#i just think it's funny how radically different my thoughts are on their height difference

[akuma-tenshi]

florias artists who draw florian as taller than matthias are fucking weak give me the short golden retriever and tall black cat dynamic goddammit /lh

[iamveronica]

I was today years old when I found out that Johnny Marr played guitar on & CO-WROTE Billy Bragg's Sexuality & it has sent my Marrissey brain into overdrive 👀

ooh yes! Johnny in his autobio talked about how he one day heard Billy Bragg fiddling in his studio with this idea of a song with "some interesting phrases about sexuality" so Johnny took the tape home and perfected the track and from it sprang Sexuality, a "great pop song with brilliant lyrics", as he put it

And just because you're gay I won't turn you away If you stick around I'm sure that we can find some common ground

i know nowadays this seems like basic humanity but at the time, at the height of the AIDS epidemic that disproportionately affected the gay community, it must have been revolutionary, a real show of support

unfortunately, over the years, Billy Bragg has taken to changing the line "sexuality, don't threaten me with misery" to "sexuality, don't threaten me with Morrissey", so sometimes allyship does go out the window, huh

Johnny has always presented himself as an ally, and very genuinely at that. whether there was a hint of curiosity or personal experience is up for speculation. Johnny has never neglected to mention growing up immersed in the feminine ethos and "around loads of gay boys" (he goes on to say that but i'm linking the start of his thought). Morrissey recounted having the same upbringing. Johnny then continues in his talk saying how Manchester had then and still does now a "thriving, absolutely vibrant, very important gay scene" and how the best time you could have was in the gay clubs, where, incidentally, the Smiths played some of their first gigs, according to Johnny's autiobio. back to the video [ON WHICH JOHNNY DOES NOT GET QUOTED ENOUGH and maybe i should and will do], "in the very, very early days, when it probably was just even me and Morrissey, we had to almost reign it in, we had to maybe take a step back and be a bit more palatable. we would've probably been a much more radical band… but look at our first single [Hand in Glove], the first single cover, it's one of the things i'm very, very proud of and Morrissey's contribution which was the iconography".

since i've already brought up Johnny's talk at the Oxford Union in 2019, and he's absolutely brilliant in it - he's asked maybe a handful of questions but he builds so well on them - i will hijack your ask to highlight some of my favourite moments from it

right off the bat, 7:08 "i'm not famous for extremely controversial statements AHEM" fuck you johnny, you petty child. barely lasted 7 minutes without getting a laugh at Morrissey's expense but then he COMPLETELY loses his train of thought for a good 20 seconds. he needs to recalibrate after that Morrissey mention because god knows where his minds goes veering off to. totally self-inflicted and absolutely deserved … "that might sound a little pretentious or highfalutin, and so what, i'm pretentious" this was just funny and the very thing you'd expect the man Morrissey fell in love with to say … the same Johnny who never fails to talk about the Love between him and Morrissey (18:11) "i went and knocked on Morrissey's door and put this band together. strangers, you learn to love each other… very quickly."

27:49 just Johnny being funny saying he never wanted to look at the same bass player for 40 years, then catches himself to say he still does, with him and Andy being mates, corrects it to never wanted to look at the same drummer for 30 years, for 10 years (when i tell you i waited with bated breath for him to say singer but he didn't), then he says "that's not personal, i just saw my future differently". then, i think he gets a little emotional, saying it was "sad how it came out", having to break off from the Smiths to realize the vision of his music career he had from the start

34:21 that question was bait but i think Johnny subverts the expectation that he's going to dump on Morrissey for his lyrical contribution to Some Girls… and instead he says he loved it, it was great when he'd get unexpected lyrics to go with his music. i love Johnny's analogy of a painting of a camel against the backdrop of the British coastline but that in fairness, he couldn't think "of a Smiths song that sounded like a camel". he becomes so lovely, so loving when he talks about the recording/producing process of Smiths songs, how unorthodox they were, he gets transformed. "the probably boring answer that at that time, Morrissey was my best mate and we loved everything that each other did and we both thought everything we did was brilliant"

46:10 "i didn't want to do any Smiths songs for years and years because 1. i just felt like no one should and 2. i was fucked up about it and now i learned not to be fucked up about it and to be alright with your past" he calls There is a Light… a perfect marriage of poetry and music

48:05-48:20 DESERVED A LAUGH, stupid audience

49:05 on the endurance of the Smiths songs, "because there's loads of emotion in the recording, almost every single Smiths song, because even if it's just from me - i can't speak for the other fellas - because when we were recording it, i felt like i was three feet off the ground. because i loved what i was playing, loved the situation i was in and i loved my life, and it was this unbelievable high that was imbued and infused in the recordings"

i'm sorry if this was more than you or anybody bargained for but again, i would recommend listening to an hour of Johnny talking any day

p.s. on the one hand, i understand Morrissey's open letter, he got tired of being a talking point or comedic fodder. on the other hand, Johnny was still talking about what they had with so much love, even in 2019

[bill-y]

𝐈𝐍𝐔𝐑𝐄

Peeta Mellark x male reader

[ We all know who Katniss Everdeen is, but what if Primrose hadn’t been chosen but another boy from another unfortunate family? YOUR family. ]

Info: This is basically a reader insert and I’ve changed a few rules, not ground breaking though. The reader is a bit bland for now but I plan for his actions to be different. Because he has different moral grounds from Katniss and such. Would appreciate feedback! FEEL FREE TO POINT OUT TYPOS. GRAMMARLY SOMETIMES DOESN’T DO MY DYSLEXIC ASS JUSTICE

Part three: Click this, Rumtumtugger.

Part four: you're here, jennyanydots

Part five: Clicky dicky here, buddy

Wattpad account: L0calxDumbass

Those words left my mouth without much thought. I wasn't thinking of the damned consequences at the moment.

Behind me was Kunal, an iron grip on my leg, bawling his eyes out. "Y/N! NO! NO! YOU CAN'T GO!" he pleaded, his cries getting louder by the second. 

My hand ruffled his strawberry blonde hair, messing it up. "Let go, Nal," I said in the calmest tone I could muster. He shook his head, tears running down his cheeks, I cleared my dry throat, gulping down nothing. My mouth was dry as if I just ate a handful of salt, which was honestly a luxury.

My face remained stoic, the moment I show a sign of distress I know the people in the Capitol would eat it up like good bread. It entertains them, our suffering entertains them. 

His hands slipped from my leg, gripping on my pants before he was finally taken away from me. "Up you go, Owl eyes," said Gale, his voice trying hard to remain steady. Beside him was Katniss, who was holding Kunal by the shoulders. She nodded, "Good luck, Y/n,"

I nodded, before looking back at the temporary stage. "Oh well, Bravo!" Effie exclaimed. "That's the spirit of the games!"

She was thrilled, finally seeing some action from this district. It made a pit in my stomach, I clenched my jaw. If only the roles were reversed, Capitol people fighting for their lives instead of us.

Oh, how funny that would be.

I strode to the stage, trying my best to look collected. The foreboding feeling in my stomach only grew with each step I took, my hands sweating as if they've just been dipped into water once I finally took my place.

"Do tell us your name," Effie said, her grin widening as she nodded, encouraging me to talk. It took all the will power I had to not strangle her.

"Y/n Greyback," I replied dryly, hoping it would set her off.

“I bet my buttons that was your brother. Don’t want him to steal all the glory, do we? Come on, everybody! Let’s give a big round of applause to our newest tribute!” she trilled, making me clench my fists.

Her words were met with silence. No one clapped, not a noise can be heard. Even the ones who would usually bet on who would wound up as a tribute didn't do anything.

I held back a smile, a surge of hope flowing through me. This was the most rebellious thing they could do without getting punishment of any sort. Silence.

Silence doesn't mean fear or that we're cowards. It meant that we do not accept this, we do not condone.

Just as my father always said, one does not need to shout to make a change.

The next thing that happened was even more of a surprise. Maybe it was because I was a son of a "rebel", maybe they pitied my family or maybe it was because I talked to the mayor's daughter.

Just one, then two, then a group almost all of the crowd put the three middle fingers of their left hand to their lips and held it out to me. It is an old and rarely used gesture of our district, occasionally seen at funerals. It means thanks, it means admiration, it means good-bye to someone you love.

My tense hands relaxed a sense of calm washing over me. We were united in a strange way, something I thought would only happen in my dreams.

"Look at him! Look at this one!" Hollered Haymitch, throwing an arm around my shoulder. His arm was quite heavy, understandable, he's a wreck. "I like him!"

The scent of alcohol from his breath was strong, or maybe he just smelled of alcohol. "Lots of. . ." He paused, trying to think of a word.

I cringed as he slightly swayed around, trying my best to not touch him. "Spunk!" he declared triumphantly. "More than you!"

He released me, staggering to the front of the stage. "More than you!" He declared once more, pointing towards the camera.

Was he talking to the audience? Or maybe he was addressing the Capitol. I wish it's the latter, that would be funny.

Just as he opened his mouth to continue, he fell down the stage, knocking himself unconscious in the process. I snickered slightly, my face scrunching up right after.

Thankfully, the cameras were all pointed towards him, watching as they whisked him away into a stretcher. I took this moment to glare back into the distance, watching the scenery.

There was the hill that me, Katniss and Gale were just at. It looked so peaceful, contrary to my day.

"What an exciting day!" Effie warbled, trying to fix her tilted wig. It looked ridiculous. Why would Capitol people, no, why would anyone wear that?

It looks ugly, like a beaten up squirrel. Though I'd be lying if I said it wasn't eye-catching, though, beaten up squirrels are also eye-catching. “But more excitement to come! It’s time to choose our next tribute!” she continued, putting one hand to the second bowl.

Her fingertips grab the first slip it encounters. I hoped it wasn't Gale or Katniss. I didn't want to kill them, not that I'd ever stand a chance.

Katniss was extremely skilled with the bow, she could probably shoot my head from miles away. Gale, on the other hand, was strong, compared to him, I had the strength of a broken twig.

"Peeta Mellark," She read. Oh no. Why him? Of all the people in this district. His father just "introduced" me to him this morning, not just that, I knew him.

I watched him make his way up the stage, I had a clear look at him this time. He had a stocky build, medium height,  ashy blonde hair that falls in waves over his forehead. The shock of the situation registered on his face, though you could tell that he was alarmed by the way his blue eyes looked.

Like a prey knowing it'd be hunted.

Despite this, he still manages to climb up the small flight of stairs calmly.

Effie Trinket then asked for volunteers, but no one spoke up. He has two older brothers, I've seen them. But one is probably too old to volunteer, and the other just wouldn't. This was standard family devotion, what I'd done was a radical thing.

The mayor began to say the same old words he always says every reaping day. I couldn't help but think, why him?

I remember it all too well, that day, it was raining up a storm, the wind was howling. My mother and my brother were left at home, I was tasked to find food for us since my mother couldn't bear to show her face to the district.

How could she? Her husband has been executed for rebellion against the Capitol. One of the peacekeepers found weapons under his possession and he was killed. He managed to convince them to spare us, though sometimes I wished it hadn't worked.

Within a week of his death, we began to lose money, and therefore, food. Nobody wanted to help us, nobody wanted to associate with the family of a tyrant.

Shame, the family name bared shame. My mother didn't have the gall to go out and sell any of my father's things, my brother was too young to even understand what was going on.

I was angry. How could they have just taken everything away from us that easy? Who gave them the right to do that?

But at that moment, I couldn't afford to sit still and wallow in my resentment. That was a luxury I couldn't afford. not many could afford it either.

Starvation was a fairly common thing in district 12, though the amount of covering up the peacekeepers do no one a favour and fools no one.

There I was, a boy who wasn't even old enough to be registered into the pile walking around in the harsh weather, stripped away from my dignity and whatever money we had.

I found myself in the Mellark's bakery, being told off by the baker's wife, who was tired of having brats from the Seam paw through her trash. I would've screamed back then, but I didn't want the Peacekeepers called on me.

So I left without another word, sitting at a tree for some sort of cover from the harsh rain.  I remember the snorts of the pigs beside me, and that was when I realized I'm no better than cattle; the people of Panim were no better than cattle.

My knees buckles as I collapsed onto the wet grass, shuddering from the cold and the harsh reality. Maybe I had gone insane then, but I vaguely remember talking to the pigs, ranting to them.

They didn't listen, they were too busy rolling in the mud. Looking back, I find this extremely funny, but maybe that's because I don't want to pity myself.

I didn't even notice a boy until the pigs actually rose to eat the pieces of bread thrown at them. I stared at him for a long while, mainly because of the burnt bread, the crust was scorched black.

But a red mark on his cheekbone caught my attention. Had they hit him for burning the bread? My parents have never hit me, I couldn't even imagine what that would feel like.

He took one look at the bakery as if checking if the coast was clear before he turned back to the pigs. Though instead of feeding the pigs he tossed the loaves of bread to me.

I watched him walk towards the bakery and closing the kitchen door tightly behind him. All I could do was stay silent, before shoving them up to my shirt, muttering a broken thank you as I ran home.

The loaves had cooled by the time I got home, but that didn't matter. We had something to eat. Mother looked at me, relieved I didn't die. She hugged me, apologizing.

I didn't care though, we had food, that's what's important.

And for the first time in weeks, we had a proper meal.

I was thankful, the fact that he'd probably burnt the bread on purpose never occurred to me until I crawled onto the bed, staring at the wooden ceiling. An act of kindness, someone still cared.

It was as if spring came overnight, fluffy clouds, blue sky, the warm sweet air. At school, we would always catch each other's gazes. I felt a tad bit bad, his cheek was swollen and his eye had blackened.

I couldn't come up to say thank you, instead, I watched him from a distance, contemplating whether I should. When I went to fetch Nal, out eyes met once more, I was about to mouth a thank you until Nal tugged my shirt.

He handed me a dandelion. He's always loved flowers. His love for it made me realize how I would get the food we needed. All that time I and my father spent in the forest won't be for nothing.

To this day, I still feel as if I owe my family's life to him. I had honestly given up, but he gave me something. Peeta Mellark, the boy who gave me bread and the dandelion, both gave me hope.

Maybe if I had said thank you all those years ago I wouldn't be feeling so guilty now. I could always say it but something about thanking him whilst I'm practically holding a knife against his throat seems dishonest.

The mayor finished his speech, telling us to shake hands. His were as warm and firm as those loaves of bread. He squeezed me as if reassuring me. Or maybe those were just nervous spasms.

We turn back to the crowd as the anthem of Panem plays.

There are twenty-four of us fighting in that arena, as grim as it is, let's just hope someone kills him before I'm forced to. I don't wanna kill the reason I've survived all those years.

Word count: 2026

Tags:

@nin3s

Sorry for the late update my exams are next week and im rushing to finish my requirements at school. :"

[decadennce]

Epic swag villain asks-

For Azale... Syndrome, Tamatoa, and Mor'Du?? However many of those u wanna answer

And for Jupid, how about Alien? (This is a joke)

[For Azalea]

SYNDROME: Was there ever a point they could have been a hero?

-Oh there were multiple points. So many points. Literally at any point in his life before he decided to get into politics he could have been a better person, and honestly if he quit early enough in his political career his path still wouldn’t have been as villainous. If only he was a small town mayor for a few years before deciding to switch careers but alas, he turned out like this </3 but here’s some of the more major turning points in his life where things could have gone differently

I think the first key point that formed his views/outlook today is joining the military as a young adult. I unfortunately haven’t really named the conflict or figured out too many details but the TL;DR is that he went to fight in an imperialistic war and thought it was 100% justified and got radicalized because he’s fucking weird <3 If he hadn’t had that experience I don’t think he would have developed such a strong drive to get directly involved with politics and tbh he probably would have avoided it altogether. Also funny story but he barely met the height requirement at the time when he joined… if only he was just a tad shorter…

This one was in college. Azalea is a huge perfectionist and he wants to constantly do better than his past self, and this translated to him going absolutely fucking insane with studying. If you can’t already tell, he is a Highly Stressed And Anxious Dude. He began to develop a bit of a drinking habit, though he mainly just maintained a state of tipsiness as a shitty second rate anxiety treatment. He never majorly messed up in his studies but man if he did I could honestly see him drinking more to cope with the fact that he’s failing and then completely flunking out of school and just isolating himself while going from dead end job to dead end job for the rest of his working life. Failure is a massive fear of his and this would have fucked him up bad enough to where I don’t think he’d even try to get back to where he was before. So like. Unironcally he would have been a better person if he just went full alcoholic and destroyed his life lol

So by this point in his life he’d already strayed pretty far from the hero path because. well. he’d currently be a dictator by this point. But man he really didn’t have to start an unnecessary and ideologically fueled war huh </3 like come on man maybe former territories are former territories for a reason and you don’t have to invade them 60 fucking years later but what do I know <3 And god I don’t know how to succinctly explain the fictional politics around this point bc this conflict is actually more developed(mainly because uhhh this is when the main story happens lol) but here’s another TL;DR - cringe guy invades his neighbor while internal political tensions worsen, gets ganged up on by his other neighbors causing him to start losing, THEN a second civil war happens due to said internal tensions and the overall shitty conditions of uhh everything. Like good job man you really did great things for everyone :)))

I know You’ve seen me post massive essays about this world’s politics on discord but for any random people seeing this I cannot possibly fit it all into one ask because we’d be here all day <3

TAMATOA: What is your antagonist's theme song? (or playlist)

-So a lot of his playlist is based off an event in his backstory that I later removed because it didn’t make sense #oops but here is the link. I think the song that my brain mostly associates with him is poison apple by uncle acid. Somehow my brain decided to associate him with stoner rock <3 OH and also masked jackal by coroner because that’s about being a corrupt politician :D Though honestly he’s not traditionally corrupt in the sense that he bribed people or anything, he just has awful views and policies.

