I just—I’m really sorry, G.” He sounds miserable.

Geno shrugs, picking through his bag for the pickle-flavored chips he threw in last-minute. “Not your fault, Sid. Is bad prank, bad luck, Flyers curse—someone always find, no problem. You want water?” He waggles a bottle temptingly in Sid’s direction.

“Yeah, I should probably hydrate,” Sid mutters, so Geno tosses it over. “Thanks. And...ugh. It’s not luck, Geno. It’s...god, this is so embarrassing...it’s fucking Giroux, okay?”

Geno wrinkles his nose. “Why Giroux locking us in closet? Like, okay, maybe we both not play, his crappy team have chance to win, but seems risk, you know? Big trouble if people find out. I think you wrong, Sid.”

Sid thunks his forehead onto his knees. “No, it’s definitely Giroux,” he insists, a bit of a whine entering his voice. Geno smiles into his bag. “I just. Ugh. Look, I had to see him a couple years ago over bye week, for that thing, remember? And Max made us all go out for drinks after, because he said we were being stupid, and I got drunk, like, really drunk, Max kept buying us shots, and so was Giroux, and I ended up telling him that, um…” He trails off.

The silence is prolonged, and Geno looks over at Sid, raising an eyebrow. “So, you get drunk with Giroux a few years ago, now he lock in rooms? Still not make sense, Sidney.”

“ItoldhimIhadacrushonyouandnowhethinkshe’shelpingusgettogether,” Sid rushes out.

Geno blinks and rewinds a few times in his head, making sure he didn’t mishear. “You, uh. Crush, like...think I’m cute, want to kiss?” he ventures, trying not to sound too hopeful, in case he’s gotten it wrong.

“You don’t have to make fun of me!” Sid wails, clearly seconds away from an actual meltdown.

Geno laughs a little and shakes his head, tossing one of the bags of chips over at Sid. “Is okay, Sid. I’m want to kiss, too.”

“You—what?” Sid’s eyes are huge—he’s so pretty, Geno thinks fondly. “Really?”

“Yes, Sid. But—” The door handle is starting to wiggle—they’ve been found, thankfully. “We maybe talk more, after game?” He packs his bag back up and slings it over his shoulder, getting to his feet as the door opens and Kris frowns in at them. “Time to go, Sidney, time for sandwich.”

He leaves Sid gaping after him from the floor of the storage closet, ignoring the aggrieved-sounding French inquiries Kris is hurling.

[steele-soulmate]

Tattooed Wings, CHAPTER 613, Peter Steele & OFC, Soulmate AU

SUMMARY: Mary Claire Bradley meets her soulmate- literally- the famous Peter Steele of metal group Type O Negative. But will obstacles including trauma, stalkers, and toxic family members get in the way of their life?

WARNING: mentions of child rape (nothing graphic) PTSD, milk kink, soft smut, grinding, assault, fingering, hand jobs, blow jobs, 69, P in V sex, blood, noncon rape, violence, death, vandalism, graffiti, attempted kidnapping, break-ins, wild animal attacks, terrorist attack (sabotage) consensual impregnation, bareback, impregnation kink, creampies, terrorist attacks (shootings) hit and run pedestrian accident, precipitous labor, neonatal death, abandoned baby, child intoxication, death of a minor character, injured baby, kidnapped child

WORDS: 1070

“Okay Katie, here we gooooooooooooooooooooooo…!” Ryley started up the saw and began to slice Katie’s cast off of her leg.

When Peter and I had returned with Katie for another X-ray for her broken foot six weeks previously, my husband’s doctor niece had wanted to refit Katie with another plaster cast, this one being a hot pink color. Now, we were back again for yet another X-ray and to make plans as to what we should do if the break hadn’t healed to the point where Katie could run about, then surgery would be heavily considered.

Peter had lobbied a lawsuit against the parents of one Daryll Johnson- while on the one hand I understood that there was only so much that could be done to tame the disabled child. But both little girl and Katie had Down’s Syndrome, the two special little ladies were not as wild and untamed as other children, and so this led me to believe that Daryll reined terror over his household, using his disability as an excuse every time someone would try to discipline him.

“Okay- wow.” Ryley pried the cast away from Katie’s foot and was rewarded with a bright purple bruise. “Yes, I would definitely say that we have something to be worried over. I would need to have more X-rays done before I can come to a conclusive diagnosis though.”

“Daddy, can you carry me?” Katie threw her arms up as Peter stood, taking her into his arms and following after his niece, leaving me with Elizabeth and the babies.

I smiled as Elizabeth began to wrangle the toddling babies, smiling and cooing down at them as they bopped around the exam room, doing adorable little babying things.

“Mommy?” Baby Tommy meeped as he toddled up to me. “Ca’ mesies bitday be at bouncy housey?”