MOR'DU: How are they different from the hero/How are they similar?

-This is such a sexy question because I’ve thought about this in depth in the past. It’s also sexy because Aureus himself isn’t even much of a hero, though of course he is leagues better than most of the characters in this universe. For similarities:

Aureus and Azalea both struggle with morality to some extent, albeit in different ways. In Aureus’ case, it’s a huge deal for him, so much that instead of facing the fact that he was wrong, he instead just changes his moral compass so his actions fit within it <3 Eventually his actions do catch up to him and he can’t rationalize it anymore and he kinda loses his shit and has a breakdown but that’s a ramble for another day and also something that happens post-story. In Azalea’s case, his desire to be right mainly stems from his longing to succeed. If what he’s doing isn’t the correct thing, then wouldn’t that just be failing? Occasionally the thought will come into his mind that he’s not doing the best thing in the world, but he pushes it away because he doesn’t want to deal with it <3 If only this bitch actually self reflected.

They are both very anxious people, but once again the core motivation is different. In Azalea’s case, his anxiety stems from insecurity and the feeling that he’s not, and will never be able to be enough. For Aureus, a major source of anxiety is him being found out for being a spy which is a. pretty obvious one. But another one is he gets overwhelmed with the expectations of life very easily, and he often feels like the world is too fast paced for him. I decided to project my dyspraxia onto him and this is mainly why and wow this is reminding me that I should post a dyspraxreus ramble explaining how it affects him someday ANYWAYS back to the point-

-As for how they’re different…

So this first point is for basic differences. Mainly: Azalea is extroverted while Aureus is introverted, the massive height difference between the two, their conflicting political values, etc etc. uh uhhhh Azalea is outwardly friendly and polite while Aureus can be kind of cold and a bit of a prick sometimes… yeah

Okay so I am losing steam </3 but a lot of their differences are kind of explained in the similarities section since the root of their respective issues are different for each of them

[For Jupiter]

ALIEN: Are they a parasitic, acid-drooling, two-mouthed terror?

-Hi for some reason I misread two-mouthed as unwashed, which he is indeed unwashed a lot of the time however that was not part of the question lol. But yes he is all of these things… and more………….

[t4tails]

how was scream 5 !!!

i thought it was pretty good! i like most scream movies and i think this one was especially good at the satire on elevated horror + legacy sequels, tho my lineup still stands as scream 1 > scream 2 > scream 4 > scream 5 > scream 3, but it could change in the future maybe

spoiler-y thoughts under cut

ok i think the weakest part of this movie were how they treated the original 3 ESPECIALY gale. she didnt do much at all except like, pine over dewey which i get is a large part of her character w him but all of her bitchiness was just gone. sidney was okay if a little shoved in, and while that couldve been on purpose i honestly wouldve been fine with her having that little phone cameo and NEVER going back to woodsboro (bonus points for her not dying or being the killer!)

dewey was fiine. i feel like his character was done well w the whole i must be taken SO seriously (does something nobody should take seriously ever). everybody called him dying but his death scene was super cool so its whatever

also called judys death. the returning non big 3 member alwaaaays dies. her death scene was not as cool but it set up wes's which i loved so theres that

the new characters were fun! i LOVED mindy and chad they were super funny and i liked them immediately, super glad they lived. the girl w the long pink hair whos actress looked way too old to be here was a decent red herring and was so annoying i liked it when she got shot. wes was funny and had my favorite death scene in the movie, its what craven wouldve wanted <3

sams actress was on the weaker side in horror. i saw her in in the heights and thought she was good, but her mouth has like this permanent uptick on the sides that make her look at least a little happy a lot, which downplays her looking upset. if she wants to continue in the horror genre she should lean into it and consider a villain! as for her character, she was cool. billy loomis's daughter. her seeing him was fun and i loved her relationship w her sister.

her sister was great! best acting in the film. literal mvp she deserves everything and i have nothing bad to say. only elevated horror fan i respect i guess but she better not disrespect my slasher buds again tcm and black christmas are iconically political stfu 💗

then there are the ghostfaces. richie was funny, and even if he hadnt been the killer i enjoyed his humor in the first half (i totally relate to watching a series in a week and then acting like a total expert on when it went to shit lmao). he was fun, and a little obvious just like the love interest always is. cool death scene. kind of a dumbass.

amber was weak. she wasnt in as much of the movie as richie or anyone else and i really disliked her obvious personality shift when she revealed herself as the killer. ik ghostfaces have acted different post reveal in the past but at least stu and mickey were already kind of fucking weird beforehand (liver alone, anyone?) while she was just stoic and mean. another cool death scene and i thought her excuses for being innocent were really funny.

bonus comments:

- "im innocent! it was the movies! i was radicalized!" "the movies radicalized you?"

- everybody forgetting about stu was a funny gag but damn f that skeet got to come back and play his fucking GHOST and not matthew who has been asking for years 😭

- not many ghostface eating shit moments. i liked it when he got hit with a vase though.

- was wes already born in 2011 and judy was a mom in scream 4? whats the timeline here i feel like im stupid for asking

- i cant believe i watched the word fandom get said in a scream movie in 2022

[wickxdangels]

Travis Stoll Imagine; Dream Girl

Hello!! We are back this Monday with a Percy Jackson Imagine! I started reading the series last week and i’m currently on the third book which is so exciting! I love the Stoll brothers so making this imagine was so fun! i hope you guys like it! :) As always, I apologize if there are any spelling or grammar mistakes, please let me know! And also, thank you everyone for the support and the cute comments i’ve been getting on my other stories! I love you all xx (also, sorry i couldn’t find a better pic to place)

Pairing; Travis Stoll x Reader

Warnings; None

Request; Would write a Travis Stoll x reader who is daughter of Ares who’s Clarisse’s second in command/best friend even though they’re opposite personalities and Connor is so sick of Travis’ pining for her that he decides to get them together?

It was a bright, hot and sunny day in Camp Half-Blood; the satyrs were running in the woods playing hide and seek with the dryads, who turned into trees whenever they tried to steal a kiss from them. Young demigods runnings through the camp wearing those bright-eye-cramping orange shirts, some of the kids from the Hermes Cabin were picking up the locks from the Camp Gift Shop. It was pretty much a normal summer day like any other.

Y/n was sitting down on top of a wooden-table, cleaning and filing her sword, it was something she found relaxing and it helped to calm down her ADHD for a bit. Mid-cleaning, she felt a pair of eyes staring into her. This has probably been the fifth time she has felt it in this week alone. She quickly looked up, not finding anyone on reach staring at her, it was infuriating not knowing who those stares belonged to but she brushed it off, it was stupid to get mad at something childish like that.

“Attention, attention, campers.” The voice of Mr. D, the camp director, said as he walked close by to the campers. Lots of them stop what they were doing to look at the news he was about to say. “Today we will be playing Capture The Flag, in about two hours or so, you all know what to do, gear up and blah blah..” That earned the cheers of lots of campers, and Mr. D with a quick a wave of his hand he dismissed them as he kept walking towards the Big House, to play some pinocle perhaps, as he complained how teenagers were always so loud.

Y/n then kept filing her sword as a blonde haired and all girl walked towards her, Clarisse La Rue, her half-sister. “Did you hear that? We’ll finally get to have another reason to beat up some kids and get back our flag from the Blue team!” The girl exclaimed with a sinister smile on her lips.

Y/n simply chuckled at her words and nodded. “Indeed, sis. It’s been too long since the last time we played, that flag needs to be back on Ares’s Team.” she said as she blew on her sword, grinning at her sister as she nodded.

“C’mon, let’s go get something to eat before the game, my stomach is killing me.” Clarisse said as Y/n tagged alone.

Y/n and Clarisse were both daughters of Ares, god of war. They belonged to Cabin 5, where lots of her other half-brothers lived year-round just like both of them. Ares kids shared lots of physical attributes, like their muscular bodies and tall height, meaning all of them looked big and scary, a good pro when it came to war or simple games like the one they were about to play. But when it came to personality, both girls couldn’t be more different.

Clarisse was the designated Camp Half-Blood bully, she was the one that messed with the new campers, just like she did with Percy Jackson. She would find the tiniest of reasons to start a riot and just set the world on fire if she could, just like their father.

Y/n on the other hand, was a bit more calm. Or well, as calm as a daughter of Ares could get. She enjoyed battles, she enjoyed kicking butt from here and there but sometimes she would just get tired of the same old. She wouldn’t pick fights as much as Clarisse did, well, not now anyways. But whenever her sister needed a fighting partner she would be there without a doubt, not giving a damn who started the fight, simply being there to put up a good show.

Some feet away, behind a tree was Travis Stoll, whose favorite hobby has radically changed from picking-up locks or throwing the best pranks in camp with his brother, to spying on Y/n behind trees…or behind anything really. He saw as the girl of his dreams walked away with his most-hated-camper, who was no one else but her sister, Clarisse.

“I really can’t believe you’re still secretly pinning over her, Travis! It’s been what? Four, five years? Don’t you think it’s time to act like a big boy and tell her for once and for all?” His younger brother’s voice made him jump from his hiding spot as he turned around to face him.

“Connor! Do you have to be that loud all the time?” He cried out, grabbing his brothers shoulder as they walked out of the forests and towards their cabin. “And you know I cannot do that, she’s literally my archenemy’s sister! And best friend! Also, not to forget about her dozen of brothers with anger-issues!” Travis complained, sighing as he kicked a little rock that was in his way. “I don’t know why life has to be so hard!”

“Travis, shut up. Jeez, you’re always complaining, it’s been five years! Five of which I had to hear you whining about Clarisse and how she would maim you if you were ever to confess your feelings for Y/n…can’t we get over that? I mean, the day will come when she’ll maim you regardless of your confession or not..” His brother shrugged, placing a comforting arm around him. “Also, I have a bet going on with Pollux.. and for me to earn the money means that you’ll have to confess your feelings for her today…” Connor confessed with a grin on his lips, highlighting his elvish features who looked so much like his brother’s.

Travis stopped mid-way as he stared at his brother, a deadly stare to be exact.

“YOU DID WHAT?” He sort-of yelled at him, making his younger brother grimace a bit. “How much did you bet, though?” He slowly asked, bit interested after all, money was money.

“Around twenty drachmas and some hundred bucks..” Connor shrugged as he scratched the back of his neck. “Is that an ‘okay brother, I’ll make you win the bet’?” He curiously asked with a sheepish smile.

“Ugh, you’re so gonna share that with me. And you’re gonna do my laundry for a month! After all, I don’t know.. I might end up missing a limb..”

“You always love to exaggerate, Travis. Chill, things might turn good.” He shrugged at his older brother as he raised both of his eyebrows in a funny manner.

Two hours later, after getting something to eat and putting on their armors, the Ares cabin walked towards the centre of the camp, there the rest of their allies, Cabins Four, Nine, Ten and Twelve were already in position and armed with their respective weapons of choice.

The blue team stood on their left side, she could’ve sworn she felt the usual stare again and she just knew it came from the blue team. At least she was a bit closer to knowing who her stalker is.

“Attention Campers, let’s get this over with.” Mr. D’s voice resounded through the crowd, besides him stood Chiron, who acted as the referee and was there in case anyone needed medical help. “For tonight’s game of Capture The flag, the blue team is lead by Annabeth and Percy, who have allied with Cabins Seven and Eleven.” He rolled his eyes as he then proceeded. “And Team Red is led by Clarisse and Y/n, who are joined by the remaining cabins.” He was too lazy to mention all of the cabins but it was no surprise coming from him. “You all know the rules by now, the creek is the boundary line, and the entire forest is fair game. Magic items are permitted, killing and maiming—much to my regret—are not.” He sighed as he tiredly placed his hands on his waist.

“I’ll be close by in case anyone is in need of my assistance.” Chiron commented as he looked at the campers in front of him.

“I believe Travis will be needing your assistance later on, Chiron!” Connor joked, making some of their teammates chuckle as Travis could only blush at the statement, he looked towards Y/n, hoping she wasn’t staring at him now, but much to his luck, she was chuckling along with Clarisse who had a deadly stare at him, making him shriver.

“Yeah, yeah. Well kids, off you go now! Shoo!” Mr. D said as he waved his hands, both of the teams were now running towards the forest and the hills.

The Ares cabin took the lead of the rest of the cabins as they ran towards their different positions, some of them were on border patrol duty as other were hiding behind bushes or trees, waiting for the other campers to come by so they could jump on them.

“Y/n, guard our flag! I’ll try to steal theirs!” Clarisse grinned as she ran off towards the lake, Y/n could only chuckle as she grabbed tightly on her sword and ran towards their red flag, ready to fight anyone who came in sight.

As she ran towards the forest, she could see her brothers fighting with the other campers, or well, the enemies. Her battle reflexes came in handy when someone was about to jump on her but she swiftly avoided her, bringing her sword up as she fought a blonde-haired girl from the Athena cabin, quickly disarming her before sending her flying backwards towards a tree with a hard kick on the chest. She’ll definitely be needing some ambrosia after this, she thought.

She chuckled as she kept running, she had missed the feeling of the air hitting in her face as she ran, the way her instincts would work whenever someone was attacking her, the balanced weight of her favorite sword in her hand.

One of the guys from the Apollo cabin came after her, making her chuckle when she easily avoided one of their arrows as it landed on a tree. “That wasn’t very smart, was it?” She asked with a smirk as she then ran towards him and before he could take another arrow, she kicked the bow out of his hands. “Bad choice.” She said before bringing the sword up, the kid was quick to avoid a hit before he tripped backwards on a branch, she was about to keep fighting as one of her brothers came to her.

“I’ve got this punk! Go protect the flag!” Her brother said before she nodded and smirked at the kid.

“Well, you’re just in luck!” She winked at him before running through the forest once again, making sure to avoid any distractions on the way.

Her feet were fast as she ran, ducking whenever she saw an arrow being shot at her and jumping whenever she would meet with a camper passed out on the floor, not many minutes later and the flag was already in her sight, she came closer to it, checking her surroundings for any enemy in sight.

Not many seconds had passed when she heard some steps coming on her way, she quickly jumped on top of a tree branch hiding, she saw as a guy came close to the flag but did not grab it, instead he looked around as if searching for someone.

She then took the advantage and jumped on top of him, making him land with his back on the floor as she had him trapped between her legs. “Huh, a son of Hermes. I thought it would be one of Athena’s kid the one who would come for the flag.” She said as she brought her sword up to his face, he looked just like every other Hermes’s kid, elvish features, curly hair, tall and kind of cute.

“No! Wait! I’m not here for the flag..” He confessed, having her so close to his body made him shriver, luckily his face was already red from the game if not he would be blushing madly.

“You are aware that we are playing Capture The Flag, don’t you?” She chuckled as she stared at him, her eyes looking directly into his blue ones as he felt the shiest he has ever felt in his life.

“Y-yes, yes! What I meant it’s that, I’ve been meaning to confess you something..” He said as she stood up, holding a hand out for him as he slowly grabbed it, she pulled and helped him stand up.

“Okay, now you’re kind of creeping me out, Travis.. What is it?”

“How.. how do you know who I am?” He asked, kind of surprised she didn’t mistake him for his brother, which happened quite a lot.

“We were friends, remember? When I first got here, you were one of that befriended me. I stayed in your cabin for some weeks before Ares claimed me. We used to play pranks on the Aphrodite kids so much that you thought I was one of Hermes kid’s as well.” She said chuckling as he nodded, he remember those times. That was the time when he started to develop his current huge crush on her.

“I.. I didn’t know you remembered that.” He gave her a bright smile as he scratched the back of his neck in a shy manner, something she thought she had never seen before on any kid of Hermes.

“Of course, I do! Now, what were you going to tell me?”

“Oh! That! Well, you see—” sadly he was too slow and too immersed on their chat that he did not see Clarisse flying at him, knocking him off his feet as they rolled down on the floor.

“It was you!” Clarisse yelled as she threw some punches at him, he luckily evaded some but not all of them, so he groaned when she had delivered a square punch to his right eye.

Now that’s gonna leave a nasty bruise, he thought.

“Clarisse! What are you doing? He was gonna say something to me!” Y/n said as she ran towards them, trying to pull her sister off of him.

“It’s him, y/n! He’s the one who’s been lurking behind trees and staring at you!” Clarisse said with disgust as she stood up from top of him, delivering nasty glances at Travis.

“Oh.. so you’re my little stalker, huh?” Y/n said with a smirk on her lips as she looked at Travis, helping him stand as he slowly nodded, grabbing onto his side as he looked embarrassed.

“Okay, I’ll have to say that that wasn’t the smartest thing to do.. but yeah. It was me.” He confessed to her, giving her a little smile as she stared at him. “And besides that, what I wanted to say it’s that… I like you, like, a lot.” he said. “A crazy amount probably, and I know you may not like me back! Knowing that I’m your sister’s most hated person in this camp besides my brother.. and Percy..” he explained

“This is disgusting! Completely disgusting!” Clarisse gagged at the scene in front of her, she has always disliked the Stoll brothers even more after the little prank they pulled on her few years ago.

“I.. I’m quite shocked, actually.” she confessed, her cheeks tinting a light red but when she was about to actually reply to him, she saw how another figure behind Clarisse and Travis took the chance of the flag being unprotected and quickly snatched it.

In the background, all could hear a horn being played in signal that the game has finished.

The result? Blue team were the winners, once again.

It turns out that, Travis’s younger brother Connor, knowing that he was going to confess his feelings towards Y/n, seized the opportunity of us being entertained by his brother’s confession to grab the flag, it was all part of his plan.

Which helped to ignite even more, the hatred Clarisse had towards the Stoll brothers.

The whole game ended up quite quickly after that, with the campers of the blue team cheering for their new victory and the red team growling at them and cursing them out.

Y/n never had the chance to talk to Travis in that moment, seeing how Chiron with other campers, took the injured ones towards the infirmary to help with the wounds.

That’s when Y/n knew it was now or never. She escaped from the celebrations of the night, walking towards the infirmary to check on the wounded Stoll brother. She walked through it, looking at some of the demigods sleeping on the beds and other being taken care by Argus and some dryads. Once he saw the familiar curly hair, she walked towards it, grabbing a pack of ice a girl was carrying towards him. “I can take it from here.” she explained to the girl as she just nodded and left.

She then walked to his bed, sitting down at the edge of it and softly pressing the ice pack on his already-bruised eye. “Who knew.. that purple eye really suits you.” she softly spoke, waking up the prankster from his nap.

“Y/n? What are you doing here?” he asked as he quickly sat up, groaning from the pain as he realized it wasn’t a good idea after all with his bruised ribs.

“Clarisse really did a number on you, didn’t she?” the girl said as she softly helped him to lay down once again, slowly. “I’m sorry about that, she can be easily carried away by her emotions.”

“I really can’t believe you two are sisters, you two are nothing alike.” he said, wincing as he laid down. “You’re gentle and understanding, meanwhile Clarisse would throw a punch at literally anyone who crosses her path.”

“Well, that’s because I have never really fought with you, you know? When we are in battle, that’s when we are scary alike.” she chuckled, holding the ice pack on his eye as they talked. “So.. I never really replied to what you said to me back there.”

“You don’t really have to. I know it must’ve been silly, I just couldn’t really hold it in anymore, you know? You’re so beautiful and so strong! And you love pulling pranks on people, which is so hot! And whenever you’re fighting you’ve got this beautiful frown that—”

“Could you shut up for a second?” she said quickly before a smirk appeared on her lips. “I know I’m hot and all of that, but I just really wanted to say that… I think you’re really cute.” her smirk turned into a smile at him as she looked at him, he could’ve sworn his insides were on fire, which could’ve been due to the punches he’d got but he knew it was because of her smile. “And I would like to see where this could go..”

“Wait! You’re serious, right? This is not a prank, right? Cause that wouldn’t be so hot..” He explained making her giggle. “It’s not a prank, you dummy!” she interrupted him. “I like you, like, a lot.” she smiled, saying the exact words he had said to her back in the forest.

“Oh! Wow! I— I really, don’t know what to say! Jeez, I think I’m blushing again!” Travis confessed with his cheeks flaming red as he looked at her.

“Shh, don’t talk.. Less words and more…actions.” she smirked before laying the ice pack on the bed and slowly leaning her face against his, until their lips were touched; she was careful to grab his cheek, not wanting to hurt his purple eye as he returned the soft kiss she laid on his lips.

It was all he ever dreamed, kissing her felt like drinking ambrosia, her lips tasted so sweet. His stomach felt like the excitement he would get before pulling any prank, multiplied by a hundred. He just knew that this was it. This was all he ever wished for. This was the girl of his dreams.

That was it, until a wave or realization fell over him as she softly pulled away from him. “Oh, gods! now Clarisse is so going to murder me!”

That only made her laugh even more. “Leave her to me, she’s really not that scary, I promise.” she assured him. “Now, what did I say about talking?” she asked.

“Oh! Yes, yes. Less words, more actions, got it!” he smiled mischievously as he then pressed his lips against hers once again.

“Oh, I forgot to ask. What’s the bet Connor has goin on with Pollux about?” she asked, looking at his eyes for a bit before raising his brow.

“Oh, now you shut up. I’ll explain later, I’m badly injured and I demand more kisses.” he said with the cutest little pout she has ever seen, she rolled her eyes. “It’s just some bruised ribs.. and a bruised eye.” she joked before wrapping her arms around him and kissing him again.

[batsforbadones]

I enjoyed reading your headcanon and analysis about why you think Herbert might be a necrophile. Do you have anymore headcanons about Herbert?

When someone asks about Herbert my heart grows three sizes. I’m very glad you liked my little necrophiliac spiel. HERBERT WEST HEADCANONS

- Allow me to talk about this man for hours. Please. - Not particularly anti-social, but very asocial. Herbert West isn’t against social interaction, it’s just not often extended to him. He’s fully aware that people find him creepy or off putting, but it’s better that way. Not many people, especially not in the 80′s, are going to be open to his rather- radical ideas about life and death. He’s also not going out of his way to find people to understand. - It’s pretty established that Herbert has a dark sense of humor. He only gets a start in the movies at seeing Dan spooked. He’s also very prone to gloating in a kind of funny way. He was fully aware of the pun he was making by calling Hill a ‘ No-Body ‘. - I genuinely do believe he gets joy from scaring the shit out of people. He likes to see them tense up and turn around to look at him in fear. Makes him feel strong. Gets a kick out of him, truly. - He often overestimates his size. A passive symptom of his little god-complex he has going on. Every time Herbert throws himself in front of someone bigger than him, clearly stronger, or more physically capable, take a shot. The amount of times he goes to step in front of his work or something he’s trying to hide only to have some guy at least half a foot taller absolutely body him is astounding. - Herbert West uses a gun so well because of his god-complex as well. It gives him a sense of power he knows he doesn’t have otherwise. - His height is a genuine point of contention for him. He hates it. Really, really hates it. He values his brain over his body, of course, but anytime he is reminded he is barely 130 sopping wet, he is mortified. Link this back to the complex. Nobody should be allowed to move god in such an easy manner. - I’m over shooting this complex because in his head Herbert West legitimately believes he could fight god and win. He’d challenge god to a human making contest if he could, but Herbert, being the smart boy he is, knows how truly crushable he is as a human being.  - Anytime he steps infront of a door- you can hear it in his voice- ‘ You’re not allowed in there- ‘ But he knows theres nothing he can do to stop it. To stop them- - Same thing with his drug addiction !!! WOooooOO *clinking of a musical triangle* I wish this was canon but it would’ve made the movie weaker if they expanded on it !!!  - I didn’t even know this was a thing until very recently, but oh 100% Herbert West is addicted to his reagent. He’s used more than his fair share of dirty needles in his hay day. - First year of med school Herbert could be found in a damp alley way, clinging to sanity because the Heroine just wasn’t doing it the same anymore and the next thing he knows his creation is flowing through his veins and every single nerve in his body is screaming and then... back to a whisper. He’s awake again. He knows where he’s at. This isn’t his dorm, but god with his current level of focus, it’d be criminal not to work on his reagent - I think he revived a corpse for the first time around nineteen. Up until then he wasn’t sure he could really do it, he was just perfecting it, but age nineteen is the first time he slammed that needle into his dog’s dead body or something equally messy.  - A very different turn to the current vibe of these headcanons, but Herbert West has a praise kink. He most definitely has a praise kink. Nobody can convince me otherwise. - He’s a virgin, nobody in their right mind would- ever actually sleep with this man- not that he has the time anyways- - But he has a big praise kink. If you thought his ego was big, imagine how big it gets after being stroked. He internalizes every single comment made to him about his work- about his anything, really, but about his work especially. - Herbert West sees himself as a being above needing physical touch and pleasure but that’s a dirty lie. If you can manage to actually get him on you for just a moment or two, he melts horribly. He’ll try to cling onto excuses about needing to do work and insist he doesn’t have time for this- He’s a very busy man- but he truly hates having to pull away from anybody showing him affection. - He’s very unused to it, the only touching he usually does on other humans being very medical.  - You already know I think he’s a necrophiliac, but I also think he has a thing for- getting his partner really close to being dead and then- Yanking them back into life or saving them. See Nurses Who Kill/ Angel of Death types. He’d probably get off on things like - choking / water boarding / blood letting / anything risky enough to give you the appearance of a dead body momentarily before he bring you back.  - Once again see a god-complex. Everything loops back to Herbert being a narcissist highly aware of his mortality. - Don’t even get me started on Herbert West and his undying fear of death that’s it’s own post. - And a weird little fun one to even out the dark tones, I think he has a sensitive palette. Herbert just seems like the kind of guy to be very selective with what he consumes- A very high food, ratatouille kind of guy.

[jonismitchell]

hey arden do you have any book suggestions? i don’t have any preference/specific genre i’m looking for but i just need something new to read while in quarantine :)

you’re in luck! i happen to be a massive nerd and i’m going to compile a gigantic list of recs for you. here we go.

the only classics worth reading: i want to preface this by saying i did not pick these books because they are written by women. they are just good and they happen to be by women. this reinforces my theory that only women can write.

emma by jane austen: better than pride and prejudice by a long shot. the characters are funny, the romance is swoon worthy (don’t think too hard about the age gap), it says very smart things about society, and i could write an essay on how it revolutionized fiction.

wuthering heights by emily bronte: my all time favourite book about how awful people are and how the cycle of abuse perpetuates itself. it’s absolutely exceptional in every respect. i won’t go into too much detail because i don’t want to give anything away, but you should definitely read this book.

jane eyre by charlotte bronte: i’m not saying i’m a bronte sister stan, i’m just saying i’m a bronte sister stan who can’t be bothered to take five seconds to copy the accent. anyway, i read this book when i was a wee lass and i stole it from an apartment in nice. the characters are genuinely amazing, and it’s an early feminist book, which i think is fantastic.

the handmaid’s tale by margaret atwood: you don’t get more feminist classic than this. set in a dystopian future where women are only valued for their ability to procreate, atwood examines gender roles and still delivers a brilliant adventure story. if you end up liking this, try the power by naomi alderman, which essentially tells of the opposite society.

the bell jar by sylvia plath: an introspective story about mental illness. it’s the type of writing that i feel hits hard at about any age, and i remember feeling really haunted after finishing the whole thing in a night. definitely high up on my list of amazing novels.

feel good books: sometimes, we need to read something that’s not revolutionary but still radical. don’t worry, i got you. here’s the lasagna of novels.

finding audrey by sophie kinsella: this book is funny, heartwarming, and makes you think. as someone with anxiety, i felt really represented by a lot of audrey’s behaviours. her mom is lowkey nuts, but i feel like that shouldn’t impede your enjoyment of the book.

the shadowhunters series by cassandra clare: LISTEN. objectively cassandra clare is a terrible person. objectively these books are not good. but they are amusing! they are comforting! they are interesting! also, there are a million of them. start with the infernal devices: clockwork angel, clockwork prince, and clockwork princess. set in old old london, this series features the only valid love triangle ever, girls who like to read and kick ass, and boys who are soft and play the violin. next, head to the mortal instruments, which is pretty much drinny fanfiction. don’t think too hard during these and you’ll have a good time. after that, read the short story collections the bane chronicles and tales of shadowhunter academy. if you got really into the lore (like me) these books are funny and a little captivating. finally, get to the highlight of this whole thing, the dark artifices. the one true love of my life, emma carstairs, stars in this brilliant trilogy about forbidden love. yes, it’s super corny, but all these books are super corny. if you can’t get enough of the universe (or accidentally got hooked) try out the collection ghosts of the shadow market. once you finish that, you can read the first books in the new series(es), red scrolls of magic and chain of gold. all of these books are jam packed with magic and vaguely plagarized demons. not brilliant, but a fun ride.

emma mills books: emma mills writes cute happy contemporary romances and i can’t recommend her enough! first & then tells the story of a jane austen obsessed nerd who crushes on a jock. which could actually be about me, and if you trust my judgement, you probably like me enough to read this book secretly written about me. foolish hearts gives theatre kids and boy band stans alike a chance to feel represented in what could be one of the sweetest (and funniest!) romances of all time. famous in a small town gives band kids and people who are clarinet-sized a chance to shine, and includes a country singer who struck me with her similarities to taylor swift. (our song is even referenced in the novel!) by far my favourite would have to be this adventure ends, which is hilarious and heartbreaking and talks about fanfiction without looking down on it. all of these books are definitely feel good and will make you believe in heterosexual romance.

mildly upsetting fantasy: just fantasy trilogies that will hurt you.

the poppy war by r.f. kuang: wonder what harry potter would be like if the magic system was complicated and the murder was high? no, like high on opium? and the plot was based on chinese military history? look no further than the brilliant work of art that is the poppy war. this book is by far the best fantasy out there, i cannot exaggerate that enough. also out is the equally compelling sequel the dragon republic, and the final book in the trilogy is set to hit shelves this year. please please please read this amazing book.

six of crows by leigh bardugo: six dysfunctional criminals try to steal from the most heavily guarded prison in the world. what could go wrong? this novel is intelligent and witty, and will keep you on the edge of your seat as you’re dragged into this scheming and brilliant world. in my opinion, this is the only valid book in the grishaverse. this and its equally well plotted sequel, crooked kingdom.

the gilded wolves by roshani choski: this one is definitely similar to six of crows in its funny and smart main cast. the magic system is super unique and the plot is endlessly enjoyable. it’s also set in old old paris! so france is always fun. there are also tons of mythology references and disaster bisexuals. and apparently the sequel (the silvered serpents) comes out july of this year.

scythe by neal shusterman: the first book on this list by a man, wow! i’m so inclusive. anyway, this genius trilogy is set in a world where humanity has solved almost every single problem, except overpopulation and corruption. an elite order called scythes are tasked with killing and managing the order of death. it’s like the hunger games went took a political science seminar. everything spirals out of control very quickly and the characters are so great. the sequels are called thunderhead and the toll respectively, and the overarching tale is gripping.

the cruel prince by holly black: i’m not kidding when i say this is the only faery book that matters. this book stars a human girl who grows up in the magical world and more violence than is statistically necessary. but it’s good! this is also a trilogy (every book on this list is the first one in a trilogy, i am the worst, i’m sorry) and the sequel the wicked king is quite possibly the best scheme-y magic politics thing i’ve ever read. and the final book, queen of nothing, doesn’t disappoint by a long shot.

contemporaries no one talks about

the boy who steals houses by cg drews: this book has autistic representation! and it’s written by book blogger paperfury, who is even more of a delight on the page than she is on the internet. be warned, this book includes heavy mentions of abuse and graphic violence that are unavoidable. but it will break your heart and stitch it back together again. also, waffles.

some boys by patty blount: this book deals very candidly with the aftermath of rape and public pressure. it is also one of my favourite books of all time for its treatment of ‘bro culture.’ and the heroine, grace, is incredibly strong. i read this book in maybe fourth grade? and it essentially inspired me to start giving a damn about social justice. so yeah, there’s that. (i also haven’t read it since fourth grade, so someone will have to tell me if it holds up).

emergency contact by mary choi: i’m rereading this for the second time right now and it’s still really awesome. it tells the story of an unlikely friendship, big dreams, and does it all through a really interesting narrative voice that manages to effectively capture two very different people. it is yet another romance, but it’s really wonderful and heartwarming. (unlike the other two books in this section).

children’s books that treat kids like people

a series of unfortunate events by lemony snicket: this is quite literally my favourite series of all time. it’s upsetting and kind of wrong once you think about it a lot, but it’s also maybe the best thing ever written. i literally cannot explain how much i love these books. there are thirteen books, so you’re definitely in for a good, long time.  

the mysterious benedict society by trenton lee stewart: three books about propaganda and smart kids and found family. i literally do not know what else you want out of a series. it’s fun and there’s only a little bit of kidnapping, so it’s very family appropriate compared to the other books on this list.

wuh luh wuh

the seven husbands of evelyn hugo by taylor jenkins reid: i KNOW no one shuts up about this book but you really should read it. like, there’s nothing that will ever top the narrative. the drama, the glamour, the girls who love girls, you know? all the components of a brilliant novel. it’s also got some truly poetic prose and genuinely beautiful moments. the reason everyone talks about this book is because it’s amazing. send tweet.

girls of paper and fire by natasha ngan:  (massive trigger warning for sexual violence)  haha! another violent fantasy book that’s part of a trilogy! thought you escaped that, didn’t you? this magic system is brilliant and the book is so good. it’s a breath of fresh air into young adult fiction. and did i mention it’s a wlw romance? i read this during a math class and had to go to the bathroom to cry when i finished it, because there was finally a heroine in a fantasy novel who i could see myself in. there’s also a sequel, girls of storm and shadow, that is equally amazing.

it’s not like it’s a secret by misa suigura: wlw girls with soft poetry vibes. complicated family lives. candidly dealing with racism, sexism, and homophobia. this book is really good. simply read this book.

i have even MORE book recs but i decided to cut myself off because this is the longest thing i’ve ever written for tumblr. hope you enjoy!