“You want your fifth birthday at a bouncy housey?” I repeated. “What a fun idea!”

“I was telling the babies about a birthday party that one of the girls from my ballet class went to,” Elizabeth explained. “And oh, speaking of which, there’s a set of fraternal twins- one takes ballet, the other takes jazz. Mary Hope gave me a birthday invitation to their twelfth birthday party next month. I told her that if I was unable to attend, that I would bring a gift for her and her twin. I completely forgot about the party- I’ll get you the invitation when we get back home again, alright?”

“Ah, okay,” I hummed, understanding at once before returning my focus back onto Baby Tommy. “Let mommy and daddy talk about it, alright.”

“Their names are Mary Hope and Faith Ellan Wilson,” Elizabeth continued to chatter on. “They’re both really sweet and enjoy knitting- I taught them how to knit and they’re working on making Christmas jumpers for their parents!”

“Fun!” I knew of Elizabeth starting a knitting club at the dance studio, where she and the students would all congregate together whenever they could do so to exchange balls of colorful yarn and pattern ideas. Pictures had been posted to the dance studio’s Instagram and FaceBook pages, along with a monthly pizza party for the newfound club. So far, there were twenty four little girls already committed to the club, and the pictures of little girls in a rainbow of leotards and a mashup of colorful tights giggling as they knitted quietly together was so sweet.

@Mary_Claire_Ratajczyk_Official, Elizabeth started up a knitting club at ballet school!

#ballet #dance #bunhead #knittingclub #likemotherlikedaughter #lookatmylittlegirl #livelaughlove

@kellykent, NICE

@agrannyandherneedles, oh how it warms my withered heart seeing a new generation of little knitters hard at work!

@Pete­r_Steele===========8) AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW

@midnightshadowpuppet, #gogolittleknitters

@chocolaterobotchicken, wow, now I want to pick up knitting!

@lzziegreen, KNIT KNIT KNIT KNIT

@therealpetersteeleoffical, that’s my Bitty!

@MissMittensthemotherlycat, MEOW

I giggled at the responses marching downwards in the comment section before tucking my cell phone away into my bra once more. I looked upwards as Peter came back into the exam room, his handsomely bearded face pinched with rage and worry.

“Katie needs surgery,” he announced in an abrupt tone of voice, settling the battle wounded little girl back onto the uncomfortable bed.

“Katie needs a strip of metal screwed into her foot to ensure that it heals completely,” Ryley clarified, entering the room and shutting the door behind her. “I can go grab the paperwork you need to fill out to move forward.”

“Yes please.” Peter looked PISSED. “Can you do the surgery today?”

“I’m not a surgeon, I’m a trauma room doctor” Ryley commented dryly, handing over a clipboard and a pen.

I quickly signed everything, eager to have Katie feeling well once more as she and Elizabeth had fun with the babies. Meanwhile, Ryley was telling Peter and I what to do before the surgery- don’t eat after midnight, eat a healthy meal of vegetables, lean meats and whole grain and get plenty of rest.

“Alright, that should do it now!” Ryley announced as Peter was handing her the filled out paperwork. “I’ll see you all tomorrow, alright?”

TAGLISTS ARE OPEN/ ASK BOX IS OPEN/ REQUESTS ARE OPEN/ PLOT BUNNIES ARE WELCOMED

If you liked this, then please consider buying me a coffee HERE It only costs $3!!!

PETER STEELE TAGLIST

@rock-a-noodle

@ch3rry-c01a

@elianafilthyrose

[creamypudding]

Excerpt

For the probably four people who enjoy my Clack | AkuRoku mashup stories... I’m gonna feed you so damn hard with the Ocean in Your Veins series. I’m so damn excited to bring it to you XD Mind you... I need to write part 2 first. And then part 3.

I did finish the 1st draft of chapter 1 of part 2 though. It’s got me eager to keep writing more. Have a juicy excerpt!

All the context you need for this is that Zack (going by Zak’kusu in the first chapter) is a fish creature, same as Axel (think Sidon from BotW or the fish monster from Shape of Water). Zack wants to be human so he can make eyes at Cloud (Roxas’ brother, because duh) and Zack’s finally found a way to make it happen and has invited himself over to Roxas’ house where it all will go down.

“Axel. Don’t do that. Not here. Not now.” Roxas tugs on Axel’s arms.

There comes a knock at the door.

All eyes land on it.

“Rox, are you okay? I forgot my wet-suit,” comes Cloud’s voice.

“Both of you, out. Now!” Roxas whispers with a harsh edge at the ch’ta and points to the door with a furious scowl. “I'm fine. It's just the TV. Hang on. I'll turn it down!” He calls out and twitches on the TV before he heads to the door.