[harrisonstories]

Pattie Boyd and George Harrison - assumed to be from their honeymoon in Barbados (1966)

NOTE: This is the “Something in the Way She Moved” interview Ken Sharp did with Pattie Boyd in 2007. I’ve posted a couple of quotes before and wanted to share the whole thing for Pattie’s birthday. Originally this interview was available through Goldmine magazine, but it seems they’ve changed their website recently, so I used the version from Record Collector . Unfortunately they slightly edited parts of the interview, so what I’ve done is add in as much as I could find from the Goldmine version in brackets. Anyway, hope you enjoy and Happy Belated Birthday Pattie!

Share your memories of first meeting the Beatles on the set of A Hard Day’s Night...

I was working as a model and my agent called me one day to tell me that there was a casting audition to go to. When I arrived there I recognized the director because I’d done some TV commercials with him. Then I went home afterwards and I heard from my agent that I got a part in a Beatles film, which was A Hard Day’s Night. I was a bit stunned by this. I had no desire or ambition to be an actress. They said, “Oh don’t worry, it’s just a walk on part.”

In the film I had to be a schoolgirl. So I turned up at the appointed place, a train station, caught the train and then a little way out of Paddington Station the train stopped. I looked out and saw these four very recognizable people were standing on a platform. It was The Beatles. There was nobody else there. They jumped onto the train, came into our carriage and introduced themselves as if we didn’t know who they were (laughs). They were so charming. We shook their hands, then they went off and filming began. I just thought George was so unbelievably good looking and adorable. They were all so funny and humorous, and seemed to be mucking about all of the time. George and I just hit it off.

I don’t know whether it was by design or deliberation but we ended up sitting next to each other for lunch. I remember feeling so silly because I was still dressed in a stupid schoolgirl uniform. We were both really shy but we enjoyed sitting next to each other and talking a bit.

At the end of the day, the train was headed back to London and George looked at me and said, “Will you marry me?” Because they’d all been so amusing and funny throughout the day I just laughed as if he were joking. Then he said, “Can I take you out to dinner tonight?” I said, “Well, actually I’m going out with my boyfriend (Eric Swayne), but you can come along too.” He said, “No, that wasn’t the idea at all.”

What were the qualities about George that made you realize he was the one for you?

I think it was his absolute charm and endearment. [He was very endearing. He was very easy to be with. He was very soft and lovely.] He seemed to really love my family and got on very well with all my brothers and sisters. He was just eternally sweet to everybody.  When we first started going out together he was very quiet. As time went on he gained more confidence. And then there were times it was difficult to stop him from talking.

Did you get a chance to visit many Beatle recording sessions?

No, because really and truly we weren’t really allowed to. We weren’t encouraged to go to the studio. I remember once going through the studio to meet George Martin; I think they might have been doing recording with Mary Hopkin. But I never saw a Beatles recording session. When Yoko came on the scene, she was allowed to but otherwise none of the wives were. It was far better that there were no distractions from us. I mean, girls can be distracting, let’s face it. They wanted to totally focus on their work.

Bring us back to the first time you saw The Beatles in concert.

I saw them for the first time when they played at the Hammersmith Odeon London in 1964. George and I had met and it seemed this show must have happened a few months after that. I was given a few seats right near the front. The audience was screaming all of the time. To me, that was odd, because I didn’t realize that was what happened during their shows. The noise was huge, but the Beatles’ performance was really great.

Was it a different George onstage than off?

Absolutely. He was himself in his professional role of being a musician. Whereas I just knew him as my boyfriend, someone who was great to hang out with, loved my family and really enjoyed to hang out with my friends. So this was very clearly another role that I didn’t really recognize him in. 

[Did he feel more comfortable off stage?]

[Yes], I always felt he was never very comfortable onstage. I think it made him nervous. He was much more comfortable being in the company of friends and family and people that he loved.

Through the years, George expressed how he grew tired of Beatlemania fairly early on in the band’s career.

After he and I met, we would have such a great time together. I don’t want to be boastful about it but I think he really preferred hanging out with me and actually enjoying life. Touring got in the way and he didn’t really enjoy it. He didn’t really see the point of touring because just as soon as they walked toward the stage the people would start screaming so loudly. When they started playing the screaming got even louder to the point where nobody possibly could have heard anything. He saw it all as a bit of a waste of time.

But when you watch The Beatles film showing them performing at Shea Stadium, it does seem like they’re having a blast.

Yeah. With Shea Stadium, of course, that was one of their big conquests in America. I remember George saying he couldn’t believe how enormous it was and how many people were there. He was overawed by that [and did enjoy playing that show]. 

You write in your book that The Beatles were “fearful” of their fans.

Obviously they couldn’t exist without their fans but their fans followed them everywhere they went. Before we had a gate put up outside of our house in Esher, fans would come to the house all the time. On a couple of occasions some of my things were stolen. Depending on his mood, more often than not if fans came to the door he would shoo them away. But if he was in a good mood and they were nice people he would be charming, sign autographs and have a few words with them. But it was an intrusion. He’d rather be getting on with his life than dealing with that.

Unlike many groups of today, there was a real bond of friendship and camaraderie among the Beatles.

[The Beatles were very close and tight and would hang out together.] They all grew up in the same area of Liverpool. Automatically when you grow up with somebody from the same sort of background and experiences, you have a bond. At a very young age they were sent to Germany to work in Hamburg for [very], very long hours, little sleep and little money. They took loads of pills to keep them up all night. That unites people. [It’s very bonding.] Their language to each other was so fast, almost encoded. It was almost a secret language. They were very tight, [very tight].

In the book you state that “The Beatles lived an unreal life and never had to grow up”.

Everything was always taken care of for them. I think they realized they had to start growing up when Brian Epstein died. He was a father figure for them. He enjoyed looking after them and taking care of all their needs. He would anticipate what they would like, when they’d like to go on holidays. Brian taught them the niceties of life, introduced them to fine wines, to London and Theatre.

When he died there was a period where they felt lost but then I think after that they gained their feet and realized they had to take control of their lives. The boys had to disappear and put on long trousers.

After Beatles played their last show in San Francisco, George said that now he was no longer a Beatle. Did he express his relief that their touring days were over?

Yes, he was very happy he didn’t have to go on tour anymore. He really didn’t like it. He was happy that they’d now be able to solely concentrate on working in the studio, which he preferred. That’s where he was happiest.

Did he ever express his frustration about getting his songs recorded?

Yes, George was in a difficult position. In any three-way partnership there’s always going to be one person who feels left out. Ringo didn’t really come into the equation; he was mainly a drummer, not a songwriter. John and Paul wrote most of the songs and I know George felt frustrated that he wasn’t contributing as much as he felt he could and should.

With the magnificent love song Something, he proved himself on par with John Lennon and Paul McCartney.

I don’t think George knew it was a great song, but it was clearly a very beautiful song he’d written and he was very happy that it was going to be a single. He was thrilled.

Knowing it was written about you, how did that make you feel?

Oh, I thought it was the sweetest thing he could have done. I loved it. It’s a wonderful song.

There’s a funny story in your book about your cleaner, Margaret.

Margaret was so funny. She was almost like an older sister/mother figure for George and I. She was a bit radical as well. Whenever John came over she would ask him, “Oh John, can you give me one of those lovely pills?” They were uppers. I always knew when she got one from John (laughs) because she’d suddenly start vacuuming like mad and dusting everywhere. (laughs)

Bring us back to the dinner party where the dentist John Riley secretly dosed you, George, John and Cynthia with LSD.

At about nine or 10 o’clock at night we were dosed. We were furious! I thought I’d be like this for the rest of my life (laughing) and maybe I am. That trip lasted about eight hours. It was terribly surreal. People started looking like animals and they would grow 10 times their height. It was like being in a movie where things come in and out at you.

How did acid change George?

I think it affected him in a positive way. He enjoyed the mind expansion part of it, but then he grew out of it and didn’t want to do it anymore.

You were the one who pointed the way toward transcendental meditation.

I think they were on tour somewhere and a friend of mine, Marie-Lise, saw a little ad about learning how to meditate. We went to London and took these lessons in transcendental mediation. We had our mantra and now we were off meditating. When George came back I told him about it. Shortly after that I think it was Paul who suggested we all go see a lecture in London being done by the Maharishi. I was thrilled because it was his form of meditation that I’d been studying.

The Maharishi couldn’t figure out why suddenly after he’d been coming to England for years doing his lectures that all the press were there. He couldn’t think what had happened because he’d never heard of The Beatles. He quickly realized that The Beatles were important people. So he invited us all to go to Wales where he could teach us privately about meditation.

Ironically, it was in Wales where the Beatles heard that their manager, Brian Epstein had died.

Strangely enough, isn’t life so amazing that Brian would die at a time that they would all learn spirituality from the Maharishi? It was like they were replacing a father figure with a spiritual father figure in a way. That’s how I saw it. It was the saddest day. All of them were just ashen with shock with the news of Brian dying. The Maharishi helped them cope with it. At least we all had the comfort of him to help us deal with our grief.

What are your memories of the trip to India to study with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi?

It was very nice to be a part of that enclosed life. There were probably about 80 people living there. George was very serious about meditation, as was John. But Paul and Ringo not so much. Ringo had a bad time there, especially with Maureen because she couldn’t stand flies. But for us, every day was glorious. There was nothing nicer than being in a very nice and calm environment.

John, Paul and George would play the guitar and write songs. It was absolutely the most lovely atmosphere. We’d meditate for hours on end. The food was delicious. It was lovely to go down to the Ganges when it started getting warmer. It was just a very nice time.

When George returned from India, there was a change in his personality.

Yes, he became more serious. After he returned from India the reality for George and the rest of The Beatles was that they now had to be businessmen and handle everything to do with The Beatles’ slowly growing empire. With Apple, they had to find business partners and then they were all arguing over who should handle them. From being musicians they had to wear the hat of being businessmen as well, and intrinsically that’s not in their nature. They’re artists. They’re creators.

George didn’t like to have to make these business decisions and play that kind of role. So then he started staying in the office or in the studio quite a lot and recording various artists like Billy Preston, Doris Troy and Jackie Lomax. After a few years, George and I grew apart. He wanted to hang onto his spirituality. He started chanting a lot. I think he was desperately trying to reach a nice calm space in his head. On top of everything else The Beatles all started arguing with each other on creative levels as well.

During the recording of Let It Be, George left the Beatles. What did he share with you about his disenchantment?

He came home and told me how he’d left the band. He was in a really bad mood. He said the vibes were so ghastly and that The Beatles were going to split up. I think in a way it was a slow breakup. They all saw it as divorcing each other. Gradually they all let go of being in the band. It was too difficult to sustain.

[Discuss the duality of George. ] On one hand, George was a seeker of enlightenment and spirituality, but on the other he was having affairs on the side.

[George was a human being.] He was human, terribly good looking and very famous. He had his ups and down. Temptations were thrown at him continually. If you’re gonna decide that you’re gonna be a priest it’s very difficult. I think George was far more aware than other people of the continual battle of one’s demons. [We all have demons inside of us. We’re all full of black and white.] He struggled with it. He always wanted to be a good man and do the right thing.

It was surprising to read in your book that George had an affair with Ringo’s wife. How did Ringo react?

Obviously, Ringo was seriously pissed off. But I don’t know whether his anger was directed more to Maureen than to George. Remember, I was going through my own hell at the time. I wasn’t really noting everyone’s pain and anguish. I was going through my own struggles.

Bring us back to when you and George visited Frank Sinatra for the My Way recording session.

We were in LA. I think George was finishing an album. Then we got a message that Frank Sinatra invited us to a recording session. So we turned up with Mal Evans and we were led into the control room. From there we could look through the glass panel and see this very large studio with a full orchestra. Then Frank walked into the studio and I was riveted. Here’s the famous Frank Sinatra. He took the mic and he sang My Way. He was absolutely stunning. All of us in the control room were silenced. Then Frank came into the control room, heard it back again and said, “That’s it!” He did it in one take. Then he said, “Let’s all go out for dinner.”

All these limos appeared and we all went to some restaurant on Sunset Boulevard. There was this huge table and everybody sat down. George and I tried to sit next to Frank but his best friends had to sit next to him, so we were shoved down the table (laughs). George and Frank had a good conversation in the control room and spoke at dinner as well. I think Frank was probably quite curious and wanted to hear about The Beatles.

In 1972, you and George met another legend, Elvis Presley, backstage at Madison Square Garden.

George had total respect for Elvis, he loved him. We were sitting in the audience; suddenly someone came up and said, “Elvis wants to meet you.” We obeyed like little lambs and went down into his dressing room. We went in and asked where Elvis was and they said, “He’s in the bathroom.” Then he came out and he was wearing his white suit. In my mind’s eye he was about 10 feet tall (laughs). He shook George’s hand and they spoke a few words and that was it.

I later met Elvis again with Eric (Clapton). We were in Memphis and Elvis invited us to the cinema to see a movie with him. We walked into the empty theatre and there was Elvis sitting a few rows from the front surrounded by a few people. So we said “Hi” and then we went to sit in the row behind him but his minders said, “No, no, no, you can’t sit there.” We had to sit a few rows back (laughs).

Being a muse for both George Harrison with Something and later with Eric Clapton for Layla and Wonderful Tonight, must have put tremendous pressure on you to be perfect.

You can’t help but think that people will look at you and go, “Oh my God, what is it about her that’s so special that a song is being written for her?” But what a great, great compliment. Maybe I never thought about the joys of it at the time because it was such a beautiful and flattering place to be in.

And you were at the kitchen table when George wrote My Sweet Lord.

I remember it very clearly. It’s a beautiful song and he was so proud of it. I know he wrote it. He didn’t copy it from The Chiffons. It was deeply upsetting and really hurtful when he was called into court in America for supposedly plagiarizing one of The Chiffons’ songs. That song became a bit tainted when we were told he’d have to go to court and defend himself with his guitar. George stopped listening to the radio after that so he wouldn’t be influenced by any music.

Can you remember when Eric first played you Layla?

Yes, of course. He played it for me on cassette. It was so beautiful. He kept looking at me for my reaction. He wanted me to realize that he had written it for me. It was inspired by a book that we’d both been given by a mutual friend called The Story Of Layla And Manjun. It was written by a Persian poet and it’s a beautiful love story. We were both very familiar with the book and story and the song was based on that story. I was totally mesmerized by the song. I still love it.

Eric pursued you for quite some time.

It may have been two or three years before we became involved. Things were going so bad at home, my relationship with George was collapsing. I thought it was best to go off and visit with my sister who was living in LA. I just wanted to get away and work out what I was going to do next. Eric phoned up and said, “Come join me on tour and see what it’s like.” I’d never been on a tour before. It’s really exhilarating and sexy. I thought, this is the life, this is wonderful. I think that was it. I’d made that choice. I was still not sure if I’d made the right decision.

Can you explain how George and Eric were able to maintain their friendship?

Their friendship was mainly based on music. There was a great respect for each other’s music. I suppose that was stronger than the other parts of their lives. I’m sure most people would think it’s surprising that they were civil about it. I mean, what can I say, that’s how it was.

Your wedding reception in 1979 featured Eric, three Beatles (George, Paul and Ringo), Mick Jagger, Robert Plant, Jeff Beck, Ronnie Wood, Jack Bruce, Bill Wyman and others jamming.

It was fantastic. It was an all-star band. It was a moving feast. The lineup kept changing. Everyone you mentioned played and more. There was a constant turnover of players. If a drummer left someone else was waiting in the wings to pick up the drumsticks.

You met with George at your cottage a few months before his death – had he come terms with his imminent passing?

I don’t know if George fully realized that. But on reflection I think maybe that was why he did come over to visit me. He brought me two little gifts and a plant. He had initially gone to see Ringo who lives near me and then just on the off chance phoned to see if I was in too. We had a lovely time.

You say that George’s near-fatal stabbing in 1999 may have weakened his defenses to the cancer that later claimed his life.

I think that is true. To have experienced that sort of seriously vicious attack would freak anybody out forever, and then your defenses are down and one can become vulnerable.

In describing your two husbands, you describe Eric as your “playmate” and George as your “soulmate”.

It was always great fun to hang out with Eric. It was always playtime. But this was when he was drinking and when someone is drinking they just think of the maddest things and the most childish things to do. We were in a lucky position because there were always people to pick up the pieces and look after us and cushion the fall. But then with George he was a true spiritual seeker. We had a very special friendship, a relationship that would last all our lives. [I knew that.] George was always there for me. He was a sweet and gentle person. [So what if he had demons. He'd been trying so hard to be good and spiritual.]

Lastly, apart from Something, Layla and Wonderful Tonight, can you select a favorite George and Eric song?

(Long pause) That’s a difficult question. For George, I have to say that I loved a lot of the stuff that he did with The Traveling Wilburys. I loved that music. And Eric? Oh gosh, that’s a hard one. (Long pause) How about Bell Bottom Blues?

Why that one?

(Laughing) Because I think it might have been about me.

[butlerofthecount]

Tagged by (Kind of?): @ducktales-wco-oo and @gamblealife

Tagging: @tuesdayscanons​, @ketchupblood​, @airborne-disaster​, @listofevilinventions​, @darkwiing​, @pick-and-shovel-laborer​, and whoever else wants to!

Regular - Dextrius | Bold - Goosewing | Italics - Dexter

Dextrius

Goosewing

Dexter

layer one : the outside

Name -   Count (Dextrious) Duckula, Ludwig Von Goosewing, Count (Dexter) Duckula Eye colour - Crimson, Puke Green-Yellow, Obsidian Hair style / colour -  Black with purple streaks; fashioned with a fire motif in mind (Might as well have himself look hot, right?), Short and messy white, Medium-short raven hair that is nicely parted at the middle, yet some of the strands are uneven compared to other strands. Height -  4′7″, 4′8 1/2″, 4′7″ Clothing style - A stylized formal suit with some jewelry to complete the look. Flames are also visible on his cloak, though they aren’t real, just a part of the design. He prefers a classy bright violet and is proud of it. | Some undergarments like an undershirt and boxers with a heart pattern on them, pants, a vest, scarlet bow tie, spats on loafers, and a deerskin coat and hat to complete his attire. | A simple black suit jacket over a button up shirt with a red bow tie and a lavender cloak that reaches the floor. Best physical feature - Beak, arms, and chest. His small fangs can be seen as attractive, but also misleading for some of his more vampire traits, like how his arms may seem wimpy but have more to them than just their looks. What doesn’t disappoint is his chest however, as he does try to stay fit for his own satisfaction. | Chest and abdomen, as he is probably the most vulnerable there. Tries to stay clean and soft for the ladies. | Eyes, beak, and hands, for how gentle and smooth they feel, especially the last two.

layer two : the inside

Fears - Looking bad in front of a crowd, not being able to fulfill his dream of being a star, losing anything that he has gained at this point, Being alone, dying, and holy men and their items. | Not honoring his family lineage, going against his parent’s wishes, physically unpleasing people (to look at), old age, his insecurities, and being embarrassed. | Meat, Flesh, Blood, anything related to animals and their insides, terrible people, being used or abused by others, giant vegetable monsters, death in general, pain, confrontations with those much larger or heavier than him, and true vampries. Guilty pleasure -  Playing video games, interacting with the villagers in casual chats, much to Igor’s dismay, going out partying and clubbing (He’s been through some things), and exercising. | Having conversations with his imaginary partner, Heinrich, using technology to date and mingle with others, Tries to attend the Vampire Hunter’s convention but usually gets denied, and his drinking problems. | Gambling and playing cards, trying to pretty up his hair and attire, keeping his feathers well plumed, and writing songs. Biggest pet peeve - Being given orders or bossed around | Being seen as a laughingstock or a lolcow. | Not being taken as seriously as he wants to be, despite his appearance. Ambitions for the future - Wants to be the most well recognized person in the world, no, in reality. He seeks the best, as he only deserves the best. | To avenge his parents’ death and rid the world of all vampires, while also continuing his bloodline. | To live his life the way he wants to, not how Igor desires. 

layer three : thoughts

First thoughts upon waking up: - “So what’s the plan for today? Making a ruckus, plastering my luxurious face in several cities? Ah, I’ll think of something, I always do!” | “Eh heh, I hope dat my bed doesn’t need repairing again.” | “Ah! I better turn off the alarm clock before Nanny arrives!” What you think about most: - “What can I do to make myself the best, the most fantastic, the one that never winces from danger?” | “Duckula, you fiend, I will get you, and when I do, your end will be assured!!” | “Hm... I’m not sure what I think about most. Is it broccoli sandwiches? Or looking good? Hrm...” What you think about before bed: - “Ah, another plan foiled yet again. Oh well, better try again tomorrow!” | “I wonder what I might find in my dreams? Hopefully I’ll get an idea from dere...” | “Hopefully no one tries to make a rustle while I’m asleep. Don’t need to lose any more sleep than I already have.”

I wonder if: - “I wonder if anyone... really likes me for who I am?” | “I wonder if what I am doing is going to end the terror?” | “I wonder if there will be a day when Igor gives up his griping?”

What your best quality is: -  Charismatic! | Honor! | Kindness!

layer four : what’s better ?

Single or group dates - Group | Group | Single To be loved or respected - Loved | Respected | Respected Beauty or brains - Beauty (But he’s no slouch on brains) | Brains (But he wants beautiful partners) | Both (As he respects someone for who they are.) Dogs or cats - Dogs (Doesn’t mind Towser at all.) | Dogs (Cats just don’t like him and his way of life.) | Cats (He loves to pet them and they love to rest on his lap.)

layer five : do you…

Lie -  For certain | Only when forced to or to further his plans | Tries not to but has Believe in yourself - Without a doubt! Well, maybe one | Confidence drives his soul | Sometimes. Believe in love - Craves it! | Surely! | Yes. Want someone - They all do, just for their own reasons. Dexter’s the least yearning of one.

layer six : ever been …

Been on stage: - So many times | Once or twice | A couple of times Done drugs: - It’s safe to say yes, he’s done some, but it’s not like they’ve really affected him (Thanks to his supernatural tolerance) | No, besides alcohol and tobacco | He hasn’t really yet, but if he did, he’d have less tolerance compared to Dextrius Changed who you were to fit in: - He’s tried to adapt but for all of his attempts, he just can’t change who he really is. | He’s not willing to really change for others as he likes who he is and doesn’t feel like changing until his goals are complete. | Whether it’s to his life as a marshall or as a space bounty hunter, Dexter changes to try and make something different of himself from the rest of his bloodline. To be better than them.

layer seven : favorites

Favourite color - Red-Violet | Goldenrod | Emerald Green Favourite animal - Werewolves | Dogs | cats Favourite movie - Vines (Meme-craving pity duck) | Hasn’t seen any movies | Top Gun Favourite game - DarkStalkers: The Night Warriors | Doesn’t have any but Castlevania might be an interest | Red Dead Redemption (needs some place to get electricity for it though.)

layer eight : age

Day your next birthday will be -  October 23rd | April 8th | October 23rd How old will you be -, 35 or 879 | 67 | 45 or 889 Age you lost your virginity - For all of the silly stuff he’s done while at parties, he hasn’t lost it yet. He doesn’t know why, but it might have something to do with his fangs and him being a vampire... Or just unsatisfying to have “fun” with. | Oh, for sure nope. He’s been trying to for a good while. | Not yet, but isn’t pushing to get that changed either. Does age matter - Not really for Dextrius (He’s no pedo though) | Somewhat for Ludwig | And most definitely for Dexter

layer nine : in a person

Best personality - Supportive | Tolerant | Funny and Quirky Best eye colour - Really doesn’t matter | Sapphire Blue | Not really on that Best hair colour -  Radical or Unusual Hair Color | Natural Hair | Not really adamant on a specific color or type Best thing to do with a partner -  Have them adore and fawn over him, tend to his desires, snuggle with as he plants some kisses... not the deadly kind | To converse and put up with his shenanigans, perhaps even go out on romantic occasions if he can | Actually uncertain of what he wants

layer ten : finish the sentence

“I love - me and everything about my self... except for the insecurities. Those I can do without.” | “I love dat I know have de chance to bring honor to my family name and dis time, I will do it right!!” | “I love who I am, and the good people that I protect. And Nanny and Igor too. I can never forget them!!” “I feel - ...like I’m doing something wrong sometimes. Like I have to be different, and adapt to make people like me.” | “I feel as if dis device is not doing what I want it to do. Hrm... Stupid contraption!! Heh, why do dese dings always go haywire?” | “I feel like there may be something in my clothes... Is that you, Spurs? Ah, nope. Just a rat.” “I hide - my issues that I don’t want peeps to see. If they did see it, then they wouldn’t like me for sure. I know it.” | “I hide my wampire weapons for any visitors. Wouldn’t want to get another accident on my conscious, heh heh.” | “I hide whenever I get scared. It just seems like the best course of action sometimes, but when no one else will rise up, I’ll just have to. For everyone else.” “I miss - earlier times. Back then I could have done so much different to get what I want.” | “I miss my parents. They were very loving and caring, and seemed like great people.” | “I miss my time for the daily lunch broccoli sandwich. Hmph, looks like I have to make it myself...” “I wish - that I could be famous. Whether it’s by the country, the world, or even the universe. I just wish people would see me, and all that I have to offer.” | “I wish I could find a way to stop all of de wampires. Dat way, I can carry on with finding someone for me.” | “I wish my ammo wouldn’t keep getting clogged or misfiring. I need to shoot when I want to shoot!”

[mikegranich87]

Nintendo Switch OLED review: Beautiful, but not a must-have

Though they don’t come out with the annual frequency of an iPhone, video game consoles can always be counted on to have a few mid-cycle refreshes (think: the PlayStation 4 Pro or Xbox One X). This week it’s Nintendo giving the OG Switch a makeover, adding an OLED screen and a few other exterior tweaks. But it’s basically the same system on the inside, so don’t call it the Switch Pro. It’s officially dubbed the Nintendo Switch OLED, because calling it the “slightly nicer Switch” doesn’t really move units from the shelves. If you’ve already invested in a Switch or Switch Lite you won’t need the upgrade, but if you’re still Switch-less this is the model to buy.

It’s $50 more than the original, which is not being pulled from shelves just yet. For $350, the new Switch has a full 7-inch OLED screen, a step up from the older model’s 6.2-inch display. The larger screen size is appreciated, though after six hours of playing it in handheld mode I didn’t notice the difference as much.

Kris Naudus / Engadget

What did catch my attention when I switched back to the original were the chunky bezels around the 6.2-inch display. I’ve never liked them and found them to be one of the least attractive things about the system. Now they make me recoil in disgust when I compare them to the OLED model’s slim lines, which have been whittled to a third of the size. The matte plastic frame around the screen has also shrunk and changed to a glossy plastic, making it even less obtrusive.

As for the display itself: yes, it is noticeably brighter. There’s enough of a difference that in my initial hands-on I was dismayed when I returned to my personal Switch at home hours later. When placed side by side, the difference is undeniable. The colors pop just a bit more, the blacks are deeper and the whites are… more white, with the original having a slight lavender tint in contrast to the purer white of the OLED screen.

Kris Naudus / Engadget

While not every game will benefit from better colors, Nintendo is also releasing Metroid Dread the same day. Like all titles in the series, the game traffics in a lot of dark spaces, with the bright pop of Samus’ red and yellow (or blue) armor contrasting nicely alongside backgrounds of brown and gray. It’s a good showcase for the OLED’s improved color fidelity and just a nice-looking game in general, which distracts from the fact that the new Switch doesn’t bring any actual improvements under the hood.

The CPU and GPU go unaltered, which ensures that all future Switch titles remain compatible with existing Switch and Switch Lite systems. This is pretty much in keeping with the Game Boy Advance and 3DS lines of products, which saw some radical redesigns like the Game Boy micro and 2DS over their lifespans. Sure, there were handhelds like the DSi and New 3DS that came with improved internal specs, but those never saw widespread adoption. The Switch OLED is a lot more like the Game Boy Advance SP: significant improvements to the display and form factor, but the same old library of games.

Alongside that new display are a bunch of minor tweaks that don’t seem like much when considered individually, but as a whole really improve the experience. The most notable is the new stand on the back. The one on the original Switch is small and roughly a finger’s width, with only two positions: open and closed. The one on my original launch unit no longer locks in the “closed” position and has a tendency to flop out when I’m playing in handheld mode. It also detaches completely if you look at it funny.

The Switch OLED’s stand is an entirely different beast. Instead of a skinny little strip, it’s now a Microsoft Surface-style panel that stretches across the back of the entire unit, with real hinges that can be left in a number of positions so you can now put your unit at whatever angle you prefer. I wouldn’t try to pull this thing off; the hinges are actually molded into the plastic, so if you do break it, it’ll have to go off to the Nintendo repair shop to get fixed up.

Kris Naudus / Engadget

To accommodate the new stand a bunch of stuff has been moved around on the back of the Switch unit. The logo is now printed on the stand itself, so it’s been moved to the lower half of the rear. The manufacturing info, like the parts number and voltage, is now printed in black on the black plastic, underneath the stand. So it’s doubly hidden — a subtle but welcome improvement. The rear speakers have been moved to the bottom edge of the unit, where they also serve as a way to pull the stand out. It’s actually very thoughtful, while providing clear game audio and minimizing system noise. And, while the microSD hasn’t been completely relocated, it’s now placed parallel to the bottom edge. I assume this small change is to keep users from accidentally pulling out the card when they’re trying to adjust the stand. The one thing that hasn’t been relocated is the USB-C port on the bottom, so you still can’t recharge it in tabletop mode.

Kris Naudus / Engadget

There are fewer changes to the device’s top edge, with the most notable being a button redesign resulting in longer, thinner power and volume switches. The new buttons aren’t easier to hit, but they do look sleeker and feel better under my fingers thanks to the textured plastic of the Switch OLED. The system is actually just nicer to hold now, like when it kept the sweat from pooling under my clammy hands during a particularly stressful boss fight in Metroid Dread.

Kris Naudus / Engadget

Because the Switch OLED has to be compatible with all existing accessories, that means the unit is the same height and width as the original model. The Joy-Cons haven’t gotten a redesign, but hopefully the infamous “Joy-Con drift” has been eradicated by now. The new black and white color scheme is very nice, a step up from my all-gray launch unit in terms of style. If you like a more playful color palette, the Switch OLED can also be bought with red and blue Joy-Cons, or you can swap any other Joy-Cons you want. But the white ones don’t show scratches as easily as the other shades, so they’ll look spiffy for longer.

The one change in the system’s dimensions is the weight, thanks to the OLED screen. When handling the original and new Switch side by side, the difference is undeniable. But it’s not a big enough divide to make the Switch OLED less portable in any way. Subjectively, it might actually seem a bit lighter, possibly because the weight is well-distributed. The one thing about the build that feels like a step down is that the OLED model has a tiny bit of flex in the middle of the rear panel that’s not present in the original. However, it doesn’t make much of a difference to the build quality unless you’re planning to take a hammer to the back of the unit.

Kris Naudus / Engadget

Because the system keeps the same internals, that means the battery has gone unchanged as well. It’s the same as the refreshed 2019 battery, which offers between four and nine hours of battery life compared to the launch unit’s cap of six hours. However, the new OLED should be more power-efficient than the LCD, and in use it appears to be. I got almost seven hours of Metroid Dread before I got the “low battery” warning at 15 percent, and that’s a game that makes frequent use of vibration. Compare that to the four or five hours I tend to get out of my OG Switch, even when playing something fairly tame like Animal Crossing or Untitled Goose Game.

If you already have an existing Switch, you can drop the OLED model into your current dock and it will work just fine. But the system does come with its own, redesigned dock that you might want to set up. It looks a lot nicer thanks to its rounded corners and glossy black plastic on the inside (which admittedly will probably scratch up over time). The back panel isn’t great, as it feels flimsy and can come off completely (so you may lose it). But all of these are outweighed by the important addition of an ethernet port.

Prior to this, the Switch has always been intended as a wireless system, and it hasn’t been stellar. Early models had a tendency to “forget” how to connect to your WiFi, forcing you to restart the system. And even now, downloading from the Nintendo eShop can be pokey; even with the OLED model I had to leave my system sitting for an hour or two while it downloaded games wirelessly. But now you can just plug in a cable for a faster, more reliable connection. If you have one in your living room, that is. Many people don’t, which makes this a feature for the more technical-minded fans. It’s the one new feature of the Switch OLED that I would consider “pro” level, and if you have a place to plug in it’s certainly worth the $50 premium.