Axel makes for the backdoor. He chitters at Zak'kusu. Zak'kusu, however, doesn’t want to go. He’s annoyed at Roxas’ attitude. Roxas would have never talked to Cloud about him. It boils his blood. He will talk to Cloud one way or another. But he still hopes that the magic spell will kick in. And soon. He glares at Axel, takes a step to the wall, and opens the first door that he sees. He ducks, so as not to knock his head, steps through to tiled flooring, and casts a glare behind himself at the other two occupants of the house.

Axel lets out a displeased click.

“Go. Leave him and go,” Roxas whispers and waves in a shoo’ing motion across the living space.

Axel leaves. The backdoor shuts. The bathroom door shuts. The front door opens.

“Hey. Are you sure you left it here? I thought you packed everything after our dive this morning.”

Zak'kusu finds himself in the bathroom. He stays bowed as he’s much too tall for this space. It’s dark in here. The moonlight filters through the diffused bathroom window and paints everything in a cool blue hue. He spots the mirror by the basin, walks over, and leans down until he can see himself in the mirror. Even in the gloom, he can see how his face remains unchanged. Except he’s covered in green goop. He clutches the basin in his hands. His claws dig in and something cracks. Why is it taking so long? He whispers the enchantment to himself again and glowers. It’s even more frustrating with Cloud just outside the door. He hears the two humans talk. 

A tap comes at the window. He leans over and opens it. More light streams in. Axel’s on the other side. His spines are up.

‘What is your problem? Get out of there!’ he snarls.

“I’m not leaving until I’ve talked to Cloud.”

‘You’re insane. Cloud can’t see you like that’

“I’ll turn human in a minute. I know I will.”

‘It’s not going to happen. Aerith told you shit to get you to stop annoying her. That’s all that green goop is’ Axel’s lower half of his face is almost the same red as his forehead. His teeth are bared. ‘Get out’

“I can’t fit through the window. I’m much too—whoa” Zak'kusu steadies himself. He feels weird. His skin’s all tingly. The room looks bigger. Axel’s mouth hangs open. His eyes stare wide.

Voices from beyond the door draw near—

“I’m pretty sure I left it in the bathtub.”

“No, it’s not! It’s down by the boat,” comes Roxas’ frantic response.

“Let me just check—”

The light comes on. Axel disappears from the window. Zak'kusu whirls around. He stares. Cloud’s standing there, hand poised on the door handle and the other on the light switch. Zak'kusu can't see anything but those big sky-blue eyes that stare at him. See him. Finally see him again. It is him. Zak'kusu is sure of it now.

Eyes dart off him. Cloud's mouth flaps. Some sort of sound comes out of him. Zak'kusu forgets to breathe. He tries to chirp in greeting. No sound comes out.

“I’m so sorry!” Cloud flees and shuts the door. 

Zak'kusu’s left in the empty bathroom. The light’s still on.

“I… I… I can explain everything! Please don’t freak out,” comes Roxas’ hasty words.

“Why is there a naked man in your bathroom?” Cloud sounds breathless.

Zak'kusu turns back around to the mirror. He stumbles. He grabs the sink. He startles. His hands! He looks at himself in the reflection. He jerks with another start. Pale! He’s all pink and pale. He touches his face. Smooth. Smooth and flat. He pinches the end of his nose. So squishy and weird. His eyes are so small. His spines… he runs his hand through his… hair! He has hair! Thick. Dark. Black. His eyes are blue. He thumbs over the scar on his cheek with a scowl. He can still hear Cloud outside. With a deep breath, and a grin so big it hurts his cheeks, he turns and takes running—stumbling—steps toward the door. His body feels all weird and uncoordinated. He slams into the door. His grasp on the handle slips. He gets it and yanks it open. He beams and steps out into the living room. A laugh leaves him as he sees Roxas and Cloud.

He tries to say something. His words stick in his throat. He switches to human language. Still nothing comes out.

Cloud’s averting his gaze. Roxas looks as red as a lobster. “Get back inside and put a towel over yourself,” comes the feral shout.

Zak'kusu doesn’t understand what Roxas is mad about. He’s human. Everything is fine. He tries to say as much. 

Roxas continues to point angrily at him. “Towel! Now!”

Zak'kusu looks down at himself. He twitches. He’s grossly pale and pink everywhere. He turns around and goes back to the bathroom. He’s naked. Is that what the humans are upset about? He supposes he’s never seen a human naked. But he’s always been naked in front of Roxas. It’s something he’s never thought about until now. He grabs one of the white towels and throws it over his head. He can’t see but carefully makes his way back, feeling around for the wall. He comes back out to hear—

“What is going on?” Cloud asks, a cautious yet distressing hitch in his voice.

"Look, I can totally explain this—oh my god, Zack, you moron!”

Zak'kusu can’t see anything except for the white towel covering his face. He feels a tug. The towel comes off. 