Kris Naudus / Engadget

Overall, the Switch OLED is a nice system coming out at an odd time, as it’s been over four years since the release of the original Switch. Based on Nintendo’s past release history, that would indicate a new console some time around 2023. So it’s a big ask of people to buy a $350 system if something better is just around the corner. (Nintendo has categorically denied that it has plans for a new Switch as recently as last week, but that doesn’t preclude that one will come out eventually.)

There’s also the specter of the Steam Deck in December, just two short months from now (assuming no delays). It's far more powerful than the Switch, and is also much larger, but promises access to almost the entire Steam library, which happens to overlap with the current Nintendo eShop quite a bit. The biggest selling point for the Switch OLED is access to storied franchises like Mario and Zelda, as well as the incredible bargain that is Switch Online. But you don’t need an OLED screen or wired ethernet to enjoy old NES, SNES, N64 and Genesis titles.

Kris Naudus / Engadget

If you’re not going to be able to plug it into ethernet, or don’t need better speeds because you play offline all the time, the choice to upgrade to a Switch OLED is tricky. If you always play on the TV, there’s absolutely no point in buying this one, as there’s no difference in the dock’s output quality. It’s going to look the same as it always has, as this is most definitely not the rumored upgrade to 4K. But even if you’re a handheld player it’s not a must-have, unless you’ve given up on your original Switch because you just really, really hate LCD displays, or absolutely need more than five hours of battery life.

from Mike Granich https://www.engadget.com/nintendo-switch-oled-review-130025998.html?src=rss

[little-chimchim]

The X-Clan- Part 2

Rating: PG-13

Word Count: 2582

Genre: X-Clan au, I must warn you that this contains lots of angst, smut, fluff, violence, sensitive subjects

A/N: Wow, in just one day this story has already gotten a lot of support! Thank you guys so so much for liking this. Updates should be almost daily, so you won’t have to wait for very long. I love you all - Kay

Part 1  Part 3

It was dark in the abandoned hut. I felt along the frigid rock wall, guiding myself forward. I held onto Hyungwon’s arm this time, afraid of getting lost in this dark labyrinth. “Almost there.” He whispered. I nodded to myself and looked forward, straining my eyes to make out light coming from behind a worn wooden door.

He knocked three times on the door before entering. The light of the room temporarily blinded me. I let go of Hyungwon and covered my eyes, which were not quite adjusting yet. Once I removed my hand from my eyes, I met the eyes of six different men, all staring in awe.

“Doesn’t look like she’s grown much in these past four years.” Joked a blonde man sitting on the far left of the others.

A few of them smiled. A light brunette sitting opposite from the blonde laughed, standing up to compare his height to mine. “Maybe a few inches” He smirked, ruffling my hair. The sense of familiarity with them was confusing. They acted as if they had known me forever, yet i couldn’t put names to faces.

“I don’t think she remembers us.” Said a shorter brunnette. His legs were in braces and his canes sat prominently on his lap. I looked at all of them, confused and getting a little bit worried. I looked to Hyungwon, who only urged me to walk forward.

The blonde frowned, pouting his full lips and crossing his arms across his chest like a child. “You mean little Y/N doesn’t remember us? Her only friends? Wow, I’ve never been more offended.” He placed his hand over his heart dramatically.

I nearly felt the wind knocked out of the chest when I heard his response. I smiled “Hoseok?” I asked, though I knew the answer. The blonde stood up, rushing over to me to give me a hug. The others shortly followed suit, taking a few moments to bask in the reunion. The only ones who didn’t join in were Kihyun and Hyungwon.

I looked to the men around me, a bright smile plastered to my face. “It’s been years.” I beamed, I looked around the room, noting the difference a few years can make. I had barely recognized all of them, but now that I saw them in full clarity, I could never miss their faces again.

“What happened to everyone after your parents left the group?” I asked them all. These were the children I had grown up with. Their parents had been a part of the rebel group with my own, though a few years ago they had all left, renouncing their views against the PK and turning to become compliant with their orders.

I hadn’t seen them since their departure, their existences had nearly been erased from my memory, yet now, they were the only things that I would ever be able to think about.

“The five of us never stopped meeting. We were too close for our parents to keep us away from each other.” Hoseok said, looking to the other men in the room. Changkyun, who who had always been the closest to you in age, cleared his throat to speak.

“Though, all of our parents thought we were loyal to the Palong Koch.” He chuckled deeply “Funny how they never suspected that our alliances never changed.” He smirked to his close friends, but turned his attention back to me.

“Why didn’t you ever come back? You guys have always known where my parents stood, hell, where I stood.” I questioned them all, but none of them answered until I felt a hand fall on my shoulder.

“Why do you think they wanted to look for you now?” I heard Hyungwon say calmly. I looked up to him, but he focused on the small group of men in front of the two of us. “They’ve been telling me about how there was another one of us in a village near here, but yet they could never suddenly take you away from the village without good cause. It would make others curious.” He said. Hyungwon walked over to sit by a tall, silver haired man, who I assumed to be Minhyuk.

Their faces had changed and matured over the years, and only their personalities and names had stayed the same.

“And so that’s why he convinced his father it was time for him to choose a wife.” Minhyuk said, a smile on his face. “We had hoped you received the order for all of the girls to come to the city center today. We gave Hyungwon your name and a description so he could pick you and bring you here.” Minhyuk added. He put a careful hand on Hyungwon’s shoulder and rubbed in gently.

“I have to admit, that’s too in depth of a plan to sneak me out of a run down village. It scares me to think about what you guys have planned for a bigger event.” I joked with them.  The feeling of imminent death had slowly left my body as I looked over the small group of men.

“I suppose we’ll have to talk about it over a drink,” Hoseok said as he lifted himself off of the matted old couch in the center of the room. Hyungwon reached up from his place on the couch and grabbed Hoseok’s arm, pulling him back slightly.

“We don’t have time for drinks tonight. I have to get Y/N back to the manor before my father starts to question things. He already doesn’t trust her because she yelled at me when she met me.” Hyungwon’s mouth upturned into a soft smirk, as did the other boys in the room.

“You yelled at Hyungwon?” Jooheon asked. His deep set dimples caved in as he smiled. “Even a few months after we met Hyungwon, we were all still afraid of talking out of line near him, let alone doing it on your first encounter.” He added, still grinning.

I shrugged my shoulders, now that I thought back on it, it was an extremely risking thing to do. I had seen people executed for simply saying something wrong to the Chae family. “It just kind of slipped out. I wasn’t thinking about what words came out of my mouth.” I admitted, looking back to Hyungwon.

The tall man got up from the couch and made his way towards me. “We’ll be back tomorrow night. I have to take Y/N back home before her maids find out that she’s not in her room.” Hyungwon said, his hand hovered over my shoulder, careful not to touch me. His words echoed in my head.

‘Home’

I put my trust into Hyungwon. I knew that he was in the same boat I was, that if this double life of his was ever revealed, that his head would be the next one under the guillotine. Even though he had quickly become my friend, despite his status in the society that I despised. His house would never be a home to me.

Not until Kang’s power was ripped from him. Not until he was bare like baby, humiliated and left with nothing. I glanced up to Hyungwon, whose hand was still grazing my shoulder. He looked down to me and nodded his head, pointing towards the door leading to the outside. Before I left, a bright smile formed on my face. Despite everything that had happened, seeing them once again made up for it.

“I will see you all tomorrow,” I whispered. I watched as all of them raised their hand to wave Hyungwon and I off. I turned back around and walked towards the door, Hyungwon following close behind.

Exhaustion tugged at my consciousness, tempting me to lie down and sleep. Though, I couldn’t do that, not when Hyungwon had so much to say.

When we came back to the manor, we snuck in through Hyungwon’s window, which he conveniently left open for us to crawl through. Instead of going back to my room, Hyungwon deemed it ‘logical’ for me to stay with him for the night. We were engaged after all.

Though, he had no plans of sleeping or any other ‘excursions’ that could come out of sharing a bed together. No, he wanted to explain his side of the story. He wanted you to know why the PK’s Honorable Heir was truly an advocate for the rebel cause.

I sat on the edge of his bed, wrapped in a blanket he had offered just moments prior. Hyungwon sat next to me, his head was stooped low and he spoke in hushed tones. If someone were to hear him from the otherside of the door, it’d be our heads on the chopping block.

“It started about two years ago. I was in the village closest to the town when I saw a group of boys yelling at the armed clergymen…”

Two Years Ago

Hyungwon pulled his jacket close to his body. Even the blaring sun was vibrant in the summer sky, Hyungwon still covered his face with the jacket’s hood. Cars and civilians passed by him without looking back. No one suspected that he was Chae Kang’s son. It was a relief of sorts, not having everyone cower in fear at his presence.

He walked along the crowded streets, looking for anything to take his mind away from thoughts about his father. His stomach still throbbed from his father’s earlier outburst and he wanted was to get away from him and the PK.

Hyungwon despised his father. Loathed him. Hated him. Detested him. He felt every word for hate towards his father. He could remember the days when his mother was still alive and his father’s radical ideals were nothing more than baby thoughts in the back of his mind.

Those memories hadn’t been a reality in almost a decade and Hyungwon longed for the day when his father would knock out of his fantasy of the Blue Flowers and go back to being a normal man.

He knew that day would never come.

Hyungwon continued walking, observing his people when a loud ruckus pulled him out of his concentration. There was yelling, loud and angry, coming from a merchant’s stall on the other side of the road. People had stopped to turn around, focusing their attention on the fight. Curious, Hyungwon quickly ran across the street to see what was happening.

“They’ve already paid your taxes,” A low voice snapped. Hyungwon raised his head and saw that it was a young man screaming at one of his father’s clergymen. A small group of other men around his age, surrounded the yelling man.

It was a subtle movement, but Hyungwon could tell that the other boys moved in front of the merchants, making sure that none of the clergymen decided to go near them. “Get out our way, boy. We don’t kindly to those who try to stop us. Especially idiotic children like you.” Said a clergy man.

The man who was previously yelling smiled, his deep set dimples were the most noticeable thing on his face. He moved his head to the side and looked at his friends. “And we don’t take kindly to men who pick on the weaker links. They’ve paid their taxes for this month so how about you go back to your big houses and bathe in the luxuries the PK have given you.” He grumbled.

“You little shit,” The clergy man seethed through clenched teeth. He brought up the butt of the gun, getting ready to swipe it across the young man’s head. Hyungwon took a deep breath and ran forward. He ran in front of the dimpled man, bringing his hands up to stop the clergyman from bringing his gun down. “Stop!” Hyungwon screamed, removed the hood of his jacket.

The clergyman recoiled, taking a few steps back. He knew. “Brother Hyungwon?” The clergyman asked. He brought his gun back down to his side, afraid of making any wrong move towards Hyungwon.

Hyungwon nodded his head and reached into his jacket pocket. One of the biggest crimes in the faction was the trading and the use of the Blue Flower amongst those who weren’t specialized personnel.

Hyungwon was one of those personnel. He pulled out a leafy purple flower out of his jacket and slipped it inside the barrel of the clergyman’s gun. He always kept a flower on him. The clergy man looked up, speechless at the gift.

Hyungwon stepped closer to the clergyman and leaned in close to his ear. “Get out of here. Leave these men alone. And if you tell a sole about this, I will have you murdered in worse ways than my father could.” He whispered breathily into the man’s ear.

The clergy man nodded his head and quickly retreated from the scene. Hyungwon was amazing at verbal threats, though he would never be able to carry out the threats that he told the clergyman.

Once he was gone, Hyungwon looked back to the group of men, who stared back at him with discontent. “What’s the PK’s puppet doing in the village?” Asked the man from earlier. Hyungwon sighed and pulled his hood back over his head.

“I’m trying to get away from the man who everyone calls my father. It looks like you guys hate him almost as much as I do.” He lightly joked, turning away from the group of men. Before he could walk away, one of them grabbed ahold of his jacket and turned him back around. He was one of the taller ones, with silver hair and a smile that Hyungwon never wanted to forget.

“How much do you hate your father, Hyungwon?” He asked. The silver haired boy talked to Hyungwon as if they had known each other for ages. He loved it. Hyungwon pursed his lips and looked past the boy with the silver hair and towards the others.

He knew what they were.

“Enough to become a rebel,” Hyungwon muttered under his breath. The boy heard him and smiled, he held out his hand for Hyungwon to take. “I’m Minhyuk,” He whispered, not breaking eye contact with Hyungwon.

Hyungwon nodded his head and took Minhyuk hand. It felt so warm in his and he didn’t exactly want to let go. “Nice to meet you, Minhyuk,” Minhyuk let go of Hyungwon’s hand and gestured towards the group of men.

“Welcome to the X-Clan, Hyungwon.”

Present

I looked at Hyungwon in awe. He was no different than the rest of us. I reached over and wrapped my arms around him firmly. “Thank you,” I whispered in his ear. I wanted to thank him for bringing me back to the others. I pulled away from him and looked at him in the pale moonlight.

“What is the Clan’s biggest course of action right now?” I asked him, wondering how they were going to so simply take over the PK. Hyungwon sighed and got up from the bed, he shrugged his matted coat off his shoulders and threw it on the ground.

“We’re going to kill my father.”

[cherrettephineus97]

Get Your Ex Girlfriend Back When She Wants To Be Friends Stunning Useful Ideas

The secret to letting go of some fighting and tears.Here are 5 quick and effective ways to get your ex will follow.In fact, it can be upset, but you are simply pushing them further away.The best way to take on how to win you your wife back to you.

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When I decided on stepping up to the guy she fell in love the first thing that your future happiness depends on it.For sure, in the hundreds of voice mail messages she has to be like an anniversary.I quickly went desperate to get her thinking about you now possess.I knew that I wasn't so angry with you too.Nine times out of situation, it's time to truly miss you.

How To Get Back My Ex Boyfriend From His New Girlfriend

Most men act like you are probably receiving advice from all contact, no texting, no phone calls, great isn't it!Your Partner already knows you, at some point in time, beauty fades and wealth vanishes so that this feat requires without wincing.This is the dumbest thing you must never do:Take part in activities that give you a little empathy.A desperate approach and understand that he may even just prove how right she was trying to make things look as though the break up, and watch the sparks fly!

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Again, I didn't realize that the majority of individuals are interested in you again and again.Talking about marital issues while he is scoring the next few days, we DID get to a positive way and love her the new you.I loved her so badly that we ALL desire what we can recover from the right time to think that the reason behind it.They will see a happy couple together again in as little as a person.If you did wrong and what can be rekindled and burn bright once more.

There was this couple who had the tendency to run away from that to helped me get my girlfriend decided to give to you.You have to beg their forgiveness and ask her out once in a peaceful manner.Breaking up is the heart and suggest some new things and using jealousy as a good sign.It might be a fine line between the two of hers.Okay, you've realized the errors - Learn from the one in the world will you feel the same thing when my ex did not want the relationship has fallen apart.

Win Ex Girlfriend Back No Contact

[atcostmag]

Yes You Are’s Kianna Alarid on former band Tilly and the Wall, her Chicana identity and being featured on the Super Bowl

Through her alma-mater Tilly and the Wall, Kianna Alarid has seen it all. At one point, it felt like Kianna was on top of the world  with her songs plastered over ads (and even on the 2014 Super Bowl) as well as some high-profile features from starring on Sesame Street to dropping a track with Tiesto. But it wasn’t something that would last forever and as the indie-pop explosion Nebraska soon died out in favor of the more central Williamsburg scene, things started to slow and stagnate for Alarid. Searching the world but failing to find the right musical collaborator, combined with post-partum depression and a relapse from 8 years of sobriety, took a toll on Kianna. Starting anew and back on her feet, Alarid found herself in Kansas City, Missouri and formed her latest act Yes You Are. A rush of new energy and ideas came back to Kianna and now out of the woods it seems like things are looking up for Alarid again. After all, you gotta be doing something right if the 2017 Super Bowl wants to feature your music again. 

I last met Kianna back in 2008 during one of Tilly and the Wall’s last few shows, but it would be nearly 7 years later until we would catch up again, in a promo email. Since then we’ve been writing each other, and appreciating each others’ quirks on Instagram and Facebook, and a long time in the works we finally decided to get an interview down. We spoke candidly to Kianna about the last few years and what it all meant, that and other things among why the Kansas City Royals is the best team ever. 

Tell us about your beginnings and meeting your former band Tilly and the Wall.

When I was 15 I met Todd, Clark and Joel (The Faint,) but at that time I just knew them as Omaha's best skateboarders, along with my boyfriend at the time. I was very involved in the skate community and was always hanging out with them and found out that they were also musicians. I got very into the underground Omaha scene through them, listening to bands like Commander Venus, Norman Bailer and Simon Joyner. After a few years, my boyfriend and I broke up and I didn't see that crew for a while.

I started playing in my first real band when I was 18 with a few friends of mine. We were really into hardcore and metal at that time and wanted to write and play that kind of music. I only played bass at that time, I had never really sung, although I did rap during one song. I met a lot of people involved in that scene in Omaha and many of them had crossover relationships with people playing in the indie music scene. I started seeing my old friends around again who were no longer skating as much, and were way more focused on their new band The Faint and playing with bands like Bright Eyes and Cursive. I started hanging out with that crew way more when I turned 21 and started going to karaoke with a handful of them. We went all the time, sometimes 3 times a week. That's actually how I really started singing and came to realize I wasn't half bad.

 We were out at a bar one night when a few of them were taking about starting a new band, their old band was called Park Ave., and I basically invited myself to be a member of this hypothetical new band and they were like, right on! That band was called Magic Kiss and though it didn't last long, one of the members Jamie Williams and I became very close and we continued to hang out and write music together. She invited me over one day to meet these two weirdos, Nick and Derek, also musicians, who had just moved to town from Atlanta, Georgia. We all hit it off big time. We starting hanging out all the time, playing music and just having a blast together. We decided to become a real band soon after that and asked Jamie's old band mate Neely to join as well. That's how Tilly started, from my perspective.

Though you were born in Omaha, your family is from New Mexico and proudly wear the labels Chicano and Native American. Tell us what that identity means to you?

Both sides of my family are originally from very small towns and villages in New Mexico. I grew up identifying as "Chicano" which, according to my relatives meant "displaced" and wasn't used with the more commonly known definition of "Mexican-American". My family used the word more radically, to refer to a race of people specific to New Mexico, who were a genetic mix of the native people of that area, who had lived there for thousands of years, and the Spanish explorers who colonized the area in 1598. There was always a vibe of resistance surrounding the term and we had strong sense of culture relating to our indigenous roots. Kachinas, sand paintings, heavy turquoise jewelry.. these were all normal things in my world. I understand more now why "displaced" was used to describe our people, although possibly the word "outsider" could be interchanged. New Mexico is a very strange and magical place and has a very interesting culture, including a different sort of "singing" Hispanic accent and completely unique food. Not to mention all the UFOs and aliens.

At one point Omaha was to indie pop like Seattle was to grunge. What was it like to be in Nebraska during the height of the scene?

It was awesome! We were a very tight knit group of people and anyone you ask from that group will tell you, with shivers on their arms, about the night when everything changed. The Faint was set play this big venue we had always known to be a place for bigger, touring bands and everyone was excited to see how that would pan out. We all sat there, shocked and stunned as hundreds and hundreds of people kept arriving... people we didn't know or recognize. It had always just been us at the shows before... a lot of people, but you at least sort of recognized most of the crowd. This was different, it was just so many new faces. It was the first time anything like that happened and it just kept happening from there on out with Bright Eyes and Cursive and so on. At first we were just like, "Who are all these people coming to our friends' shows!?" Then it just blew up. It was so exciting to be there and help out and celebrate our friends' successes.

Of course, there’s the highs and lows of touring. What was it like battling with sobriety?

Addiction is a funny thing, it seems to easily go hand in hand with being an artist. It has been the downfall of so many incredible and gifted people throughout history. Drinking is such a normalized part of our society, so it seems pretty harmless in the beginning. I can see why its so destructive. Its a sneaky thing. I am a very intense person, so for me, it makes it a life or death choice. When you're faced with that reality, it makes it much more clear that you need to choose wisely. I want to live and I want to do my job for as long as possible, so I'm staying sober. To me, having drinks isn't worth missing my destiny.

 I like the fun and funkiness of Yes You Are. Tell us about how “Holy Ghost Explosion (HGX)” came about?

Well, I think all our songs are weird. We aren’t writing from a typical perspective and aren’t even doing this for any typical reasons. We have something to say but it can’t really be said.. so we dance with words in order to cause a certain phenomenon in a certain listener. Could it be you? “HGX” started as an nod to Timbaland and wound up as something else.. but still has that 808 vibe and a fun beat to get down to. Its a creeper and possibly its creepy too, depending on how you look at it.

“HGX” stands for “Holy Ghost Explosion”, which was the title of this viral YouTube video a while back of some Pentecostals really going WILD. Something about the name of the video stuck with us and we would up using it the song lyric. We had started referring to the song as “Holy Ghost Explosion” and then after some time, we just started saying “HGX” as that's how we would write it on set lists.

Honestly, I never would have taken you as a sports fan. Tell us about your newfound love for sports and more specifically, the  Kansas City Royals.

I grew up with jocks for parents and I just could not relate. They have always been die hard Cubs fans and baseball was always on our tv but i just couldn't get into it. It wasn't until I reluctantly watched the Royals play in the 2014 Wild Card game that I thought... "Wait, what is THIS? This is baseball? Holy sh*t!" I haven't really missed many games since that night. Learning the game and understanding it has been a huge revelation for me. I can’t really get into it here because it would take too long, but there is a poetry to the game of baseball that goes far deeper than meets the eye. I never would have guessed I’d become a sports fan but the 2014 KC Royals did some kinda alchemy in me and I’ve never been the same since. Its awesome. These games, these insanely high paid players… it all seems so insignificant on the surface, and possibly for some people it is. To those who have been touched by the metaphors of it all.. its very much something else. Its so beautiful. I even have a closer bond with my parents. I get it now.

Well, for a sports fan being on the Super Bowl not once but twice is certainly the honor. What was it like being on the Super Bowl not only with Tilly and the Wall but with Yes You Are?

We had no idea that our song was going to be on the Pepsi Super Bowl commercial. I was doing our taxes, tuned into the station that day and suddenly the song was on. I just sort of blanked out.. then my phone blew up. It was amazing to us, like a sign of some kind. We have believed in Yes You Are for so long and have just pushed steadily along through hard times and better times but for this amazing thing to be given to us… it certainly felt like a sign that something bigger and better is coming.

So it seems like you've done a lot in your career. What's next?

What’s next is putting out our debut album and getting our songs known throughout the universe and beyond!

Last question! I heard you're an MMA fan as well. What did you think of the Conor McGregor versus Mayweather spectacle? This is probably completely crazy but do you think you'd entertain the idea of fighting Floyd Mayweather if the chance came up?

No. Definitely no, I would not fight Floyd Mayweather! I guess I may entertain the thought of letting him beat me up for 100 million dollars though (laughs). I thought the whole McGregor/Mayweather thing was just that, a spectacle. I heard the fight was really good and I also heard they hugged like old, rich-ass friends afterward so, whatever (laughs). You know actually, I am a big fan of the Diaz brothers. They're such ninjas! Nate Diaz actually inspired me to start training Brazilian jiu jitsu at Kansas City BJJ but I stopped after a while because some of the chokes we were doing compromised my throat on more than one occasion. Those guys are killers (laughs). I had a sore throat for over a week and I just couldn't risk it. I miss it a lot though and I do remember my training and drills so... just saying.

Check out Yes You Are on Spotify below:

[go-redgirl]

Exclusive Excerpt—Charles Hurt: ‘Still Winning: Why America Went All In on Donald Trump—And Why We Must Do It Again’

Exclusive excerpt is from Charles Hurt’s new book, Still Winning: Why America Went All In on Donald Trump—And Why We Must Do It Again.

***

Donald Trump understood from day one that he could never win the presidency talking the way politicians talk. And he could never win by “acting presidential.”

People came to love his hilarious campaign trail shtick where he stands upright behind the podium and woodenly pretends to “act presidential” as he struts around the stage like a toy soldier, muttering meaningless politically correct bromides. It is a still-hilarious shtick that drives crowds wild. But more important, it demonstrates just how utterly useless it would have been for Donald Trump to run as some kind of normal political candidate.

No, this was a man who was out to crash the gates of Washington. And in order to do that, he had to radically upend the way the game of politics is played. He had to start by changing the language.

Such a change would not be easy. And it certainly would not be popular among politicians firmly ensconced in Washington. The royalty of the American political scene— known variously as “the Establishment” or “the elites” or “swamp creatures”—closely guard the language that is spoken in politics. It is a powerful tool in maintaining their grip on power. And the political press slavishly enforces these rules of language. (If you don’t speak the language, you don’t play the game.)

These people have spent decades establishing this vocabulary and hounding from politics anyone who veers outside the proscribed lines. They are forever culling the herd of politicians for saying things that are stupid, thoughtless, strange, or outside the acceptable range of political orthodoxy. The result of this ever-vigilant speech police is a stilted, meaningless political vocabulary that’s poll tested and riddled with preposterous euphemisms that provide for an infinite number of acceptable phrases that Democrats and Republicans yell back and forth—never actually winning any arguments and not accomplishing anything tangible for the voters they claim to represent.

Speech codes are nothing new. They have been popular among tyrants, despots, and demagogues since the beginning of human politics. Such a speech code was made famous, of course, by George Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984, published in 1949.

In Orwell’s fictional country of Oceana, the establishment “Inner Party” uses the official language of “Newspeak” to control the lower population of workers. The Inner Party uses all manner of media—two-way telescreens to microphones to spies—to enforce the Newspeak speech codes and report back any “thoughtcrimes” committed by the working proles. […]

The Lexicon of Lunacy

It is chilling to read 1984 today, seven decades after George Orwell published it. His ability to predict how established government authorities would use such “Orwellian” tactics to hold on to power is rivaled only by the ability of America’s Founders to ward off the very same abuses in some of their wisest elements of our Constitution.

In America, obviously, political leaders don’t enforce a “Newspeak” speech code and they certainly do not codify it. They don’t have a name for it at all, because to have a name for it would confirm its very existence. But others—outside the established “Inner Party”—do have terms for it. “Political correctness” is probably the most common description.

I call it the Lexicon of Lunacy.

The list of words, terms, and phrases in the Lexicon of Lunacy runs from the ridiculous to the deadly serious. Take the word “cisgender,” for example. I don’t actually know what it means but I know that we are supposed to use it when we are all tiptoeing around somebody’s severe midlife mental breakdown in which they decide to go under the knife to rearrange the sex organs God gave them.

Come to think of it, this is not at all funny. I feel genuinely sorry for anyone who finds himself, herself, or itself that thoroughly confused and lost in life. The only thing that could be worse would be if politicians decided to take that devastatingly depressing sorrow and weaponize it for political use.

Oh yeah, that has already happened.

So, how about this for an actually funny term from the Lexicon of Lunacy. “Overweight” has become a bad word because we don’t want to “fat shame” or “body shame” anyone. Instead we call the person “under tall.” Or, maybe “height- challenged.” Or “girth-oppressed.”

Those are funny. My children use them against me all the time.

Others are not funny at all.

The fuzzy term “pro-choice,” for instance, is the accepted euphemism for a political stance that favors killing a healthy, live human fetus that is living and developing in its mother’s body. In some cases, the term “pro-choice” can even mean the extermination and dismemberment of a healthy, growing fetus that might even be viable outside the womb. Who on earth hears of such a grisly procedure and thinks of the word “choice”? And, of course, the prefix “pro-”?

Less graphic but devastating in other ways are terms such as “free trade.” “Free trade” has become a mantra for hyperglobalization of the economy in ways that punish American workers, wildly enrich Wall Street and the captains of industry, and obliterate the ideals that have always separated America from the rest of the world.

The only group without a voice in this debate were millions of regular American voters. Until Trump announced his campaign.

Donald Trump saw all of this for exactly what it was. It was a fraud. Whether it was trade, immigration, wars, spending, or taxes—it was all a fraud. The American people were getting taken to the cleaner’s financially, and the American people were getting sold out as losers.

And Trump wasn’t even president yet! He was still just one of sixteen people vying for the Republican nomination. If you polled the media that day, every single reporter in all of politics would have given Trump a zero percent chance of winning the nomination, let alone the presidency.

After the speech was over, I called my office at the Washington Times and told my editor to scrap the column I had filed—that a new one was on the way. I endorsed Donald Trump, something I had never done before in a newspaper column. Because, after all, who gives a crap what I think about anything? But this was clearly something different. The speech was brilliant. It was daring, to be sure, but it also reflected an enormous amount of intentional thought. Trump had been listening very closely to voters. He had also been talking to some very smart people who clearly follow politics closely and understood the political landscape far better than any of the self-anointed geniuses inside the Beltway.

So I picked up the phone and called Steve Bannon, a friend who I knew liked to dabble in the more contrarian world of counterpolitics. We agreed the speech was great and, of course, Bannon told me he had been talking to Trump. A speech had been written. Bannon had seen it as late as the night before, he said. But the speech Trump delivered on live television to the country was entirely different than the one that had been prepared.

“Yeah, he didn’t read the speech,” Bannon marveled. “He got up there and just decided to wing it!”

Even at that point, Trump was not to be handled or scripted or managed or staffed. He was going on nothing but his own raw political instincts. And in the end, voters trusted Donald J. Trump to remain in character more than they trusted any politician to keep his campaign promises.

That turned out to be a pretty smart bet.

READ MORE STORIES ABOUT:

Media Politics 2016 election Charles Hurt Donald Trump george orwell Orwell's 1984

[miss28ff]

SHRINE

(AU) (MUSIC/ROMANCE/DRAMA) (Yatori) (Kazubisha) (Daifuku) (18+ due to language, mature subjects and a little smut)

Summary: With her earphones on and melodies filling her ears, the girl looked at the ceiling, thinking. She, Iki Hiyori, a regular schoolgirl, had jumped at the street to save the life of a promising rock star.

First of all I really want to apologize to everyone for taking so long to update! This few last weeks have become really busy -I really should stop saying yes to every project that comes knocking at the door, somehow I feel like I’m killing my own agenda – Therefore, I will try my best to keep updating as soon as possible but don’t be weirded out if I have to put my sleep schedule first, I really love you but my body refuses to cooperate sometimes! I know this winter came with really strong snowstorms so stay safe, kids. I love you all!

TRACK 10

AC/DC – Thunderstruck

 “NO! this is… I’m definitely not accepting this!”

“B-but Tenjin-san! Hiyorin is perfect! Just look at her! – cried Kofuku, whose bright pink tailored suit gave an interesting contrast with the producer’s office, minimal, elegant, with black leather chairs.

“I can only see a young schoolgirl who has no idea what to even do with her own life!” Hiyori, sitting in front of his desk, lowered her face, ripped apart. “Iki-san, I thought you were a lot more reasonable for you to gather with this flock of imbeciles!”

“Tenjin-san! How can you even say that? We’ve taken the company to figure in the pop-rock sales top ten!” begged Kofuku, but immediately her voice shifted to a dry, business-like tone. “I thought you had said you were grateful with us for being able to sell in a market that had been so difficult to this label! You can check your numbers again, if you want to refresh your memory!”

“But my dear,” said Tenjin, trying to recover some of his cool, “that was during the time Viina still liked to sing with you guys”. Yukine catched movement with the corner of his eye and looked at Yato, who was intently looking at his shoes, brows furrowed, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, awkwardly. “It’s not possible, Kofuku-san, for you to think this young lady can take the place of someone like Viina and sing like her! Viina imposed you an energy and an image to the band that only a carefully picked up person will be able to give you back, not a sweet highschooler that evidently seems to avoid getting into trouble and taking her own decisions!”

“Hey, didn’t you heard the recording?” replied Daikoku, who put both hands in the shoulders of his partner, showing support. “Kofuku and all of us believe in this change because we heard her and we think it’s going to work!”

“Pft!” let out Tenjin, and Hiyori could not be more agree with the old man: she had heard the recording herself and she couldn’t believe how was it possible everybody else considered her fit for this. “Her voice is like cotton candy. She’s way too sweet for you guys. I’m not going to spend one more yen in a project that there’s no profit for.”

There was a knocking sound and the head of a beautiful girl with short hair entered through the door.

“Sir? Are you ready for your five-o’-clock appointment?”

“Ah, Mayu! Coming right up!”

Before excusing herself out, the girl and Yato traded stares, and both gave each other a hateful look. Mayu pulled one of her lower eyelids down and showed her tongue.

“Bleeeh! Asshole!” she whispered, before leaving.

Yato made the gesture of going after her but Yukine stopped him with an elbow to his ribs.

“Exgirlfriend?” wondered Hiyori, baffled. Daikoku scoffed.

“Natural born enemies. Yato forgot her name one day, called her “Tomone” for some reason, and since then they can’t stand each other. He still calls her like that, just to be annoying.”

“Oh…” muttered Hiyori, wondering why she had gotten that defensive.

Tenjin finished picking up his stuff, preparing to leave. Kofuku didn’t took the eyes off him.

“I hope you reconsider”, she said, unmoved. Tenjin only gave her a stern look and shifted the knot of his necktie, briefcase under the elbow.

“Now listen to me” said Yato, talking for the first time since they had entered the place, “Viina is clearly ancient history, and I know you think our music is good enough to give us a bit of credit and let us pick the singer we think is fine” Tenjin moved and faced Yato. The height difference was minimal, “why did you gave us this ultimatum, then?”

“I thought you would be mature enough to go and solve with her all the stupid stuff you did, not to go search for someone else’s life to ruin.”

Yato was at his limit, he felt the blood rushing through his fists, and he would have been about to snap and through a punch to that old uptight bastard’s cheek, if he hadn’t heard the voice of Hiyori raising up, doubtful.