“Around your waist like this,” Roxas snaps. 

Zak'kusu holds the towel in place like Roxas shows him and watches Roxas walk into the bathroom. He turns back and looks at Cloud. Cloud is right there. So close. So much bigger looking up close. He looks so lovely. Zak'kusu doesn't know why his voice isn’t working. He tries to say something. His throat vibrates. Strangled sounds leave him.

Roxas brushes past again, something dark in his hands. “Here is your wet-suit.” He hands it to Cloud.

“Can you please explain who this strange naked man is and what he’s doing  in your house? Do we need to call the cops?” Cloud keeps a wary eye on Zak'kusu.

Roxas groans. “This is Zack. He’s… he’s…” Roxas stares at Zak'kusu. He looks back at Cloud, the scowl now replaced with a smile. He laughs. “He’s an intern from MU. He’s a lighthouse tech and is going to be living with me and helping me with my thesis. He’s from the north so has some experience in and knowledge about the ecology of colder climates. You know how I’m studying the special properties of plankton and I think I can get more insight about it when comparing findings from the northern pole and how it compares to the warmer climate around Costa Del Sol. Isn’t that right, Zack?” Roxas glares at him.

Zak'kusu smiles with all his teeth. His lips feel funny. He tries to tone it down. Cloud’s giving him a funny look. He nods.

“Why isn’t he saying anything?” Cloud whispers in a poor attempt to be discreet.

“He isn’t a native speaker. He’s… a bit shy about speaking.”

“Oh. Okay… but… why didn’t you tell me about this earlier? I was just here this morning. He wasn’t here,” Cloud says quietly, holding the wet-suit in front of himself like a protective blanket.

“I… uh… I wasn’t expecting him until next week. I was going to bring it up closer to the time. But he came by early. Wanted to get settled in before starting his work. Isn’t that right, Zack?”

Zak'kusu nods again. He can’t stop smiling. He can’t believe it worked. He’s human! He feels the need to trill. A squeak leaves him.

“Okay, well… I’m… going to go now.” Cloud backs up with slow steps, not turning around as he goes.

Zak'kusu waves eagerly. The towel drops. Roxas snaps and yells at Zak'kusu. Cloud turns and hurries out. 

“See you, Rox. Bye… Zack,” he says and shuts the door.

A laugh bursts out of Zak'kusu. Cloud said his name… well… sort of. He could burst with joy. He laughs harder.

The next chapter will be challenging as Zack gets used to human life. It’s going to be so fun exploring things through his clueless lens. Any input/suggestions/bright ideas on what Zack might see or do or experience is totally welcomed as I’m cobbling this together.

[eredins-a-king-aint-he]

Hi, I was just curious as to why you asked folks don't tag your Lethskel art with noodlepup? I'm new to fandom so don't understand and don't want to upset folks by accidentally using the wrong tag.

No worries anon!! This is gonna get a little wordy/ranty so I’m gonna pop it under a cut

So basically the reason why I dislike the name no//odlep//up is because I think it’s very woobifying. Eskel and Letho are two big, kinda scary, intense dudes and reducing them to noodle (because Letho is from the school of the viper, so snake) and pup (because Eskel is from the school of the wolf, so dog) just feels…. Icky.

I think a decent amount of my distaste for this is because I feel like I’ve seen a lot of woobifying happening to characters like these two, especially gay men? Like making gay pairs just uwu soft bois and kinda ignoring who the characters are and how they present… I feel like gay men are often woobified and made softer or cuter to be more consumable? Which isn’t just icky feeling, it’s kinda harmful and just not great in general.

I love Eskel and Letho as a pairing, and I think they’re a fantastic couple even though they’re big scary dudes, aka I think it’s nice to have representation of all types of gay love, even when the dudes aren’t flamboyant or feminine at all.

That all being said, people can do whatever they want here, I’m not trying to police anyone. I simply have requested that my own personal art/content not be tagged with certain things, like no//odlep//up. (I should probably make a carrd or something but I haven’t gotten around to it yet.) If someone tags my stuff in a way I don’t like, I may ask them to not do so, and if they’re a dick about it then I’ll just block and move on. I highly recommend curating one’s own internet experience in general, even if it means blocking because of simple stuff. It’s certainly made my tumblr usage much more fun and less irritating. (There’s absolutely aspects of the witcher fandom that I deeply dislike, so I try to distance myself from them as much as possible.)

When it comes to ship names, I personally prefer to tag stuff with name mashups, because then anyone has a fighting chance of guessing what the ship is, instead of it being something abstract so only the people who use it know what it is. But that’s just me🤷🏽

Thank you for asking though!! And welcome to the fandom!! It’s kinda a wild and crazy place, but there’s some fantastic creators here and some really lovely and fun people as well❤️