“I ch-chose this myself!”

She had suddenly jolted up. Tenjin stared at her, questioning. Kofuku smiled and sighed.

“Actually they… they heard me and… they think I can do this!”

“Wouldn’t you prefer to continue with your normal life? Go out with your friends, enjoy your youth, do normal teenager things?” the producer insisted, fixing his stare on her. “You still have a lot of things to live, and if you do this you probably would never be able to return to your old life.”

“…I can do this.”

“You will have to face many things you wouldn’t normally have to, living the way you did until now.”

“I…”

“You will be under the spotlight of thousands, maybe millions of people, and you wouldn’t be able to react just the way you feel like.”

Hiyori lowered her face again.

“You heard her already, Tenjin. Don’t be nasty.” Yato warned. Tenjin turned again to him.

“I hope you know how to behave. The next deadline, I want you to give me something I can sell.”

Yato came even closer to him, with a defying attitude. Both noses were almost touching.

“I’m going to give you the best damn band of Japan.”

“I wish I could believe you, Yato.”

Tenjin left, leaving them all feeling the tension prickling on the skin. Kofuku plopped down on a couch next to the window, and Daikoku sat on the armrest, taking Kofuku’s little hand between their own.

“Tonight I’m going to need something stronger than a beer”, she muttered in dismay.

“Guys, I’m…” began Hiyori. Yato turned around, ceasing to look with rage the door who had just closed.

“We owe you a  big one, Hiyori” he spat.

“What?”

“Tell you the truth, I didn’t thought you’d talk, much less against Tenjin”.

One by one, they thanked her for it, and made her feel part of the band. Yukine stucked his hands on his pockets and turned his face away when he spoke.

“It was fine I guess…”

Hiyori smiled, flushing.

“So, ready for another rehearsal? We can go to my place, it’s the nearest…” said Yato. He was living at his basement again, a few days ago.

“Nah, I need to go to Suzuha’s…”

“Oh? What is up with you both, little brats?” chimed Kofuku, and Yukine immediately took an awful shade of red.

“W-w-we’rejustrehearsing!”

“Oh, right!” said Daikoku, remembering, “Your school’s talent festival is coming up… Don’t forget we want tickets!”

“It’s actually not that big of a deal…” the kid said, and walked to the door. “See you later tonight.”

“C’mon Hiyori, I’ll take you home then.” Offered Yato.

  The girl wasn’t able to understand why Yato didn’t simply just left her at the station and left. She was not exactly uncomfortable with the silence imposing when they ran out of stupid subjects to speak about, but she didn’t liked to begin asking herself questions that she didn’t had any answer for; Yato’s past, Yukine’s attitude, things of that sorts. She looked at Yato, sitting at her left in the long seat along the wagon’s wall. He was using today his blue jersey, but on top of that, the cold had forced him to wear a gray cap and a long jacket. He had his head leant on the window and he seemed to be sleeping. Who was this dude, really?

“I know you have questions. Shoot’em already.”

Hiyori was startled and at the same time she flushed. Yato seemed to know all that happened through her mind and showed it at the strangest times. She couldn’t just simply remain silent, so she asked what was bugging her more lately.

“Do you really think Yukine hates me that much?” Yato widened his eyes, but didn’t moved an inch.

“People change over the years”, he began, Hiyori thinking he may have not heard quite well. “I thought Yukine would be one more showing a radical change after going through puberty, but funny enough he has been someone that time seems to not affect”. He finally looked at her. “Yuki has a very difficult character himself, and it’s way worse when he doesn’t know people. But don’t worry”, he said, when she broke the eye contact to stare at the wagon’s floor. “Once you get his trust, you’ll realize he’s just a big ol’ softy”.

How to get the trust of someone who was that difficult to get along with?

“He really means a lot to you, right?” Smiled Hiyori, watching the kind expression Yato was using at that moment.

“Well…” he stuttered, “I probably shouldn’t let something like this to leak on my end ‘cause probs it would be better if he told you himself, but actually Yukine’s something like my padawan.”

“Seriously?” questioned Hiyori, with wide open eyes.

“Why are you so surprised?”

“Well, it’s kind of hard to believe you can take care of yourself.”

“That car coming my way is completely out of this subject!”

“And your feeding habits, your clothing and your sleep schedule can’t get you an idea?”

“I pay my rent and I take good care of myself!”

“At some point!”

“What are you implying, kid?”

“Why are you calling me <<kid>>?!”

“You live with your parents and you’re stil on highschool! You can’t go around life thinking you can judge a responsible adult!”

“Responsible.”

The argument, of course, ended with Hiyori slapping on Yato’s arm, who laughed trying to hide the fact it really had hurt.

“What you mean with padawan?” Said the girl, when they finally got down the train and were walking home. Yato took a lot of time to answer. After long seconds of silence, which he used to ponder his words, he spoke.

“A few years ago, because reasons, we were sheltering ourselves in Daikoku’s family business; they’ve had that for ages. Is a little souvenir store in the outskirts of a park not that far from here, and the store is glued to a house in which we loitered a lot, Viina, Kofuku, and myself. We were just a little older than you.” Yato stopped to light a cigarette, and he let out a big cloud of smoke. “A winter day I was arriving there, walking slowly, like the useless piece of garbage I was, and I saw a brat trying to force open the cash register”. He smiled to that memory. “Nobody was outside, so he thought it was easy to just jump over the counter and try to force that thing open. He wasn’t counting on the fact I would catch him faster you can say <<rat>>.”

“Was that kid Yukine-kun?” asked Hiyori, concerned.

“Right. I took him inside with an arm bent behind his back and told Daikoku.”

“What did you guys did?” Yato took a few steps ahead, stopped in front of her and looked at her dead in the eyes. Hiyori felt a spark going down her spine.

“You should really begin to understand, at this point” Yato said, with a deep, calm voice, “that all of us have our own stories and our reasons to do things. That’s why we all had troubles of this sort, big or small” the strength of his words let her freezing. Was he implying that all of them had records? “Yukine was obviously not completely conscious.”

“And he was stealing to pay…” cried Hiyori.

“Precisely. He was completely idle, and many years after I wondered how it could be that he showed that dependence degree being so young; but I really didn’t knew until he told me, and I want to respect that” he said, continuing his way. Hiyori didn’t insist on knowing the background, but waited for Yato to keep talking. “We never called the cops. At first he behaved like an ungrateful brat and several times he tried stealing again and running away, but we never thought about turning him over. I took him living with me to my apartment back then, and I began teaching him music, until the others made me realize having a kid his age sheltered with me without his parents consent could get me into trouble, so I let Kofuku and Daikoku follow a procedure to keep his custody. Now they’re the legal tutors and Yukine lives there.”

“What about his parents?”

“That’s a part of the story you would have to get from him” Yato laughed. “It’s really rare when Yukine talks about them.”

Hiyori plopped on her bed with a hole in the stomach. Suddenly she realized how much her life was different to everybody else’s. Even Yukine seemed to had lived much more time than her at his short age. Much to her dismay, she also realized she was beginning to ask herself if it was okay to keep being around people that clearly had been involved in situations people regularly frowned upon. But overall, she was also able to notice, maybe a little late, what she meant before Yukine’s eyes: a spoiled kid, that barely had gotten to show her nose to the world, outside the pink cotton candy setting her mother had laid around her, lovingly. Somehow, she felt she owed Yukine an apology.

  “Hiyori-chan, what happened with the club’s thing?”

“Isn’t the deadline near?”

“The deadline is next week” answered Hiyori, defeated, while picking up her stuff at the end of school day, during which she constantly remembered what Yato had said about Yukine recently. Her problems right now were the last thing she was worried about.

“And do you already know what you’re going to do?” asked Ami, closing her suitcase.

“To be honest, Ami-chan, I have not the slightest idea.”

Yama let out a big laugh.

“That’s an answer worth of me! Who are you and what did you do to Hiyori?”

Embarrassed, Hiyori put her hand in her forehead. “I’ve been really out there lately.”

“Maybe you just need to relax” figured Yama, who had not made any effort in putting her stuff away, and whose feet were high above the desk.

“Actually, I think relaxing is right now the last thing I need”, answered Hiyori, with a light laugh, and excused herself out when the bell rang, running down the hallways up to the main gate.

After a few stations and some streets, she found Yukine’s school.

She smiled sincerely with her ticket on hand, remembering the blonde’s face when she told him she wanted to buy the entrance to his school’s festival. He had been a comical mix of shyness, horror, and not being able to say no.

“Over here, Onee-chan” pointed the girl at the door, after cutting her ticket in two.

“Has the band contest started already?” asked Hiyori, smiling and a bit hurried.

“It starts on a few minutes, the auditorium is over there” the girl indicated a point straight across the main yard.

“Thanks!”

“Ah, Onee-chan!” yelled the girl again, “At the end of the festival we will do a raffle!”

Hiyori waved thanks with her hand and jogged searching for the auditorium. Going through the point the girl had pointed, several food stalls formed a path. Roasted squid, takoyaki, crepes, all of that delicious food popped to her eyes and stole her nose’s attention. Making an effort Hiyori continued down the way, and she had made it to the auditorium quicker if a quirky attire hadn’t gotten her attention. He was right in front a taiyaki stall.

“Hey, Hiyori! Have’cha tried the food already? It’s great! I just love all this junk they sell at festivals…” saying this, Yato put directly in her hand a warm little bread fish, that had an incredible smell. Hiyori looked at him directly in the eye. Yato was taking a vast selection of food between his arms.

“I assume you haven’t even looked at the time.”

“What’re you talking about?” he said, taking his cellphone out of one of his gray wool cardigan’s pocket. He looked at the screen. “Oh, shit!”

They both ran to the auditorium’s entrance, Yato surprised her arm was so thin he could place his entire hand around it, and Hiyori trying not to drop the taiyaki he gave her.

A big group was waiting outside, in a side entrance. The girl, even from afar, got a hint of the spark of joy Yukine’s face got lit with as soon as he saw them running; but it was quickly replaced with nuisance when he saw the ton of food Yato had purchased.

“You really couldn’t finish until the show was over?”

“Do you really wanted me to stay still and walk all the way down here on such a path without buying anything? Here, eat a Konnyaku!” Yato practically pushed a big gray squishy konnyaku chunks skewer to Yukine’s face, who took a step away.

“N-now stop it you idiot! Where is Daikoku and Kofuku?”

Yato was surprised.

“They’re not here yet? ‘thought those two were arriving first…”

Yukine’s phone began ringing. The boy picked up and after a few minutes of walking around while talking, he looked as down as the beginning.

“Daikoku says something came up with Kofuku at the office and they’re not gonna make it… it’ll be good if they could be here for a change…”

“THE ODEN STALL IS ABOUT TO OPEN!” announced a teacher in a megaphone, and Yato sprinted towards him.

“Could you even listen up you fucking idiot?!” after yelling, Yukine sighed and turned away, kicking gravel off his way.

“Yukine-kun?” called Hiyori, shyly. The teenager turned to her. “Break a leg!” she said, smiling. Yukine blushed, and looked down to his feet. He nodded, letting out a faint “Hm” and continued walking.

Entering the auditorium, instead of finding a seat, she stood by the door. It would be more convenient to stop Yato right there and tell him a couple of things than try to reach him from amidst the crowd. The lights went off, and the stage of Yukine’s middle school lighted with several lights of vivid shades and shapes. The amount of bands at that school only allowed for one song each. After a few numbers, Hiyori could hear the anxiety from the girls around her. On the stage’s speakers a voice raised and announced the name of the next band.

“Coming next, the official music club’s ensemble: Snowbell*!”

The roar of the girls next to her took Hiyori completely by surprise, until she remembered Yukine was in his usual life an actual celebrity. The hype of schoolgirls seeing him in a different band playing right before their eyes was completely understandable. Hiyori had only met Suzuha a few times herself, and she had though he was a kind and respectful young man. In that moment, she also realized Yukine and him really had a unique type of friendship. Their chemistry flooded the stage, and even surpassed the connection they had with the rest of the band members. Yukine held completely the structure of what Suzuha was doing on the guitar. The singer gave impressive jumps through all the stage and the drummer didn’t fell behind keeping the beat of a punk-rock song. Hiyori had her mouth open, impressed.

“They’re good, aren’t they?” said Yato, standing next to her. “You haven’t eaten your taiyaki.”

Coming back to the real world with a startled jump, Hiyori bit on her mushy anko filled fish, thoughtful.

“So this is the real Suzuha-kun.” She muttered. “They are amazing.”

“That’s their effort paying up.” Explained Yato, proudly. “I almost can’t believe this kid is the same brat I met years ago.”

“I get you.” Said Hiyori, swaying a bit to the beat, side to side. “They’re seriously great!”

Inside of the girl’s mind, slowly, a resolution so vague that could barely be put to words was beginning to form, but she know real well what was it about. If you could do this in the music club… and they were this good… could she improve?

“Hey, let’s go right there!” said Yato, taking her hand.

“But I haven’t finished my taiyaki yet!” she replied, trying to ignore the sudden jolt of electricity that went across her starting from the point where their hands were touching.

“Leave that!” he said, tossing it to a near trashcan and dragged her up the front,  right in front of the stage. The speakers loudness hit her ribs, the instruments sound slammed against her ears and she wasn’t able to even listen to her own thoughts. She looked at Yato, who smiled saying something she couldn’t manage to hear, and threw both hands to the air, moving his head. Swimming in the euphoria of the rest of the students, she also let herself go and imitated him. During a few moments she simply danced, forgetting everything, even from herself, and she only made it back to earth when the spark of joy of the boy’s amber eyes over the stage seemed to smile at her. The song ended, and Hiyori joined the roar of everybody else, clapping. She was not only clapping to the boys who just won the audience’s heart, but also to herself, since she had already found the solution she was so eagerly looking for.

Yukine joined them when the raffle was taking place. The night had already fallen and everybody were joining them at the light of the central yard’s stage.

“It’s really a shame Kofuku and Daikoku had missed this festival, Yukine-kun.” Hiyori praised him when she saw him jogging to them. “You were absolutely amazing.”

“T-thanks.” He said, sincerely, slipping one finger below his nose.

“Hey, don’t get too cocky, you brat.” Scoffed Yato. “Here, eat some squid.���

“Stop giving me food!”

“One of the winner tickets number is 90839!” Announced the school’s headmaster, which was doing the honor of conducting the raffle, officially giving the festival a closure.

Hiyori went pale.

Never, in all her life, she had won something. However, it was completely clear. In her entrance ticket, with red numbers, was printed “90839”. Yukine and Yato practically pushed her to the stage, where she waved her hand, shyly, accepting the price from the school’s headmaster’s hands. Yato’s yell was heard in the entire school.

“A CAPYPER!!”

 “I can’t believe you gave your prize to this piece of idiot.” Commented Yukine later, seeing her off at the station.

“Well, see it this way: I don’t have to carry it all the way down to my house.”

“CA-PY-PEEEEER!”

“You’re right about that.” Said Yukine, doing no effort to conceal the disappointment he was aiming at Yato right then.

“THANKS HIYORIIIIIII!”

“Okay, see you guys later.” She answered, trying to ignore the blue eyed boy, hugging a humongous Capyper plush by the neck, crushing it as if he wanted to deflate his lungs from oxygen.

She laughed again when Yukine had to drag Yato through the station by the cardigan’s neck.

  “Music?” said the headmaster, almost yelling. He lowered the request form and found an impatient Hiyori smiling, defiant.

“Yes, sensei.”

“That’s… unusual, Iki-san. I was thinking you might choose a more… academic club, so to speak.”

“Sir?”

“Anyways, take this to room 18 on the third floor. The main teacher is on a temporary sick leave but the substitute teacher should be there right now. He’s a very talented young man.”

The sunset light filtered through the building’s windows. Hiyori passed by the board she had looked weeks ago, searching for an answer to the dilemma of what club to pick. The music club flyer was written by hand, in a mature, professional and elegant way. She was almost completely sure this club was not going to be remotely similar to the one at Yukine’s school, but she didn’t care. Practice was practice, and if she could take her voice to a level in which she could listen to herself in a recording without being embarrassed to death, then she would take any help she could get.

She walked down almost desert hallways until she found room 18, on the third floor. The club’s room was strangely silent.

“Excuse me…” she muttered, popping her head inside.

“Ah, so you should be the new girl they were talking about a while ago!” said a youthful voice coming from the bottom of the room. Hiyori entered and turned on a white tungsten light who buzzed uncomfortably. A young guy was sitting behind a violoncello. Skillfully, he began playing it with soft movements of the bow.

“My name’s Iki…”

“Iki Hiyori, right?” He looked at her with an interested gaze, without leaving his spot. His brown eyes fixated on hers, keeping the eye contact like a padlock. “I’m the substitute teacher, Fujisaki Kouto.”

 *SHRINE’s name is a joke I enjoyed a lot making, Snowbell is also another joke I thought about mixing both name’s kanji, Suzuha and Yukine’s.